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Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 Driver Preview

SuperStroke
Just got down demo'ing the 815 Alpha. My initial thoughts were that it appeared much more forgiving towards the toe, dispersion appeared tighter (with the BB I continually missed left) and to "my" ear it sounds louder than its predecessor. I'm looking forward to using it for a demo round on Sunday.
 
chpar4 said:
Will get the X2HotPro in stiff and try that in the DBD. Or may just change the DBD pre order to TG stiff. Trying to get to ECPC here in NJ next week for a true fitting. Big Box stores simulators give me numbers all over the place. Good for comparing on same unit. But I don't actually know what my numbers are one I was at for this test had SS at mid 90's. Another one I get high 90's low 100's. Adds to confusion.
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I don't think it matters that much. Any particular shaft may have features you like/dislike or that does/does not work for you, but SS mid 90s to low 100s is pretty safely in the stiff range.
 
NoLine said:
Just got down demo'ing the 815 Alpha. My initial thoughts were that it appeared much more forgiving towards the toe, dispersion appeared tighter (with the BB I continually missed left) and to "my" ear it sounds louder than its predecessor. I'm looking forward to using it for a demo round on Sunday.
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Thanks for the feedback. I will be putting it through a full outside test this coming week.
 
Orange Hog said:
Josh - what shaft do you have in your 815?

Look forward to your thoughts.
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Stock. It arrived while I was in CA for meetings and is still in the box.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Yes, you are correct, the DBD fit him better than the 815.
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Yeah it definitely did, but the differences were quite large. I think the Speeder 565 he hit in the 815 Alpha is just a really poor fit for him combined with the heads being different.

I wonder who is the target golfer for the Speeder 565 shaft? I've hit it in the V-Series and I saw really poor performance out of it and I just figured it was geared for players different than me.
 
Strangely enough Shiels hit both the V-series and DBD much better than the Alpha 815, which strikes me as odd.
I wonder if something was off when he did the 815 Alpha videa.
 
ArmyGolf said:
Strangely enough Shiels hit both the V-series and DBD much better than the Alpha 815, which strikes me as odd.
I wonder if something was off when he did the 815 Alpha videa.
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Why does something have to be off. It didn't fit him. He is one golfer.

The club deserves more then his test. I hope everyone that is interested in buying the club, takes the time to hit it.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Why does something have to be off. It didn't fit him. He is one golfer.

The club deserves more then his test. I hope everyone that is interested in buying the club, takes the time to hit it.
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From the info I can gather I think the Alpha 815 should fit me better than the V-series or DBD and I can't wait to give it a try.

I saw one on Saturday and it is a gorgeous club.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Why does something have to be off. It didn't fit him. He is one golfer.

The club deserves more then his test. I hope everyone that is interested in buying the club, takes the time to hit it.
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You hit the nail on the head here. I hit the Speeder 565 and it was just fine. Spin was under 3k and never felt any issues in terms of weight or not being good enough to handle my swing.

I agree Feddie that everyone needs to hit this driver (or any other for that matter) before taking one golfer's results as the gospel.
 
I may have skimmed a bit too much, but for the folks who've hit the 815 and the regular Bertha, does the 815 approach the Bertha in terms of forgiveness? When I went to hit these, the demo was being used already, and I had to leave before the other guy was done with it.
 
mpeterson said:
I may have skimmed a bit too much, but for the folks who've hit the 815 and the regular Bertha, does the 815 approach the Bertha in terms of forgiveness? When I went to hit these, the demo was being used already, and I had to leave before the other guy was done with it.
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In my brief time with the driver on Saturday and then during a round on Sunday I found it more forgiving towards the toe then the regular BB. I played the front 9 with the Speeder and then played the back with an NVS 65 I have (played 1/2" shorter). I was slightly longer and tighter with the NVS but in fairness that is a shaft I've always clicked with over the years.
 
mpeterson said:
I may have skimmed a bit too much, but for the folks who've hit the 815 and the regular Bertha, does the 815 approach the Bertha in terms of forgiveness? When I went to hit these, the demo was being used already, and I had to leave before the other guy was done with it.
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From what I saw it's not as forgiving on the outer edges of the toe/heel as Bertha. The best way I can describe what I saw was the low spin and distance you would see with the Alpha with added forgiveness. Again not quite as forgiving as Bertha, but it performs well on mishits with still providing good distances. It's a great combination of the Alpha & Bertha into one head.
 
mikeg_74 said:
From what I saw it's not as forgiving on the outer edges of the toe/heel as Bertha. The best way I can describe what I saw was the low spin and distance you would see with the Alpha with added forgiveness. Again not quite as forgiving as Bertha, but it performs well on mishits with still providing good distances. It's a great combination of the Alpha & Bertha into one head.
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NoLine said:
In my brief time with the driver on Saturday and then during a round on Sunday I found it more forgiving towards the toe then the regular BB. I played the front 9 with the Speeder and then played the back with an NVS 65 I have (played 1/2" shorter). I was slightly longer and tighter with the NVS but in fairness that is a shaft I've always clicked with over the years.
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Thanks guys. I'm not pounding the center of the face all day, but it's rare that I'm all the way out near the toe. I'd like to knock down spin from what I'm getting on the Bertha now, so that's interesting to me.
 
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Such a great looking club. Looking forward to your thoughts
 
This is nice and I am curious if I can add some distance. Looks like Golfsmith is in my future


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JB Can you confirm the colour scheme since you have held it. Is it Dark Blue or Black? Rick Shields in his online review says it's dark blue. But I don't see it.
 
OUZO Power said:
JB Can you confirm the colour scheme since you have held it. Is it Dark Blue or Black? Rick Shields in his online review says it's dark blue. But I don't see it.
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Yeah I have a few of them here. In hand indoors it looks black. In the sun it is definitely dark blue. But my thinking is that it is a black head with some blue sparkle Unless the sun is hitting it, it looks black, but can confirm to you it is indeed a very very very dark blue.
 
OUZO Power said:
JB Can you confirm the colour scheme since you have held it. Is it Dark Blue or Black? Rick Shields in his online review says it's dark blue. But I don't see it.
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As JB confirmed, I was just about to say indoors its black but with the sprinkles outdoors it looks blueish
 
This may have been covered, sorry if I missed it. Does the 815 have the same adapter as my current alpha?
 
JB said:
Yeah I have a few of them here. In hand indoors it looks black. In the sun it is definitely dark blue. But my thinking is that it is a black head with some blue sparkle Unless the sun is hitting it, it looks black, but can confirm to you it is indeed a very very very dark blue.
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Thanks. Black with blue pearl. got it.
 
sposey013168 said:
This may have been covered, sorry if I missed it. Does the 815 have the same adapter as my current alpha?
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Yes. It's built with different material but they are both compatible forwards and backwards.
 
sposey013168 said:
This may have been covered, sorry if I missed it. Does the 815 have the same adapter as my current alpha?
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Yes it does. It is version 2.0 where the plastic round top cap is gone but all the adjustments are the same and should be backwards compatible

I really do love the new color on these
 
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