Callaway FT-iZ Driver Review

It seams that no matter how hard you try to stay clear of new golf equipment, you always have some new shiny toy in the bag at the start of the season. Callaway Golf is making this much, much harder! With all the great equipment they have put out this past year, the best is going to their newest fusion technology driver: The FT-iZ.

The Callaway FT-iZ throws all of the best aspects of Callaway drivers into one package. It's target player is the mid to high handicap golfer but there is also a Tour model out there for the better player. That review will come next.

The Callaway FT-iZ features a Hyperbolic face for explosive and consistent distance of most of the club face. This "Cup Face" design is then fused to a woven carbon fiber body. Having the face welded to the body of the club not only provides a much larger sweet spot on the club face, but fused with the carbon fiber body gives an outstanding feel at impact and it seems like the balls just pop off the face with ease.

The carbon fiber body also allows the folks at Callaway Golf to add weight where it is needed most. In the FT-iZ that weight is mainly in the rear of the club. This provides a very high launch and low spin ball flight designed to work well with the modern golf ball. The crown of the club features an aerodynamic shape to reduce drag created during the swing. This club from top to bottom is designed for distance and accuracy!

Looking at the club at address it is far from pretty! It certainly does not need to be though after you have hit a few balls with it! This might be the longest and straightest Callaway driver I've ever hit! I tested the 10* version with a stiff shaft and really launched the ball with little effort each and every time! The ball did fly a little too high for me given the head style and shaft offered. It was the only demo on hand but I feel the 9* would have been a better fit for me. The feel is very similar to their past Fusion Technology drivers.

The driver does not allow you much in the way of working the ball. The Tour version is better suited for this and I will review that club next. Hitting high draws was really the only ball flight I could accomplish easily with this club and when you get your average player hitting a low fade, this is the perfect driver for them! I felt I needed to try to fade the ball a good bit just to get it to fly straight for me, but I do hit a natural draw.

The FT-iZ is available in 9*,10*,11*, and 13*. Right and Left hand. The stock shaft does feel a little weak to me and I would recommend most of you out there do a quick fitting with your golf pro or local Callaway sales rep to make sure you get the right loft/shaft combo in your driver.

I'd give this a try, and with the Tour version out, I may finally be making a change from my FT-9 Tour! It will be a tough decision to make between that and the Diablo Edge Tour!

Stay tuned for more reviews!