Callaway Strata Plus 16-Piece Complete Set Review

Editor rating: 9.8 / 10

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By Verica Dimova

We all know what it means to be a beginner golfer. In the beginning, you feel excited by the idea and look forward to your next round. You are struggling to get the ball airborne off the tee, but once do you feel as if you conquered the world. You start to understand phrases and words that previously made no sense and slowly but surely you get deeper into the game. After some time you reach the point when you are seriously thinking about getting your first set of golf clubs since you think that this will make the game more meaningful. And once you open the online market offers, you stumble upon Callaway Strata as the most featured offer.

And this is the starting point of the frustration called ‘the golf clubs for beginners’ as the market is simply flooded by them. You can find them in different forms, from complete beginners’ sets to individual golf clubs, all of them claiming that they have the key to overcoming the most frequent errors that beginners make. Then there’s the next step of that creates an even greater cloud of confusion, this time it is called ‘the price varieties’. If you hadn’t been into golf before you started playing then the insanely wide price gap from one model to another will totally perplex you. After reading a few reviews you realize it is all about the manufacturer, i.e., whether they come from a name brand or no-name brand.

If you continue reading the reviews you’ll reach the ultimate stage of confusion as both ends have an equal range of positive reviews which additionally complicates the things. However, if you are a careful reader, you will notice that there’s one set that is always singled out as the most recommended and the best performing. This is some of the golf sets that come from one of the greatest and the most innovative golf club manufacturer, Callaway. Callaway clubs are not just any brand as the company is one of the few manufacturers that have reshaped the way modern golf is played and the greatest contributor in offering a wide range of golf equipment and gear.

Therefore, it doesn’t come as a surprise the fact that Callaway Strata is the set that golfers simply love it. The craftsmanship of the clubs and the choice of the clubs is indisputably top-notch, it is the first-class set intended for beginners, and this is the reason why we are reviewing this golf set.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Durable and lightweight stand back with multiple pockets straps

Forged titanium 460cc driver with a large sweet spot and high forgiveness

Two hybrids come as an alternative for the long irons

Forgiving 3-wood that has an aerodynamic head shape

Stainless steel 6-9 irons including SW and PW

Mallet style putter for greater control and balance

Cons

A few buyers reported issues with the driver

General Description

When searching for a new set of golf clubs, particularly if you’re a beginner, nothing can beat the Callaway Strata golf set of clubs. It has been widely recognized as the premium set not only for beginner players but also players who have got the basics of the game. There are several reasons why it is the highest-rated sets for high and mid handicappers, and before reviewing this set, we will mention a few. First off, it is one of the most versatile sets of clubs as it comes in 9 different varieties that have been recently released and there are double more sets that come as Prior Generation sets. The difference in the sets mainly refers to the number of clubs included, ranging from an 11-piece set as the minimum to 18-piece set as the maximum.

In addition to the choice of the clubs included in the set, they come with a high-quality golf stand bag which has been very skillfully made, modern and stylish. Getting yourself a high-quality bag that is capable of including all your clubs and extras spares you from wasting more time on looking for a bag.

Finally, the price range makes a huge difference here. Namely, regardless of the actual model and the number of clubs included in the set, Callaway Strata golf sets are considered to be highly affordable if you consider which company manufactures them and the quality they boast. When we say affordable we don’t mean cheap, these sets are far from being cheap, however, they are kind of clubs that you are likely to use many more seasons to come.

What’s In the Bag?

From the wide range of Strata golf sets designed for men and women, we are reviewing the Callaway Strata Men’s Tour Complete set that is officially claimed to be a set of 16 pieces. This doesn’t mean that the set offers 16 clubs as many beginners set off getting the set thinking that they’ll get 16 clubs. A 16-piece set means that you’ll get a bag, 12 clubs and four Callaway headcovers for the woods which totals 16 pieces.

As you already know, the maximum number of golf clubs in a bag is fourteen, so this is an almost full set which is considered to be a bit more advanced as mid handicappers can easily find it suitable. Some golfers might be intrigued by the noun Tour in the name of the set, but that’s probably to enhance the game-boosting effect. So, the set consists of a driver, 4 and 5 hybrid, a 3-wood, 6-9 irons, a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, and a putter. The four headcovers are made for the woods. As we said, this is more than a beginner would need as most of the clubs are used after you advance a bit in the game.

Driver

When teeing off the tee box you need a driver. However, for many high handicappers, the driver is one of the hardest clubs to master because of its length. This makes it difficult to produce centered shots resulting in miss hits which are hard to get the ball airborne. Therefore, Callaway engineers made the driver oversized, i.e., the maximum allowed size of the driver is 460cc, and this is the size of the driver from this set. The forged, titanium driver is very forgiving and it has a large sweet spot which makes the shots that are produced off the center to get higher ball speed which will result in more distance.

Fairway Wood

The fairway wood is often used as an alternative to the driver, especially when golfers have a hard time swinging with the driver. The fairway wood features a more aerodynamic head shape and it is made to help golfers produce long and piercing trajectories. The 3-wood is very forgiving and it will help you effectuate your shot into a long-distance ball flight.

Hybrids

Hybrids are the clubs that come as a substitute for the long irons as long irons are notorious for being the hardest to hit clubs. This is true for golfers all levels and skills, and there are even Tour players that prefer hybrids to long irons. Therefore it is understandable why these sets include hybrids rather than long irons. There are two hybrids in this set, the hybrids that replace the irons 4 and 5, the most commonly used hybrid clubs. These are constructed to resemble the woods but the specifications and the lofts resemble the corresponding irons. These hybrids are much easier to hit thanks to the larger sweet spot and the high MOI which in turn means more forgiveness.

Irons 6-9

As you approach the greens, you need to use some of your irons. The set includes the irons ranging from 6 to 9, even though statistically, the most frequently used iron is the iron number 7. This will be probably the iron that you, as a beginner, will use the most frequently as well. However, as high handicappers are in the initial stage of developing or mastering their skills, thus the need for the irons will become more pronounced.

The irons are made from stainless steel, it is one of the most frequently used materials which delivers excellent performance with a blend of forgiveness, control, and feel. Even though at this stage the sound and feel can’t be clearly distinguished, having a high-quality set of irons is a good foundation for developing the finest stages of playing golf.

Wedges

Wedges are used to get the ball out of the rough, and there are different types of wedges that better players use. However, to be able to get the ball out of the trap or a sandbox you need more skills than just the basics, and many sets don’t even include wedges, except for the pitching wedge. However, even at the beginning of this review, we pointed out that it is a more advanced set and it includes two wedges, the standard pitching wedge, and a sand wedge. They are also made from stainless steel and offer a great deal of control and playability.

Putter

One of the most frequently used clubs on the course, and that more than clear as every time you get to the hole you need to putt the ball inside. And even though putting looks like the easiest thing to do, it does require a lot of practice and a good putter. The putter in this set is a mallet-style putter which means it is very forgiving and it delivers a lot of stability and balance. The visual alignment of the putter is striking which represents a huge putting aid for maximized accuracy.

Stand Bag

Did you know that a high-quality stand bag can cost more than a few bucks? This means that if you decide to choose one of the highest-rated golf bags currently on the market, it will cost you more than the whole set. However, with the purchase of this set, you get one of the best golf bags that you’ll be using for many years to come.

The bag is very stylishly designed and it looks modern and attractive. This set comes in red, so the color of the bag is black with red. The bag comes with convenient differently-sized pockets for storing your accessories and gear. Plus, there are cooler pockets to keep your drinks fresh and a rain hood to protect it from a sudden rain splash. Since this is a stand bag, it can be used on a cart or it can be carried around thanks to the backpack strap system.

Key Features

Callaway Strata Tour Complete is a very comprehensive and convenient set designed to meet the needs of high to mid handicappers. Regardless of your current status, this set will be your companion for a longer period of time. This set includes twelve clubs, four headcovers, and a stand bag. The clubs are very forgiving with a large sweet spot so that golfers can produce more effective shots with longer and straighter ball flights. The irons and the wedges are made from stainless steel and they are very playable, with an optimum level of control and feel. The golf bag is very convenient too, it has several different pockets for storing your accessories. On top of it is the affordable price point which makes this set an irresistible offer.

Key Features

16-piece golf set for high to mid handicappers

The set includes a driver, a fairway wood, 4 and 5 hybrids, 6-9 irons, a sand wedge, and a pitching wedge, a putter, four headcovers and a stand bag

Titanium, forged 460cc driver with a large sweet spot and very forgiving

The hybrids are an excellent alternative to long irons

The irons and the wedges are made from stainless steel

The putter is mallet style, forgiving and with a great visual alignment

The stand bag is durable, lightweight with multiple pockets and rain hood

Bottom Line

Callaway is a premium brand and the Strata line is a very nice way to get closer to golfers who don’t get the chance to play with otherwise very expensive and superior Callaway clubs. The clubs in this set are of high-quality and offer enhanced performance and durability. Irrelevant to the type of product, the fact that it has the name of Callaway on it means durability and quality. The same refers to this set since it is manufactured with Callaway’s technologies.