Very few products come out that make golfers everywhere stand up and take notice, but in 2014, the Callaway Big Bertha line will do just that. The Alpha is one of the most unique drivers to hit the market in quite some time that offers more adjustable features than just about any before it.
Product Summary
From the company
Where do we begin? Big Bertha Alpha is the first driver to enable independent adjustments of four significant performance characteristics, optimizing trajectory, control and distance for individual golfers. The four independent variables are loft, lie, CG (draw) bias, and most innovatively (and for the first time ever), CG height.
The Big Bertha Alpha represents the most advanced engineering Callaway has ever commercialized in a driver, and the Company’s most flexible and comprehensive fitting platform ever.
The goal of driver design at Callaway is to individualize performance optimization for every golfer, giving them the best chance to optimize driving distance. And the innovative Big Bertha Alpha Driver is the ultimate representation of this philosophy.
The Key Features
Gravity Control Adjustability
For the first time ever, the Big Bertha Alpha’s Gravity Core lets golfers adjust spin independently of launch angle, a natural (and dramatic) extension to loft adjustability in a driver head. This adjustability breaks the fixed relationship between launch angle and backspin for the first time, providing a major asset in the fitting process to find optimal distance for a wide range of players’ abilities.
The Gravity Core sits within the club head in a carbon tube that connects the crown and sole. It has a tungsten end, weighing 10.5g, and a glass fiber reinforced body, weighing just 1.5g. The gravity core can be inserted into the club head two different ways, which allows golfers to change the vertical center of gravity and alter the spin rates based on how it is positioned. When the tungsten end is closest to the sole, it will create a lower center of gravity and lower backspin. When the tungsten end is inserted first and therefore closer to the crown, it creates more of a mid-CG position.
Generally, players with above average head speeds or those who are trying to prevent excessive spin will benefit from the lower center of gravity, which a creates a flatter, more penetrating trajectory accompanied by more roll out. For those looking for a more controlled and workable ball flight and less roll out, the mid CG position is recommended. Player testing has shown as much as a 600rpm spin differential between the two Gravity Core settings without a change in loft.
Hyper Speed Face
Hyper Speed Face technology is predicated on a deep understanding of the probability of where players’ impact locations will be across a driver face, and uses a optimization code based on huge amounts of impact data to help determine the thickness profile of the face. The result is an extremely lightweight and robust face that helps deliver more ball speed where players need it most.
Advanced Adjustable Hosel
Big Bertha enables golfers to independently adjust loft and lie angle to help translate the added ball speed into more distance. Golfers can chose from four different lofts (from -1 to +2) to optimize launch angle and backspin and two different lies, denoted by ‘D’ for Draw and ‘N’ for Neutral, to optimize the directional bias. Together, these provide eight unique combinations that help golfers optimize their distance and dispersion. Callaway’s proprietary hosel technology is also the only adjustable hosel to achieve changes in loft and/or lie without having to rotate the shaft (and graphics) on its axis between settings.
CG Bias
Big Bertha Alpha also enables golfers to make adjustments to CG bias, which helps influence the shot shape. Big Bertha Alpha has a screw port in the heel and toe of the body and comes with 4 interchangeable weights: 1g, 3g, 5g, and 7g. This gives golfers a ton of flexibility in controlling both the shot shape and overall head weight. See, we weren’t kidding when we told you this was the most comprehensive fitting platform ever.
The 7g and 1g screws are installed as standard.
Swing Weight Adjustment
Big Bertha Alpha’s swing weight can be adjusted fro D0 to D5 with the standard installed screws achieving a D3 swingweight.
Forged Composite
A critical competitive advantage for Callaway, Big Bertha Alpha’s crown is made of this high strength, lightweight material, which allows Callaway to offer three forms of adjustability while maintaining a very playable D3 swing weight.
Tech Specs
Loft offerings: 9-degrees, 10.5-degrees
Standard shaft offering: Fubuki ZT Shaft
Launch Date: February 14, 2014
Cost: $499
Click Here To See Tons Of In Hand Pictures
Wow, totally intrigued by this driver. With all the adjustment opportunities I’m thinking a fitting with a qualified person will be more important than ever to rapidly achieve the ideal settings. I’m loving the colors on the bottom of the Alpha as well!
That gravity core idea is pretty amazing. With each new innovation we’re getting closer and closer to a mass-produced fully custom driver and that’s pretty cool. Way to go Callaway for pushing the envelope even further!
Wow. I need to get another degree to understand all that technology. Really amazing.
First: love the color scheme used, looks awesome.
Second: I’m not gonna pretend to know what everything I just read means but of course I would love to try this one out with the help of someone that can help with all of the adjustments options.
Callaway is pushing the envelope big time, very very cool to see!
This is one amazing looking driver, from the color scheme, graphics, headcover and the obvious technology packed into it, I’m sure Callaway has a real winner on their hands!
Can’t wait for the head to head comparison with the SLDR!!
Callaway is definitely stepping up to the plate in its engineering and design dept. Amazing, innovative and creativity all in one! Plus, the swingweight is kept at D3 or less.
Great review THP!
However, $500 is sssteeeeeep! Ouch.
I play Callaway Optiforce and I love the dual cog hosel system. I also like tinkering with draw/fade bias like everyone else and I use good ol’ lead tape to do it. Okay, I get it about adjusting the cg height, and I understand that low CG helps reduce spin rates etc. Knowing this, just who would want to flip the Gravity Core into the UP position? Won’t everyone want it in the DOWN position? And if so, why even have it? Why not leave it empty and screw in a heavy Tungsten disc?
I am confused with the physics here -I thought that the lower the CG (considering depth of CG remains same distance from club face), the higher the launch and spin – consequently lowering it should impart higher launch and more spin, thus creating the opposite effect indicated above? Or does this just affect launch angle, and not spin/gear effect, in which case, higher launch less spin is obtained? Or do my physics suck….
Kudos to the R&D guys. All of this adjustability wrapped up in a nice looking package. No doubt that the “Alpha” will be another top seller for Callaway.
Not liking the looks of it but the tech in it sounds pretty awesome.
1. I liked(not loved) my mizuno a with what appears to be identical slider tech. They were universally panned for not being able to shift enough weight to have any impact on ball flight( wishon has commented upon this at length).what has changed? 2. $400/$500 for the mass market? Japanese spec perhaps but not US. If callaway sticks to their guns they best hope for lots of sales in the Far East and on tour spec/golf to impress.
Yeah driver price is going up to Japan levels. I really don’t want to see 1000$ drivers any time soon.
On the other hand, this CG tech looks really cool. One of these days we will get a ABS type driver that auto corrects when we are about to slice it off the course.
All that tech talk is beyond me. Love the looks of the driver and would love to tinker with this one.
This thing is gorgeous. I want it!
Interesting concept. I’m going to have to try it for sure. However, Callaway continues to make some of the ugliest equipment in golf IMO (with exception to maybe the new apex irons).
Really excited to see this in person. Big Bertha is an ICONIC name and it looks as though they are doing it justice. Kudos to the Callaway gang!