Callaway's FT Tour Driver  

Callaway Golf always seems to find its way into the headlines with its drivers.

Whether it’s the ingenuity of the Big Bertha that revolutionized the entire market for big-headed drivers way back in 1991, or the creation of the nonconforming ERC II endorsed by Arnold Palmer earlier this decade, Callaway seems to understand what it takes to get off the tee farther and straighter than most other equipment companies.

The geniuses in the research and development department with the Carlsbad, California company are back at it again. Callaway’s FT Tour Driver recently won six of nine PGA Tour events earlier this season. Of course, Phil Mickelson winning The Masters in April with it was as high-profile an endorsement as you can get. However, Ernie Els and Jim Furyk have each won twice with the model, spearheading their comebacks into relevance on the PGA Tour.

The FT Tour has been available to tour pros for about a year – it was launched in 2009 as the FT-9 Tour Authentic -- but the consumer version is new this year. The FT Tour Driver, launched to the public in March and costing $399, features a 440 cc multi-material clubhead with a full-length hosel. Its slightly open face angle delivers the look at address preferred by highly skilled players. Its design combines an ultra lightweight carbon composite body for improved accuracy and workability with a titanium, Hyperbolic club face that yields incredible ball speeds and increased distance. Players rave about its long penetrating ball flight when it’s fitted properly.

The driver market is so competitive, that it seems to be the one piece of equipment that golfers are willing to pay big bucks for on a semi-regular basis. They won’t spend $800 to replace their irons every three years. Yet they will pony up to $400 to get a new driver regularly, sometimes every other year.

That’s why Callaway’s success forced TaylorMade – the company that has led the PGA Tour in driver count for years, according to the Darrell Survey – to issue an e-mail press release/statement last month that claims it is still the No. 1 driver in the world, at least in the number of tour pros using it. The question remains: Is quantity of players better than quantity of wins when talking about the best equipment? Or should amateur players even concern themselves with what is popular amongst professionals who are being paid to play particular equipment?

The FT Tour also comes in a different model as the FT-iZ series. Its triangular shape was created to decrease aerodynamic drag. Callaway has found success with its new ball and irons as well.

“Callaway has always dedicated more resources towards developing game-changing equipment and a ‘quality vs. quantity’ approach in regards to our tour staff,” said George Fellows, President and CEO, Callaway Golf. “It’s gratifying to see our 2010 lineup, which we feel is the strongest in our history, receive such widespread acceptance from critics, weekend golfers, and now the best players on the planet. We’re entering the peak of golf’s selling season with a great deal of momentum.”

Many criticized Mickelson for chasing dollar signs when he signed with Callaway just weeks before a disastrous performance (1-3-1 in matches) at the 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan. Since then, nobody dare question Lefty. Mickelson has won three of his four majors with the company and is poised to claim No. 1 in the world for the first time in his illustrious career.

Only time will tell if his Callaway FT Tour driver can follow Mickelson’s lead straight to the top. Visit Callaway Golf or visit your closest golf retailer that sells Callaway equipment to find out what the FT Tour can do for you.