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Callaway X-Hot & X-Hot Pro Driver Preview Thread

SuperStroke
Do you think it's possible that Callaway is over-marketing this and sales of the Xtreme will suffer? Seems like I have seen this everywhere and haven't been hearing much about the Xtreme. Maybe their profit margins are greater on the XHot and the uneven marketing is intentional? Or maybe they will alternate which line they are pushing during different periods of the year. I just find this kind of stuff intriguing and would love to be a fly on the wall in X-HQ.
 
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Oregon Golfer said:
Do you think it's possible that Callaway is over-marketing this and sales of the Xtreme will suffer? Seems like I have seen this everywhere and haven't been hearing much about the Xtreme. Maybe their profit margins are greater on the XHot and the uneven marketing is intentional? Or maybe they will alternate which line they are pushing during different periods of the year. I just find this kind of stuff intriguing and would lobe to be a fly on the wall in X-HQ.
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I think that's a great question, when the Xtreme was released there was so much hype surrounding it, and now it seems like the scales have tipped the direction of the XHot.
 
IceyShanks said:
I think that's a great question, when the Xtreme was released there was so much hype surrounding it, and now it seems like the scales have tipped the direction of the XHot.
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Or is just a timing thing? Everyone is all over the most recent to come out and the older item gets put on the backburner?
 
I've been thinking a lot about the marketing of this club and I think the top of the food chain reacted so positively that they switched their focus. I'm guessing big time but it seems the pros are really enjoying what they are seeing. I haven't seen too much on the Extreme since guys started swinging the Xhot. Just guessing
 
Wow. Some great write ups and thoughts...so many drivers this year to look at. Most definitely on the to ponder list.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
#XHOT release day! Will be hitting this bad boy sometime this afternoon!
 
I thought abut going down to check it out too, huge fan of the extreme but cant ignore the feedback on this one thus far
 
Nate said:
#XHOT release day! Will be hitting this bad boy sometime this afternoon!
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Taking my lunch break at Golfers Warehouse to try these bad boys out. Have some high expectations, heres to hoping they deliver!
 
Just finished hitting both drives....very interesting.
 
Tons and tons of hype around these at the PGA show and with what I saw on the simulators, it is rightly deserved.

I am very anxious to hit this outdoors in 7 weeks!!
 
Cookie, I picked up 5mph ball speed in same loft and shaft. .2 lower launch. It's a bomber dude
 
I need all the bombing I can get. Definitely looking forward to these.
 
Nate;19ight said:
Sorry driving...just walked out...will tonight for sure!!
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Good call there, safety first, I'll keep an eye out for the thoughts tonight. I have the only "Callaway Fitting Studio" in Ohio about 10-15 mins from me, so I think I am going to pay the $75 to have the full on driver and fairway wood fitting...but I always love to have some good knowledge in my back pocket going in to it. Looking forward to hearing what you saw.
 
Nate said:
Sorry driving...just walked out...will tonight for sure!!
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hurry up Nate.

patiently waiting your thoughts.
 
I saw these in GolfTown for the first time the other day and I was surprised how nice they looked. When I have some more time I think I may have to hit it.
 
These are for sure HOT looking. Hit both with a the PXv (5.5 and 6.0) shaft, feels really good and pro had better numbers for me. A lot of people at the demo day.

Christian, the Rep from Calloway, was outstanding! Had my SeeMore with me and he noticed the THP cover, he actually brought up THP. Was a good conversation.
 
J4U said:
These are for sure HOT looking. Hit both with a the PXv (5.5 and 6.0) shaft, feels really good and pro had better numbers for me. A lot of people at the demo day.

Christian, the Rep from Calloway, was outstanding! Had my SeeMore with me and he noticed the THP cover, he actually brought up THP. Was a good conversation.
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Can't wait for tomorrow gonna give this a good go and see what numbers I get.
 
I hit this tonight against the xtreme and r1. Neither Cally driver felt clunky, both better than the fit IMO. Of the 3 my longest carry was with the R1 and most consistent was with the xtreme. At set up I kind of liked this better than those 2. My spin numbers were just really high across the board. I'm talking like between 3800 and 4600. Launch angles were in the 15 to 18 range and SS was between 98 and 102. I liked what I saw and can't wait to give them all a go again.
 
Ok, here we go! Hit the XHOT 9.5 degree with the Project X S stock shaft in it. What a different feeling this driver was over the Xtreme. So much so I had them get me the 9.5 Xtreme driver again so I could hit some with it. First impression in taking some practice swings with it was that it makes a very low to mid pitching sound when it comes down on the follow through. I only noticed it on practice swings and not when I was hitting the ball. Almost like an aerodynamic sound like it was piercing the wind. Interesting to say the least. It looks very good at address. The grey top with the black face really stand out and projected some good confidence while standing over the ball. I never got a sense that the head of the driver being 460cc and actually not till I put it next to the Xtreme was when I noticed how much bigger it was. I get that feeling with the R11S so dont' know if it cause the grey crown vs the white or what, but it was not obnoxious to the eye. I really liked that.

Now the hitting and impact! It felt WAY different than the Xtreme. This feel was almost like the head had some dampening or anti-vibration sensor in it. It was just a big "pow" at contact and nothing that lingered. I quite enjoyed that feeling of the driver. After about 5 drives I could tell that this Speed Fame face that Callaway keeps talking about on both these drives is legit. You can feel how fast the ball comes off the driver head. Nothing I've really felt before. This is the perfect name for this driver cause it does come off HOT! It's the same technology on both drivers but I guess only one could get the name. There is something to what they have done with the face of these drivers. HOT is the perfect word.

Results were great. My spin numbers were low and my launch angle was about right, in the 11's. I did tend it overdraw it a bit and I don't know if it was because I was pumped up when hitting it or if indeed the draw weighting in the regular HOT drivers had something to do with that. I would love to hit the Pro version due to it's neutral weighting to see.

Conclusion: This is one heavy duty driver that is ready to take on some heavy duty lifting for people. Looks great at address. The ball jumps off the face and you really can feel how quick it comes off (kind of weird actually that something that happens so fast can be felt). Number were great and so much so that they were just about the same as my numbers with the Xtreme. The big and only difference between the 2 drivers, other than the makeup of both, was the sound. They are totally different from one another and I'm sure that has a lot to do with the casting technology (HOT) vs the forged technology (Xtreme).

If you were to ask me to take just one driver from the store today I couldn't have done it. I like both of them equal right now and that is frustrating and fun at the same time. I think it says a lot about what Callaway has done with both of these drivers. I would have bet my car that after hitting the HOT I would know 100% which one was better for my game. Not so much right now. Only one thing to do..........keep hitting 'em both till something becomes clear.

Can't wait to hear what the rest of you think and if you experienced some of the same things as I during this first round with the HOT. This is one great driver and that should get everyone excited to try.
 
I forgot the regular had a draw weighting bias. I'd think with an open face angle it'd balance out some? That or lead tape out on the toe
 
Good write up Nate Dogg, those are some super interesting thoughts. Odd that the numbers for launch and spin are similar for you with both heads (if I read that correctly?). What shafts did you have in each? I felt like a lot of earlier thoughts had guys getting numbers of different ends of the spectrum with the two heads.

I for one will be following along with your decision to see which one ultimately wins out and makes it into your MC bag,
 
Great write up Nate. I couldn't get the backspin down on the regular Hot and could be a shaft issue, but had the same in both the 5.5 and 6.0. The Pro version, the backspin came down to the mid 2K which is what I was looking for. What was really odd is that I had tighter dispersion with the Pro. I really like the smaller footprint of the Pro as well! I've hit the extreme only once and pushed it off quickly while hitting the Covert. Should go back and hit the Extreme as I think the backspin was low on that one as well.

I agree with the sound and feel of these drivers. The ball just gets going off the face and the sound you summarized pretty well.. "POW". Something totally different than what I've experienced and no, it's not the hammer sound.
 
I hit this again tonight and it is growing on me. For now it is outperforming the Xtreme, but I havn't had enough time to start trying to dial the Xtreme in. Personally I am not a fan of the grey head but it's not enough to keep me away.

I think a lot of people are going to buy and love this driver this year, there is just something about it.
 
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