What Callaway Driver and 3 Wood to Buy Given My Age, Skill, Level Etc?

[RWold]

So to start with I’m 67 years old and just returned to the game a month or so ago after a 30+ year break. . To give you an idea of how long I’ve been away from golf, there were no hybrids last time I got serious about it.

I’m enjoying it and seeing gains/improvement every time out. That said, I’m playing with antique woods (Old Taylormade Burners) and since I’m playing with Callaway irons (2004 BBs) I’d like to stick with the brand and upgrade to Callaway woods - at least a driver and a 3 for now.
 

For a glimpse of my ability, I hit the 3 wood 200 yards and more or less straight, and I think I newer tech clubs might help. Also I’m 6’5” and these clubs are a bit short for me, by 1 1/2” or so.
 

So looking at the gillions of perfectly fine looking Callaway drivers on eBay I’m completely overwhelmed and under-informed. I’m also doing this on a self-imposed budget since I’m not good enough to warrant new, exotic, pricey stuff and I’m pretty sure anything made in the last 20 years will do nicely. 

 

So given all that, anyone have any specific suggestions on a good/prefered model Callaway driver that can be had for around $50? If I earn better gear by improving my performance I’ll go after it then, get fitted for clubs again, all that. But for now my goal is bogey golf so I’m limiting my golf allowance accordingly. 
 

Thanks, cheers, and happy golfing. 

As examples, I’m looking at RAZR, BBII, X460, Fusion FT series, Diablo, etc. and I can’t tell if they are all good and I should just shop price or if one or more are preferable over others. TIA…

[boogielicious]

Our best advice will be to try a bunch of different clubs and see what you like. Try the new ones at golf shops or see what they have used. Some will feel odd but others good. Callaway, TaylorMade and some others have good pre-owned clubs for sale which can keep the cost down. 

[RWold]

Ok thanks. I’ll be home in a few days after a several months traveling and once I get settled in I’ll be hitting the local courses and I’ll check with the area golf shops. A lot has changed in the last 30 years and I have some catching up to do. 

[Typhoon92]

$50…. Maybe go to a local Play it Again Sports store and see what you can pick up.  Check online at 2nd Swing.  You can choose drivers and sort by price.  I saw a 2013 Callaway x hot driver prices range on there from $48 to $169 depending on condition.

As far as your height in relation to club length.  Your irons should be longer than standard but your driver and 3 wood should not be.  Just buying off the rack should be fine

 

 

 

[RWold]

2 minutes ago, Typhoon92 said:

$50…. Maybe go to a local Play it Again Sports store and see what you can pick up.  Check online at 2nd Swing.  You can choose drivers and sort by price.  I saw a 2013 Callaway x hot driver prices range on there from $48 to $169 depending on condition.

As far as your height in relation to club length.  Your irons should be longer than standard but your driver and 3 wood should not be.  Just buying off the rack should be fine

 

 

 

Good info - thanks. Didn’t know that about club length. My irons are 1.5 over and I assumed my woods should be too. 

[ChetlovesMer]

For your price range I'm not sure why you are limiting yourself to Callaway.
Callaway drivers hold their value better than a lot of other brands which truthfully are pretty equivalent. 

Firstly, if you are hitting your 3 wood 200 yards at your age that's phenomenal. Keep your Burner. 

Secondly, if you do want new different woods,  at your price range I'd look to Wilson, Tour Edge, and Cleveland. Their woods don't hold their value well at all. But they are perfectly good clubs. You can in all likelihood get a closer to current model if you consider non-Callaway clubs. 

As @Typhoon92 mentioned, roll into your nearest Play-It-Again-Sports and you'll likely find something in your price range. 

Lastly, be patient. A lot of times you can test your buddies clubs. A lot of guys at the range will ask other folks at the range "Hey, how do you like blah blah blah...." Most guys will let you hit their clubs if you are patient you may stumble across an older model you really like. I've literally sold one of my clubs at the range to a guy for 50 bucks. I've seen other guys buy clubs off guys at the range. You just never know. Your Taylormade Burners really aren't bad clubs so unless you are going for something fitted, I'd suggest taking your time. 

Anyway, good luck 

[colin007]

Yeah is the 3 wood 200 carry or is it 175 with roll out?

[RWold]

37 minutes ago, colin007 said:

Yeah is the 3 wood 200 carry or is it 175 with roll out?

Bounce and a roll but it gets on in one on a 200 yard hole so I’m counting it. I’ve been trying that hole with a 3 iron and feeling insufficient so I more or less gave up and started taking the 3 wood with me. Last two times were within 8’ of the pin so it got me thinking maybe I can play this game. Doesn’t take much to pop that bubble though.

Edited March 21 by RWold

[ChetlovesMer]

13 hours ago, RWold said:

Bounce and a roll but it gets on in one on a 200 yard hole so I’m counting it. I’ve been trying that hole with a 3 iron and feeling insufficient so I more or less gave up and started taking the 3 wood with me. Last two times were within 8’ of the pin so it got me thinking maybe I can play this game. Doesn’t take much to pop that bubble though.

Anyway you get there it's fine. The old saying about no pictures on the score card. 

Honestly, carry or with roll out doesn't matter. 200 yards with a fairway wood is long enough to play good golf. 

[Typhoon92]

Something I heard years ago and it holds true… if you have a 3 wood you can hit well, don’t ever get rid of it.

[RWold]

2 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Anyway you get there it's fine. The old saying about no pictures on the score card. 

Honestly, carry or with roll out doesn't matter. 200 yards with a fairway wood is long enough to play good golf. 

It’s a start and it’s enough to keep me motivated while I work on consistency, my short game, putting, and correcting my slice. Thanks.

1 hour ago, Typhoon92 said:

Something I heard years ago and it holds true… if you have a 3 wood you can hit well, don’t ever get rid of it.

Sound advice - I like it. I went ahead and bought a couple spiffy newer Callaway woods on eBay to try out so I won’t have a mixed bag, but I’ve been thinking the same thing and I won’t be letting go of my old Taylormades any time soon. 

[RWold]

As long as we are on the subject and I’m outfitting my new bag, can someone explain hybrids to me. It seems they fall somewhere on the scale between must have and gimmick, but there’s obviously a market for them. 

To me it seems like just more stuff to carry that doesn’t do anything irons can’t do, but I have no experience with them other than a H3 I picked up cheap here and it makes the ball go, but again, no better than an iron. 

Hybrids didn’t exist last time I was serious about golf so I’ve had no exposure to the rationale, uses, benefits, etc. 

Cheers, thanks, and happy golfing…!

[RWold]

It just occurred to me that the last time I was serious about golf, my woods were made of….wood!

Also interestingly (to me anyway) as I shopped for “woods”, mostly on eBay, I found that all the clubs in really nice cosmetic/aesthetic shape (good finish, nice club face, good grip) were woman’s clubs. Seems they either take really good care of them or don’t use them much. 
 

And lastly, for now anyway, I went to a range today that has Top Tracer monitors at all the stations - another “new” development that may have been around for quite a while, but this was a first for me. I found it useful although I’m sure I only scratched the surface of its capabilities. 

[ChetlovesMer]

23 minutes ago, RWold said:

It just occurred to me that the last time I was serious about golf, my woods were made of….wood!

Also interestingly (to me anyway) as I shopped for “woods”, mostly on eBay, I found that all the clubs in really nice cosmetic/aesthetic shape (good finish, nice club face, good grip) were woman’s clubs. Seems they either take really good care of them or don’t use them much. 
 

And lastly, for now anyway, I went to a range today that has Top Tracer monitors at all the stations - another “new” development that may have been around for quite a while, but this was a first for me. I found it useful although I’m sure I only scratched the surface of its capabilities. 

[klineka]

On 3/22/2025 at 5:06 PM, RWold said:

As long as we are on the subject and I’m outfitting my new bag, can someone explain hybrids to me. It seems they fall somewhere on the scale between must have and gimmick, but there’s obviously a market for them. 

To me it seems like just more stuff to carry that doesn’t do anything irons can’t do, but I have no experience with them other than a H3 I picked up cheap here and it makes the ball go, but again, no better than an iron. 

Hybrids didn’t exist last time I was serious about golf so I’ve had no exposure to the rationale, uses, benefits, etc. 

Cheers, thanks, and happy golfing…!

A big advantage hybrids have over a long iron is in the rough. 

Far easier to get a 19 degree hybrid through thick rough and hit/hold an elevated green than it is with a 19 degree 3 iron.

 

I'm not an engineer or anything but I also think that since hybrids have a deeper face the center of gravity is lower and further back which can promote higher ball speeds and higher launch/ball flight. 

There are plenty of YouTube videos comparing hybrids to long irons and the pros and cons of each.

[RWold]

2 hours ago, klineka said:

A big advantage hybrids have over a long iron is in the rough. 

Far easier to get a 19 degree hybrid through thick rough and hit/hold an elevated green than it is with a 19 degree 3 iron.

 

I'm not an engineer or anything but I also think that since hybrids have a deeper face the center of gravity is lower and further back which can promote higher ball speeds and higher launch/ball flight. 

There are plenty of YouTube videos comparing hybrids to long irons and the pros and cons of each.

There are so many videos comparing and contrasting everything that I am both overwhelmed and more than a bit skeptical. Your comments above are much more valuable than hours of you-tube videos.

Generally speaking, I’d much prefer to read something that someone took the time and trouble to write (such as your comments) than a bunch of videos, or worse, meaningless reviews that seem like they are all cut and paste selections of the same script.

I’m more of a RTFM type than a watcher of “instructional” videos. By way of explanation, I don’t watch TV either. 

So thanks - I’ll take that under advisement. I have an H3 that I bought for $10 that I’ve been carrying around but not sure why. Seems like a cool club, but I just don’t really know what to do with it. 

Edited March 27 by RWold

[klineka]

9 hours ago, RWold said:

There are so many videos comparing and contrasting everything that I am both overwhelmed and more than a bit skeptical. Your comments above are much more valuable than hours of you-tube videos.

Generally speaking, I’d much prefer to read something that someone took the time and trouble to write (such as your comments) than a bunch of videos, or worse, meaningless reviews that seem like they are all cut and paste selections of the same script.

I’m more of a RTFM type than a watcher of “instructional” videos. By way of explanation, I don’t watch TV either. 

So thanks - I’ll take that under advisement. I have an H3 that I bought for $10 that I’ve been carrying around but not sure why. Seems like a cool club, but I just don’t really know what to do with it. 

Here's more from a helpful article

 

Long Iron Or Hybrid? Which Should I Carry In My Golf Bag? | Golf Monthly

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Joe Ferguson takes a look at the key differences between the two clubs to help you work out what you should be carrying in the bag

 

[dennyjones]

A guy in my group has added a 7 and a 9 wood to his bag instead of a hybrids.   That's another option.