Callaway Rogue ST 2023 Irons Review – Are They Forgiving & Good for High Handicappers?

Callaway has revived the famed Rogue line and in many ways, the new Rogue ST 2023 Irons carry on the same spirit that drove the original Rogue irons.

Callaway Rogue ST Irons Overview

 In the 2022 iteration of the Rogue irons, Callaway sought to increase strength and round out iron performance.

First of all, it might be helpful to note that ST stands for Speed Tuned because this gives a huge clue as to what the design emphasis behind these irons was. You guessed it; speed!

It all starts with a new 450 grade steel face on all the models included in the new line. The 450 steel faces add stability and strength so they are more resilient on the impact rebound.

The result? Faster ball speeds. In the case of the Callaway Rogue ST irons, higher strength certainly does mean more speed and distance performance. Not only are the Callaway Rogue ST irons some of the longest irons Callaway produces; they are almost equally forgiving.

What we mean is that you won’t have to have a fast swing speed to unlock the ball speeds that these irons can generate. Speaking of forgiveness…

Are the Callaway Rogue ST Irons Forgiving?

Most of the models in the new Callaway Rogue ST line of irons are indeed built for forgiveness.

The Rogue ST Max OS Lite being the most forgiving in the bunch, of course. But to answer the question, ‘are the Callaway Rogue ST irons forgiving?’ plainly and in a general sense, yes they are forgiving.

The head shape of almost all the models in the line are longer and have pronounced soles that will make finding the sweet spot a lot easier. And while short-game performance isn’t at a premium in the Max models, they still help out around the pin a bit.

The high launch (even in the Max models) will help you get over hazards and land soft on the green. The best part about all that is that it’s very easy to achieve these ideal short-game launch angles.

Are Callaway Rogue ST Irons Good for Beginners and High Handicappers?

The Callaway Rogue ST irons continue the tradition of the original Rogue irons and that mission was to be accessible to high handicap players.

One thing we really liked after testing the Callaway Rogue ST line was that almost everyone in our test party was able to get in on the fun. All of the irons in the line save for the Callaway Rogue ST Pro’s deliver what beginners and high handicappers need: distance, forgiveness and high launch.

Should you Buy the Rogue ST or Big Berthas?

It’s really hard to argue against the Callaway Big Bertha irons – especially if the debate is about the best Callaway game-improvement irons.

Like the Callaway Rogue ST irons, the Big Bertha irons were designed to play long, be forgiving and generate high launch. That all being said, the argument can be made that the Big Berthas are too long.

We would actually recommend the Big Berthas to absolute beginners who need distance, pure and simple. There’s just no working the Big Berthas and short-game performance suffers.

The Callaway Rogue ST irons, while forgiving, offer a bit more accuracy around the pin with more dynamic face grooves and better spin control. So it really depends on the stage of your game’s development.