On January 18, 2013, Callaway Golf will release the new RAZR Fit Xtreme driver to the public. The driver, which has already found it’s way into a few bags on the tour, has many features which makes it “very long and consistent,” acoording to Dr. Alan Hocknell the senior VP of Research and Development for Callaway.
Chief among the new features is Speed Frame Face Technology, which is really a combination of two previous technologies that have been seen in the past, VFT (variable face thickness) and Hyperbolic Face Technology. The result of this combination is a face that that has a larger and more consistent sweet spot and higher ball speeds. In addition to the faster ball speeds, the Speed Frame Face redistributes some of the material in the clubhead to lower the center of gravity and maximize the MOI, giving golfers better ball flight and forgiveness.
Another feature which allows Callaway to move the CG of the club lower is the Forged Composite Crown, which Callaway has been using for over four years now. The crown, which is made of an advanced carbon fiber material, weighs only 12.1 grams making it the lightest crwon in golf.
Also returning in the new RAZR Fit Xtreme driver is the two part OptiFit Technology. The driver retains the same OptiFit Hosel which allows the golfer to set the club’s face angle to either Open, Square or Closed. This helps improve both accuracy and trajectory while also giving the golfer an opportunity to get their desired look at address. The second part of OptiFit Technology is the OptiFit Weights, using the included 13 gram and 1 gram weight, the golfer can shift the clubs center of gravity to promote a draw or keep the club neutral.
One change is with the size of the clubhead. The 8.5°, 9.5°, and 10.5° models will come with a 440cc head with a more open face angle, while the higher lofts will have a slightly closed face angle and a 460cc head.
The new RAZR Fit Xtreme will be offered with two different stock shaft options. The primary shaft is the Aldila Trinity which combines three of the shaft manufacturers major technologies (RIP, S-Core, and Micro Laminate) into a single shaft design. The second stock shaft is the Matrix 7M3 Black Tie. Players looking for for a lighter, higher launch shaft will what the Aldila Trinity, while the Matrix will appeal to those seeking a heavier, low spinning, low launching options. One important note about both of these shaft offerings is that neither shaft is being modified from the product being offered on the aftermarket (in other words, these aren’t “made for” shafts).
The Callaway udesign program will be expanded in January to include the RAZR Fit Xtreme driver so those who want to add a personal touch to their new big stick can. The crown and the sole will be customizable with eight color options and can be done separately. In addition to that, laser engraving will be available on the sole of the driver.
As stated above, the new driver will be available in mid-Jauary and hits the shelves with a retail price of $399.99.
Interesting to see how this compares up to the Callway Razr Fit. I wonder if it will be the same kind of step-up as the R11 and the R11s for Taylormade.