FIRST LOOK: Callaway brings fairway wood power to new Super Hybrid

For years, hybrids have acted as a long-iron replacement for golfers who require ample forgiveness and a higher launch angle in a playable package. The design hasn’t changed all that much since it was first introduced, but with the introduction of Callaway’s Super Hybrid, it’s now possible to get the power of a fully-loaded fairway wood in a hybrid profile.

Callaway CEO Chip Brewer challenged his design team to think outside the box with the oversize hybrid. At 143 cubic centimeters, the Super Hybrid has a larger footprint than the traditional version and is packed with technology, including a high-strength titanium face insert and body that replaces the stainless construction typically found on most hybrids.

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Going lighter serves two purposes, increasing ball speed and yielding significant weight savings. The thin titanium face is backed by Callaway’s Jailbreak Technology, which consists of two titanium bars connecting the sole and crown, creating a more rigid boundary around the entire structure to help resist unwanted deflection of the body during impact.

Shedding body and crown weight freed up a significant amount of discretionary weight — up to 68 grams of metal-injection molded tungsten can be found in the heel and toe of the head — that was placed low and back in the head to bump up stability and protect ball speed on off-center hits. The TSC triaxial carbon crown tips the scales at a feathery 5 grams and has a tighter weave than its predecessor.

Although the Super Hybrid has a more neutral weighting, the OptiFit 3 hosel offers numerous settings, making it possible to not only increase the loft by 2 degrees or lower it by 1 degree but also adjust the lie angle to a more upright position for a draw shot shape.

“I think [the Super Hybrid] will appeal to a lot of better players,” said Dave Neville, Callaway’s senior director of brand management. “But with the lineup we have, I think it can expand a little broader than that.”

Callaway’s Super Hybrid (Nov. 1 release) retails for $320 and comes in three lofts (17, 20 and 23 degrees) with Mitsubishi Chemical’s Tensei CK Pro Orange 85 shaft.