Equipment

Callaway Big Bertha B-21 driver, fairway wood, and hybrids: All about forgiveness

Published

6 years ago

Aug 18, 2020

Callaway’s Big Bertha brand is synonymous with forgiving golf clubs. The Carlsbad-based company is bringing the name back once again to introduce their new line of ultra-forgiving, slice-reducing clubs, including the 2020 Callaway Big Bertha B-21 driver, fairway woods, and hybrids.

“You can’t argue with physics.” That was the tagline used the last time Callaway reintroduced the Big Bertha name to golfers, and the company remains absolutely right—it’s hard to argue against physics.

What’s also hard to argue is that, for the vast majority of recreational golfers, the most common miss is a high spinning shot to the right (for right-handed golfers) AKA “a slice.” The ball flight is created by a glancing blow to the ball, which increases spin and spin axis, causing shots to veer offline.

If you fall into this category of frustrated golfer tired of yelling at your driver and fairway woods to “get down!” and “land soft!” then the new B-21 line from Callaway could be your ticket to reducing spin, reducing your slice miss, and shooting lower scores—or at least finding the fairway more often.

What is also very interesting with this release is the timing, because right now in recreational golf history, we are seeing an influx of new golfers not seen since the late ’90s. New golfers generally struggle with a slice miss, and as mentioned off the top, the name “Big Bertha” is well known to even casual golfers as forgiving. Regardless of whether you are just getting into golf or have been struggling with that banana ball for a while, the Big Bertha is here to help.

2020 Callaway Big Bertha B-21 Driver

Callaway is throwing everything its engineers know about drivers into making the Big Bertha B-21 a spin-killing, slice-reducing machine by pairing a more low and forward center of gravity (CG) with draw-biased internal weighting—along with many more of its proprietary technologies.

The other part of the B-21’s story is its MOI and ability to match a high-MOI forgiving design with a lower forward CG. When combined, it helps engineers generate spin robustness (a term we will continue to hear more about), which is a golf club’s ability to create more consistent numbers and smaller standard deviation from optimal conditions. It’s a much more specific way to say “we are building a big sweet spot”—and bigger it is.

One of the biggest keys to the B-21’s design is the face—it’s HUGE! It puts more surface area higher in the toe and lower in the heel, which is exactly where golfers who come over the top and create slice conditions mishit shots. Callaway conducted a test with golfers that had an average handicap over 17. In fact, 17 was the minimum handicap to be involved in the testing process and the B-21 dropped the average participant’s spin by close to 600 RPMs from their standard drivers.

This kind of spin reduction helps in aiding straighter shots, because as spin drops, so does the effect of a tilted spin axis. An easy way to understand the concept is that as an airplane turns it “banks” into the turn; you see it lean towards the direction it wants to move. A golf ball does the exact same thing when traveling through the air, and when you pair more axis tilt with more spin, you have shots that curve further offline—that is what the B-21 driver is designed to reduce.

Other key technologies included

Callaway’s Patented “Jail Break” technology to stiffen the frame of the driver and help boost ball speeds.
All-new, artificial intelligence-created Flash Face SS21 to better optimize the new larger face shape for the intended golfer.
T2C Triaxial Carbon Crown to save weight from the crown of the driver’s head and help in lowering the CG.

We’ve done a lot of talking about the head, but there is one last part to building a club that helps reduce spin and hit straighter shots: the shaft! For the Big Bertha B-21 Callaway is bringing back another component of the historic brand—the RCH shaft. This is an in-house designed profile with a higher balance point to help make it easier for golfers to square the clubhead.

We have seen this with a number of OEMs when it comes to building clubs as “total systems” designed to work in conjunction from grip to head. Yes, fitting is still important, and there could be potential gains from various shaft profiles, but the BB-21 is targeted towards the biggest part of the golfing bell curve with the stock RCH shaft (available in 45, 55, and 65-gram offerings).

Specs pricing, and availability

The Callaway Big Bertha B-21 Driver will be available in lofts of 9, 10.5, and 12.5 degrees in both right and left-handed and will be in stores starting September 10th. It will be priced at $499.99

Callaway B-21 Fairway Woods

“Drum roll, please! Now, introducing…for the very first time…Callaway fairway woods…with offset!”

This is truly a big deal, because beyond the center of gravity shifting and lie angle adjusting, adding offset to woods is one of the easiest ways to help golfers reduce a slice, and until now the biggest players in the fairway wood market has completely stayed away from adding it as an option in its lineups. Of all the OEMs, the only one to consistently offer an offset option is Cobra (I know this segment well as my dad has been playing offset woods for more than a decade, and any time a new line comes out the first question I get is “anything with offset?”)

When looking at the intended target golfers for Big Bertha B-21, fairway woods becomes a very important part of the set because they are used often and mostly from the fairway to approach greens. Since hitting fairway woods from the fairway is also one of the most challenging things for a lot of golfers, the designers at Callaway have put every tool they can into these clubs to make them as easy to elevate and confidence-inspiring as they possibly could.

The key design feature to make the B-21 fairway woods easy to hit from tighter lies is how designers have lowered the leading edge to get more face closer to the ground and below the ball. Now, speaking of the face, each head has been optimized with Flash Face SS21 and individually designed for the loft to create maximum ball speeds based on algorithms given to the AI from impact testing of golfers. I know that seems like a lot to take in, but what it really means is Callway knows where you are most likely to mis-hit shots and taken that into account when designing these clubs.

Other technology features include

Callaway’s Patented “Jail Break” technology to stiffen the frame of the fairway wood and help boost ball speeds at the center and around the face.
T2C Triaxial Carbon Crown to save weight from the crown of each fairway head and help in lowering the CG.

Just like with the B-21 driver, the stock Callaway RCH shaft has been specifically designed to work for the fairway woods and will be available in 45, 55, 65, and 75-gram offerings to allow golfers to progressively matching their shafts through their set.

This makes the Callaway Big Bertha B-21 fairway woods the most forgiving, slice-reducing fairway woods Callaway has ever made.

Specs pricing, and availability

The Callaway Big Bertha B-21 fairway woods will be available in a 3-wood (15 degrees), 5-wood (18-degrees), 7-wood (21-degrees), both right- and left-handed with a 9-wood (24 degrees) available in right-hand only, on starting September 10th. They will be priced at $299.99 each.

Callaway B-21 Hybrids

This brings us to what could be the most valuable part of the line for regular golfers who struggle with long to mid-iron approach shots—Big Bertha B-21 Hybrids. These are a combination of everything Callaway has learned from previous game-improvement hybrid designs mixed with their most recent Super Hybrid. The B-21’s pack a major punch, all the way down to an available 8-iron hybrid.

They have more offset to fall in line with the new B-21 irons to help build combo sets and maintain a look as the set transitions from irons, and that’s just what you can see. Inside is a combination of technology and materials built to offer the maximum amount of forgiveness available.

The most important technology brought over from the Super Hybrid is the MIM (metal injection molded) tungsten weights strategically placed at the heel and toe of each club and optimized for loft and head weight. This puts upwards of 70 grams or more than 30 percent of the club heads total mass (depending on the loft) around the perimeter to boost MOI and raise launch. Raising launch also means shots that land with a steeper angle of descent, equalling greater stopping power.

Similar to other clubs in the new Big Bertha B-21 line, the hybrids and have:

Callaway’s Patented “Jail Break” technology to stiffen the frame of the hybrids sole to crown and help boost ball speeds around the entire face.
All-new, Flash Face SS21 created with the help of artificial intelligence to optimize each loft in the hybrid series for ball speed and launch.
T2C Triaxial Carbon Crown to save weight from the top of each hybrid to lower the CG and help golfers hit higher-launching, easier-to-stop shots.

The end result is a set of hybrids that can help any golfer in need of more launch and more distance, and the ability to properly gap from their longest iron to their highest-lofted fairway wood without having to sacrifice any forgiveness or ball speed along the way.

Specs, pricing, and availability

The Callaway Big Bertha B-21 hybrids will be available from 3-hybrid all the way to 8-hybrid, in both right and left-handed starting September 10th. The stock shaft with be the Callaway RCH 65-gram hybrid.

They will be priced at $249.99 each.

Equipment

Seoul Sensibilities: Is Korean golf fashion starting to shape the world?

Published

1 day ago

May 22, 2026

James Chang

For Korean golfers, we always look forward to the last of the kkot-saem-chu-I for the true start of a new golf season. The term refers to a cold snap, but literally translates as “winter being jealous of the flowers beginning to bloom, thus lashing out one final time before surrendering to spring”.

A rather poetic mouthful packed into a short expression.

Koreans can be like that. Understated, yet oddly expressive at the same time. And nowhere is this more true on the golf course and in our golf bags. In fact, I suspect many Korean golfers look forward to new apparel and accessory drops more than they do actual equipment launches each year.

At this point, Korean golf fashion may exist on its own timeline. (courtesy of @seonbi_golfer)

There is ample evidence to support that suspicion. Korea is the world’s third-largest golf market behind the United States and Japan, yet its appetite for golf apparel exceeds that of both countries combined. Recent estimates suggest that Korea accounts for nearly 40 percent of the global golf apparel market, placing it among the world’s most influential golf fashion markets and punching well above its size.

Simply, we care deeply about how new golf clubs look and feel, but enjoy looking good while swinging them even more.

Golfers in the West may laugh and say that golf is played on a course, not a fashion runway. Perhaps. But what’s the harm in trying to look and feel good, if the added self-confidence can help actual performance? It certainly seems to have worked for Jason Day, who may have unlocked a new stats category: dormant strokes gained. Coincidence?

During the COVID-era, estimates placed the market near $9 billion, an astonishing figure for a single country.

As a proud member of Gen X, I’ve witnessed the highs and lows of golf fashion firsthand. The pleated trousers and wing-tipped shoes of Jack Nicklaus, the stylish plus-fours and knickers of Payne Stewart, the baggy black trousers and fitted mock-necks of Tiger Woods, and the thigh-hugging athletic tailoring of Rory McIlroy. Golf fashion, like the golf swing itself, has rarely stood still.

But nowhere have those trends shifted, evolved, and been scrutinized quite as relentlessly as in Korea. Here, golf fashion moves faster than fairway gossip, and consumers dissect brands with a level of discernment that can be both impressive and mildly terrifying. New brands are studied, judged, embraced, or dismissed with startling efficiency.

The result is a consumer base with one of the sharpest eyes for quality and authenticity anywhere in the world. It is difficult to quantify, but easy to recognize. Clean lines without trying too hard. Luxury mixed with utility. Trend awareness balanced by restraint and purpose.

It’s golf fashion shaped by one of the world’s most style-literate cities, something I like to call Seoul Sensibilities, referring to the taste level forged by a uniquely competitive environment.

And increasingly, global brands have noticed.

Many golf brands in Korea have their own flagship shops dedicated to apparel only

Titleist understood this years ago, when its apparel business in Korea took on a life of its own under new ownership and local direction. What had once been a straightforward extension of an iconic equipment giant became something sharper and more premium. By going all in on the serious Tour-player look (I couldn’t even fit into their XL sizes), Titleist struck the right chord with Korean consumers and helped its fledgling apparel business break into the mainstream. Titleist became a household name even for non-golfers who wore its caps, shirts, and windbreakers in daily life. In many ways, it proved that even heritage golf brands could carry real fashion credibility when viewed through a Korean lens.

Several years later, PXG took a page out of Titleist’s playbook and followed suit. Korean consumers helped transform the brand from one known largely for irons and loud commercials into something broader and more stylish. PXG apparel’s growth in Korea was explosive, where it found an early audience and turned the category into something more than mere logo merchandise. It is still hard to walk anywhere in Seoul without seeing its palindrome logo.

Malbon’s meteoric rise in the United States was genuine, but its ascent into a global golf lifestyle brand owes much to Korea, where it was elevated by a market already fluent in modern golf style. Korea did not simply embrace Malbon. It pressure-tested the concept, refined its appeal, and helped push it into the global spotlight.

As such, new brands may arrive from abroad, but more often than not, their sharpest evolution happens here. If a brand can earn credibility in Seoul, it’s deemed to have passed one of the toughest style audits in the game.

That is why the next meaningful chapter may not come from outside, but from a Korean brand moving in the opposite direction, carrying those Seoul Sensibilities outward as K-pop once did.

Play young Stay dope.

From Seoul, With Intent

Khalhon is a label that feels less like a trend-chasing newcomer and more like the product of a market that has already seen everything. Golfers here have long been surrounded by luxury logos, technical fabrics, and tour uniforms disguised as lifestyle wear and vice-versa. In other words, novelty alone rarely lasts here, and the Koreans seems to understand that instinctively.

Its style language leans into clean silhouettes, relaxed but tailored proportions, muted palettes, and premium materials that speak quietly but confidently. There is a modern city aesthetic running through it all, with strong layering pieces, thoughtful textures, and subtle branding that suggests sophistication rather than demanding attention.

“Built for the course. Designed beyond it.”

Most importantly, the garments seem designed to blur the line between golfwear and everyday style. Shirts, trousers, knitwear, and outer layers move comfortably between a game of screen golf, a lunch reservation, an airport gate, or an afternoon coffee in Gangnam with friends.

It raises the question of whether this is golfwear that happens to look good off the course, or everyday clothing that performs beautifully on the fairways.

Personally, I have long appreciated Nike Golf for its clean, athletic modernization of golf attire. It also has the useful side effect of making me look like a more serious golfer than I probably am. But off the course, there are times when being instantly identified as the golf guy in a crowd of non-golfers can feel a touch self-conscious.

“Built for the course. Designed beyond it.”

That is part of what drew me to Khalhon, which seemed to blend golf and everyday wear naturally. While some of the outfits may be slightly beyond my personal confidence level, the brand also offers tasteful options for older guys like me who still want to express a little personality without regretting the decision later.

These are not simply flashy outfits worn on the course and then banished to the closet until the next tee time. They work surprisingly well off the course too, and I suspect many of the pieces will still look right a couple of years from now, which would certainly be kinder to my wallet than most golf fashion trends tend to be.

And perhaps that broader lifestyle positioning also helps explain why someone like Sean Wotherspoon would find Khalhon creatively interesting in the first place.

“Built for the course. Designed beyond it.”

“Korea is not only one of the most fashion-forward golf markets in the world, but one of the most fashion-forward markets globally. Korea is ahead, and I love to watch and try to catch up.” – Sean Wotherspoon, Creative Director at Khalhon

Seoul and Beyond

If Khalhon’s rise says something about where Korean golf fashion is today, its relationship with Sean Wotherspoon says even more about where it is heading.

For readers less familiar with Sean Wotherspoon, his arrival at Khalhon is not some routine celebrity endorsement or influencer collaboration. In design and streetwear circles, Wotherspoon is regarded as one of the more influential creative voices of his generation, particularly when it comes to blending nostalgia, storytelling, and contemporary culture into products that people can connect with.

He first gained widespread attention through his now-famous Nike sneaker collaborations, where his vintage-inspired designs and instinct for color helped turn him into one of the defining artists of the late-2010s sneaker era. His work gradually expanded beyond footwear into apparel, automotive collaborations, collectibles, and broader lifestyle design.

Modern golf style now extends well beyond the fairways, where performance and functionality are largely expected by default. And while plenty of brands already make technically competent golfwear, Khalhon seems more focused on designing clothes people would genuinely want to wear even after the round ends.

And when guys at Wotherspoon’s level show genuine interest in working with a Korean golf brand as its new Creative Director, fashion circles tend to sit up and pay attention. There’s already a huge buzz among the fashion-conscious here about upcoming collabs with iconic sports stars and brands.

“My creative direction for Khalhon is disruptive, colorful, nostalgic, and modern. My goal is to blend these avenues seamlessly within each collection.” – Sean Wotherspoon

In chatting with Sean, what stood out most to me was how genuinely energized he sounded about the project itself. Despite having already worked across and countless other creative spaces, he described golf as a completely fresh category for him, saying that Khalhon “will be an amazing vehicle for my design work.”

At the same time, his enthusiasm seemed tied just as much to Korea itself. He spoke openly about admiring Korea’s fashion culture while repeatedly insisting he is still a terrible golfer.

There was something oddly refreshing about that humility. Rather than sounding like a celebrity parachuting into golf simply because the category suddenly became fashionable, Sean sounded genuinely curious about what Korea might do with the category next.

And perhaps that is what makes Khalhon feel interesting right now. The brand feels less like a trend-chaser and more like the natural result of a market now confident enough to export its own point of view.

For years, global brands came to Korea to sharpen their image against one of the most discerning audiences anywhere. Now, a Korean label appears ready to send those Seoul Sensibilities outward instead.

Which brings us back to kkot-saem-chu-i.

That final cold snap before spring always arrives with a reminder that seasons are changing, whether we notice it immediately or not. Golf fashion feels a little like that right now as well, as the old boundaries between sport, streetwear, luxury, and everyday style continue to soften.

And somewhere in Seoul, a Korean golf label already seems prepared for whatever season comes next. I just hope they have everything in my size.

Whats in the Bag

Cameron Smith WITB 2026 (May)

Published

1 day ago

May 22, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist GTS3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X

3-wood: Titleist GTS2 (16.5 degrees, B2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X

7-wood: Titleist TS2 (21 degrees, D4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Elements Proto 8F5

Check out more in-hand photos of Cam Smith’s gear here.

Irons: Titleist T250 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X Custom Series

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-08M, 60-04T)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130X (46, 52, 56, 60)

Check out more in-hand photos of Cam Smith’s gear here.

Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M Tour Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Tack

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Check out more in-hand photos of Cam Smith’s gear here.

Equipment

CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot

Published

1 day ago

May 22, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Has Brooks Koepka put the questions surrounding his putting woes to bed by switching putters again at The CJ Cup at The Byron Nelson? Well, with a Scotty Cameron Fastback 1.5 in play, Koepka opened with an 8-under 63 around TPC Craig Ranch to sit one off the first-round lead in Dallas.

It’s the fourth different putter Koepka has played since his return to the PGA Tour. After leaving LIV Golf to start the season, only seven players on the circuit have hit the ball better from tee to green than the five-time major champion. Once getting onto the putting surfaces, Koepka ranks 141st in SG: Putting, losing almost half a shot to the field on the greens.

MCKINNEY, TEXAS – MAY 20: Brooks Koepka of the United States and his caddie talk on the first green during a practice round prior to THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson 2026 at TPC Craig Ranch on May 20, 2026 in McKinney, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

But that changed with the latest flatstick in Koepka’s hands, which he believes can create better rotation in the stroke than the previous options he’s played.

“Switched putters again this week for something I feel like released on its own, something I’ve been trying to – been fighting a little bit, and I feel like it definitely releases a little bit,” Koepka explained.

The current Fastback 1.5 setup Koepka is using is equipped with a short-slant neck, one that will produce considerably more toe hang than his previous TaylorMade Tour V, which he played for just one tournament – the PGA Championship. That setup featured an extended L-Neck (plumbers) hosel, something that is used to try to reduce face rotation, but the one-week trial ended at Aronimink, with Koepka 63rd in SG: Putting out of 82 players to make the cut. The Fastback 1.5 has been in Kopeka’s hands before; he played it at last year’s Irish Open, but missed the cut. He found a spark with the returning wand during his first round in Dallas, ranking 10th on the greens.

“Finally, I felt good with the putter,” Koepka said after Round 1 of the Byron Nelson. “I felt good the last few days with it when I was working in my studio. Then, when I got here, it felt very comfortable. Rick said the same thing from watching. Which also kind of helps build a little confidence, what you feel versus the reality of it. Just happy with the way everything went today.”

Initially starting the season in his usual Scotty Cameron Teryllium Tour Newport 2, Koepka made his first change of the season at the WM Phoenix Open, where he switched to a TaylorMade Spider Tour X. He may well have still been playing that putter if he hadn’t broken it during a T11 finish at the Myrtle Beach Classic.

Koepka was spotted testing out a couple of Scotty Cameron heads, similar to Cameron Young’s Phantom 9.5R at Aronimink Golf Club ahead of the PGA Championship. One even had a custom Teryllium insert, but ultimately Koepka decided on the winged mallet-style TalyorMade.

Sneak peek at Callaway’s new Apex irons

GolfWRX’s Tour Photographer Greg Moore caught the first look at Callaway’s new Apex Ti Fusion (triple diamond?) iron lineup. While getting the usual What’s in the Bag content for the forums, we found the new iron in the bag of South African Erik van Rooyen.

Although there is no information on the iron, it will most likely feature the titanium face and forged-steel body like the previous lineup. This one, however, looks to have the triple diamond insignia, which could mean a sleeker design than the previous Callaway Apex Ti Fusion plated irons.

We’ll just have to wait to hear more about the design and see if other golfers will look to add it to their bags.

Si Woo Kim’s custom 3T

Kim is 11th in Total Strokes Gained on the PGA Tour this season. A pretty impressive feat considering he’s 121st on Tour with the putter, losing on average 0.301 strokes to the field each round.

But things may have changed for the former Players champion, who discovered something on the greens in Dallas. During the first round at TPC Craig Ranch, he gained 1.888 strokes putting during an opening 7-under 64. What was the change? A custom 1-of-1 Odyssey 3T.

It’s not the first time Kim has used the half-moon mallet putter head before; in fact, at last week’s PGA, he was spotted using an original Odyssey O-Works Black 3T. Now at the Byron Nelson, his custom version is in the copper PVD finish, which he’s used before when he played the Giraffe Beam Jailbird last summer.

The most interesting aspect of Kim’s custom putter is the absence of an insert. His original O-Works Black 3T featured the Microhinge Insert Technology, but the new putter appears to have a one-piece milled face.

Kim is playing a single-bend shaft along with what looks SuperStroke Zenergy Claw 1.0 Putter Grip.

Graphite Design’s new Tour AD line

Graphite Design’s new Tour AD shaft, our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, captured three versions of the shaft’s new look: LL Silver, ML Blue, and HL Red.

According to Graphite Design’s Tour Promotions Manager, Simon Wood, each shaft features a brand-new construction and an updated, modern Tour AD logo and stripes. We’ll wait to hear more on the construction, but from the eye, each color determines a launch characteristic of the shaft.

The LL Silver seems to be the lowest-launching, with ML Red a mid-launch option, and the Red HL the highest of the three. With the shafts out on the PGA Tour, they likely sit on the lower end of the spin range. On display were both the X and Tour X stiffness levels.

Of those on-site at TPC Craig Ranch, Adam Svensson, Keita Nakajima, Neal Shipley, and Max McGreevy will all likely test the shaft according to Wood.

Find more photos here.

L.A.B. Golf officially tour launches VZN.1i

After spotting the first L.A.B. Golf VZN.1i in the wild, being used by Adrien Saddier at the PGA Championship, the zero-torque putter company displayed plenty of color options at the Byron Nelson.

The VZN.1 is the latest L.A.B. putter to be spotted, and the company returns to a center-shafted style, after the traditional blade-style LINK.2.1 and LINK.2.2 were released on Tour, which feature a heel-shaft.

More importantly, though, L.A.B. let forum members know that the VZN.1i can be used to scoop or pick up a golf ball.

Check out all the offerings from TPC Craig Ranch here.

Odds and ends

Luke Clanton added TaylorMade’s P7CBs for his 5- and 6-irons. It means he’s back to using three different iron styles, with P7MB short irons and a P760 4-iron. Pontus Nyholm and Tom Hoge became the latest on Tour to add the new TaylorMade Spider Tour F. Chris Kirk added in a Damascus Rossie (the same week that I produced a video saying it was one of the best putters not to be played in competition this year), while Noah Goodwin moved into the currently Tour-only TrTL, which Min Woo Lee has played most of the season.