Equipment

Callaway Great Big Bertha Driver: What you need to know

Published

9 years ago

Aug 4, 2015

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

: Both driver are 460 cc.

: The DBD (bottom) has a deeper face than the Great Big Bertha.

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Related Topics:Callaway drivers fairway woods

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3 Comments

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?

Reply Report comment
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.

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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.

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Equipment

From the Forums: How are you liking TaylorMade’s Qi10 fairway woods?

Published

2 hours ago

Mar 26, 2024

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been discussing TaylorMade’s new Qi10 fairway woods. WRXer ‘ace036’ plans on testing them in the next few weeks, saying: “from how they look from address and frame the ball is much more appealing to my eye versus my current Paradym fairway woods.” And our members have been sharing their positive feedback in our forum.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

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MiloMalt: “No complaints and so far only high praise for my Qi10 Tour 3 and 5 wood. I’m getting great numbers and a nice penetrating ball flight with great height whereas with my old TSi2 4 wood it was spinny and ballooning and short because of that.”
courcy75: “The Qi10 Tour 3 wood I just put in play has been outstanding for me. Finally found something I like as much as the 07 burner tp.”

Entire Thread: “From the Forums: How are you liking TaylorMade’s Qi10 fairway woods?”

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/26/24): Cobra Dark Speed X 7-wood

Published

2 hours ago

Mar 26, 2024

Gianni Magliocco

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 Cobra Dark Speed X 7-wood.

From the seller: (@Rose Park): “Head only with headcover. $225 shipped.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Cobra Dark Speed X 7-wood

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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Equipment

Bettinardi launches first-generation CB24, MB24 irons

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We spotted them on the PGA Tour at the Arnold Palmer Invitational; now they’re heading to retail. Bettinardi Golf today announced its first generation irons: Bettinardi CB24 and MB24 irons.

We’ve seen the veteran putter maker dabble in wedges in the past, but this is the first time Bob Bettinardi and company have set their sites on the widest portion of the golf bag.

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2024 Bettinardi irons: Key technology

One-piece co-forged solid body: Bettinardi co-forges the 1025 carbon steel chassis with the interior iron components in a bid to deliver superb feel and feedback.

Tri-material construction: Military-grade CMC (ceramic matrix composite) plus high-density tungsten plus forged carbon steel. Bettinardi has balanced these elements to deliver forgiveness in a forged iron and achieve desired weight profiles as well as consistency between irons.

Progressive CG: Bettinardi tweaks the positioning of tungsten and CMC elements in each iron. Accordingly, longer irons (lower CG) are easier to launch, and shorter irons (higher CG) deliver a more penetrating flight with controlled spin.

Bettinardi irons: Additional model details

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Bettinardi CB24 irons: Bettinardi sought to unite classic design with modern engineering in its CB24 irons. Forged feel meets a progressive cavity with perimeter weighting. Easier launching and more forgiving than their MB24 brethren.