By Christian Nicolini, AmateurGolf.com
Equipment Writer
Adding to the
recent success it’s enjoyed both
on tour and in the market, Callaway introduced
the new X2 Hot and X2 Hot Pro fairway woods
to the
brand’s lineup of drivers and woods earlier this
year. We examine the Callaway X2 Hot
Fairway.
FIRST REACTION
Callaway currently has two versions of the X2
Hot -- a pro version, which appeals more to a
low-handicap golfer and a standard version
which
caters to a mid-to-high handicappers. During
my time, I tested the standard X2 Hot 3 wood
(15 degrees loft with an Aldila Tour Blue stiff
shaft).
The X2 Hot fairway wood uses Callaway’s
patented Hyper Speed Face Cup for increased
ball speed, an improved center of gravity to
allow for more
consistent launch and spin rates, and an all
new sole design, which makes the club easier
to hit from any lie.
WHAT YOU’RE GETTING
When you buy an X2 Hot Fairway Wood, you
get everything from a high-performance head
to a premium aftermarket shaft that is being
used by top
players on tour. These woods come in six lofts
-- 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and 25 degrees -- all of
which have a D3 swing weight. The Aldila Tour
Blue
shaft offers a lightweight 60-gram shaft, mid
torque and a mid-low kickpoint.
FEEL/SOUND/APPEARANCE
Callaway has always been known for
developing clubs with a smooth feel and the X2
Hot fairway doesn’t disappoint. The X2 Hot
delivers a great
balance between feel and feedback that every
golfer needs. If great feel isn’t enough then
maybe the crisp sound of this club would
convince you.
At address, the X2 Hot fairway is slightly larger
than the pro version but smaller than the
JetSpeed or RBZ by TaylorMade. I found the
decals on this
wood much less distracting than other fairway
woods and found the arrow on the crown very
helpful for alignment. However, I noticed that
the
crown creates a distracting glare from the
light.
PERFORMANCE
After hitting 20 shots with the X2 Hot, the first
thing I noticed was the draw bias. For
someone looking for a fairway wood but hits a
hook I might
advise you to look more at the Big Bertha
series so you can adjust the bias accordingly. I
found this club to do nearly everything
Callaway claims:
consistent launch. spin, and increased
distance. Using 10 shots and averaging the
results, I was relatively surprised by the
results.
After 10 shots:
Swing speed averaged 106 MPH
Ball speed:153.2 MPH
Launch angle: 14 degrees
Spin rate: 4175 rpm
Carry distance: 268 yards
Total distance: 276 yards
Now, based on these results I concluded that
the stiff Tour Blue shaft might have been a tad
weak for my 105 MPH swing speed which might
have
resulted in the high launch angle and slightly
high spin rate. However, given those factors,
the ball speed was nearly as fast -- if not as
fast -- as a
driver, which is an amazing advantage to have
when trying to reach a long par-5 in two.
Although these numbers where impressive, I
wanted to see the difference between the X2
Hot and last year’s X Hot Fairway. So, I hit 20
shots with
a 15 degree, stiff Project X shaft (stock) and
averaged my top 10 shots and compared:
Swing speed: 105
Ball speed: 149
Launch angle: 12 degrees
Spin rate: 4075 rpm
Carry distance: 254 yards
Total distance: 267 yards
Both clubs yielded nearly identical swing
speeds however the ball speed decreased 4.2
MPH with the X Hot, and the average carry
distance
decreased a mind blowing 14 yards. It’s hard
to say whether or not the shaft difference
contributed to the results but it’s no question
that I would
replace the X Hot with the X2 Hot for the
upcoming season.
PRICING/AVAILABILITY
The X2 Hot Fairway woods retail at $229.99
and available at most golf retailers.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Long, forgiving, and feel. If you’re looking for a
fairway wood that delivers any or all three of
these attributes and don’t mind a little glare
from the
crown or a slight draw basis then you have
found yourself a winner. The X2 Hot delivers
notable improvement from last year’s X hot
with added feel
and forgiveness.
