So which brand (if any) has the new club out to truly challange the succes of Epic?

rollin

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Whether one buys into it or not the results in 2017 for the Epic are pretty unanimous for having moved the marketing hype to reality even if just a little and probably more than anyone has done in some time. Im certain with the sales success as well as the testimony of tons of players out there as for being the longest as well as most forgiving while maintaining length is something that's had to cause a stir within the other makers corporate offices and R&D teams. The club seems to have moved the tech needle up a new notch. I would assume its been dissected by the others of course. So im just wondering as ive paid little attention lately, just who has or will be producing their versions of that tech up to that same notch?

And I know some may not agree with that move being anything real. But thousands amateurs out there playing with it (including me) would feel otherwise. Collectively it speaks for a lot. So whether or not you thin its real its got huge success. So whos got or will have the next "met your match" (or more) driver vs the Epic? just curious.
 
G400 has seemed to stand up well for quite a few. I think F8 also challenges nicely here shortly.
 
If managed right, I think the M3/M4 line will be discussed much more than the M1/M2 that preceded it. If the TM PGA staff produces week in, week out results as well it will support it.
 
Challenge the sales success? I dont see one, besides Rogue when it hits. For example...Cobra had one heck of a performer last year in the F7+, and in a lot of testing it competed very strongly against Epic. Yet the sales were way short.

Challenge performance for each individual? I think there are some.
 
Based on the success of EPIC, I think Rogue will keep Callaway at the top of the heap.
 
Clearly there are high expectations for the Rouge and it'll be difficult to supplant Callaway. However, the M3/M4 line looks like it will make a move, as does the Cobra F8. I'm swinging an EPIC now and I'm not sure anything new is going to give me more distance; if the Rogue is a little better then it'll be a little longer. Honestly, I'm more concerned with accuracy and I'm assuming most amateurs are as well. With that said, from what I'm reading, there may not be a more accurate club on the market than the F8. I definitely see Cobra taking some of the market because of the F8.
 
I've been doing a full bag fitting the past few weeks, I had the same ball speed with the mizuno st180 as I did the epic sz with less spin. The g400 had less ball speed but I had the highest club speed with it. Haven't got to try the cobra f8 but it sounds like it would be up there as well. The epic sz, g400 and st-180 were all within a few yards. Still more good drivers coming out this year as well
 
@ddec is smart. no one will challenge the sales. performance for the epic for me just didn’t cut the mustard. so much inconsistency.


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Based on all of the 2017 Granddaddy THP Prestige team went with the 2018 Callaway Redeacted driver assuming they also had an opportunity to have hit or tested the Epic, it sounds like Callaway has a formidable follow-up. With all the momentum from the Epic's success it will be a tough hill to climb but certainly within grasp with the F8, M3/M4 , etc based on early feedback. Looks like a great year to buy a driver.
 
If managed right, I think the M3/M4 line will be discussed much more than the M1/M2 that preceded it. If the TM PGA staff produces week in, week out results as well it will support it.
Agreed. They also need them to engage more on it. Aka...DJ immediately talking about it after his round and win

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It’s tough to say. When thinking of drivers, my mind immediately goes callaway, Taylor made and then Titleist. Cobra isn’t really on my radar. Neither is mizuno. Just how it is. I think with the momentum callaway has, it’ll be tough for anyone to knock them off the top. If I had to guess it would be TM with the M3 and M4


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It seems like the only brand (this year) would be TM... now if cobra or ping puts a few solid releases together AND starts to rock social media more effectively then I could see it in say 3 years. Honestly I think Callaway would have to have consecutive terrible releases, and I just don't see that happening with how they have had a stranglehold on the industry lately.
 
honestly, I know they have the tour staff and a story, but I really don't think that TaylorMade is going to push the marketing up enough to help transition the # to takeover the Epic/Rogue drivers. I just don't see it.
 
It seems like the only brand (this year) would be TM... now if cobra or ping puts a few solid releases together AND starts to rock social media more effectively then I could see it in say 3 years. Honestly I think Callaway would have to have consecutive terrible releases, and I just don't see that happening with how they have had a stranglehold on the industry lately.

Couldn’t agree more. I don’t see callaway releasing anything that isn’t better than the previous versions


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I haven't tried it, but the Twist Face name still has a negative connotation to me.
 
I haven't tried it, but the Twist Face name still has a negative connotation to me.

What if they changed the name to funky face?


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It's going to take a huge marketing blitz for that to happen, and I don't see that happening. I think with a fitting you can fit a few different options to compete really well performance wise but in regard to market share I don't see it happening.
 
honestly, I know they have the tour staff and a story, but I really don't think that TaylorMade is going to push the marketing up enough to help transition the # to takeover the Epic/Rogue drivers. I just don't see it.
In the end, Callaway would have to screw the pooch IMO. I remember people thinking this exact same thing when TM was on top 5ish years ago... then rbz2, SLDR, jetspeed, SLDR-S... I don't see Callaway falling on their face as quickly as TM did.
 
What if they changed the name to funky face?


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Much better. I think that a lot of us have been taught that the face twisting at impact is a bad thing.
 
Interesting that a number of us are talking of challenging or dethroning Epic in a marketing sense. But I would say its more than that which is what it would take. What I mean is the results to the amateur. its no secret that far too many people throughout the amateur world have and continue to see true gains with Epic. And that's been a pretty consistent and dominant thing collectively reported and shared by just so many darn people. So imo there would have to be a club that not only matches that performance feedback of Epic but also surpass it. Not so sure that's going happen just yet. And honestly might at best only be matched.

I think "truly" moving the performance bar is something that only happens once in a looong while. It may be a few or even several years before its truly moved again. Id assume it will be matched rather quickly but moved again is a whole other thing. Been an interesting thread imo thus far.
 
No one is taking the top sales spot from Callaway. They are strong right now at telling their story well and creating excitement.

TM, Cobra, Ping & Titleist no doubt have a technology story to tell and for some their offerings might be bette than a current Callaway offering, but they aren’t generating enough buzz to get people to try.

I will say I think Cobra seems to be closer to taking the #2 spot bc the F8 line is now 3 consecutive releases that flat out perform. TM has a good product on their hands with the M3/M4, but not sure they get enough people to switch based on recent history.
 
Callaway keeps putting distance between them and 2nd place


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No one is taking the top sales spot from Callaway. They are strong right now at telling their story well and creating excitement.

TM, Cobra, Ping & Titleist no doubt have a technology story to tell and for some their offerings might be bette than a current Callaway offering, but they aren’t generating enough buzz to get people to try.

I will say I think Cobra seems to be closer to taking the #2 spot bc the F8 line is now 3 consecutive releases that flat out perform. TM has a good product on their hands with the M3/M4, but not sure they get enough people to switch based on recent history.

Cobra is not in the 3rd spot though. They would have to start selling a lot of drivers to get to #2. They could get to 4th from Titleist as they have not had a good a year in hard goods. To answer the question, nobody can catch Callaway in 2018, without some serious help like finding out the employees were running a dog fighting ring, etc.

And I say all of that not speaking of any brands actual equipment, just pure statistics based on the most recent data available.
 
Cobra is not in the 3rd spot though. They would have to start selling a lot of drivers to get to #2. They could get to 4th from Titleist as they have not had a good a year in hard goods. To answer the question, nobody can catch Callaway in 2018, without some serious help like finding out the employees were running a dog fighting ring, etc.

And I say all of that not speaking of any brands actual equipment, just pure statistics based on the most recent data available.

Thanks for the insight. I guess TM sells more than I thought. So if they are not 3rd, who is, Ping? Assuming 1 is Callaway and 2 is TM.
 
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