Callaway Golf Adds Big Bertha ``ERC'' Fairway Woods to Lineup of High-Performance Metal Woods

January 24, 2002 at 8:14 AM EST

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BW SportsWire)--Jan. 24, 2002--Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) today introduced the Big Bertha(R) ERC(R) Forged Titanium Fairway Woods. Like the Company's Big Bertha ERC II Forged Titanium Drivers, this new line of fairway woods features forged titanium faces with a high Coefficient of Restitution (COR) for greater potential distance and exceptional forgiveness. The Big Bertha ERC Fairway Woods conform to USGA rules and to the rules of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and can be used for tournament and recreational play around the world.

"Golfers of all skill levels can benefit from the technology built into the ERC Forged Titanium Fairway Woods," said Richard C. Helmstetter, senior executive vice president of research and development and chief of new products for Callaway Golf. "These fairway woods have the largest, most forgiving hitting areas of any fairway woods in Callaway Golf's product lineup. And they are the hottest fairway woods we've ever made -- the ball really jumps off these clubs."

The ERC Forged Titanium Fairway Woods utilize a unique five-piece head construction, which includes Callaway Golf's patented forged "cup-face" section, hot-formed sole and crown, a precision weight chip and an internal suspended hosel. In particular, the "cup-face" design allows Callaway Golf to make the face area of the ERC Forged Titanium Fairway Woods extremely thin without losing strength -- helping to raise the COR and transfer energy more efficiently from club to ball.

The ERC Forged Titanium Fairway Woods are also designed to increase the effectiveness of Callaway Golf's patented Variable Face Thickness (VFT) Technology, which is built into each fairway wood in the set. VFT combined with the large hitting area of these fairway woods adds forgiveness on off-center hits while enhancing the opportunity for greater potential distance for golfers of all swing speeds.

The precision weight chip located deep in each clubhead's sole works to lower the center of gravity. As a result, these hot new fairway woods launch shots on a high trajectory with lower backspin for a searing ball flight. The sleek sole is versatile, enabling golfers to sweep the ball off the tee or fairway and power it out of the rough.

The Big Bertha ERC Forged Titanium Fairway Woods are scheduled to ship to retail accounts in April. They are available in four models: Strong 3-wood, 3-wood, 5-wood and 7-wood. Right-handed models with an ultralight System 50 graphite shaft are available in five flexes: Gems, Light, Regular, Firm and Strong. Manufacturer's suggested retail price for the ERC Forged Titanium Fairway Woods is $499.

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) Blue and HX Red balls, Rule 35(R) Firmfeel(TM) and Softfeel(TM) balls, the CTU 30(TM) Blue and CTU 30 Red balls, and the CB1(TM) Blue and CB1 Red balls. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com and www.odysseygolf.com.

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CONTACT: Callaway Golf Company, Carlsbad
  Larry Dorman / Mick McCormick / Millie Speirs
  760/931-1771