Equipment

Callaway Great Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha 816 Fairway Woods

Published

11 years ago

Aug 4, 2015

Callaway’s Great Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha 816 fairway woods were designed to make the game easier for an overwhelming majority of the golfing population, yet still deliver tailored performance for special cases. The trick was designing two distinct club heads that covered the needs of most golfers, and then adding enough models and adjustability to account for everyone else.

Typical users of the Great Big Bertha are those who want their shots to fly higher and straighter, while the Big Bertha Alpha 816 targets golfers who want maximum distance or the ability to adjust their launch conditions.

Here’s what else you need to know about the fairway woods.

Big Bertha Alpha 816 ($279)

Lofts: 14 and 16 degrees (RH, LH), 18 degrees (RH only)
Shaft: Aldila Rogue I/O 70 (R, S, X), Mitsubishi Rayon D+ 70 (S, X)
Length: 43 inches
In stores: September 18

There’s a reason the Big Bertha Alpha 816 fairway wood doesn’t have the words Double Black Diamond in its name. Unlike the Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond driver, you don’t need to be an accomplished golfer to use it.

The Alpha 816 has a matte black crown and no alignment aid, giving it the clean look at address most better players prefer.

[quote_box_center]“The Alpha 816 driver is for the better player, but the fairway wood is not,” said Evan Gibbs, Manager of Product Performance for Callaway. “It can be configured for the best players, but it’s arguably our best performing fairway wood for everyone.”[/quote_box_center]

The Alpha 816 fairway woods can work for two different types of golfers because of their dual center of gravity (CG) positions, which are made possible by two weights that can be installed in either of the two weight ports on the sole of the clubs. One of the weights is heavy (16 grams), while the other is light (3 grams).

Higher or lower? The Alpha 816 offers golfers two different trajectories.

Position the heavy weight in the back weight port (the one farthest from the club face), and the club will have a rearward CG that will create maximum forgiveness on off-center hits and a higher peak trajectory. Flip the orientation of the weights, and the club will have a forward CG for a flatter, lower-spinning trajectory that creates the potential for more distance. While forward-CG fairway woods are not as forgiving as rearward-CG designs, they can bring previously unreachable par-4s or par-5s into range, and they also tend to be more workable if you’re a shot shaper.

Looking for more distance? Try moving the weight forward.

Last year’s Big Bertha Alpha 815 fairway wood from Callaway also had two CG positions, but Gibbs said there was room for improvement. The 815’s club head was smaller, so there was less space between the weight ports. The weights themselves were also different – one was 30 grams, and the other was 3 grams. Feedback from tour players was that trajectory differences were too extreme: the forward-weight position launched the ball too low, while the rear-weight position launched the ball with too much spin.

The Alpha 816 (left) is 15 cc smaller than the Great Big Bertha fairway wood, which measures 180 cc.

The fix began with a larger club head, which allowed engineers create more separation between the weights. Then they went about optimizing the trajectory of each CG location, which was aided by the addition of a Forged Composite Crown. The lighter structure, which is a first in a Callaway fairway wood, allowed engineers to move several grams of weight lower in the club head to create a higher launch and less spin. That’s a win-win for fairway wood design.

The Big Bertha Alpha 816 fairway woods measure about 165 cubic centimeters, depending on loft. They use Callaway’s Forged Hyper Speed Face Cup, the same technology found in the company’s XR fairway woods — top-rated clubs on our 2015 Gear Trials: Best Fairway Woods list.

Great Big Bertha ($249)

Lofts: 3 Wood (15.5), 5 Wood (18), 7 Wood (21), Heavenwood (20.5), Divine 9 (24)
Stock Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Black (50-gram range: L, R, S, X)
Length: 43 inches
In stores: August 28

The Great Big Bertha fairway woods are designed for golfers whose needs aren’t complicated; they want to hit their fairway woods higher and straighter more often.

A low profile helps the Great Big Bertha launch the ball higher and makes shots from the turf easier.

To that end, the Great Big Bertha is Callaway’s most forgiving fairway wood. It’s large, lightweight, and has a low profile that makes it easy-to-hit from a variety of lies. It’s also designed to fly higher than the Big Bertha Alpha 816, offering the higher launch angle and additional spin that will lead to longer carry distances for golfers with slower swing speeds.

[quote_box_center]“Great Big Bertha is spinnier than XR, and probably our ‘spinniest’ fairway wood,” Gibbs said. “We don’t see these clubs being used by our best players or high swing speed players.”[/quote_box_center]

Great Big Bertha fairways uses Callaway’s Forged Hyper Speed Face Cup for maximum ball speed across the face.

In the spirit of helping non-elite golfers hit better shots, Callaway made the Great Big Bertha in a unique configuration called a “Heavenwood,” which has the loft of a 7 wood but the length and head size of a 4 wood.

The Heavenwood’s 20.5-degree loft offers golfers a higher launch angle, while the larger head and longer shaft create more forgiveness and swing speed. In the past, the model has been a popular one for golfers who have slow swings, as well as those who struggle to get their fairway woods airborne.

The Great Big Bertha 3 wood, 5 wood and Heavenwood use Callaway’s Advanced Opti-Fit adjustable hosel, which gives golfers a 3-degree loft range and two independent lie angles. The 7 Wood and Divine 9 are not adjustable.

Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game.

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag.

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026.

Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly.

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo. 4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades. 5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft. Standard Length, Lie and Lofts. These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me. Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules