DannyDips
-
Posts
159 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Articles
FAQ
Tests
Classifieds
Store
Group Buys
Test Comments posted by DannyDips
-
-
So guys I'm curious. Its been about a year and half since we started the test. Who's still got the Callaway EPIC in the bag?
I will say I still do!
-
Second session set at 8 degrees… this setting is going to stick for a bit I hope.
7 hours ago, MaxEntropy said:As is typical for NE Ohio - we have been shut down by weather since November
I knew that and it causes me a little concern. I really don't need anything that might add to my tendency to hit the ball right, but I need the loft as low as I can get it (at least for the way I currently deliver the club). I may mess around a bit with changing the loft and see if there is a noticeable difference given my erratic swing.
Yes. It’s kinda the opposite for me cause my miss has been this nasty little left duck hook. Dropping the loft and opening it up seemed to work, at least in my garage. Weather needs to break again so I can see some real ball flight but so far so good.
- GolfSpy BOS and MaxEntropy
-
1
-
1
-
Checking in Fellow Testers on how your off-season is going?
I felt like a big dummy yesterday, I finally sat down and had a chance to read the 2022 Most Wanted Driver https://mygolfspy.com/2022-most-wanted-driver/ (Not that I need a new driver.... but for research purposes...) and I ran across this line:
- Adjustable Loft – When you adjust loft, you change the face angle. Adding loft ↑ closes the face while decreasing loft ↓ opens the face. By understanding the relationship between loft and face angle and the influence face angle has on where your ball starts, you can leverage the loft adjustability to improve accuracy.
With the winter weather in Tennessee which is about as wacky as weather gets (we are currently in monsoon season, preceded by spring 2.0, preceded by winter version 2.121, preceded by spring 1.0... ) I've actually managed to play golf twice outside in the past two weeks. Both outings I struggled with a hook, I could aim right and keep it in play but its a lot more curve on the ball than I want with the driver. So last night reremembering that I can open the club face a little by dropping the loft of the driver from 9 to 8.... hit probably two dozen balls on the skytrak and it was stripe show city. I've had some good range sessions on the skytrak this winter but it was by far the best with the driver. Spin rate stayed up, launch was a little low (from optimum but it usually is when I hit indoors even at 9 degrees loft) and left side spin stayed in the 300-500 rpm range compared to around 1000 rpm the last few months. Needless to say I'm pumped, almost feel like I've got a brand new driver and don't need to be browsing the winners of the 2022 test... almost...
In other updates my off-season speed training never really materialized, I'm going to chalk that up to having a toddler and 6 year old but maybe I'll start that soon.
How is everyone else's winter gone and going? I know, like me, y'all are pumped to get back out there this spring.
-
Did some work in the garage today on maxing out my ball speed, aka swing for the fences… the 180 I think is a personal best.
With the Epic fully cemented in my bag, time to work this winter on speed training and see what it can really do!
-
It was 70 today on the Cumberland Plateau so I snuck out to hit some Bombs. Gave the clubs a nice bath after with my pressure washer so thought I’d snap some pics of the driver after these months.
Club looks still almost brand new. What a gem.
- GolfSpy BOS, Kenny B, ejgaudette and 2 others
-
4
-
1
-
Last week was Fall Break here in Tennessee so we took the kids to the beach in South Carolina. That meant dad snuck out a few times to get in some rounds of golf. I was fighting a hook but managed to get the clubface open a few times and hit a few bombs.
Pretty solid for sea level on a course that had rain for like a week straight before I played. There was also some roaming dinosaurs and my favorite playing partner joined me for 9 holes one day. I still can't say enough amazing things about the Epic Max LS.
-
5 hours ago, ejgaudette said:
Well my season has basically come to an end so I thought I would give a final update before going to the offseason. I have really enjoyed the Max LS and have found a decent groove, though I was out of sync last round, but still hit it alright. The sound and feel is still great and love the lower trajectory and spin with this driver. I am looking forward to some off season training and some slight swing changes, just getting a bit shorter as I tend to get very long. How is everyone else feeling about the driver, any more changes or updates. The only change to the driver itself I am thinking of getting the swing weight up a bit as I like the feel of a heavier head.
Bummer your season is ending. I'm actually looking forward to some Fall golf as its probably my favorite season to play golf in (except for leaves hiding my ball...). I've got couple tournaments on the calendar in October and a week long Fall Break where I should get several rounds in. I'm still so pleased with the Epic Max LS, I've gotten so confident in the ball flight it recreates and where my aim lines are with it. Its become a weapon in the bag again instead of a question mark. I foresee it staying in the bag a long time...
- GolfSpy BOS and ejgaudette
-
2
-
This past weekend I played The Golf Course at Grove Park Inn. My wife and I were on a little get away for our anniversary and we both got a round in at the Donald Ross designed course. I will have to say it was probably my best driving day of the year, 46% fairways hit, several 300+ bombs and way too many putts...
The Epic Max LS continues to impress...
-
Since my decision has been made with the Epic Max LS, I decided to try and dial in my aim line and start line with the driver. I noticed my last round that when I try to start my ball a few degrees right of target it draws less and ends up where my body is aligned. (At least with my current swing)
I started trying on my skytrak to aim my body straight with my target but start my golf ball 3-7° right of my target line and let it draw back to where my body is aimed.
It seemed to work really well, in twenty shots my avg off line was 3 yards. Seems like a good place to start working on dialing the Driver in.
Also the bombs just keep coming...
- PMookie and ejgaudette
-
2
-
16 hours ago, Sluggo42 said:
I’m surprised the 410 can hang in there. Makes me think the 410 is a bit longer than the 400
I had a G400 LST and the G410 Plus, and G410 LST and all were very similar in length. The G410 models might have been a touch longer but I had much better control with the G400.
-
Posted my final review as well. Feel free to follow up with questions.
-
While I have tested the ball speed, carry and distance at length, I have not sat down and compared accuracy. So last night on the Skytrak, I hit 12 shots with each driver, 3 shots and then alternated. I wanted to compare how far offline each driver was and standard deviation of each shot. It makes sense to me that even if one driver hits further left or right than "center" if its shot pattern is narrower then it would be easier to recreate that shot and keep the pattern in play.
A few notes from the session. I eliminated anything I considered a "big" mishit, something with less than 160 ball speed. So the G410 had a better offline accuracy but the Epic LS had almost half the standard deviation. That should mean the balls should land closer to that -29 yards left than the -22 yards left like the G410. The four furthest balls hit offline were with the G410. Both clubs hit two shots within 6 yards of center. I'm really getting some good numbers coming in here near the end of this test.
- ejgaudette, MaxEntropy, MattF and 1 other
-
3
-
1
-
Got to play Friday, practice Saturday and played a US Kids golf par 3 scramble with my 6 year old today.
(This was our 40’ birdie make on #1 faces!)
Friday, I was again fighting a hook. I played with both the G410 and Epic Max LS. Both were struggling to be honest.
Saturday in prep for the Sunday round I practiced some in the garage. Since it was a par 3 tournament I only hit 9 shots with the driver… and they were Epic… best range session with the Epic I’ve had, 9 really really good shots.
- Siamese Moose, MattF, ejgaudette and 1 other
-
4
-
When I played the charity scramble this weekend I left the Ping G410 in my golf closet. Last night I brought him out when I was practicing... needless to say he wasn't a fan of being locked in the closet...
- ejgaudette, GolfSpy BOS and edingc
-
3
-
6 hours ago, B.Boston said:
That's maybe closer to where the true CG is, or its an illusion because of the shaping of the toe. It's something I noticed as well, but doesn't both me personally. I always end up setting up with the ball more in the toe area anyway, and not directly behind the chevron.
But yeah...
away!
That’s what I was thinking. I assumed the center of gravity of the club is at some point behind the sweet spot Callaway put on the face. It just looks very different than where the actually center of the face would be. Kinda fascinating.
Yesterday I actually got some golf in on the course. My wife and another couple played in a golf tournament. I hit some solid balls but fought a hook most of the day. It’s all good though as I’ll get it straightened out in no time.
- ejgaudette, edingc and GolfSpy BOS
-
3
-
Spent some time today with the Epic Max LS on my Skytrak, and had some excellent results!
I’m super pleased with the results so far but I wanted to address something that’s been bugging me just a bit.
Now I mentioned in my initial thoughts that I wasn’t a fan of the alignment chevron. Now normally that kinda thing isn’t a big deal or something I fully anticipate adjusting too. But today I couldn’t shake the feeling that the Chevron is just a little off center, or what I perceive as the center of the club face. I took a couple close up shots to describe what I’m talking about.
Now maybe I’m crazy but I get the feeling looking down at the club that the center of the face is slightly toward the heel of the club. I think it probably has to do with how far the top of the toe is from the chevron. It just looks drastically further than chevron to heel. I’m wondering if this has to do with the A.I constructed face or if it’s completely a perception problem. Just look at the dots surrounding the center. They are drastically closer to the bottom heel than top toe. I’m curious the engineering behind that or if other testers or Epic owners feel the same way.
It obviously doesn’t affect performance as the above shots were Bombs for me.
- MattF, MaxEntropy, GolfSpy BOS and 2 others
-
5
-
Spent some time with just the Epic LS yesterday and it preformed very well…
The toe hit was particularly interesting. I assumed it would carry in the 240-250 range and hook left of target. I probably caught more of the sweet spot than I thought or perhaps the speed frame does a little of what it claims too.
If anyone wants me to test anything specific this next week please let me know. I’ve done a lot of ball speed, launch, back spin comparisons and think I’m going to focus on shot dispersion next but I’m open to all suggestions.
- MattF, GolfSpy AFG, sirchunksalot and 1 other
-
4
-
9 hours ago, edingc said:
My experience definitely leans toward the Max LS being more neutral or fade-biased than anything else I've hit in the past few years. Haven't hit a single snap hook since it went in the bag a few weeks ago (famous last words). Anything hit left of where I'm aimed is either a straight pull or a tiny, tiny draw at most. Lots of straight or very slight fades, and this is with the 9 degree head at -1/D and weight in full draw position.
That actually makes a lot of sense. I’ve been fighting a hook the last year and I was surprised the Callaway shaft didn’t have an adjustment for “flat” like my Ping but I haven’t really needed it either. Ball flight with the Epic on the Skytrak has been straighter than I feel like my Ping usually is.
- edingc, GolfSpy BOS, MattF and 2 others
-
5
-
Tonight I decided to alternate shots with the Ping G410 and the Epic Max LS to eliminate the possibility of being tired or not properly warmed up and effecting my data. I’ve also pretty much got down the best settings for both drivers.
Ping G410 LST set to 10° loft, 1° flatEpic Max LS set to 9° loft, Standard
Ping won the tee flip and elected to go first in the testing so all odd numbered shots will be with Ping, even with the Callaway.
It was one great driving session tonight, it was the first time I managed to get the Epic ball speed up to 170 (which is kinda my goal ball speed when practicing) and hit that mark multiple times.
Shot #8 for example was a gem, best shot of the night.
Looks like I hit 170+ ball speed 4x with Epic and 4x with the G410. Looks like carry distance was 270+ 4x with Epic and 4x with G410. Looks like total distance had three longest drives for each as: Epic at 310, 305 and 302 with G410 having 302, 300, and 296.
It was certainly one of my best range sessions with the driver and these number are close but the Callaway looks to have a slight edge tonight. -
Another range session last night. Normally I have the G410 set to flat 1° With 10° loft. So to add a little launch and hopefully not too much backspin I changed it to standard with 10.5° loft. I also raised the loft on the Epic from 9° to 10° just for comparison. I hit 12 shots and dropped the worst 2, here are the results:
I will say I feel like next time I will alternate drivers instead of hitting a dozen with one and a dozen with the other. I want to eliminate any bias that may come from hitting one club first, as I felt like my swings were better with the G410. You can see the last 4 swings with the Epic were not as quality as the first five, I do feel like I have to work harder to get the ball speed of the Epic up to 170, but it still seems to be straighter. Excited to get outside this week and see some real ball flight.
-
1 hour ago, GolfSpy_CS said:
Launching higher with the LS but higher ball speed with the G410. 10yds carry difference on average. For whatever reason, the LS is longer.
So I'm day three into testing both on the Skytrak. What I'm noticing as a tendency is the Ping drives are longer when hit straight/slight draw, but the Callaway seems to produce a more consistent ball fight. I may tweak the lofts some on both to see if I can get the launch and back spin numbers as close together as possible, I think that would be ideal for seeing what the differences are. I'll get some outdoor practice in this week too so I can actually see ball flight and where they both land in the fairway.
-
Today was the day! MMT 60 in X arrived late into the evening so once the kids were in bed the garage got… bombed…
So couple things I should mention first about SkyTrak. For some reason the developers have still not found a way to deal with “spin degradation”. In other words, side spin is amplified often on longer shots, fades look like slices, draws look like hooks. For my own game, when I’m looking at side spin less than 1k is ideal. Also, swing speed numbers are calculated not measured so I never pay attention to those, I assume they base it off the ball speed as that is what they are measuring.To eliminate variables I only used Bridgestone Tour BX balls on the launch monitor.
Epic Max LS
Ping G410
For my practice session I did my normal warm up followed by ten shots with Epic Max, 10 shots with G410 and then several more with the Epic to get used to it more. The first 20 are shown above.
So one of the things I noticed tonight was how the solid the Epic face felt at impact. It felt more like a hammer hitting a nail than what I’d describe as tennis racket hitting a tennis ball for the G410. It was also a quieter sound which I actually preferred.
Let the grinding begin! -
20 minutes ago, GolfSpy_CS said:
Yeah.... seems like a clear-cut winner.
I was thinking the same thing. When the avg. club speed is lower and ball speed is higher that seems like a significant gain to me.
- MaxEntropy and sirchunksalot
-
2
-
Good news. Bombs in bound!!!
- MaxEntropy, russtopherb, sirchunksalot and 2 others
-
4
-
1
Final Reviews: Callaway Epic Speed Driver
Posted
Yes. Its a solid driver. I actually love the Rogue color scheme but I hit it at a PGA Superstore, it felt nearly identical and seemed to have the same numbers so it wasn't worth the upgrade. Good to see it still in most bags.