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Tech Talk: Callaway FT OptiForce drivers and fairway woods

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While the mechanics of hitting longer drives are complex, the physics behind hitting a golf ball farther is fairly simple — golfers have to increase their ball speed, improve their launch conditions, or do both.

Golf’s ruling bodies have capped the amount of ball speed that can result from a center strike with a driver, which has left many golfers scrambling to find new ways to hit it farther with the big stick.

Sure, golfers can pick up extra yards by continuing to improve their launch conditions, and today’s drivers also give golfers more ball speed on mis-hits than ever before. But what about new, unbridled distance gains that will have golfers chomping at the bit to hit their next tee shot?

Callaway’s new FT OptiForce drivers are the lightest drivers in the company’s history, and were designed to give golfers more club head speed. Increasing club head speed has the potential to give golfers more ball speed, which will result in increased distance.

The OptiForce drivers come in two different sizes — a 460 cc model that targets golfers who need more forgiveness and a higher launch, as well as a 440 cc head that is geared for better players who desire a more penetrating trajectory.

“Callaway has always placed the golfer’s performance first when developing clubs, and we feel strongly that one club head does not fit all golfers,” said Dr. Alan Hocknell, senior vice president of R&D for Callaway. “Players using an 8.5-degree driver are fundamentally different than players using 12.5-degrees of loft, so with the FT Optiforce Driver we have optimized each of the two available heads — the 440cc and the 460cc –- and adjusted critical elements like size, weight, center of gravity position, moment of inertia and others so that golfers have the best chance to optimize their launch conditions for better total performance.”

460 FT OptiForce Driver

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440 FT OptiForce Driver

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One of the ways OptiForce drivers create more speed is with more aerodynamic head shapes, which Callaway says create 23 percent less drag on the downswing than previous models.

The drivers also offer increased speed through the reduction of head weight and total weight. Both drivers have Callaway’s Forged Composite Crown, which allows the 460 OptiForce to be made with a weight 192 grams — 3 grams lighter than Callaway’s X Hot driver. Likewise, the 440 OptiForce driver is 3 grams lighter than the X Hot Pro driver at 195 grams.

Those driver heads are also equipped with lighter shafts, which further maximize a golfer’s potential to swing the club faster. As stock shaft options, golfers can choose between the super light True Temper Project X PXV shaft that weighs 43 grams (at the stock length of 46 inches), and the more standard weight Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana S+ shaft, which weighs about 64 grams.

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The 460 OptiForce is stamped 10.5 degrees, but Callaway’s revamped OptiFit hosel allows golfers three other loft settings — 1 degree down to 9.5, or 1 or 2 degrees up to either 11.5 or 12.5. The 440 OptiForce is stamped 9.5 degrees and features the same range of loft adjustability.

The new OptiFit system also allows golfers to pick a lie setting, either S for standard or D for draw, which makes the driver more upright. The system seems complicated at first, with two different rings that twist independently and have both lie and loft markings, but it is simple to use once golfers realize that all they have to do is line up the desired loft and lie setting with the white lines on the hosel.

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While changing the loft of an OptiForce driver does change the face angle (adding loft slightly closes the face, while subtracting loft opens the face), the design of the new OptiFit hosel makes those face angle changes much more minimal than in previous models.

Both OptiForce drivers will be available July 12, and will sell for $399. Also to be released on July 12 are a line of FT OptiForce fairway woods ($229), which feature the same principal design as Callaway’s X Hot fairway woods in a lighter, higher-launching, higher-spinning package.

Click here to see photos of the fairway woods in the forums.

The OptiForce fairway woods are not adjustable, and come in the following models: 3 wood (15 degrees), 4 wood (17 degrees), 5 wood (19 degrees), 7 wood (21 degrees) and 9 wood (degrees). They’re sold with either a True Temper Project X PXV 53-gram shaft or a Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana S+ 62 shaft.

Click here to see what members are saying about the FT OptiForce line in the forums.

Click here to see what members are saying about the FT OptiForce line in the forums.

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  1. Pingback: Callaway Ft Optiforce Fairway

  2. Pingback: Callaway Golf Ft Fairway Woods 7 Wood

  3. HOM BOMB

    Aug 23, 2013 at 2:08 am

    Out of all the Callaway drivers past/present the FT Optiforce 440 driver is the best head they’ve come out with in years, reminds me of my older model but trusty FT 5 TH (tour hosel) & FT 9 TA drivers that I won’t let go of. The Optiforce 440 has the bomber distance of the FT 5 TH as well as it has that compact look of the FT 9 TA & the ball just a seems to explode off the face. I don’t agree with the lighter/longer = more distance, for the past 5/6 years my normal driver is 44.25″ because it’s just easier to control & I hit it as far as I would with a 45″/45.5″ shaft. I tried lighter 60g shafts in my driver about a year ago but I wasn’t as consistent with it & was just way to light. When I got my FT Optiforce 440 drivers the first week of August one was shafted with a Accra TourZ CB/85/M5, the other with a Oban Kiyoshi white 65/05 both tipped 1.25″. Both are great shafts but I ended up with the TourZ CB/85/M5, the feel of the shaft is unreal for a 85g shaft, was more consistent, & gained about 5-8mph higher ball speed over my X Hot Pro with the same shaft. This head is the real deal, you don’t need to go with a super lightweight shaft to take advantage of the great technology of this driver. Besides using a 85g driver shaft the head is also hot melted to 206g by Cally to get me to a D4.5 swing weight. If you give this driver a test driver with the right shaft you won’t be disappointed. There’s a reason why the FT Optiforce has been the #1 Callaway driver since it came out & 12 of 14 Callaway European Tour players are also gaming this big stick. Thumbs up to Callaway for bringing out a true players driver this year.

  4. Chip

    Jul 31, 2013 at 9:12 am

    I was able to demo the FT Optiforce driver last weekend. I was looking for a driver that was lighter in wieght. After hitting a few balls on the driving range, I started to think that I may have found my driver. When I took it to the course I was amazed at the added distance and control, especially distance. I consistantly hit more fairways and added 25 to 30 yards to my drives. Instead of trying to avoid fairway bunkers, I just flew over them. It was actually hard to mishit a shot in my opinion. I have read some pretty negative remarks regarding this driver, but I couldn’t diagree more. All golfers are not the same, and a light wieght driver may not be for you. But if you really want more distance and greater control, this driver may be a good option for you. I bought the driver and the 5 wood and could not be more pleased. It will lower my handicap for sure. I am a 14 hcp and used to drive 235. Now I am hitting my drives past 260. Great choice for me presonally.

  5. Michael

    Jul 30, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    Great post! I bookmarked your site so I’ll be back again to check out more posts.

  6. affiliatecashadvice.com

    Jul 21, 2013 at 8:37 pm

    We don’t get fat because of a drastic cut in calories, whenthis happens our metabolic rate can be brought down in a matterof 36 hours by as much as mine is rising. My body responded wonderfully to low carb 5 htp for dieting is the elimination of bread and pasta.

  7. Martfin

    Jul 11, 2013 at 9:51 pm

    Got to hit the 440cc OptiForce driver and the 3 wood today at Golfsmith. The 3 wood I hit well but preferred the Razr Fit Extreme which to me just felt more solid. Distance numbers for me were about the same though. The drive on the other hand felt great, it was effortless to hit and at least 15-20 yds longer than my Razr Fit and every shot was down the middle. Both clubs were using the Diamana stock Stiff shafts. I think I could be tempted by the driver.

  8. mike

    Jul 7, 2013 at 5:57 pm

    I personally liked the razrfit design better. The weights allow me to swingweight the club after its cut down to 44.5 and the open setting will be missed by more than a few of us.

  9. paul

    Jul 6, 2013 at 10:34 am

    In swinging something that weighs around 300 grams i don’t think removing 3 of those is going to make it that much faster to swing. and keeping in mind that a club has the aerodynamics of a brick with a rounded back i don’t think that improving drag off it will make it much faster. you could improve how much effort it took to swing it much more by making it smaller, or making the front more aerodynamic.

  10. Johnjohn

    Jul 3, 2013 at 6:35 am

    Agree, Callaway needs to read Tom Wishon’s book. Besides Clevelans has done the lighter/longer thing for yrs, nothing new

  11. Mike B

    Jul 3, 2013 at 1:21 am

    Nice looking driver, but if you want more distance, go non-conforming!

  12. Jeffrey

    Jul 2, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    Like others in here, fell in love with the Superfast. I’d catch a few sure, but the club was so light, it was hard to swing with tempo, and yeah, keeping it on the course, yeah right. I’ve never gone through so many golf balls. I play a shorter and heavier shaft in my current driver, and wow, it finds fairways, and misses are just off the fairway.

  13. Mike

    Jul 2, 2013 at 4:16 pm

    Hmmm, the hosel looks like an extended version from Titleist SureFit. So are the two offerings of head size. Have seen it before

  14. Dirk

    Jul 2, 2013 at 2:26 pm

    Yeah, I’m with Danny. I heard this song a few years ago when Superfast came out.

    Fool me once, and all that.

  15. hvilletn

    Jul 2, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    OOPS! I think something is wrong with the content in this article. How many people missed this . . .
    “The 460 OptiForce is stamped 10.5 degrees, but Callaway’s revamped OptiFit hosel allows golfers three other loft settings — 1 degree down to 8.5, or 1 or 2 degrees up to either 11.5 or 12.5. The 440 OptiForce is stamped 9.5 degrees and features the same range of loft adjustability.”

  16. Jason

    Jul 2, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    Saw these in person and the 440 and fw shape is really nice. Can’t remember if there’s a weight port tho? The 195 g head won’t work for me as others mentioned- if you like a shorter driver w heavier SW you’ll have to use lead tape I guess?

  17. Scott

    Jul 2, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    Uhh the sole of club looks like a female anatomy part cant believe they didnt catch that.

    • pablo

      Jul 2, 2013 at 9:05 pm

      hahahahaha no kidding it does!

    • Zack

      Jul 6, 2013 at 3:46 am

      That’s why u get a “penetrating” flight with this driver. 😉

  18. Tim

    Jul 2, 2013 at 12:32 pm

    Nothing really new here, but I’m sure someone will buy into it.

  19. Klayton

    Jul 2, 2013 at 12:09 pm

    Loved the old FT-9 Tour. Possibility of this head being similar only lighter and adjustable??? Not a big fan of light and long clubs. Would have to cut the shaft down to 45 and get something heavy like my Diamana Whiteboard 83X that is in the Razr fit right now.

  20. Callaway X Hot

    Jul 2, 2013 at 8:35 am

    Sure you will increase club head speed with a ligher driver but what about control?

  21. roger

    Jul 2, 2013 at 4:22 am

    COOL! so the old razr Fit will be on sale!
    Just bought a Razr Fit Driver used . Love the old stock sales.

    • Todd

      Jul 2, 2013 at 10:42 am

      I also picked up the older Razr Fit used here recently, and am pleasantly surprised by the performance! The used price was great, and within only a few practice rounds and range visits, I bagged this over my Anser driver. There was no denying that (for me) this club was straighter and longer. I’m convinced that I got lucky with the shaft that came with the Razr thought — the Fuji Motore tour spec. I think with the right shaft fitting, any of these drivers could be great. It will be interesting to see what players think of the Optiforce.

      • Ted

        Jul 3, 2013 at 12:28 pm

        Todd,

        I agree. I played last year’s Razr Fit for over a year. You made a great choice. (I recently switched to the xtreme which gives me a lower trajectory that is better for hard fairways and the windy conditions I typically play.)

  22. vince

    Jul 2, 2013 at 1:07 am

    Light weight head with a light weight made for (i presume) shaft and improved aerodynamics.. heard that before and sounds gimmicky. Guess I’ll wait and see how it really performs.

    • Jay

      Jul 7, 2013 at 8:53 am

      Maybe not, I bought an original Blueboard off eBay that was pulled from a razr fit extreme and it was a real deal. Had all the proper tags under the grip.

    • Nicholas

      Jul 13, 2013 at 3:35 am

      A lot of the new equipment is being given to the consumers with high end shafts at no extra charge, meaning stock. Take for instance Titleist in their Diamana + line for their 913’s or even Ping for their Aldila Rip’s. It’s improving just a tad for folders who actually care about their numbers and hitting fairways or greens.

  23. paul

    Jul 1, 2013 at 11:32 pm

    I think it looks less like a toy then the xtreme . and it isn’t called Xtreme. so its already on the right track.

    • Ted

      Jul 3, 2013 at 12:21 pm

      Although, I respect Paul’s opinion, I disagree. I have been using the xtreme for over three months and it looks nothing like a toy. The deep black gloss finish is very unobtrusive and it looks great at address.
      It performs better than any driver I have ever played or tested and beleive me I have tested all the top drivers!

      • paul

        Jul 3, 2013 at 8:51 pm

        I thought the sole looked toyish to me. at address i love the driver. i have hit quite a few of my best drives with a friends club. at least you didn’t disagree with the Xtreme name that i find irritating. couldn’t they have come up with something better? Optiforce sounds better to me. good job callaway

  24. Joe Golfer

    Jul 1, 2013 at 11:23 pm

    Looking forward to reviews on this later on after testing.
    It looks sharp, though I’m partial to a tiny alignment aid on the crown.
    Like the other posts, I’m not sure longer and lighter is the answer, though I’ll wait for the GolfWRX tests to see those Trackman or Flighscope results.

    • Jay

      Jul 7, 2013 at 8:47 am

      I think the alignment aid is only on the 460. I think the bottom looks kinda cheap but if it performs well that 440 with the Blueboard would rock after I cut it down to 44 1/2

  25. 8thehardway

    Jul 1, 2013 at 11:16 pm

    The hosel looks like a Rubik’s cube but I can’t wait to see how they perform.

  26. Danny

    Jul 1, 2013 at 10:18 pm

    I had a longer and lighter Burner Superfast that crushed the ball into the trees. Tempo killer,

  27. t

    Jul 1, 2013 at 9:46 pm

    longer and lighter is bad. makes the game harder, not easier.

    • Sectxag06

      Jul 2, 2013 at 12:04 am

      Absolutely agree. Best thing I’ve done is cut down my driver shaft. Control is better than 1-2 mph swing difference.

    • Chuck

      Jul 4, 2013 at 10:01 am

      Wow. Just what I was thinking. What a great, simple comment right off the bat.

      How does Callaway propose to solve the problem of hitting more fairways with driver? One could reasonably suggest, “Get lessons.” That’s fine, I suppose. Buy equipment to help you hit it farther, and get lessons to help you hit it straighter.

      But having played golf much more seriously than I have any right to, for several decades, my problem is hitting fairways. Not driver distance. And modern technology has not helped in that regard. I have been moving toward shorter, heavier drivers and it has been making the game more enjoyable.

      All good engineering recognizes that there are always tradeoffs in physics.

      I have a few specific issues with this report as well. I presume that it is a typo, that a driver marked “10.5”, less one degree of loft via hosel adjustment is “9.5,” not “8.5” as written.

      Also, just speaking for meyself, I never felt limited in my ability to get a driver whose loft fitted me. Just choose a head from 7.5 to 10.5 degrees of loft. Everybody made one. No; the real problem was finding open face angles. When we are seeing many tour-player spec sheets featuring drivers at 4 to 6 degrees open, it is pretty clear that a lot of retail options are limited. And to my eye, these new Callaways look closed (sigh — like so many other retail drivers) and the adjustibility doesn’t seem to be there, at least not by way of this description.

      • PGAPankey

        Jul 7, 2013 at 11:11 am

        Callaway doesn’t care if you hit more fairways, that’s not why MOST people buy a new driver. When someone comes into my shop and looks at the newest driver they always say the same thing. “I’ll buy it if it goes longer than mine”. They never say “I’ll buy it if I hit more fairways with it”. As Craig Kilbourn used to say on Sportscenter, callaway is “in business to do business”. The majority of golfers want a club to go farther, not straighter.

      • Dave

        Jul 10, 2013 at 12:54 pm

        I agree, Chuck. I am a more experienced golfer as well… and while distance is important, the combination of distance and accuracy is MOST important, and should differentiate one club from another. In addition, your comment about open face is right on. Most manufactures offer only closed faces. Like you, I need a face that is a couple of degrees open… and for the life of me, I can not understand why manufacturers do not provide more options for golfers like us. Maybe we will get there some day… one can only hope. In the mean time, if anyone has some suggestions, plz let me know… tx.

      • Martin

        Jul 11, 2013 at 4:54 pm

        I would like to see one of the big companies build a 44″ driver and swing weight D1/D2, and emphasise ballspeeds from centre strikes. Shorter driver and more ballspeeds from less clubheadspeed!! Now that’s the driver i would like.

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Whats in the Bag

Chesson Hadley WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 TX

3-wood: Titleist TSR2+ (14.5 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX

Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist 620 CB (4, 5), Titleist 620 MB (6-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball
Grip: Odyssey

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Check out more in-hand photos Chesson Hadley’s clubs here.

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Whats in the Bag

Gary Woodland WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Cobra Darkspeed X (8 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 70 M5

  • The white circle that appears at the top of the face a removable sticker that’s used for launch monitor tracking, and Woodland removes it for competition!

3-wood: Cobra Darkspeed X (14 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype

7-wood: Cobra LTDx LS prototype (20 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype

Irons: Wilson Staff (18 degrees), Cobra King MB (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X

Wedges: Cobra SB (48), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-08F, 56-14F), Cobra King (60)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X (48 degrees), KBS Tour V-Ten 125

Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 3.0P

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

See more in-hand photos of Gary Woodland’s WITB in the forums.

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Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron

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As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)

What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!

 

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I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…

To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”

On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.

Here’s what he had to say:

You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?

MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.

And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.

When did it come back in the bag?

MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.

What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?

MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?

Do you remember how much you paid for it?

MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.

The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?

MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.

It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?

MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.

What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?

MT: Like high 170’s.

Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.

MT: Yeah. The butter knife.

Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons? 

MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.

How far do you carry that? 

MT: Like 235.

A good little wind club, I’m sure.

MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.

I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man. 

MT: Absolutely.

To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click here.

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