Equipment
Callaway Great Big Bertha Driver: What you need to know
Callaway’s Great Big Bertha driver ($449.99) is available in lofts of 9, 10.5 and 13.5 degrees for right-handed and left-handed golfers. Stock length is 45.5 inches. Stock swing weight is D2. It’s in stores August 28, 2015.
Stock Shafts: Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara (40-gram range), Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Black (50-gram range), Fujikura Evolution 665 Tour Spec (60-gram range), Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana D+ 70 (70-gram range)
What you need to know
- The Great Big Bertha is Callaway’s most forgiving driver of 2015, and because of its adjustability it also has the potential to be Callaway’s most draw-biased driver. It’s more forgiving than Callaway’s Big Bertha V-Series driver, which was the most forgiving Callaway model from last year. It’s also lower spinning than Callaway’s V-Series driver, as well as the company’s 2014 Big Bertha, 2015 Big Bertha Alpha 815 and 2015 XR drivers.
“THERE ARE A LOT OF DRIVERS OUT THERE THAT TEND TO FOCUS ON ONE VARIABLE, BUT THEY DO SO AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER VARIABLES,” SAID EVAN GIBBS, CALLAWAY’S MANAGER OF PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS. “[WITH THE GREAT BIG BERTHA], DESIGN WITHOUT COMPROMISE WAS THE OBJECTIVE.”
- Callaway expects the Great Big Bertha to be the company’s best performing model for 80-to-90 percent of golfers. The other 10-to-20 percent of golfers will get better performance from Callaway’s new Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond driver, which is intended for better golfers who can gain added distance through the reduction of spin.
Golfers can maximize ball speed by matching the position of the sliding weight to their impact position. So if you hit a lot of shots on the heel, try sliding the weight toward the heel for more distance.
- The Great Big Bertha marks the return of Callaway’s Advanced Perimeter Weighting (APW), a sliding weight track that allows golfers to shift the center of gravity (CG) toward the heel for more draw bias or toward the toe for more fade bias. The weight track, which first appeared on Callaway’s 2014 Big Bertha driver, has been re-engineered to be lighter than the previous model and offer more draw bias.
“THE SLIDING WEIGHT HAS PROVEN TO BE OUR MOST INTUITIVE, SIMPLE AND EASY-TO-USE FORM OF ADJUSTABILITY,” GIBBS SAID.
- Because the sliding weight is on the perimeter of the club head, the driver retains a high moment of inertia (MOI), a measure of forgiveness, regardless of the weight’s position. The sliding weight weighs 10.5 grams, and the change in spin rates between the extreme weight positions (far toe, far heel) is only 100 rpm, according to Gibbs.
The Great Big Bertha has a matte black crown and a Chevron alignment aid.
- The Great Big Bertha uses Callaway’s Forged Composite Crown, creating a lightweight chassis that allows for its added adjustability features and moves weight lower in the driver head for a higher launch, less spin and more forgiveness. It also has the company’s updated R-MOTO face design, which expands the driver’s sweet spot for higher average ball speeds.
“THERE’S REALLY THREE REASONS GOLFERS DON’T GET MAXIMUM DISTANCE: EFFICIENCY OF IMPACT, LAUNCH AND SPIN CHARACTERISTICS AND THE STRAIGHTNESS OF THE SHOT,” GIBBS SAID. “THE EFFICIENCY AND STRAIGHTNESS OF THE SHOT ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR MOST PLAYERS. GREAT BIG BERTHA OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF SHOT SHAPES AND CAN MINIMIZE SLICE.”
- The Great Big Bertha driver uses Callaway’s Advanced OptiFit Hosel, which gives golfers a 3-degree range of loft adjustability. So a 10.5-degree driver can be adjusted to lofts of 9.5 degrees, 11.5 degrees and 12.5 degrees. Each loft can also paired with an individual lie angle of either standard (S) or draw (D), which makes the lie angle more upright.
Both the Great Big Bertha (left) and Big Bertha Alpha 816 DBD measure 460 cc, but the DBD has a deeper face that makes it appear more compact at address.
Total club weight with stock shafts
- 295 grams: Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara (Ladies, Light and Regular)
- 305 grams: Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Black (Light, Regular, Stiff and X-Stiff)
- 315 grams: Fujikura Evolution 665 Tour Spec (Regular, Stiff, X-Stiff)
- 325 grams: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana D+ 70 (Stiff, X-Stiff)
More Photos
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- Both driver are 460 cc.
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- The DBD (bottom) has a deeper face than the Great Big Bertha.
Related
- See what GolfWRX Members are saying about the Great Big Bertha driver in our forum.
- Callaway’s Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver: What you need to know.
- Callaway’s Great Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha 816 Fairway Woods.
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TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.
TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.
TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.
Can you see where this is going?
Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”
TaylorMade PUDI
TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)
Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.
In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.
TaylorMade PDHY
TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).
Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.
PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?
TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:
- PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
- PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
- Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
- PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
- PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family
Pricing, specs, and availability
Price: $249.99
At retail: Now
Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)
Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)
PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed
PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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- Richy Werenski what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Houston Open.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist TSR2 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 8 X
Hybrid: Titleist TSR3 (19 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White Hybrid 90 TX
Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 105 S
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 50-12F), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (54-M, 58-L @60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 Onyx (46-50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 Onyx (54-60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron prototype
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash
Grips: Golf Pride ZGrip Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Richy Werenski’s clubs in the forums.
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Bret
Aug 16, 2015 at 6:02 pm
Is this optifit hosel the same as what was on the Alpha? Would I be able to put my current alpha shaft (fubuki x stiff) into the great big Bertha without issues? Or is the tip diff size in the GBB compared to Alpha?
Desmond
Aug 6, 2015 at 2:29 am
Looks like another fine option from Callaway.
Don’t know if they will ofer a loyalty bonus, but one of my drivers is going trade-in, trade-up.
One of the photos is mis-captioned. The GBB has the chevron and is on the right.
Andy
Aug 5, 2015 at 12:31 pm
I am a big fan of the deeper drivers. 816 DBD will be on my list to test out. I would have preferred to see a 12 degree model than using the opti-fit adjustment to get to 12 if the spin is even less than the 815. Nice article.