Head to Head: Callaway X16 Proseries vs Spalding Tour Editions

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GeoffDickson

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In the blue corner: Callaway X16 Proseries, X-stiff shaft.

In the red corner: Spalding Tour Edition, S300 shafts. TE half inch shorter than X16s. The TE claim to fame is that Norman used them to win the 1986 won British Open.
For those that can't remember them:
http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/uploads/monthly_04_2008/post-30293-1208248786-1.jpg

Me: 6 handicap, 95mph driver swing speed. The X16s are my current club that I both second hand six years ago. The Tour Editions are my old clubs (bought at 'Schoolies Week' 1987). You may recall another thread I started last week about the pros and cons of Game Improvement vs Players irons. I thought I could do my own comparison. A clubfitter has suggested that S300 soft stepped once is probably my ideal shaft stiffness, hence the interest in new set of clubs.

I took both 7 irons to the driving range tonight. How do you think they compared in terms of accuracy, distance, feel and mishit performance. I will post answers in a few days. Let's see who gets closest.
 
BrendanC

BrendanC

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Callies suck!

Nice....

Callys went further and looked great and penetrating on good shots but you had no real idea where they were going. Scrape and smack.

Spaldings required you to slow down and focus on making good contact. They rewarded this by making good shots more accurate. They were a club shorter. You were really playing. 'I want to make THAT feeling again'.

Them's my prejudices anyway.....
 
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jpeck

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Hardly a valid test since neither club suits you. When I'm hitting blades well, if I hit a GI iron (made to same specs), I chunk it - and I chunk the blade if I change back after hitting a bunch of GIs. If hitting GI irons well and I hit the blade, it's thin and skittery. But I can hit both solid if I stick to the one type of club.

My suggestion is to get fitted properly, then play and practice with only those clubs. Unless you especially wanted to piss yourself around, of course.
 
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birly-shirly

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Here's a thought about clubhead forgiveness. My last round, from the middle of the fairway, I hit 2 5 woods, right out of the screws, and they both hooked out of bounds. Both started right of the target, hung in the air for an age, and swept practically from one side of the course to the other (and beyond...)

Now, I'm not blaming the club or anything here. In terms of trajectory, I hit the 5 wood "better" than a 2 iron. But I also find it hard to believe that many, if any, of the scruffy shots that I hit with a 2 iron would have been as damaging as that soaring 5 wood.

I sometimes think that "forgiving" club designs flatter to deceive. Nice feel, easier launch - but maybe just flying your bad shots farther into trouble. There's a lot to be said for bad shots that just go to ground and let you try again with the same ball.

Now, if I spent my whole golfing life hitting over forced carries, I might feel a little different - but there you go...
 
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GeoffDickson

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Distance: I felt the X16s were marginally longer. I compared 7 irons. The X-16s might have been 2-3m longer.

Feel: TE slightly better...but nothing to write home about.

Looks: No contest. TE by a country mile.

Ball Flight: The TE was noticeably higher. The X16 have that 'penetrating' ball flight. Two weeks ago i had a session on Trackman. Average iron height was 26m. I thing the TE would have been 30-31m. As i said, noticeably higher. I think the shaft flex would probably account for this rather than the clubhead.

Distance control: No difference.

Workability: No difference.

Mishits: X-16s slightly better.
 
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Robbohank

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I'm guessing that the TE 7-iron has the same loft as the X16 8-iron so no surprise in the difference in the height/trajectories of each. Or - you could say that the TE 6-iron is more like the loft of the X16 7-iron.

Did you measure or do you know the ACTUAL lofts of both clubs? One can hardly go by the number on the bottom of the iron when comparing today's clubs with those from 20+ years ago.
 
BrendanC

BrendanC

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Lofts certain to be lower on the Callies.

Interesting that 20 years worth of advances etc produced zero benefit in feel/performances in this case.

I recently ditched that 'penetrating' ballflight for one that I have some idea where the ball is going!
 
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adamscot89

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It doesn't matter if its a niblick from 1926 or X-16 from 2006, hitting the nuts feels like hitting the nuts.
For me picking clubs is all about proper fit and confidence.
 
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