Callaway Big Bertha & Big Bertha Alpha v Callaway Great Big Bertha II: Driver Distance Test

2014 v 2002: How many yards did Golfmagic's Andy Roberts gain when pitting the new Callaway drivers against one 12 years old?

Andy Roberts's picture
Tue, 18 Mar 2014
Callaway Big Bertha & Big Bertha Alpha v Callaway Great Big Bertha II: Driver Distance Test

IT'S one of the most exciting equipment launches the game has ever seen...

Callaway Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha drivers for 2014.

They might look rather beautiful, come with fancy new gizmos attached to them and be splashed across Sky Sports Golf coverage every 15 minutes, but just how much difference do the two new Callaway big dogs make in comparison to their 12-year-old brother – the Great Big Bertha II driver of 2002.

In other words, how does a driver now available for less than a tenner online or found in the corner of all good garages stack up against one worth more than 300 smackers?

Taking this point even further, does the average golfer really need that top-of-the-range driver or are they just paying for the sponsorship deals and global advertising campaigns, without really getting much more bang for their buck?

The test was conducted at Mannings Heath Golf Club using Flightscope shot data and 30 Titleist Pro V1 golf balls (10 shots with each).

I used the Great Big Bertha II in 10-degree - as that’s what I had in the garage - against both the new Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha in 10.5-degree – as that’s what my friends at Callaway sent me.

Article continues. Click here for our test.