Callaway Epic Driver buyers. Love it or buyers remorse.

[NoSnooknOH]

Update:

 

Fairways are firming up in Ohio. I play the same Club 3x a week for the past 10 years. Personal bests on several holes with the Epic including a hole that requires a 240 to 260 carry to clear a creek that I haven't even attempted the last couple years. I have not had this much fun playing golf since the first titanium Bertha came out. Still no remorse.

[EntourageLife]

Update:

 

Fairways are firming up in Ohio. I play the same Club 3x a week for the past 10 years. Personal bests on several holes with the Epic including a hole that requires a 240 to 260 carry to clear a creek that I haven't even attempted the last couple years. I have not had this much fun playing golf since the first titanium Bertha came out. Still no remorse.

 

Titanium Bertha. Nice

[Dunny51]

Now that I have mine dialed in I'm loving it. T800 shaft that plays 44.5" with 14 gram weight in back and 4 gram weight up front. I have hit some bombs (for me) but way more interested in all the fairways I've found the last 2 rounds

[crazygolfnut]

After several rounds and a session at the range, I think I love my Epic. I am a short hitter and last night I hit every fairway with drives running between 245 and 275. Normally I am around 220. WOW!

[chrikim]

Just received my epic Sz but probably won't be able to hit it for another few weeks because recovering from an injury. Got it -1" with rogue 110msi 60g (came with a 14g and 4g weight in the head). Also have a tensei pro white that I'm going to test out. Can not wait...

[joker21]

I hated it with stock hzrdus. I put tour ad bb6s in and I'm really enjoying it.

 

[CowboyBagger]

I had my first fitting last week at Hot Stix in Fountain Hills, AZ. Tried about 15 shafts with a standard head, narrowed it down to two. Then tried the Titilest 917, M1, M2 and Epic. Winner was 9 degree Epic set at plus 1 with the Atmos Black shaft. I didn't realize how much difference the shaft makes, but it does. Some of the shafts were almost impossible to hit.

 

Got on Ebay and found the Atmos Masters shaft and 9 degree Epic brand new for $500 plus $12 shipping. I hope I'm a happy camper when it arrives.

 

Cowboy

[zargolf98]

It's good. Not as good as advertised but good.

[North Butte]

Not as good as advertised but good.

 

Nothing could possibly live up to the Epic hype storm.

[SwingBlues]

I had my first fitting last week at Hot Stix in Fountain Hills, AZ. Tried about 15 shafts with a standard head, narrowed it down to two. Then tried the Titilest 917, M1, M2 and Epic. Winner was 9 degree Epic set at plus 1 with the Atmos Black shaft. I didn't realize how much difference the shaft makes, but it does. Some of the shafts were almost impossible to hit.

 

Got on Ebay and found the Atmos Masters shaft and 9 degree Epic brand new for $500 plus $12 shipping. I hope I'm a happy camper when it arrives.

 

Cowboy

 

thats the same combo as mine except mine is configured D & -1 setting. Much better flight & feel than the T800 & handcrafted Yellow 65 I had before the Atmos. Enjoy :taunt:

[DFinch]

I've been crushing my sub zero all season set at 9* +1 draw with weight forward.

 

My remorse is breaking my own rule this afternoon of never choosing a bay with a support pole behind me. I didn't notice the mat was pulled back closer to the pole. First swing hit the pole on my follow through and crushed the toe.

 

RIP Epic SZ. You were good to me.

 

I have clubhouse credit at my home course but they only carry the standard. I have a big tournament next week so probably don't have time to order. Now that I know how the SZ has played over many rounds and range sessions I'm going to put a standard through the paces and see if I can match the performance. Otherwise I'm going to have to find an SZ locally and bite the bullet for another $500. Damn.

[Orange Hog]

My Epic (non-SZ) arrived this week and I put it in play yesterday for 9 holes with a co-worker. Initial impressions - this thing wants to just go straight and is easily the most forgiving head I've played. Two holes I caught it a bit in the heel so when I looked up I fully expected to see the ball fading well offline. To my surprise, though, the ball faded only a few yards and still ended up in the fairway. Last hole of the day I hit a drive to a part of the fairway I've never seen before on this course, which I've played 50+ times.

 

I've never been much of a Callaway "guy" and thought the hype was a bit much when these came out, but I have to admit I'm a believer.

[wmblake2000]

Had mine now several months. Awesome, flat out awesome.

[Boydr12]

Had been playing Atmos blue 7X in my subzero, but today decided to try the rogue max 75X I ordered in it, and I like it even better now!!

[SwingMan]

I have bought and tried the Epic and SZ three times (i know, true Golf WRX club ho). I kept reading about everyone gaining distance, and how forgiving it was. For me, my 917D3 is better, maybe not longer, but better. More accurate, consistent, better feel. I also love the new slate grey color.

 

I played courses I have played for years, and with the Epic drivers or 917, they were about the same, maybe one time the Epic was longer, then the next the 917 was longer, I tried chasing yards, and my scores suffered, I am done trying to replace my 917, for whatever reason, it just works for me.

 

Did you cut it down to 44.5 and add a weight?

[minteq]

I have bought and tried the Epic and SZ three times (i know, true Golf WRX club ho). I kept reading about everyone gaining distance, and how forgiving it was. For me, my 917D3 is better, maybe not longer, but better. More accurate, consistent, better feel. I also love the new slate grey color.

 

I played courses I have played for years, and with the Epic drivers or 917, they were about the same, maybe one time the Epic was longer, then the next the 917 was longer, I tried chasing yards, and my scores suffered, I am done trying to replace my 917, for whatever reason, it just works for me.

 

Did you cut it down to 44.5 and add a weight?

 

No, I did try it at 45" with a little heavier weight, same results. It is a great driver, but so is the 917d3.

[youraway2]

Have three golfing friends, +3, 5 and an 8. All three loved the distance. Then reality set in, distance is great, they just don't know where it's going. The +3 went back to his XR-16 and hits it just as far and straighter. Perhaps shafts are their problem. Aldila NV Magnum

[Boydr12]

It's weird reading about dispersion problems here, this is easily the straightest driver I have ever owned, the ball doesn't want to curve either way!!

[lordemsworth]

I've noticed the same thing. My miss with M2 is a high block. But that's it. Never see the left side of the fairway.

 

Played three rounds with the Epic, and whole course is back in play.

 

Will try a couple of more times.

[misplacedtexan83]

Have three golfing friends, +3, 5 and an 8. All three loved the distance. Then reality set in, distance is great, they just don't know where it's going. The +3 went back to his XR-16 and hits it just as far and straighter. Perhaps shafts are their problem. Aldila NV Magnum

 

His XR16 shaft can be plugged into the Epic heads... so if he did that than it just doesn't work for him.

[Oknows]

Does the Epic go onto the GBB/DBD/etc. adapter as well?

[Orange Hog]

It's weird reading about dispersion problems here, this is easily the straightest driver I have ever owned, the ball doesn't want to curve either way!!

 

That was my observation after only a few holes, too. Went heel side on a couple tee balls and immediately thought "that's missing the short grass" only to look up and see it move a couple yards offline. I've never seen a driver do something like that.

 

Does the Epic go onto the GBB/DBD/etc. adapter as well?

 

Yes

[Warrick]

Does the Epic go onto the GBB/DBD/etc. adapter as well?

 

Everything from the Optiforce driver forward has the same adapter for Callaway.

[Oknows]

Did a PGA SS tour van fitting a few days ago and the Epic SZ 9* set to -1/N gave me the best numbers 160ish mph ball speeds and 280 carry, while significantly lowering launch and spin over my current setup (same shaft). Added roughly 16 yards of carry. Was hitting a slight fade, which I don't mind if it's predictable. Close second was a 917 D3 8.5 which seemed to be a little straighter. I really liked the feel of the SZ and the numbers don't lie, but the "fade bias" discussion has me a little hesitant. Historically, my big miss is a slice. I've pretty much negated that and have an occasional pull hook from time to time. Concerned that hopping into a fade biased driver is going to bring my miss back. Think putting it in -1/D (fitter never tried this option) would ease that concern, but I don't have any way to demo outside other than paying for another fitting, and I am not going that route. Decisions, decisions.

[Gem]

Did a PGA SS tour van fitting a few days ago and the Epic SZ 9* set to -1/N gave me the best numbers 160ish mph ball speeds and 280 carry, while significantly lowering launch and spin over my current setup (same shaft). Added roughly 16 yards of carry. Was hitting a slight fade, which I don't mind if it's predictable. Close second was a 917 D3 8.5 which seemed to be a little straighter. I really liked the feel of the SZ and the numbers don't lie, but the "fade bias" discussion has me a little hesitant. Historically, my big miss is a slice. I've pretty much negated that and have an occasional pull hook from time to time. Concerned that hopping into a fade biased driver is going to bring my miss back. Think putting it in -1/D (fitter never tried this option) would ease that concern, but I don't have any way to demo outside other than paying for another fitting, and I am not going that route. Decisions, decisions.

 

You don't need to worry about a fade with the Epic SZ. It was a hook machine for me and a few others have found it to be the same.

[3_Jack_Par]

I'm probably 30-40 rounds in with the Epic SZ, which puts me past any kind of honeymoon period, and I have to say, I still love it. I posted a Trackman screen shot a few pages back, and I hit it again on the monitor two weeks ago during a lesson, and I was seeing ball speeds as high as 174. The previous time on the Trackman, my speed was a little limited by a tweaked muscle in my back -- SS wasn't visible when I hit it last time because they were struggling a bit with the latest software update, but I'm sure the increased ball speed correlated with my SS getting back to my normal ~115ish mph. On the course, I've seen results that line up with what the launch monitor says. I'm hitting it farther than before, and with no loss of control. I still make bad swings and hit it sideways sometimes, but that's golf. For me, at least, the results have lived up to the hype.

[xjohnx]

Did a PGA SS tour van fitting a few days ago and the Epic SZ 9* set to -1/N gave me the best numbers 160ish mph ball speeds and 280 carry, while significantly lowering launch and spin over my current setup (same shaft). Added roughly 16 yards of carry. Was hitting a slight fade, which I don't mind if it's predictable. Close second was a 917 D3 8.5 which seemed to be a little straighter. I really liked the feel of the SZ and the numbers don't lie, but the "fade bias" discussion has me a little hesitant. Historically, my big miss is a slice. I've pretty much negated that and have an occasional pull hook from time to time. Concerned that hopping into a fade biased driver is going to bring my miss back. Think putting it in -1/D (fitter never tried this option) would ease that concern, but I don't have any way to demo outside other than paying for another fitting, and I am not going that route. Decisions, decisions.

 

If your miss is a slice with the occasional pull hook you clearly have club path issues. No driver is going to fix this.

[Oknows]

Did a PGA SS tour van fitting a few days ago and the Epic SZ 9* set to -1/N gave me the best numbers 160ish mph ball speeds and 280 carry, while significantly lowering launch and spin over my current setup (same shaft). Added roughly 16 yards of carry. Was hitting a slight fade, which I don't mind if it's predictable. Close second was a 917 D3 8.5 which seemed to be a little straighter. I really liked the feel of the SZ and the numbers don't lie, but the "fade bias" discussion has me a little hesitant. Historically, my big miss is a slice. I've pretty much negated that and have an occasional pull hook from time to time. Concerned that hopping into a fade biased driver is going to bring my miss back. Think putting it in -1/D (fitter never tried this option) would ease that concern, but I don't have any way to demo outside other than paying for another fitting, and I am not going that route. Decisions, decisions.

 

If your miss is a slice with the occasional pull hook you clearly have club path issues. No driver is going to fix this.

 

Not looking for a club fix. Said I fixed the slice, but thanks.

[3_Jack_Par]

Did a PGA SS tour van fitting a few days ago and the Epic SZ 9* set to -1/N gave me the best numbers 160ish mph ball speeds and 280 carry, while significantly lowering launch and spin over my current setup (same shaft). Added roughly 16 yards of carry. Was hitting a slight fade, which I don't mind if it's predictable. Close second was a 917 D3 8.5 which seemed to be a little straighter. I really liked the feel of the SZ and the numbers don't lie, but the "fade bias" discussion has me a little hesitant. Historically, my big miss is a slice. I've pretty much negated that and have an occasional pull hook from time to time. Concerned that hopping into a fade biased driver is going to bring my miss back. Think putting it in -1/D (fitter never tried this option) would ease that concern, but I don't have any way to demo outside other than paying for another fitting, and I am not going that route. Decisions, decisions.

 

You don't need to worry about a fade with the Epic SZ. It was a hook machine for me and a few others have found it to be the same.

I haven't found that to be true. The last several drivers I've had, I've played them in the max fade setting. With the SZ, I had it set that way (in the Neutral setting) to start, but found that I was over-cutting it when I missed, so I switched it to the draw setting. I switched over the winter to hitting a fade after years of playing a draw, and with my swing as it is now, I'm unlikely to hit a big hook, unless my hands get really over-active, but I haven't seen anything that would suggest that the SZ is overly prone to going left. My own experience and anecdotal evidence I've heard from others suggests it's fairly fade-biased, if anything.

[misplacedtexan83]

Did a PGA SS tour van fitting a few days ago and the Epic SZ 9* set to -1/N gave me the best numbers 160ish mph ball speeds and 280 carry, while significantly lowering launch and spin over my current setup (same shaft). Added roughly 16 yards of carry. Was hitting a slight fade, which I don't mind if it's predictable. Close second was a 917 D3 8.5 which seemed to be a little straighter. I really liked the feel of the SZ and the numbers don't lie, but the "fade bias" discussion has me a little hesitant. Historically, my big miss is a slice. I've pretty much negated that and have an occasional pull hook from time to time. Concerned that hopping into a fade biased driver is going to bring my miss back. Think putting it in -1/D (fitter never tried this option) would ease that concern, but I don't have any way to demo outside other than paying for another fitting, and I am not going that route. Decisions, decisions.

 

You don't need to worry about a fade with the Epic SZ. It was a hook machine for me and a few others have found it to be the same.

 

Lets not start assuming it will be the same everyone.. I have a nice little push now for my misses instead of my massive hook..