Equipment

Callaway Big Bertha Fusion drivers and fairway woods

Published

8 years ago

Aug 30, 2016

As we all know, the USGA limits drivers to a certain size (460 cc), and COR (coefficient of restitution), which is 0.83. Since companies, such as Callaway, have already reached those limits — or somewhere very close to those limits — improvement continues elsewhere to design drivers that can positively impact golfers.

While many new drivers on the market use adjustability features to accomplish this, Callaway’s new Big Bertha Fusion drivers, and fairway woods, use advanced composite materials, head shaping and weight placement with the goal of making the most forgiving clubs possible.

From a company that’s been using composite materials for over a decade, Callaway’s Big Bertha Fusion drivers and fairway woods introduce a new material called “Triaxial Carbon,” combined with a unique, high-MOI driver head shape that stretches weight back away from the face.

According to Callaway, triaxial carbon is 65 percent lighter than titanium and 35 percent thinner than the forged composite used in recent drivers from the company. Because of how the materials in the carbon composite are woven, the triaxial carbon is stiffer, allowing the driver to be constructed thinner without losing strength.

Callaway uses the new material in the crowns of both the drivers and the fairway woods, and in the soles of the drivers, too.

Read more about the drivers and fairway woods below, which will be available in stores on September 30, and join the discussion about the clubs in our forums.

Big Bertha Fusion Driver

In the driver, an “exo-cage” made of aerospace-grade titanium holds the triaxial carbon material, which is used in both the crown and on the toe and heel of the sole.

By using triaxial carbon, Callaway was able to save 35.4 grams of weight that was repurposed low and back for higher MOI (moment of inertia), a measure of forgiveness, and in the heel of the driver, making it more draw-biased. This also allowed Callaway to lower CG, thus reducing backspin and raising launch.

The crown consists of two parts: A chopped fiber forged composite in the front, and triaxial carbon in the rear

According to Callaway, the drivers have up to 17 percent higher MOI than the XR 16 drivers. Like the XR 16 drivers, the Big Bertha Fusion drivers also have Speed Steps — the fruits of work with Boeing — on their crowns for more speed than a smooth surface, due to the aerodynamic quality of the design.

The driver also includes Callaway’s OptiFit hosel that allows users to adjust loft independent of face angle settings.

Stock shafts will be a UST’s new Recoil shaft made for drivers, and Mitsubishi Rayon’s new Diamana Red Board. Consumers will be able to choose from the 45.5-inch stock shaft option, and a 44.5-inch shaft that has a slightly heavier weight in the back of the driver head to adjust for swing weight.

The drivers carry a MAP of $399, and will be available in 9, 10.5 and 13.5 degree lofts.

Big Bertha Fusion fairway woods

Like the Big Bertha Fusion drivers, the fairway woods also have the lighter triaxial carbon in their crowns. In total, the crowns weigh a feathery-light 5.8 grams, compared to the XR 16 crowns — made from stainless steel — that weigh 26 grams, according to Callaway.

With a lighter crown, Callaway was able to reposition weight low and back in the club for higher launch and higher MOI, and lower CG.

The fairway woods come with a Hyper Speed Cup Face for higher ball speeds on off-center hits, and the Speed Step crown for higher club head speed and less drag. The sole shape was also designed to reduce turf interaction, thus improving versatility for shots hit off the ground.

The Big Bertha Fusion fairway woods will sell for $249, and come available in 3-, 5- and 7-wood options.

Join the discussion about the new Big Bertha Fusion drivers and fairway woods in our forums.

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

30 Comments

JB

Sep 1, 2016 at 10:02 am

Cant wait to sell these on my eBay account! I mean test them.

Reply Report comment
- THP's eBay Account
  
  Sep 5, 2016 at 7:39 am
  
  Hook me up you sly fox! I already have the listing ready!
  
  “Only hit once on the range, never played on the course. Looks new. The 3w and 5w are still in the plastic.”
  
  Dinner on me!
  
  Reply Report comment
Uncle Buck

Aug 31, 2016 at 11:12 pm

Dern thang look like’a one ‘nem Taylor Made outfits from back ind’a day. Hehehe!! More thangs change da more dey stay da same!! As ‘ol Jack would say “goodness gracious!”

Reply Report comment
Martin

Aug 31, 2016 at 8:47 pm

Looking down on the club it looks like the shape of a TM club that came out 5-7 years ago. R9 I think it was. I like a more traditional looking club like the XR.

Reply Report comment
- r7l
  
  Aug 31, 2016 at 9:40 pm
  
  You’re thinking of the R7 Limited, the red one. But Callaway has had this shape before also.
  
  Reply Report comment
Dave R

Aug 31, 2016 at 4:30 pm

Wow wtf who ?

Reply Report comment
Charlie

Aug 31, 2016 at 1:39 pm

Looks like the club has stretch marks!!!

Reply Report comment
- M
  
  Aug 31, 2016 at 1:59 pm
  
  You would know, wouldn’t you, dealing with your Moobs
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Charlie
    
    Sep 4, 2016 at 4:51 pm
    
    You weren’t complaining when you were between them!
    
    Reply Report comment
3PuttTerritory

Aug 31, 2016 at 8:58 am

I hit these the other day along with the new irons and hybrids and they are most certainly not the best looking clubs I’ve ever seen. Meaning, if this club were a gigolo, it’d have to be very good with its fingers.

I was a little taken aback by the recoil wood shaft, I said, “that’s the shaft my grandpappy plays in his irons, do you have anything in 92 grams???” But, there was nothing else to try.
I play my driver at 44 7/16, so it wasn’t perfect, but it was CLOSE. The best thing I can say about it is that for a game improvement club it doesn’t spin a ton, so if you mostly hit drop-kick, high blocks–this could be the club for you.
The irons are going to be the real star of the show for callaway this year though with the steelhead and the Bertha replacement that’s coming.
Everyone should try them unless they’re like me and still Baggin’ a set of ping eye 2 berrillz, blue dot, 1-PW. Holla at me, 1987.

Reply Report comment
B

Aug 31, 2016 at 3:02 am

Beautiful!

Reply Report comment
Joshuaplaysgolf

Aug 30, 2016 at 9:41 pm

????????????????

Reply Report comment
KK

Aug 30, 2016 at 9:03 pm

Short shaft, ugly, Callaway engineering. This thing has to be a beast.

Reply Report comment
Zipper

Aug 30, 2016 at 7:39 pm

“new material”, that’s hilarious. K2 was making skis with this material in the 1980’s. It’s marketing BS (I have a marketing degree). These guys will say anything to make a buck!!!

Reply Report comment
- SNBD
  
  Aug 30, 2016 at 11:57 pm
  
  I’m willing to bet the article/statement for Callaway is implying that the material is new to golf equipment. By your logic the only “new materials” are ones that haven’t been discovered by man yet…..don’t be so literal Zipper.
  
  Reply Report comment
suckatgolf

Aug 30, 2016 at 6:55 pm

Worst Club ever.
WTF were you thinking Callaway.

Reply Report comment
- Joshuaplaysgolf
  
  Aug 30, 2016 at 9:38 pm
  
  Have you hit it???
  
  Reply Report comment
Dat

Aug 30, 2016 at 6:30 pm

While the 44.5 option is nice…it won’t be in stock at most stores. So this benefit is mostly moot unless the store salesman knows he can get it in a shorter, more controllable length. Enough with the 45.5″ and 46″ driver off the rack specs. They don’t work for the true average player.

Reply Report comment
Mat

Aug 30, 2016 at 4:32 pm

I came here thinking, “yet another Callaway release”, but these actually do seem to be different. Besides, offering a 44.5 option should be celebrated, even if it is these guys.

Reply Report comment
Rob

Aug 30, 2016 at 3:06 pm

Haven’t we taken steps backwards since the Fusion FT-3 Driver? That club had the entire body made of carbon, not just the sole and crown. This allowed them to move 44 grams around inside the head to wherever they wanted.

Reply Report comment
Wesstlee18

Aug 30, 2016 at 1:21 pm

The problem with carbon composite is you have to use glue to attach it, so all the weight you save is wasted in glue. Notice the weight on the head is just “12 grams.” Yes there was some weight saved, piece for piece, but they probably only moved about 6 – 9 grams around, which can still make a difference in driver design, but also the reason why all titanium drivers are still competitive. Love the marketing though!

Reply Report comment
ZJohnson

Aug 30, 2016 at 12:48 pm

The shape reminds me a lot of the old FT-iZ. I’ll stick to my 816**

Reply Report comment
Fupresti

Aug 30, 2016 at 12:29 pm

Burp

Reply Report comment
G

Aug 30, 2016 at 12:14 pm

Gorgeous !!!

Reply Report comment
Weekend Duffer

Aug 30, 2016 at 11:45 am

44.5 right out the store wow, hopefully others try to copy this. These 46.5″ drivers are getting ridiculous.

Reply Report comment
Marty Moose

Aug 30, 2016 at 9:57 am

At least they are offering this. I prefer shorter drivers; play mine at 44.25″ – lead tape on bottom to make up weight change. My distance does not seem affected by the shorter length, better dispersion and hit the center 90% of the time. More should experiment with different driver lengths. I know Tom Wishon has a chart which gives recommended lengths based on height, wrist to floor, etc.

“Consumers will be able to choose from the 45.5-inch stock shaft option, and a 44.5-inch shaft that has a slightly heavier weight in the back of the driver head to adjust for swing weight.”

Reply Report comment
- L
  
  Aug 30, 2016 at 6:08 pm
  
  You’re not one of us real golfers Smiz, so don’t include yourself as one of us, you don’t speak for us. You only speak for yourself as you stare at the mirror in your slammer
  
  Reply Report comment
  - L
    
    Aug 31, 2016 at 12:58 pm
    
    Because you have no respect
    
    Reply Report comment
- Marty Moose
  
  Aug 31, 2016 at 10:15 am
  
  Then don’t. Keep hitting that 46″ TM Burner Draw driver 2 fairways over.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Marty Moose
    
    Sep 1, 2016 at 12:50 pm
    
    Easy to do when you are playing the women’s tees.
    
    Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

5 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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