Listen, we’ll make this very simple.
If this is your first complete set, you should probably go with the Callaway Strata Ultimate complete set. If you are looking for a higher quality set that will last longer and perform better, go with the Callaway Solaire Sport complete set.
The rest of the article will be expanding on this point. However, that’s pretty much all you’ll need to know.
Callaway offers several different complete set options for women. Each of these options has its positives and negatives. Some are priced higher than others; some have more golf clubs than others; some are geared towards beginners and others towards the seasoned player.
Regardless of what you are looking for in a complete set of clubs, Callaway will have an option for you. In this review, we will compare the Strata Ultimate 16 piece set against the Callaway Solaire 11 piece, as they are the most similar, regardless of the number of “pieces”.
Callaway Strata Ultimate Women’s Complete Set Review
Although it is called a “16 piece” set, it has 11 clubs. The Callaway Strata Ultimate set is a complete set that comes with . . .
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 4 & 5 Hybrids
- 6-9 Irons
- PW
- SW
- Putter
- Golf Bag
- Headcovers
This is a perfect set makeup for new golfers. The lower price is perfect for those that want an easy entry into the game. If you decide that you don’t want to continue with golf in the future, you won’t be out that much money! However, if you find that you really like golf, then you’ll be left with a high quality set that is much better than most beginner sets of clubs for women.
The Callaway Strata Ultimate 16 piece set has everything you NEED, and nothing that you don’t. Two things that COULD have been added would be a 5 wood and a lob wedge, but those are by no means necessary for new golfers.
The Strata clubs are geared towards beginner and high handicap female golfers. They are easy to launch and have decent distance as well. If you are looking for a premium club as far as feel and yardage are concerned, the Strata will not be your best choice. They are made better than most complete sets, but they are not as durable as a better set like the Solaire clubs.
The golf bag that comes with the Strata set is a durable and lightweight stand bag. You can use this bag if you plan on walking or riding the golf course, which is very helpful. Big clunky cart bags are difficult to move around and impossible to walk a round with. The bag has plenty of pockets, and you get four headcovers to keep your clubs protected with this set as well.
Callaway Solaire Sport 11 Piece Complete Set Review
The Callaway Solaire 11 Piece Sport set comes with 10 actual clubs. The headcovers were not included in the total count.
- Driver
- 3 Wood
- 5 & 6 Hybrids
- 7-9 Iron
- Pitching Wedge
- Sand Wedge
- Putter
- Golf Bag
- Headcovers
The Callaway Solaire is considered to be the PREMIUM complete set for women. These clubs work for beginners, too. However, the higher price leads to most golfers wanting to go with a cheaper set to start out with. More seasoned golfers will also enjoy the feel, durability, and performance that this set offers.
If you are looking for increased ball flight and distance, you should see that with this set of golf clubs. The irons are an oversized design giving you a huge sweet spot. The Solaire clubs are lightweight and will help those players with slower swing speeds get the distance that they are looking for.
The golf bag is very well made – it is a stand bag, too, like the Strata bag. You will have plenty of pockets on this bag, and we love the fact that it is black and will keep dirt away for years to come. Overall the Solaire is a set of golf clubs that you will be able to hang onto for quite some time.
How Do They Compare?
Now that you have a general background on these two sets let’s take a look at how they compare when stacked against each other.
Appearance
Put simply, the Solaire set is far ahead of the Strata set when it comes to appearance. The black/silver color scheme of the Solaire is extremely professional looking when compared to the grey/purple of the Strata clubs. Just by looking at the two women’s complete sets, it’s very obvious which set is of higher quality.
With the cheaper Strata clubs, you can easily see where the club head was glued to the shaft. And yes, that does lead to the club heads coming off the club shafts easier. With the better Solaire set, though, it feels and looks higher quality.
Set Makeup
The Callaway Strata set comes with one extra club that the Solaire set does not come with. The iron configuration on both sets is a bit different. The Solaire only goes up to a seven iron where the Strata goes up to the six iron. In this category, we have to say that the Strata wins. Having a six iron in the bag for hitting lower running shots, even out of the woods, or on a windy day is a great tool to have. You can always add hybrids and woods to golf bags, as well as wedges, but it can sometimes be difficult on these packaged sets to add an iron in.
Price
The Strata wins the price category pretty handily. The Strata set (about $400) is less than half the price of the Solaire set (about $1,000). With that being said, the clubs that come with the Solaire are a higher quality as far as the technology is concerned and should last you several years. If you are looking for a long term option, the Solaire is probably a better choice and may save you money in the long run. I’d rather buy one set of Solaire irons that end up buying 3 Strata sets over the same time period.
Quality
Callaway makes both sets, and Callaway will stand behind their product. The only thing we can say about quality is that the Solaire will have a better feel, durability, and performance in general. They are made with higher quality materials and will hold up over time a bit better. The Strata sets are not cheap or flimsy; they are simply made to be a value set, so the material used is lower quality to make up for it.
Final Verdict
When choosing between these two sets, it comes down to what you are looking for more than which one is better. If you are a new player just starting not sure if golf is going to be your thing, the Strata is perfect. If you have been playing for some time and want a quality set to carry you the next ten years, then the Solaire is going to be the clear winner.
For newer golfers, the Callaway Strata Ultimate set wins. It’s cheaper, has an extra iron, and is far better than the average complete set that you’ll find on the market.
For more seasoned women golfers, the Callaway Solaire set wins. It’s more expensive, more durable, and better performing. You simply can’t find this quality of golf clubs without spending more money than a “normal” complete set.
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