Callaway Big Bertha 2023 Iron Review

The Callaway Big Bertha 2023 iron has a wide sole, lots of hosel offset and a longer blade length, all to offer golfers more forgiveness.

The iconic Big Bertha franchise has been part of golf since 1991, that’s when Callaway introduced their first genuinely game changing oversized driver. The names been used in many different disguises since, having adorned everything from clubs to balls and bags, but today the marquee is the brands flagship family of easy to hit, game enjoyment golf equipment.   

It doesn’t matter if you struggle with low speed, a chronic slice or being able to flight iron shots high enough to stop quickly when they hit the dancefloor, the 2023 Big Bertha is one of the best irons available for slow speed and high-handicap players. Here’s everything you need to know about them.  

Everything you need to know about the Callaway Big Bertha 2023 irons

Hands down Callaway’s most forgiving iron

Sometimes it can be difficult to understand which is the most forgiving iron within any brands line-up, that isn’t the case with the Big Bertha. Callaway say this is the most forgiving iron model they make (with the exclusion of the Great Big Bertha iron, that’s available in the USA and Europe), so if it’s super easy to hit irons you’re after, you’ve just found your perfect match.

We love the products ‘Make every shot your best’ tagline, which explains brilliantly what the Big Bertha sets out to achieve, no other Callaway iron is going to give better off-center hit results.

They have strong lofts but Callaway say you’ll need them

There’s been huge debate about strong iron lofts for years, and how for slower speed players (who are often the target player for this type of model) they can be extremely challenging to launch high enough, with enough backspin, to stop shots when they hit the green. Well Callaway say the Big Bertha’s strong 27° 7-iron loft is completely necessary.

Each head is laden with 50g+ of optimally positioned tungsten (located internally and externally), so if strong lofts weren’t part of the deal, shots would launch too high and spin too much. So, think of the Big Bertha as having an incredibly efficient chassis design, which is optimised to perform at slower speeds and for golfers who impact shots all over the face, no matter what the lofts, and you’ll be thinking exactly along the right lines.        

Brimming with tech

Traditionally super game improvement irons used to be the very models that came with less tech, as brands thought golfers at this end of the scale were just focused on distance. Things have moved on significantly over the last couple of years, and today just like the best Callaway irons available the new Big Bertha models are crammed with tech.

There’s a new springy 450 stainless steel face, it not only boosts ball speeds but also maintains spin consistency when shots impact high or low on the face or towards the toe or heel. The oversized heads also have wide soles and confidence boosting topline widths, yet thanks to having the brands urethane microsphere tech running to the height of the 6^th groove behind the face, decent levels of feel and sound are maintained.  

Compared to competitor forgiving models a slightly longer blade length (from toe to heel) also nudges up MOI and forgiveness.

You won’t be embarrassed to play them    

Some of the best high-handicap irons historically have had a reputation for being the size and shape of a shovel, but Callaway say nobody will be embarrassed to play the new Big Bertha model.

Expect a super sleek new dark PVD finish. The finish not only looks great in the bag and sat at address, but it also helps disguise the heads oversized shape, and discretely hides the additional hosel offset that Callaway have added to help straighten ball flight. Realistically then the Big Bertha irons will help average club golfers hit more greens consistently.   

WATCH: Best 2023 High-Handicap iron video

How to choose: Callaway Big Bertha 2023 vs Callaway Great Big Bertha irons

If you’re wondering what the differences are between the new Callaway Big Bertha and the Great Big Bertha iron that launched in 2022, there’s a gulf of difference between the two.

The Great Big Bertha is Callaway’s designed without cost restriction iron, so it has a lightweight titanium, not stainless steel chassis, plus there’s more additional tungsten weighting (up to 147g) build in too. These two factors alone account for the huge price difference. If you want the most forgiving iron available, and don’t mind paying for it, the Great Big Bertha will of course be the ultimate choice.  

Callaway on the Big Bertha 2023 iron

Big Bertha is one of the most iconic names in golf, providing game-changing performance and making the game more fun for players of all abilities. The new Big Bertha family is precisely engineered for players who want to launch the ball higher and play with more confidence every time they tee it up. This extremely forgiving line-up is designed to make every shot your best.

For players seeking an iron that is easy to hit with outstanding ball speed, the Big Bertha irons promote incredible forgiveness in a generous, confidence inspiring shape. Using cutting edge A.I. technology and premium performance materials like tungsten, these irons deliver easy distance and powerful iron shots even on off-center hits.  

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Callaway Big Bertha 2023 Iron

RRP: £1,149 (steel) £1,299 (graphite)

Stock shaft: True Temper Elevate 85 (steel), Callaway RCH 65 (graphite)

Category: Moderate Speed/High-Handicap Iron

Forgiveness rating: 4/5

7-iron loft: 27° 

Visit the Callaway website here