Price: £449
Golfmagic has had one of the first opportunities to review the latest Callaway Fusion driver - at a demonstration day for the media at the Santa Clara Golf Course in Marbella, Spain. It is due to be released in the UK on January 1.
Our Helen Dawson, a South African-born 18-handicapper, and only 5ft 2in., was excited about the performance of driver, especially as it has already achieved success in the hands of Women's World No.1 Annika Sorenstam.
Callaway's sales team told her that cup-face construction of the head makes the clubface stronger in key, high-stress areas and is even 'tuned' to create that powerful and distinctive metallic sound at impact.
The 11- and 12-degree models have more weight positioned in the heel and with a slightly closed face angle to help higher-handicappers square the clubface at impact and reduce slicing.
Says Helen: "Callaway have put a lot of effort into the aesthetics of the club. 'Fusion' - identified by the golf V on the sole - describes the fusion between a carbon 'weave' composite and titanium in the club face.
"The club looks good, quite sleek with the carbon weave club face. It's very light and easy to swing. And yet it felt balanced which made it easy enough to adjust to the club, and control the swing.
"I felt the power of this club with the very first ball I hit - one of the new HX Tour 'black' balls. Although I didn't time it perfectly, the ball flew off the club face, and it didn't even feel that I'd made an effort to slog it."
Helen felt the club was powerful, and would certainly added distance to her drives with very little effort.
"It felt meaty on impact, and when I timed the ball correctly was hitting a good 200 metres even with a
stiff cross-breeze.
However Helen admitted she found the Fusion 'quite unforgiving'.
"Through being a relatively high handicapper (not for a woman golfer Helen! Ed), I lack consistency, and for this club did punish me when I miss-timed my drive. I produced either a slice or a hook and the ball went much further.
"If I'd been playing on a course, I would have been
punished.
"The shots I hit well sailed beautifully through the air with a penetrating flight. This driver doesn't add to much extra height to the ball but adds more distance with roll."
A new Fusion+ driver that exceeds 0.830 COR limits has an even hotter titanium face. Both models will be available in Europe in December and will cost £449 (Euro 649).
