Callaway XR 16 Driver Review

on March 8, 2016

50 Words or Less

The Callaway XR 16 driver combines a fast shape with forgiveness and low spin. Very draw biased.

Introduction

When it comes to drivers, a lot of time is spent talking about forgiveness, low spin, and high launch, but the biggest factor in distance is speed. That’s why Callaway reached out to Boeing to make their new XR 16 driver more aerodynamic and faster.

Looks

In profile, the Callaway XR 16 driver looks fast. The streamlined, conical shape makes it look like it will slice through the air with ease.

At address, however, the XR 16 looks big. Callaway designed this driver to have a big footprint so it could have maximum forgiveness. You’ll also notice that the driver has a reverse-pear shape with more bulk in the heel than the toe. This is a big hint about how the driver will perform. One other thing stands out at address: the Speed Step. The Speed Step is a set of ridges along the leading edge of the crown that are designed to enhance the aerodynamics. Like PING’s Turbulators, they’re matte black and thus not distracting.

Sound & Feel

The sound of the Callaway XR 16 driver is a “crack” that’s bit on the loud side. What’s interesting – and very good, in my opinion – for a game improvement driver is how much auditory feedback there is. When you hit the ball flush, the sound is very solid and satisfying. Wander more than a little bit from the center and the sound becomes significantly more hollow.

Performance

In testing the Callaway XR 16 driver, three things stood out to me. First, this driver is fast. I was swinging without great effort and still getting very solid club and ball speed numbers. I attribute this to both the aerodynamic head and the club’s excellent balance. With the stock shaft, there’s ample feel for the head and some weight in your hands, but the total package feels light.

Second, the launch monitor numbers were impressive in terms of forgiveness and low spin. The XR 16 isn’t advertised as the lowest spinning driver of the year, and it’s not, but the spin was plenty low to produce long, penetrating shots with good roll. Forgiveness is a major part of Callaway’s push with the XR 16, and that was shown in my testing. The loss of ball speed when you leave the center of the face is minimal.

Third, this club is as draw biased as it looks. In simplest terms, if you’re a slicer (or if you just like seeing the ball draw), you will dig this club. To get a little deeper into it: the bulge in the heel tells you that there’s more weight there. This shifts the center of gravity towards the heel and makes more of the club face behave like the toe, meaning gear effect draws. Players who already hit draws and hooks will want to check out the XR 16 Pro.

As has become their standard, Callaway is offering numerous shafts from five different manufacturers at no up charge. If you decide to purchase the Callaway XR 16 driver, you should absolutely take advantage of this option.

Conclusion

No matter who you are, more club head speed is probably on your wish list. With the Callaway XR 16 driver, you can have that without working out or practicing more. Thrown into that package are big time forgiveness and a lot of help for the slicer.

Buy the Callaway XR 16 driver HERE

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Author
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Matt Saternus

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

14 Comments

Adam
March 9, 2016 at 9:19 am · Reply

do you guys have a review of the XR 16 Pro coming up anytime soon?
- Bill Bush
  March 9, 2016 at 10:15 am · Reply
  
  We do. I’m currently scheduled to go test it tomorrow in fact.
Dale Hillman
March 10, 2016 at 7:41 am · Reply

What is the primary difference between the XR-16 and the Great Big Bertha?
- Matt Saternus
  March 10, 2016 at 10:20 pm · Reply
  
  Dale,
  
  The Big Bertha line is all about adjustable weight and geared toward better player. The XR 16 is a “simpler” driver that’s focused on forgiveness.
  
  Best,
  
  Matt
Tim
April 1, 2016 at 6:34 pm · Reply

What is the weight of the xr 16 driver head, shaft and grip?
- Matt Saternus
  April 2, 2016 at 7:58 am · Reply
  
  Tim,
  
  I’m not sure.
  
  Best,
  
  Matt
LJ Hill
April 14, 2016 at 9:09 pm · Reply

What is the difference between XR16 and XR16 pro? How good is the stock shaft in the XR16? And what are good upgrade shafts?
- Matt Saternus
  April 18, 2016 at 7:33 pm · Reply
  
  LJ,
  
  Here’s our review of the Pro: https://pluggedingolf.com/callaway-xr-16-pro-driver-review/
  
  “Good” in a shaft, stock or otherwise, is a matter of fit, so you’d need your fitter to answer that for you.
  
  Best,
  
  Matt
Jon
June 23, 2016 at 11:47 am · Reply

Mate, will this thing spin too high for a guy with swing speeds of 115?
- Matt Saternus
  June 23, 2016 at 7:14 pm · Reply
  
  Jon,
  
  The only way to know is to get a fitting.
  
  Best,
  
  Matt
Mike Payne
June 26, 2016 at 10:47 pm · Reply

So is the XR 16 more forgiving, which is longer for you? (reference to the above post)
Mike Payne
June 27, 2016 at 7:53 pm · Reply

Trying to compare the XR 16 to Great Big Bertha, how close or how far apart on your swing?
- Matt Saternus
  June 28, 2016 at 6:10 pm · Reply
  
  Mike,
  
  I didn’t compare them head to head, so I can’t say.
  
  -Matt
Aaron Rance
December 21, 2017 at 9:06 pm · Reply

56 year old male with a 13 hdcp. Gave in and was fitted and this was the club that gave me the best results. I swing at 80-85 percent to avoid back injury. Play a couple times a week and even though its a big stick enjoy hitting it 245-260 yds regularly. Even though adjustable it’s set a neutral. Look at approach builds confidence and the sound at impact tells the rest of the story.