Our new Retro Review series is where we’ll be going back in time and taking a look at some iconic pieces of equipment to see if they still compete against their modern-day equivalents. First up is the Callaway Fusion FT-i driver, which caused quite a stir back when it launched 17 years ago. When you take the headcover off, it becomes apparent why… it’s square!
WATCH: Joe Ferguson compares the square Fusion FT-i driver with the current Paradym model
Original launch date: April 2007
Original RRP: £399
Price we paid: £63.99 from GolfClubs4Cash
Who used it on tour? No-one but Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Michael Campbell used the tour version
What was the tech?
The idea behind the Fusion FT-i was very much centred around high MOI and straight hitting thanks to the weight being spread as far into the corners as possible due to the geometry of the driver head. A lightweight carbon composite body helped further.
The shape itself will, and certainly did, divide opinion, but I actually found the straight lines really useful in terms of face alignment. The face sits very much onset from the shaft, which is an unusual look.
How did it perform?
For comparison, I put the Fusion FT-i up against 2023’s Callaway Paradym driver and the latter model certainly produced more appealing numbers when testing on Trackman. However, the Fusion FT-i was not without its own small victories. First, if you are a player who struggles with launch and getting enough height and hang time on your drives, the Fusion FT-i can provide this in abundance. The second benefit was some truly exceptional dispersion numbers – the Fusion FT-i produced some very tight groupings, to the point where I actually found it very difficult to miss a fairway! The feel and sound of the two drivers was very different, with the old driver producing a louder and more hollow acoustic than the Paradym. I have to say the feel off the face of the 2023 driver was more solid.
Conclusion
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip down memory lane hitting a driver that I actually had in the bag back in the day. While the Callaway Paradym very much held the advantage in key performance metrics, the FT-i was not without its merits. If you are a slower swinger looking for an easy-to-launch fairway-finding machine, then it will still do a good job for you.
