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Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 Driver Review Thread

SuperStroke
tequila4kapp said:
Can I get some feedback on lateral vs horizontal forgiveness. In particular, is horizontal forgiveness adversely affected by the gravity core (relative to other forgiving drivers w/out core functionality)? I generally keep it in the center of the face but miss up and down, and I'm wondering how that type of miss would do with this driver.
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Lateral vs Vertical I assume you mean?

Lateral/horizontal is phenomenal. Seriously likely the best driver I've tested in that area. As for vertical, its solid also, but the core location will effect how much, when its up, its better there, when its down its better there...and I say this having tracked ball speeds on those misses with the core in each location. Either way, it is very very good up and down as well, just not AS good as laterally IMO.
 
Spring182 said:
Tee time booked for saturday for some 815 goodness! Weather will be Beautiful!
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Not out west my Saturday tee time is off too much rain coming this weekend
 
Playing tomorrow, excited to give some more feedback on the 815
 
Trevor68 said:
Wouldnt the core make the 815 more forgiving than the XR since it allows you to put the weight where you usually miss?
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That really might come down to a matter of what someone defines as "forgiveness".

The core helps match the CG to where you tend to make contact to help get closer to your optimal launch, but to me 'forgiving' is about MOI and drop in ballspeed across the face.

Not to say there's zero effect on MOI by moving it, but I don't think it's huge. Now when I change core positions, there's definitely a difference in feel.
 
Jman said:
Lateral vs Vertical I assume you mean?

Lateral/horizontal is phenomenal. Seriously likely the best driver I've tested in that area. As for vertical, its solid also, but the core location will effect how much, when its up, its better there, when its down its better there...and I say this having tracked ball speeds on those misses with the core in each location. Either way, it is very very good up and down as well, just not AS good as laterally IMO.
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Thanks, buddy. I'm having a rough morning :)
 
tequila4kapp said:
Thanks, buddy. I'm having a rough morning :)
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Apparently I am right there with you Frank. I responded to your post and used horizontal as well without thinking about it but I knew what you meant. Went back and edited it after James set us straight.
 
My experience with the club is that forgiveness is very good, certain areas are better than others.

Lateral forgiveness - I find it to be exceptional. My miss tends to be on the toe and I don't see ANY loss of distance, just a slightly increased draw spin. If you do miss heel, the feeling is not as pleasant and the distance loss is minimal.

Vertical forgiveness - This is where I see the greatest difference. Missing near the top is a great miss with this club, the launch increases slightly but shots near the top just seem to hang in the air forever. You can feel that you missed it but the ball just travels and travels. Missing low is a different story. While still forgiving, misses low tend not to feel very good and distance is affected.

Overall the forgiveness is top notch, simply better in certain areas for me. If you have to miss this bad boy, miss it high toe and watch the ball fly.
 
Jman said:
Lateral vs Vertical I assume you mean?

Lateral/horizontal is phenomenal. Seriously likely the best driver I've tested in that area. As for vertical, its solid also, but the core location will effect how much, when its up, its better there, when its down its better there...and I say this having tracked ball speeds on those misses with the core in each location. Either way, it is very very good up and down as well, just not AS good as laterally IMO.
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No reason to type out a reply when he nailed it.

Best I've ever played laterally. Haven't messed with core to see how it is horizontal with changes but I have had quite a feel bottom groove (thin) misses that still split the fairway with fairly minimal distance loss.
 
This driver confirmed every single thing I put in my review today. It really is just something else, I cannot get over the lateral forgiveness and native launch of the head, I really can't.
 
Jman said:
This driver confirmed every single thing I put in my review today. It really is just something else, I cannot get over the lateral forgiveness and native launch of the head, I really can't.
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I know I should probably have caught this somewhere in this thread, but with this head seemingly spinning a bit less than the '14 Bertha, have you had to change shaft characteristics or shaft preference to compensate, or do you find you can get similar results between the two heads with the same shaft with just a specific gravity core setup?

I really want to get an 815 Alpha before long, but I fear I won't find a combo fitted as well as my Bertha/661 without repeating a high-end fitting specifically to the 815.
 
adwillingham said:
I know I should probably have caught this somewhere in this thread, but with this head seemingly spinning less than the '14 Bertha, have you had to change shaft characteristics or shaft preference to compensate, or do you find you can get similar results between the two heads with the same shaft with just a specific gravity core setup?

I really want to get an 815 Alpha before long, but I fear I won't find a combo fitted as well as my Bertha/661 without repeating a high-end fitting specifically to the 815.
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Definitely lower spinning (not a TON more IMO, but def lower) and launches much higher for me. I hit it head to head with my bertha at the same setting and shaft and the flight is higher with more carry and total distance. I've not had to change characteristics, but everyone's mileage could definitely vary.

Its more forgiving than Bertha Donne. It is.
 
Jman said:
This driver confirmed every single thing I put in my review today. It really is just something else, I cannot get over the lateral forgiveness and native launch of the head, I really can't.
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Hearing things like this make so eager to get mine. Should be here Monday and I can hammer balls at the range into the 4 feet of snow we currently have.
 
Jman said:
Definitely lower spinning (not a TON more IMO, but def lower) and launches much higher for me. I hit it head to head with my bertha at the same setting and shaft and the flight is higher with more carry and total distance. I've not had to change characteristics, but everyone's mileage could definitely vary.

Its more forgiving than Bertha Donne. It is.
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Thanks buddy...similar spin with a higher launch could be really good for me since I have noticed the Bertha launching a bit low at times. It will be a mere matter of weeks before I get one, just trying to finalize thoughts on which shaft I want to get (the 661 is staying around and will be tried in the head regardless)...thinking Rogue Silver or Red Tie right now.
 
adwillingham said:
Thanks buddy...similar spin with a higher launch could be really good for me since I have noticed the Bertha launching a bit low at times. It will be a mere matter of weeks before I get one, just trying to finalize thoughts on which shaft I want to get (the 661 is staying around and will be tried in the head regardless)...thinking Rogue Silver or Red Tie right now.
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It spins less, I don't think it's as much as some do, but with the launch, it allows people to cash in on that lower spin. More launch and lower spin means more distance, it has done this for me for sure.
 
And don't sleep on the S+ Donne.
 
Jman said:
This driver confirmed every single thing I put in my review today. It really is just something else, I cannot get over the lateral forgiveness and native launch of the head, I really can't.
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I know you have hit both so how would you compare the 815 forgiveness with the V series?
 
I am itching to get out on the course with this and provide my own mini review / thoughts....sub 15* weather and snow doesn't mix well with golf weather....

However for the times I went to the simulator with this club in love the feedback it gives you. You can usually tell where on the fave you made contact and when you got it on the screws it is just heavenly. I was missing it high on the face and out on the toe last time I took it out.

On the simulator high on the face as was stated earlier the ball just stays up in the air with some distance loss.

And as for a toe hit while didn't feel as nice as a dead-center shot, the distance loss was very small.....

Tap tap taparoo
 
Barberakb said:
I know you have hit both so how would you compare the 815 forgiveness with the V series?
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Similar for sure, biggest thing is the V-Series spins and launches more.
 
Just got home and this was waiting for me at the door!






Big shout out and thank you to Callaway for the first class customer service and sending me this driver as a warranty replacement for my RAZR Fit driver!

I am heading to the Range down the street later this afternoon to rent some LM time to get her dialed in before tomorrows first test on the course.
 
You're going to see a WORLD of difference from the RAZR Fit IMO, in a very good way.
 
Jman said:
You're going to see a WORLD of difference from the RAZR Fit IMO, in a very good way.
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Agreed. That was what I came from and the 815 dominates on all levels. Prepare to loft down.
 
Rough first go around with the 815 this afternoon on the LM. I'm still going to put it in play tomorrow and see how she does on the course. Hopefully I can get things sorted out with on the range before tee off.
 
I still have my Razr Fit as a backup, but the 815's a different feeling stick. Don't be surprised if it takes some tinkering to get it dialed in.

I had last year's Alpha and by comparison that one was set and forget. I'm still playing around with the 815.
 
Think I may have found my groove today with 9 grams in toe and 3 grams in heel. Plenty of nice pleasing slight draws and only one hook. That is huge for me. Will give it a second go round tomorrow. Keeping everything else at stock settings at this point.
 
Sox Fan said:
Think I may have found my groove today with 9 grams in toe and 3 grams in heel. Plenty of nice pleasing slight draws and only one hook. That is huge for me. Will give it a second go round tomorrow. Keeping everything else at stock settings at this point.
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Do you also put an open face setting in the adaptor?
 
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