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Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver Preview Thead

SuperStroke
I hit this on the monitor last night. Can't really comment too much on the accuracy element, but it does continue to shock me just how strong the ball speed numbers are for this particular head. I think of all the added elements, the increased ball speed might be the biggest impression the 816 DBD has made for me.
 
Just bought 816 DBD 10.5 / Rogue 110 i/o 70x ($268 e-bay deal). Not too sure how the shaft will cpm, at but should be fairly accurate at high 78g. I have a bunch of shafts from my 815 to test also.

I am keen on the additional 45% more forgiveness over the 815, as for the thinner face, I hope it feels less solid, and more like...say G30.

FWIW: I went with 816 DBD over the M1 as reports that the M1 feels too solid / brick like, this I cant stand and it makes me swing harder or opt for a smoother / softer shaft. I like a little sweet spot feeling at impact, and a cup face has to have more by design...
 
It'll be interesting to hear your thoughts... Based on profile alone, I don't think the DBD and the G30 can go hand in hand. It's just too compact.
 
I have heard this a few times. About the 815 to 816 on much more forgiveness in the clubhead. Is this quite standard ,or certain players are seeing this? I can stripe my 815,haven't seen many bad shots from it

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kc720 said:
Stay tuned to the mp. When my udesign arrives in few weeks I'll have a 9° posted for good price :)
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Kang, I really wish I hadn't read this. The last thing I need to spend money on is a new driver, but after reading this thread I'm not sure I'll be able to resist.
 
Jaysfan said:
I have heard this a few times. About the 815 to 816 on much more forgiveness in the clubhead. Is this quite standard ,or certain players are seeing this? I can stripe my 815,haven't seen many bad shots from it

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It pertains to how the 816 dbd is more forgiving than the 815 dbd, not the 815 alpha.
 
kc720 said:
It pertains to how the 816 dbd is more forgiving than the 815 dbd, not the 815 alpha.
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Ah gotcha Kang, I love my 815. And as you know that driver is something wicked for me.

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Canadan said:
I don't think so, especially not with the core in the toe.
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Do you mean that even with the weight in the toe, it still isnt that fade biased?
 
Jaysfan said:
I have heard this a few times. About the 815 to 816 on much more forgiveness in the clubhead. Is this quite standard ,or certain players are seeing this? I can stripe my 815,haven't seen many bad shots from it

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I personally have not seen any additional forgiveness with the 816 over the 815. However I consider the 815 to be an extremely forgiving driver and wasn't expecting to see much in the way of additional forgiveness. What the 816 seems to be giving me is a better ball flight to my eye. I still haven't had a chance to compare numbers.
 
Went to the range with 816 / Rogue i/o 110 70x.

It felt like it has no mass behind the ball like 815. I did get some good shots that went long. Weight in the toe big pushes, just cant play it there period, well unless I turn it down or adjust my swing. It did feel best there in terms of impact solidness, weight in the heal I got bigger draws than 815. I was very tired swinging and was struggling to connect from yard work.
I tried my 815 shaft ( Elements Fire 6F5 ) same thing. The best combo was the 816 Rogue shaft in my 815 head. If this keeps up I will be going to G30LS...

Out to play today with Rogue i/o 70x with 815 head, I don't have the confidence yet to game 816 head... Perhaps I need more time grooving 816...wish the head two gravity cores at half weight to balance the head more...I may try no core and lead tape left n right sole to get my preferred weighting...(some ideas)...I need more range time for sure to be conclusive on this head. The 815 has more 'bang'... perhaps I need a slightly softer shaft with 816 Hmmm
 
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ProZoneGolf said:
Went to the range with 816 / Rogue i/o 110 70x.

It felt like it has no mass behind the ball like 815. I did get some good shots that went long. Weight in the toe big pushes, just cant play it there period, well unless I turn it down or adjust my swing. It did feel best there in terms of impact solidness, weight in the heal I got bigger draws than 815. I was very tired swinging and was struggling to connect from yard work.
I tried my 815 shaft ( Elements Fire 6F5 ) same thing. The best combo was the 816 Rogue shaft in my 815 head. If this keeps up I will be going to G30LS...

Out to play today with Rogue i/o 70x with 815 head, I don't have the confidence yet to game 816 head... Perhaps I need more time grooving 816...wish the head two gravity cores at half weight to balance the head more...I may try no core and lead tape left n right sole to get my preferred weighting...(some ideas)...I need more range time for sure to be conclusive on this head. The 815 has more 'bang'... perhaps I need a slightly softer shaft with 816 Hmmm
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I found my 816 to have a lower swingweight than my 815. The 816 didn't come alive until I added some lead to make them the same. D-5 for both now.
 
Galen Marek said:
I found my 816 to have a lower swingweight than my 815. The 816 didn't come alive until I added some lead to make them the same. D-5 for both now.
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Just able to feel the head better?
 
blugold said:
Just able to feel the head better?
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Extra tape might also serve another purpose on this one right? It would provide some offset to the design which essentially mandates that you choose one way or the other to make the head laterally unbalanced.
 
Daddio said:
Extra tape might also serve another purpose on this one right? It would provide some offset to the design which essentially mandates that you choose one way or the other to make the head laterally unbalanced.
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But that design has been the same now for a while.

And sure, I could see the lead tape changing the balance depending where it was applied. But the post I quote specifically mentioned the swing weight. Which isn't really about face balance.
 
blugold said:
But that design has been the same now for a while.

And sure, I could see the lead tape changing the balance depending where it was applied. But the post I quote specifically mentioned the swing weight. Which isn't really about face balance.
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Right that is true, I was catching up on the thread and there was another post just above the one you quoted lamenting there wasn't an option for a pair of half weight cores to better balance the head. Was just trying to kill two birds.
 
Daddio said:
Right that is true, I was catching up on the thread and there was another post just above the one you quoted lamenting there wasn't an option for a pair of half weight cores to better balance the head. Was just trying to kill two birds.
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Right. But there are ways to balance the dead. Close the face and put the weight in the toe. At the same time, I bet spare gravity cores can be bought. Throw one in the otherside, boom, balanced. I think.
 
blugold said:
Just able to feel the head better?
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That's exactly what I'm going for. For both tennis and golf I've always preferred higher swingweights so I can have a better awareness of the head and I like to think a heavier head smooths out the stroke as well be it a racquet, putter or driver.
 
Galen Marek said:
That's exactly what I'm going for. For both tennis and golf I've always preferred higher swingweights so I can have a better awareness of the head and I like to think a heavier head smooths out the stroke as well be it a racquet, putter or driver.
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Interesting. Not saying what's wrong or right. I have no idea what the swing weights of any if my clubs is. But Jack Nicklaus believed the opposite as you. There are also complete product lines, and companies, dedicated to low swing weights.
 
blugold said:
Right. But there are ways to balance the dead. Close the face and put the weight in the toe. At the same time, I bet spare gravity cores can be bought. Throw one in the otherside, boom, balanced. I think.
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A weight in one side or the other with an empty chamber just doesn't seem right. Not that I freelance as an engineer or anything. But if there were some kind of reduced weight gravity core for the "non-essential" chamber I'd feel more comfortable in my head.
 
Galen Marek said:
A weight in one side or the other with an empty chamber just doesn't seem right. Not that I freelance as an engineer or anything. But if there were some kind of reduced weight gravity core for the "non-essential" chamber I'd feel more comfortable in my head.
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I'm not an engineer either, but I can name a bunch of clubs from a bunch of OEMs that are intentionally unbalanced. I am also of the simple camp, I trust the engineers tried it and selected the design they did for a reason. It's not wrong or bad to question it, I just trust the people who got paid to design it.
 
blugold said:
Interesting. Not saying what's wrong or right. I have no idea what the swing weights of any if my clubs is. But Jack Nicklaus believed the opposite as you. There are also complete product lines, and companies, dedicated to low swing weights.
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Trust me, I have nothing to back up most of anything I say be it in golf or life. I think it goes back to my Yonex days. Their PPS shafted woods (Rekin Super II series) and PM wedges had extremely high swingweights and those are my all time favorite clubs. I just loved the heft and I hit them really well.
 
Galen Marek said:
Trust me, I have nothing to back up most of anything I say be it in golf or life. I think it goes back to my Yonex days. Their PPS shafted woods (Rekin Super II series) and PM wedges had extremely high swingweights and those are my all time favorite clubs. I just loved the heft and I hit them really well.
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No need to defend it, brother. Everybody is different and different things make us comfortable with our clubs. That's awesome and celebrated here.
 
blugold said:
No need to defend it, brother. Everybody is different and different things make us comfortable with our clubs. That's awesome and celebrated here.
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That's why I dig this place.

I placed the lead in the rear of the head central just hoping to increase the swingweight. I don't think it is enough to change the ball flight but for me with a D-3 swingweight the 816 was on her way out. With the lead tape she's hit some drives I'm pretty sure the 815 has never seen.

I think I posted this earlier but...

337D1889-38D2-4831-8065-0EC4842AEAD9_zpsv4bmehzy.jpg
 
Galen Marek said:
A weight in one side or the other with an empty chamber just doesn't seem right. Not that I freelance as an engineer or anything. But if there were some kind of reduced weight gravity core for the "non-essential" chamber I'd feel more comfortable in my head.
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I'm with you on this GM. It's not bashing the line of clubs as the '14BBA and 815DBD are two of very few heads that perform in the upper echelon for me and my swing. The 816 design, with no way to bias toward the center, just doesn't feel comfortable in my head either.
 
Daddio said:
I'm with you on this GM. It's not bashing the line of clubs as the '14BBA and 815DBD are two of very few heads that perform in the upper echelon for me and my swings. The 816 design, with no way to bias toward the center, just doesn't feel comfortable in my head either.
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But those two clubs you mentioned, the 14ABBA and the 815DBD were not balanced either. That's just where I'm getting lost.
 
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