The Takeaway
The Big Bertha Alpha 815 sort of reminded me of the XR Pro shape. A smaller, tapered head that features a higher, box-shaped toe that tapers off towards the heel area, but with less offset. This is a very successful shape used by Callaway, especially with lower handicap players. It also features their OptiFit system and a low, forward sole weight to reduce spin. The head is a clean, all-black colorway and sets up to the ball very square.
Who’s it for?
Callaway has the lower to mid-lower handicap player in mind, to even a mid-level handicap that might have issues hooking their hybrids. The shape, design and features also seem to really fit the needs of the more “techie-type” players.
Final Take
Like the XR Pro, I had huge issues with the 815 Alpha Big Bertha. With the 23-degree head that I tried, my spin rate was too high and created a very high launch angle. As a result, my distance suffered greatly. Much like the distance control, my dispersion was very good, however the distance was too close to the distance of my 5 iron for my liking. I also got the same feeling that the club really sat upright in my hands like the XR Pro version. My guess is that I needed more time dialing this head in via the OptiFit system to see better results.
Bob Gomavitz
Latest posts by Bob Gomavitz (see all)
- Expert Review: Cobra King F8 Woods - January 12, 2018
- PING G400 EXPERT REVIEW - July 14, 2017
- Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic & Sub Zero Woods - February 7, 2017
