Callaway Big Bertha 4H Heavenwood Hybrid

Low profile hybrid

Price: £119 (steel shaft) £129 (graphite)

I count myself among ‘the millions of golfers who struggle to hit long irons with any consistency’ identified by Callaway when it introduced its first range of rescue clubs in October.

I could clearly recognise that the 3- and 4-iron I tended to leave out of my bag might come in useful on occasions but I preferred to find a more reliable and versatile alternative to bridge the gap.

I’d tried TaylorMade’s original Rescue and the updated Mid as well the latest Titleist 503H utility iron and similar versions from Olyo, Nike and Adams.
But apart from the outrageous-looking, cerise-headed Nike CPR, none seemed to provide that confidence demanded when faced with a 180 to 220-yard high flying shot which needs to fly arrow straight and land like a bean bag.

A long-establish Callaway Steelhead Plus 7-wood my Mizuno MP001 5-wood would continue to fill the gap between 3-wood and 5-iron in my bag.

However, this 23-degree 4H Heavenwood Hybrid with a regular graphite shaft, convinced me to persevere with my search to find the ultimate rescue club.

At first it delivered a low-flying left to right flight, with a sting in the finger tips that was hard to control. Approaches seemed to roll on through the backs of greens, leaving an awkward chip back to save par.

However, familiarity tended to breed feel and flight more than contempt and with a slightly slower, longer swing I eventually got the hang of it.

The head is small and elongated on the eye, reminding me of those long-nosed persimmon-headed clubs so popular in the skilled hands of the JH Taylor, James Braid and Harry Vardon triumverate. But the strike is crisp and delicious and the ball flight towering and accurate once I learned to caress the ball into the air, rather than blast it.

The club is offered in lofts of 14 degrees (1H), 17 (2H), 20 (3H) 23 (4H) and 26 (5H) correspond to traditional 1- to 5-iron. Men’s 1H left-handed version not available from January. Standard graphite shaft is the graphite RCH 75w, available in four flexes (also in Uniflex steel). Women’s right-handed versions available in 4H and 5H.

I’m not totally convinced by the emergence of ‘the Rescue phenomenon’ – the thought of its selection from my bag at opportune moments in the round tends to instill a negativity. But Callaway could well have found a niche for the model from those already hooked on their Big Bertha and Fusion brands