CARLSBAD, Calif., Sep 1, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY) today raised the bar for an entire category of golf clubs with the introduction of the Big Bertha Heavenwood(R) Hybrids, a new line of hybrid clubs combining the accuracy and control of a long iron with the distance of a fairway wood. The new Heavenwood Hybrids, featuring the legendary forgiveness of Big Bertha(R) golf clubs, will be available at authorized Callaway Golf retail shops beginning October 1.

The exciting new Heavenwood Hybrids are aimed at the millions of golfers who struggle to hit long irons. While higher-lofted fairway woods can be a strong alternative to long irons, certain average golfers have difficulty with the length of the clubs and more-accomplished players prefer a more compact head design. The shape and size of the new Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids addresses both these concerns while providing the added distance of fairway woods and the accuracy and workability of irons. Available in five lofts corresponding to the 1-iron through 5-iron, the Heavenwood Hybrids feature a low profile that creates an extremely low center of gravity and patented Callaway Golf(R) technologies that deliver design and performance advantages to Heavenwood Hybrids that no other club manufacturer can match.

"Our new Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids represent the best of everything you expect from the Big Bertha name and live up to our brand promise of Demonstrably Superior and Pleasingly Different(R) products," said Patrice Hutin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Callaway Golf. "They are an entirely new category of club that gives you the distance and control to take on the most difficult long shots, with the confidence and skill to get you there in two."

Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids feature an elongated, low profile head design that dramatically lowers the center of gravity for ease in getting the ball airborne. This also promotes clean contact with the ball in various turf conditions ranging from tight lies to deep rough. The extended heel-to-toe head shape features maximized perimeter weighting, which raises the moment of inertia (MOI) for increased stability and more resistance to twisting on off-center shots. The modified War Bird(R) sole design promotes solid contact from any lie, and helps the head glide over or through any surface with minimal resistance. Even the lengths of the Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids have been optimized: They're longer than corresponding irons, yet shorter than comparable fairway woods. The result is greater distance than comparable long irons, with maximum playability, control and accuracy.

The new Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids incorporate proven, core Callaway Golf technologies: The S2H2(R) (Short, Straight, Hollow Hosel) design repositions weight traditionally found in the hosel area, moving it to the perimeter of the clubhead for a higher MOI, which means more resistance to twisting. Tru-Bore(R) Technology delivers improved feel and clubhead control by extending the shaft from the hosel and through the sole of the clubhead. VFT(R) (Variable Face Thickness) Technology increases clubface efficiency for maximum distance on shots hit from all areas of the clubface.

The Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids are offered in lofts 1H (14 degrees), 2H (17 degrees), 3H (20 degrees), 4H (23 degrees) and 5H (26 degrees), which correspond to traditional 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-irons; men's left-handed versions will be available in 2H, 3H, 4H, and 5H beginning in January 2005. The standard graphite shaft in the Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids is the RCH 75w, available in light, regular, firm and strong flexes. The standard steel shaft is the Big Bertha Uniflex. Women's right-handed versions are available in 4H and 5H in Champagne and Shiraz colors that complement the women's line of Big Bertha Drivers, Fairway Woods and Irons. Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids will carry a manufacturer's suggested retail prices of $200 for steel-shafted clubs and $225 for graphite-shafted clubs.

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including ERC(R) Fusion(R) Drivers and Fairway Woods, Great Big Bertha(R) II Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Great Big Bertha II 415 Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha Titanium Drivers and Big Bertha Stainless Steel Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Stainless Steel Irons, Steelhead X-16(R) and Steelhead X-16 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons, Game Enjoyment System(TM) (GES(TM)), Callaway Golf Forged+ Wedges and Callaway Golf Forged Wedges, and Callaway Golf Tour Blue(TM) Putters. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey(R) Putters, including White Hot(R), TriHot(R), DFX(R) and Dual Force(R) Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf(R) HX(R) Tour balls, HX Blue and HX Red balls, Big Bertha(TM) Blue and Big Bertha Red balls, and the Warbird(R) balls. Callaway Golf also owns and operates The Top-Flite Golf Company, a wholly owned subsidiary that includes the Top-Flite(R) and Ben Hogan(R) brands. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our websites at www.callawaygolf.com, www.topflite.com and www.odysseygolf.com.

SOURCE: Callaway Golf Company

CONTACT:
Callaway Golf Company
Larry Dorman, 760-931-1771