Callaway X Hot Driver Adjustment Instructions Simple explanation of Callaway's Optifit Hosel parts and instructions on how to use them. Along with Callaways RAZR Fit Xtreme driver, Callaway is releasing its X Hot and X Hot Tour Golf. Callaway pushes limits with face design on X Hot metalwoods. X Hot driverCallaway has engineered a new cupface design on the X Hot drivers that combines the technologies of its VFT.
Physics tells us velocity multiplied by time equals distance. Distance is something that all golfers are looking for. We all want it; frankly we can’t get enough of it. But just telling golfers that you are going to give them more distance just doesn’t work anymore. We are tired of hearing it. Heck, if it were true I would be hitting 320 yard drives last season. We just won’t believe you anymore.
So Callaway has come up with a creative strategy for telling us their XR line of drivers are going to help us hit it father. They don’t simply tell us we are going to get more yardage, they tell us we are going to get more speed. Speed is really a simplified version of the velocity ingredient in our physics lesson above. The XR line of drivers is designed and built for outrageous speed. I for one appreciate the creativity from their marketing department and after getting to try their XR Pro driver I also appreciate their engineering department as well.
For this review I was given a 10.5 degree Callaway XR Pro driver with a stiff Project X shaft. Let’s see how it performed.
Technology and Design
As discussed above the name of the game for the XR line of drivers is speed. The entire club design was based on speed. A big marketing feature on the XR line was the speed step crown, on the Pro model the step crown is noticeably missing. The speed step crown is designed to better manage the airflow going over the top of the clubhead helping to reduce friction and deliver the club with more speed. The fact that it is missing may be attributed to the fact that the Pro model is a smaller clubhead and thus may have less friction to begin with. Callaway states that the Pro model is designed with an aerodynamic head that maximizes speed.
Technology and Design
As discussed above the name of the game for the XR line of drivers is speed. The entire club design was based on speed. A big marketing feature on the XR line was the speed step crown, on the Pro model the step crown is noticeably missing. The speed step crown is designed to better manage the airflow going over the top of the clubhead helping to reduce friction and deliver the club with more speed. The fact that it is missing may be attributed to the fact that the Pro model is a smaller clubhead and thus may have less friction to begin with. Callaway states that the Pro model is designed with an aerodynamic head that maximizes speed.
One of the key features that Callaway has utilized before is the use of multiple materials in the head to help to lighten the driver and also add weight around in the clubhead where the designer can better utilize it. The traditional go to material for Callaway is composite. Its characteristics of being both strong and lightweight make it an ideal candidate for clubhead design. The XR Pro is no different. The head has a Forged Composite Crown all in an advanced aerodynamic head design that maximizes the speed. By moving the weight around they have lowered the center of gravity by 53% and lowered the spin by 300 rpm versus the extremely popular X2 Hot Pro. The driver also comes with what seems to be a moveable weight in the clubhead but I was not able to find much regarding if that weight can be adjusted and what it would adjust if you did adjust it. It may be that it is adjustable only through a professional fitter.
The main technology feature that Callaway is promoting on this driver is the R-MOTO which removes weight in the face of the clubhead to increase you guessed it ball speed. It also creates a more efficient energy transfer across the face helping you to get more ball speed at every location on the face, even when you mishit it. In addition by removing weight from the face of the club the designer again has weight to move around in order to lower the center of gravity.
The XR Pro utilizes the Callaway OptiFit Adjustability which allows the golfer eight different loft and lie configurations to optimize their ball flight and launch conditions. The OptiFit has been offered on multiple products now and has now become more or less a standard, or better yet, required feature for all drivers.
The last ingredient for increasing the speed is the shaft. Callaway has chosen the Project X LZ which produces maximum shaft load during the downswing to transfer more energy to the ball. The shaft is an extremely critical aspect to the performance of today’s driver and the Project X shaft is well respected in the golf industry.
Esthetics
My first thought when I picked up the driver was that it reminded me of the stealth bomber. The driver has a strong black color scheme with the top of the driver done in a matte black finish making it look very fast. I have said in my previous reviews of drivers that I am a huge fan of black matte finishes on drivers. It reduces glare, is easy to keep clean, and looks modern. So when picking up this driver I was immediately a fan of the look. The design of the clubhead is described by Callaway as a players shape.
My first thought when I picked up the driver was that it reminded me of the stealth bomber. The driver has a strong black color scheme with the top of the driver done in a matte black finish making it look very fast. I have said in my previous reviews of drivers that I am a huge fan of black matte finishes on drivers. It reduces glare, is easy to keep clean, and looks modern. So when picking up this driver I was immediately a fan of the look. The design of the clubhead is described by Callaway as a players shape.
The bottom of the driver still has the black theme, but the black is very shiny and was done in contrast to the black on the top of the clubhead. The driver has the logos of the XR line done in white outline and grey and black inside the lines. The additional color scheme mixes in red and blue lines as the only color that has been added. The main feature you will notice is the red circle which is a weight that looks as though it can be changed but there is little information available on their website on if that weight can be changed. The weight itself has a stainless steel like finish and certainly stands out when looking at the bottom of the clubhead. Next to the weight is the phrase “R-MOTO Technology” which is done in white lettering towards the toe on the bottom of the clubhead there is standard Callaway logo done in a very soft grey which is nicely done.
The face itself is a different type of matte finish but still black but different from the top of the clubhead. The face also has some scoring lines in the shape of a X as well as standard lines towards the toe and heel of the clubhead. The hosel is also done in black to keep the black stealth theme of the driver. The shaft is done in black but offers a very light grey cross hatching which is a nice look for the driver. It is very subtly done as not to take away from the black theme but offer a change to the overall look of the club.
The headcover is also a favorite of mine. It is done in red but is more of a throwback type of headcover. Although the throwback appears quite popular now, still I like the design quite a bit. The main material is made to look like leather although I doubt it is with the inside being a soft flannel. The bottom is done in white to offer the contrast to the main red color scheme.
Performance
So the big question is, does all this talk of speed mean you will hit the ball farther. In short mostly no, but I can say that on occasion I could get a few more yards than I was expecting. I took the driver to a FlightScope session and did record some of my highest ball speeds ever for me. So there is something to what the engineers have done with this driver. I wouldn’t guarantee you will hit it farther by buying this driver, but you might find a few more yards.
So the big question is, does all this talk of speed mean you will hit the ball farther. In short mostly no, but I can say that on occasion I could get a few more yards than I was expecting. I took the driver to a FlightScope session and did record some of my highest ball speeds ever for me. So there is something to what the engineers have done with this driver. I wouldn’t guarantee you will hit it farther by buying this driver, but you might find a few more yards.
Because this is a Pro model the driver was not overly forgiving. That said I did not notice that I would lose a bunch of yardage when mishitting the ball. I was particularly impressed with drives that came of the bottom of the clubhead. Some had no yardage loss at all, which was quite impressive. However on occasion a really bad swing would produce a very humbling result. I could be 15-20 yards where I felt I should be. The driver is not designed for the golfer who is more than a single digit golfer. I recommend if you are a high handicapper that you take a look at the standard XR model.
The sound of the clubhead was excellent. Better players demand the clubhead not have a overly aggressive sound and this driver fits well within that requirement. I did try to mess around a bit with the OptiFit capability and found that generically it works as well any other club manufactures model.
I found the driver to have a solid feel and the ball was launched high. I did find that my spin rate would get slightly higher than optimal on a few of my well hit drives. For example a couple of well hit drives made ball marks on the fairway. This might have been due to my not fully optimizing my settings but I feel for golfers who have too much spin I recommend going for a fitting if you are looking to add this driver. In the summer this is fine for me, but as we get our wet winters here in the Pacific Northwest the issue of plugged drivers could be something to watch out for. Spin rates are a delicate balance and I feel that this driver and shaft are on the upper end of the spectrum which is surprising for a Pro model of their driver.
Conclusion
I can remember when Callaway announced the X2 Hot driver line that it was well received by the market. It had a great deal of buzz surrounding it. The X2 Hot has led sort of a resurgence for Callaway that has them once again very relevant in the driver and iron market space. The XR line release also has golfers talking once again. My experience with the XR Pro driver was pleasantly surprising. I found that on occasion I was able to find a few more yards and the driver will be staying in my bag. I found myself drawn to the traditional but stealthly look of the clubhead and how solid it felt when swinging it.
I can remember when Callaway announced the X2 Hot driver line that it was well received by the market. It had a great deal of buzz surrounding it. The X2 Hot has led sort of a resurgence for Callaway that has them once again very relevant in the driver and iron market space. The XR line release also has golfers talking once again. My experience with the XR Pro driver was pleasantly surprising. I found that on occasion I was able to find a few more yards and the driver will be staying in my bag. I found myself drawn to the traditional but stealthly look of the clubhead and how solid it felt when swinging it.
With all of the drivers available on the market today it is hard to know which is the best one to play. Callaway has set up fitting locations where you can go hit the drivers and find the best one for you as shown on the SandTrap forum here. Two members had a fitting experience and found the driver that best suits their game.
If you are in market for a traditional looking driver with geared toward the better player, I highly recommend you give this driver a whirl. I doubt you will be disappointed with your experience.
Over the last handful of years, Callaway Golf has released numerous drivers trying to appeal to golfers of all abilities. This year, Callaway has trimmed down its offerings to three drivers; there is the RAZR Fit Xtreme (the sequel to last year’s RAZR Fit) and the new X Hot and X Hot Pro. The RAZR Fit Xtreme offers the most adjustability of Callaway’s three drivers and is aimed at the better player. The X Hot line, on the other hand, is aimed at golfers seeking a little more in the way of forgiveness and a lot more in the way of distance. Callaway claims this to be their hottest driver and with the X Hot line their focus is very much on hitting the ball a long way.
In fact, the company’s focus on distance is so high that this year that they have assembled their “X Team” of long hitters. For every 325+ yard drive that is hit by a Callaway staffer, they are receiving a “bomb patch” to put on their bag and a special “4 bills” patch is out there for those who smash one over 400 yards. While most amateurs won’t be hitting the ball quite as far as that, Callaway says that this club will have you further down the fairway than ever before. Read on to find out if this club is really a hot as they say it is.
Test Model Details
For the purpose of this review, I received the standard X-Hot Pro driver with 10.5° of loft. The club has the stock, Project X Velocity shaft with a stiff flex.
Test Model Details
For the purpose of this review, I received the standard X-Hot Pro driver with 10.5° of loft. The club has the stock, Project X Velocity shaft with a stiff flex.
Esthetics
Over the last few years, driver esthetics have gone under a bit of an overhaul. For many years, the go-to look was a dark (usually black) crown but all that changed with the introduction of white drivers. Now companies are getting bolder with their looks and we have seen many different colors popping up. For the X Hot Pro (and standard X Hot), Callaway has opted to go for a matte grey for the crown of the driver. I prefer my drivers to have a clean look at address and over the last couple years my favorite looking drivers have been the two Mizunos that I’ve had because they were void of any alignment markings on the crown. The same is true of this diver; there are no markings on the top of this club. It has an extremely simple and sleek look when set up behind the ball. The standard X-Hot doesn’t have quite the same look as it has some graphics surround the edge of the club. The sole of the driver sports a glossy black finish with white and red accents. The face of the club is finished in black and features some grooves painted in white along with a stylized “X” marking the sweet spot of the club.
Over the last few years, driver esthetics have gone under a bit of an overhaul. For many years, the go-to look was a dark (usually black) crown but all that changed with the introduction of white drivers. Now companies are getting bolder with their looks and we have seen many different colors popping up. For the X Hot Pro (and standard X Hot), Callaway has opted to go for a matte grey for the crown of the driver. I prefer my drivers to have a clean look at address and over the last couple years my favorite looking drivers have been the two Mizunos that I’ve had because they were void of any alignment markings on the crown. The same is true of this diver; there are no markings on the top of this club. It has an extremely simple and sleek look when set up behind the ball. The standard X-Hot doesn’t have quite the same look as it has some graphics surround the edge of the club. The sole of the driver sports a glossy black finish with white and red accents. The face of the club is finished in black and features some grooves painted in white along with a stylized “X” marking the sweet spot of the club.
Of the drivers I’ve had over the last few years, this is the best looking that I’ve had. As I said before, I prefer the simple, clean look at address that this club delivers. I also love the finish on this club. The matte gray is different enough from the standard black that it stands out and has that uniqueness about it but isn’t distracting as some of the other bolder colors might be. The matte finish is also nice because even in the sunniest of conditions you do not have to deal with glare. From a marketing stand point I think Callaway has achieved exactly what they wanted here; nobody else has a driver with this finish so it’s evident when your using one, but it isn’t so distracting that it turns people away.
Design and Technology
In my mind, golf equipment manufacturers are kind of divided into two different camps; there are those that stand more on traditional designs and those that are more on the cutting edge of technology. While companies like Titleist and Mizuno do their fair share of research and development and we see new technology in their clubs each year they are in that first group in my mind; their designs are more traditional and that seems to be their focus. To me, Callaway is in that second group. They are always trying to find a new way to make their clubs that much better than their competitors. While at times it can come off a bit gimmicky, their clubs are always packed full of new technology that promises to help you hit the ball straighter and further than ever before. It’s worth noting that the top three in driving distance on tour this year are all Callaway staffers (1. Nicolas Colsearts, 2. Luke List, 3. Gary Woodland) so maybe it’s not as gimmicky as some might think.
In my mind, golf equipment manufacturers are kind of divided into two different camps; there are those that stand more on traditional designs and those that are more on the cutting edge of technology. While companies like Titleist and Mizuno do their fair share of research and development and we see new technology in their clubs each year they are in that first group in my mind; their designs are more traditional and that seems to be their focus. To me, Callaway is in that second group. They are always trying to find a new way to make their clubs that much better than their competitors. While at times it can come off a bit gimmicky, their clubs are always packed full of new technology that promises to help you hit the ball straighter and further than ever before. It’s worth noting that the top three in driving distance on tour this year are all Callaway staffers (1. Nicolas Colsearts, 2. Luke List, 3. Gary Woodland) so maybe it’s not as gimmicky as some might think.
There are a number of new features on the new X Hot Pro that help the golfer get the ball further down the center of the fairway. Like the RAZR Fit Xtreme and the original RAZR Fit, the X Hot drivers have Callaway’s OptiFit hosel. This adjustable hosel is one of the more basic ones available and allows for just three settings; either square (S), open (O), or closed (C). For me, the adjustable hose is more about fine tuning the club to fit your swing. Don’t think that if you normally slice the ball like crazy but then set the face closed that you will all of a sudden be in the center each time. You won’t be. While the OptiFit hosel has significantly fewer settings than some of their competitor’s offerings, I think that it is more than sufficient for the average golfer. More settings means that there is more to play around with and that can lead to unnecessary tinkering. On top of that, it’s kind of nice not to need a chart to figure out how to adjust the club each time. One feature that I really like about the OptiFit hosel is that no matter how the club is set up, the shaft stays in the same orientation. This is nice because if I want to change the set up, my grip still stays in the same spot so I don’t all of a sudden have the grip’s logo on the side of the club. As far as making the actual adjustments, it couldn’t be easier. You simply use the supplied wrench to loosen the screw on the bottom, move the ring in the hosel to the desired setting, and then use the wrench again to tighten the screw until it clicks. The hosel is also sized very well as some of the adjustable ones available (admittedly fewer than in the past) are a bit on the large and distracting side.
Two other new technologies on the new X Hot driver are Speed Frame Face and Ultra Thin Wall Casting Technology. Both of these new design elements help to optimize the club’s center of gravity. The Ultra Thin Wall Casting Technology allowed Callaway to design a very lightweight head while the Speed Frame Face helps to create faster ball speeds over the entire face. This means less distance loss and more forgiveness on the occasional mishit.
The X Hot Pro comes in with a 435cc head, which is slightly smaller than the standard X Hot (460 cc). It is also geared towards slightly better golfers as it has a neutral weight configuration as opposed to the standard verision which is set up to help golfers draw the ball. The standard length of the club is 45.75 inches.
Performance
At this point we know that there is a bunch of cool technology in this club and that it looks pretty damn good, but how does it perform? That’s the important part, right. For me, it is among the best drivers that I’ve had. I’ve never had a big stick that I’ve hit longer and with as much accuracy as this one. That’s not to say that I’m hitting this club 20 yards further than my old driver, because I’m not but I’d say that I’ve gotten maybe five yards or so more distance. That part really doesn’t matter to me though; honestly is there a big difference between 250 and 255? Not really. What I’ve been more impressed with is the accuracy. I’ve still had my bad days where I can’t seem to hit a fairway to save my life, but on those days, it’s not the driver, I can assure you. On those days everything is bad. On good days though (and there seems to be more of them lately) I feel like the fairways could be 10 yards wide and I’d still find them. With this driver in the bag I’ve had rounds of 13/14 fairways and 14/14 fairways. Part of that is due to me getting better and putting in the work on the range, but part of that is having a club that is forgiving and that fits my swing pretty well.
At this point we know that there is a bunch of cool technology in this club and that it looks pretty damn good, but how does it perform? That’s the important part, right. For me, it is among the best drivers that I’ve had. I’ve never had a big stick that I’ve hit longer and with as much accuracy as this one. That’s not to say that I’m hitting this club 20 yards further than my old driver, because I’m not but I’d say that I’ve gotten maybe five yards or so more distance. That part really doesn’t matter to me though; honestly is there a big difference between 250 and 255? Not really. What I’ve been more impressed with is the accuracy. I’ve still had my bad days where I can’t seem to hit a fairway to save my life, but on those days, it’s not the driver, I can assure you. On those days everything is bad. On good days though (and there seems to be more of them lately) I feel like the fairways could be 10 yards wide and I’d still find them. With this driver in the bag I’ve had rounds of 13/14 fairways and 14/14 fairways. Part of that is due to me getting better and putting in the work on the range, but part of that is having a club that is forgiving and that fits my swing pretty well.
One significant change that I’ve noticed with this clubs is the trajectory of my shots. Anybody who has read my reviews before knows that I’ve described myself as some what of a “line drive” hitter of the golf ball. With this club though the good shots are high. Not to the point where they are ballooning or where I feel that I’m loosing distance but just enough for me to notice that it’s higher than what was my usual.
In terms of forgiveness, I have found this club to be above average. Callaway says that they have designed the face so that off-centered hits don’t loose too much ball speed or distance and I have found that to be the case. Good drives for me are in the 250 yard range and even if I miss the center of the face a little I’m still right around that number. Same is true for direction; unless I really make a poor swing and hit it way out on the toe or something like that, I don’t find myself way off in the woods.
Another important aspect of a club, and especially a driver, is the sound that it makes at impact. This is important because much of what is interpreted as feel is actually the sound of the club. Audibly this club is very good. In the past Callaway clubs had always sounded very much like an aluminum baseball bat, and it was a sound I didn’t like. I found them to be loud, high-pitched and overall annoying. The sound of this club is much better. At impact the club is more muted and gives off a deeper thwack when the ball is struck. I’ve also found the the club doesn’t feel or sound “dead” at impact which was a common complaint with some of the early adjustable drivers.
Conclusion
The bottom line with this club is that it performs. I think most people go through a bit of a honeymoon period with a new driver where it can seemingly do no wrong, but even after that period has come and gone, I am still finding the results I’m looking for with this driver. Part of that is definitely due to improvements to my swing as I’ve been working harder than ever to improve but I’m still going to give the club at least some of the credit. I feel like I’ve found the total package with this club; it has great looks and great performance and it even sounds good. In the past I’ve felt like I’ve gotten two of the three. With tax season just ending, it may be worth it to take a portion of your refund and put the X Hot Pro into your bag.
The bottom line with this club is that it performs. I think most people go through a bit of a honeymoon period with a new driver where it can seemingly do no wrong, but even after that period has come and gone, I am still finding the results I’m looking for with this driver. Part of that is definitely due to improvements to my swing as I’ve been working harder than ever to improve but I’m still going to give the club at least some of the credit. I feel like I’ve found the total package with this club; it has great looks and great performance and it even sounds good. In the past I’ve felt like I’ve gotten two of the three. With tax season just ending, it may be worth it to take a portion of your refund and put the X Hot Pro into your bag.