kc720
Active member
Yes weight back should provide more moi and more spin equaling higher launch
Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 Fairway Wood Preview
You are seeing a somewhat lower trajectory with 14 and weight back?
- Moderator
- #104
I thought this fairway was significantly easier to hit off of the deck then I did the Bertha.
kc720
Active member
I'm not seeing a "high trajectory" more mid... on both 14 and 18 with weight back. I have not had any reason to change weight to front and try for a lower flight
I demo'd this club (16*, N) against my V Series today.
I wasn't in love with the Speeder shaft, which is odd as I've liked that shaft before. I tried it with the Rogue Silver and liked it much better. Actually I really liked the feel of the Rogue a lot. Dispersion with the Rogue was great; I also felt like I could go after it with the Rogue (I think I'm learning the V Series prefers an easy /smooth swing).
I prefer a small profile in my FW and this was definitely that. It is smaller than the V Series, which I like better between the two on this factor.
Just the way the sky was tonight I couldn't see the ball in the air so I was relying on Trackman numbers. The club was long. With a high 90s SS most were flying 230-240, which actually seems inflated. A particularly good one was something like 245 carry and 272 total. A particularly bad one was 200/225. The normal carry numbers were about the same as the V Series, total distance numbers were longer with the BB. Given the extra rollout, trajectory must have been lower with the BB...it would have been nice to see the ball because I don't know which one has the preferred trajectory.
All in all they are both good clubs. There are things I prefer in each of them. After tonight I'm almost thinking I'd like to try the Rogue in the V Series...
I wasn't in love with the Speeder shaft, which is odd as I've liked that shaft before. I tried it with the Rogue Silver and liked it much better. Actually I really liked the feel of the Rogue a lot. Dispersion with the Rogue was great; I also felt like I could go after it with the Rogue (I think I'm learning the V Series prefers an easy /smooth swing).
I prefer a small profile in my FW and this was definitely that. It is smaller than the V Series, which I like better between the two on this factor.
Just the way the sky was tonight I couldn't see the ball in the air so I was relying on Trackman numbers. The club was long. With a high 90s SS most were flying 230-240, which actually seems inflated. A particularly good one was something like 245 carry and 272 total. A particularly bad one was 200/225. The normal carry numbers were about the same as the V Series, total distance numbers were longer with the BB. Given the extra rollout, trajectory must have been lower with the BB...it would have been nice to see the ball because I don't know which one has the preferred trajectory.
All in all they are both good clubs. There are things I prefer in each of them. After tonight I'm almost thinking I'd like to try the Rogue in the V Series...
I have tried the 14 weight back vs the 16 weight forward and the 14 has significantly higher trajectory. This allowed me to keep the 14° in the bag. There is a huge difference between the 30 g and 3 g weight in terms of playability.
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kc720
Active member
These performed well for me today. Should have hit more 14° off the tee. Probably would have saved a few shots
Moved the 30g behind the face for the first time tonight. Well hello I have a DBD 3W now. The clubhead felt heavier and it was difficult to control. I went from a high draw to a left to right dud on the first swing lol. It's crazy how shifting weights can change a club.
My Alpha 3w is out for delivery today. I went with the Rogue silver 60X. I can't wait to try it out.
Pretty pleased with how the 14* worked out last Sunday at Maderas GC.
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- Thread starter
- Admin
- #112
Wow, that is not bad at all. DN, have you compared it to XR?
I will be adding a 4 wood to my bag this year for the first time ever and these are at the top of my list. I love the low profile and the adjustable weights really do make a difference. I have the Flip Zone weight on my Cobra driver and moving the weight completely changes the launch.
kc720
Active member
So lately I'm hitting the ball higher than I'm used to. Maybe some swing work is allowing me to get better contact. Now I am considering putting the 30g weight to the front on my 18°
Sanzabar
Oh So Colt!
I have this thing dialed up to 16* and I do not think I have ever loved a fairway wood this much.
I really enjoyed hitting this FW off the deck on par 5s yesterday. I didn't reach the green from 265 - 280 out but it left me close enough for a pitch shot to the green and a birdie try. Maybe it's the smaller head, but I feel confident with this club right now. Glad I made the switch from Bertha.
garethw
Well-known member
My wife appears to have stolen my X2 Hot 5 wood which free'd up a slot. As I am enjoying the driver so much I bit the bullet on a 815 5 wood it came with the speeder shaft. First round out I was struggling to get the ball up from shots on the deck, just getting low long bullets. I had a EXS shaft from my old big bertha which I have had cut down to the same length as the Speeder and played this morning.
X2 Hot, I really liked hitting and got some fair results with it. The 815 paired with the EXS is a different beast, its high, its going the distance and a little bit more that I want but the biggest difference is shots off the deck they just get up in the air and fly. Im playing S and D on the hosel with the 30r weight in the back, if anything there is a slight draw to it as opposed to a hook. I used it off the tee once this morning on a Par 5 dogleg that I could over hit with my driver and the ball went up, wita slight draw and landed middle of the fairway. 2nd shot off the deck had me chipping on for GIR.
Hopefully this will continue, I am now pondering a 815 hybrid.
X2 Hot, I really liked hitting and got some fair results with it. The 815 paired with the EXS is a different beast, its high, its going the distance and a little bit more that I want but the biggest difference is shots off the deck they just get up in the air and fly. Im playing S and D on the hosel with the 30r weight in the back, if anything there is a slight draw to it as opposed to a hook. I used it off the tee once this morning on a Par 5 dogleg that I could over hit with my driver and the ball went up, wita slight draw and landed middle of the fairway. 2nd shot off the deck had me chipping on for GIR.
Hopefully this will continue, I am now pondering a 815 hybrid.
AZRhode
New member
I demo'd a 16* today and loved it. Hit one about 245 off the deck on a slight misfit. Hit one approx 265 off the only tee I tried it on and hit another one about 270 downhill into water fronting a green I didn't think I could reach. Bomber for me for sure.
My 815 16* is the most reliable club in my bag right now. It has an aldila rogue black 70s installed and have the 30g weight in the back.
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kc720
Active member
Last few rounds I removed the 14° and set the 5w to 17° 30g weight forward. Fills the gap nicely. Able to get good distance off both tee and deck, 17° is enough loft to get it in the air plenty
- Moderator
- #122
It's such a darn good fairway wood. You still need to catch the center of the face though, especially with the weight forward. I honestly haven't tried it with the weight back since I bought it so I'm not sure how much that changes?
Sanzabar
Oh So Colt!
I know it is still early and in the "honeymoon" phase, but I have not hit one bad shot with the 16* 3W. I absolutely adore this thing!
After some tinkering on the range I switched my Alpha 815 to 15° and heavy weight forward. My round on Saturday confirms that setup for me is a beast. I had 275 to the back pin on a long par 5. It was down hill a good bit but in swirling wind and 250 to the front of the green. I almost never hit 3 wood from the fairway but I took a shot with a decent lie in the dormant rough. The wind pushed it a little left at the end and it ended up in the left greenside bunker but it flew about 270 and ended up just about hole high. I put the bunker shot inside 2 feet for a kick in birdie. It was one of the more impressive FW wood shot I've ever hit from the deck. I also hit some really nice tee shots with it. My first round I had it set at 15° with the weight back and it seemed very draw bias as everything I hit was a draw. Now it seems more neutral with the weight forward. I like to play a little cut most of the time off the tee so this fits me a lot better.
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Definitely like the weight back for me. More forgiving with higher ball flight. Love the compact shape as well. Next test is the 815 vs. XR!
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