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The Callaway Big Bertha B21 fairway wood is the easiest-to-launch fairway wood that I’ve ever hit.  Excellent ball speed.  Not as draw biased as expected.  Unusual look at address.

Introduction

The Big Bertha name has been part of Callaway Golf for a long time.  At times it’s been assigned to clubs for better players, but for the B21 line, it’s back on clubs designed for players who want some help hitting the ball straighter, farther, and more consistently.  As someone who could use help in those areas when it comes to fairway woods, I was very eager to test the Big Bertha B21.

Looks

The Callaway Big Bertha B21 fairway wood stands out in its appearance at address.  What I first noticed is the offset.  It doesn’t have the wild gooseneck of yesteryear’s offset fairway woods, but it is noticeable.  The other thing that really caught my eye is how shallow the face is.  I can’t think of another fairway wood with a face that’s this slim.

In addition to the shape, the B21 fairway wood has a dark blue crown with Callaway’s signature fade to carbon fiber.  There’s also a thin red stripe on either side of the chevron alignment aid.  Finally, Big Bertha branding appears on the back edge of the crown.

In the bag, the Big Bertha B21 has a bold appearance that had me thinking back to some of the Big Bertha offerings from the mid-2010’s.  The sole is navy blue with red accents and a large patch of metallic grey through the middle.  Callaway’s Jailbreak Technology is visible on the sole, as is a weight at the rear of the head.

Sound & Feel

Striking a good shot with the Big Bertha B21 fairway wood produces a high pitched metallic “clink” with slightly above average volume.  It’s a pronounced version of what I consider a prototypical fairway wood sound, and it was a wonderful reward for making a good swing.

Feedback from the B21 fairway wood was better than I expected.  Missing the center of the face dulls the sound noticeably, and you can easily feel mishits in your hands.

Performance

I have never hit a fairway wood that is this easy to launch.  Full stop.  If, like me, you struggle with fairway woods because you don’t launch them high enough or consistently enough, go try the Big Bertha B21 fairway wood right now.  Thank me later.

When I first set down the B21 fairway wood, I thought, “This face is super shallow.  I hope it delivers on being easy to launch.”  And it did.  It launches high, it launches easily, and it launches consistently.  My thin shots were launching at over 10 degrees.  I launched a couple shots at 16 degrees.  It was so far from the norm for me that I actually made a note to check the loft, which was actually 15 degrees.

Launch isn’t the only story here.  Thanks to AI-designed Flash Face and Jailbreak Technology, the B21 fairway wood is also really fast.  Smash factors of 1.5 were not unusual during my testing.

The other thing that Callaway is touting with the Big Bertha B21 is the slice-busting.  This is the one thing that made me nervous because I hate hitting hooks.  I was surprised to find that, despite the offset, the B21 doesn’t really want to hook.  Yes, my dispersion was a little more left than normal, but it was very playable.  My shots went straight or drew, which is a combination I can certainly live with in a fairway wood.

Finally, if you’re debating between the MAVRIK MAX and the Big Bertha B21, Callaway has a useful chart comparing their two most forgiving fairway woods.  To summarize, the Big Bertha B21 fairway wood has more offset, higher launch, a shallower face, and more forgiveness.  The MAVRIK MAX is easy to hit; the Big Bertha B21 practically swings itself.

Conclusion

Virtually every club that’s released these days comes with big promises, but few deliver on them like the Callaway Big Bertha B21 fairway wood.  This club makes the long game so much easier thanks to its high, easy launch and a little help in keeping the ball from slicing.  If you’ve sworn off fairway woods, give this one a try, you won’t regret it.

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Callaway Big Bertha B21 Fairway Wood Price & Specs