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- #51
I havent put a lot of swings on this one, but the feedback here mixed with my like of the look really makes me want to put more into it.
Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 816 Fairway Wood Review
Chump Fries
Captain Awesome
ORUTRAVIS
Retired Pro
Got to hit this for a bit today at Golfsmith simulator. The feel is awesome and performance is great. I hit with weight forward and with it back. With the weight back I had a very forgiving and long 3 wood. Pretty similar to the mini at 14 degrees for me. But a whole lot easier to hit off the ground. I am super impressed and can't wait to get out and hit it a few more times on the course.
greggdrews
Active member
I have yet to hit this but just unboxing it and setting it up next to a ball I love the looks at address. I hope the performance matches the looks.
tpluff
I <3 GAWLF
Same impressions. The head/rogue/iLine black combo is just stunning. Absolutely can't wait to take this for a spin.
Just got my 816 fairway last night and it looks like a total beast. I've never had a 3 wood that just looks like it would destroy golf balls like Roy Hobbs destroys baseballs. I think I'll call it Wonderboy.
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- #58
Looking forward to your thoughts WL. Looking good.
emart2173
#journey2017
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Need to spend more time with this but from the 10 swings I took yesterday I like the lookmof the club the reaction of the ball coming off the face. I have 16* and am considering playing at 15.
tpluff
I <3 GAWLF
So I put this into play today, but hit the range first really quickly with limited flight balls. Dean, you were so right! I started with the 16g weight forward and saw really, really good results at -1* (15*). Paired with the Rogue I/O I saw a nice mid flight off the tee and it carried into the fence that my driver normally can only get to. I'm not sure if it was the range balls causing it or what, but it seemed to have a more "hollow" sound with that heavy weight forward. Because I can, I switched the weights around and was pleasantly surprised with a more solid sound and a little bit more launch than before. I tried it off the deck and it seemed to work well, so that's what I went with for today's round. I used it off several tee boxes and 3 second shots during the round. Off the tee it was a pretty nice mid-high launch with great carry and the forgiveness on drop kicks is great (meaning on the toe, it saved my butt a couple times). Where I was very happy with it was on second shots out of the rough. I took it 2 times in such situations and it had no problem launching out of the thick stuff and on a frozen rope down the fairway. First round with it is described as a success. I'm going to flip the weights back to 16g forward for my next round and see what I can get from it as I ideally would like it there. And I hope to iron out the sound aspect as well, probably a range ball thing, and as such I expect to be happy with it.
Dean, have you kept this in the bag post-review? The 16 degree intrigues me in combination with the heavenwood.
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- #63
it's gone back and forth. I put the fubuki shaft in it that was in the '14 BB and it took the flight up for me which is nice.
I was going to say low-low doesn't sound like it's a recipe for success for me in a fairway, so I was concerned about the Rogue. I do like that Fubuki shaft a lot.
tpluff
I <3 GAWLF
It was fun to hit, I tell ya what. I've never really had confidence hitting a fairway wood like that out of the rough. Today, I was in the mood to try new things and I was rewarded with some good results and confidence going forward. I believe it has to do with how good this thing is from everywhere.
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- #66
it really is good from all sorts of lies. I even hit it from some bunkers for fun during the review process.
I got my new 14 degree 816 fairway out to the range for the first time this afternoon. First off, I really like the look at address. It is bigger than the 815 Alpha fairway and gives me a lot of confidence over the ball. After the initial obligatory topped shot/pour one out for the golf gods, I hit some absolute rockets. I started off using a short tee because I hit my 3 wood off the tee 90% of the time. I also started with the heavy weight back. I really liked the feel with the the weight back and it was really hot with decent forgiveness. I switched the weights around and the ball flight was lower but the forgiveness was not there and I actually didn't like the sound/feel. I am going to play it with the heavy weight back. That is opposite of how I played my my 815 3 wood. I can't wait to get it out on the course soon. So far I'm really impressed.
War Eagle from my iPad
War Eagle from my iPad
tpluff
I <3 GAWLF
Was able to hit this on a monitor today. Thoroughly impressed is how I can put it. I was already warmed up from my driver time, so straight to business I went. I left the weight back as it was in my round. Ball speeds I saw on off center strikes were darn near close to center strikes and as such, I produced a better average than with the weight forward off the deck. I saw 400 rpm and 1* of launch difference between weight placements. I was just a tad longer with the heavy weight back on average, but my longest strike was weight forward.
And then I decided to tee it up, heavy weight forward. Gone was that hollow sound I reported from yesterday, and what arrived really, really has me excited. I was seeing ball speed numbers north of 140 and launch at 13.3. Spin was similar to my gamer driver at 2400 rpm and carry was right around 235. One in particular produced astounding numbers: 145, 13.5, 1986, and 245 carry. That is an incredibly long 15* for me. Super glad I made the purchase based on Deans reports and I'm glad to prove him right, this thing is a monster for me. Now translating it to the course is the next challenge.
And then I decided to tee it up, heavy weight forward. Gone was that hollow sound I reported from yesterday, and what arrived really, really has me excited. I was seeing ball speed numbers north of 140 and launch at 13.3. Spin was similar to my gamer driver at 2400 rpm and carry was right around 235. One in particular produced astounding numbers: 145, 13.5, 1986, and 245 carry. That is an incredibly long 15* for me. Super glad I made the purchase based on Deans reports and I'm glad to prove him right, this thing is a monster for me. Now translating it to the course is the next challenge.
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- #69
This makes me happy on multiple levels buddy. I know ball speed retention has become kind of that buzzword in golf marketing, but this club has it in a big way. Also sounds like you saw the same thing I did with launch difference. I have no doubt it will be a monster on the course for you.
tpluff
I <3 GAWLF
It sure has and it's something tangible that I can see, and even feel. It's not an end all, be all, but a decent indication of how the club performs for me when my performance isn't up to snuff. It's great having the versatility of this club to have 2 in 1 depending on my swing that day. Will most likely be leaving it forward primarily and keeping the Rogue I/O in it.
kc720
Active member
I finally have a 4w on the way with rogue io 70. I'll be doing some side by side testing on shafts with tphde
tpluff
I <3 GAWLF
Put this into play yesterday again. Getting rather familiar with it pretty quickly. The sound is so soft, it's like the feel of hitting a fruit or something, if that's understandable. Ball just jump off the face with a nice low/mid, very penetrating trajectory. Almost drove a green riding a crosswind that was 290+. That is incredibly long for me and I can see it being a weapon against par for a long time to come.
This is going to be a dumb question, will the MOI of the 16° be the same if it's dialed down to 15°