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Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 Driver Review Thread

SuperStroke
Santa Clause is sending me an 815 head, Cant wait to try out and give feedback here. Thank you Santa :p
 
Thanks guys! I know have clicking going on all over the head.
 
Click away. You should hear a click with everything.
 
Sox Fan said:
This is a trivial question but is something I am curious about. Is this driver supposed to make the clicking noise when the shaft, weights, gravity core are completely tightened? I have tightened stuff to where I didn't want to go any further with it from fear of damage and never heard the click. All other adjustable drivers I have used previously made the clicking sound.
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The Driver does not Click but the wrench does it is a torque wrench that does not allow you to over tighten any of the peices i always make sure i hear that nosie when i make a change
 
Sox Fan said:
This is a trivial question but is something I am curious about. Is this driver supposed to make the clicking noise when the shaft, weights, gravity core are completely tightened? I have tightened stuff to where I didn't want to go any further with it from fear of damage and never heard the click. All other adjustable drivers I have used previously made the clicking sound.
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...also if it's not tightned until the click the parts might fall apart or influence the hit. I have a mate who didn't know about the clicks and after a hit during a round he noticed his head was dangling off the shaft haha. Turn until it clicks, eventhough it feels really unpleasant at first
 
Hit one at GS. Mixed results and no one to assist with fitting and didn't see a wrench to adjust lofts or change GC. Was launching pretty high, seems to be more forging than last years
 
Mine arrived yesterday 8 days from ordering in the US to being delivered. Am playing this morning so will take it out and see what happens off the tee.
 
garethw said:
Mine arrived yesterday 8 days from ordering in the US to being delivered. Am playing this morning so will take it out and see what happens off the tee.
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Looking forward to your feedback mate. Will be good to see if you're as excited as the rest Which shaft have you put on?
 
AceAsmussen said:
Looking forward to your feedback mate. Will be good to see if you're as excited as the rest Which shaft have you put on?
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It came with the Diamana S+ Blue 60 in regular at 45.5 inches. I was fitted into a Fujikura EXS 5.0 in stiff at 45 inches for my original Big Bertha and thats the one on it now. Im taking both with me and depending how busy the course is I'll swap them if I can. The EXS looks cool as in it, the red and grey of the shaft blend nicely with the head.
 
garethw said:
It came with the Diamana S+ Blue 60 in regular at 45.5 inches. I was fitted into a Fujikura EXS 5.0 in stiff at 45 inches for my original Big Bertha and thats the one on it now. Im taking both with me and depending how busy the course is I'll swap them if I can. The EXS looks cool as in it, the red and grey of the shaft blend nicely with the head.
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Nice! Can't wait for your feedback.

From the chart we've posted a few times now, the Diamana shaft is mid spin / mid launch. Do you know what the EXS 5.0 is?
194a83e83e0a31eb122ca1f5fe751295.jpg
 
High Launch / High - Mid spin.
 
Rained all night last night so I set my 10.5 at +1 degree loft. It may stay there. With very little roll out, hit some drives to some distances I haven't seen in 5 years on some holes on my course.
 
I had the opportunity today at the get together in Tampa to give this club a few hits and it's real impressive to say the least. This driver compared to my RAZR Fit seems a good bit more forgiving. The stock Speeder shaft wouldn't be my first choice but I would like to give it a few hits with some of the other options. I did get to hit the 815 JB had on the course and put a pretty mediocre swing on it at best hitting it high and on the toe but still managed to hit the ball 252yds. His had a project x LZ shaft in it and the feel was a LOT softer and smoother then the Speeder is the only way I know to compare it.

Overall I am really impressed with the 815 as it seems to have a extremely forgiving head and powerful distance when hit on the screws. I look forward to doing some testing next time I'm in GS between this club and my gamer to see if the RAZR Fit can stand up to its younger sibling.
 
Man you hit this thing well RJB.
 
Hit this driver yesterday at Golfsmith and it's definitely the best Callaway driver I've hit in years. Results were mixed but that was the case with all drivers I tried due to the fact I haven't picked up a club in 3 months. I did like the forgiveness and distance was real solid. Will definitely be giving this driver another go come the Spring.
 
I've been enjoying this thread so I guess it's time to contribute my tale of 815 glory.

I had been using the Big Bertha with the sliding back weight since it was released and had been pleased with the results but felt like I wasn't getting the roll I wanted so I was intrigued by the 815 Big Bertha and the claims of less spin. So when it was finally released I went to my local shop and fitter to pick one up. I was excited at the prospect of being fit and finding out my numbers. We tried multiple configurations on the 815 and it was basically the same as my Big Bertha. A good launch angle, slightly less spin at 3100 RPMS but the same distance 275 on well struck shots and about 250 on mishits but slightly less accurate.

I had never considered the Double Black Diamond or the previous Alpha since they're marketed towards better golfers and are supposed to be harder to hit. I shoot in the low to mid 80's with the odd 70-something thrown in. My fitter who I trust completely suggested the DBD and just looking down I thought "I can't hit this". It looks like 440 cc even though it really is 460. I didn't expect much but my first drive ended up being 296 yards with a slight draw. We messed with the settings and determined that I needed the gravity core up, neutral settings on the hosel and the heavier weight on the heel. With those settings I was averaging 290 plus yards with my natural draw as well as a few over 300, 280-285 yard fades and my mishits were traveling about 270 yards. With the DBD my swing speed was averaging 107 and my launch angle was 14 degrees with about 2400 RPMs. Incredibly the accuracy was better than both the regular 815 and my current gamer.

Just to be certain we set the 815 to the same specs and I lost distance and accuracy. I was hesitant about going to a harder to hit driver but another round with all three drivers sold me. We ended up putting my aftermarket Fubuki ZT 60 X as it just works for my swing. I know the head a was going to purchase was going to be different than the demo head so I asked that we spec out both finding the demo 9 degree was actually 10 degrees so we found a retail head that matched.

I left the shop blown away at how my expectations going in were completely shattered. I was so excited to take the driver out for a round and see how it compared to my driver in previous rounds. She didn't disappoint. I was putting drives 20 yards past where I was usually hitting them and just like on the simulator even my bad shots were still getting good distance and remained playable. Since everyone and their grandmother is raving about the Aldila Rogue I put one in (110 MSI Silver 60 X) and for two holes was in golfing Nirvana until the epoxy broke down and the head twisted about 30 degrees open. It's since been fixed and I look forward to completing my testing of the Rogue shaft next week.

Don't let the harder to hit tag scare you off from the DBD. If I were testing the clubs blind I would have commended the DBD for being the most forgiving driver I've tested in the last two years.

Now in the spirit of full disclosure I am a Callaway and Phil homer so I really, really, really wanted to like the new 815 series. That said I like to think that I'm not so far gone that I would play a crappy driver just because it's a Callaway or what Phil is endorsing at the time.

I like to think that....
 
Thanks Galen. What an incredibly detailed and informative first post. Welcome to THP.
 
Played this one with the PX LZ Handmade for the round today and really was hitting it well. A couple of times, I was seeing areas of the course I had not remembered seeing before including a par 5 that left me even with Troyefl and gave me the green light to go after it.
 
JB said:
Played this one with the PX LZ Handmade for the round today and really was hitting it well. A couple of times, I was seeing areas of the course I had not remembered seeing before including a par 5 that left me even with Troyefl and gave me the green light to go after it.
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It seems like that shaft and the 815 Alpha head would be a dream match. Glad you're hitting it well.
 
tpluff said:
It seems like that shaft and the 815 Alpha head would be a dream match. Glad you're hitting it well.
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I love what the shaft does for me, but more for feel than anything else. WHat I am finding though is a low spin head that is super forgiving.
 
I feel the same way about the head. I was using the same shaft in both the 815 and 815 DBD and still dropped 600 RPMs when switching to the DBD head. Also with the DBD it really felt like I was compressing the ball and it was jumping off the face. I know it's debatable if I can ACTUALLY feel that but that's what my senses were telling me. Such a sweet feeling.
 
Daddio said:
Thanks Galen. What an incredibly detailed and informative first post. Welcome to THP.
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Thank you! The missus and kids left me home alone today. Otherwise all I would have time to write would have been:

"Me smash Double Black Diamond!"
 
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