53 replies to this topic

[DoNDoN]

Test Club

Callaway Fusion FT-3 Tour 9.5 DRAW Speeder 757 Stiff
Length: 44.75in
SW: D5

Appearance:  The black color on the head makes this driver look very good.  The head reminds me of a R580XD head but without the hosel.  The line that connects the Ti to the composite takes a little getting used to but after a while u just dont notice it.  The on thing I do love about this driver is the lack of a Chevron on the crown.

Sound:  The sound is very different from any driver I have ever hit.  It is like an alum baseball bat.  It is funny how the sound does not sound that bad when you are hitting it.  It just sounds bad if you hear someone else hitting it.    

Performance:  At first I was very scared that the draw head would make my draw into a hook but I am surprised to tell you this thing just wants to go straight.  If it does fade or draw it is very slight.  The ball flight on this club was surprisingly high as well but it did not float.

Summary:  Callaway has a winner here and I might have finally found something to take the place of my 905s ZCOM.

[ScottWS33]

I seriously love this driver! It's not as pretty as a R7 Quad or 905T but in my opinion there isn't a better driver to hit. It goes like nothing on earth and is superb value considering all the technology your getting. The only problem is I tested this club at a demo day and have to wait 12 weeks before they come into stock.   However it will be worth the wait.   Great club!

[JHR]

I have a real tour one, not the latest retail released tour model, and it is absolutely perfect. One of the best drivers I have ever owned.

[nfarzati]

I have a Prototype FT-2 with Speeder757 and it is amazing i love the look,feel,and sound of it.  I had the 905S but the callaway has a ball flight that is just stronger.  I have never hit the retail version but i'm sure its the same great club. The sound is very unique to the club but you do not notice it after awhile.

[Teetogreen86]

nfarzati, on Sep 14 2005, 08:59 PM, said:

I have a Prototype FT-2 with Speeder757 and it is amazing i love the look,feel,and sound of it.  I had the 905S but the callaway has a ball flight that is just stronger.  I have never hit the retail version but i'm sure its the same great club. The sound is very unique to the club but you do not notice it after awhile.

I'm wearing earplugs the next time we play Farzati.

[nfarzati]

I know your jealous but maybe someday you will get a free driver.......maybe.

[KICK_POINT]

nfarzati, on Sep 14 2005, 06:59 PM, said:

I have a Prototype FT-2 with Speeder757 and it is amazing i love the look,feel,and sound of it.  I had the 905S but the callaway has a ball flight that is just stronger.  I have never hit the retail version but i'm sure its the same great club. The sound is very unique to the club but you do not notice it after awhile.

Watch your FT-2 closely. My one split right down the crown and eventually exploded   . However, while it lasted it was one great driver.

[NickasInSaltLick]

Threw one in the bag about a month ago after about 4 years of Titleists.  Mine's an 8.5 with neutral bias and a UST Pro Force 65 shaft.  It seemed heavier than the 983E that it replaced, but the ball came off the face hotter than hell.  My typical ball flight is a draw, but I found that working the ball with this club was much easier than with the Titleist.  It didn't seem to be any more or less forgiving than the Titleist on anything except for shots high on the clubface.  Those took off like a freaking rocket!  The sound was a little bit strange, but not off-putting by any stretch of the imagination.  It was a nice little change.  I think it's going to be in the bag for awhile.

[Golfchicago]

Ive had a few. I hit the s$^% out of it, but when I miss with it, I miss big, like an r7. Im sticking to my 580xd for the MOMENT.

[drawmerchant]

Disappointed in the FT-3 (9.5 degree Tour, neutral bias with NVS 65S shaft) - the noise it makes is horrible and it feels (to me anyway) pretty brittle of the face.  Length achieved is OK when struck pure but struggle with a high fading flight (which I pretty much dislike and is not particularly suited to my home course).  

As with all things golf it must be me or the shaft, as its a well constructed club - thankfully I've managed to shift it on without too much of a loss.  I actually liked the original 360cc Fusion better (the size was better to my eye), even with the stock RCH strong flex shaft.

Drawmerchant

[acraft]

where are you getting the ft-2 prototypes and are they going to be available my rep has said nothing to me

[Johnny]

acraft, on Nov 5 2005, 06:21 PM, said:

where are you getting the ft-2 prototypes and are they going to be available my rep has said nothing to me

FT-2 will never come out (there one on ebay currently) ..Callaway chose the FT-3 since it's 460cc( which I still find hard to beleive)... the FT-2 is supposed to be around 420cc.

[nfarzati]

acraft, on Nov 5 2005, 09:21 PM, said:

where are you getting the ft-2 prototypes and are they going to be available my rep has said nothing to me

I got mine from a VERY respectable person high up on the ladder with callaway. (Hint: I work at Bay Hill). I cant exactly say who gave it to me but just guess. Callaway will not admit that these even EXSIST. They tried to keep these in short supply and only give them to PGA tour pros to try a new head and composite crown. They do not plan on releasing them to the public, they dont make them anymore.  The only way to get one now is to know somebody who can get you a FT-2. hope this helps

[jmc]

It's really hard to get over the feel of this driver... either really great, or a little muted. Comes off the face nice, but the sound is tough to overlook. I'll sitck with the 'normal' heads for now.

[hopper]

jmc, on Nov 16 2005, 08:16 PM, said:

It's really hard to get over the feel of this driver... either really great, or a little muted. Comes off the face nice, but the sound is tough to overlook. I'll sitck with the 'normal' heads for now.

JMC,

I notice you have the X-tour (tours).  I have the X-tours but didn't realize they had a "tour" version.  Would appreciate knowing what the difference is..ie:less offset?   Thanks,   Hopper

PS:  Best irons I've ever owned

[BD57]

Neutral 8.5 with the NV 65 stiff shaft.

Bought it in the hope it'd reduce the backspin I put on the ball with Ti drivers (doesn't matter what loft).  Too often, I hit drives that drop straight down and get no roll or even back up, even with 8.5 lofts.

Limited play thus far - have only had it for a couple of weeks - so my impressions are hardly set.

I have no problem looking at the head or the joint.  Callaway was wise to paint the top of the Titanium section black, to blend it in.

Into the wind, the ballflight wants to stay flat - while I can hit the upshoot,  it's not the norm like it was with other drivers.  My read is the FT-3 head definitely spins the ball less than comparably lofted G2's and R7's in the 'low straight' configuration.  I think it spins the ball less than a same shafted/same lofted 510TP I have.

I've not attempted to move the ball one way or the other yet because that's really not my game.

[tildengolfer]

dont really like the thing..ok feel and ok at set-up just not eye pleasing to me...thats all dont really like the way that it sets up at address...

[glgolfer]

It took me a few rounds to get use to it, at first it was not as consistent as my Cleveland Launcher Comp; however, I soon began to really like this club.

High, but never ballooning trajectory, I can get a mid-flight draw out of it as well. The stiff NVS shaft works well (with my swing) and it seems to fly through the hitting area with good control.

The sound is a little odd, but I do not mind it, moreover, feel is good.

For me, the FT-3 is, on average, around 10 yards longer than the Cleveland Comp, with an occasional 20-25 yard increase when I draw it.

In summary, the FT-3 is staying in the bag this year. I had some interest in the new Tour Exotic; however, actual on course reviews read mixed, at best thus far.

[hentrader]

Got the FT-3 Tour Neutral with the Aldila "Pink" NV65 Stiff for Christmas and played a couple of rounds and had some range time. My assessment is not that great, Im afraid. I've been toying around with different drivers lately after I dented my TM r7 TP. Played the Nak 460 for about 10 rounds and I found I was swinging harder but was not getting any distance.

Then I got the FT-3. On the range prior to my first round, I noticed the trajecory was a little lower than the r7 and the NAK. As a result, I was getting some more roll than the r7. One thing that really threw me off was the lack of any feedback. I didn't know which part of the face I was hitting the ball. On the course, I managed to hit a couple of decent drives, but distance was not as impressive as others have claimed. The other thing is that, I'm not too crazy about is the NV shaft. The NV's are easy to over power and if you lay off the club a bit and try to put on a smooth swing, the big slice comes out.

Anyway, the major issue for me was the distinct lack of feel and feedback. On the miss hits, I don't know where in the face I made contact.

Will give the FT-3 another couple of weeks until my Cleveland Ti460 arrives.

[croche]

This is a garbage head, just like every other C4/fusion product put out by crapaway..i mean callaway.............and yes it doesn't matter what shaft ..I've hit several....sound is feel...and this sounds like sheeaatt..............

[Johnny]

croche, on Jan 29 2006, 06:28 PM, said:

This is a garbage head, just like every other C4/fusion product put out by crapaway..i mean callaway.............and yes it doesn't matter what shaft ..I've hit several....sound is feel...and this sounds like sheeaatt..............

   dont hold back..  and driver do you have in the bag ?

[Shibumi]

Have a question on the FT-3 Tour Neutral-Fwd head.

Is this the same head as the FT-3 Tour Neutral available through retailers?  Or is the forward weight positioning a custom-ordered or tour release head?

I am wanting an get an 8.5, and need to keep the launch angle and spin as low as possible.  I imagine that moving the weight forward would help.

[Jake65]

Easy to hit and control the trajectory.  The sound isn't perfect, but after watching several land in the middle of the fairway I can adjust.  It beats the heck out of the X Driver!  That thing is like a cannon in a tunnel.  Anyway, misshits can feel a bit muted, but still had decent ball flight.  The day I tested these I tried each bias and several shafts.  The standard head is a good club, but I prefered the tour model.  If you can get past the not so traditional appearance, this is a great club that truly performs!

[grumpy123golf]

any body tried the ft3 with a fuji shaft ?    = i have a ft3 tour 9.5 with the nvs shaft (never had a nv shaft i like yet)  thinking of putting a stiff fuji six in !!  any feedback would be appreciated =ps.. the six works well for me in a comp 460 and r7 tp and r5 tour=

[c.dukeminier]

I had one of these for about a week, hated it and sent it back.  I've tried a few other ones that friends have had and just never found anything that I could hit at all.  The head looks just OK, but feels and sounds aweful.  On the plus side I did hit it quite accuratly, but not very far.  My Nike SQ and TM R5 tour both blow it by this thing.

[Bogey]

Long and straight with medium ball flight.  Sounds a bit funny but who cares.  Good stock shaft.

[On in Two]

I have had my FT-3 reshafted with a Fuji 757 speeder as I do each driver I purchase. The FT-3 easily has  the longest carry of the current drivers and has the most run out as well. It is also the most forgiving due to the cup face design. If you can hit the ball anywhere on the clubface you will get decent results. Square shots are just ballistic missiles. I hit this stick further with more consistency than any other driver I've yet tried and I've hit and/or own about all of the current models. The FT-3 Tour version yields lower launch and prevents the ballooning which so often accompanies 460cc heads these days.

[TourPro21]

okay, so i have just recently used my first 460cc driver (FT3) and i can't believe it has taken me this long! my previous driver was a tour issue r510TP that i couldn't miss a fairway with and hit decently long 285-290 average... well all i have to say is this FT-3 is an absolute cannon!!! i just switched from being on taylormade's staff to callaway's and am absolutely loving the transition... my driver is the FT-3 tour 8.5* with the fade weighting & an Aldila NVS 65-X shaft, 1" long and 1* flat and this club is LONG... i have only played about 4 rounds this year and have practiced ZERO and am driving the ball longer than i did last fall... i have driven two par 4's already - 1 @ 340 and the other @ 367 yards... granted it's a little windy here in chicago, but STILL! i already have two eagles this year (in 4 rounds that aint bad) but how can you not make eagles when you have 7 irons into par 5's... i think EVERYONE needs to get 1 if not 2 of these clubs...
thanks for listening
Kyle

Edited by TourPro21, 13 April 2006 - 08:15 PM.

[Sam-Tee-Time]

I demoed the "Retail" FT3 at a couple of demo days recently.  The first one I picked up was a "Draw" version, and I was hitting it so well, I never tried the other versions!!  

I loved the feeling and performance of this driver. It has a hollow carbon sound which is completely different than an all-Titanium driver.  It was VERY long, and felt supremely forgiving, even on mis-hits.  I would say this was a tight race with the R7 460cc overall for one of the best drivers I've ever hit.  I liked this driver tremendously.