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HOT or NOT? - Callaway Big Bertha V Series Driver


GolfSpy_X

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Have been intrigued by that Fujikura shaft - eager to see the finished product...

 

What's in the bag:
 
Driver:  :titelist-small:TSR3; :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR Carbon
FW Wood: :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR 3-wood; :titleist-small: TSR 2+
Hybrids:  PXG Gen4 18-degree
Utility Irons: :srixon-small: ZX MkII 20* 
Irons:;  :Sub70:699/699 Pro V2 Combo; :wilson_staff_small: D9 Forged;  :macgregor-small:MT86 (coming soon!); :macgregor-small: VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; 

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: RTX6 Zipcore
Putter: :cleveland-small: HB Soft Milled 10.5;  :scotty-small: Newport Special Select;  :edel-golf-1:  Willamette,  :bettinardi-small: BB8; :wilson-small: 8802; MATI Monto

Ball: :bridgestone-small: Tour B RXS; :srixon-small: Z-STAR Diamond; :wilson_staff_small: Triad

Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: :ShotScope:


 
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What's on the silver plate?  The drawing looks kinda cheesy.

MENTOR, L4 COACH & TRAINER  FIRST TEE GREATER HOUSTON
HDCP: 8.3  (GHIN: 3143312)
In my bag, April 2023
:titelist-small: TS3 Driver & 4 Wood Hzrdous Smoke Shaft (Stiff Flex)
:titelist-small: TS2 Hybrids  Mitsubishi Tensei Shaft (Stiff Flex)
:mizuno-small:  MP-59 5-PW; KBS Tour (Regular Flex)
:titelist-small: SM8 Wedges

EVNROLL ER2  Putter
SRIXON Z-STAR DIAMOND BALL
Sun Mountain Cart Bag
:Clicgear: 4.0 Push Cart (I'm walking 9 outta 10 rounds!!)

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What's on the silver plate?  The drawing looks kinda cheesy.

It's their Isacc Newton cartoon drawing.

 

The shaft is definitely hot, love the black and blue.  As for the driver it remains to be seen.

Driver: :taylormade-small: SLDR w/ Fujikura Ventus Black

3w: :taylormade-small:'16 M2 hl w/ Diamana D+ 82

5w: :cleveland-small: Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Yellow

Hybrid: :cleveland-small: 22 deg. Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Black

Irons: :cleveland-small: 5i - gap Launcher CBX w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Wedges: :cleveland-small: 54 CBX & 58 Zipcore w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Putter: :odyssey-small: Red 7s

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I play the Optiforce and this is "rumored" by some to be the replacement for the Optiforce line.   I think that's a stretch.   They stopped making Opti heads back in 2013 and never put any marketing heft behind it, so it was a stillborn product from the beginning.   (This is not to say the Opti's aren't great, mind you.  I still play mine and prefer them by leaps and bounds over the two 2014 Big Bertha's.)

 

This is it's own thing.   A rebadged japanese Legacy Platinum with an adjustable hosel and strong, strong retro design cues to the Great Big Bertha.   In fact, this is the most Big Bertha-looking of all the drivers now bearing that name, so in a sense the name finally fits.  I'm reminded of how Ford keeps retro reskinning its successful badges from the past.  Sometimes the new Mustang actually has muscles under the hood, but sometimes you get a retro pastel T-bird convertible that is only suitable for 50 year old ladies.

 

As far as I can see, this is just a skin job.   Nothing new "under the hood".   No pretense of continuing the Opti's supposed aerodynamic improvements, no gravity core, no doo-dad adjustability.   This is a cruise down nostalgia lane, an attempt to move some product to folks with fond memories.   Like Wilson's re-release of the 8802 or the pending return of a Ben Hogan iron.  

 

Callaway understands that it won't be a world-beater, but that's okay.   They just need to sell some product and if they can cheaply release a plain head that taps into a nostalgia vibe and gets a few units to move past cash registers, that's a good thing.

bag - SunMountain Synch with Ogio Synergy X4 cart
driver - :callaway-small: Optiforce 440, Paderson Kevlar Green stiff 46.5"
fwoods - :taylormade-small: Jetspeed, 3HL regular
irons - :taylormade-small:  Speedblades 3-8, 85g stiff steel, 2 up
wedges - :edilon-small: Scor 40, 45, 50, 54, 58
putter - :ping-small: Ketsch 35" slight arc, SuperStroke 2.0 mid-slim
ball - :titelist-small: ProV1x

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I got this article sent to me from golftec.

 

http://blog.golftec.com/exclusive-first-look-callaway-big-bertha-v-series

 

By the looks of it this will be the optiforce replacement

Driver:   :callaway-small: Epic 10.5 set to 9.5 w/ Tour AD-DI 44.5

FW:   :cobra-small: F6 baffler set at 16º

Hybrid:  NONE
Irons:   :taylormade-small:  3i 2014 TP CB  4-PW 2011 TP MC w/ TT S400

Wedges:   :nike-small: 52º :nike-small: 56º  :edel-golf-1: 60 º w/ KBS C-Taper XS Soft-stepped

Putter:   :ping-small: Sigma G Tyne 34 inches Gold dot

 

 

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Looks like the Legacy rebadged

In The Bag
Driver: TaylorMade M2 (2017) w/ Project X T1100 HZRDUS Handcrafted 65x 
Strong 3 wood: Taylormade M1 15* w/ ProjectX T1100 HZRDUS handcrafted 75x
3 Hybrid: Adams PRO 18* w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4 Hybrid: Adams PRO 20* (bent to 21*) w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4-AW: TaylorMade P770 w/ Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Black Onyx S400

SW: 56* Scratch Tour Dept(CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
LW: 60* Scratch Tour Department (CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
XW: 64* Cally XForged Vintage w/ DG X100 8 iron tiger stepped
Putter: Nike Method Prototype 006 at 34"

Have a ton of back-ups in all categories, but there are always 14 clubs in the bag that differ depending on the course and set-up. Bomb and gouge. Yes, I'm a club gigolo.

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So they're finally moving away from "X" and onto another letter? 

 

Or maybe just branching out -- so many other letters to use  :lol:

 

Callaway has had a pretty good track record with drivers over the past 3 years, so it'll be interesting to see what happens with this one...

 

What's in the bag:
 
Driver:  :titelist-small:TSR3; :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR Carbon
FW Wood: :wilson_staff_small: DynaPWR 3-wood; :titleist-small: TSR 2+
Hybrids:  PXG Gen4 18-degree
Utility Irons: :srixon-small: ZX MkII 20* 
Irons:;  :Sub70:699/699 Pro V2 Combo; :wilson_staff_small: D9 Forged;  :macgregor-small:MT86 (coming soon!); :macgregor-small: VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; 

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: RTX6 Zipcore
Putter: :cleveland-small: HB Soft Milled 10.5;  :scotty-small: Newport Special Select;  :edel-golf-1:  Willamette,  :bettinardi-small: BB8; :wilson-small: 8802; MATI Monto

Ball: :bridgestone-small: Tour B RXS; :srixon-small: Z-STAR Diamond; :wilson_staff_small: Triad

Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: :ShotScope:


 
Follow @golfspybarbajo

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They are also coming out with a new apex blade which I heard from a callaway rep.

Driver:  Taylormade 2017 M2 9.5 degree head played at 8 degrees.  Fujikura speeder evolution tour spec x flex shaft tipped 1/4 inch.  

 

3-Wood: 15 degree M2 tour.  Fujikura pro 73 tour spec X flex shaft.  

 

Mizuno H5 2 iron.

 

4 iron: mizuno mp h4 4 iron dynamic gold s300

 

5-pw iron: mizuno mp 54 dynamic gold s300

 

52, 56, 60 wedges: cleveland 588 rotex cavity

 

putter: 34 inch nike method 00 half circle mallet putter

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Had a demo day at my club Tuesday and they had this in drivers and fairways- very well received. 6 of the v series drivers were ordered. I guess it is ten percent lighter than the BB from earlier this year (4 BB series drivers ordered). The Apex MBs were there as well as the Apex utility. Good god almighty those MBs are some SMALL heads!

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So they take the model from Japan after it's been on sale there for a year, paint it a different color and then sell it to the US market.  I personally think they should have kept the retro gray color like the original GBB that it's based on.

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/9526-2014-callaway-big-bertha-alpha/

My bag is a revolving door!

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So they take the model from Japan after it's been on sale there for a year, paint it a different color and then sell it to the US market.  I personally think they should have kept the retro gray color like the original GBB that it's based on.

 

http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/9526-2014-callaway-big-bertha-alpha/

 

Yep, it's pretty clearly just a rebadged adjustable Legacy Platinum.   Maybe Cally built it for Japan and found out it was pretty good, so they brought it here?

 

In this global market, many mannies are making product for the Japan-Euro-foreign market that for whatever reason they don't release in the states, thereby creating a small, but eager gray market importation industry into the US.  Sometimes it's because the Nippon stuff is non-conforming, sometimes it's because it's forged and perceived to be too expensive for the US.

 

I myself am a participant in this gray market game.   I like the TMag ATV wedges, but when I found out that their Japanese siblings were forged from softer steel with milled, not etched faces, and a smoky, not chromed finish, I wanted them.   I did not want to pay $200 per wedge though.   Fortunately, I learned that they sold the same wedges in Canada for much less and I got them there.   They have proved to be much more pleasant to hit than the regular ATV's.

 

So it can happen that the foreign is better than the US.   I guess I'll have to hit these and reserve judgement till I do.

bag - SunMountain Synch with Ogio Synergy X4 cart
driver - :callaway-small: Optiforce 440, Paderson Kevlar Green stiff 46.5"
fwoods - :taylormade-small: Jetspeed, 3HL regular
irons - :taylormade-small:  Speedblades 3-8, 85g stiff steel, 2 up
wedges - :edilon-small: Scor 40, 45, 50, 54, 58
putter - :ping-small: Ketsch 35" slight arc, SuperStroke 2.0 mid-slim
ball - :titelist-small: ProV1x

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It looks like Callaway is marketing this as an aerodynamic head (although it doesn't appear that they have done anything different with its shape since Japan.) They also tout it as being lightweight,  but at 290 grams overall it's only about 10 grams lighter than the BB unless mated to a much lighter shaft.

 

 Hard to see that there is anything distinctive here.  But it is priced at $399. That's pretty distinctive.That high price almost argues that this club is not a replacement for the Optiforce, but for the 2014 BB & BBA that haven't sold well.

bag - SunMountain Synch with Ogio Synergy X4 cart
driver - :callaway-small: Optiforce 440, Paderson Kevlar Green stiff 46.5"
fwoods - :taylormade-small: Jetspeed, 3HL regular
irons - :taylormade-small:  Speedblades 3-8, 85g stiff steel, 2 up
wedges - :edilon-small: Scor 40, 45, 50, 54, 58
putter - :ping-small: Ketsch 35" slight arc, SuperStroke 2.0 mid-slim
ball - :titelist-small: ProV1x

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Not sure how many of these will sell, but I bet the ones they give away for 'public relations' will be big hits.

 

Yeah, I think I get your meaning!  I know one other blog that is so far up Cally's pooter that anything that comes down the chute is trumpeted as a new golden nugget.

 

We'll see.   I love my Opti and I will try it, just like I tried the two BB's.  I might be singing a new tune in a month.

bag - SunMountain Synch with Ogio Synergy X4 cart
driver - :callaway-small: Optiforce 440, Paderson Kevlar Green stiff 46.5"
fwoods - :taylormade-small: Jetspeed, 3HL regular
irons - :taylormade-small:  Speedblades 3-8, 85g stiff steel, 2 up
wedges - :edilon-small: Scor 40, 45, 50, 54, 58
putter - :ping-small: Ketsch 35" slight arc, SuperStroke 2.0 mid-slim
ball - :titelist-small: ProV1x

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I have been playing the Optiforce 440 with the Diamana S+ for a bit over a month now and have to say that it is a very underrated driver.  Nice ball flight and easy to hit for a smaller head....not sure I am even going to put the RazrFit Xtreme back in my bag for the rest of the year.  That being said I am in no hurry to give the new offering a go since I am not sure I would gain anything.

WITB 2024

   Qi10 LS 9* HZRDUS RDX Smoke Blue 60g 6.5

   M5 15* Evenflow Black 75g 6.5

   Sim Ti 22* HZRDUS Red 75g 6.5

   Sim2 Rescue 22* Diamana Thump 100x

   X Forged CB 5 - PW MMT 105 TX 

   Jaws Raw 50*, 54* & 58* TTDG "OG" Spinner

   Toulon Madison BGT Fire 34.75"

   Z Star Diamond

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I have been playing the Optiforce 440 with the Diamana S+ for a bit over a month now and have to say that it is a very underrated driver.  Nice ball flight and easy to hit for a smaller head....not sure I am even going to put the RazrFit Xtreme back in my bag for the rest of the year.  That being said I am in no hurry to give the new offering a go since I am not sure I would gain anything.

 

Speaking of that small head, it really does look smaller than even 440 cc's don't you think?   It doesn't feel small, it just looks it.   So small that I was curious enough to put it and a few other drivers I had on hand a few months ago to a Archimedean volumetric test and found that every one I tested came out smaller than they spec'ed.  The Jetspeed was the closest to its 460 spec and the Covert was easily the smallest (due to it's cavity), but the Opti 440 was around 400 as I recall.   It really is a very pretty head if you are a traditionalist.

bag - SunMountain Synch with Ogio Synergy X4 cart
driver - :callaway-small: Optiforce 440, Paderson Kevlar Green stiff 46.5"
fwoods - :taylormade-small: Jetspeed, 3HL regular
irons - :taylormade-small:  Speedblades 3-8, 85g stiff steel, 2 up
wedges - :edilon-small: Scor 40, 45, 50, 54, 58
putter - :ping-small: Ketsch 35" slight arc, SuperStroke 2.0 mid-slim
ball - :titelist-small: ProV1x

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Speaking of that small head, it really does look smaller than even 440 cc's don't you think?   It doesn't feel small, it just looks it.   So small that I was curious enough to put it and a few other drivers I had on hand a few months ago to a Archimedean volumetric test and found that every one I tested came out smaller than they spec'ed.  The Jetspeed was the closest to its 460 spec and the Covert was easily the smallest (due to it's cavity), but the Opti 440 was around 400 as I recall.   It really is a very pretty head if you are a traditionalist.

I would agree.  My RazrFit Xtreme is 440 cc and looks a lot bigger than the Optifit.  The surprise for me was how well the shaft worked with the head as I have never played a shaft that light that was as accurate as the Diamana is in this head.  

WITB 2024

   Qi10 LS 9* HZRDUS RDX Smoke Blue 60g 6.5

   M5 15* Evenflow Black 75g 6.5

   Sim Ti 22* HZRDUS Red 75g 6.5

   Sim2 Rescue 22* Diamana Thump 100x

   X Forged CB 5 - PW MMT 105 TX 

   Jaws Raw 50*, 54* & 58* TTDG "OG" Spinner

   Toulon Madison BGT Fire 34.75"

   Z Star Diamond

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I would agree.  My RazrFit Xtreme is 440 cc and looks a lot bigger than the Optifit.  The surprise for me was how well the shaft worked with the head as I have never played a shaft that light that was as accurate as the Diamana is in this head.  

 

I was first fitted to my current shaft with the RFX.   It was very good and long, but erratic.  It got much better when mated to the Optiforce.  I first had it with the 460, but it went too high and I could not dial it down.  Switched to a lower launching Rombax, but lost distance.   Switched to the 440 head and with the old Z-com shaft and bingo, magic.   Mine is set a draw, standard.  BTW I noticed NO loss of forgiveness and control when I went to the 440.  It's just a solid solid head and I know a few low cappers who love it.   I used my same shaft when trying the BB, BBA and X2Hot's (as well as their recommended stock shafts.) since they all use the fine Optifit adapter.  No combo with any of them was better than what I've got.  I'm still hopeful that maybe some under-reported magic might be in the V series and since it uses the same tip, it won't cost nuttin' to try it.

 

Here's another tidbit -- I bought a second 440 head for about 75 bucks and I'm going to "turbulate" it by molding and casting resin turbulator fins, gluing them to the crown and then over-skinning it with 3m heat film.   Should be fun, if nothing else.

bag - SunMountain Synch with Ogio Synergy X4 cart
driver - :callaway-small: Optiforce 440, Paderson Kevlar Green stiff 46.5"
fwoods - :taylormade-small: Jetspeed, 3HL regular
irons - :taylormade-small:  Speedblades 3-8, 85g stiff steel, 2 up
wedges - :edilon-small: Scor 40, 45, 50, 54, 58
putter - :ping-small: Ketsch 35" slight arc, SuperStroke 2.0 mid-slim
ball - :titelist-small: ProV1x

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