© Callaway Golf

Callaway sells its XR hybrids under the slogan “Built for outrageous speed” (and for a $219 price-tag) and I regard this statement as being pretty bold, actually unapologetically straight-forward and clear. The question is, will the XR Hybrids deliver? Well, let’s see about that, shall we? Being a game-improving hybrid, the XR’s head was redesigned to create a forty-six percent lower CG than the previous generation (the X2 Hot). What does that mean in terms of playability, accuracy, forgiveness, distance, feel and, very important to some, looks? Well, the XR hybrid is incredibly easy to draw and to fade too, with a little bit of training. It’s actually a good rescue club, which will help you get back in play, providing you with accurate low/driving trajectories and reasonable distances.

It’s that kind of a club that enjoys cheating the wind. In terms of forgiveness/accuracy, the XR can be described as being a true salvage tool for those days when you’re not playing your best game. I mean, this club is capable of delivering passable correction in difficult circumstances, it’s fairly easy to turn over without compromising your shots and it’s very consistent and forgiving. The XR makes a (very familiar) metallic sound when it impacts the ball, a very enjoyable and crisp sound in good Callaway tradition (it’s a matter of personal taste by the way). Also, Callaway put a lot of effort in this baby especially in terms of trajectory and forgiveness, hence this golf club is being billed as a high-flying hybrid that offers lower launch angles when compared to its competitors. However, if you dig the X2 Hot, the XR is way better that the previous generation, being an evolution from all points of view; bottom line, the XR Hybrid is a nicely designed package which sounds great and it will definitely improve your game at a fair price.