Drivers

Taylormade R15 (vs) Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 DBD

BY MyGolfSpy
Jul 22nd 2015
Read all comments

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FACT #1 – Taylormade vs Callaway, is by far the biggest rivalry in golf. There is actual hatred between the two brands.

FACT #2 – These are two of the best selling & performing drivers.

So, let’s put them head-to-head and see which one comes out the winner.

The Performance You Deserve.

THE LARGEST, UNBIASED, DATA-BASED HEAD-TO-HEAD DRIVER TEST EVER PERFORMED IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY.

All testing conducted with Foresight GC2 Launch Monitor with HMT.
All testers used Bridgestone B330-RX golf balls.

Let’s play….THIS (vs) THAT!

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MyGolfSpy

Driver Ping G30	Hybrids PXG 0317
3/4 IRON PXG 0311XF	5-GW Srixon Z 565
SW PXG 0317	LW PXG 0311
Putter EVNROLL

MyGolfSpy

comments

Join The Discussion

Ray Murphy

9 years ago

David Tomlinson

PLAY GREAT GOLF

9 years ago

who else really gets it

ryebread

9 years ago

Thanks for the test!

What it tells me, given the testing methodology, is that there’s very little difference with these when dialed in. That’s about what I expect.

More than anything I think it comes down to finding something that you feel confident in standing over the ball, and getting it dialed in as much as possible.

Mike

9 years ago

What are the measured square lofts for the two drivers. Guessing the Callaway is stronger lofted.

Tony

9 years ago

R15 v SLDR comparison has been done, yep no problem, but it would be great to have it as a standard part of every review – Driver, Fairway, irons etc – to cut through the hype and marketing. Logistics maybe an issue, but at least adds, in my opinion, a very powerful review and assessment measure….

Ed Callorina

9 years ago

when testing each of these drivers against each other what shafts were used in each. this would make a big difference! right?

Igor

9 years ago

Just take the effort to read previous postings and you will find the answer to your question.

John Wolf

9 years ago

Double black diamond

Fred Isensee

9 years ago

Useless comparison. You didn’t list loft settings, launch angles, or how the weight (or weights) were set in either driver. How can anyone draw any conclusions without this info?

Jason Shuffield

9 years ago

Callaway XR

Igor

9 years ago

In previous post my name “Ig” should be “lgor” like in my first posting.

Dax Jeter

9 years ago

The Callaway XR is better than both of them…

Alan Martin

9 years ago

Taylormade custom made from Keith at 1st tee of chesterfield

PLAY GREAT GOLF

9 years ago

Agreed Awesome thanks a lot :/

Mike Haiduck

9 years ago

Well done, just the facts work well enough.

George P.

9 years ago

Great job, and testing protocol MGS! You guys are truly the “benchmark” of club testing & reviews. Hard to argue with your numbers. Thanks!!

John Barry

9 years ago

Like it, it’s short and concise, no opinions just the test results and you said basically “pick which one you want, here are the facts.”

GregD

9 years ago

Great job as usual MGS. You guys really set the standard when it comes to unbiased testing. Thanks for your work!

mygolfspy

9 years ago

Thanks Greg! Let us know if you have anything you would like to see tested.

Chris Robinson

9 years ago

New vs Old would be great. Whether thats SLDR vs R15 or 815 BB vs V Series or G25 vs G30. Quite honestly a whole series of is it ever really worth buying the latest driver this year or saving 50% and buying last years would be fascinating to me.

Mark

9 years ago

I want to see old vs. new too. My guess is that the manufactors don’t want you to see a old vs. new test.

kevinb

9 years ago

Great idea! New vs. Old

Tony

9 years ago

Yep, I agree we love the info you guys provide on “The Best…” or “Most Wanted…”

What would be great is old vs upgrade (SLDR vs R15 etc.), help decide if it’s worth waiting 12 mths to get the upgrade for 1/2 the price or keep the one you have and buy more lessons…

Max

9 years ago

Um, they actually did do this when the R15 came out. Just saying….

http://mygolfspy.com/taylormade-r15-vs-sldr/

mark

9 years ago

Max, you are right. I must have missed that article . However to MGS, I would love to see more of these kind of test with new vs. old.

Tony

9 years ago

I Agree Mark, this was my point – I used one example – obviously missed that article as I’m told – but would love to see it as a standard review measurement.

What does the new driver actually bring to the table – be it robot or actual testers – to justify the expense to upgrade to the NEW Driver…. when for most(?) it would be better to invest in lesson’s than on equipment that is designed to be fine tuned for a repeatable swing, when most of us don’t, and we may mange to to flush one or two Drives a round that might sneak past our usual landing area…..Just saying…..

David W

9 years ago

To most, the biggest benefit they would get for their money would be to keep last year’s model and use the money to be custom fit for a shaft.

robbie

9 years ago

If you’re gonna use the Callaway DBD, then isn’t it a better match up if you guys had put it up against the R15 430?

Igor

9 years ago

Why?…. The DBD is a 460cc driver. So why compare 460cc to 430cc?…

John

9 years ago

Nah he’s right, irrespective of CC size, the 430 is marketed as the lower spinning better players version (like the DBD – hence it’s name), this test is complete rubbish, good one MSG lol

Dan McGregor

9 years ago

Callaway

dale

9 years ago

I would love to see you guys do these comparisons with same shaft and the different heads.
In fact, it would be great if in doing the Golfs Most wanted, you also used one shaft across all heads.
That way you would really be testing all the conditions.

It doesnt help to show us the Ping G30 with the standard shaft, because for e.g. you know there is the tour shaft version. Obviously it does not perform the same.

Why not start trying this? That way you can really get #datacratic

Dave S

9 years ago

Because – as MGS has stated time and time again – that type of testing would actually be LESS of a value-add to the typical consumer of golf equipment. It doesn’t do much good to tell me that the Callaway BB DBD is the best driver out there so long as it has a _____ shaft installed. MGS would basically be telling me literally nothing about the actual drivers that are on racks at Dick’s, Golfsmith, etc. In that case, the only way for me to get the Most Wanted driver is to buy it, buy the specific aftermarket shaft used in MGS testing, and have it installed. Even then, there are so many specs to consider in shafts (torque, weight, bend-point, flex, etc.) so one size certainly does not fit all and in all so my results are likely to vary.

I think the way MGS does it now is about as good as you can get as far as testing for the general public is concerned. Obviously the only way to really know what’s best for YOU is to go get fitted.

Golffairwayaide

9 years ago

I like the first one, callaway.

PLAY GREAT GOLF

9 years ago

Yeah Sweet info thanks so much :)

mo

9 years ago

It would’ve been nice if you gave us a more detailed list of specs such as what shafts were used.

mygolfspy

9 years ago

20 golfers tested each driver. We fit each to the stock shaft both that were offered and made available. This was also true for loft. This way it was optimized for each golfer, with each driver, for how he or she could purchase it from retail. This is the majority of how consumers purchase drivers and why it is optimal to test in this manner.

SOME MORE INFO ON HOW WE TESTED:

We recruited 20 golfers across a wide-range of ages and abilities. Our group of testers includes PGA assistants, collegiate golfers, retirees, and average golfers just like you. Here are a few more details about our participants.

Handicap range: +1 – 18
Age Range: 19 – 72
Swing Speed Range: 80MPH – 120 MPH

This driver test was conducted over the span of several weeks. In total, the 20 golfers who participated in our tests spent more than 150 hours hitting over 10,000 total shots.

In order to collect a valid sample size across all testers and all clubs, each tester participated in 6 sessions. To minimize the impact that day to day swing variances may have on the final results, club groups were randomized, as was the order in which clubs within each group were hit.

Testers were asked to take 3-4 swings with each club before moving to the next club in the rotation. The process was repeated until we achieved a sample size of 10-12 ‘good’ shots for each tester with each club.

Ball flight and clubhead data was collected with a with a Foresight GC2 launch monitor with a HMT attached. All testers hit Bridgestone B330-RX golf balls exclusively. Balls were inspected after each session. Any ball showing signs of wear was replaced.

Data was exported, checked for errors and outliers before being aggregated.

Jim Lee

9 years ago

Adams XTD. Cheaper. Only cost me $80 on eBay.

Jim Lee

9 years ago

Sacksith Silapetz

Aaron Kent

9 years ago

It’s all about getting fit and finding out what works best for you. I used to be brand loyal but ever since I had a complete game fitting a couple years ago brand loyalty was thrown out the door. Get fit, find out what works best for you and you will see awesome results. I have 5 different brands in by bag. Taylormade, Adams, Callaway, Cleveland and Titleist.

Glen Johnson

9 years ago

haha taylormade Cleveland callaway cobra nike im as bad as you they all go the same distance,if anything some go with less effort and stay straighter but aslong as taylormade & callaway are at war its hard not to grab them at prices never seen before,,20 yrs ago id have one and it wouldn’t be a cally $$$

Scott Peterson

9 years ago

TaylorMade!

PLAY GREAT GOLF

9 years ago

I agree Cool comment thanks so much :p

Brad Baumann

9 years ago

Actually on Flightscope I have had more students have more success with the R15 when the weights are spread fully.. sorry.. not a fan of their business model..

Euggie Jones

9 years ago

Callaway

Greg

9 years ago

You didn’t state if cor weight was up or down in the Callaway

mygolfspy

9 years ago

It was fit for the 20 golfers that tested each driver. So, depending on what worked best for them determined the position of the core.

Tony Castillo

9 years ago

I go for TM

PLAY GREAT GOLF

9 years ago

Yup

Ltc Dan

9 years ago

DBD

Santiago Lahitou

9 years ago

Callaway

PLAY GREAT GOLF

9 years ago

Yeah Cool ! thanks so much :/

Gil Bloomer

9 years ago

That!

Curtis Dellapenta

9 years ago

oh my! i have no idea.. ill find out & take w swing it.. see which is better with 2015 driver :) its for that hot outside.. ill go inside it w nice a/c :D hee! hee!

Dave Cammilleri

9 years ago

Cobra Bio Cell Plus!

John Porter

9 years ago

Cobra Bio Cell Pro

Guy Crawford

9 years ago

Neither. Cobra Fly Z and Fly Z Plus!

Joshua Voigt

9 years ago

Callaway. Taylor Made sucks

John

9 years ago

FYI – both links ( Buy This, Buy That) link to the same club, or at least that’s what happened when I clicked on the links.

Eron

9 years ago

Would have been a more apples to apples comparison if it had been the R15 430 tp or non tp. The r15 is more in line with the big bertha alpha isn’t it?

Igor

9 years ago

@ Eron,

Nope not really because the DBD is a 460cc driver (many people think it has a smaller head but that is because of the much deeper face) and so is the standard R15 a 460cc driver. So it is an apples to apples comparison.

Personally I have the DBD and compared it to the Standard and TP R15 on GC2 and was hitting the DBD 12yards further then both of them.

Eron

9 years ago

@Igor
head size want really my point. It’s that both the Dbd and the 430 r15 are suppose to be for the better golfer.
Good to see the range of testers were able to hit it well regardless.

Ig

9 years ago

Hi Eron,

That is indeed what they say but I do not agree with that at all.
I play now golf for 29 years. When I started playing, there were only persimmon woods. The rule was not to try to play those drivers unless you were less then a 20 hcp. Which was indeed correct because they were very difficult to hit.
The DBD with its 460cc is hitting 10x times as easy then a persimmon driver so I personally don’t get it that they claim that the DBD is only for single hcps or elite players. If I hit this driver as good as from the hossel it still carries the ball 200-220 yards.
Even the R15 430 or Titleist D3 or whatever so called TP driver hits a LOT easier then the first metal woods that came on the market and where they then said: WOW this hits easy….this is cheating compared to playing with persimmon woods….. If find that very strange ?

Bullwinkle Moose

9 years ago

Igor: I know several people who have hit both, including a guy who plays on a minor tour. Most hit the R-15 slightly better, and it was much easier to adjust than the DBD. I personally don’t have a dog in this hunt, I purchased the G30 with the upgraded shaft. I hit the G30 much better than any Callaway and a couple of TM products. I was a long time Adams fan, TM has Killed Adams so I won’t play their products again ever. Still your comments about a plus 12-15 yards does not stack up with what I personally witnessed across a big range of golfers. They pretty much followed the results MGS obtained. It appears you are a Callaway fan at the least. I’m glad you are getting such great results with the DBD which you purchased when it was still at least $499.00 and how do you feel now that it is down to $349.00? The people who are suggesting the R15 430 is more comparable, are basing those comments on both the cost of the products and the type player they are recommended for.

Igor

9 years ago

Hi Bullwinkle Moose,

Thanks for your kind reply.

In my bag I have 3 vokey sm4 wedges, 2 adams super s idea hybrids, callaway irons and the DBD driver (diamana blue S Shaft) when I am on a course where I know I can rip it and distance is required or a ping g30 (with tour 80 S shaft) for the courses where accuracy is more important then distance. So not an outspoken fanboy of cally.
I can only say that for many years all the drivers I played, they gave me more or less the same distance (despite what all the brands again and again promised to me and to you) . Easy to compare my distance are my faithful golfbuddys that I play with for more then a decade. I suddenly took a quantumleap in their eyes and mine, when I started to hit the DBD.

But but but….drivers are no exact science because several of my buddies tried my driver and after one hit they looked to me with a face that did not show any wow feeling at all.

I feel very happy with my results that are based on my science and I was glad to see that the DBD was the most overall wanted driver for 2015 here on MGS. And longest driver for swinspeeds >100mph (mine is 101-104mph).
Last week I played a 332yrds par 4 on a seaside links and I drove my ball in the greenside bunker (a little side wind breeze) . I am now 52. I was not able to do this when I was 37 and playing from 5hcp with a gail wind in my favour.

I know this is all a lot of my personal blah blah but the point I wanted to make is that every possible driver today hits a LOT easier then the best persimmons of 25years ago.

Take care.

Eron

9 years ago

Thanks for the reply! Pretty safe to say a well fitted driver will out perform OTR for most golfers anyway.

I tried both side to side- among others, but walked away with a R15 460 with a Motore Speeder TS 7.2x- obviously not stock ahah.

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