KE4 Max review, parts 1 & 2

Nat · 2022-05-24T19:14:41+00:00

My KE4 Max irons arrived yesterday. I almost cancelled the order, as I have been hitting the KE4 Tour+ well, but they shipped before I knew it so ..... As I...

ode

Nat pics🤞

Nat

ode will post some

Nat

Part 2: I’ve had a chance to hit them. Unfortunately its raining, so I was limited to hitting in to my net and then the simulator at my club.
For reference i am using the same shafts that i had in my KE4 tour+. As I’ve played these since they came out in 2013 (?) i know them very well. A;; comments are compared to KE4 Tour+
Looks: sleeker, slightly more narrow top line.
Feel: similar but better.
Distance: longer due to stronger lofts.
Trajectory: as expected given lofts.
Forgiveness: since I rarely miss the sweet spot hard to say 🙂. Seriously, I haven’t hit them enough to say. But Pete said they are more forgiving than the KE4 Tours, so I will believe him

Overall: just an excellent iron. An improvement over the KE4 tour+.

Only negative, and it’s not really a negative, is the lofts. They are strong, in line with most other iron sets these days (but still not close to the OEM’s “distance” lines). I now have to rework my bag. Ive played the same set up for 25 yrs - 5i-GW, 53 and 58* wedges, alternate 4i and 4H, then 3 H, 4 wood, driver and putter. The lofts of 5-GW- the 5 iron is 23* - covers what used to be 4-GW. So I have one extra club to fit in. Right now I am going driver, 4w, 3H, 5i-gw, 53 and 58, and will see what I need. Might try a 3 and 5 wood, and 20* hybrid. We’ll see

DonM

Nat Do they feel and sound like a solid head or a hot head?

KCee

Nat Only negative, and it’s not really a negative, is the lofts.

I wonder if you can increase loft say 2*? They are 17-4, but it says they can be adjusted. They look nice, but yeah the 7i is the same loft as my 6i.

Nat

DonM solid. Like the Tour+, just a tad softer. For me quite Different than the ts2.

sdandrea1

Nat solid.

Not "clicky" ?

ode

Also interested in the comparison with the STi2

Nat

ode

I am the rare person who didn’t LOVE the ts2. I found anything hit off the sweet spot felt harsh. I preferred the ke4 tour+, and i prefer the feel of the Max over the tour+
Hard to say with distance and trajectory due to loft differences, but the Max seemed to hit as I expected- mid flight

Par4QC

KCee the 7i is the same loft as my 6i.

Build them 1/2" longer. It's what I do.
Only problem is when a set does not come with a GW or AW, to make up for the PW.

There are some sets out now where the 7i is same as the older 5i loft! 😲

Nat

Par4QC

I was playing with a buddy who got the Callaway Rougue. On one hole I was short with my 6. I hit his 8 and flew it pin hi. I knew it was stronger loft, but i thought the 2 club diff was due the graphite shaft. Turns out the 8i is 2* stronger than my 6

KCee

Nat I am the rare person who didn’t LOVE the ts2.

I didn't love it either although I just demo'd one. I liked it, but I agree it felt kind of harsh on mishits. Didn't love the look at address either for some reason. My P770's feel much better. I maybe should try a TS1, but my guess is that it would feel the same.

DonM

KCee I’m also having a little trouble with the look of the TS2 at setup. It’s not the aesthetics, but it’s something that I’m not quite getting along with sometimes.

Nat Last night I played a few holes with my big ole STi irons, and was shocked how much better they felt than the TS2. Maybe I’m just going through a bad patch with the TS2s. Performance wise they are very good.

But it’s got me thinking about a solid head again. Also, the STi’s were so confidence-inspiring, with their huge heads. I just couldn’t play them on the dormant winter turf.

Eguller

Agree with what is being said about the TS2, but hit center it was nice. The TS1 has a lower COG
and does feel slightly different depending upon how you generally hit the ball - low, mid or high face.
TS1 has the player look more so.

Par4QC

Nat Yep, I had those same irons last year. Should have kept them, but the Apex 21 I have are about the same. But, I had them @ +1/2", and played the lofts, not club numbers. Made me feel like I was hitting as in my 40's. 😉

colej

Check out these pictures and tell me if you think this is a shovel. @ode and @Rickochet all pictures are upright 😝

Comparison head is a STi2 both 7 irons

pellmell

colej What's with the screen grabs?

Nat

colej

Thanks for posting. I have been trying to post mine and can’t figure it out. All those years of higher education for naught

colej

pellmell

That’s the only way this stupid iPhone posts pictures the right way. Otherwise they’re turned 90

DonM

colej The other way to get the picture to post right is to go into edit on it, make some minor change like the auto color fix, then save it.

ode

Size look about the same, squarer toe on the Max vs. TSi2, but TSi2 looks like it has a higher toe?? Max sole looks more like the TS2 then the STi2, but ???

colej

ode

That’s a pretty good synopsis. It’s sort of a morph of the KE4s and the TS2