Connect with us

Equipment

Callaway X Hot Pro 3Deep Fairway Woods

Published

on

Callaway’s X Hot Pro 3Deep is the third and lowest-spinning version of Callaway’s X Hot line of fairway woods to hit the PGA Tour this year.

Three different models might seem like overkill, but according to Luke Williams, senior director of global woods and irons for Callaway, they’re necessary because changing to a new 3 wood is one of the toughest equipment changes for a Tour player.

“With 3 woods, there’s two different camps,” Williams said. “There’s players that hit their 3 woods primarily off the tee and others who use it mostly off the fairway. The longer hitters use it mostly off the tee, because they very rarely are far enough out on a par 5 to need it.”

The X Hot Pro 3Deep was designed for the Tour’s longest players, those that want a very low-spinning 3 wood that they can hit almost as far as their driver off the tee. It features a noticeably deeper, or taller face, making it 25 cubic centimeters larger than the more shallow-faced X Hot Pro model.

It seems illogical that Tour players would want a driver and 3 wood that go close to the same distance, but according to Williams, it’s a setup many players use to help them shape shots both ways off the tee.

The main influencer behind the X Hot Pro 3Deep’s design was Phil Mickelson, who carries a 13-degree model and a Callaway Razr Fit Xtreme driver. Mickelson’s driver is weighted in such a way that it has a slight fade bias, which allows him to more easily create the right-to-left ball flight he prefers for control off the tee.

But if Mickelson wants to hit a draw, he can opt for his 3Deep, which is easier for him to turn over. According to Williams, the weighting of Mickelson’s 3 wood is very similar to his driver, but the 3 wood’s smaller head places the center of gravity closer to the shaft. That, combined with the fact that his 3 wood has more loft, makes it easier for him to shape shots left to right.

The X Hot Pro 3Deep is available in one loft for lefties, 13 degrees, and two lofts for righties, 13 and 14.5 degrees. The 13-degree head measures 185 cubic centimeters, while the 14.5 degree head is 180 CC’s.

Like the X Hot Pro, the 3Deep three woods feature the same 455-carpenter steel construction and warbird-inspired sole, and will come stock with True Temper Project X Velocity shafts in flexes of 5.5, 6.0 and 6.5.  But they will measure 43.5 inches, 0.5-inches longer than similar X Hot Pro models.

They will be available April 19, and cost the same as the X Hot Pro fairway woods – -$229.

Check out the in-hand comparison photos we snapped of a 13-degree X Hot Pro 3Deep and 15-degree X Hot Pro fairway woods in the gallery below.

Click here for more discussion in the Tour/Pre-release equipment” forum.

Click here for more discussion in the Tour/Pre-release equipment” forum.

 

Your Reaction?
  • 9
  • LEGIT1
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

19 Comments

19 Comments

  1. other paul

    Nov 29, 2015 at 8:35 pm

    I just finally found one of these in great shape. Swinging this at 114MPH for around 300 yards total. Love this cannon. I could leave the driver at home if I didn’t live and die by the thing.

  2. Scott C

    Jun 10, 2013 at 9:53 am

    Anthony, I do remember the Callaway “Deuce”! it was outstanding. A great driver alternative that I could hit as far as my driver, but with better control. Maybe this is the replacement for the “Deuce”. I hope so.

  3. Ji Song

    May 22, 2013 at 8:14 pm

    I’ve been playing with the same King Cobra Speed FD 3 wood for the past 5 years because I never found another 3 wood that I could hit farther or straighter. I was looking forward to the new Callaway XHot fairway woods and demo’ed on the course but was disappointed that I didn’t hit it any better than what I currently had. However, I recently ran across the new 3 Deep 13 degree Pro at Golfsmith and hit it on their launch monitor 285 yrds and thought their system was un-calibrated. After confirming with the employee that it was working properly, we tried several other 3+ woods and I was still hitting the 3 Deep longer and straighter more consistently. The true test was comparing it with my old 3wd. Well, the results were 15 more yards, lower launch angle, lower ball spin and less dispersion with the 3 Deep 13* with Project X 6.0 shaft (avg dist 270yrds, launch ~12*, spin 3000). I also discovered it’s only 15-20 yards shorter than a well struck driver (8.5* Ping i20 Fujikara Shaft). I ended up buying this club at full retail of $229 but excited to get out and play with it this weekend and see how long the honeymoon phase with last. Hopefully forever…

  4. Ben

    May 7, 2013 at 2:23 pm

    I have tested today the x hot 3 wood and the x hot 3 wood “deep” on a simulator.
    The head of the “deep” version is heavier and smaller than the head of the x hot 3 wood.
    The assistant told me that this club is for player around 15 hcp or less because it is less forgiving.
    I am not a long hitter but I hit today around 215 yards and pretty straight, it was really longer than my previous taylor made bought a few years ago…
    I love the head of the club. The ball flight is not super high which helps the ball to hit the fairway more often.
    I love this club, it will replace my driver to hit more fairways !
    I eventually bought it ! It’s simply a great club.

  5. anthony

    Apr 17, 2013 at 6:17 pm

    Does everybody not remember the “Deuce”??????

  6. rj

    Apr 17, 2013 at 1:10 pm

    I sometimes carry an 11 degree warbird and call it a 2 wood.

  7. Pingback: Mickelson Set To Tee Off With Phrankenwood | Mulligang Golf

  8. Sean

    Apr 8, 2013 at 8:44 am

    Bumped into my local Callaway rep as well at a local range and I hit the same 13 degree with the 6.0 shaft. This club is ridiculous. Ridiculously good that is! Was hitting it as far as my new X-Hot Pro driver on most shots off the tee. For me it was too hard to hit off the deck so I will likely opt for the 14.5 loft for some versatility. It’s hard to imagine this working any better than the 15 degree Hot-Pro fairway I just got. At 43.5 inches in length, yes very much like an old school driver. It even looks like my original “Pittsburgh Persimmon” from 1987.

  9. Bill

    Mar 29, 2013 at 1:51 pm

    Can’t wait to hit it, Matt…It has a 43.5 inch shaft, so it’s not a rehashed driver as some assert. The deeper face makes it desirable off the tee. More like the 2 woods of old which I often used as a youngster. I have a 19.5 hybrid for fairways and I’ve never hit driver off the deck effectively so this club absolutely has a market. Hopefully my Callaway rep is up to speed on this release now.

    • Jack

      Apr 8, 2013 at 2:16 am

      That’s probably longer than the old drivers.

  10. Mat

    Mar 28, 2013 at 12:12 pm

    What’s old is new again. It’s basically an old-school driver, with old-school shape and old-school loft.

  11. Matt

    Mar 28, 2013 at 11:59 am

    I actually got to hit this yesterday at my local Golfsmith. The Callaway Rep showed up while I was hitting and comparing some irons and he asked if I had any questions since I was hitting the new Callaway Forged irons as he came in. I asked him jokingly if he had a 3 Deep on him and he in fact did have one.

    He had the 13° with the Project X 6.0 shaft. First off the weight felt extremely good holding with a nice heavy head and looking down the taller face is definitely noticeable. The 6.0 shaft however did have a little more flex than I like and whips a lot with the heavy club head. I would need to try out the Project X 6.5 or even just upgrade the shaft because my ball flight was ballooning way up in the air with Golfsmiths launch monitor but I was still averaging 276 yards off the tee with little roll out were as my usual 15° 3 wood averages 250-260 and Driver averages from 280-290. I was hitting indoors so it is a little difficult to comment on the sound but you could definitely hear the difference of a well struck shot from a poor shot and the well struck shot just sounds like you are crushing it. So right off the bat before a shaft change/upgrade I’m already picking up the yardage I was hoping for plus if I get my ball flight down and lower the spin some I could imagine getting some really big numbers out of this. I hope to hit it soon outdoors with a few different options but I don’t see how I could not buy one. I hope everyone else gets to try it soon some good results too!

  12. Mike T

    Mar 28, 2013 at 11:12 am

    This reminds me of the GBB2 3 wood.. I used to have one of those and it was a bomber off the tee, it shape was like a mini-driver almost.

  13. Joe W

    Mar 27, 2013 at 5:55 pm

    Will have to take a look at this. If I can hit it within 5-10 yards of my driver but keep the control I have with my 15* off the tee then I would be happy to give up the driver.

  14. Rufiolegacy

    Mar 26, 2013 at 9:17 pm

    dang it! Just ordered the X Hot Pro last week, I will have to talk to my rep.

  15. stu

    Mar 26, 2013 at 8:02 pm

    Close to a 2 wood. Could see this becoming my predominant club for the tee, relegating driver to a backup for special situations

  16. t

    Mar 26, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    I have been waiting for a product like this for a long time!

  17. Jim

    Mar 26, 2013 at 12:52 pm

    It’s perfect. Can’t wait to get it in my bag!

    Jim

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

on

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

Your Reaction?
  • 4
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

Whats in the Bag

Alejandro Tosti WITB 2024 (April)

Published

on

  • Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.

Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX

Hybrid: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour Rescue (22 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 6.5 100

Irons: Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 ZipCore Tour Rack (50-10 MID, 54-10 MID, 58-10 MID, 60-06 LOW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid Tour Issue X100, S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron

Grips: Golf Pride MCC Plus4

Check out more in-hand photos of Alejandro Tosti’s WITB in the forums.

Your Reaction?
  • 1
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

Whats in the Bag

Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)

Published

on

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)

Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)

5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)

Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)

Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype

Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.

Your Reaction?
  • 1
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending