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Callaway Great Big Bertha Driver Review Thread

SuperStroke
Still enjoying this head a lot. Kang was going to take a little off the tip for me and have never played a shaft that was trimmed to play 46" from the tip alone...haha. It was my awesome green custom Project THP shaft. We think he turned a red into a black...genius...lol. Thanks my friend...it turned out great!

Tried to make it animal style but it's just a bit to heavy I think. Will probably mess with positioning at the range sometime. If it doesn't work out I will have an extra weight if someone would be interested.
 
J4U said:
Tried to make it animal style but it's just a bit to heavy I think. Will probably mess with positioning at the range sometime. If it doesn't work out I will have an extra weight if someone would be interested.
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Oh, so interested if someone doesn't already have dibs!
 
JB said:
That's awesome misike. Something to be said with the fitting and putting it in play. Then coming back 2 months later and seeing the same success.
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Very true. This is the most confident I've been with a driver in a long time. I was worried with the long layoff but it was like I never skipped a beat.
 
You know, there is just something silly comfortable about this driver for me. Yes, I like to try different things, yes, I like to tinker. But it NEVER fails that when I put this beast back in my hands as fit from the ECPC that FUN is about to unfold. I hit it silly well this past week and a half before getting teeth cut out.

Looking forward to really seeing how it continues to measure up against everything else, as I've still not found one that can topple it all around for me.
 
I hit a couple monstrous drives with my GBB on Thursday. I've seriously never been happier with a driver!
 
mr.hicksta said:
I hit a couple monstrous drives with my GBB on Thursday. I've seriously never been happier with a driver!
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Sound. Looks. Launch. Distance. It really does do it all.
 
You guys are very helpful, in a dangerous sort of way. I ordered a 10.5 degree GBB today with a midsize grip on a stiff Kuro Kage Black TiNi 50 Graphite shaft. The bad news is I spent more on this driver than my last two and about ten days after I replaced my irons. The good news is it's my first fitted driver, and it shows.

I know I can't buy a swing, and I have committed to improve my mechanics. I view the GBB as a platform that is robust enough to help me now and later. Here is what you guys helped high handicapper me to realize:

1. If you don't know what you are doing, trying something off a big box rack or online, or settling for what's left in the closeout section, is a false economy. You might get lucky - and I have on occasion, but you probably won't.
2. You can learn what you are doing and, properly applied, you can build a lot of flexibility if you choose the right platform for you. That includes asking for help.
3. Just as you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find an heir to the throne, so too do you need to read, ask, listen, and research before you hit. And then hit a lot. Hit everything you think might work and a few you're doubting. On a sim or launch monitor to get some ideas and eliminate some obvious poor candidates. Repeat until you are comfortable you have a few choices. Most importantly, take your finalists to a range with a reputable fitter to see what works best for you. I know a lot of places do not fit outdoors, but it was really enlightening to see which flight paths resembled those on the sim - and which did not.

Theoretically, I should have wound up with one of the most forgiving drivers - one of the Cobras or Pings. But as Yogi Berra observed, "In theory, there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is." Seeing was believing. And believing begets confidence, to the point that believing is seeing.

So how did I get here? I started out thinking I could buy a Fly-Z cheap, maybe with a shaft upgrade, and be ahead vs my Ping G15. I compared the Fly-Z to my G15 and several flavors of the G30 and G drivers. They all went about the same distance, but the Fly-Z yielded a tighter pattern. The newer Pings yielded much poorer dispersion in my hands. The Fly-Z was better, but I didn't feel better about it.

I did some more research and hit the Fly-Z against the F6, figuring what I really needed was a very forgiving driver. Again, the F6 patterns were similar to the Fly-Z, and it felt better, but it wasn't an "Oh wow!" better.

So I decided to open things up. I would consider a more expensive club if it yielded better results. If I pay $200 more for a driver and I get five years from it - not unreasonable for me - that's a maximum incremental cost of $0.40/swing, and that's if I only play 10 rounds a year. I'm doing at least twice that if I count my sim league, and that' s not accounting for fewer lost balls.

My son, a fellow golf junkie, suggested I try the Titleist 915D2. I asked him why, knowing my swing as he did, and he said a lot of his friends reported getting a lot of forgiveness from it when they tried it. So I tried the GBB and XR16, and the 915D2, and the M1 when the guy at GG said I had to try it.

The M1 was horrendous in my hands, I never felt comfortable and I sprayed the ball like Pete Rose - i.e., everywhere. But I also saw two other guys hitting it masterfully.

The XR16 was nice - better than the others I had tried, and close to something I felt would be an improvement.

The Titleist was surprisingly forgiving and a few yards longer than what I had been seeing.

The GBB was unlike anything else. It went straight, except for the worst mishits, and was a few yards longer than the pack. They had some other shafts in their demo clubs, and things really got interesting when I hit a 60g Aldila Rogue in regular flex. I was surprised to see lower spin, a few yards growing to 5-10, and extraordinary consistency. I hit seven balls and the traces of four touched, with two others close by. The seventh was my fault. But I had a level of confidence in a driver I had not seen. Ever.

At the golf center, I explained what I was thinking, had done, and had seen. His initial response was a "Yeah, I think we're gonna sell a lot of Great Big Berthas this spring." He put together a GBB at 9.5 degrees, 915D2, and F6 for me to play with. The GBB consistency continued, but the F6 and 915D2 were harder to manage. I saw nice, straight, penetrating GBB drives, with strong feedback on mishits, but with surprisingly good outcomes.The fitter came out after I had tried them and watched me hit them again. We agreed the GBB was the best fit. He worked with me a little on keeping my hip turn behind my shoulder and hands on my downswing, which yielded a 250 yard striped drive - a good fifteen yards more than I had seen. I was nearly sold.

Add to that the level of adjustability with the clubhead, and I was looking at a club that would work as my swing and game improve.

What clinched the deal was his explanation of his shaft choice. Based on my description of my swing speed (94-100 mph), misses (right), and spin and launch angle (high), and my success with the 60 g regular shaft, he felt I would be better served by a lighter, stiffer (~50 g) shaft than a heavier (~60 g), more flexible one. I'm a sucker for logic, especially when the data support it.

I have a lot of work ahead of me, and I am so looking forward to it.
 
Ok, this will be slightly limited as I was struggling today with my back and was the first time hitting balls since my lesson a couple weeks ago

I picked up my GBB 10.5 with Speeder 665 stiff shaft on Thursday but due to being off work and other plans already arranged, today was the first chance I had to get to the range with it. I adjusted the weight to the same setting it was at when I was fitted, but left the loft at 10.5 S/N for the first few hits and the very first swing produced a draw but didn't launch too well. I persevered for a few shots and then upped the loft +1 and immediately saw a difference in launch and height

There were a few bad hits in there while I was trying to get my body to work and also implement the swing changes from my lesson, but on the occasions when everything came together I was seeing some nice high draws that were getting out to around the 220-230 yard carry distance which I was very pleased to see with the cool temperature and range balls as that should hopefully see me getting to somewhere near 240-250 yards out on the course in warmer conditions

It will be a work in progress with my swing, but I am as happy now with the first few hits as I was when I was hitting it at my fitting

Fingers crossed it may get limited course time next weekend as myself and Preston are hoping to get in 9 holes on my home course par 31 (4 x par 4, 5 x par 3) to work on short game and putting, so I will be hitting it on each of the par 4 holes to see how it behaves

Can't wait to hit it again
 
The GBB...ermahgerd.
Got out yesterday in nearly 60° weather.
This was my 3rd full round with it and from the 1st tee I had nothing but confidence. And it was looooong. Played with my buddy that is routinely 20-30 yds ahead of me (I'm usually around 250...he's in the 280 yd range).
I out drove him twice and was never more than 10 yds back when we both hit good drives...which was actually the majority of the day.

I've never had this much confidence on the tee. I'm usually thinking will it go left? Will it go right? The dispersion for me crazy tight. Was in or just off the fairway pretty much the whole round.

So stoked for the summer here with this club in the bag.
 
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Well, I've got my second weight and tried it out on the range today.

I like the way it looks, and like the added weight it gives me back after cutting the shaft down to 44.5.

It's maybe not quite as long, but it feels very solid.
 

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sfdoddsy said:
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Well, I've got my second weight and tried it out on the range today.

I like the way it looks, and like the added weight it gives me back after cutting the shaft down to 44.5.

It's maybe not quite as long, but it feels very solid.
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Sounds better to me as well with both weights. Still not sure I'm a fan yet...more time needed.
 
Went and played with some awesome people on Friday and Brian was there with his Callaway tent setting up. He had built my CMB irons a couple years ago and witnessed my 21 UT head flying down the range. "It's out of warranty" he said laughing. Anywho....

Right before we were to head out for the round, I went and asked him if I could put the FujiKura Pro XLR8 TourX 71. He set it up and I took a couple swings on his flight scope...oh my. He said to wait for the Speeder version he would have soon. "That all you got?" he said. I went and looked at the numbers and said about average....haha. I would take those numbers ANY DAY.

Was going to go back after the round but didn't want to be tempted with that shaft again...looks so good and feels better.
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Next on the list to try is this one when I can find it.
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Those HZRDUS shafts are still at the top. Would like to get these two side by side.
 
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Anybody know if the mens(red) and ladies(blue) heads are the same? I'm looking for a head and honestly don't care what shaft comes in it as I've got two shafts ready at home. I prefer the blue color but only if they are the same club head.
 
Girardcorp said:
Anybody know if the mens(red) and ladies(blue) heads are the same? I'm looking for a head and honestly don't care what shaft comes in it as I've got two shafts ready at home. I prefer the blue color but only if they are the same club head.
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They're the same
 
Girardcorp said:
Thanks Philly!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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No problem. I know if I was fit to the GBB in the Grandaddy I was going to ask for the women's head. I'm a big fan of the looks of it
 
So, I plugged a SpeedRulz A-Type into this one today for grins and yeowza. I enjoy the setup I was fit to a ton, but there is something legit going on with the Speed Rulz, just a really nice feel and solid ball flight.
 
Oh, and I'll add, as much as I have had fun trying other heads lately to see what's out there, the GBB is like coming home every freaking time. Love that.
 
cbaker2882 said:
Doesn't the women's version have a lighter weight in the sole?
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Slightly. And by slightly i mean if you can tell the difference you would be the first lol
 
PhillyV said:
Slightly. And by slightly i mean if you can tell the difference you would be the first lol
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Hahah. Yeah its very small, but then again this is the internet where people are seeing differences in 3-5 grams of shaft weight.
 
JB said:
Hahah. Yeah its very small, but then again this is the internet where people are seeing differences in 3-5 grams of shaft weight.
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Ill always remember someone mentioning that at our lunch at Callaway HQ and the look on the Zoo Crews face when someone mentioned noticing a HUGE difference in 5 grams haha
 
Hit this yesterday with red tie while the shaft wasn't a fit the head felt good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jman said:
So, I plugged a SpeedRulz A-Type into this one today for grins and yeowza. I enjoy the setup I was fit to a ton, but there is something legit going on with the Speed Rulz, just a really nice feel and solid ball flight.
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I also reviewed the SpeedRulz for callaway.com community and agree. The A-Type had a definite kick and run - lots of energy.

Still enjoying the GBB. Its adjustments work well if you tend to hit toe or heel - adjusting the perimeter weighting to the side of the miss widens the sweetspot towards that side. After getting rid of most of the toe hit tendency, the fade setting does work to give you a gentle fade.
 
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