Callaway XR Driver

[phan52]

I have been using a TaylorMade Rocketballz driver for at least four years now and have not been happy with it for at least half of that time. Time for a change. Since I have been using TaylorMade drivers of one sort or another for a very long time, I went to a TaylorMade fitting at my club and tried the R15, Aeroburner, M-1 and M-2. I don't have a lot of swing speed so I use a regular shaft and have primarily used 9.5 loft. Surprisingly, no matter the loft or shaft configuration I just could not hit any of those clubs. The Aeroburner felt just like my Rocketballz, so that was out.  The M-2 in particular, I couldn't hit the thing in the air. Very low ball flight with multiple shafts and lofts. So I started looking around at other clubs and I finally tried the Callaway XR. I immediately took to the look of the club. The first time I hit it solid (regular shaft, 10 degree loft) it went 20 yards farther than I ever hit the Rocketballz. The Pro tinkered with my swing a little and we worked with different lofts. I finally settled on a 10 degree lofted club set at 9 degrees, which added a bit of draw bias and I still hit it with a nice high ball flight. The Pro says that the club by itself is adding at least 5 MPH to my swing speed. Sold.

The only problem I have is that, 2 weeks after I paid for the club, Dick's started selling it for 50% off. I would have bought it from my Pro regardless but that stings.

[jsgolfer]

1 hour ago, phan52 said:

I have been using a TaylorMade Rocketballz driver for at least four years now and have not been happy with it for at least half of that time. Time for a change. Since I have been using TaylorMade drivers of one sort or another for a very long time, I went to a TaylorMade fitting at my club and tried the R15, Aeroburner, M-1 and M-2. I don't have a lot of swing speed so I use a regular shaft and have primarily used 9.5 loft. Surprisingly, no matter the loft or shaft configuration I just could not hit any of those clubs. The Aeroburner felt just like my Rocketballz, so that was out.  The M-2 in particular, I couldn't hit the thing in the air. Very low ball flight with multiple shafts and lofts. So I started looking around at other clubs and I finally tried the Callaway XR. I immediately took to the look of the club. The first time I hit it solid (regular shaft, 10 degree loft) it went 20 yards farther than I ever hit the Rocketballz. The Pro tinkered with my swing a little and we worked with different lofts. I finally settled on a 10 degree lofted club set at 9 degrees, which added a bit of draw bias and I still hit it with a nice high ball flight. The Pro says that the club by itself is adding at least 5 MPH to my swing speed. Sold.

The only problem I have is that, 2 weeks after I paid for the club, Dick's started selling it for 50% off. I would have bought it from my Pro regardless but that stings.

I've been testing out the Callaway XR 16 pro, like it a lot.  Just haven't been able to convince myself to spend $400 on a driver yet.

[No Mulligans]

1 hour ago, phan52 said:

The Pro tinkered with my swing a little and we worked with different lofts. I finally settled on a 10 degree lofted club set at 9 degrees, which added a bit of draw bias and I still hit it with a nice high ball flight. The Pro says that the club by itself is adding at least 5 MPH to my swing speed. Sold.

The only problem I have is that, 2 weeks after I paid for the club, Dick's started selling it for 50% off. I would have bought it from my Pro regardless but that stings.

Are you sure that decreasing the loft will create a draw bias?

I heard adding loft it will create a draw bias.

Regardless, I have the XR driver also and it added about 10 yards or so for me.  I have the 10.5 degrees and have left it alone.

[phan52]

1 hour ago, No Mulligans said:

Are you sure that decreasing the loft will create a draw bias?

I heard adding loft it will create a draw bias.

Regardless, I have the XR driver also and it added about 10 yards or so for me.  I have the 10.5 degrees and have left it alone.

Sorry, you are correct. I misspoke, I meant to say that it is a 9 degree lofted club set at 10.

[Lihu]

3 hours ago, phan52 said:

I have been using a TaylorMade Rocketballz driver for at least four years now and have not been happy with it for at least half of that time. Time for a change. Since I have been using TaylorMade drivers of one sort or another for a very long time, I went to a TaylorMade fitting at my club and tried the R15, Aeroburner, M-1 and M-2. I don't have a lot of swing speed so I use a regular shaft and have primarily used 9.5 loft. Surprisingly, no matter the loft or shaft configuration I just could not hit any of those clubs. The Aeroburner felt just like my Rocketballz, so that was out.  The M-2 in particular, I couldn't hit the thing in the air. Very low ball flight with multiple shafts and lofts. So I started looking around at other clubs and I finally tried the Callaway XR. I immediately took to the look of the club. The first time I hit it solid (regular shaft, 10 degree loft) it went 20 yards farther than I ever hit the Rocketballz. The Pro tinkered with my swing a little and we worked with different lofts. I finally settled on a 10 degree lofted club set at 9 degrees, which added a bit of draw bias and I still hit it with a nice high ball flight. The Pro says that the club by itself is adding at least 5 MPH to my swing speed. Sold.

The only problem I have is that, 2 weeks after I paid for the club, Dick's started selling it for 50% off. I would have bought it from my Pro regardless but that stings.

If you had bought it from Dick's who knows what kind of "fitting" you would have gotten? Think of that 50% as an investment for your game for the next 4 years.

I really like the XR, it seemed like no matter what I did*** I could hit it okay. Then I went back to my i25, yuck. I wished I never tried all these other clubs. I was a little surprised that you could not hit the M1 or M2 reasonably well given you started with the RocketBallz?

Well, your new XR club sounds good, especially as it adds 5 mph to your SS. Have fun and don't look back on your purchase.

 

***And I really mean no matter what I did

[WUTiger]

I'm using the XR16 Pro with a low-torque R-flex shaft. Head is 10.5°, set 1° open to 11.5°.

I'm a bit handsy, and the shaft plus open set gives slight draw, lessens pulls left. Most misses now tend to be a push into first-cut right.

My former RazrFit driver had a lighter, higher-torque shaft, and I had control problems. (Caused in part by swing problems, which I'm starting to correct).

[billchao]

The XR is a great driver. When I went for a fitting at a Callaway Performance Center, the fitter told me that more pros were playing it than any other line of Callaway clubs.

For some reason or another, it's just not the right club for me. I tried it during a demo day and we tried different head and shaft combinations at the fitting, but I ended up hitting the DBD better than the far more forgiving XR. It's weird when you consider that I can't hit the sweetspot at all.

[Billy Z]

I'm crushing my XR 16 driver comma and my golf partners are amazed at the distance difference this year from last.

10.5* standard set @ 9.5* 

Neutral bias (can't hit it in draw bias?) 

[awmgolfer]

I've been playing the Ping G20 since it came out and have hit it well but wanted to see what was new. Over the winter I had some time in Dick's and the simulator was wide open so I went in for an hour or so and hit every driver they had. I kept coming back to the Callaway XR 16, just loved the feel, sound, and my control with it. I ended up buying it off the Callaway site and did the free Project-X shaft upgrade and I love it. I am not hitting it much further then my Ping but I am very accurate with it and find it is very easy to hit a draw or a cut with it depending what I need. I have the 9* set to 10* with the Project-X stiff shaft.

[Buckeyebowman]

It would be interesting to know what your actual clubhead speed is. You say it's not all that great, but it must be OK if you can hit a 9.5 degree driver any distance at all. Anyway, happy you found something you like. Maybe I should take a cruise through Dick's and see if they have anything left.

[tigerrag]

I bought my Callaway XR from Golfsmith 3 weeks ago.  It is the regular XR, and was on sale for $150, and I got $50 on trading in my R15 3wood that I can't hit worth a lick.

 

I am really liking the XR so far.  It replaced my old Nike SR8FIT SQ driver that I loved, but knew it was time to upgrade.  My distance is about the same with the new driver, but I am far more accurate so far.  I would give it 5 stars at the moment.  It is a 10.5* with a stiff shaft.

[SavvySwede]

I've always been a big fan of Callaway's metalwoods. Had the original X Hot Pro and thought about the getting the XR Pro when the shaft broke but wound up getting the 815 Alpha DBD.

[newtogolf]

The XR 16 is long but the Cobra King LTD is longer for me.  I'm not sure why, but I get about 10 more yards out of it consistently.