We previewed Callaway’s new Epic Flash drivers a couple of issues ago and noted that it was the most compelling driver in a year that every manufacturer introduced their best drivers ever. Think about it. Cobra came out with the F9, arguably their best driver ever. Mizuno introduced the ST190 and ST190G which, in addition to being Mizuno’s best drivers ever, now have a win on the PGA Tour. The last time that happened was 19 years ago. Of course, TaylorMade’s updated M-twins are always in that mix and Ping updated the formidable G400 and gave us the G410. This year, there’s a bumper crop of drivers.
The Internet golf blog/forum Mygolfspy.com, one of the most fiercely independent golf sites on the internet has named the Callaway Epic Flash as their most wanted driver of 2019. This accolade is particularly significant since the site prides itself on its independence from corporate influence of any sort and names its Most Wanted winners only after extensive player testing and data gathering.
So, what makes the Epic Flash so good?
In case you missed it, the defining technology of the Callaway Epic Flash is its clubface. The Flash face was designed with the help of Callaway’s newly acquired supercomputer, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Basically, Callaway programmed the computer to design the fastest, most durable clubface possible within the current rules of the game. Thea supercomputer came up with 15,000 virtual prototypes before coming up with Flash Face.
The result is completely unintuitive. The Flash Face looks like no other clubface ever designed; the pattern of ridges and low spots on the underside of the clubface looks more like a human ear than any other clubface on the market today. It is so completely different that it seems unlikely that humans could not have arrived at this design without the computational and learning capabilities of the supercomputer.
The supercomputer designed the clubface to work in concert with Callaway’s other technologies; Jailbreak, the ultralightweight carbon crown, the aerodynamic advancements and sliding weight track to produce the best possible results.
Sounds lovely, but how then does the Epic Flash fit into Callaway’s lineup with the Rogue? Both have regular and Subzero models. One has a Flash Face, the other doesn’t. Should someone who games a Rogue upgrade to the Epic Flash? What’s a golfer to do?
Most golf equipment manufacturers offer two driver models and a variety of shafts to fit as big a percentage of the golf population as they can. Callaway has created degrees of differentiation with their four drivers. The Rogue duo are more forgiving and perhaps a bit more draw-biased than their Epic counterparts and lack the Epic’s adjustable weight track. This gives the consumer a choice of four heads and a large selection of shafts to find the ideal fit.
I played the Rogue Subzero for the bulk of last year and loved it. For what many consider a better player’s driver, it is remarkably easy to hit. Putting the Epic Flash Sub Zero down next to the Rogue Subzero, it is immediately evident that the Rogue is longer from face to skirt. The Epic Flash has a slightly deeper clubface and higher center of gravity. In real world terms, the Epic Flash Sub Zero is perhaps a bit less forgiving than its Rogue counterpart, but only slightly so. In return, you gain faster ball speeds, a stronger ball flight and adjustable trajectory.
Having had so much success with the Rogue Sub Zero, it was my intention to just test the Epic Flash Sub Zero and go back to gaming the Rogue, older and a bit slower that it is. The reasons were simple; the results I had with it were as good as I’ve had with any driver. My confidence in the club was complete and with it at my disposal, there wasn’t a fairway that I couldn’t find. But the results were tough to ignore.
If you don’t get to set up your Epic Flash at one of Transview’s fitting studios, put in the effort to set it up properly on the driving range then validate those settings on the golf course. The results will be worth the efforts. Expect to play more loft with the Subzero. This allows you to get the height you need without adding too much spin.
The Epic Flash Sub Zero surprised me. Hitting both back-to-back on Transview Philippines’s Foresight GC Quad, the Epic Flash was producing 2 miles to 3 miles per hour more ball speed than the Rogue. On the golf course that translated into a club less coming into the greens in practical terms.
The tradeoff was that dispersion was larger in the fitting studio and on the golf course. It wasn’t a huge difference, but it was certainly noticeable. It was necessary to focus more with the Epic Flash but when hit flush, the results were worth it.
Subjectively, my impression is that only part of the improvement is ball speed due to the Flash Face. The Epic Flash Sub Zero feels faster when you swing it. It cuts through the air very cleanly. Some opined that it felt like you were swinging a shaft with a weight on the end of it. The aerodynamic work that Callaway did with this driver paid dividends. Extremely effective even if it didn’t make the marketing headlines.
So, if you’re gaming a Rogue, should you upgrade to the Epic Flash?
In absolute terms, probably not. Playing a club more into the greens is at best an inconvenience. The Rogue is a very, very good driver and in my results, was more accurate than the Epic Flash. The positioning of Callaway’s quartet of drivers allows a myriad of fitting options. The ability to match the correct shaft with a clubhead with the correct spin and trajectory profile provides the best opportunity for a proper fit.
If absolute performance is your goal, the Epic Flash Sub Zero is the club you want. This is the best marketing story in golf today. The color might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Callaway Customs offers the opportunity to spec the Epic Flash and Epic Flash Sub Zero in the colors of your choice. You might have to wait a bit, but you’ll have the driver of your dreams.
Biggest con is probably price. Drivers these days are so rooted in science. The amounts of money that Callaway and the rest invest in their research and development are massive and must be recouped somehow. Unfortunately, the burden is on us.
But that does little to change the fact that the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero is an amazing driver that sends the ball a very long way down the fairway when hit well. It might not be as forgiving as its Rogue counterpart, but the difference is small and the Epic Flash Sub Zero is very playable. It is the latest in a long line of amazing drivers from Callaway and one I’m very happy to have in the bag.