2006 Callaway Big Bertha Irons Problem

[Jeep1423]

Hey guys, New to the forums and I hope someone can explain the issues I am having.

 

In March I was sized for the Callaway Big Bertha 2006 Irons and they have been a massive struggle for me. I have never had a real nice set before but I have always made by at about 13 Handicap. I ordered them in the 4-SW with the Dynamic Gold S300 shafts extended a half inch. I have a very high swing speed forcing me to up the shafts. I use a new Taylormade Burner in a stiff 10.5 that I am consistently hitting between 295 and 305....that is where my confusion has really set in. I can boom my driver but these irons have been death for me...I get absolutely no distance out of them...meaning I hit a soaring 8 iron 135 yards yesterday....and that is consistent throughout the set. WHile being setup for these clubs I tried the X-18 and X-20 models and neither felt terribly comfortable....I want consistent distance and straight...I am not hitting them particulary straight because I can't get any feel on which iron to hit at all and they are coming at the price of 20 yards per iron in distance loss. Do you guys have any idea why this is happening? they have been so difficult to hit and I am losing stroke after stroke. When I am that far off of the tee and still struggling to grab that par I have a major problem. Par 3's have been a nightmare for me because of the distance issues. If you guys have hit these clubs or have any understanding as to why I am losing control of my game I would appreciate it.

 

Chris

[wildwilly911]

most people who hit them will gain distance because of there lofts (pw 45*) who did you order them from how were they lengthened, there could be issues there. what were you playing before, give some more info.

[Jeep1423]

I ordered them from Golf Galaxy. They ordered them direct from Callaway with those shafts put into the club. Prior to this my distance was consistent with some Callaway VFT knock offs and some Ping Eyez (Green).

[nunee]

I found my wood distances were out of whack with my irons as well. They still are a bit.

 

I am hitting my drives 270-280, a 7 iron is 145-150, my 8 iron I play at 135. Distance is NOT a problem. Being long with your woods, you dont really have a need to be HUGE with your irons. Just accurate. So, if you can dial in your distances, whatever they may be, you should be OK.

 

That said, I found I was delofting my irons at impact. Work on getting your hands ahead of the clubhead. That sould do the trick.

 

And there is NOTHING wrong with being short on your irons. Usually I am hitting one iron more than everyone else. The number on the iron doesn't matter, only the number on the scorecard!

[hoosiervolunteer]

I have never really had any luck with Big Berthas. The COG is very far from the face which is meant to hit the ball extremely high. The 06 berthas will hit the ball extremely high and straight for sure with little to no feedback. The dynamic golds are a stiffer shaft with a higher kick but they will not correct the moonball effect of the berthas. That ballflight is what 90% of the golfers who look at that set need and want, and that's what Callaway engineered into the heads. My advice is either a) club up and work out the distance issues if you like the feel and look of the set or b) dump them and try some other irons on a range, simulator, or monitor.

[Jeep1423]

Thanks I appreciate the responses. I still don't think I could be more frustrated. For example I was out yesterday morning and on a 207 yard par 3 I had absolutely no club in my bag that could get me to that distance. At the end of the day those VFT knock-offs I was hitting felt hollow when i would hit them and even then I could get there with a 4 iron. I shell out $750 for these there should be some expectations and as a big hitter I would never expect such short distances.

[MrJones]

First I would have to wonder if the lofts on the old knock offs are stronger? Is the ballflight a lot different than your old irons?

 

It seems weird to me that you'd loss 20 yards going to a more solid club. I've hit the 2004 and 2006 big berthas and they both comparable to any other iron I've tried distance wise.

 

My cobras are longer but they have stronger lofts. Do the old irons faces look as lofted when you compare them side by side with the new ones?

[Jeep1423]

Actually the lofts look identical. I just don't get it.....on my most solid hit they come up short. I played one par 3 that was 162 yards and hit a 6 iron (thinking i needed to go up a club) off the club it felt excellent and even the guys i was out with said it looked like it was headed straight toward the stick....it then fell short of the green. I don't mean to really nag on it but it does seem a bit ridiculous not to get that distance out of a 6 iron either.

[slicer365]

Maybe, being a 13 handicap, might have a little to with your struggles. A person of your caliber should be playing more of a mid to pro style iron, with better than stocked shafts. I might suggest you look at the Fusion Irons, try them with Rifle Flighted Shafts.

 

The Berthas are set-up for players with inconsistant swings and have aids to help them benefit (i.e. huge top line, above average offset). Theoretically you should be able to hit the Berthas longer, but that isn't always the case. Example, I owned TaylorMade OS2, which are in the same category. I actually lost distance with them.

 

If I were you try another company, I found that I had a harder time hitting TaylorMade irons and woods, so I switched to Callaway and I could be happier.

 

i might suggest a lesson.

[Jeep1423]

Slicer,

 

I do have upgraded shafts. I put the S300's on there. At golf galaxy they explained to me that the Fusions were even more of a game improvement iron based on the composite face. I just hope I didn't make the mistake of not going with X-Series Iron.

[pingman1]

Slicer,

 

I do have upgraded shafts. I put the S300's on there. At golf galaxy they explained to me that the Fusions were even more of a game improvement iron based on the composite face. I just hope I didn't make the mistake of not going with X-Series Iron.

there is no way you made a mistake, the fusions are arguably the best iron callaway has ever msde.

[nunee]

Could be a spin issue? Too much spin could generate a ball flight that is too high.

 

If these clube are made to generate backspin to overcome sidespin from higher handicap golfers, that may be an issue. As a 13 handicap, you likely don't have sidespin issues, so you are generating an excessive amount of backspin. Are you getting rising iron shots, or hitting them really high?

 

The Fusion irons are nice. My buddy is a 9, and he plays them. They are forgiving, but the narrower sole makes them more playable than I would think. The "Wide-Sole" is really the ultra improvement iron. I'd hate to say it, but the sales guy may have misguided you a bit.

[Jeep1423]

I do hit my Big Berth 2006's very high. At the end of the day hitting the last irons which were hollow should have been way more inconsistent than what i am currently going through with these. I don't have an inconsistent swing at all. When I was being fitted for these my club head speed was in the 95-100mph range. Even at that point it should translate into an average distance rather than the massive loss in distance.

[Mulligan26]

Try a more players like iron, with more mass centered behind the sweet spot you should be gaining some distance back.

[pitch]

This is confusing to me. Anybody that consistently hits driver 295-300 yards should be able to hit a broom as far as you say you're hitting 8 iron or 6 iron.

 

I currently own 2 sets of irons; Callaway Fusion Wide Soles and Big Bertha 06's. I've also recently owned the regular Fusions, Taylormade R7's and Mizuno MX19's. I see virtually no difference in distance in any of these sets. By the way all of the lofts are very similar.

 

I've got to think it has something to do with your iron swing like you angle of attack. Or it is a huge misfit in the shafts.

 

By the way I'm a 6 handicap that plays those irons that are made for people with inconsistent swings. I really get tired of people that think in order to be a good player you have to use "players" irons.

[HarboursideTC]

I agree with Pitch, you don't have to use "Players Irons" to be a good player. Quite a few males pros and a lot of women pros play game improvement irons. I think it is more of a matter of your particular swing characteristics that determine what type of club you are hitting. Personally, I found the BB2004 and BB2006 to hit great off the mats, but not on the course. The offset and low COG just doesn't work well with my steep angle of attack and high swing speed. Still, I can play a pretty decent round of golf with them with some minor adjustments. I just prefer blades because I have played them for so long.

 

This being said, I think you should invest in a few lessons. Therre is obviously some swing flaw that is keeping you from reaching your potential. With that swingspeed, you have a great foundation from which to build an effective swing. Try to make what you have work first before you start throwing money at the problem.

[nunee]

By the way I'm a 6 handicap that plays those irons that are made for people with inconsistent swings. I really get tired of people that think in order to be a good player you have to use "players" irons.

 

 

I agree with you. I probably have a swing flaw, but I have always hit my irons short. It used to be due to 'scooping.' Not anymorethough, I have some yardage gains, since back then, but I feel my iron distances are still outta whack with my driver and woods. That is fine. I don't take lessons, at this time, and don't really mind. I don't need a 200 yard 5 iron. I have a nybrid for htat shot.

 

 

You are RIGHT ON about your clubs. I say play what works. Anything to make the game easier I say. Why make it any harder than it is already. Clubs don't matter, score does.

[Osito2199]

Jeep,

 

Had a similar experience. A buddy of mine has the 06' Berthas. I currently play Mizuno mx-23's. Wanting to purchase a more forgiving set, I demoed my buddies clubs and could not believe the loss of distance I experienced. I can usually get my 8iron out about 155-160yds. With the Berthas, they were going 140-145yds max. Not only that, I thought I hit my Mizunos too high, the Berthas ball flight was ridiculous. Only moon balls with them. I think they just generate too much spin causing all that distance loss. You might want to try another set.

 

Good Luck.

 

JR

[Jeep1423]

Wow guys! Thanks for all of the responses. I liked the idea of going with a game improvement iron. By the end of last season with terrible clubs I was working my handicap way down. I was approaching a 10 with hollow irons....I was consistently hooking the irons and they were 1/2 inch short. I finally decided to go out an buy a nice set and when approached with the thought of an iron set that will hit not only high and straight but solid as well...it really made sense. When you are a long hitter it should make the game easier because you are hitting shorter irons on the approach...but the longer par 3's (200+ yards) I feel like I have to lay up....which is pathetic. I keep a Ping G5 3-wood (NV 65) which I hit 260-270 and a Tight Lies Strong 5 (Cheesy Club but it really is a safe club to have in the bag.) I am losing no shots on the green, with my distance I am losing no shots on Par 5's with the ability to hit second shots with my woods. It is Par 4's with the second shots and the longer par 3's. My 4 Iron is being hit with the loft of a 7 iron.....if this is user error does anyone have a suggestion on how to flatten that out?

[nutter]

sounds like you could use X100's and make sure to hit down on those babies, sounds like you're scooping

[TheBUNKY]

By the way I'm a 6 handicap that plays those irons that are made for people with inconsistent swings. I really get tired of people that think in order to be a good player you have to use "players" irons.

 

A effing MEN! Couldn't agree more

 

Nicely played sir!

[jwfgolfpro]

Call Callaway and tell them your problem and you feel that you might have been fit wrong.

1-800-228-2767 Go to Customer Service.

They will take care of you for sure. Customer service is second to none. I have re-fit several people that were fit at certain "STORES" indoors.

Sounds like you got a bad fit to me.

 

John

[Jeep1423]

JWF,

 

Callaway re-visits the fitting that was done? What are the solutions by them at that point?

[ROBHATTER]

John has it right. I think it is a misfit. I cannot state that for sure, but from the information you have given here it sounds like the clubfitter, didnt watch ball flight either outside, or if inside on a launch monitor read all the numbers.

 

For Callaway customer service I can only give you the 3 instances that I have seen this year at our club. All 3 were "fitted" by an indoor big box store.

 

When we had our Callaway Demo day they sent thier DDR/Tech rep and he refitted them.

 

One golfer x-20 tours with 6.0 flighted project x, needed 5.0 sent them back to Callaway reshafted no charge

One BB06 needed 2* up instead of standard length/lie (off the rack told by the golf store he was standard/standard and didnt need to custom order anything) took 2 weeks to get them back no charge.

One female golfer was fitted into mens regular graphite, should have been mens light.

 

A fitting is only as good as the person doing the fitting. You as a customer is relying on thier expertice, if they have no idea what they are doing it is just guesswork.

[Warszawa]

Personally if it's not a swing flaw it's got to be the design of the clubhead. I have similar problems hitting my no-name shovels. My 150 metre (165 yard) club with my shovels is a soft six or hard seven. With my mates 704cb I hit the 8 iron the same distance. Go figure.

[jugghead23]

Call Callaway and tell them your problem and you feel that you might have been fit wrong.

1-800-228-2767 Go to Customer Service.

They will take care of you for sure. Customer service is second to none. I have re-fit several people that were fit at certain "STORES" indoors.

Sounds like you got a bad fit to me.

 

John

 

I couldn't agree more..Callaway customer service is outstanding.

Recently I bent the shaft of my 7-iron....Brought it to the callaway performance center in Neshanic, NJ..they shipped off, re-shafted, shipped back all for no charge...and no questions asked :D