Taylormade M2 Vs. Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons Comparison Overview
It can be difficult to sort through all the features that manufacturers put into their clubs. It all sounds nice at first; but once you get your hands on them you realize that you can’t even discern any difference that these fancy features are making.
Sometimes the improvements are subtle and nuanced – sometimes they’re non-existent. To help you sort through the marketing, we have compared two very popular iron sets that promise better performance through advanced features.
Taylormade M2 Irons Overview
The Taylormade M2 irons have similar head sizes to the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons.
Right off the bat, this means more forgiveness. These are not player’s compact profile irons. They are big, beefy and were designed to help beginners find the sweet spot. Additionally, the M2 irons have been outfitted with the Speed Pocket to promote face flex.
When we tested these irons we were impressed by ball speed and distance. In all, they played an average of 5 yards longer than the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons. However, these irons are not without their superfluous features.
The “Geocoustic” engineering which is meant to enrich the sound and produce certain frequencies at impact are indiscernible on the course. From our testing, it did not improve performance – it just seemed kind of gimmicky.
Callaway Rogue ST Max Irons Overview
The Callaway Rogue ST Max irons feature a massive amount of tungsten weight.
In fact, they have the heaviest tungsten weight of any other Rogue ST iron (62 grams in the 4 iron). So does this feature help with performance? Yes and no. It certainly puts more power behind each of your swings.
But when you add from somewhere you have to subtract from somewhere else. The added weight makes these irons a bit cumbersome and unwieldy. While they are meant to help beginners and high handicappers with distance and forgiveness, they didn’t play as long as the M2 irons.
It’s not that they are wildly unforgiving either – it will just take longer to get the hang of the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons compared to the Taylormade M2 irons.
Still, the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons produced higher launch angles which is always nice. Carry distance with the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons was impressive but if you are looking for improved overall distance and a lighter feel, check out the Taylormade M2 irons.
Callaway Rogue ST Irons
Category: Game Improvement – Player’s Performance
Taylormade M2 Irons
Category – Game Improvement/ Distance Irons
Callaway Rogue ST Irons First Impressions
The first thing we noticed about the Callaway Rogue ST irons is that they felt incredibly stable on full swings.
While high handicappers may not fully appreciate that benefit at first, it will certainly spoil them as they get better. The large head sizes of the Max models will be a bit off-putting for lower handicappers; but that is what the Pro line is for.
All of the Max models have a wide sole that you can see from point of address. Again this will look more comforting in the eyes of a beginner or high handicapper. Our testers also noted the near-effortless launch of almost all the irons in the set.
Key Tech
The clubs are packing all the latest technology too:
We’ve now got urethane microspheres up to the 6th groove which helps give a smoother feel and nicer sound.
A.I Optimized flash face to give a solid connection anywhere on the face and optimization for launch, spin and distance.
The Tungsten weighting is in the extremities of the head and allows for the sweet spot to cover more of the face, up to 260% more Tungsten than the Mavrik irons.
Taylormade M2 – First Impressions
The M2 have been extremely popular since their release in 2017 and set the blueprint for the modern Sim 2 Irons that we see on the market today.
The heads on the M2 clubs are smaller and more compact than traditional Game Improvement Irons and they are built for distance more than forgiveness.
The incorporate technology like a face slot for forgiveness on off center hits and a speed pocket to maximize ball speed.
Tungsten weighting lowers the COG of the irons making it easy to get an effective launch angle.
These Irons are perfect for improving players to get maximum distance while also having tremendous feel for high to mid handicappers.
Callaway Rogue ST Selling Points
- Up to 62 grams of tungsten weighting
- 450 grade steel faces
- Pronounced soles
- I. designed Flash Face Cup design
- Layers of urethane
- Strong lofts
M2 Irons – Selling Points
- Compact Heads
- Tungsten Weighting
- Defined Leading Edge For Workability
- Face Slots For Forgiveness
- Speed Pocket For Ball Speed
- Competitive Price ($500 For The Set)
Who are the Callaway Rogue ST Irons for?
The Callaway Rogue ST irons are mostly for high handicappers. The three different Max models are certainly for beginner to intermediate players while the Pro model would be better for single-digit handicappers.
But don’t get the wrong idea. The three Callaway Rogue ST Max irons aren’t as beginner-friendly when compared to some other irons. Just like we explained when we compared them to the Big Bertha’s, the Callaway Rogue ST irons are just a bit more refined than your average distance/game-improvement irons.
While most of the Callaway Rogue ST iron family is focused on upping the ball speed of high handicap players, the Pro model has a lot to offer more skilled players. Speaking of the different Callaway Rogue ST models…
The Callaway Rogue ST Iron Family
Callaway Rogue ST Max
The Rogue ST Max irons have the heaviest tungsten weight (62 grams) of any other Rogue ST iron. The head is not quite as big as the other Max models so it sits somewhere between the Rogue ST Pro and the other two Rogue ST Max models.
Callaway Rogue ST Max OS
If you need a little bit of draw bias in your irons, the pronounced offset of the Max OS irons will be helpful for you. Compared to the Callaway Rogue ST Max irons, the Max OS’s also have slightly stronger lofts. As a result the Max OS irons are more forgiving out near the toe.
Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite
As you can imagine, the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite model is almost identical to the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS model. The key differences are lighter shafts and lighter swing weights.
The Callaway Rogue ST Max OS Lite irons also have the lightest tungsten weights (46 grams in the longest iron) and produce the highest launch angles thanks to an incredibly wide sole.
Launch is also helped with stronger lofts compared to the Callaway Rogue ST Max OS irons and the fact that these irons come standard in only graphite shafts should reiterate the emphasis on light weight and easier swinging.
Callaway Rogue ST Pro
The Callaway Rogue ST Pro irons are the most unique of the bunch. They feature the smallest head sizes and muscle backs. They also have a hollow body design. The spirit of the Rogue irons is still alive even in the Pro models though.
For instance, the Callaway Rogue ST Pro irons feature split weighting in the toe and heel to increase MOI and improve ball speeds on shots away from the sweet spot. So while they offer better spin dynamics, they are still pretty forgiving.
Ball speed is still there in the long irons as well – you’ll just have to be a lot more accurate.
Distance: 96/100
Accuracy: 93/100
Forgiveness: 95/100
Feel & Control: 94/100
Overall Score: 96/100
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Who Are The M2 Irons For?
The M2 are going to be perfect for Mid Handicappers that are looking to pick up a bargain.
The irons are primarily built for distance but they also have forgiveness and easy launching built in.
The well defined leading edge, ensures quality turf interaction given these irons the feel need for better players.
Overall, if you’re looking to improve your game and get straight distance, the M2’s are going to be a great option
The Family Of Irons
The M2 started the M series which is the backbone for the irons we see today. The M4 and M6 offered significant new features like the speed bridge and added more forgiveness but the M2’s still easily hold their own.
Distance: 95/100
Accuracy: 93/100
Forgiveness: 92/100
Feel And Control: 92/100
Overall Score: 93/100
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