Callaway Golf Ignites Explosive Distance From The Tee With Its New X Hot Drivers

CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) today announced its new line of X Hot^™ Drivers and Fairway Woods, configured for blistering ball speeds and distance gains. Already adopted by some of the longest-hitting players on the worldwide tours, including newly-announced Callaway staff professional Gary Woodland, the new line of X Hot Woods are a result of Callaway R&D designing clubs for the best players in the world, and using optimized design progression and adjustability to make them accessible and high-performing for all players. This collection of hot, distance-promoting drivers and fairway woods will be available at golf shops nationwide starting on January 25, 2013.

Distance gains of 13 yards* with the new X Hot Driver have been achieved with a host of design and engineering advancements that make the new drivers fast, hot and more lightweight than their predecessors. Callaway employed its powerfully fast Speed Frame™ Face Technology that increases ball speed, saves weight and optimizes stiffness and stress distribution across the face for more efficient energy transfer. The new face technology promotes more – and more consistent -- distance, even on off-center impact. Also, by decoupling the face performance from the rest of the driver head, Callaway R&D is able to boost ball speed without sacrificing optimum trajectory. And a tighter curvature face on the X Hot Driver (relative to the RAZR X Black Driver) offers a look at address preferred by better players, along with consistent sidespin and dispersion to promote accuracy.

"With the X Hot Drivers, we pushed the Speed Frame Face's efficiency to a new standard, producing high ball speeds while maintaining the trajectory and accuracy that discerning golfers demand," said Dr. Alan Hocknell, SVP, Research & Development, Callaway Golf. "The fast face on X Hot is one piece of the puzzle, though. We went to great lengths to configure the X Hot drivers not only to promote distance, but to progressively optimize performance for various player types."

In the X Hot Drivers, Callaway has implemented its thinnest casting technology ever in the all-titanium head to create a lighter swing weight and overall configuration, a combination that benefits most players in terms of head speed and distance, especially golfers with an average swing speed. Another benefit of the new, thin casting technology to the golfer is the inclusion of Draw Bias Progression, which changes the amount of draw bias depending on the loft, allowing golfers to better control sidespin and tune their shot shape. Players with higher lofts can take advantage of higher draw bias for straighter shots, while players with lower lofts can utilize a more neutral CG that fits their game.

Also featured in the Callaway X Hot Driver is the adjustable OptiFit Hosel, which adjusts the face angle in Open, Square or Closed positions to improve accuracy and trajectory, and allows golfers to dial in their preferred look at address. As a notable value-add, the Callaway X Hot Drivers also feature Project X Velocity shafts as the stock offering.

The Standard Callaway X Hot Driver will be available in 9.5-, 10.5-, 11.5-degree models and a 13-degree HT-model, and will feature a lighter overall club weight and a lower swing weight than the X Hot Pro model. At 460 cc, it also features attractive crown decals and an alignment Chevron on the matte grey-colored crown. The X Hot Pro Driver, which has a slightly smaller headshape at 440 cc, will be available in 8.5-, 9.5- and 10.5-degree models and feature slightly more open face angles than the Standard version. The Pro version will be available on February 15, 2013. Both versions of the new driver will debut with a new product introduction price of $299.

In addition to the X Hot Drivers, Callaway is bringing a new line of fairway woods that Tour Pros, the blogosphere and industry insiders have been buzzing about in recent weeks, the X Hot Fairway Woods. Aiming to deliver the hottest, most versatile and most complete fairway woods in golf, Callaway R&D engineered a Forged Speed Frame Face Cup made of high strength Carpenter 455 stainless steel that is, remarkably, up to 40 percent thinner than last year's fairway wood face -- with a 90 percent larger sweet spot -- jamming the CT level right up against the limit allowed by the USGA. As a result, the Forged Speed Frame Face Cup produces significantly hotter responses all over the face, and does so with superior launch conditions.

The markedly low CG in the fairway wood head, accomplished with a novel proprietary design called the Internal Standing Wave, delivers more ball speed and lower, more consistent backspin, resulting in longer, more consistent distances from everywhere on the course: the tee, fairway or rough. This new, wave-shaped weighting design engineered inside the club head projects up from the sole toward the face, creating a lower and shallower CG and higher MOI.

"We are seriously proud of the X Hot Fairway Wood's design and performance. We think we have set a new and extremely high bar in the fairway wood category," said Hocknell. "The distance gains are for real. In testing with Staff Professional Alvaro Quiros, for example, he gained nearly 18 yards against the gamer in his bag."

Not to be forgotten among the staggering distance gains is the complete performance and versatility of the X Hot Fairway Wood and X Hot Pro Fairway Wood; the sole is designed for improved performance from a variety of lies. Contributing to this versatility is the Modern Warbird® Sole, an updated design that builds off of one of the most adaptable fairway woods ever produced to allow for more dynamic shot shaping and a decidedly more useful fairway wood.

To further enhance speed and distance, the X Hot Fairway Woods will be available with a lightweight Project X Velocity shaft as the stock offering. The Standard X Hot Fairway Wood will be available in a 3-Wood, 4-Wood, 5-Wood, 7-Wood, 9-Wood and 11-Wood. The Standard version features slightly longer length shafts and more upright lie angles. The X Hot Pro Fairway Wood will be available in 13.5-, 15-, 17- and 19-degree models. Both versions will be available for a new product introduction price of $229. 

For more information on the Callaway X Hot line of products, please visit: www.callawaygolf.com/xhot. Also follow Callaway on Twitter @CallawayGolf.

*Claim based on average distance gains in total distance taken from player testing of X Hot Driver vs. RAZR X Black.

About Callaway Golf
Through an unwavering commitment to innovation, Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY) creates products designed to make every golfer a better golfer. Callaway Golf Company manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf accessories under the Callaway Golf® and Odyssey® brands in more than 110 countries worldwide. For more information please visit www.callawaygolf.comor shop.callawaygolf.com.

CONTACT:
Scott Goryl
Callaway Golf Company
[email protected]
760-804-4080

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SOURCE Callaway Golf Company