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Launched in 1991, the original Callaway Big Bertha took the golfing world by storm and was a hot talking point of its day - offering players an oversized head with exceptional power and forgiveness.
Callaway has since capitalised on the success of the Big Bertha numerous times, with various clubs released over the years under the Big Bertha banner - all built to boost ball speed and offer incredible forgiveness. Today, the brand continues to ride the tidal wave of success with the latest incarnation of the iconic Big Bertha Driver. But does it live up to the standard set by the clubs that came before it, and does it belong in your bag in 2023?
Here’s our review of the new Callaway Big Bertha Driver.
Look
Given just how well-known the Big Bertha name is, it would have been silly to do anything but put that name front and centre on this club - and that’s exactly what Callaway has done.
The title is embossed into the club head in over-the-top, chunky capital letters, keeping in line with the drivers’ reputation for delivering big results.
Beyond this, the mostly glossy head is impeccably well-designed and has a significantly lighter carbon crown than previous models. Mixtures of red, grey and black cover the underside of the head in a pattern that’s unusual but never unpleasant to look at, while the crown is a rich, smooth, shiny black with only the ball marker and the instantly recognisable ‘BB’ initials dotted around the edge of the club head for good measure.
Stepping back from the club, the head doesn’t look as oversized as you may expect from a club series that’s known for the trait, and it feels sleeker in shape than previous Big Bertha drivers, though this feeling may be a result of having so many large drivers to use nowadays. You’ll understand its size and power better when you take your first swing.
Construction
As with all Callaway Big Bertha drivers, the forgiving head shape is larger than most by design, offering plenty of surface area for players to catch the ball cleanly. A super-enhanced sweet spot which stretches across much of the face offers more consistent ball flight and fast ball speed.
But for a club that is built to offer fantastic forgiveness and eradicate slices, Callaway has opted to take a different approach in the construction of their driver club head. Rather than push the weight towards the back of the head (as standard) they’ve pushed it closer to the club face - in a way you’d see implemented in more advanced clubs aimed at experienced players, not those seeking forgiveness.
This internal draw bias weighting and ultra-low forward CG (centre of gravity) placement works very well, though, helping reduce slice-causing spin characteristics, keep the ball on the straight and narrow and promote fast ball speed.
Performance
Distance and forgiveness seem to be the name of the game with any Big Bertha release from Callaway, and there’s nothing new here (in the best way).
With a clean, sweet strike, expect to see longer ball flight than some of your other favourite drivers, with power generated as a result of the oversized head a sight to behold if you’re not used to producing consistently lengthy drives.
Along with its popular jailbreak technology, which can be found on the internal face of the club and offers optimised ball speeds and moment of inertia (MOI), the clubhead was forged with the use of Artificial Intelligence.
This new application of tech results in shots that whip themselves away from the shapes created by slices, even in horribly mishit shots - for arguably one of the most forgiving clubs on the market today.
All things considered, with its forgiveness to spare and shattering distance, the Callaway Big Bertha inspires confidence and would make a great addition to the bags of beginners looking to step up to bigger, scarier drivers, or the most laid-back golfers amongst you looking for the most enjoyable games possible.
Price
At £449 (at the time of writing) the Callaway Big Bertha doesn't come cheap, nor is it the most expensive driver you can buy. But given we’re leaning towards the halfway mark of £1000, this high-launch driver is probably saved for those golfers who are invested in the game and want to see a significant improvement in their tee shots quickly - and are willing to pay to make it happen.
Grab the Callaway Big Bertha at Clarkes Golf today
If you feel like you need a driver upgrade and want to inject some serious force and optimal speed into more tee shots while keeping them as straight as possible, the Big Bertha is the club for you. Grab your own Callaway Big Bertha at Clarkes Golf today - or get in touch if you’d like some more information before you buy!
