Head Specs
The Callaway Big Bertha 9 wood boasts a stainless steel club head. It features a slightly larger head, shallow face and high launch angle. Its aerodynamic sole reduces drag and lines up with little rocking. The heel features Callaway's S2H2, Tru-Bore hosel design, which helps increase discretionary weight by shifting it to the overall perimeter of the club head.
Face
The face of the Big Bertha 9 wood also features a slightly longer (heel to toe) hitting area than those on traditional fairway woods. The VFT (variable face thickness) shallow face brings a 57.5-degree lie at address. The face also features a low leading edge, aiding in getting the ball up from a variety of lies.
Uniflex Shaft
The righthanded Callaway Big Bertha 9 wood's Uniflex shaft option comes in the form of the Callaway Big Bertha steel shaft made by Nippon. The shaft is made with a D4 swing weight and 41.5-inch length.
Performance
With its simple design and strong and noted Callaway features, the Big Bertha 9 wood is a nifty club. It gets the ball up nicely from the fairway and rough. Fitted with the steel Uniflex shaft, the D4 swing weight allows for some aggressive swings and shot shaping. The club is comfortable at impact and forgiving with its long and responsive face.
Availability
Although the Big Bertha (2007) line of fairway woods has been replaced by the Diablo Series, the clubs are still available through select Callaway dealers. The righthand 9 wood is a popular club and is also heavily traded on the used market. As of October 2009, dealers were parting with new clubs in the $100 to $150 range. Used dealers and liquidators were selling the 9 wood in the $50 to $100 range, depending on the condition of the club.
About The Author
Jim Hagerty is a freelance writer and journalist. In addition to the hundreds of Web-based articles to his credit, he's a staff writer for "The Rock River Times," where he covers arts and entertainment, outdoors and human interest news events. Hagerty holds a Bachelor of Science in public relations and journalism from Northern Michigan University in Marquette.