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In this review, I’ll be taking a look at the Callaway MAVRIK Pro iron.
The MAVRIK Pro is the better-player entry in Callaway’s MAVRIK line of irons. It features a more compact shape, less offset, and a thinner top line for more control and workability.
How does the MAVRIK Pro actually perform? Where does it stack up among other recent better-player offerings like the Apex 19? Is it worth putting in the bag?
Read on to find out what you need to know to make an informed decision.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
The MAVRIK Pro iron earned a gold medal on the 2020 Golf Digest Hot List in the Players-Distance category.
The professional critic reviews that exist are very positive. In terms of consumer reception, the MAVRIK Pro has earned a 4.8/5 (97% recommended) average rating on the official Callaway website and on CGPO, as well as a 5/5 on Global Golf.
What People Like
- turf interaction is excellent
- has the slim look and explosive feel that appeals to skilled players while still being long and forgiving
- fantastic technology
- affordable
What People Don’t Like
- some people find the feel to be too harsh
- not ideal for those who struggle to hit the center of the clubface
What are the features?
The MAVRIK Pro iron has the same core technologies that mark the MAVRIK line of golf irons:
- Flash Face Cup: designed by artificial intelligence, this consists of a complex face architecture that is unique for every iron in the set. It results in higher ball speeds and improved spin robustness.
- Tungsten Energy Core: custom tungsten-infused weights allow the center of gravity (CG) to be precisely positioned for optimal launch, trajectory, spin rate, and land angles throughout the set.
- Urethane Microspheres: this proprietary technology of Callaway absorbs unwanted vibrations and improves sound & feel while still retaining the very high COR of the Flash Face Cup.
The key point of differentiation in the MAVRIK Pro is the size and shape.
The Pro has a compact head, thinner topline, and minimal offset compared to the Standard and MAX versions. This makes it ideal for skilled golfers with single-digit handicaps, but in fact, golfers of any skill level can play the Pro.
Stock Info
The 3-iron through the approach wedge are all available for purchase, individually or in a limited number of set configurations (less than the other MAVRIK irons). The stock set is 4-PW.
The stock steel shaft is the True Temper Elevate 105, while the stock graphite shaft is the KBS TGI 90. The stock grip is the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360.
There are over 100 different grips to choose from and many custom shafts. You can also customize your lengths, lie angles and lofts.
Information on shafts, grips and other customizations can be found on Callaway Golf Pre-Owned.
Below are the specs of the MAVRIK Pro irons. Click or zoom to enlarge.
How do the irons perform?
Distance
Going into this, I did think that the MAVRIK Pro, as a better-player iron, would not be quite as long as the Standard. This is because, although the technologies are the same, the shape and CG placement emphasize control over distance.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Pro is just as long, and this is despite the couple degrees of extra loft. The trajectory is just as high and solid, which means many golfers can essentially just move one club up and get the same results they were getting before.
Then again, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised since the MAVRIK Pro is considered a “players-distance” iron. In any event, it’s one of the longest players irons I’ve tested.
Trajectory
The MAVRIK Pro irons produce a trajectory similar to the Standard, if not a touch lower and more penetrating. It takes more skill to get the long irons up in the air, but it’s certainly manageable.
The short irons are a beauty to hit; they have the precision, touch and control needed to hit your spots on the button. I wouldn’t say they’re the purest shotmakers out there, but they’re pretty close.
Spin isn’t drastically lower than the MAX, so you shouldn’t have problems with floaters.
Forgiveness
There are two elements to this.
If we’re talking about loss of ball speed and MOI for shots not hit in the center of the face, the Pro has practically the same forgiveness as the Standard because of the Flash Face. In this respect, forgiveness is very good.
At the same time, the body is slightly smaller, so less-skilled golfers may find it more difficult to make solid contact.
If we’re talking about how easy it is to launch the ball up in the air, you won’t get much help from the Pro, as expected. I find the trajectory to be about the same, but there is a bit less spin, and this makes a difference.
All in all, forgiveness is still impressive given its better-player characteristics. Thus, if you’re looking for an iron with a slimmer profile but don’t want to sacrifice forgiveness completely, the Pro is an excellent option.
Workability
It’s a lot of fun working the ball and shaping shots with the MAVRIK Pro. Lows, highs, fades, draws, spinners — it can all be done quite easily if you have the skill.
I’ve seen more workable players irons, but unless you’re a top pro with steep demands, the Pro will more than get the job done.
What about look, sound & feel?
The Look
The Pro iron has the smallest body in the MAVRIK line. It has a much thinner, less rounded top line and considerably less offset — pretty standard for a better-player iron offering.
The MAVRIK Pro doesn’t have a razor-thin blade: it ranks between the Apex 19 and Apex 19 Pro in terms of size. This speaks to the fact that the Pro is still marketed as a “distance” iron and not a pure shotmaker.
Looking at the badge side of the iron, you can definitely tell that it has more of a “square” shape. The cavity has a slightly different design than the other MAVRIK irons, with no orange accents.
It’s honestly not my favourite aesthetic for a players iron. Experienced golfers can clearly tell that it’s not a forged blade, but it certainly gets the job done.
The Sound & Feel
As with other players irons, the sound & feel can be described succinctly in one way: amazing in the center of the face, and progressively worse as you move away from it.
But with the MAVRIK Pro irons, mis-hits feel comparatively better than other players irons that don’t use a technology like urethane microspheres.
There is an element of explosiveness, compression, solidness, and also softness that you would expect from a players iron. Sweet spot strikes feel amazing, and the iron goes through the turf beautifully.
Furthermore, mis-hits don’t sound or feel all that terrible. The urethane microspheres really help to round out the feel across the face, but at the same time, there’s more than enough feedback to know where you make contact.
Where should you buy these irons online?
The MAVRIK Pro irons are now more than a few seasons old, and you can no longer order them custom directly from the official Callaway website.
The best you can do now is look for it on Callaway Golf Pre-Owned and eBay. CGPO has a bunch of these irons on offer with a 90-day buy-back policy, 12-month warranty, and condition guarantee.
A Pro set is, on average, $100 more expensive than the Standard and MAX. They’re much less expensive than the majority of modern better-player iron offerings, but if you want to find good savings, definitely look on eBay.
Also be sure to look at what’s available on Global Golf.
Conclusion
Classification: Better-Player (with distance)
Best suited for: Single-digit handicappers or any golfers looking to challenge themselves with a players iron.
Aside from a little less forgiveness, Callaway’s MAVRIK Pro iron has pretty much all of the same benefits as the Standard MAVRIK packed into a slimmer, sleeker profile.
Unlike the MAX, the Pro differentiates itself enough from the Standard to be a viable choice for many golfers.
The bottom line: if you want a modern better-player offering that has more distance than similar irons in its class, then the MAVRIK Pro is for you.
Thanks for reading this review. Have you tried the MAVRIK Pro irons? Are you still unsure about something? Feel free to leave a comment below.
I am 70 and have a 14 handicap. Have been using the Callaway Pro Regular Graphite irons for past 5 months. These are great hitting clubs, great accuracy and distance. Like they have little to no offset.