
On December 12, 2012, 7 GolfWRX members were invited to see the ins and outs of Callaway Golf in Carlsbad, CA. Members will be given unprecedented access to Callaway facilities and equipment, including an R&D-led presentation of the company’s 2013 line of products, a tour of Callaway’s innovation and advanced development labs, custom fittings administered by Callaway’s Pro Tour team and the opportunity to test the 2013 product line plus some surprises.
Below is the first post which occurred prior to the trip. Other posts were added during and after the experience.
Here is a 'Table of Contents' so you can click through easily. Enjoy and please add your comments!
- WRX
Table of Contents
- Live updates from GolfWRX on 12/12/12: Click here (page 8)
- Live updates from Ely Callaway Performance Center on 12/13/12: Click here (page 11)
- Live updates from La Costa 12/14/12: Click here (page 19)
- Dinner discussions with Callaway CEO Chip Brewer! Click here (page 7)
- Phil Mickelson (VIDEO) pays us a surprise visit: Click here (page 18)
- Major GALLERY update from La Costa: Click here (page 52)
- Major GALLERY update on the Ely Callaway Performance Center: Click here (page 54)
- First look at Callaway X Hot Pro Fairway Wood: Click here (page 20)
Twas the night before Christmas … and all thru - ummmmm … the Ely Callaway Performance Center … not a creature was stirring ...

Well … kind of
.... *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
…. Hello
…. ROBO, It’s Big Easy
…. Yeah I live in Nawlins – so what ?
…. NO - This IS The Big Easy
…. OH!!!! damn sorry Big E. Wow it’s late - Everything OK ??… How’s the plan progressing ??? … Did you & Lefty get in ???
…. Yeah we’re at the Cally Performance Center now. Heck we’re already past security. It was cake !!!
…. Did you get the Paypal. Was that enough to cover the whole operation ?
.... Yeah yeah – It’s fine. Me & lefty both had good years on Tour so it’ll just make Xmas that much more cheery & bright … All good ROBO.
…. AWESOME !!! .. Hey did you get the steel shaft I sent ya ?
.... Yeah – Man your weren’t kidding - It’s OFF THE HOOK amazing!!!!! Cally wasn’t sure how to build it though – all these new young Tour Reps … so I logged on to your Classic thread and drumdude96 PM’d me the tipping instructions. I love it. Thanks!!!
…. Killer !!! … drums a good dude … So how did you & Lefty get by security ?
…. Oh man it was a breeze ! We went up to the front gate and the security guard was brand new. Really nice guy. I hate that we had to take advantage of him. He was so excited to meet me & Lefty he didn’t know what to do with himself. So as luck would have it he says to Phil that his knees are killing him – and the light bulb went off in Lefty’s head 
.... WHOA - WHAT IS THAT ??
…. Yeah sorry ROBO … I kinda promised Phil he could use your thread to prop his sponsors. I didn’t think you’d mind.
…. OK … But be cool .. I gotta watch the bandwidth.
…. OK … Anyway - So Phil slides him 2 Enbrels … well guess what – they weren’t Enbrels – they’re actually 750 vicodins
…. GREAT THINKING
…. I WISH !!! … We headed to R&D to get the clubs – luckily we had the Stormtrooper masks on that you sent to wear
…. Damn – Did it get out of control.
…. No no, we got pretty lucky. Chip was busy designing CAD sketches for the 2015 line
…. Good lord – I bet it looked like a Die Hard sequel with all the police …. Wait ….. You’re OK right ? … What happened to the police?
…. No no no … It’s cool … Turns out Harry didn’t have any bars on his cell – so we just shrink wrapped him to the chair with new product embargo tape. Phil cut his right arm loose and gave him a Latte from the Zagat rated café – so Harry was pretty content after that
…. Eeeeehhhhhhh … It’s a forum thing … AWESOME news though - So no other problems ??
…. OH NO !!!! – Then it got really interesting. So we take care of Chip & Harry, thinking everything is fine, and then Chad Coleman sees us hauling all this prototype gear down the hall. Dude leaps out of his office like Bruce Lee on the set of The Last Dragon
with one of the new Callaway Utility clubs in hands swinging for the fences like he’s Barry Bonds going for McCovey Cove. Good lord ... Nimble little sucker
. It got pretty dicey up there.
…. OH NO !!!! … You didn’t have to eliminate him did ya?
…. No no – It all worked out - We finally got him pinned down in his office. While I had him in a choke hold - Phil found an old box of A-flex RCH96 shafts they used to use on the late 90s Bertha iron lines. You remember how flimsy those were.
…. Oh Yeah - Like limp spaghetti.
…. Yeah, so we tied him up with a box of the RCHs - but he was still squirming around. So for god knows what reason he had about 300-400 visors all over his office – the old Velcro style – so we basically Visor’d him to his chair. It did the trick … he looks like a giant Callaway Michelin man now. So that’s where we’re at. Are we sticking to the plan ? – and why exactly are you and the team coming out here for anyway ?
…. The seven us are coming out for a BIG !!!! Callaway / GolfWRX VIP meeting. We’ve got meetings with all the executives – personal club fittings with the Tour Department. Tour of R&D –Gonna take in a round at La Costa – wine & dine - The WHOLE 9 YARDS. Basically a big announcement to the world that Callaway is back with a vengeance - with the 7 of us in attendance as it happens – 3 solid days of everything you would ever want to see about the company that started the modern era of clubs. We are FIRED UP. Oh course … Callaway is unaware of our plans to pluck the R&D department blind. So you two have to be careful.
…. Hey hold on … Phil wants to talk to you.
…. ROBO – What’s up Homie !!!
…. LEFTY !!! .. Bro how ya doin !!! – Good to talk to you again … Hey – Did ya get the steel shaft I sent ya ?
.... I SURE DID !!!– Boy ROBO you were right - it’s THE BOMB!!! - I talked to Butch and he agrees with you … so I decided to go with your advice on driver setup. I had R&D make me a bunch 4.5* Razr Fit Extreme heads. drumdude96 hooked me up with the tipping instructions – I went X300 tipped 1 ½ inches- 206gram head – 2 degrees open - 43.75 inches. I am going for it this year. You sure 43.75 isn’t too short though ?? – I wanna go deep this year ROBO. I could try 44 inches.
…. No no no – You’ll be fine – TRUST ME . It’ll be all good !!! Go big or go home !!! – Just swing for the fences … Keep me up to date on how that goes - I’m curious how that works out – PM me after you hit it.
…. Will do !!!!. I tell ya - I am sick of these 20-somethings thinking they own the distance crown. I’ll show em … They thought that 6.3* I hit last year was long. Wait till they see this. I’ll just pop a few Enbrels
and go for it !!!!!!!!
…. HEY – ENOUGH!!!!! …. Get your own thread. I alreay told Big E that wasn’t cool … STOP !!!
…. Sorry ROBO .. It just slipped out. It won’t happen again.
…. OK - So Big E said you had something you wanted to run by me.
…. Oh Yeah – I almost forgot … Hey while I was snagging all the clubs for your guys – I ran into a bunch of left-handed prototype stuff – Cool stuff that even Harry hasn’t shown ME – Kinda upset me that I’m out of the loop – I am mean I’m Phil FREAKING Mickelson … Anyway … So any chance you’d be cool with me keeping them?? … I haven’t seen ANY of this yet. I’ll send you back part of my cut of the paypal if ya want. But I’d really like to try it – I wanna try some before next season
…. Bro No problemo !!! It’s ALL GOOD – Keep it – Just make sure my crew gets the righty stuff. Cool ?
.... KILLER !!! … Hey you & the crew coming to the pig roast at the house when you’re done at Cally. Amy is making those cookies you like … I’m just sayin ROBO
…. I’M IN !!! … I’ll see ya in a few days. The crew & I arrive in Carlsbad tomorrow morning. I’ll text you when we hit the deck. Let me talk to Big Easy real quick.
.... Awesome ROBO !!!! … I tell ya based on the stuff we took from R&D – You guys are in for a real treat – Looks like Chip & the boys have got some amazing product coming – Cally is gonna KILL IT this year. Let me know how your crew likes it … I’ll see ya soon … One sec here’s Ernie
…. OK Big E .. So look … As we discussed - Leave enough product for Callaway to conduct our VIP fittings etc – You know … Leave a decent assortment of shafts & heads – the basics – enough to make it look good – but take everything else. And as I promised – I’ll let the dust settle and then get this stuff moved to the blackmarket as soon as I can – and you & Lefty still get 10 % … OK ?? … Is that still cool with you guys ??
…. PERFECT !! … I’ll see you at Phil’s house with the equipment – and tell your crew to be cool 
…. DAMMIT Easy … You two start your own thread !!!!!
…. Well heck ROBO … Phil got 2 plugs … I don’t think it’s that out of line asking for just the one.
.… OK OK OK - NO problem my man ... Now look, I have to roll and activate the team. Talk to you in a few days ... ROBO OUT !!!!CALLING TEAM GOLFWRX …
CALLAWAY PROJECT COMMENCING
... ladahl / Rochesten MN … Ready to go ROBO
... Knudson81 / St Clair Shores MI … READY
... hayzooos / ChiTown IL … READY !!!!
... J13 / Baltimore MD … READY to go ROBO !!!!
... golfware / San Fran CA … READY & WILLING
... Dscvrr St Louis / ST Louis MO … LETS TAKE THE CHEESE !!!
… GENTS. This is it – This is the real thing. This is what we train for. This is the Brass Ring guys … and as such … We need a moniker We need a motto … We need a BATTLE CRY …. So tomorrow … Let
PROJECT CALLAWRX BEGIN

... Did Phil & Big Easy get in OK
… Yeah ... No problemo … They’re already out
... And the clubs ?
… Got em !!! .. Enough for us all and then some
... When & where are we meeting
… Carlsbad CA / Tomorrow 12-12-12 – Noon. Any moment you will be receiving a special delivery containing your airline tickets and your CALLAWRX uniform.
... Are we set for to rendezvous at the Ely Callaway Performance Center as scheduled
… As scheduled … Like clockwork so far
... Any sign that the Callaway staff has any indication of our involvement in the Phil / Big E operation.
… Not at all. To ensure our cloak of innocence I have arranged for two official WRX staff members to join us. This will help maintain the illusion that we are unaware of the reality of what Callaway will no doubt be dealing with behind the scenes. Everything is going as planned.
... Hey ROBO … Ummm … Do you think Arnie might be there … or maybe Gary … and can we get to see some of Phils clubs
… GOLFWARE … GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF !!!!
... Sorry ROBO So GolfWRX … HAVING SAID ALL THAT … Hope you enjoyed … I was bored and had time on my hands … and we all know what happens when those 2 things collide. I hope you enjoyed our little intro
HERE

And here …..

And here …..

And here ……

Callaway has a full slate set for us … Which we will elaborate on as we go. But I think there something very very big going on . I get the feeling Callaway is just getting warmed up. I think we are about to see a precursor of things to come - and as is the tradition of WRX – TEAM CALLAWRX will keep you in the loop. Needless to say Callaway could not have offered us anything more – They are truly giving us the Mac Daddy VIP treatment. I know I speak for the gang when I say I CANNOT thank them enough for their generousity and for allowing us as GolfWRX representatives to come as see what they have up their sleeves. In my opinion – Callaway almost single-handedly started the modern era of titanium drivers – and revolutionized the push in the modern era Game Improvement iron. Who hasn’t owned or tried a set of the Great Big Bertha irons (provided you’re my age
My fingers are getting worn out – and I have to pack and go to work in the next few hours – so I have to run. I know one of the gang will post our schedule. … but suffice it to say … It sounds AMAZING.
I get the feeling that Callaway is about to be very very serious … about being very very serious.
SEE YA ON THE OTHER SIDE … CALLAWRX DETAILS SOON TO FOLLOW
Callaway, dear friend, you thought we wouldn’t have any fun ….

Shame on you.
Edited by HipCheck, 27 December 2012 - 02:06 PM.




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