First Hit: Callaway V Series driver

Published:

Callaway’s new Big Bertha V Series driver is the lightest club it has ever made. It’s built for distance by allowing you to swing it faster. Similar in concept to the Optiforce driver we saw last year, the 460cc driver features a super-lightweight grip and shaft, lightweight head materials and aerodynamic shape, all contributing to its “Speed Optimised Technology”.

One unique feature of the V Series drivers is how the design is optimised as the lofts progress. The two higher-lofted options weigh 290g (20g lighter than the standard Big Bertha), while the lowest lofted 9.5° driver has a total weight of 300g. It also has a lower CG location which is better-suited to the low loft. The drivers also boast a forged composite crown, Hyper Speed Face and Callaway’s OptiFit adjustable hosel. 

Callaway V Series driver face

Dr Alan Hocknell, Head of R&D, Callaway, said: “When designing a driver for speed, we’re talking about improving the kinetic energy of the club, taking that extra energy and transferring it to the ball. We needed to lower the weight without reducing the club’s mass too much, so we also reduced the amount of aerodynamic drag created in the swing.”

We took the 9° stiff model with a Speeder 565 shaft (RRP: £299) to Thorpewood Golf Club in Peterborough (www.thorpewood.com) to see how it performed against the standard Big Bertha launched late last year. 

- Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us.