Callaway Releases Big Bertha B21 Driver

[Tenputt]

Still seeing a lot of what I like and not much of what I don't with this driver.

Sidespin is significantly reduced. I don't line up to aim as far left as possible anymore. I am starting to expect a straitish flight with a little tail one way or the other.

One thing I am started to take for granted is the distance throughout the face. It's definitely got a lot of pop even on mishits. I assume this is from the Flash Face AI technology.

The thing I will always love is the look. The color scheme is . Best looking driver of the year IMO and I am often very critical.of Callaway's choices with colors.

The blue really pops.

 

[Tenputt]

Finally got my B21 out on the course this last weekend and had some interesting results. Coming from a Epic Flash Sub-Zero with a heavier weight in the front port, the "off the shelf" weight of this seemed very light to me. That said, I also hadn't been on a golf course in about four weeks, so my swing wasn't great.

Hit some good drive and some bad drives (per usual for an 11.6 index) but did seem to find the fairway more in that two-round sample size. I will say with the same shaft as I had in my Sub-Zero and not playing with the weight at all, I do think this was a little shorter. I will experiment a little with a shaft change and maybe throwing a heavier weight in the back and see what that does. At this point I'd say it's way to early to tell - really need some launch monitor numbers to see if what I was seeing was real or just what I was imagining.

I would guess that for many people, two absolutely on the screws strikes with both this and a low spin head, like a Sub Zero, will see the Sub Zero being a bit longer, likely because of spin. This is a low spin head for its high MOI profile, but it is still going to spin more than a Sub Zero. Where this wins out is the ease of use, consistency in distance and length on miss hits. If I am playing a scramble, where distance is everything, I might use my Cobra SpeedZone, because it is a bit longer when flushed. However, if I am playing for my own score, I probably have to choose this one, because I know that I am going to be in the fairway much more frequently and my average drive is only about 6 yards shorter.

 

[JB]

I feel like this driver was literally made for me. Danny Le commented that he thought it was the best he had seen me drive the ball. I kept up with him for most of the round and normally I am a bit further back.

Steep and over the top describe me a bit and while I manage to get the ball around during the 18 holes, I feel so much more confidence on the tee right now.

 

[Turtlerancher]

I feel like this driver was literally made for me. Danny Le commented that he thought it was the best he had seen me drive the ball. I kept up with him for most of the round and normally I am a bit further back.

Steep and over the top describe me a bit and while I manage to get the ball around during the 18 holes, I feel so much more confidence on the tee right now.

What did you have in it for a shaft? I'm sure it was some Danny UST magic.

 

[JB]

What did you have in it for a shaft? I'm sure it was some Danny UST magic.

I was actually using the Kinetixx Velocity.

 

[thewilderside]

I feel like this driver was literally made for me. Danny Le commented that he thought it was the best he had seen me drive the ball. I kept up with him for most of the round and normally I am a bit further back.

Steep and over the top describe me a bit and while I manage to get the ball around during the 18 holes, I feel so much more confidence on the tee right now.

This statement is the true magic of the B21 in my opinion. I step up to the ball knowing I don't have to baby my swing to keep it in play. I can absolutely still put one out of bounds or in the drink, but I don't fear that the way I did before this driver.

 

[erock9174]

Tried this one a couple times now and it's just not for me. No matter what I can't dial out the draw.

Best I could muster yesterday was with the 12.5 head set to +2/N with Riptide 50g 5.5:
127 ball
14.3 launch
2399 spin
206 carry
229 tota.

My averages with my Gamer (Epic Flash 12 set to +2/D Riptide 50g 5.5):
127 ball
15.44 launch
2227 spin
212 carry
235 Total

Longest with the Flash:
129 ball
16.0 launch
2599 spin
216 carry
237 total

 

[Tywithay]

Tried this one a couple times now and it's just not for me. No matter what I can't dial out the draw.

Best I could muster yesterday was with the 12.5 head set to +2/N with Riptide 50g 5.5:
127 ball
14.3 launch
2399 spin
206 carry
229 tota.

My averages with my Gamer (Epic Flash 12 set to +2/D Riptide 50g 5.5):
127 ball
15.44 launch
2227 spin
212 carry
235 Total

Longest with the Flash:
129 ball
16.0 launch
2599 spin
216 carry
237 total

If you were trying to get rid of the draw, wouldn't lowering the loft open the clubface more? Seems you had a problem, then compounded it further by closing the face further.

 

[erock9174]

If you were trying to get rid of the draw, wouldn't lowering the loft open the clubface more? Seems you had a problem, then compounded it further by closing the face further.

tried setting it to -1 and std loft but the launch was too low.

 

[Tywithay]

tried setting it to -1 and std loft but the launch was too low.

Bummer. The stock lie angle is about the most upright of any driver on the market as it is. Shame they don't have a flatter version. I realize it defeats the purpose of the design, keeping the ball left, but seems there's still a place for a driver that sits more open at address, but is easier to turn over in the swing.

 

[DataDude]

This statement is the true magic of the B21 in my opinion. I step up to the ball knowing I don't have to baby my swing to keep it in play. I can absolutely still put one out of bounds or in the drink, but I don't fear that the way I did before this driver.

Yeah, It's got to be pretty narrow before I start fretting now. I was always fretting 3 months ago.

 

[erock9174]

Bummer. The stock lie angle is about the most upright of any driver on the market as it is. Shame they don't have a flatter version. I realize it defeats the purpose of the design, keeping the ball left, but seems there's still a place for a driver that sits more open at address, but is easier to turn over in the swing.

Thing is. My miss with the driver is usually a snap hook. Yet the most upright driver i
Own is the SZ Xtreme and I have it set to draw and still can’t always turn it over. Most fade biased driver I’ve tried yet. So I don’t think the lie angle on the driver means much to me. It’s more about face angle for me.

the B21 and Mavrik Max sit real closed to my eye.

 

[DataDude]

Getting ready to get an "official" round in today. I love playing with this driver. The course for today has some pretty big landing areas and tough greens. So it's go time off the tee all day and should be a good driving day.

 

[Snickerdog]

Had a really good range session with the b21 today. Received the GD Tour AD IZ-5 reg flex shaft earlier in the week and this seems like a really good combo. The wind was SW @22 and I was holding the ball into it hitting a draw. Playing the 9° head at +2/N it still seems like a low ball flight to me, but maybe I am just so used to seeing the high flight of the Max it is throwing my perception off a bit.
Playing a course tomorrow that has a couple forced carries so it will be a good test. Will have some range time before the round will good markers to also judge distance.
The regular flex shaft definitely made a difference for me and my slower swing. Nice smooth tempo and the shaft feels great.

 

[tommyhaka]

I went in demo mode the Maverick Max and the Ping 410 + today I was amazed at the forgiveness these clubs 'of today' are offering. I didn't have time to demo the B21 but can imagine it will be very similar. The distance on these drivers is very good as well, there is no sacrifice for distance because of the forgiveness. I favored the Ping 410 plus over the Maverick Max, and will go out again soon to compared to b21 to the Ping 410 Plus. I think I have committed myself to purchasing one of these drivers for next season. Of the three drivers I mentioned, appearance wise, the B21 is surely the most attractive, followed by the Ping, and then the Maverick.

 

[Jaoffo]

It's been two weeks since i last posted about the B 21. I took a trip to the Chicago burbs to help my son do a few things on the new house they bought and had little time for the "inter-web". I did get to play golf with him and his FIL at Wynstone in Barrington Ill. Very nice club. The kid convinced me to play longer tees than I normally play and that was a mistake, tried too hard to make up distance and started coming OTT with my swing and of course my fade turned back into a slice. Didn't play well at all but time spent with your kid is more important.
I had to blame something other than myself for my poor performance (even though I know the truth) so as soon as I got home I changed the shaft in the B 21 back to the regular flex Speeder shaft.
Spent all day last Wednesday driving and Thursday recuperating but played in the Sr's league Friday morning. B 21 with Speeder reg flex, I hit 9/13 fairways dead center off a slight fade with one of my misses being the "dreaded straight ball" that left me in the adjacent fairway. So once again the B 21 shines but falsely reinforced my belief that it wasn't me but the RCH shaft that caused me to play poorly in Chicago. ( I still know the truth).
I did play well overall for an old fart, shot 44/42 against my 22 HC .
One point of interest from my Chicago adventure. My son's FIL got fitted for a new XXIO driver and he says it has given him about 20 extra yards off the tee. At our age,(we are both 68) that's a lot of help. I did hit it on a long par 5 there and hit my best drive of the day. More than likely because I focused more trying to avoid damaging his driver.
It felt to me to be a bit lighter than the B 21. He says it's a lot lighter than his old TM M3.

 

[tommyhaka]

1) The kid convinced me to play longer tees.... started coming OTT with my swing and of course my fade turned back into a slice.

2) B21 with Speeder reg flex, I hit 9/13 fairways dead center off a slight fade.

3) I did play well overall for an old fart, shot 44/42 against my 22 HC .

1) That's one of my issues when I try to hit it a little extra I start coming over the top. I just hate when I do that because it is so amateurish, but many many golfers do it.
2) shaft does make a big difference, and I'm not sure at this point what shaft is best for me. I guess it is unique to the club head.

3) from one old fart to another, 86 is a very good score!

From the club's I have been testing over the last few weeks, it almost appears like they are maxed out in distance and moi. It's getting to the point where you could pick almost any one of them get fitted for a shaft and be just as well off. Another point that I have found to be consistently true with many golfers who have purchased the B21, Maverick Max, and other similar high moi drivers is the ball shaping. There are a lot of straight balls with a slight fade with these clubs. I demoed several clubs yesterday and most of them were straight with a slight baby fade to them. I normally hit straight to light draws with my present day club, and with the newer club heads I am getting baby fades. They aren't a bad shot shape because they seem to go just as far, sort of like a power fade. The biggest difference I see with the likes of the B21 and others, which is a very big plus, is the dispersion and forgiveness is greatly tightened up. I never knew a driver could be so consistent with off-center hits. And face it, most amateurs have a hard time hitting the center of the driver consistently.

 

[Snickerdog]

For me I am done with the b21. Not enough consistency with it, and not enough forgiveness across the face compared to my Mavrik Max. I was frustrated enough to swap heads on the 11th hole today and was fine the rest of the round.
On perfect strikes the b21 is great but if I travel to far from the center of the face ( heel side) is just not working for me at all. I like the looks and for the most part it eliminates the right side of the fairway but not something I feel comfortable with on the tee box to continue using.

 

[shanewu]

Tried the B21 on a hole yesterday during our round and not sure what the think. My swing wasn't great yesterday but my bad Flash swing went farther than what I thought was a decent looking B21 result. The blue looks awesome but what I saw was odd. I still wouldn't mind trying a 10.5* head at +1 with the RCH shaft just to see what could be.

 

[Jman]

For me I am done with the b21. Not enough consistency with it, and not enough forgiveness across the face compared to my Mavrik Max. I was frustrated enough to swap heads on the 11th hole today and was fine the rest of the round.
On perfect strikes the b21 is great but if I travel to far from the center of the face ( heel side) is just not working for me at all. I like the looks and for the most part it eliminates the right side of the fairway but not something I feel comfortable with on the tee box to continue using.

Are you a lower spin guy by nature?

 

[MattyD-MPLS]

I feel like this driver was literally made for me. Danny Le commented that he thought it was the best he had seen me drive the ball. I kept up with him for most of the round and normally I am a bit further back.

Steep and over the top describe me a bit and while I manage to get the ball around during the 18 holes, I feel so much more confidence on the tee right now.

It is great to find something that really clicks!

 

[Snickerdog]

Are you a lower spin guy by nature?

No. last years fitting with driver was 3300-3400 and they got it down to 2700-2800 and said that was optimal for my swing.

 

[BuckNasty]

For me I am done with the b21. Not enough consistency with it, and not enough forgiveness across the face compared to my Mavrik Max. I was frustrated enough to swap heads on the 11th hole today and was fine the rest of the round.
On perfect strikes the b21 is great but if I travel to far from the center of the face ( heel side) is just not working for me at all. I like the looks and for the most part it eliminates the right side of the fairway but not something I feel comfortable with on the tee box to continue using.

If you got me as your secret santa partner I would not be opposed to you accidentally dropping that head in the gift box

 

[Jman]

No. last years fitting with driver was 3300-3400 and they got it down to 2700-2800 and said that was optimal for my swing.

Fitting with the Max?

 

[Snickerdog]

If you got me as your secret santa partner I would not be opposed to you accidentally dropping that head in the gift box

You better hope Rudolf can find your house.