Design and Tech Benefits

Royal Precision's Project X Graphite option is starting to appear more and more. The firm tip is designed to produce a penetrating launch with low spin. It 
also helps provide added consistency. Callaway's Universal Men's grip comes as standard but other grips are available as a custom option. The Universal provides the standard feel you would expect from a stock grip.


Callaway's titanium Hyberbolic Face Technology is combined with the new body. This means excess material is removed to help produce high ball speeds for added distance on mishits. 
A new material in the head called Forged Composite is lighter and stronger than previous materials. This allows the head to move quicker through the air and increase distance.

There is no colour on the sole whatsoever and the results are stunning. This completely black head is a special European-only launch but will attract attention all over the world. A sleek head with no markings on the crown. This is very different to Callaway's standard Diablo Octane, in which the new carbon composite material can be seen on the crown.

Golf Monthly Verdict

Faster swing speeds will reap the benefits here, but those looking for distance to come from a higher initial launch should consider the standard version of this head. 
The different flight between standard and Tour versions was clear. For faster swingers who have a tendency to generate excess spin, this driver in the right spec should offer a perfect flight.

Forgiveness is not the headline performance gain here. The head looks relatively small at address and those who like to look down on a generous hitting area may be put off. We were concerned about the effect the composite would have on the impact sound. We found that it was a higher pitch than, for instance, a classic Titleist sound; but was still powerful.

PGA pro verdict

An all-black finish gave this product a real business-like look. The head design was very appealing and this model sat really well at address. Performance was very impressive and I really enjoyed the higher than expected flight. The Project X shaft felt very solid and stable at impact. The black finish could soon fade off the face and sole. This could give a worn finish sooner than expected (John Jacobs)

Reviewer: Paul O'Hagan