New from Callaway: Big Bertha Alpha 816 Driver and Fairways
04 Aug 2015
by Rusty Cage
see also: Equipment Reviews
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Impressive distance and total control
with Callaway's new driver and fairway woods
When it comes to designing drivers for
accomplished players with high swing speeds,
Callaway has been knocking it out of the park
ever since they first revealed their innovative
Gravity Core technology almost two years ago.
But if you think you’ve seen everything the
Gravity Core is able to do in a driver, you better
think again.
Available this September, Callaway’s new
Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond
driver is set to deliver even more crazy
distance than the current model which is
already recognized as one of the longest big
sticks in the game. The new Dual Distance
Chambers will allow the Gravity Core to be
positioned in multiple ways to achieve the exact
ball flight you’re looking for. Along with the new
driver, Callaway is releasing a Big Bertha Alpha
816 fairway wood. Adjustable weights and a
Tour-preferred center of gravity location make
it the one of the most advanced woods ever
offered by Callaway.
Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double
Black Diamond Driver
Up until now, all pre-existing Big Bertha
Alpha drivers were built with a single Gravity
Core port in the center of the club’s sole.
Flipping the weight up or down controlled the
amount of total spin the driver produced while
also influencing the level of forgiveness (MOI).
Callaway did away with the single center
port in the new Alpha 816 model. Instead, the
Double Black Diamond driver features Dual
Distance Chambers located at opposite ends of
each other - one near the toe, the other near
the heel. Inserting the Gravity Core into one
port over the other will have an affect on your
shot shape. If you prefer a neutral ball flight or
even a slight fade, use the port on the toe side
of the club. Players who prefer to draw the ball
use the chamber in the heel. According to Evan
Gibbs, Callaway’s Senior R&D Woods Manager,
the difference in dispersion between the draw
and neutral settings is about 14 yards.
“In previous Alpha models, we had
interchangeable heel and toe weights and one
chamber in the middle of the club head,” said
Gibbs. “In this model, we’ve eliminated the
weight screws and added a second chamber so
that the gravity core can be used to move the
center of gravity both up and down and side to
side. This was a much more weight efficient
way to design the driver and really helped us
push the performance to new levels.”
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Need for Speed:
The
new Big
Bertha Alpha 816 driver |
Just to be clear, the actual orientation of
the Gravity Core (heavy end up or down) still
effects the center of gravity location and
influences spin. Most players opt to play with
the core down for maximum backspin reduction
which is one of the unmistakable reasons why
this driver is filthy long. Interestingly enough,
what Callaway has discovered in developing the
Gravity Core and working with some of the
world’s best players is that substantial
performance gains can be made when a driver’s
CG location compliments a player’s primary
impact location.
“We’ve seen through our fitting of tour
players that a significant gain in ball speed can
be made by better aligning the center of gravity
with your impact location,” said Gibbs. “For
example, if you tend to hit high on the face,
then a higher CG will give you more ball speed,
a higher smash factor, and potentially more
distance.”
Needless to say, the Alpha 816 Double
Black Diamond driver is configured to benefit
the most highly-skilled golfers among us. As
Gibbs points out, “it’s for players who tend to
have fairly consistent and efficient swings but
are looking to fine-tune their trajectory, ball
speed and shot shape to optimize distance and
control.”
Key Features:
- Dual Distance
Chambers help fine tune shot-shape
while maximizing your ball speed and total
distance.
- R*MOTO
Technology allows Callaway to save
discretionary weight and provide a structure for
a thinner face, leading to high ball speeds
across the face.
- A Deeper Face and
Traditional Shape are exactly what
better players covet. The driver is designed
with an open face angle, a matte black finish
free of distractions, and a low CG location
encourages workability and extreme distance
off the tee.
- OptiFit
Adjustability lets you dial in your loft
and face angle to better fit your swing.
The Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond
driver (MSRP $499.99) will be available for
retail on September 18th. The Aldila Rogue I/O
60 and Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 shafts come
standard. Multiple aftermarket shafts will be
available at no upcharge.
Big Bertha Alpha 816 Fairway
Wood
If you’re a good golfer who wants a long
distance fairway wood with advanced shot-
shaping control, look no further. The Big Bertha
Alpha 816 fairway wood features an ultra-thin
Forged Hyper Speed Face Cup to help retain
ball speeds all across the face, even on off-
center strikes.
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Callaway's new fairway
wood
features advanced shot-shaping capability
|
Callaway’s new fairway wood also comes
with a pair of adjustable weights (3 grams and
16 grams) that can be configured to your
playing style. This way, you can either use this
fairway wood as a driver-replacement off the
tee or adjust it to be more playable and
forgiving from the fairway.
Key Features:
- Cup Face
Technology delivers impressive ball
speeds all across the face.
- Tour Preferred CG
Positions allows you to reposition the
adjustable weights to suit your playing style.
Adjustable CG allows you to manipulate the
club’s total spin, launch angle and level of
forgiveness.
- Modern Shape and Sole
Design provides control from a
variety of lies while the matte black finish
provides an uncluttered look at address.
- OptiFit
Adjustability lets you add or take off
loft, or adjust the lie angle to fit your swing.
Like the new driver, the Big Bertha Alpha
816 fairway wood will be available for purchase
on September 18th. It will come in three
standard lofts (14, 16 and 18 degrees) and will
retail for $299.99. The Aldila Rogue I/O 70
shaft (four flexes) comes standard.