The Callaway X Tour Irons—apparently played by the likes of Phil Mickelson and Charles Howell—are now ready for pre-order. Ironically, they’ll be available on April 15—so you can use your expected tax returns to buy them. You’re going to need a big return, though. They retail for $999

Here’s the official blurb:

Forged 1020 Carbon Steel Body: The X-Tour’s advanced two-piece design features a forged 1020 carbon steel body, with a forged 1020 carbon steel face welded in 360 degree undercut channel, which enlarges the sweet spot and provides perimeter weighting previously unavailable on a performance iron.

Extreme Notch Weighting: Extreme notch weighting focuses the perimeter weight to the extreme heel and toe helping to raise the Moments of Inertia for resistance to twisting on off-center hits.

Traditional Size and Shape: In designing a performance iron with a traditional size and shape, many new design features were incorporated into Callaway’s X-Tour irons. The X-Tour blade length is shorter from heel to toe, while the toe has been raised and squared. A thin, understated, pared-off top line and straight leading edge provide the look “traditional” players prefer, while reduced hosel offset and a beveled, narrower sole combine to add workability from all types of conditions.

New Blind-Bore Hosel Technology: A hosel design longer than the patented S2H2 design of past Callaway irons moves the center of gravity towards the heel and higher in the face. This repositioning of the center of gravity provides enhanced workability, and the increased trajectory control more accomplished players seek.

This is Callaway’s first attempt at forged clubs.  You can read the full blown press release in the extended text.

 
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The next great innovation in golf balls apparently is going to be the hollow metal core. A company called Nanodynamics Innovations says that their hollow ball has less spin, and thus will help the average hacker keep the ball in the fairway, and moving in a straight line toward the hole.

I seem to remember reading about a hollow metal ball that was experimented with back in the 1970s. Perhaps someone can remember the name.

The San Diego Union-Tribue has a fun article on weekend tinkerers who dream of hitting it big in the golf market. There’s the guy who bought Carlsbad Golf, the Glideball Portable Golf Driving Range System, the Lopaka Putter, and other unusual product.

Louisville Golf continues its tradition of putting a modern face on classic persimmon woods with its Hy Lofters Hybrid. Louisville says the clubs:

combine both fairway wood and iron design into one solid utility club. It is the first hybrid club manufactured out of Persimmon wood. Persimmon is known for feel and accuracy, a premium for this category of clubs that replace the lower, harder-to-hit irons. The Hy-Lofters, offered in three lofts (21, 24, 27), incorporate a heavy Brass soleplate which greatly lowers the center of gravity, resulting in quick, high launches for soft-landing approaches. They are effective from both the fairway and off the tee as an alternative to the driver as an accuracy option.

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Bridgestone is making a big push into the US golf market this year. Their high end ball is the Tour B330

Bridgestone says that

The Tour B330 utilizes breakthroughs in polymer science technologies that means it plays really well. Designed for a sharp penetrating ball flight, the Tour B330 is less affected by wind but does not sacrifice distance and feel. It delivers everything a skilled golfer seeks and is perfect for a high level of play.

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