We will tee it up at some point I know.
But yes that gravity core is amazing. Never thought a 12 gram slug could change so much about the characteristics of a club.
Big Bertha Alpha Driver Review
We will tee it up at some point I know.
But yes that gravity core is amazing. Never thought a 12 gram slug could change so much about the characteristics of a club.
SmoothC83
New member
Thanks for the input. I have heard the Callaway guys talk about being able to alter the swing weight all the way down to a D0 if need be and up to a D5 so I'm confident I could find a weight I'm comfortable with, just thought I would get an idea of the "out of the box" feel.
T2GRN18
Active member
I ended up with the orientation opposite to what I expected. I liked playing it at -1 too.... Really has a nice trajectory. No ballooning what so ever. The hyper speed face is hot! Thinking about it just gets me fired up
Yep. That's very true. The fact they include 4 weights is so cool. I am sure you will find a comfortable weight, but right out of the box it might be a touch heavier than other drivers but it will be very similar.
T2GRN18
Active member
I agree it did feel a little beefier than than the Xhot Pro. But not much....and after swinging it as many times as I did that day. I didn't feel fatigue at all.
ATLGolfer
#ATLClive75
I had everything pretty standard on the setup. 9.5* loft, heavy weight in heel (I think) and gravity core down.
Bombs for days.
ATLGolfer
#ATLClive75
I did not. But I typically don't feel head weight.
I've only felt head weight in my current driver, but I play it at 46". I think that's a factor.
kc720
Active member
The fact this is on the heavier side is great for me. I play a 81g shaft in current driver and lighter shaft/weight is hooks for me all day. Im very anxious to swing this!
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kc720
Active member
We have a Callaway demo day tomorrow night at my local driving range. Despite recovering from an injury, I can't miss out on seeing the Alpha in person! Heck I'll suck it up and take a few swings..
See above KC. One of the resident instructors is also a Callaway rep so he does this every year for us.
Just a few thoughts as I took some easy swings and didn't really go at it. I demoed a 9* neutral with draw biased weights. I absolutely loved the look at address from head shape to white Fubuki shaft and blue whiteout grip with chevron logo. It didn't look 460cc to me and the rep confirmed its just below at 454cc. The first 5 swings were with the gravity core set with the higher spin and I was kinda all over the place. Then he switched the gravity core and I started to see more mid, penetrating flight. Some easy swings and it seemed the carry was 230ish. Feel was great and sound even better than my RFX.
I'd like to spend more time with the Alpha and go thru a fitting when I'm 100% healthy but man I was impressed tonight!
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eponfan
Member
Man, Valentine's Day cannot come soon enough to try this bad boy out. 
Is anyone willing to take a guess as to when the "Pro" version will be released?
Is anyone willing to take a guess as to when the "Pro" version will be released?
kc720
Active member
Man, Valentine's Day cannot come soon enough to try this bad boy out.
If im not mistaken the alpha is the "pro" version and the BB is the standard. I like that callaway went away from the "pro" and "tour" labels with the BigBertha drivers
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I think you are a bit mistaken. I don't think it is like that. I think the regular BB will fit more golfers, but don't think the Alpha is the pro version
eponfan
Member
Big Bertha Alpha Driver Review
Nicholas Colsaerts (Callaway staffer) is bagging the BB Alpha Pro, which only comes in 8.5-deg. loft. Hopefully, it will also be a smaller, 430-440cc head.
Nicholas Colsaerts (Callaway staffer) is bagging the BB Alpha Pro, which only comes in 8.5-deg. loft. Hopefully, it will also be a smaller, 430-440cc head.
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And is only available on tour
kc720
Active member
Interesting. Obviously did not know that. Pro and tour versions are normally lower spin, with the gravity core not seeing the need for a lower spinning head???
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I think it's interesting to hear how much the swing-weight can be manipulated with this head. For those who have hit this club, did anyone end up with a very different shaft than you expected once you got the swing-weight where you wanted? I could imagine if you went from D0 to D4 or something might affect the kickpoint for optimal yardage.
Also, while the Alpha is (hypothetically) the version inclined to lower handicap hitters, I'm not surprised to see how much the regular Bertha is appearing on tour. Getting comfortable with the up & down and then being able to adjust for, say, prevailing winds or a shot shape that favors a particular course might incline many to choose the easy adjustability of the Bertha over the spin-rate altering properties of the Alpha.
Also, while the Alpha is (hypothetically) the version inclined to lower handicap hitters, I'm not surprised to see how much the regular Bertha is appearing on tour. Getting comfortable with the up & down and then being able to adjust for, say, prevailing winds or a shot shape that favors a particular course might incline many to choose the easy adjustability of the Bertha over the spin-rate altering properties of the Alpha.
jdub
Member
The Callaway Rep was at my local Edwin Watts today with an arsenal of Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha drivers. Someone else was hitting the Alpha with Fubuki stiff shaft, so the rep gave me the X-stiff to warm up with. I had him set the loft to 10*. My swing speed is usually around 105 and I have never even hit an X-stiff. I was hitting it really well, although it felt a little boardy. I was launching between 12* and 14* with around 2200-2600 rpm of backspin. Wasn't sure if the Gravity Core was up or down, so I had the rep check. It was down, so I had him flip it to up position. My launch went up to about 15* and backspin jumped to 2800-3000 rpm. Ball flight was noticeably higher on the launch monitor. After 5 swings we switched the Gravity Core back to down position. Launch and spin numbers went right back down.
Then I tried the same club, same settings with the stiff shaft. Launch was 15* to 16* and spin was between 3200 and 3400 rpm. The Callaway rep, store manager and I couldn't believe it. The store manager decided to check the frequency of the shafts, and both checked out. I ran out to my car and got my Optiforce driver with S+ stiff shaft. Launch was around 14* and spin between 2800 and 3000 rpm.
Crazy thing was, I was getting 1 or 2 mph faster SS (107 avg) with the BBA vs. my Optiforce (105 avg)...even though the Optiforce shaft is 1/2" longer. I was hitting the BBA stiff shaft about 275 with 281 being the longest. BBA X-stiff shaft averaged 285 with a couple at 293. I averaged 280 with the Optiforce.
The BBA is a gorgeous driver. It looked black...at least indoors, even though it is a deep blue color. Doesn't look much bigger than my Optiforce 440. It has a similar pear-shape to the Optiforce, but with a deeper face. The white and blue Fubuki shaft compliments the head nicely. I was hitting the Speed Regime 2 balls, and the sound and feel were nice. Not as muted as the Optiforce. Sounded more like my old Titleist 983E and 905R. Regular BB did not fit my eye. It appears much larger and it is fatter near the hosel. I did not hit it.
I ordered the Alpha with the X stiff shaft. Kind of scares me as I'm 52 years old and have played stiff shafts my entire life, but the numbers don't lie. Anyway, Edwin Watts has a 90-day playability guarantee, so if I hate it I can always switch it out for the stiff. I've never been so excited for Valentine's Day! It cannot come fast enough.
Then I tried the same club, same settings with the stiff shaft. Launch was 15* to 16* and spin was between 3200 and 3400 rpm. The Callaway rep, store manager and I couldn't believe it. The store manager decided to check the frequency of the shafts, and both checked out. I ran out to my car and got my Optiforce driver with S+ stiff shaft. Launch was around 14* and spin between 2800 and 3000 rpm.
Crazy thing was, I was getting 1 or 2 mph faster SS (107 avg) with the BBA vs. my Optiforce (105 avg)...even though the Optiforce shaft is 1/2" longer. I was hitting the BBA stiff shaft about 275 with 281 being the longest. BBA X-stiff shaft averaged 285 with a couple at 293. I averaged 280 with the Optiforce.
The BBA is a gorgeous driver. It looked black...at least indoors, even though it is a deep blue color. Doesn't look much bigger than my Optiforce 440. It has a similar pear-shape to the Optiforce, but with a deeper face. The white and blue Fubuki shaft compliments the head nicely. I was hitting the Speed Regime 2 balls, and the sound and feel were nice. Not as muted as the Optiforce. Sounded more like my old Titleist 983E and 905R. Regular BB did not fit my eye. It appears much larger and it is fatter near the hosel. I did not hit it.
I ordered the Alpha with the X stiff shaft. Kind of scares me as I'm 52 years old and have played stiff shafts my entire life, but the numbers don't lie. Anyway, Edwin Watts has a 90-day playability guarantee, so if I hate it I can always switch it out for the stiff. I've never been so excited for Valentine's Day! It cannot come fast enough.
AMart
#TheGrindIsReal
Great thoughts jdub, it'd crazy hoe much the gravity core affects your spin numbers. Congrats on the preorder!
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bellairemi
New member
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We now have both in the shop with the full demo cart outfit. I tested both the BB and BBA on Trackman. Quick observations - the Gravity Core does change spin but not in a predictable way. We had two people with SS at 100 for the driver and one (me) had almost no spin difference while the other person saw 200-300 rpm differences. Playing with all the adjustable features can really change numbers but I'm not sure whether this is physics or a change in feel causing a small swing change (maybe both?). The BB is a few notches more forgiving laterally than the BBA, maybe in part because the BBA is lower spin. Also the BBA shaft is tighter, which also may affect the spin somewhat. It will be very important to be fit for these drivers.
I really like the BB but have a hard time seeing us sell many with a crop of very good discontinued drivers at or less than $150 on the floor.
I really like the BB but have a hard time seeing us sell many with a crop of very good discontinued drivers at or less than $150 on the floor.
Sound like it's time for me to get to my favorite golf shop and demo the BB Alpha! I bought the X Hot Pro and RAZR fit Xtreme last year and neither of them made their way into my bag. I'm hopeful that the adjustable CG can bring my spin down.
T2GRN18
Active member
Every store I went to today, they all said they won't have Big Bertha or Big Bertha Alpha in the fitting carts till Feb 13, 2 days prior to the release. Not sure why we're not seeing them but others are reporting hitting them.
jdub
Member
My local stores also will not get them until February. The Callaway rep happened to be there today with the Big Berthas. He took them with him when he left.
I checked with a very large local shop/golf course with a 24 hour range(May-Sept) and they have several demo's in stock. Amazing golf shop because they have everything(average of about 40 demo drivers from each brand) and you can take the demo clubs and hit as many balls on the outdoor range as you would like for no charge.