CARLSBAD, Calif., Nov 15, 2001 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) today introduced the new Big Bertha(R) Irons. These new stainless steel irons evoke some of the best features of the legendary Big Bertha Irons the Company initially introduced in 1994 while featuring a new, wide sole that increases forgiveness and dramatically improves playability. The 2002 Big Bertha Irons join the Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons and the Steelhead(TM) X-14(R) Irons in the Callaway Golf(R) irons product line.

"Simply put, these irons reinforce the values that the Big Bertha name stands for," said Ron Drapeau, president, chairman and CEO of Callaway Golf. "The Big Bertha Irons are all about forgiveness, through and through. They are designed to make the game of golf more enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels, especially average golfers who need every bit of forgiveness they can get. These irons are truly 'demonstrably superior and pleasingly different,' and they are excellent representatives of the Big Bertha tradition."

The new Big Bertha Irons have a bold design that features a thick, rounded sole that is of uniform width in each iron. This design serves several key performance functions. For example, the sole width allows the center of gravity to be positioned extremely low and deep in each iron, which will help shots climb more easily into the air on a high trajectory. The sole design also reduces digging on "fat" shots, promoting crisper contact on less-than-perfect swings. The wide sole and top line also instill confidence with the long irons, which are remarkably easy to hit.

"There's no mystery to these irons: they were built to be forgiving, forgiving and forgiving," said Richard C. Helmstetter, senior executive vice president of research and development and chief of new products for Callaway Golf. "The original Big Bertha Irons are still very easy to hit. So we took the principle technologies of that design -- things like S2H2(R) (Short Straight Hollow Hosel), Tru-Bore(R), the 360-degree undercut channel and the wide top line -- and added what we've learned about irons in the last seven years. The result is a set of irons that is remarkably friendly and fun to hit."

As with all current Callaway Golf clubs, Variable Face Thickness (VFT) Technology is an important element in the Big Bertha Irons. VFT has been used to make the face area of each iron thinner, freeing mass to be moved to the perimeter and sole. This increases perimeter weighting and forgiveness while tuning the face for solid feel and sound, even on off-center hits.

In addition to a unique design, the Big Bertha Irons also employ a unique set makeup, which includes a new 10-iron. The Big Bertha 10-iron is part of a new short-iron loft configuration that eliminates "gaps" in loft -- especially the large gap traditionally found in the iron sets between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge -- by spacing the loft of each club four degrees apart. This loft progression has been found to help golfers achieve more consistency and distance control through the "scoring clubs."

The new Big Bertha Irons are expected to ship to retail accounts in early January 2002. Big Bertha Irons will be available in 1-iron through 10-iron and Pitching, Sand and Lob wedges. A set of eight irons with graphite shafts carries a suggested retail price of $1130, and a set of eight irons with steel shafts carries a suggested retail price of $880.

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including Big Bertha ERC(R) II Forged Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha C4(TM) Compression Cured Carbon Composite Drivers, Big Bertha Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) and Big Bertha Hawk Eye VFT Pro Series Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead(TM) III Stainless Steel Drivers and Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye VFT Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Stainless Steel Irons, Steelhead X-14(R) and Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey(R) Putters, including White Hot(R), TriHot(TM), and Dual Force(R) Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf(R) HX(TM) Red and HX Blue balls, Rule 35(R) Firmfeel(TM) and Softfeel(TM) balls, the CTU 30(TM) Red and CTU 30 Blue balls, and the CB1(TM) Red and CB1 Blue balls. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com and www.odysseygolf.com.

SOURCE Callaway Golf Company

CONTACT: Larry Dorman, Mick McCormick, or Millie Speirs of Callaway Golf Company, +1-760-931-1771