2011 Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver

[GolfSpy_X]

:

[hendricks97]

more ugly crap from Mexico

[Matt Saternus]

What does it offer that is new and better? This is a serious question, not rhetorical.

[Justin66]

What does it offer that is new and better? This is a serious question, not rhetorical.

 

I'm guessing nothing. Unless they've been holding out on face springy-ness (COR) or MOI... there isn't a whole bunch this club will do differently than what's already out there. It will have that snazzy new "it" shaft (whatever that might be), ensuring that it'll be worth every cent of the $500 it'll likely retail for.

[militaryman2477]

Looks like a new Fusion line... first dropped the big bertha name, now the FT name? Not so sure I agree with the nomenclature, but I'd like to hit it before I say anything.

[HillWilliam]

Base plate isn't much to go on. Need to see the face and at address to really comment on the looks. But I'll give it a few swings if asked to.

[bcnyr09]

The head is "forged composite" material. It is an eighth lighter than titanium and ten times as durable. I talked to the rep today and he said Callaway wont be making titanium head drivers ever again. It also comes with a stock Aldila R.I.P shaft. Aadvertisers for the club say you will get 8 extra yards than your old driver. Its 46 inches but the extra inch only attributes to 3 or 4 yards of those extra yards.

[Xamilo]

Doesn't the gray-silverish thing (where the word neutral appears) looks like the Decepticons Icon?

[jamo]

I'm going to have to do it again:

 

 

But mostly because I don't see anything remotely new about it, and shiny paint doesn't justify $500.

[cheymike]

The head is "forged composite" material. It is an eighth lighter than titanium and ten times as durable. I talked to the rep today and he said Callaway wont be making titanium head drivers ever again. It also comes with a stock Aldila R.I.P shaft. Aadvertisers for the club say you will get 8 extra yards than your old driver. Its 46 inches but the extra inch only attributes to 3 or 4 yards of those extra yards.

They won't make titanium head drivers ever again.. till that becomes the "IN" thing. If it does they'll jump on the bandwagon like everyone else will do. LOL!

An extra inch is gonna equal 20 extra yards of dispersion too. People have a lot of trouble handling 45" shaft lengths.

Sorry, I'll pass.

[Matt Saternus]

So once I cut this down to 44.5", I will be lucky to hit this as far as my current driver, right? Pass.

[Justin66]

They won't make titanium head drivers ever again.. till that becomes the "IN" thing. If it does they'll jump on the bandwagon like everyone else will do. LOL!

An extra inch is gonna equal 20 extra yards of dispersion too. People have a lot of trouble handling 45" shaft lengths.

Sorry, I'll pass.

 

 

So once I cut this down to 44.5", I will be lucky to hit this as far as my current driver, right? Pass.

 

Callaway's getting just as bad with hype as Taylormade! I wonder what they're going to do when drivers get to the 48" maximum... They probably also failed to mention the "extra yards" were gained by a robot swinging 100mph... or ~10mph faster than the average male.

 

They're just recycling old crap lines. When drivers were persimmon, the cast steel heads were more superior because they were metal. As the manufacturing process got better, they could make bigger heads- they were better. Then, titanium entered the fray, allowing clubheads to be bigger while maintaining the same ~200g weight... so that meant they were better. Now, it's "fusion technology". There's three things I see wrong with that:

 

1. no metal (or wood) is better than the other. A steel driver at 10* isn't "better" than a Ti or persimmon 10* driver. The catch: if you hit it "on the screws", there is NO DIFFERENCE between materials/head sizes. Where Ti has the advantage is on off-center strikes; the MOI factor. That's it.

 

2. while lowering the center of gravity is good, if can be overdone. Too much weight low and in the backend can raise the effective loft of the driver at impact- turning your 10* driver into an 11-11.5 at impact. This isn't as important as:

 

3. the USGA/R&A's STRICT rules on head size. Lowering the CG throughout (not localized in the back) the head will help with feel; it has NOTHING to do with performance. If you lower the CG but maintain a ~200g head, you've gained nothing. As long as the driver is conforming within the Rules, there isn't much game-improvement you're going to see... unless someone is one of the "lucky" few who can handle a 45+ inch driver.

 

 

Chey and Saturn, I'm going to join you in the "pass" line.

 

 

 

Yeah, I edited this... sad it took me a few days to realize my error... It's what I mean, not what I say! LOL

[cheymike]

Just to add a little to this. A guy I have a LOT of respect for, Tom Wishon, says:

"... the average driver length on the PGA Tour these days is 44.5 inches. If these guys could keep a 45-45.5-inch driver in play, believe me, they would be using that length because those pros who have a "paltry" 115-mph swing speed hate having to hit three clubs more into a green than the 125-plus-mph guys they compete against. So tip No. 1 for more distance is unless you are smooth as silk, neutral-to-flat on your swing plane and athletically gifted, get that driver length down to no more than 44 inches. The quicker your swing tempo and the more often you miss that sweet spot on your driver, the more reason to be at 43 inches or 43.5 inches with your big stick.

 

Caution: don't just head to the garage and pull out the hacksaw to shorten your existing driver. Shorter length drivers must be headweight balanced to that shorter length. So if you are contemplating better accuracy with your driver, head to your local clubmaker's shop to get it done right."

 

Regarding swing speed and loft...

"If your swing speed is under 100 mph and your driver loft angle is less than 11 degrees, 90 percent of you have more distance that you're leaving in the bag every time you play. If your swing speed is 80-85 mph, which is the average driver swing speed of a male golfer today, (That article is from 2005. I think today's stats might be higher, but I think that is because people are measuring their HEAD speed with a longer driver) you're giving up real distance increases of at least 10 yards or more if you are not using a driver with a loft angle of at least 12-13 degrees. And if you have a swing speed under 80 mph and you're not using a driver with at least 14-15 degrees of loft, well, you've got a lot more distance sitting in your bag too."

 

I know not everyone agrees with Wishon, but he's been right more often than not!

 

My swing speed is ~~96-97 mph. Just for my own satisfaction, since the Dymo is currently banished from my bag anyway, over this winter I'm going to get it cut down to 44 inches and see what happens to my dispersion pattern and distance when I use it. That will be 1.75 inches shorter than it currently is.

[Justin66]

Good to see that, Mike. There are so many people that get wrapped up in what name is on the soleplate, what brand shaft/grip is attached to it (when it really is as simple as proper length, shaft flex, loft and grip size) that they're missing the fact the OEMs are HURTING their games with stuff like that sold off the rack.

 

It's a fact that retailers can't feasibly stock every single option that a company provides... it would bankrupt them unless everything was flying off the shelves! That's why the OEMs went with the one "standard"... but they're abusing it. When a club is 46.25" (like most non-TP TMAG drivers sold today) and people are being advised to use 44-45" shafts... that's a problem; not for the OEMs, but for the average golfer.

 

Think about it: Tiger Woods was the last guy to give up steel shafts for the driver... he gamed a 43" (standard)model. When he switched to graphite, he went to 44.5"- and STILL hits it 300+ when he wants to. But notice? 44.5"... not 45.75" like the retail version sells at. If we want to be cynics, yes, he does have trouble with accuracy; but if he was gaming a 45.75" "stock" driver, imagine how much worse it'd be, since he'd have even more trouble squaring the face at impact...

 

The average golfer needs to realize that these are the BEST golfers in the world, and they have their stuff properly fit to their swings. If it's that important to the best players, it's just common sense that says we mortals should be doing the same thing.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: if anyone hasn't read "The Right Sticks: Equipment Myths That Could Wreck Your Game" by Wishon- read it. It opened my eyes and I'm sure it will others.

[Mister Toad]

I tried all the 2011 range at the product launch today, everything through the range is suprisingly good considering callaways' more recent releases.razr hawk is a good 10 yards longer than my current driver.

[Super Tuna]

And if you have a swing speed under 80 mph and you're not using a driver with at least 14-15 degrees of loft, well, you've got a lot more distance sitting in your bag too."

 

Interesting...

I wonder if that's why I can smoke a ball farther with my fairway wood (15 degrees) then my driver (10.5 degrees). I also choke way up on both as the shaft length is crazy long on them.

[cheymike]

Could very well be. I know I can hit my 3 wood as far as i can hit my 10.5* driver. And yet... I pull the driver on nearly every tee box... now is that dumb or what?? LOL!

[Super Tuna]

Heh, the only place I bring the driver these days is to the lessons when we work on the woods. Otherwise, that thing stays in my bag and I tee all driver shots with the #3. I'm thinking of nabbing a #5 as well since I've got 2 open club spaces in the bag.

 

Oh silly shiny drivers and how you try to seduce me everytime I walk into a golf store...

[odyssey putters]

I really like the looks of this club!

[gunmetal]

Callaway's getting just as bad with hype as Taylormade! I wonder what they're going to do when drivers get to the 48" maximum... They probably also failed to mention the "extra yards" were gained by a robot swinging 100mph... or ~10mph slower than the average male.

 

They're just recycling old crap lines. When drivers were persimmon, the cast steel heads were more superior because they were metal. As the manufacturing process got better, they could make bigger heads- they were better. Then, titanium entered the fray, allowing clubheads to be bigger while maintaining the same ~200g weight... so that meant they were better. Now, it's "fusion technology". There's three things I see wrong with that:

 

1. no metal (or wood) is better than the other. A steel driver at 10* isn't "better" than a Ti or persimmon 10* driver. The catch: if you hit it "on the screws", there is NO DIFFERENCE between materials/head sizes. Where Ti has the advantage is on off-center strikes; the MOI factor. That's it.

 

2. while lowering the center of gravity is good, if can be overdone. Too much weight low and in the backend can raise the effective loft of the driver at impact- turning your 10* driver into an 11-11.5 at impact. This isn't as important as:

 

3. the USGA/R&A's STRICT rules on head size. Lowering the CG throughout (not localized in the back) the head will help with feel; it has NOTHING to do with performance. If you lower the CG but maintain a ~200g head, you've gained nothing. As long as the driver is conforming within the Rules, there isn't much game-improvement you're going to see... unless someone is one of the "lucky" few who can handle a 45+ inch driver.

 

 

Chey and Saturn, I'm going to join you in the "pass" line.

 

 

Amen to that. And who the crap doesn't agree with Wishon? Man is a equimpent genius.

[Justin66]

Interesting...

I wonder if that's why I can smoke a ball farther with my fairway wood (15 degrees) then my driver (10.5 degrees). I also choke way up on both as the shaft length is crazy long on them.

 

I'm with Mike- the shorter shaft (43", I'll wager) along with the increased loft provides more control. You may not swing it as fast as you do your driver, but it sounds like you're hitting the face center WAY more often, which will definitely give you impressive results.

 

Amen to that. And who the crap doesn't agree with Wishon? Man is a equimpent genius.

 

Amen to your Amen. I may end up sounding like a nerd, but I get into moods where I'll sit and watch all his YouTube videos. I've read his "The Right Sticks" book maybe 75 times and even though it never changes, it's still a great read. Yes, I do that with Sportcenter sometimes, as well... watch the same one three times in a row (maybe in the third go-round, my Browns will win!).

[ninjacobra]

So once I cut this down to 44.5", I will be lucky to hit this as far as my current driver, right? Pass.

 

touche

 

the graphics are really off. and pretty sick of the new gear coming out every 6 months. unless golf clubs cost 50 bucks a piece i thk its not worth shelling out 3-500 on a new driver every year

[militaryman2477]

Got an email today that the product reveal is on November 12th. It's all over the Callaway website. Forged Composite. Callaway's work with carbon changed alot over drivers, didn't the 909 series have a carbon crown? I wonder if this will spread like "fusion" technology did?

[jonyim]

At what prices will the Callaway RAZR Hawk driver start? I would like to actually use this driver in competition.

[Justin66]

Got an email today that the product reveal is on November 12th. It's all over the Callaway website. Forged Composite. Callaway's work with carbon changed alot over drivers, didn't the 909 series have a carbon crown? I wonder if this will spread like "fusion" technology did?

 

Fusion Technology is roughly the same as carbon crown technology. Titleist, Nike and Callaway are the three that I can think of that have done this (could be more, these are just the three I can think of off the top of my head). The part I really don't get, though, is that Callaway has been making an almost total-composite head for a while... unless they made the last bit they had left (the "chip" or "block" in the rear of the head and the face) I don't see how this is a true "innovation". Unfortunately, OEMs don't let the designers and engineers do the marketing- they have people (I call them "hype experts") for that. It'd be a totally different ball game if they were allowed to, though.

[autocadcub]

Most of the material break through in golf clubs in general are more manufacturing breakthroughs. Its fairly easy to make CAD models to simulate what dimensions your face thickness crown and parts of your club should be to maximize distance and control. Problem is making that club on a large scale is usually impossible. "forged Composite" just means Callaway want put a nice golf friendly name on their new method of forming composites thinner. People will jump just because it says forged but considering that is a method for forming metals not composites typically. i highly doubt it means the same butter like feeling people want to assume. Hard to say without getting inside the factory.

[dcl92]

What does it offer that is new and better? This is a serious question, not rhetorical.

 

This model's optimal weighting is more optimal than the last model's optimal weighting. Every spec is 2.5% better on an unmeasurable scale. Launch angle is higher (because the 10.5 degree loft is probably actually a 12(still in mfg tolerance).

 

If you really want this club, wait 6 months and buy it at 1/2 price.

[BBedell]

more ugly crap from Mexico

 

haaaaaaaaahahahaha...legend!

[ninjacobra]

had a hit today, tried both the tour and normal version in draw and neutral. what makes me amused is it feels n looks almosst identical to the FT9.

 

the new irons however are very impressive, the new xforged with project x shaft feels lk a right combination

[ForeLeftPGA]

Justin66, on 23 September 2010 - 07:43 PM, said:

 

Callaway's getting just as bad with hype as Taylormade! I wonder what they're going to do when drivers get to the 48" maximum... They probably also failed to mention the "extra yards" were gained by a robot swinging 100mph... or ~10mph slower than the average male.

 

They're just recycling old crap lines. When drivers were persimmon, the cast steel heads were more superior because they were metal. As the manufacturing process got better, they could make bigger heads- they were better. Then, titanium entered the fray, allowing clubheads to be bigger while maintaining the same ~200g weight... so that meant they were better. Now, it's "fusion technology". There's three things I see wrong with that:

 

1. no metal (or wood) is better than the other. A steel driver at 10* isn't "better" than a Ti or persimmon 10* driver. The catch: if you hit it "on the screws", there is NO DIFFERENCE between materials/head sizes. Where Ti has the advantage is on off-center strikes; the MOI factor. That's it.

 

2. while lowering the center of gravity is good, if can be overdone. Too much weight low and in the backend can raise the effective loft of the driver at impact- turning your 10* driver into an 11-11.5 at impact. This isn't as important as:

 

3. the USGA/R&A's STRICT rules on head size. Lowering the CG throughout (not localized in the back) the head will help with feel; it has NOTHING to do with performance. If you lower the CG but maintain a ~200g head, you've gained nothing. As long as the driver is conforming within the Rules, there isn't much game-improvement you're going to see... unless someone is one of the "lucky" few who can handle a 45+ inch driver.

 

 

Chey and Saturn, I'm going to join you in the "pass" line.

I think that the point that you are missing is Miss-Hits. "Fusion" driver are more forgiving. Most poeple don't hit the center of the club face, and can use every advantage that they can get. Moving the center of gravity affects spin so by moving it further back and away from the face, you are helping to create a higher launch angle with less spin. This is a good thing for the majority of golfers. I can't tell you how many people that I've worked with that have no clue in terms of loft. They're hitting a club with 9* of loft when they should be in something close to 11.

Fact of the matter is this. Steel is better the wood because it's more forgiving. Ti is better than steel, because it's more forgiving. Composite is better than Ti because, it's more forgiving.

If a company could make a club that you could hit anywhere on the face and it would go 300 yards and straight 80% of the time, but was 47" long. EVERY SINGLE person on this site and any other, would buy that driver.