Callaway Diablo Edge Irons

What is there to know about Callaway Diablo Edge irons? No golf clubs are cheap, but Callaway's clubs have always been among the most expensive. Callaway has always used superior technology, materials, designs and craftsmanship, but it's always made you pay for them, too. A set of Callaway irons with graphite shafts could easily set you back $1200 or $1300, and that was a few years ago.

That's just the way it's always been with Callaway's products. Things might be changing for the better, however. Imagine my surprise when the Callaway Diablo Edge irons came out in 2010 with a much more reasonable price - somewhere in the range of $600 (steel shafts) to $750 or so (graphite shafts) for a full set of Callaway Diablo Edge irons. These are the most affordable Callaway irons in years, and they might also be the best since the 2002 Big Bertha irons. Callaway Golf itself claims that these clubs are the longest stainless steel irons the company has ever produced. And, the price has dropped since they first came out.

My home golf course has a men's demo set of Callaway Diablo Edge irons, so I tried them out this morning (you can get them as ladies clubs too, but I always use men's clubs because of my height). My husband tried them yesterday and I'll include some of his thoughts here in addition to my own impressions. His handicap is around 7, while mine's been hovering around 9.

First things first, let me mention their looks, because that's the first thing you'll notice when you pick one of them up. In short, Diablo Edge irons have a controversial appearance. People either love the sharp edges and shape of the undercut and the deep red, white and silvery-grey graphics, or they think these are some of the ugliest irons that have ever been created. There's not much indifference here. Personally, I think they look slick and futuristic. My husband thinks they're chunky-looking, so go figure.

Callaway Diablo Edge irons are game-improvement clubs designed for players who want to strike the ball more consistently and gain distance. A forged variety caters to better players, but the irons we tried were the "regular," investment-cast version, and that's what will be reviewed here.

These irons are designed with a low, deep, rearward-positioned center of gravity to help middle and higher handicap players hit the ball more accurately and with longer, more consistent distance. Like other Callaway clubs, they incorporate three "core" Callaway design features: VFT technology, which increases forgiveness by increasing perimeter weighting; the shortened hosel of the S2H2 design, which moves weight from the club's hosel to the head's perimeter and makes the clubs easier to hit; and an improved Tru-Bore design which enhances feel and club head control, even on mishits. This particular design feature incorporates a polycarbonate tip plug to dampen vibration on mishits, and it's something your hands will appreciate if you don't strike the ball as purely as you'd like.

A wide, "Solid Impact Sole" optimizes turf interaction by allowing the sole of the club to glide more smoothly through your lie. This feature is intended to minimize the likelihood of hitting behind the ball or striking it thin, and to minimize the penalty if you do hit it poorly. The cavity back of the Callaway Diablo Edge irons has a new, "360-Degree Undercut Channel" to add even more forgiveness. The lofts have been marginally strengthened for additional distance. And, after determining where on the clubface average golfers typically strike the ball, Callaway enlarged and moved the sweet spot of these clubs down toward the lower portion of the face to provide greater overall distance and distance control.

Callaway Diablo Edge irons are available with steel or graphite shafts in several set configurations and shaft flexes. Many people buy them as a traditional, all-iron set, but Callaway also offers "combo" sets where easy-to-hit Callaway Diablo Edge hybrid clubs replace the longer irons. This option raises the price, but it offers significant benefits for players who struggle with long irons - and unfortunately, many of us do.

The Bottom Line: Callaway Diablo Edge irons are easy to hit, give you good distance and are very forgiving, even on off-center hits. They're also the most affordable Callaway irons in several years. If you're an average to high handicap golfer, they might give you the competitive "edge" you've been hoping for. Make sure you're comfortable with their appearance, though, because opinions on their looks are definitely divided.

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