If you have been on this forum for any period of time, you have seen mention of The Grandaddy. The greatest amateur event ever created. The 2024 edition is coming and we have The Captain in @jlew and a group of forum members, but there are still spots left and you could be one of them after this contest.
It is an all expenses paid trip of a lifetime.
What’s Included
Airfare
Hotels
Club Fitting at ECPC
Full Bag of Callaway Equipment
Tour Callaway HQ
Meet R&D
Play Golf with Callaway
Play at One of the Finest Courses You Will Ever Step Foot On…THE HIDEAWAY
In a Nutshell, Everything You Could Imagine
And so much more
This contest is called “The Birth” because we are feeling a bit nostalgic today.
The Contest
Your job will be to tell us about the first Callaway golf club you ever purchased. Why did you buy it? How did it perform? What replaced it? You have 50 words or less to accomplish the task. Don’t tell us what you think we want to hear, tell us about your journey.
Qualifying
You must be a 2024 or 2025 Albatross Club Member to enter. The club is open to anybody and helps benefit a wonderful charity. Not a member and want more details? Click here to find out what the AC is all about.
How to Enter
This one involves one step and not skimming : )
1. Tell us about your Callaway Birth : )
The first Callaway golf club you ever purchased. Why did you buy it? How did it perform? What replaced it?
You only have a certain amount of words. Make them count. Then sit back and see if you get your ticket punched to the Grandaddy of em All! This one may be judged. Read the entire post.
Good luck everybody. This contest will remain open until end of day Saturday the 12th.






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It’s on, good luck entrants!
The last chance, talking about your first Callaway club! Best of luck everyone, and can’t wait to see who joins this amazing team!
Love this one, should be very interesting to hear about the journey’s and who has good reading comprehension. Let’s go!!!
*also “spots”? :unsure:
I replaced my box set driver—a glorified rake—with a Callaway XR, hoping to tap into the legacy of the ‘86 Big Bertha and find forgiveness. My slice stubbornly lingered, so instead of fixing my swing, I unfairly blamed the XR and upgraded to a Cobra LTDx. Sorry, Callaway.
I love this!!! PLEASE READ GUYS
This is the trip of a lifetime – don’t want to miss out because you didn’t take 2 minutes to read
Have to think about this one to get it under 50 words. :unsure:
*Not an entry but wanted to share my “birth.”
As a caddie in early/mid 80’s, one of my regular loops was for a guy that had Callaway Hickory Stick wedges. I thought they were just sooo cool. It put Callaway on my radar.
Skip to college in early 90’s, and my friend that worked in his local pro shop told me about this new breakthrough driver with no hosel and the shaft borne directly into the head. I bought it through him at the employee discount and the original Big Bertha driver exceeded all expectations. Clearly outperformed anything I had ever tried before. (My first graphite shaft, too!). Ever since, Callaway drivers always get the first look for me.
Let’s gooooo!
-First club was a used set of x15 irons
-Bought because I was just getting in to golf and wanted a reputable brand of clubs
-Performed great for a newbie learning the game
-Replaced with Srixon z765 in my first ever THP contest win
Excited to see who wins this and fills out the team!!
Let’s fill this squad! Get your entries in! You can’t get your ticket punch if you don’t get your write up in.
Love this one! Time to put the thinking cap on. I know what the first club ever purchased was and believe it or not it is still right here next to my desk.
[QUOTE=”jlew, post: 12653858, member: 40346″]
Love this one, should be very interesting to hear about the journey’s and who has good reading comprehension. Let’s go!!!
*also “spots”? :unsure:
[/QUOTE]
Do we get bonus teammates!?
This is a great contest – a trip down memory lane! Fun one that everyone can participate in
[QUOTE=”jlew, post: 12653858, member: 40346″]
Love this one, should be very interesting to hear about the journey’s and who has good reading comprehension. Let’s go!!!
*also “spots”? :unsure:
[/QUOTE]
Dont skim the first post of the Grandaddy thread.
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12653913, member: 3″]
Dont skim the first post of the Grandaddy thread.
[/QUOTE]
I don’t skim sir…
Awesome contest…
Best of luck to all the entrants!
I love these contests….One last spot…LFG!!!
****Entry****
I bought my 1st Callaway at a garage sale. As a beginner I figured the Big Bertha War Bird was good and I knew Arnold Palmer was a fan of Callaway, & that was good enough for me. I guess it performed ok but eventually I switched to a Taylormade.
[QUOTE=”MikeG_74, post: 12653932, member: 15992″]
….One last spot…LFG!!!
**
[/QUOTE]
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Great contest. Time to put the thinking cap on; already have some ideas on what to say.
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Good luck everyone get those entries in!
First Callaway purchase was also the first club purchase I ever made on my own. Wanted a "better" set of irons, and probably played them longer than any set before or since. Really set me off on always looking at Callaway gear first. Should put them in play this month. :unsure:
Love this contest! Good luck fellas!
[QUOTE=”MikeG_74, post: 12653932, member: 15992″]
I love these contests….One last spot…LFG!!!
[/QUOTE]
2 spots good sir! As well as one could be JB spot. We all have 2 more chances.
**ENTRY** (49 words, I counted twice … I hope college paid off)
Maverick Max 4H, great distance and dispersion that really helps my length after a tee shot to get into a scoring position. Nothing has replaced it yet, no reason to with how well it performs anywhere. Never has a club given me more confidence to hit a great shot.
[B]Callaway Big Bertha 2006 iron set[/B]: A graduation gift to myself, replacing Precept irons.
Bought off the rack at Edwin Watts. Performed well, but my first round at Panther Lake was challenging due to coquina shell waste areas, making me hesitant to use my new irons on that course initially.
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Bought a used Great Big Bertha Strong 3+ and proceeded to use that in place of my driver. Why? Consistency, distance, control. Combined with my Ping Eye 2 set, this combo was deadly for a beginner in golf. Sometimes I think about putting it back in the back!
Not an entry (so I’m not counting words, lol), but I’ll still share my Callaway birth. My very first time golfing as a teenager was with my father and sister back in the 90’s. My dad had just purchased a Callaway Heavenwood and was really enjoying the new club that round. Being my first time golfing, I wasn’t playing very well. Towards the end of the round, I asked if I could try out the new club and proceeded to hit my best shot of the day and actually par my first hole. Many years later, I bought a beginners box set of clubs and told myself if I actually start playing golf regularly, I would upgrade to some Callaway clubs. Eventually, I did just that. I started with a Great Big Bertha driver, but the next purchase was a 3 wood and a heavenwood.
[QUOTE=”jlew, post: 12653920, member: 40346″]
I don’t skim sir…
[/QUOTE]
It’s like the #1 rule, man. Don’t skim! 😀
Good luck to all that enter. Not an entry but thought I would share my 1s Callaway clubs.
First Callaway clubs I purchased were N416 irons. When I first started golf, I went to a store and hit a few irons, this set performed the best for me. Quickly after joining THP the clubs were replaced after getting fit by the Apex irons, which I still own.
My Callaway birth started with the Heavenwood 3 hybrid. I bought it because I needed a club to replace my 3 iron and absolutely enjoyed this clubs for many years. I eventually replaced the Heavenwood with a Titleist hybrid mainly because the club was pretty banged up.
***Not an entry***
I bought a Great Big Bertha driver from on my HS golf teammates when he bought his Biggest Big Bertha. It was was the largest driver I’d ever had the pleasure of swinging and I just felt like I couldn’t miss the center of the face. It stayed in my bag until I purchased my first ever new driver: the Ti Bubble 2.
[QUOTE=”jlew, post: 12653858, member: 40346″]
Love this one, should be very interesting to hear about the journey’s and who has good reading comprehension. Let’s go!!!
*also “spots”? :unsure:
[/QUOTE]
You were supposed to skim.
I’m ignoring the 50 word limit, well because this isn’t an entry, just sharing time:
My first Callaway club ever was an X-Series 3 Wood. It maybe the 3rd “real” club that I ever bought, after playing hand-me-downs and mismatched sets for years. I had bought a new driver and putter from another OEM, and figured I needed something I could hit reliably from the fairway.
It worked wonders for me on longer holes when I needed more distance, but back then I played a wicked slice. Aimed as far left as I could stand, and then would rip it back into the fairway with a slice.
What replaced it? Eventually an X2Hot 5 wood took it’s place. That X Series was in my bag for ages though, and at that stage in my golfing life, it made me feel special.
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My first Callaway purchase was an X460 Tour Driver with a Fujikura 26.3 Shaft. I bought it because I was in High School and it was $100 cheaper than the other driver I was hitting well when I tried them. I replaced it with a TaylorMade R1 in 2015.
My non entry, entry:
First Callaway club was a X-Act chipper that helped open my eyes to the bump and run. A new golfer who struggled with a wedge in my hand, this club allowed me to stay somewhat sane while golfing. Eventually replaced by a traditional 52° wedge at the ’17 Grandaddy.
The first :callaway: golf club I ever bought was a Steelhead III FW with a steel shaft, and as a new golfer, it was the coolest thing ever. The dark blue finish just popped in the sun. And that feel of the steel shaft, there’s nothing like it!
Not an entry but I want to play…
My first Callaway club that I purchased was a callaway forged wedge. I honestly dont know the model. It was chrome and had Coca Cola milled into the back. It must have been a promotional club of some kind. I purchased it off Ebay. It was a 60 degree wedge and had the original TT spinner shaft in it. I loved that wedge. It had the old box grooves and I could just throw the ball at the hole and it would stop.
My first Callaway product was the Rogue St Max. It was an absolute rocket launcher and it felt and sounded sooo good. I tried to replace with the Paradym but the Smoke kicked it out of the bag.
Last Spot Mojo…
Entry:
The 2008 Big Bertha Irons w/ the I-brids. I bought them as I thought those I-brids would help my long iron game. They did just that. They have been replaced and brought back to my bag several times and I still have them in the basement for emergency.
Good luck! This was truly an amazing event that I’m sure has gotten better.
Not an entry, but my first Callaway clubs were the Razr Fit driver and 3w. I had read good things about the driver here on THP and the 3w was included.
I was “birthed” into Callaway with one set, the X18 pro series irons. Bought because I won a custom fitting in the Callaway Performance center in Vegas. Still the best fitting experience to this day. Irons performed so well my handicap dropped 7 strokes. Replaced those irons with Apex line.
Had Callaway and Odyssey gifts and hand-me-downs decades before, but first Callaway purchase was a Rogue driver. First driver I ever bought new. It offered the forgiveness that someone of my skill level needs. I loved it. Looked great and sounded better. Replaced it with the Callaway Epic Max LS.
Recounting first big moment with Callaway. Can’t way to to see which one of you guys get your ticket punched to this amazing event.
First irons were X20 tours but the big moment was my first ever fitting at the Callaway tour truck at a local range. Got fit into a Razrhawk driver and opened my eyes to importance of fittings. My son now plays that same club as part of his starter set.
**Not an official entry, but wanted to play along**
First Callaway club was the FT-9 Tour. I fell in love with the deep face and sleek look from the top. As my first “new” driver it performed wonderfully, the shape gave me so much confidence and helped me hit bombs. I gamed it until replaced by the R11.
Good luck to everyone . Not an entry but my first Callaway club was the Original Big Bertha Driver. I still have it and marvel at how small it was.
The Big Bertha C4 was the first one my dad and I both purchased from the Callaway Store in Vegas. We both hit it well on the range and they were on sale for $99. It produced bombs and I should not have replaced it with the Big Bertha Titanium.
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 12653853, member: 3″]
If you have been on this forum for any period of time, you have seen mention of The Grandaddy. The greatest amateur event ever created. The 2024 edition is coming and we have The Captain in [URL=’https://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/index.php?members/40346/’]@jlew[/URL] and a group of forum members, but there are still spots left and you could be one of them after this contest.
[B]It is an all expenses paid trip of a lifetime.
What’s Included[/B]
Airfare
Hotels
Club Fitting at ECPC
Full Bag of Callaway Equipment
Tour Callaway HQ
Meet R&D
Play Golf with Callaway
Play at One of the Finest Courses You Will Ever Step Foot On…THE HIDEAWAY
In a Nutshell, Everything You Could Imagine
And so much more
[IMG alt=”HIDEAWAY-ESTATES-FOR-SALE-LUXURY-SOCAL-VILLAS-768×600.jpg”]https://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/index.php?attachments/hideaway-estates-for-sale-luxury-socal-villas-768×600-jpg.9208565/[/IMG]
This contest is called “The Birth” because we are feeling a bit nostalgic today.
[B][U]The Contest[/U][/B]
Your job will be to tell us about the first Callaway golf club you ever purchased. Why did you buy it? How did it perform? What replaced it? You have 50 words or less to accomplish the task. Don’t tell us what you think we want to hear, tell us about your journey.
[B][U]Qualifying[/U][/B]
You must be a 2024 or 2025 Albatross Club Member to enter. The club is open to anybody and helps benefit a wonderful charity. Not a member and want more details? [URL=’https://www.thehackersparadise.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-2025-albatross-club-is-now-open.8967139/’]Click here[/URL] to find out what the AC is all about.
[B][U]How to Enter[/U][/B]
This one involves one step and not skimming : )
1. Tell us about your Callaway Birth : )
The first Callaway golf club you ever purchased. Why did you buy it? How did it perform? What replaced it?
You only have a certain amount of words. Make them count. Then sit back and see if you get your ticket punched to the Grandaddy of em All! This one may be judged. Read the entire post.
Good luck everybody. This contest will remain open until end of day Saturday the 12th.
[URL=’https://www.thehackersparadise.com/the-birth-the-grandaddy-of-em-all-with-callaway-golf/’]See full article…[/URL]
[/QUOTE]
My first Callaway club was the Mavrick driver, which was particularly special because it was 1) the first NEW club I ever purchased, and 2) the first time I’d ever been fitted. Enjoyed it so much I later went for an iron fitting (Apex). Now I game the AI Smoke. Callaway guy.
Good luck to all the entrants, this is the opportunity of a lifetime!
Not an entry, but:
My first Callaway club was the original Big Bertha driver. It was a radical change from anything I had hit before! Looking back at it now it seems so tiny, but at the time it was a huge driver. No idea what I replaced it with, too many years ago!
First Callaway club I purchased was the X Hot Pro driver. I won a contest here at THP for a fitting by Golftec and the X Hot Pro was the winner. It was replaced by a J40 driver I received as part of the Morgan Cup.
My first Callaway club was the RAZR Fit Extreme 3wood. Forged composite crown with hosel adjustability was really awesome. I sold it because a THPer was looking for a RFE 3w. I jumped on the deep fairway trend with a Titleist 913F.d – not the right type of club for me.