Callaway XHot Hybrid - Forum Testing Review

I had an Adams IDEA Pro a12 in the bag prior to this. Hooked the ever living crap out of it and couldn't hit it in the air. Drastic change from that to this X-Hot.

Can't wait to hear your range and on-course thoughts, as I've neglected to hit the Mashie 3H in my bag because I hook the thing about 9 times out of 10 now.
 
Can't wait to hear your range and on-course thoughts, as I've neglected to hit the Mashie 3H in my bag because I hook the thing about 9 times out of 10 now.
I think part of the problem with the hybrid was that I was hitting a shaft flex too weak for my SS. I'm super excited to hit the range this weekend. I would have loved to go today because it's a nice day in Pittsburgh, but I allowed my sister to borrow my car to get home for Easter weekend and she won't be back until 9 or so tonight.
 
I had an Adams IDEA Pro a12 in the bag prior to this. Hooked the ever living crap out of it and couldn't hit it in the air. Drastic change from that to this X-Hot.

Awesome man, I hope it works well for you on the course and cant wait to read up on this club.
 
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Darren, I'm extremely glad to hear about your awesome experience with the X-Hot so far. I'm so anxious to get mine already but so far no luck. Your first initial thoughts are great and I can't wait to compare thoughts and experiences.
 
I played my two today for the first time. Only about 50% of the shots were worth talking about due to course conditions making me try to sweep the ball so I topped several. The only ones I was able to hit cleanly were short shallow backswing and picking the ball which is how I used to swing but haven't in so long it was tough to get a lot of power out of them. Clean hits resulted in a strong penetrating flight that steadily climbed for the majority of the flight with a nice little draw to it. Took some alignment adjustment because my typical hybrid flight is a fade. Course allowed for absolutely 0 roll today (I even had drives plugging in the fairway) but distance was very nice, around 205 with the 3, never took a full swing with the 4 that was hit cleanly, all a bit fat.

Very happy with the hybrids though, glad I decided to get the combo iron set instead of the 4-p set. I look forward to reading everyone else's experience with them.
 
Never played a Callaway wood before but tried the 18' xhp last week, against a RBz 2, Covert & Ping Anser.

For me the xhp was the straightest and longest other than the inch longer TM RBz, which I was losing left/right.

Very impressed & keen to see what you all think!
 
Callaway XHot Hybrid Forum Testing
Initial Thoughts & Review

Had something make it’s way to sunny Sarasota, FL from Carlsbad, CA this evening. Nice big box from our friends at Callaway Golf. First, a little bit about me and hybrids. I have had hybrids come and go over the past few years, but nothing has found a way to kick out my trusty Rescue Mid 3 from 2005. It’s old, battle tested, and without a doubt works well for me. It’s been in and out of the bag more times than I can count. I say that, to lead to this; It’s going to take a lot to find a permanent spot in the bag, especially in this era of golf where the possibilites of high lofted fairway woods and strong lofted hybrids can consume ones bag.

Over the past year, I found myself gaming a 7W at a hybrid loft in favor of the typical hybrid I would carry in that spot in my bag. Not much rhyme or reason behind it besides the fact that I hit it well and have a ton of confidence in the club. It’s been a staple of the bag for a while, but it’s time for some change...and I think the XHot Hybrid will be up to the test.

The Callaway XHot 3 Hybrid;

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Perhaps, the most overlooked club of the XHot line. IMO, this club is where the XHot line started, and the amazing tech packed in to the XHot hybrids is undeniable. Callaway created a game changer in a hybrid form, and the reviews that have come out about this one have been that it is nothing short of phenomenal.

A clean, classic hybrid look. A matte gray finish, without flare or distractions something that I quite like, as too often I see clubs that have way too much going on, be it on the crown or the sole that could offer a slight distraction or cause an issue with turf interaction.. A smaller profile compared to others out on the market, but a face that seems to promote optimal launch.

At address there is a bit of offset, which is something that I really think will help me with this one, especially when hitting the hybrid off the deck.

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And last, but not least, the Headcover. Simple, easy on and easy off, but with the XHOT branding right there for all to see that you are packing heat in the bag. I like it. Simple, clean, beastly.

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After reading up a ton about this Hybrid and what Callaway has to say about it, a few things have me pretty excited to get this one out on the course.

Distance - The design and thinner face are optimized for distance and trajectory that are longer from anywhere.


  • Distance? Love it. Higher trajectory? Yes, please. As someone who at times struggles with a line drive flight, a hybrid that can offer both distance and optimal launch is something that I feel can absolutely benefit my game.

Sole Design - Designed for increased versatility from all lies.


  • Off the deck, out of the shag grass, wherever it’s needed, it’s said to perform without issue. I can get behind that, as I have been known to be a bit wayward from the tee...

Speed Frame Face - Distance. Control. Forgiveness.


  • Long, forgiving and accurate. Who wouldn't sign up for that, especially when needing a longer shot into a green. If the billing holds up, this one could be more than special.


To say that I am excited to get this one on the course is an understatement. Having struggled with a gap from my fairway woods to my long irons for a while, I am really looking forward to getting this one on the range/course and putting it through it’s paces. In the past, I have been a fan of taking a long hybrid off the tee for Short Par 4s or Longer Par 3s, gives me a comfortable feeling of control without sacrificing too much distance. Will be hitting the range tomorrow afternoon, with a potential for 9 holes following to see what the XHot Hybrid can do for me!
 
Some great initial thoughts guys. The offset worries me as I cannot hit hybrids with a decent amount of offset to save my life. I am going to try and hit this as soon as I can.. I really do like the 3W so if this is anything like it I am sure it will be a winner
 
Some great initial thoughts guys. The offset worries me as I cannot hit hybrids with a decent amount of offset to save my life. I am going to try and hit this as soon as I can.. I really do like the 3W so if this is anything like it I am sure it will be a winner

I thought the same thing when I first picked it up. That feeling was dispelled unbelievably quick.
 
I thought the same thing when I first picked it up. That feeling was dispelled unbelievably quick.

Very good to hear. This thing has the potential to be an absolute bomber.. Callaway put a lot of thought into this line for sure
 
War I really want to see how this, if any, effects your game.
 
Some great initial thoughts guys. The offset worries me as I cannot hit hybrids with a decent amount of offset to save my life. I am going to try and hit this as soon as I can.. I really do like the 3W so if this is anything like it I am sure it will be a winner

TH - I can tell you from my first two rounds with these hybrids, I think the offset is just right. I had some issues with the amount of offset on the original Mashies, but so far so good with these.
 
Links to earlier comments:
Initial thoughts and pics


First Range outing with the XHOT 3H


Today I took advantage of the bright blue skies and went to the range after work with two things in mind to accomplish. Work on practicing a few swing drills and get some time in with the XHOT hybrid. The grass tees are still closed due to the grass still being dormant and the ground being soggy, so all my time was on the mats. I took my time stretching and then warmed up with an 8 iron. After about 15 balls, I felt comfortable that things were in good enough order to start testing.

I raked 10 balls out of the tray and lined them up on the edge of the mat. These were used to get a baseline with my current hybrid gamer, a Callaway Diablo Edge 3H at 21 degrees. These 10 balls were all fairly struck, but were predominantly slight fades. One high slice crept in as well.

Once I had my baseline established, I switched to the XHOT 3 hybrid. I raked another 10 balls and lined them up on the edge of the mat, then proceeded to get to work. One thing that I noticed about address position with the XHOT is that my initial concern about the lack of an alignment mark on the crown is actually not a concern at all. The stark contrast of the white grooves and black club face is very easy to see and makes this club very easy to align properly. My first three swings were focused on simply making good contact, and were rewarded with a crisp and solid sound. I could also hear a distinct spinny/whirring sound from the ball as it took off. Now, while these hybrids resemble fairway woods in appearance, the sound that they produce is much more solid. It's not quite reminiscent of an iron sound, but there was a much lower pitch than I was expecting. This was very confidence inspiring, and led me to really go after the rest of the balls lined up. Of those remaining shots, a couple more fades crept in, and even one strong draw. However, when I checked the clubface, contact was all close to the center of face. My dispersion across the face was mostly high and low on the face, not approaching the heel or toe. I was actually slightly surprised by this, as I've been struggling with hitting off the heel lately. The ball flights that I was seeing were piercing, with an apex out around the range's 170 marker, but due to my position on the range I don't have a verified distance for the marker.

I switched clubs for a few balls before coming back to the XHOT hybrid, as I wanted to make sure I would be able to transition between clubs and not just find a groove.

I cleaned the clubface, which was very simple to do with just a golf towel. No brush necessary. This time I decided to not hit a set number of balls, just hit away. My first swing of round two was a bit of a sweep, and a low slice was the result. A minor adjustment put me back on line for a few more shots. It was after this point that I started to get tired and noticed some heel/toe dispersion. The club responded well, and even though some of the shots were not well struck, they still got out onto the range pretty well. Texas fairways would have let them run out pretty darn well, I think. Unfortunately, the soggy range didn't cooperate quite as well.


Additional thoughts

I really like the stock Callaway grip. During this range session, I tried to go back to a more neutral grip, and the markings on the grip work well for making sure that my grip was consistent. I made sure that the tip of my thumb was right in the Callaway chevron outline (see pic in the spoiler below), and I think that this may have contributed to the consitency that I was seeing in where I was hitting on the clubface.

Spoiler

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As I mentioned in my initial thoughts, the way this club sets up did a lot to help build my confidence in the club. From the offset to the contrast of the clubface and grooves, everything felt right at setup. After the first few swings, at address I felt like I was going to put a great swing on the ball each and every time, even though I obviously didn't actually do so.

Even though this hybrid is 2 degrees stronger lofted than my current gamer (19 vs 21), the apex of the ball flight seemed to be slightly higher. I'll spend some more time in my next session doing a distance comparison between the two.
 
War I really want to see how this, if any, effects your game.
We will see good buddy. You know how I have tried just about every hybrid out there the past year, and just keep looking for that one that will find it's spot right in the bag. Having a club I can consistently rely on for 210-215 yards is a must for me right now, and I am hoping this one will fit that spot.
 
Good stuff WE and Shark. Can't wait for your impressions WE.
 
Sharkhat- Great review dude. Some great thoughts there.

I really like hearing about your ball flight being higher, even though it is slightly stronger lofted. That is something that I am in need of in a hybrid, and hope to see similar results.
 
Sharkhat- Great review dude. Some great thoughts there.

I really like hearing about your ball flight being higher, even though it is slightly stronger lofted. That is something that I am in need of in a hybrid, and hope to see similar results.

If I had to guess, I would say it was due to spin. The balls that I hit well that reached a good apex had a very distinct sound after the ball was on its way.
 
If I had to guess, I would say it was due to spin. The balls that I hit well that reached a good apex had a very distinct sound after the ball was on its way.
Nice. I cant wait to hit this one.

Any shots off the tee, or just off the deck?
 
Nice. I cant wait to hit this one.

Any shots off the tee, or just off the deck?

Today was all off the deck since I was hitting off the mats. I prefer not to use the rubber tees for anything but driver since it's so hard to find one at the height that I like for anything else.
 
Today was all off the deck since I was hitting off the mats. I prefer not to use the rubber tees for anything but driver since it's so hard to find one at the height that I like for anything else.
I thought that might be the case, as I hate the rubber tees as well. I get the feeling this will be awesome from the deck, but I cant wait to see how it performs for me off the tee.
 
War for me it's probably one of the best I've hit off the deck. On my good days I'd say I hit my old Adams A12 a bit better but it didn't have the distance or consistency I get from the Xhot. A few more rounds to get completely comfortable with it and I do believe I'll be in love with it.
 
Great review Shark! Awesome to hear that it's working well for you from the get-go.

That's one of the things I liked about this club. When I got my a12 hybrid, it took me weeks before I could hit it consistently. The first swing with the X-Hot was better than all my shots with the a12!
 
Just received my X Hot 19* hybrid with a Project X PXV 6.5 shaft. I really wasn't expecting to receive the "Pro" shaft in the non-Pro head, kudos to Callaway for that!! Looking forward to putting this little sucker up against the i20-20* and see just how they compare...

Rain here tomorrow and possibly Wednesday but I have a practice round scheduled for Thursday and a weekend tournament Saturday and Sunday. So I'll put it through its paces and report back as I can. Hopefully, I'll have a full review together by Monday (Sunday night, possibly).

Initial thoughts I'll hold off on but I'm cautiously optimistic. Love the sock... :D
 
So, I checked my porch at 8:00 and I still didnt get anything so I just assumed it was coming tomorrow. I was just about to get in bed and I decided to take another look and BOOM, there it is. I brought it inside and quickly unpacked it. It is a 19 degree 3 hybrid with the stock R flex shaft in it. I will have pictures compared to my Razr X HL's and a full writeup tomorrow. Thank you again Callaway Golf, THP, Josh, Morgan, and all of the tremendous members of THP that make these forum testings possible.
 
So, I checked my porch at 8:00 and I still didnt get anything so I just assumed it was coming tomorrow. I was just about to get in bed and I decided to take another look and BOOM, there it is. I brought it inside and quickly unpacked it. It is a 19 degree 3 hybrid with the stock R flex shaft in it. I will have pictures compared to my Razr X HL's and a full writeup tomorrow. Thank you again Callaway Golf, THP, Josh, Morgan, and all of the tremendous members of THP that make these forum testings possible.

Awesome!!! Surprises are nice sometimes aren't they...

And thank you for reminding me to pay homage to crew(s) at THP and Callaway Golf for such a wonderful opportunity to test, evaluate and give feedback on what is sure to be a fantastic product!
 
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