Callaway Big Bertha BB23 Vs Taylormade Stealth 2 Driver Comparison Overview

It’s gotta be getting hard for R&D departments at Callaway and Taylormade to keep outdoing each other and find new avenues for innovation.

We know something new comes out every season but it feels like there isn’t much more that can be improved in modern game improvement drivers.

The Taylormade Stealth 2 is perhaps the most modern driver on the market. On Callaway’s side, they have just doubled-down on the Big Bertha brand by introducing the Callaway Big Bertha BB23. So which one offers the best innovation and which is better overall? Let’s discuss it.

Callaway Big Bertha BB23 Driver Overview

“To be honest, there isn’t a whole lot new in the Callaway Big Bertha BB23 driver.”

The biggest change from past models is that now, the BB23 driver has forward-oriented weighting as opposed to rear weighting. The idea behind this is that front weighting kills spin. And if you inhibit sidespin, you can eliminate a slice and gain some distance through straighter flight.

That certainly came through in our testing. Our average carry distance after three swings each with the BB23 driver was 258.7 yards. The Callaway Big Bertha BB23 also features heel-biased weighting so it was easy to hit a nice, natural draw with this driver.

The forged titanium face offers a nice crisp crack and you can play almost anywhere on the face without fear of losing ball speed.

Taylormade Stealth 2 Driver Overview

“The Stealth 2 driver features a carbon fiber face, carbon fiber sole and carbon fiber bracing ring.”

That’s a lot of carbon fiber, but it’s the carbon fiber face that marks the biggest innovation. The carbon fiber face seemed to produce excellent ball speed and the 25g weight in the back made it exceptionally forgiving.

We did notice though that slightly heelside strikes were the ones that were flying farthest and straightest. That could be due to the inverted cone face design. But once you make the adjustment to strike closer to the heel, you can expect straight flight and strong trajectory.

“Carry distance was no contest. The Callaway Big Bertha BB23 played longer by nearly 30 yards. The Callaway Big Bertha BB23 was also forgiving all across the face; not just close to the heel. In our opinion, the Callaway Big Bertha BB23 is the better GI driver despite the mostly traditional design.”

Callaway Big Bertha BB23 Driver – First Impressions

“Against all odds, it appeared at first that the Callaway Big Bertha BB23 actually had a bigger footprint than the 2022 Big Bertha driver.”

Behind the ball it looks like you simply can’t miss. It looks very confidence-inspiring at address even with the slightly reflective carbon fiber crown.

So our first impression of the Callaway Big Bertha BB23 was that high handicappers are going to love the way this club looks.

And when we hit right outta the guts with this driver, it produced high launch with a sweet little draw – something else that high and mid handicappers are sure to love.

Taylormade Stealth 2 Driver – First Impressions

“The new Stealth 2 drivers have a ton of shelf appeal, three version to choose from and plenty of Carbon in the face, permieter, sole and crown.

The carbon face has 60 sheets of the ultra strong material and it is covered in a glossy finish which makes it a little less vibrant than the original Stealth.

Inside the face is the inverted cone technology, usually reserved for Taylormade irons, which adds forgiveness on off center hits.

Forgiveness, accuracy and dispersion has been the focus of the Taylormade drivers this year. The original Stealth was great for tour players who had it dialed in but it was a little bit wayward for regular golfers.

The Stealth 2 is a little bit erratic still and it’s not as long as the Callaway Paradym or Cobra Aerojet for 2023 either.

That being said, these drivers look great in the bag and there are 3 variations to choose from.

If these drivers can help you to keep the ball on the fairway then they will be a boon for any golfer, its important to get a fitting to see what works best for your game.

The inject molded Carbon reinforced ring reduces weights which is redistributed with an inertia generating tungsten weight at the back of the club . This leads to higher MOI and increased distance.

The Taylormade acoustics team has also been busy throughout the year ensuring the sound and feel are on point with the new drivers and they do feel more powerful on impact.

When you catch the drivers flush, they fly for miles, especially the plus model, but we found off-center hit to be a little bit left and right in testing.

Perhaps if we had more time to test we could have dialed them in better as there is plenty of adjustable. The + has a sliding 15g weight and the loft can be increased or decreased by 2 degrees on each club alongside the lie angle.

The top line is also a little bit straighter at the behest of tour pro, Colin Morikawa.

Taylormade Stealth 2 Family

3 versions to choose from in the Stealth 2 family.

The Stealth 2 plus will the driver used on tour by pros like Colin Morikawa and Rory Mcilroy.

The 15g adjustable sliding weight ensures you can get this one perfect for your swing.

It is also the longest and lowest spinning.

The Stealth 2 HD is the draw bias driver which will help higher handicappers who are dealing with a slice.

It is also the highest launching and highest spinning, with the least distance

The Stealth 2 is the middle ground which should be the best driver out of the box with mid launch, mid spin and mid distance.

Callaway Big Bertha BB23 Selling Points

Triaxial carbon fiber crown
Low/forward CG placement
Easy launch
Wishbone jailbreak bracing
Forged titanium face
Large footprint
460cc head
Lightweight graphite stock shafts

Taylormade Stealth 2 Selling Points

Tighter Dispersion off the tee
Improved sound and feel
Tons of customization options
Can get custom colors with My Stealth
HD version should work for a slice
More shelf appeal than the original Stealth

Who is the Callaway Big Bertha BB23 Driver for?

“Callaway has thought of a very interesting way to keep the ball straight.”

You usually see forward CG placement in player’s performance clubs. But it makes sense that by eliminating spin, you also reduce your chances of pushing and pulling the ball.

First and foremost, the Callaway Big Bertha BB23 is a great driver for players who simply want to stay on the fairway.

But beyond that, it’s a great driver for players who simply want to drive the ball further than ever before.