The Fusion Technology (FT) currently being utilized by Callaway Golf has the potential to change the entire sport of golf, forever. This inertial design was created by Callaway Golf engineers in hopes of creating a design which balances all of the clubs' best features, while optimizing club and player performance. The designers strived to stay away from directly concentrating on any one characteristic. Instead, they chose to explore all characteristics, to ensure the overall performance of the club was maintained in a balanced manner.
The goal in using Fusion Technology is not only to better overall performance, but to also make the clubs give optimum performance when hit off-center (with irons and woods). Using this technology helps the ball have maximum flight and distance, even when it's not hit directly in the middle of the clubface. This is mostly due to Callaway's design feature offering minimal clubhead movement when impact occurs.
The increased stability of the clubhead is important. Stability is measured by Moment-of-Inertia and when the MOI is raised on the vertical and horizontal axes, an unmatched stability can be maintained. The experts at Callaway Golf found by matching the rise in MOI with the positioning of weight to the perimeter of the head of the club they could create stability no matter where the ball was struck. Thus, the innovative discovery led to less twisting of the club's head when off-center hits occurred. In addition, a clubhead with less rotation also leads to greater distance, greater ball speed and the ability to make the flight path straighter.
Another innovative design feature with Fusion Technology is the ability to optimize the center of gravity location in the clubhead. Because Callaway is capable of properly positioning the center of gravity, there is also the opportunity for longer distance. In addition, the clubhead can be optimized for a draw, neutral or fade bias to offset golfer shot tendencies.
The development and creation of Callaway FT drivers is quite complex. A carbon composite clubhead creation process begins with fine strands of black carbon fiber, woven together. Each strand is extremely thin, approximately one tenth the size of a human hair. These fibers are combined with epoxy resin and a carbon pre-preg is formed. When many of the pre-preg composites are put together into a driver body shaped tool, the process continues. Each piece is added to the tool in a different direction, allowing more strength to be created as the fibers harden. As the hardening is taking place, weights are put into the internal areas for maximum center of gravity and balance. With the sole and the crown tools being put together and heated in an oven, the materials bind together to form a tough shell.
Callaway has a well standing reputation with its Callaway Big Bertha drivers, which have been used for many years by professionals and amateurs. Callaway's introduction of the FT driver came in 2003 with the FT-3 driver, followed by the FT-5 and FT-i in recent years. The new 2009 FT-iQ driver has been praised by golf enthusiasts, including the Golf Digest Hot List award, due to its advancements in technology, testing results and player impact on the course. Concerning the FT-iQ, Taylor Made Golf states "it's the longest, straightest driver we've ever created".
The secret behind the FT Irons is fairly simple. The metallurgists at Callaway Golf created a new metal to feature in the irons' designs. The metal, Tunite Alloy, weighs about 20 percent more than stainless steel. In addition, it has twice the density and is made of a tungsten and nickel base. With a small amount of silicon added for softness and ferro-chromium for polishing capabilities, the metal is a perfect fit. The tunite forms are used for all Callaway FT Irons. The irons also include a injection-molded thermoplastic urethane layer. This layer sits behind the clubface, allowing for more vibration reduction and an enhanced feel.
Callaway doesn't build golf clubs for professionals alone. They seek to create products amateur golfers can utilize to not only enjoy but also improve their game. One mission for Callaway FT clubs is the ability to take an average golfer and minimize the impact of their flaws. The new FT drivers are said to allow amateurs hit straighter and longer than they've ever done before. The clubs are made to be forgiving of minor flaws in swing and power. Thus, each shot can appear much more perfect than it might with another type of club.
Currently, many golf professionals use Callaway golf clubs and prefer them over many other types of golf equipment. However, one of the most notable successes with the new Callaway Fusion series was when Annika Sorenstam used the ERC Fusion Driver in the latest LPGA Tour and won. In addition, rookie James Oh also recently used the ERC Fusion Driver and scored his first professional victory. After the line was unveiled, over 90 professionals switched to the ERC Fusion Driver within the first week. It has quickly become the number one driver model in both PGA European and Japan Golf tours. Many of the pros using this new Fusion line of clubs adore the ability to get a strong ball flight. With pros this excited about the new line of Callaway clubs, the Fusion Technology certainly is gaining momentum to change the nature of playing golf altogether.
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