Maybe it was just coincidence, but the same weekend that the FT3 driver helped Mickelson win his second career major tournament, I also got the chance to test drive this same golf club. And besides winning major tournaments, it may pretty much help you win a few more golf matches and bets than before. This driver has something for everyone, and it may be the best all-around driver I´ve hit in quite a while, but lets get down to the specifics and give this review a bit more depth.

First of all, you will have to leave your previous prejudices at the door. And this is specially aimed at those who had the doubtful privilege to play Callaway´s previous experiments with composite heads, called C4 and Fusion. The C4 was just plain horrendous, but the Fusion was a more serious and improved experiment, getting enough playtime in professional levels (including PGA and LPGA tours). Lack of adequate feel and devoid of some outstanding feature, never quite got enough momentum to gain a respectable sales volume. But it provided a lot of the testing grounds for the FT3.


TECH STUFF

Oh, yes: a lot of VERY HIGH TECH stuff is hidden inside the new 460cc, titanium faced FT3. The most notable is the composite crown that allows for more weight to be located lower and farther back, thus the COG (center of gravity) promotes "easier" shots that spin less and travel further.

We also have a choice of 2 "trajectories" with the FT3, a Draw model that helps slicers, and a Neutral model for those who favor a fade or prefere a little more ball-working help. I Have tried the Draw model and it does a fine job fighting unwanted flights to the right.

After a few months out in the market, the most frequent complaint about the Fusion was its size: people WANT the 460cc. drivers now, and even Staff tour pro´s like Mickelson asked for a bigger, more powerful and forgiving head. Phil played the FT3 as a "prototype" for a good 8 months, as well as Annika (yes...Sorenstam).

This days all of the "big" OEM´s have included top of the line shafts as stock options, and in the case of the FT3 the choices are few but extremely adequate: A specially made-for Aldila NVS or the always versatile Grafalloy ProLaunch, two of my favorite shafts because of the lower kick-point that helps the ball UP in the air. However, you will have to go the Custom Options way if you seek a mid-to-low ball flight.

Loft options are also few: 9,10 and 11°and also a super-helper 16° that may be ideal for slower swingers, or some could call it an unusually big and expensive strong 4 wood. For those of you that feel left out because of the fact that the lowest loft available is a "girlie" 9°, read on and see why you should look elswhere for raw power.


PERFORMANCE PACK

There are so many nice attributes to the FT3, besides de killer looks:

- You want distance? Here is a driver that offers big-league yards for better-than-average swingers. For the "average" golfer there is respectable distance and a lot of forgiveness. The NVS shaft is very efficient at helping the ball fly with optimum trajectory and maximum carry, and you really have to swing BAD to put the ball outside the course. I swing a bit hard and found distance to be a suprisingly strong treat from this unusual club. Two thumbs up un this one.

- Forgiving and then some. Just as forgiving as its Big Bertha 454 brother (I mean, sister!). This means you can swing with extra confidence, because to lose the ball OB you need to swing and hit the ball WAY off the mark. Slight off-center hits dont lose more than 5-10 yards distance, but I noticed more distance loss in heel shots. I also liked the fact that I dont need to tee the ball to high to achieve perfect launches, something I liked a lot.

- Feel is a sticky issue. I did not like the C4 and neither the Fusion drivers, but this is different: for starters you can really FEEL the ball at impact, and the clubface seems absolutely strong and solid. You will have to get used to the strange, clanky sound. It may be unusual, but nevertheless is not devoid of a deep sense of power. You´ll get used to it in a snap. It does feel and different than other Composite drivers, and the head feels stronger, more powerful than the Launcher Comp (and THAT says a lot).


BOTTOM LINE

DISTANCE, FORGIVENESS and FEEL. This could be my favorite Comp head if it was not for the $400 price tag. But for Callaway fans and MIckelson wannabes there is no better big stick right now. I somehow fail to see this FT3 being a favorite of high-handicappers because it is not as forgiving as other popular and least expensive options like the G2, Cobra 460, Launcher or R5, to name a few. But I liked it better than the R7, Cobra 454 Comp and Cleveland Comp. The stock shafts are an excellent plus in the offer, and if it was just $50 USD cheaper I would seriously consider buying it.

In all, I feel this FT3 is going to be a much better sucess than the Fusion, and probably the hottest-selling driver until december. With so many notable tour wins already, the FT3 seems destined for better futures than the previous 2 Callaway experiments with composite technology.







Recommended: Yes