Equipment
Callaway to release Sub Zero driver, with the company’s lowest CG ever
The chase for a lower center of gravity (CG) has taken Callaway below the neutral axis line with its new XR 16 Sub Zero driver. According to Callaway, the driver is made for better players with fast swing speeds, and boasts the lowest CG of any Callaway driver ever designed.
Imagine the neutral axis line as a line drawn backward, perpendicular from the center of the club face, as illustrated above. While most drivers have a CG above that line, the XR 16 Sub Zero, which measures 440 cubic centimeters, boasts a CG below it.
The XR 16 Sub Zero was lower spinning than Callaway’s Big Bertha Alpha 816 DBD driver in the company’s robot and player testing.
Drivers with low-CG positions can help golfers lower their spin rates, allowing those with fast swing speeds to achieve a more penetrating trajectory that can increase distance. The most notable example is Phil Mickelson, who is currently using the Sub Zero driver on the PGA Tour.
Related: Phil Mickelson WITB 2016
To achieve the Sub Zero’s lower CG, Callaway gave it a new crown, which is made of a “Carbon Triax” material. According to Callaway Senior R&D manager Evan Gibbs, the new crown is made from “fabric, or laminate,” which is different from the chopped fibers that are used to make the carbon fiber crowns for Callaway Great Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha 816 DBD drivers.
All three drivers use the same molding technique for their crowns, however, the Carbon Triax material is thinner and lighter, allowing weight to be displaced lower and deeper in the club head.
Compared to Callaway’s XR 16 and XR 16 Pro drivers, the XR 16 Sub Zero will not have as high of a moment of inertia (MOI), a measure of ball speed retention or forgiveness on off-center hits, due to the concentration of weight low and forward in the club head. That’s not ideal for golfers who struggle to make consistent contact, but skilled golfers can use the lower CG position to hit longer drives.
The XR 16 Sub Zero is also adjustable, allowing players to fine-tune their trajectory with a 10-gram and 2-gram interchangeable weights that are placed in opposing weight ports. Moving the heavier weight forward makes for a penetrating, lower-spinning trajectory, while moving it rearward setting will provide a higher launch and more forgiveness, but slightly raise spin in comparison.
Callaway’s XR 16 Sub Zero driver (9.5 degress, RH Only) will be available for $449.99 on April 15 with the choice of 20 premium shaft at no upcharge.
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GolfWRX recently launched a new 8-part video series, called “The Modern Classics,” in partnership with 2nd Swing Golf. Throughout this video series, GolfWRX’s Head of Tour Content, Andrew Tursky, tests out 8 legendary used golf clubs that are still being played on Tour today. How do the older, less expensive products compare to modern technologies?
In the first three episodes, Tursky tested out TaylorMade’s Tour Preferred MC 2011 irons, Adams Idea Pro hybrids from 2006, and a TaylorMade Rocketballz RBZ fairway wood.
For episode 4, we highlight the TaylorMade Burner SuperFast fairway woods, which were released to the public in 2010. Although they’re more than a decade old, we spotted one in Richard Bland’s 2022 WITB.
The Burner SuperFast fairway woods are currently available for $76.99 on 2nd Swing’s website.
Check out the video at the top of the page for more on the product, design, and how it stands up in testing against a modern 3-wood.
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- Will Zalatoris what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
3-wood: Titleist TSR2+ (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist T100
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Prototype Graphite on Steel Technology Prototype Hybrid 10 ST X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50-08S, 54-10S),Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-11 Proto
Grip: SuperStroke Traxion Tour 1.0PT
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Z Grip Cord
More Will Zalatoris WITBs
- Will Zalatoris WITB 2022 (July)
- Will Zalatoris Winning WITB: 2022 FedEx St. Jude Classic
- Will Zalatoris WITB 2022 (January)
- PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Will Zalatoris’ WITB
- Will Zalatoris WITB 2021 Masters
- Will Zalatoris WITB 2014: U.S. Junior Amateur
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In our forums, our members have been discussing wedges for poor bunker players. WRXer ‘gdb99’ kicks off the thread saying “I’m not good out of sand. I used to be, 35 years ago. I blade shots over the green. It’s all technique, and I need a lot of practice. I know that,” and reaches out to our members who have been sharing what they feel are the wedges that can help him the most.
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.
- hammergolf: “Ping Eye2 is the best bunker club ever. If you’re blading it you’re not steep enough. Open the face and hit down on the sand. The bounce will stop it from digging too much.”
- flubberlange: “Try a Vokey 60* in a K grind.”
- Fwitz11: “I also struggle with the bunker and have found that an open 60 and hitting just behind the ball is the easiest out I have used. Has helped me a ton with not blading it over the green.”
- lazyjc4: “I’ve hit the best bunker shots of my life with PM Grind wedges. I look like I know what I’m doing almost all of the time.”
Entire Thread: “Best wedge for bad bunker players? – GolfWRXers discuss”
More from the Forums
- Moving from blades to P790s…Lazy? Will my scores go down? – GolfWRXers discuss
- Should I add a 7-wood? – GolfWRXers discuss
- Best players distance irons for a ‘picker’ – GolfWRXers discuss
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Will Zalatoris WITB 2023 (February)
Will Zalatoris what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Taiga Semikawa WITB 2023 (January)
Taiga Semikawa what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Keita Nakajima WITB 2023 (February)
Keita Nakajima what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Trey Mullinax WITB 2023 (February)
Trey Mullinax what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
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Jim
Mar 17, 2016 at 11:47 pm
Uhhh, Cobra King LTD beat them to the market with the zero CG driver. Plus, the Cobra LTD has nice forgiveness unlike what Cally is claiming is lost with the Subzero. LTD for the win!
299yards
Mar 17, 2016 at 12:43 am
“bro i hit it like 20* 1000rpm 380 yds.”
one release later: “not forgiving enough.”
another release later: “20* 1000rpm seems about right”
Leftypro16
Mar 16, 2016 at 7:23 pm
If Phil is hitting it, what no lefty for the rest of us? What’s up with that?
Tom Duckworth
Mar 16, 2016 at 4:56 pm
I don’t see the big deal. Ping has a low spin driver as part of the G series this just looks like a low spin XR 16.
MIKEYP
Mar 16, 2016 at 1:10 pm
To all you nay sayers. I have been buying every new driver that has come out from callaway and taylormade and have really embraced the new technology. My average drives are between 680 and 700 yards and golf has become very easy for me.
Steve
Mar 16, 2016 at 9:47 am
Finally they made a perfect driver until the next one. Just a joke. No wonder equipment makers are struggling. They flood the market, more supply then demand. Why would anyone buy at full retail from cally, tmag when in a few months it is on the clearance shelves.
Ryan
Mar 15, 2016 at 8:47 pm
Jim, I have hit it.. lol
ha ha ha
Mar 15, 2016 at 3:18 pm
if this were a taylormade there would be 80 comments about how many releases they have and a million m3 jokes…Callaway is king(of quick releases) ha ha ha
moses
Mar 15, 2016 at 2:47 pm
Looks like Callaway is going to get the 17 1700 faster than Taylormade. 🙂
Weekend Duffer
Mar 15, 2016 at 1:53 pm
Callaway should start leasing drivers so I can get the new one that comes out each month.
Carson
Mar 15, 2016 at 11:18 am
Special release driver for right handers only.. Especially when they toat Phil for playing it.
Thanks Callaway.
lew
Mar 15, 2016 at 10:07 am
So many delusional wrxers will buy it and then call them the worst driver ever made.
Russell Jimmie
Mar 15, 2016 at 9:25 am
Another driver that people on WRX will go crazy about because it is low spin but nobody will be able to hit. Like the Slider 430
299yards
Mar 17, 2016 at 12:44 am
hahha so true, sldr 430 is the lowest spinning least forgiving thing ever made
Ryan
Mar 15, 2016 at 9:20 am
Come out with the 8.5 !!!!!
Jacob
Mar 15, 2016 at 9:11 am
And people make fun of TaylorMade…