CHRIS BRADSHAW
HANDICAP: 13

WHAT OUR TESTER SAID: On the par-3 12th, I hit a 6-iron ... it was not one of my better shots, but it didn’t end up too bad. This revealed that you might hit the ball a bit fat with the i-brids, but it still goes.

MODEL AND SHAFT PLAYED: Callaway FT i-brid irons fitted with regular Nippon 990 steel shafts.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I play with a set of hybrid irons, so the bulge all the way down to the short irons and wedge is familiar to me. However, at address, the size of the face and the length of the blade of these clubs were a bit different to look at.
VERDICT: The FT i-brid irons had a very solid feel. I was able to get a bit of draw with the 6-iron down through the set, and they felt like irons, not conventional hybrid clubs. Even with a chunky head, they played very
well out of the rough.

The trajectory was consistent, as was the distance, although they weren’t as long as my current set. The distance control, though, was very good – it wouldn’t change drastically from 150 to 120 metres from swing to swing, which said something about how much you could get out of a mis-hit with these irons.

Forgiveness is certainly the key feature of this set. On the par-3 12th during the road test, I hit a 6-iron, which I later realised was too much club for the distance. It was not one of my better shots, but it didn’t end up too bad. This revealed that you might hit the ball a bit fat with the i-brids, but it still goes.

Good swings with these clubs were also rewarded. I had 180 metres to the 18th green, and knocked a 4-iron on. It was probably my best iron swing of the day and it just felt so crisp.

FACTS & FIGURES

SUITABILITY: Mid- to high-handicapped players.
SHAFTS: NS Pro 990 steel and Callaway Golf FT i-brid graphite.
GRIPS: Callaway Golf.
LEFT-HANDED MODELS?: Yes. Gap and lob wedges are right-hand only.
HOW MUCH?: $212 per iron (steel shafts), $256 (graphite).
CALLAWAY SAYS: “Incorporating Fusion Technology – the superior weight-shifting science created by Callaway Golf – the new FT i-brid irons set features three hybrid-like clubs designed to replace hard-to-hit long irons and gameimprovement short irons.

“Multi-material construction allows weight to be shifted for optimal performance. The lightweight titanium body allows for an oversized clubhead with increased offset for greater forgiveness and an increased effective hitting area. Heavy tunite weighting in the sole creates a higher moment of inertia and better stability with a low, deep centre of gravity. The ‘TPU SenSert’, behind the clubface, decreases vibration and delivers solid feel.

“The i-brid clubs blend the control and accuracy of irons with the forgiveness, distance and versatility of hybrids. The low, deep centre of gravity helps get the ball in the air quickly and easily, and the wider sole improves turf interaction. “The super game-improvement mid and short irons are designed for the ultimate in forgiveness with its oversized design and increased offset. Seamless performance progression throughout
the set provides consistent distance separation with optimal trajectories.”

For more information please purchase a copy of the July issue of Golf Australia or Contact Cobra on 1800 217 777 or visit www.callaway.com/au.html

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