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In this review, I’ll take a look at the Callaway Rogue ST MAX OS irons.
The Rogue ST MAX OS has the same speed-maximizing technologies as the Rogue ST MAX such as an A.I. Flash Face Cup with 450 steel and tungsten weighting, but it offers higher launch with a thicker, more confidence-inspiring profile.
How does the Rogue ST MAX OS iron perform at the end of the day? How does it compare to the standard Rogue ST MAX and the MAVRIK MAX? Is it worth putting a set 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 Rogue ST MAX OS irons have been received very well. As a 2022 Golf Digest Hot List gold medal winner, they enjoy a score of 4.9/5 (98% recommended) on the Callaway store.
Critics generally praise the irons for their length, forgiveness, and high trajectory.
What People Like
- very long and forgiving
- premium feel and great sound
- high launch with good spin
- confidence-inspiring
What People Don’t Like
- chunky profile is unappealing to some
The Features
The Rogue ST MAX OS irons have the same core technologies as the Rogue ST MAX, namely:
- 450 Steel & A.I. Flash Face: a complex face architecture unique to every iron in the set increases launch, improves spin consistency, optimizes landing angles, and boosts ball speeds (COR) to unprecedented levels. This combines with high-strength 450 steel to further increase ball speeds across the face.
- Precision Tungsten Weighting: the center of gravity (CG) is precisely located with high-density tungsten, improving launch conditions and speed across the entire face.
- Urethane Microspheres: these provide the benefits of urethane (absorbing unwanted vibrations and improving sound & feel) while still retaining the very high COR of the Flash Face Cup. Now, the microspheres are shifted farther up the face to the sixth groove.
The key differences are:
- up to 49g of tungsten is used (188% more than the MAVRIK) instead of 62g
- the soles are wider, the offset is greater, and the top line is thicker
Stock Info
There are many set configurations to choose from, from the 4-iron all the way to the sand wedge. Individual irons are available.
The stock steel shaft is the True Temper Elevate MPH 85, and the stock graphite shafts are the Mitsubishi TENSEI AV Blue (65 and 75) and Project X Cypher Black 50 HB/IR.
There are over 100 different grips to choose from and many custom shafts. You can also customize your lie angles and lofts. More information on shafts, grips and other customizations can be found on the Callaway website.
Below are the specs of the Rogue ST MAX OS irons. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
Distance
The Rogue ST MAX OS irons have virtually the same ball speed potential as the Rogue ST MAX irons — those numbers were within 1 mph of each other for the short and mid irons.
The key differences with the MAX OS are a higher launch (launch angles tended to be 0.6°-1.5° greater on average) and slightly higher spin. This will result in slightly less carry distance for many golfers.
This also means that the MAX OS irons cover the primary weakness of the MAX irons which is limited stopping power into the greens. Most players will be able to easily get the ball up in the air and hold greens with long irons.
Forgiveness
The same technologies that make the Rogue ST MAX OS irons extremely long also make them very forgiving. I do find that they are more forgiving than the MAVRIK MAX irons.
Stability in mis-hit areas is superb. This is certainly a consequence of the large amount of tungsten behind the face, and also, Callaway is now using 450 steel with their A.I. Flash Face which adds even more stability.
Having said that, my dispersions with the MAX OS irons were about 2-3 yards greater compared to the MAX. If anything, the comparatively smaller amount of tungsten in the head may have a marginal negative impact on MOI.
Another thing to note is that the increased offset helps golfers reduce or eliminate misses to the right.
Playability/Trajectory
Trajectories with the Rogue ST MAX OS irons tend to be mid-high with perhaps a touch of draw bias. Launch is quite high, but shots still tend to hold up in the wind very well which is great.
It’s easy to get a good flight with the mid and long irons, giving you great stopping power around the greens. The short irons are fine, but like other “max GI” irons, I personally find them a bit clunky to hit due to their size.
The wider sole of the MAX OS limits workability to an extent. I’ve played irons that are even less workable, but if you’re looking to do a lot of shot-shaping, there are certainly better options out there.
The Look
Setting up behind the ball at address, the thicker profile and additional offset compared to the Rogue ST MAX is quite obvious. It’s a pretty typical “max GI” look.
Compared to the MAVRIK MAX, the Rogue ST MAX OS irons appear to have a longer face with a wider groove area, which inspires more confidence right off the bat.
The shape of the tungsten region on the back of the club is slightly different, but aside from that and the addition of the “OS” logo, the MAX OS has the same aesthetic and colour scheme of the MAX, which itself is a nod to the MAVRIK iron family.
I have never been a fan of overly chunky irons, but many golfers will undoubtedly love it in this case.
The Sound & Feel
The sound & feel is overall very similar to that of the Rogue ST MAX. The urethane microspheres really go to work, minimizing vibrations and dampening the impact without making it feel dull.
Impact feel is solid, pure and hot. The sound produced is a nice “swoosh” that is quite muted and is not too low or high-pitched.
Feel towards the top of the face is also noticeably good thanks to the microspheres being shifted up. The one thing I feel is a bit different from the MAX is that the feel of the MAX OS is just a hair more “clicky” — I think this is a natural consequence of the slightly smaller amount of tungsten in the head.
Sound and feel are pretty consistent across the face, but you can also discern the general area of the strike. Feel through the hands is more informative than the sound.
Where To Buy These Irons Online
If you want a brand new set of (or individual) Rogue ST MAX OS irons with custom shafts, grips, lengths, lofts, etc., definitely head over to this page on the official Callaway website before it gets removed.
You can also get the Rogue ST MAX OS irons in a combo set with the Rogue ST MAX hybrids (3H-6H) right here. If you do well with hybrids, this could be a great choice, but it will be a little more expensive than a set consisting of only irons.
If you want to find good savings on these irons, definitely check on eBay or Callaway Golf Pre-Owned.
Alternatively, look at what’s available on Amazon or on PGA TOUR Superstore, which allows for full customization and offers many buying perks.
Conclusion
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX OS irons address the main weakness of the Rogue ST MAX, providing more loft with a higher launch designed to hold more greens. They have a thicker, more confidence-inspiring profile meant to help higher handicaps shoot lower scores.
Aside from that, the MAX OS irons have the same ball-speed maximizing face technologies and the same exceptional feel as the MAX.
So, if the lofts of the MAX are too strong for you and you don’t mind the chunky head, the MAX OS is ideal. They are a clear step up from the previous generation MAVRIK MAX, and the fact that Callaway was able to keep them under $1000 is commendable.
Are you interested in the Rogue ST MAX OS irons? Have you tried them yet? What’s your experience? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
