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...

Eguller

Posted elsewhere:

I am not going to go into detail, but I am having issues with my immune system that is temporary (I hope) limiting my golfing strength/ability. Just a disclaimer for my take on the Maltby KE4 Max iron (7i).

PappaD is right -- High, long, workable, feels really good and very nice looking at address. For $30 it
is an outright steal for a build. It may be just me, but, from my range session, I like it as well as any Maltby head and
it is my value choice. YMMV 🏌

sdandrea1

They're still gold, Jerry, GOLD! That sole is rounded just right. You'll have to adjust to the distance unless you're already playing strong lofts. They're almost "clicky" but not quite. It's Maltby's best KE to date.

Eguller

sdandrea1 They're almost "clicky" but not quite.

I thought they were only clicky with a firm cover rock....errrr... ball. With any premium ball,
they felt just about as good as the best non-forged (assuming center contact).

ode

Nat to me the soles look similar (rocker/rounded), with the main difference being the sole width with the Max being wider then the TS2. The Tour+ have virtually no relief on the sole but I suspect the sole width of the TS2 and Tour+ are similar!

Nat

ode maybe, maybe just me. I’ve never like the look of the KE4S. The Tour+ was tolerable. The TS2 much better to my eye. Maybe the performance is just in my head

toraider

Nat

ode to me the soles look similar (rocker/rounded), with the main difference being the sole width with the Max being wider then the TS2. The Tour+ have virtually no relief on the sole but I suspect the sole width of the TS2 and Tour+ are similar!

Nat more of a digger. I do like my divots

As someone who can take deep & long pelts with the best of them, this is where I am getting tripped up...a rounded rocker sole would be ideal in my mind. Forgiving soles are my thing and exactly why I am playing Srixon ZX5s at the moment. I tried the TS2s and they did not have the forgiveness factor I wanted for my game. I'm trying to figure out if the Max might be worth the spend. I know Dan & PappaD think so.

Nat

toraider more of a digger. I do like my divots

azgreg

I think I'll stick with my TE's.

sdandrea1

azgreg I think I'll stick with my TE's.

I played my TE's the last 2 rounds while my KE4 Max are being bent. The TE's are timeless classics and honestly the only thing you really gain with the KE4 Max is distance (strong lofts). The soles on the TEs are similar in behavior and the way they look at address is similar. The feel of the TEs is def softer and has that forged sound at impact; the KE4 Max is "different" but feels solid. The toe to hosel angle on the KE4 Max is steeper so the face looks a little different at address. The bottom line is both models, IMO, are very easy to hit and feel great. When you're playing golf with either set, you just have to select the right club for the distance, like any club. The 2 nine irons are FIVE degrees apart.....yes, FIVE.

DonM

sdandrea1 With the STi's, all my club numbers moved up by one. I got used to that. Then the TS2's have added another few yards on top of that. Makes me feel like I'm still 44, not 64. 🙂

DonM

toraider Even though I haven't seen one in person, I would say yes. The soles look a lot like my STi irons, which look a lot like a late model Ping G something.

Nat

toraider
I think some of it has to do with the turf. When things were wet the Max was fine. When the course dried out I had trouble making good contact. Might have been in my head. But I've had no issue with the TS2

Eguller

toraider I'm trying to figure out if the Max might be worth the spend. I know Dan & PappaD think so.

I stuck the Max 7i in the bag to today for giggles. Used it twice. Once, I hit it a touch heavy and it still
carried on line but only about 1/3 club short - surprised me. The feel is even softer on the course with a
premium ball. I've hit PINGs & Callys that were more 'clicky'. As far as forgiveness, to me it feels like it is more forgiving than the TS2/1. And, having built a set of STi2, it flies and feels nicer. I may just finish building a short set, especially for the Fall/Winter season....JMO.

Forgot to add that it plays easy, between GI - SGI but doesn't look it.

Nat

DonM To me the Max was a tad more rounded than the STi. FWIW the STI is an exceptional head, just a tad big for my eye. I just built a set for a college kid who loves them.

sdandrea1

Final review of the Maltby KE4 Max irons.
I had them bent to 2 degrees upright from factory specs (not from factory "actual"). Lofts we're also bent to factory specs. Guy that bent them said the lofts were almost all withing 1/2 degree of spec.

Played 18 with them today and was hitting it pretty well. I had better contact and on-center strikes with the heads dialed in so it was awakening how LONG these are. These are DISTANCE irons! The downside of that for my game is they're effective for 4, 5, 6, even 7 iron shots......long and high. For scoring shots, 8 iron to GW, they're not so great. Distance control and green holding became an issue for me today. I airmailed a few greens with the 8 and 9 iron and had a few wedge shots that landed nicely and kept going. Could be the shaft and/or my swing, but for playing my best, the TE Forged or GigaGolf CB Forged will go back in the bag. If there's interest in buying these heads, let me know.

Par4QC

sdandrea1 Might be a stupid question, for which you want to punch me in the face, but....why would you use the 8i in these clubs, when you know that is the 7i equivalent of the other irons you play, for the same shot? Did you keep forgetting they are at least 1 club longer??

This is why my sets are 1/2" long, and flatter lies. 6-AW has become 5-PW in my bag. And I don't forget when choosing an iron to hit.

sdandrea1

Par4QC Did you keep forgetting they are at least 1 club longer??

I don't punch people. It's not nice and I'd hurt my hand. 🤣

I hit my 8i and 9i after allowing for the distance. They're longer than long.

bad9

I bought a set of 6-G Max heads from colej and had him adjust the lofts to 26-30-35-40-45-50. They spent a month is Custom Canada purgatory and didn't get here until just over a week ago. I got to play two rounds over the weekend with the Max.Both days were low 50's temp, light to moderate winds and mostly sunny. Distances were as expected given the lofts, just had to remember the wider distance gapping to to the larger loft separation. By the time I got to the 6 I was pretty much a club longer than my KE4 Tour+ set which is to be expected. Although I had read lots of comments about the good feel I was a little surprised at how soft they actually felt, very nice. I didn't notice any ill effects from the increased bounce on the clubs that were bent weak. I hope to get a couple more rounds in as temps are forecast to be low 50's to low 60's for the next week which is unseasonably warm for here in October.

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