Callaway Epic Speed and Epic Max Drivers and Fairway Woods

[mikeg_74]

I found this graphic really telling. We always hear about "weight savings" and how a gram here or there is a big thing for engineers. Now they have saved 18gm and it's allowing them to use that weight savings to add forgiveness (MOI)

 

[golfer_teej]

Looks like a win for Callaway. Great write up @Jman

the two big things that stuck out to me where the CT on the fairway woods, WOW. The second was Callaway saying the draw bias in the mavrik max wasn't really working that well. I think its pretty cool to see a company try something then come back and say its not really working the way we hoped it would but we think we got it right with this version.

 

[Jman]

I think thats a good thing. Mavrik sounded fantastic IMO

Agree. Standard Mav was pretty fantastic there. The Max though....was not.

 

[BigMac]

Here is what I can say about the sound.

I have only hit it indoors in the Tech Studio
It sounds similar to the MAVRIK line to me.

That's great to hear, as I think the Mav Max is probably the best sounding driver I've ever hit (edit: even if Jman doesn't think so, haha!).

Great write-up @Jman, lots of great info and I'm sure these will be a huge hit. Can't even imagine the FWs having a higher CT than the Mavs, the Mavrik FW is a rocket launcher already!

 

[Jman]

I found this graphic really telling. We always hear about "weight savings" and how a gram here or there is a big thing for engineers. Now they have saved 18gm and it's allowing them to use that weight savings to add forgiveness (MOI)

View attachment 8988336

Indeed! That’s the movement forward of the Triaxial closer to where the face and crown meet which I referenced in the article.

 

[Jman]

the conspiracy theory crowd will rehash the tired ol' "they're trying to drive sales to the customs." the looks are very bold, will definitely stand out on a retail shelf, and are polar opposite of what i'd prefer to see. @Jimmy3864 mocked up a pretty sweet custom though.

i'll definitely hit these. i wish callaway would consider a more neutral max model. the mav max has been a great driver for me, but it does have an affinity for the left side of the golf course.

With the sliding weight here as well as the dual cog it’ll get much more neutral than the Mav Max would.

 

[Bernoulli]

Will definitely put this driver on the list of what to try in 2021.

 

[Jman]

@Jman you have been busy. Nice write up. You all are going to have some great products to showcase. Just don’t tell me these are better than the B21 please.

I appreciate that brother, release season is like Christmas for me!

Haha! I hope to take a closer look at that soon, but I’d say they’re still different beasts.

 

[dacatalyst41]

Putting my thinking cap on here (i'm i'll be corrected if I am off base.), I think the spin will come from how forward or back the CG placement is relative to your strike pattern. The APW has traditionally been used to help with ball flight correction and tighten dispersion depending on the players miss. I am going to guess the draw bias here is similar to the Mav Max in terms of how they designed the head for the "draw bias" effect placing weight to help promote the right to left ball flight.

Apologies. I was talking about the fairways. That’s where I’m confused.

 

[Tevenor]

I think thats a good thing. Mavrik sounded fantastic IMO

They made a conscious effort during the design of this new version in the sound department to keep it more in the line of the Mavrik line than the old Epic Flash line. Something the Callaway engineering teams were well aware of from feedback in the wild.

 

[McLovin]

You might need to try them. The first time I hit the Max LS, size, shape, and numbers made me think of you. Just based on things you've said before, there is potential there.


Sidenote- - everyone please forget the golf world isn't made up of THP'ers and mention 'Mclovin' out loud to a fitter. It creates a unique experience I think you all should have.

you're welcome? i remember one time i placed a to-go order at a local pizza place. i guess i unknowingly signed in through a gmail account our grandaddy team used. so i went to pick up the food and said my name, but they didn't have that order. then the little high school girl behind the counter goes "are you 'grandaddy'?" i was like man, she is probably SO creeped out by me right now. lmfao

 

[mikeg_74]

Indeed! That’s the movement forward of the Triaxial closer to where the face and crown meet which I referenced in the article.

I read that, but my simple brain needs a picture or graphic to help drive the concept home.

 

[Jman]

Is the draw bias in the Max fairway coming from the lie angle of the head or some unseen weight placement? Trying to understand since the Max is the model with the adjustable sole weights from front to back. I would think those are more for spin management and launch than lateral bias.

With the smaller profile of the head it takes less to make bias, additionally, they used the carbon fiber toe patch to take weight from out there and move it internally, creating the bias.

That said, they’re adamant that better players can play both this year, and I mean adamant.

 

[Jman]

They made a conscious effort during the design of this new version in the sound department to keep it more in the line of the Mavrik line than the old Epic Flash line. Something the Callaway engineering teams were well aware of from feedback in the wild.

Thank God for that, too.

 

[mikeg_74]

Apologies. I was talking about the fairways. That’s where I’m confused.

reading is hard and I’m on one cup of coffee! I see it now and from my understanding the weights are spin management so now I’m curious as well.

 

[dacatalyst41]

With the smaller profile of the head it takes less to make bias, additionally, they used the carbon fiber toe patch to take weight from out there and move it internally, creating the bias.

That said, they’re adamant that better players can play both this year, and I mean adamant.

Interesting. I was hoping it was primarily due to lie angle and I could just order them flatter. Doesn’t look like that’s in play so I’ll have to see which one sits more neutral at address.

 

[Jman]

Interesting. I was hoping it was primarily due to lie angle and I could just order them flatter. Doesn’t look like that’s in play so I’ll have to see which one sits more neutral at address.

Given the size and profile, the Speed should sit more neutral to the eye at address.

 

[Tevenor]

With the smaller profile of the head it takes less to make bias, additionally, they used the carbon fiber toe patch to take weight from out there and move it internally, creating the bias.

That said, they’re adamant that better players can play both this year, and I mean adamant.

Agree with this. During our review of the product line, there was no doubt they felt all 3 versions could be fitted to any level of HC and play skill level. Each differentiated themselves enough without losing the performance aspects that will drive consistency between heads. Therefore, it will come down to fitting for swing profile more so than the old tropes of "looking for the bomber driver in the lowest spin" or the "going to have to give up distance to get the most forgiveness". They were very excited about the fact that all 3 head shapes provide great distance and forgiveness with the best ability to fit your personal swing.

 

[McLovin]

With the sliding weight here as well as the dual cog it’ll get much more neutral than the Mav Max would.

that's pretty encouraging. i like the idea of the weight in the toe to minimize that toe hook the mav max does not handle very well. i just know my instructor started to lean toward recommending a new driver last year because my swing numbers were good, but we couldn't eliminate the left miss and we were out of adjustable options.

 

[thewilderside]

Great write-up as usual @Jman. Thankfully I'm pretty set on the B21. Callaway just keeps on releasing incredible tech.

 

[Jman]

Agree with this. During our review of the product line, there was no doubt they felt all 3 versions could be fitted to any level of HC and play skill level. Each differentiated themselves enough without losing the performance aspects that will drive consistency between heads. Therefore, it will come down to fitting for swing profile more so than the old tropes of "looking for the bomber driver in the lowest spin" or the "going to have to give up distance to get the most forgiveness". They were very excited about the fact that all 3 head shapes provide great distance and forgiveness with the best ability to fit your personal swing.

I totally agree on the drivers. And that’s super well stated!

FWIW, I was referencing the two fairway models. The Max is infinitely more interesting to me now with the two weight system.

 

[Jman]

that's pretty encouraging. i like the idea of the weight in the toe to minimize that toe hook the mav max does not handle very well. i just know my instructor started to lean toward recommending a new driver last year because my swing numbers were good, but we couldn't eliminate the left miss and we were out of adjustable options.

Time for new shiny!

 

[MWard]

Writeup was really solid, explained a whole lot.

That being said, I'm not super blown away by it at the moment that would make me want to upgrade from my flash? I mean if someone said here hit this, well yeah okay sure. I'm just not pacing waiting for release day by the sound of it.

 

[McLovin]

Time for more new shiny!

fify

preorder for apex will happen
may have already ordered some other stuff
why stop now?!

 

[Jman]

Writeup was really solid, explained a whole lot.

That being said, I'm not super blown away by it at the moment that would make me want to upgrade from my flash? I mean if someone said here hit this, well yeah okay sure. I'm just not pacing waiting for release day by the sound of it.

I think the new jailbreak design could be the differentiator. The way they’re making AI Flash Face abs the new Jailbreak design work together is wildly intriguing to me. The expansion of the speed retention is something I’ll always need