Callaway X Hot

It's one of the most important clubs you'll own. We review 10 Hybrids and put them through the ultimate test with a PGA Pro and Protracer technology. Who comes out on top?

Andy Roberts and Charlie Lemay

29 May 2013

Brand: Callaway
Hybrid: X Hot
Category: Game improvement
RRP: £149
Best price: £129
Loft: 19-degree
Lie: 58-degree
Length: 40.75"
Shaft: X Hot Graphite

Summary: The updated Warbird soleplate has relief in the heel and toe to make the X Hot hybrid versatile from different lies. The Speed Frame Face creates incredibly fast ball speeds all across the face for longer, more consistent distance. This technology helps optimise the CG and offers more forgiveness for accurate shots.

Appearance: The matte grey crown with black face and industry-favoured low profile hybrid at address was beautiful but we would have preferred some sort of alignment aid. We missed the traditional Callaway chevron that we saw in the X Hot driver and fairway wood - a characteristic that worked well amongst the silent orange and grey colours at the top and bottom of the crown. We also thought the small amount of offset was off-putting. 3.5

Feel: While the white standard X Hot 70 shaft felt a little too light for our liking, the club provided a sweet sensation at impact and explosive feel off the face – a similar trait found in the X Hot iron, driver and 3-wood. A little head heavy than some of the others in this test. 7

Performance: Desired mid-to-high ball flight and very good distance, as expected, but we found it was particularly difficult to keep on line with many shots drawing to the left - slightly surprising for a game improvement hybrid. The heavy offset combined with sole weighting made it tough to hit a fade. 7.5

Verdict: We were a bit disappointed with this hybrid given the strength in depth of the X Hot family in previous club tests this season. While you certainly won’t be short of the flag with this hybrid, we found it was a little tricky to keep the ball on a leash. If you can get your head around the pronounced offset, and feel comfortable enough to pull the trigger without much alignment, you will no doubt enjoy this hybrid much more than we did. 18

Pro Verdict: The offset is somewhat of a distraction at address but that might come to suit the mid-to-high handicapper. Solid distance off the deck and two shots out the heel travelled much better than expected. It does lack the iron-like playability that some more skilled players want in a hybrid.