2021 Callaway Epic Speed, Epic Max, Epic LS drivers (in-hand photos)

[GolfWRX]

Read our launch story here.

 

Callaway Epic Speed driver

Callaway Epic Max driver

Callaway Epic LS driver

[ProjectX]

I think Rick Shield said it best, it's very confusing who the target market is for each head and even more confusing when the fairway woods don't follow the same target golfer per naming convention. I.E. the Epic Speed driver does not seem to be the same target golfer as the Epic Speed Fairway. Getting rid of adjustability in the fairway is going to be a miss as well. While Callaway took a solid leap forwards with the irons this year I think they are coming backwards in the Drivers/Woods and Putter department.

[n'play]

Order me up a LS for sure.

[madaboutgolf]

prob epic mas would suite me, but not had my cobra driver 12 months yet so maybe next yr ?

[Warrick]

I liked hearing he thought the Speed was a little draw biased, think I may try that one, like the smaller head

[Golfingfanatic]

My Mav Triple D will stay. Zero appeal to try these.

[ProjectX]

37 minutes ago, Warrick said:

I liked hearing he thought the Speed was a little draw biased, think I may try that one, like the smaller head

Why not just get the Mavrik standard? Same driver and will cost you less.

[300yddrives]

BUTT. UGLY.

[UnderPar18]

21 minutes ago, ProjectX said:

Why not just get the Mavrik standard? Same driver and will cost you less.

It’s not the same driver. Different tech, higher moi, slightly faster club speed from the crown. How much better probably not a ton but it’s not the same.

[cradd10]

I just can't like the Chevron logo on top.  Only Callaway driver I ever like didn't have it.....FT Tour.

[third-times-a-charm]

2 hours ago, ProjectX said:

I think Rick Shield said it best, it's very confusing who the target market is for each head and even more confusing when the fairway woods don't follow the same target golfer per naming convention. I.E. the Epic Speed driver does not seem to be the same target golfer as the Epic Speed Fairway. Getting rid of adjustability in the fairway is going to be a miss as well. While Callaway took a solid leap forwards with the irons this year I think they are coming backwards in the Drivers/Woods and Putter department.

 

EDIT Nevermind.

The Speed is the 'standard' and the 'max' is the 'max' - but now the SZ is the 'max LS' as per the callaway site

Edited January 15, 2021 by third-times-a-charm

[BirdieBob]

 

 

[Brooks_Cupcake]

1 hour ago, Golfingfanatic said:

My Mav Triple D will stay. Zero appeal to try these.

Yes, you have said that in both forums. Glad you’re happy with your current equipment.

[Golfingfanatic]

4 minutes ago, J-Zone said:

Yes, you have said that in both forums. Glad you’re happy with your current equipment.

My other comment was in reference to the Mavrik fairway woods which I, in fact, do not own. I just happen to think that the whole Epic Speed line looks like trash. 

 

[Brooks_Cupcake]

1 minute ago, Golfingfanatic said:

My other comment was in reference to the Mavrik fairway woods which I, in fact, do not own. I just happen to think that the whole Epic Speed line looks like trash. 

 

If it sounds like Mavrik and has the performance of OG Epic then it’s a home run for them, regardless of looks. When you see it in hand you’ll definitely have a bit of a different opinion.

TSI3 is the best looking driver of the year in stock, followed by the Matte Blue Rad Speed, but this and 2.0 will be easily gamed in their custom colours.

[bulldurham]

Just one person's humble opinion, but everything about Callaway's release feels like its "too much".

Too much stuff happening on the face.

Too much stuff happening on the sole.

Too much in terms of marketing buzzwords.

In just the GolfWrx release, I noted the phrases Jailbreak Speed Frame, Flash Face, AI-designed, Carbon-loaded, Cyclone-Aero Design, Spin robustness, triaxial carbon crown

Not saying anything about its performance, more power to them if it kills it, its just tiring as all hell to process everything that's being thrown at the consumer.

[codeman]

It's a very small thing, but the tour models without the graphics on the face look 100x better than these. I just think those "bullseye" markings on Callaway driver faces looks so tacky.

[herbert7890]

im super confused now,  as there is no Subzero.  Subzero used to be the smaller face, low spin driver.  Now they have a bigger face Max driver, that is supposed to replace subzero?     very strange marketing and will not appeal to low handicappers.

Edited January 15, 2021 by herbert7890

[third-times-a-charm]

7 minutes ago, herbert7890 said:

im super confused now,  as there is now Subzero.  Subzero used to be the smaller face, low spin driver.  Now they have a bigger face Max driver, that is supposed to replace subzero?     very strange marketing and will not appeal to low handicappers.

Callaway is basically saying - and admitting - that no one (even on tour) wanted the SZ and how hard it was to hit, or rather how penalizing it was when you didnt hit it correctly. Hence why they always had a 'diamond' model for tour pros, which was 'more forgiving' and higher MOI then the retail SZ model. 

 

The retail SZ model gave people the low spin they were chasing on the LM so they would make the purchase at the point of sale, but in reality not even the pros wanted that trade-off.

 

Now there is a higher-moi-more-forgiving SZ model.

 

IMO it would have been better suited to call it the 'Speed LS' and less confusing, if I was the CMO on Callaway that would have been my call. I dont see why you would go backwards in the line only to introduce something for better players, built out of something made for worse players.

 

[ProjectX]

1 hour ago, UnderPar18 said:

It’s not the same driver. Different tech, higher moi, slightly faster club speed from the crown. How much better probably not a ton but it’s not the same.

Oh please. Same shape, same face, no additional features like moveable weight. May as well be called the Mavrik OG.

 

If you are buying the rest of what they are selling I have some earthquake insurance with your name on it.

[FairwayFred]

Shape on the LS is disappointing for a players driver.  IMO.  

[Warrick]

I thought a Speed LS was on the USGA list

[AzSuperHack76]

26 minutes ago, bulldurham said:

Just one person's humble opinion, but everything about Callaway's release feels like its "too much".

Too much stuff happening on the face.

Too much stuff happening on the sole.

Too much in terms of marketing buzzwords.

In just the GolfWrx release, I noted the phrases Jailbreak Speed Frame, Flash Face, AI-designed, Carbon-loaded, Cyclone-Aero Design, Spin robustness, triaxial carbon crown

Not saying anything about its performance, more power to them if it kills it, its just tiring as all hell to process everything that's being thrown at the consumer.

Are you new to golf Marketing? 😉 I kid, I kid.

 

The big boys like Callaway, Taylormade Cobra, PXG, etc. etc. have been at it forever now. Even Ping is getting in on the action in terms of marketing jargon, Spinsistency??? Come on.....

[AzSuperHack76]

9 minutes ago, ProjectX said:

Oh please. Same shape, same face, no additional features like moveable weight. May as well be called the Mavrik OG.

 

If you are buying the rest of what they are selling I have some earthquake insurance with your name on it.

How'd you hit it? How does it compare to your Mavrik? 

[UnderPar18]

10 minutes ago, ProjectX said:

Oh please. Same shape, same face, no additional features like moveable weight. May as well be called the Mavrik OG.

 

If you are buying the rest of what they are selling I have some earthquake insurance with your name on it.

It’s like this with every OEM pretty much. You bought Zx7’s but could have just purchased the 785’s... 

[Hookasaurus Rex]

The Max LS has the exact same shape/face depth, etc as my Epic Flash triple diamond.  They said it up that way because most pros played that shape/model, yet they have like three different triple diamond heads from this line on the usga conforming list now.  It looks like one that is the Max ls triple diamond, and one that looks like the Mavrik TD from last year, with the two weight system.  I wonder if they will release to the public again this year.

[ProjectX]

11 minutes ago, UnderPar18 said:

It’s like this with every OEM pretty much. You bought Zx7’s but could have just purchased the 785’s... 

I actually tried but they were out of stock all summer.

[DFS PFD]

Why do we always have to wait for triple diamond in the Callaway driver line now? We know it's coming, release it with everything else, or better yet, make that the LS shape. 

[10&8]

47 minutes ago, FairwayFred said:

Shape on the LS is disappointing for a players driver.  IMO.  

100% agreed. Love the shape of the Speed from address position, it has a nice pear shape like the TSi3. I don’t need a draw bias in a driver though. I absolutely dread over-cooking one left. 

[getair23]

2 hours ago, cradd10 said:

I just can't like the Chevron logo on top.  Only Callaway driver I ever like didn't have it.....FT Tour.

Clean sans-logo crown option has been added to Callaway Customs.  

 

Per Callaway:  A new “clean crown” option is also available for a sleek look at address.