Found love with my Callaway Rogue SZ driver...any point in upgrading?

[me05501]

After a lot of experimentation with shafts and heads I have found a great combo for me. I'm using a Rogue SZ 10.5* head with a Pro 62 Green stiff shaft. I love the feel, the flight and the control. I haven't hit it on a monitor yet but based on what I'm seeing in the air I feel like I have it dialed in really well for me. 

 

I've watched the last 2-3 years worth of Callaway driver comparison videos, and it seems like most testers found very little difference between Rogue and Mavrik and very little difference between Mavrik and Epic Speed (so far). The consensus seems to be that Callaway made a big leap with the Epic Flash/Rogue heads and they haven't really moved the needle since then.

 

Seems like the Rogue line is still relatively current from a tech standpoint. 

 

Am I correctly understanding the state of things with Callaway drivers at this moment? 

[MtlJeff]

If you love the Rogue i wouldn't switch. I hit that driver a bunch at demo days and always loved it. I own a Mavrik Max but i doubt i hit it any further. Past few years its more about finding a driver you are comfortable with and that feels nice

 

If you are fit OK distance won't change much

[GolfNuts4]

I agree, I think the Rogue is a bit under rated. It doesn't get much attention, but it is a great driver. I have hit the Mavrik and Pings offerings and found the Rogue still out performs for me. If it isn't broke.....

[setter02]

You will be able to play that driver for the next 10 years and not really have to worry about losing anything...

[bear87]

For me, the Rogue SZ head played very differently than the Epic Flash SZ and Mavrik SZ, so if you're happy with the Rogue SZ, I'm not sure there's a slam dunk upgrade out there for you, at least in the Callaway line.  That being said, I can't compare the Epic Max LS to any of these predecessors.

[me05501]

Thanks for the feedback. I am happy to keep riding with the Rogue SZ.

 

I'm not a high-speed player so I was a bit surprised to find how well this head worked for me. Something about the head/shaft combo just works. 

[fj_magni]

There is a TXG video on YouTube that compare your club to the mavrik equivalent. No difference in the numbers.

Don't look on WRX article about the farmers open equipment report. The line about pros migrating to Epic Speed at the same rate as original Epic will start to make you second guess the advice of sticking with what you have.  

[rkillian]

I'd stick with your rogue until you come across something that really impresses you.

 

I hit the std Mavrik when it came out, I haven't hit the new Epic line yet. I've hit the new ping and new cobra offerings. My rogue actually replaced a TS3 but I haven't hit any TSi yet either. Nothing so far has beaten my Rogue. The day I tested the cobra rad xb it seemed to hold a line a little better than my rogue might, at least on a launch monitor. Not enough to make me consider any kind of switch right now though. 

[wcdixon]

5 hours ago, rkillian said:

I'd stick with your rogue until you come across something that really impresses you.

On 2/4/2021 at 9:58 AM, GolfNuts4 said:

I agree, I think the Rogue is a bit under rated.

Following this thread with interest. Last spring found a used Rogue with stock Adila Synergy shaft and hit it really solid and consistently all last season with really no serious complaints other than a lower ball flight but I kept loft at 9 degrees so I couldn't have been that upset haha - but have a credit to use and have been feeling like I should 'upgrade' to the Epic Flash or the Mavrik or Mavrik Max. Mavrik Max from what I have read sounds the most similar to the Rogue in terms of shape and performance...but would it really be a noticeable upgrade or just more of the same? Only difference seems like would be whether the Project X Evenflow shaft would be a better fit for me over the Aldila Synergy.

 

PS And yes I would go in and test the Epic Flash or Mavrik/Mavrik Max with the Evenflow shaft if Covid hadn't shut down all the testing bays at Golftown.

 

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Edited February 5, 2021 by wcdixon
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[rkillian]

1 hour ago, wcdixon said:

 

 

Yeah... other than testing, no way to really know. I’ve learned I seem to make more consistent contact with 70g type driver shafts and I haven’t hit the evenflow riptide in the mavrik line. The mavrik Max would definitely be more similar in head shape. 

[95124hacker]

Kevin Na won the Sony Open a few weeks ago using a driver model 1 iteration previous to Rogue...

[ChipNRun]

Prior to my EXS, three prior drivers over an 12-year period were all Callaway.

 

Each one held its own against the "latest and greatest" for about four years. They were HyperX Tour | RazrFit  | XR16 Pro.

 

My swapout to EXS was to get a lighter shaft as my 70th birthday neared.

==============

 

For everyday (non-tour) pros and competition amateurs, you probably see the least turnover in fairway woods. They only hit a FW off the deck about once a round, so they just want something that is reliable.

[dmeeksDC]

The Rogue SZ is a great one. I played a used one and made no changes to it. I am getting a little more distance out of the B21 but I was fit for a shaft (Diamana BF) and pulled the stock RCH. If you are fit, a lot of drivers post similar numbers. It is about what you like to look at. I’m playing the OG Epic 5 wood because I simply like the feeling at contact more than the newer ones. 

[BallerNate]

If you found something you love and it performs, you should 100% stick with it!

 

I sold my Rogue recently and got the SIM Max D instead because I found it pretty unforgiving, especially for me because my misses are usually right.

Hoping the Max D will be more forgiving and help take away the big misses right, but the Rogue was a bomber when you hit that sweet spot for sure!

[dj6627]

Found Rogue SZ performed the same as Flash and Mav.   
 

Early reviews seem to say Speed face is an improvement this year....    same for TSi

[bvanlieu]

Gamed the standard Rogue for a few years, super forgiving for me. As I improved strike, SZ (weight back )was a great one. I only game a maverick now as I feel my misses retain a smidge more speed then with the Sub. 

 

I spent a fair amount of time practicing on different days with a LM and powder to see strike and missed and get a feel for how my misses worked with the Cally line. I am in the Mavrik as I found it a smidge more forgiving. Not 10y on misses more forgiving but 2-3 mph 5ish. 

 

On good swing days, there is no difference with my backup SZ and the Mav for me other then I can get more lower spinners with the SZ but I am talking only 2-300 RPM. At that point it become aesthetics and sound. 

 

 

[bnperrone]

If you have a setup that you love and you're confident with it then no point in looking. Half my driver changes have been from riding them all the way to cracked faces. I didn't want to move on from any of them.

[alpineto]

On 2/4/2021 at 10:58 AM, GolfNuts4 said:

I agree, I think the Rogue is a bit under rated. It doesn't get much attention, but it is a great driver. I have hit the Mavrik and Pings offerings and found the Rogue still out performs for me. If it isn't broke.....

Agreed I had the rogue and loved it and made the mistake of going to a Callaway demo day 

and tried the Epic and of course the rep said my ball speed was up 4mph and I ended up trading my rogue for the epic well it turned out to be an epic disaster I could never get along with that driver and regret letting the rogue go , the rogue was a good driver and forgiving not the longest by any means but it found fairways , I've since upgraded to the TSI2 with a graphite design AD IZ 6 and absolutely love it super forgiving and long and straight .

[KevCannon]

Agree with the Rogue Sub Zero being underrated. Standard Rogue was very stable but much higher spinning for me. Obviously using the correct shaft is always critical, and when I am dialed in and swing is good then nothing beats my Rogue sub zero. The only problem with the sub zero is the spin can get very low, and the misses become much worse if your not swinging it well.