Posted June 23, 200519 yr comment_98078 Check out the new Callaway X-18 driver on the Japan web site. It has excellent custom shaft up grades too.
June 23, 200519 yr comment_98083 Looks pretty cool. Starting to despise these intricate flash websites... Just give me the pics and the specs :cool:
June 23, 200519 yr comment_98092 That looks bad a$$, I am sure they will come out with a black x-14 Tour head soon. Callaways version of the R510 TP.
June 23, 200519 yr comment_98096 callaway's last greatest driver was the warbird ruger titanium, thats it, everything after that was ..... that looks good; mommy i want one, then you hit it and well hell ya know.....................................
June 24, 200519 yr comment_98118 Wow!!!! Thats looks good to me , I haven't ever heard of this one even in the Japan secrets. cool thanks. :cool:
June 24, 200519 yr comment_98127 The sole design looks similar to their old Steel Head drivers of a while ago (really). But i can't say that it's not a bad looking golf club. Though with all the fusion stuff the Callaway has going, it's not really wowing me.
August 9, 200519 yr comment_100877 I called Callaway asking about the X-18 Driver and spoke at length with a customer rep. on the phone. Here's a few highlights of my conversation. The Japanese market is really big on names and reputation. The X-18 irons have a really great reputation, hence the X-18 Driver. The X-18 Driver has an high COR around 0.930. Much higher than the 0.890 COR of the ERC Hot Driver. (0.930 COR is insanely high!!) The face of the X-18 is made of a hard, dense SP-700 Titanium. The driver is meant for swing speeds of 95 mph or less. There is a chance that the driver face may crack if the driver is constantly swung at speeds over 100 mph. The gray area is 95 to 100 mph. The rep. noted that with my swing speed of 95 to 100 mph, I would be better off with the ERC Hot or BB Fusion. The new sole design is really stable and may find its way into the new generation of USA drivers. The rep mentioned a Big Bertha Titanium 460 Driver that is in the works which will include the new X-18 sole design. Look for this driver sometime in the Fall/Winter of 2006. The new sole desing may eventually its way into the next generation Fusion Driver. (FT-4/FT-5, here we come. But it probably won't be until 2007.) Hope this inside information helps.
August 9, 200519 yr comment_100902 I called Callaway asking about the X-18 Driver and spoke at length with a customer rep. on the phone. Here's a few highlights of my conversation.The Japanese market is really big on names and reputation. The X-18 irons have a really great reputation, hence the X-18 Driver. The X-18 Driver has an high COR around 0.930. Much higher than the 0.890 COR of the ERC Hot Driver. (0.930 COR is insanely high!!) The face of the X-18 is made of a hard, dense SP-700 Titanium. The driver is meant for swing speeds of 95 mph or less. There is a chance that the driver face may crack if the driver is constantly swung at speeds over 100 mph. The gray area is 95 to 100 mph. The rep. noted that with my swing speed of 95 to 100 mph, I would be better off with the ERC Hot or BB Fusion. The new sole design is really stable and may find its way into the new generation of USA drivers. The rep mentioned a Big Bertha Titanium 460 Driver that is in the works which will include the new X-18 sole design. Look for this driver sometime in the Fall/Winter of 2006. The new sole desing may eventually its way into the next generation Fusion Driver. (FT-4/FT-5, here we come. But it probably won't be until 2007.) Hope this inside information helps. Sorry to disagree but.... Callaway Japan says the C.O.R is only 0.890 ( same as ERC HOT ). We have sold a bunch with Diamana 73's & Tour AD M-75's which are shafts fitted for swing speeds above 105+ and I doubt callaway would sell that sort of shaft for people who swing under 100. There is also video footage ( in English ) of Alan Hocknell the head of R&D Innovation and Head Design saying the X-18 Driver is for better players. Also JPGA tour players who swing well over 115mph have these in play. My swing speed is 108mph and no crack face issues here. This is what you can ask the U.S rep for s**ts & giggles: - Why are the JPGA players swinging at 115+ hitting them if they are for slow speeds? - Why would they offer hard hitting shaft options like the M-75 & Diamana's? - Why would the stock JVX shaft be stiffer and heavier than the other cally model standard shafts? - Why does Alan Hocknell say these are for better and stronger players? Video footage from R&D http://www.callawaygolf.jp/gallery/movie/x...er_m/index.html
August 9, 200519 yr comment_100903 My driver has SP-700 face and there is no problem with "caving" at 103-105 mph ss.
August 9, 200519 yr comment_100908 I figured as such. I have swung my Cleveland Launcher Comp up to 105 repeatedly, and no caving or cracking yet. I do believe the Launcher Comp has a SP-700 face. To me, it would make sense that the X-18 can withstand faster swing speeds since it has more titanium (face and sole). The ERC Hot only has the face (cup face). Would Callaway make such a claim to differentiate between the X-18 Driver and the more expensive ERC Hot Driver?
August 9, 200519 yr comment_100909 I will call Callaway and ask those specific questions. Once I get a reply, I will post it here. If the X-18 has an 0.930 face, it would kill my BB FT-3 and y Launcher Comp.
August 9, 200519 yr comment_100913 I figured as such. I have swung my Cleveland Launcher Comp up to 105 repeatedly, and no caving or cracking yet. I do believe the Launcher Comp has a SP-700 face.To me, it would make sense that the X-18 can withstand faster swing speeds since it has more titanium (face and sole). The ERC Hot only has the face (cup face). Would Callaway make such a claim to differentiate between the X-18 Driver and the more expensive ERC Hot Driver? I don't think callaway would make false claims, but I do know from experience that U.S OEM reps don't have much info on the manufacturing or R&D sides of Japanese equipment. The majority of TSG, WRX, and BSG Members know more than many of these reps as is.
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