Golf Equipment Review: Callaway’s 2010 Diablo Edge Hybrids

After reviewing the Callaway Diablo Edge Irons, I was so impressed with their tremendous playability that I decided to review the entire line up of 2010 Callaway Diablo Edge products; fairway woods, hybrids, and driver.

Hybrids are continuing to expand their popularity among all levels of golfers. Why? They are so much easier to hit than the long irons they replace. Because hybrids have much more body than even cavity back irons, the center of gravity can be moved low and deep in the club head. This results in a higher and more powerful ball flight than a conventional iron can produce; especially with lower swing speeds. Of course pros have the power and mechanics to hit 2 and 3 irons successfully, but even these top level golfers are increasingly switching to hybrids. If you haven’t experimented with hybrids, you are missing a huge opportunity to improve your game.

The Diablo Edge Hybrid uses Vertical CG Optimization to achieve the highest MOI of any Callaway steel hybrid that they’ve ever produced. By thinning the crown by 30%, Callaway has lowered the CG (center of gravity) to a position that most amateurs will benefit from; lower on the club face. This is especially important when the ball is on a tight-lie surface like the fairway. There is nothing worse than hitting a really nice drive that settles on the short grass, and then proceeding to blade your approach or layup shot because you just didn’t have the confidence (or right equipment) to go down after the shot aggressively. With the Callaway Diablo Edge Hybrid in hand, you should feel the self-assurance you need to play your best. From the beautiful look at set up, through the solid sound at impact, the Edge Hybrid is a joy to hit!

The Diablo Edge Hybrid has an offset hosel that makes squaring the face at impact much easier than it would be with a traditional design hybrid.

Callaway uses their Variable Face Thickness (VFT) Technology to ensure that all areas of the face are optimized. Now I’m not going to tell you that this guarantees great results from poor hits, but I am going to say that the consequences of miss-hits are minimized. The typical toe and heel shots that I still (unfortunately) regularly make, produced acceptable results; slightly less distance with better-than-I-deserved lines of flight. When striking a ball poorly, you can’t ask for much more than that.

Callaway Diablo Edge Hybrids:
3 Hybrid 21 degrees
4 Hybrid 24 degrees
5 Hybrid 27 degrees
6 Hybrid 30 degrees
Available with Light (A), Regular, and Stiff flexes.

Callaway Diablo Edge Tour Hybrids:
(The Tour model has less offset in the hosel which allows better players the ability to work the ball more easily)
2 Tour Hybrid 18 degrees
3 Tour Hybrid 21 degrees
4 Tour Hybrid 24 degrees
Available in Regular, Stiff and X-Stiff flexes

OK. Enough of the specifications. How did they perform when tested?

I preferred the Tour Hybrids because they felt a bit more solid, with a lower more boring ball-flight. Their sound was a little lower pitch which I happen to prefer; very small differences I admit.

Shot after shot, the 3 and 4 Tour Hybrids performed magnificently! The contact felt solidly powerful and the 210 yard practice green suddenly looked a whole lot closer. Confidence building results! Just what I want in any club.

The distance-gap between clubs was precise which leads me to consider adding a 5 hybrid to fill the void between my 5 iron and my Diablo Edge Tour 4 Hybrid. For those who struggle with long and mid-long iron play, a full set (3, 4, 5, & 6) of Diablo Edge Hybrids would, without a doubt, be an incredible boost to the enjoyment level of your golf game.

You can’t go wrong with either model of Callaway hybrid. Just choose which one fits what you are trying to accomplish with your game; Choose the Diablo Edge Hybrid if you want maximum playability and forgiveness , or try the Diablo Edge Tour Hybrid if your main goal is workability and long, powerful, piercing ball-flight. Both worlds sound pretty good don’t they?