Callaway JAWS Full Toe Wedge Review

Name: Callaway JAWS Full Toe Wedge
Price: $200-$210 depending on store
Features: Full face JAWS grooves, offset groove-in-groove technology, all-new raw face, specialized C-Grind, full toe for high CG

Pros: Large sweet spot, very well balanced club, versatile for a variety of wedge shots, very forgiving, great for spin generation
Cons: None

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Overall Rating:  5 out of 5

 

The JAWS Full Toe wedge is the latest addition to Callaway's current line of wedges. In this edition of the club, Callaway claims to have achieved something quite special; the perfect wedge for both full control and ultimate spin generation.

 

The club is loaded with Callaway's latest tech including a raw face filled with JAWS grooves and new offset groove-in-groove technology. The Full Toe design also claims to raise CG away from the heel of the club, resulting in better contact and feel.

I've been testing out the 60 degree steel-shaft version of this club for about a month now and am genuinely impressed with it.

 

Aesthetically, this is a great looking club and an eye-catcher when sitting in your bag. Immediately one notices the grooves on the face running right to the top and the distinct four recessed weight cavities on the back. The design lines on the underside of the club are very attractive as well. The club screams high-quality, as it should for a club in this price range.

 

What struck me when I first picked up the club was its weighting. I wouldn't say its a light or heavy club, but its balancing is spot on. It feels great in your hands even when gripping up or down for different shots, allowing you to always make smooth and consistent swings, which are key for wedge play. It's a club that puts you in control and once you get comfortable with it, it's a genuine pin-chaser.

 

Throughout my usage, I tried out the club from practically every location within 60 yards of the hole and I am happy to say it performed excellently every time. From bunkers, to thick rough, to tight fairway lies, this wedge could do it all. It's one of the most versatile wedges that I've ever played. Bunker play, in particular, was actually quite fun with this club; it seemed to get out of everything.

 

Some must be said about the spin this club can generate, which is quite a lot. It's a real game changer knowing that you can play into any green with confidence that there's enough spin on your ball to stick the landing. I loved hitting this club from the fairway into the green and watching it just stop immediately when it lands. And when paired with Callaway's Supersoft ball, the results are jaw-droppingly good.

In addition to versatility, the wedge is very forgiving. Callaway's claim of a large sweet spot may be true, but for me, I like seeing a face full of grooves when I look down at the club/ball in a bad lie. To me, it makes the club head appear larger. Plus it gives me that extra bit of confidence that I can make good contact with the ball. And when I didn't make good contact, the results were not as poor as expected. Thin or fat shots still seemed to work out.

 

In terms of function, this club hits all the marks and I've found absolutely nothing wrong with it. The only thing I could see becoming an issue for some is the recessed weight cavities filling up with dirt, but to me, that's no issue at all.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Callaway has outdone themselves with the JAWS Full Toe wedge. This is a well thought out club that does what it claims to do. From forgiveness, to versatility, to all-round feel, this club does it all, and looks good doing it. It's a club that gets better and better the more you dial it in and can easily become the go-to club in your bag. I know I will be gaming it as much as possible from now on.

I would recommend this club for every golfer who wants to become a great wedge player. This is the club that will get it done for you and the club that will get better as your skills develop. High handicappers who may not always make clean contact will benefit from this club's forgiveness, whereas low handicappers will be able to take full advantage of this club's versatility.

 

It is for these reasons that we are giving the Callaway JAWS Full Toe wedge our first ever 5/5 product rating! A worthy recipient without question. 

 

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Have you gamed the Callaway JAWS Full Toe wedge? If so, leave a comment below about your experience with it.

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball Review

Name: Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball

Price: ~$30 for a dozen in most stores

Features: High Speed Compression Core for maximum ball speed and soft feel, New Hybrid Cover featuring PARALOID Impact Modifier to create exceptional speed and feel with long distance, HEX Aerodynamics for high launch, low spin and straight flight

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Overall Rating:  4.7 out of 5

 

The very popular Callaway Supersoft golf ball has recently been updated. In this latest model, Callaway is said to have improved cover, core and flight technologies, resulting in an all-around ball they claim can make your shots longer and straighter, while still retaining a soft feel. 

Callaway uses a soft compression core for this ball, said to maximize ball speed and create lower spin. The outside cover features Callaway's famous hex dimples, optimized to reduce drag and enhance lift, leading to a higher ball flight and increased carry distance. The cover itself has what Callaway calls an innovative "PARALOID Impact Modifier", essentially meaning the plastic is composed of various materials. This technology claims to allow for both faster ball speeds and low spin as well, yet maintain its soft feel, durability and greenside control. The balls also come in a variety of colors, as well as a gloss or matte finish (image above is of the matte orange finish)

I recently put this ball to the test and here are the conclusions I came to. It's worth noting that the ball was tested prior to me reading any of Callaway's claims, to maintain a non-biased perspective.

NOTICEABLE RESULTS OFF THE TEE

Right off the tee, a difference was noticeable. Shots with my driver, for the most part, traveled further, not so much in carry distance, but roll-out distance, which I attribute to a lower ball spin. This was also seen with my woods, hybrids and long irons. It wasn't a huge increase in distance, about 10-15 yards at most. 

I also found that my shot shapes were more subdued. I tend to draw the ball by a somewhat predictable amount, however I noticed the amount of draw was reduced, leading to an overall straighter ball flight, again with the aforementioned driver, woods, hybrids and long irons.

However, the above results were not as noticeable with my shorter irons.

 

 

A GREAT FEELING BALL

The ball has an absolutely great feel to it, the softness really comes into play when the club contacts the ball. I found it excellent around the greens, especially with wedge shots, and for putting as well. Things were overall more predictable with this ball, especially those tough greenside chip shots that require so much feel and precision. This also applied to bunker shots as well and shots from thicker rough. 

 

Quantitatively this "feel" factor may not have any merit, but what it does give you is comfort and confidence. During my round I was faced with a tough chip over a greenside bunker, with water over the other side. Too short or fat a chip and I'm in the bunker, too long or thin and I'm into the water. I felt super comfortable with the feel of the ball at that point and thus felt more confident in the shot. I ended up landing the ball a foot from the hole for an easy par. Comfort and confidence are huge factors in golf and this ball certainly made me feel that way. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I was truly impressed with the new Callaway Supersoft golf ball. I was not expecting such noticeable results off the tee particularly with shot shape and shot neutrality. And the extra distance, albeit not game changing, was a neat bonus. 

But where this ball shines is probably from 100 yards in. The softness you get with this ball is game-changing, in my opinion, especially with those wedge and chip shots that require so much feel and predictability to get right. 

 

I think this ball is great for golfers of all skill level, in particular those who want a nice ball to work with around the green. I would purchase this ball more for its feel around the greens and shot path control, rather than for increasing distance. Higher handicappers may not find an increase in distance, but will definitely notice the feel around the greens. 

 

The price point is also great, at $30 for a dozen, putting it in the medium range. This makes it a feasible buy for all golfers as well, in my opinion.

 

Do you play this ball? Comment below and let us know what you think of it,

 

 

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews 

Callaway Golf 300 Pro Laser Rangefinder Review

Name: Callaway Golf 300 Pro Laser Rangefinder
Price: $350 CAD online
Features: Mid-priced laser rangefinder, slope technology, pin acquisition technology (PAT), hard carrying case, 6x magnification, 5-1000 yard range, audible notifier

Website: https://www.callawaygolf.com/accessories/course-gear/rangefinders/gps-callaway-300-pro-laser-rangefinder.html

Pros: Easy to use, quick results, lightweight, quick-access hard case, accurate

Cons: On calm days flag may be difficult to capture, CR2 battery is not the most common

Callaway Golf 300 Pro Laser Rangefinder with hard carrying case (Photo: Toronto Golf Reviews)

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Overall Rating:  4.5 out of 5 

 

I've put off purchasing a laser rangefinder for quite some time now, but finally decided to take the plunge. I was looking for a reasonably priced model that could give me an accurate reading that also took into account slope. After a bit of research, I decided to purchase the Callaway Golf 300 Pro laser rangefinder.

Let's look at some of the specifications of the 300 Pro. To start, the unit itself is relatively lightweight, at 0.5lbs. The focus-adjustable eyepiece offers 6x magnification which allows for a measurement range between 5-1000 yards with a claimed accuracy of +/- 1 yard. In terms of size, the unit measures 4.25" x 3" x 1.75", a good size that fits nicely in your palm. It is also water and fog proof. The unit is powered by a single CR 2 battery (included) and also comes with a hard case that features both a zipper and elastic drawstring.

There are two modes on the rangefinder. The first is the "basic" mode, in which you can aim down essentially any target (flags, bunkers, front of greens, etc.) quickly. The second mode incorporates Callaway's Pin Acquisition Technology (PAT), which allows you to lock on to the flagstick from within 300 yards, ideally producing a more accurate measurement. It also features an audible "birdie" sound, to indicate when you've locked onto the pin, which can be turned on or off. Both modes incorporate slope technology, which allows for more realistic yardages.

 

I've been putting this device to the test for the past week and here are my thoughts. My first impressions of the device were that the unit is small, but built solid. I like the feel of it in my hands, very ergonomic, and the rubber exterior gives me confidence that I won't drop it. I think it could survive a drop on the course though without any problems. 

Operating the device is about as straight-forward as can be. You simply select one of the aforementioned modes, aim down your target, and press the button. Less than a second later, you have your yardage. I do like that, in all modes, the unit provides you with both the raw and slope-adjusted distance, which I think would most certainly help a player develop perception skills of their own, for when using slope technology is not allowed (i.e. tournament play).

I'm a big fan of the case as well. I like its ruggedness, which allows me to not have to worry about damaging the device between shots. The elastic drawstring is super convenient and makes for quick access. One of the deterrents for me purchasing a rangefinder was the amount of time I thought it would take to use. With the Callaway 300 Pro, I've found that the entire act of taking the unit out and finding a distance takes about five seconds. It even works while wearing sunglasses, which is super convenient on those sunny days.

In terms of accuracy, I'm happy to report that this device is bang on for me. For example, I usually hit my 7-iron about 146 yards. I was lucky enough to get that exact yardage on an approach shot according to the rangefinder, including slope. I hit my shot perfectly pin high (albeit a little left of target, but that's another story!). I also found that measuring a target multiple times produced the same result, which was reassuring, unless the rangefinder managed to not pick up on my target (see below). 

Speaking of which, the only negative thing I encountered with the device was that during calmer conditions (i.e. flag is still), I was having trouble getting an accurate reading using the PAT mode. This was not a big deal, as I could simply switch back to the basic mode and get a reading of the front of the green or hole itself; the quickness of the measurement actually allows this to be done pretty fast. I also found that during one of my rounds, the rangefinder was having difficulty due to a white plastic sign in the background behind the flag. These issues could be common across other rangefinders as well, so it suffices to say that you should always measure a couple of times and double-check on-course markers for accuracy. What's the saying, measure twice, shoot once?

I'm also not the biggest fan of CR2 batteries, mainly because of their availability. It would be better to see a rechargeable battery or a more common one such as a AA/AAA. But this would probably drive up costs. Callaway makes up for this though by giving you a 200-measurement reserve/buffer when the battery indicator comes on.

All in all, it's clear that convenience and ease of use were at the core of the design of the Callaway Golf 300 Pro laser rangefinder. It's simpleness, quickness and price easily make up for any issues one might have with errant readings. I would recommend this product for golfers of all skill levels who want a quick way to determine their yardage with accuracy, as well as their own perception skills.

Do you own a Callaway Golf 300 Pro laser rangefinder? What are your thoughts about it? Let me know in the comments below.

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews