Final Reviews: Sub70 949x Fairway

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/29-sub70-949x-fairway/?do=findComment&comment=7893

 

First Impressions (500 Words) (4 out of 5 Stars)Click the link above

Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars) 

Describe the following:

• General Shape: This club is pleasing to my eye, not only just looking at it, but at address setting up or a shot both at the range and on the course, it gives me confidence I can pull off the shot I want just before I pull the trigger. 

• How does the overall look come together? From the face to the carbon fiber top it is a very good looking club.

• How does the appearance compare to other clubs in the same category? I don't have much to compare it to. I had a Callaway epic flash 3 wood. I sold/borrowed it to a friend. It's a nice looking club and this Sub70 is just as nice if not better IMO. 

• Are they flashy? Do other players notice them in your bag without being prompted? I wouldn't call this club flashy, it is a very nice looking club but who buys a club that looks good. Performance and cost are what we should be using in buying clubs correct at least that's what I do. So if flashy means performance this thing is a Lamborghini ( my dream car).

 

Describe how the club sounds and feels

• Does it sound: loud, quiet, harsh, smooth, or other? This has a smooth sounding tic, or thwack to it. Some clubs sound odd like dull thud or an obnoxious ting or the ever brutal Sasquatch. Even on miss hits it has a nice note.  

• Does it feel soft, crisp, dull, clicky? For those that played baseball/softball when you hit a home run, you don't feel the ball leaving the bat. You swing and the ball just flys off the bat like it's a surprise. Well this has that same feeling, the ball just fly's off the face.

• Does it feel consistent across the face, or are mis-hits noticeably pronounced?There might be a slight difference in feel, but you really need to hit off the toe like almost miss the ball before you really know how far outside or inside you missed the club face. It would be more noticeable in ball flight but even then not much of difference. I have a 1 iron that when I miss the sweet spot it rattles may hands. This is the club I am hoping to replace

• Does the sound/feel affect your performance? Short answer is no. Other than exuding confidence I can pull off what shot I want to play. Granted I am a 15/16 handicap I can pull off shaping the ball on occasion and on purpose. 

 

• The Numbers (5 out of 5 stars)

• Accuracy – Are you able to consistently hit your target?  What’s the dispersion like? On the range once I got the weights adjusted to fit my swing I was able to try and work the ball. After getting a feel, I would go 3-5 shots trying to draw then fade then straight. I would do 5- 6 rounds each or until I lost the feel and needed to hit some wedges to cool down a bit. I was able to work the ball at will (wish I could do this on the course). This really gave me confidence once I got on the course, lie dependent of course. Tough to simulate rough and lie types from a mat, still it helps in knowing I've already made the shot and can do it again when it matters. 

• Distance – Raw distance regardless of direction: I'm having issues with my launch monitor so it was hard to know for a fact the distance. When on the course I was using  it for shots from 225-250. At the range with well used balls it seems distance was from 215-250. I will say I was hoping for a little more distance, that said I have never had a 4 wood before and wasn't sure what to expect. I am not deducting points for this. 

• Trajectory – High, low, or somewhere in between? All depends on strike. A solid strike the ball flys high, straight and on target. I've tried a few shots from the rough with rain the night before and as it dried out getting more fluffy lie. I lost a little bot of distance a slight draw. When I tried to hit more of a cut from the rough I go the outcome I wanted with a nice ball flight on target. This a make contact and the ball will do what you want type of club, no need to crank it up. Make your normal swing and you're good to roll.

•  

On-Course (5 out of 5 stars)

• Pressure – When you step up to a difficult shot with something on the line (money, best score, water water water) can you execute for success? I have mentioned earlier that this club gives me confidence. I feel I can take this club and make the shot. I do need to dial in the distance and then re-work the top of my bag. I want this club in my bag, I'm just not sure where it will fit as of right now. 

• What factors were you pleased with? It's easy to swing, I can feel the club all the way through my swing. It's my swing that gets out of wack and I can sometimes correct during the swing to get the ball to go on target. I really like how easy this club is to adjust to fit my swing. 

Final Performance Comments:

• Overall, how did it perform? I had really high expectations from this club. I've made it no secret that I play Sub70 irons, and 3HY. I totally love my irons and 3 HY and have had plenty of other golfers mention how they look, sound and feel. I have a bit higher swing speed than most people I play with so it's hard for them to get a good feel as I have KBS Tour 130 shafts in my irons. This 4 wood has lived up to my expectations. As mentioned I will be re-working the top of bag to fit this in. 

• Did it help improve your scores? By how much? Hard to tell at this point as I have only played it on the course 3 rounds. In those 3 rounds I would say it saved 2-3 strokes per round. How you ask, well when I top my driver and it goes less than 100 yards or just hit a bad drive and the ball is in the rough with a yardage of 230 plus I have made some great saves to put me back on track for a par or limit the big numbers.  

• How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of the OEM? As mentioned I have Sub70 irons and my opinion is, Sub70 is my first look at any club they have that I can put in my bag. 

• What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? Hands down the head cover. It isn't bad, but it has an old style look and feel. I replaced the head cover on my hybrid, but I have left this on as I want people to ask me about this brand of club. 

• What features do you really like, and would most like to see continued or evolved in future models? I like the simple easy on the eyes looks. The ease of adjustability is fantastic, This I hope stays. Some engineers want to make changes just for change, Change is not always good or needed. If it isn't broke don't fix it, tune it up sure but no need to revamp anything. 

The Good, the bad, the in between ( 4 out of 5 stars)

The good is a long list that I hope I listed out above. The bad is the club head cover and that is nit picking at best. The only in-between would be the swing and that isn't fair to ding the club for being a 15 handicap. 

 

Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)

Absolutely want to fit this in my bag and keep it there. I feel like I should take a point off for them making such a good club and making me re-work the top end of my bag. 

 

 

Conclusion

I had very high expectations for this club. I have Sub70 699 pro Irons and a 3 hy. These perform tremendously well for me and I expect the same from the 949x 4 wood, It does not disappoint. A workable club even for a borderline hack as myself at a 15/16 hdcp. Very easy to hit starting at the range mats, to turf, fairway and then from the rough. To me this club gives me confidence in that I am able to pull of shots to get me out of trouble and save strokes one my game and we can all use that. I do plan to keep this in my bag and I have mentioned a few times that I now need to re-work the top end of my bag. I did have to make adjustments from the stock settings. This is an easy adjustment and I believe thought and care went into the design/system to make it so. My advice to anyone looking for a 4 wood that this be their first stop. 

OEM's are easier to find and try out sure, but is it really worth the money to say I play the (pick whatever brand) rather than have a club that is as good if not better for less money? My opinion is no, I am good with an off brand club that's works, cost less and now I can take that money and put to a different use. 

 

Final Score (28 out of 30 stars)

I  took 1 point from first impressions as the shaft and head combo took some time to get used to. Not their fault as I gave them 2 options of shafts to choose from, but it still caught me off guard. 

I took one point off from GOOD, Bad, and in between. The club head cover needs a re-due. This does not affect the club performance one bit, but it is still part of the club and experience. 

 

I will post some data over the summer and how I am going to fit this club in my bag. If anyone has questions please ask away. 

 

Thank you to MGS for continuing their efforts in getting information to all of us on all things golf. 

Thank you to Sub70 for providing us with products to the readers of MGS. Keep up the great work.

The Review (updated 5/26/2022)

Sub70 949X 5 Wood  – Official MGS Forum Review by @MrBandit

Sub70 949X  - Intro

 I have been golfing for the past 18yrs, started after leaving the military and moving to San Francisco, I never expected to play golf. Everyone in my office played golf and they took me to a par 3 course in San Francisco and I remembering making par on the 4 hole (easy game, LOL) have been hook since.
Once I moved back to NYC, I began to play more and become more competitive and really get hooked on the game. Now living in Texas, my game as become more consistent as I get the play year-round vs 6 months a year when I was in NYC.
Started playing in some of the US AM Tour tournaments again, and this has help my confidence and concentration since every shot counts and cannot just waste a shot if I was just playing around with friends.

My game – Currently at 8.4 HC, up and down, struggle with concentration in the middle of the round causing silly mistakes, which escalates those numbers quickly. Hence my scores fluctuating from 77 to 87.  Chipping and putting has help keep my rounds under control, getting up and down from around the greens. Which I considered that my strength of my game.  I struggle at times with my mid irons, but I compensate with my wedge game and putting.

My driving accuracy has improved when I switch over to the new TaylorMade Stealth HD 9.0 a few months ago, put the same Nippon NS Regio MB+ 65 shaft I have been using since last year. which help keep the ball in the fairway and eliminating one side of the fairway. Distance has improve coming from the TourEdge Exotic Pro. 

Looking forward to adding a 5 Wood to my bag and replacing the 3Wood. I come to the realization am a man of a certain age now with excessive mileage that going for the green in 2 is not going to be in the cards very often and play to my strength of wedge game into the greens.
Am expecting great things from this Sub70 949X.

 

First Impressions  (5 out of 5 Stars)

Packaging hits the mark, Black box with Sub70 branding catches the eye right away. Inside the box, hand written note thanking for the purchase and to enjoy the product. Inside comes with adjusting tool, Sub70 ball Marker and sticker.
In the pouch it comes with additional weight to be able to adjust as need it.

The 5 wood is stunning when looking down on it, carbon head reflects up nicely. The 5 wood sits well at address. Smaller head , just slightly bigger than my TE 3 Hybrids. Its a confident look when addressing the ball.
The Hzrdus 60G Shaft really makes you feel you are swinging faster and not feeling like you are out of control.

Took it out on range briefly to give it a try, and the sound was solid, good penetrating ball flight, and it was consistent ball flight and center strikes. Swing the club felt confident and sturdy. Sub70 claims their utilizing nascent technologies to improve ball flight, trajectory, and spin, which I could tell. Since it comes with additional 6 &12 gram weights it will allow you to adjust the ball flight even further. Am happy with the standard setup right now.  Straight ball all day.

The I took it out to the course for the first time, in the late after noon and the hits off the tee and off the fairway are solid, its a fairway finder for about 205-210 yds consistently. This will give you the confidence that you can hit that tight fairway and keep it in play. I need to get more reps, I haven't really gone after it, its has been solid strikes(so far) every time which was a happy surprise. Usually with 3 wood you have the tendency to top it at times or flare it right . This was down the middle every time.

Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars)  

• General Shape – Small head, just a little larger than a 3Hybrid and smaller than your 3wood.
• Graphics/Badging – Simple clean graphic on bottom of the head, #5, 949x and sub 70 logo.
• How does the overall look come together? – the club looks sharp; it looks like you will smash it every time.
• How does the appearance compare to other clubs in the same category? Its clean looking, carbon head looks stunning at address. It’s a good-looking club, plain and simple with no extra flare.
• Other unique details – 2 weights to allow you change characteristics of the club performance.
• Are they flashy? Do other players notice them in your bag without being prompted?
  Club Is not flashy while in the bag, head cover black with the white sub70 diamond logo.
  People have commented on the sound and consistency of club.

• Sound: Sound is a solid, not dull but you can tell if you hit it.
• It feels consistent even on mis-hits. You can tell if you hit it on the toe or heel but out of the ordinary.

 

The Numbers (4 out of 5 stars) 

• Accuracy – by far one of the most accurate woods I have ever hit. If you don’t like straight this is not for you.
• Distance – Consistently between 215-230 yds.
• Trajectory – High and landed soft, but also you can hit low, it was great to have that option.
• Forgiveness – One thing that was very impressive was the miss hits, either toe, heel, high or low the club was consistently straight. You will lose some yards from non-center hits but it was nothing that will discourage you from hitting the club. I found to be a solid fairway finder with enough distance to give you to the opportunity to reach the green.
• Control – Another thing I notice was how easily was to hit the club, didn’t turn on your hands, it was aim and swing and you was on target. Built tons of confidence the more I used the club.
• Workability – This could be the only downside of this club, it was pretty much straight, I had to go way out of the way to try to cut the ball (which I like to do)So I had to settle (happily) to be a straight club.

On-Course (5 out of 5 stars)

While on the course this where the club really shine, when you had to hit the shot, fairway, get to the right distance. Out of 7 rounds with this club only once it didn’t perform and this was only because of user error, not the club fault.

I was able to get to comfortable distance with the 5 Wood, longest 235yds, but it was steady between 215-230yds. Hitting High straight shots that landed softly, miss hits that went straight and out of harm’s way. The more I used the club the more confident it was bringing me to pull it when I need it a 220-230yds shot knowing that I was going to get the desired results.

Long par 3 that were 200-215yds, it was nice to hit this club with confidence that I can hit high, and it would land softly on target.

Par 5 is the main reason I went with the 5 wood, as i have realized that a lot of the par5 I play I could no longer reach it 2, that I could instead place myself in situation to have a wedge in hand to be able to attach the flag when possible. And it works as intended, it gave me better opportunities to score since I knew I was in a preferred yardage. I didn’t have to scramble because my 3 wood went left or right or not long enough and had to recover from not favorable spots.

 

Final Performance Comments:

• Overall, how did it perform? Over performed expectation
• Did it help improve your scores? It improves my scoring by at least 2shots, specially on the par 5 since I was using wedges for my 3 shot on every Par 5
• How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of the OEM? Performance of the club made me start thinking about other clubs from SUB70, with the current performance of the 5 wood.
• What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? Nothing.

 

The Good, the bad, the in between (5 out of 5 stars)

Everything about this process was excellent, from using their fit tools, to asking for specific specs and getting exactly what was requested.
The club exciding expectation on performance and the aesthetics of the club where solid. This is what
 

Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)

This club is 100% Play it, if you haven’t tried it, you are missing out on a steady performer. By far the most consistent club I have ever hit. It will be hard to replace this club from my bag.
 

Conclusion

Having heard of Sub70 before but never have been able to use one of their products I had reservations on how the Sub70 5 Wood would perform. But from the distinctive packaging and personalized handwritten notes. From the range session to the on-course performance, the club exceeded expectations and made me wonder why I didn’t try them before and now made me thing about looking into their other products ie. hybrids or even 3 wood (not that am using mine currently, because of the 5 wood) but it made me wonder If I need to reconsider replacing my current one with a Sub70.
I’m very happy that I got the opportunity from GolfSpy to test and review this club and I would simply say if you consistency and performance Sub70 should be in your options.

 

Final Score (29 out of 30 stars)

 

 

Introduction for Sub70 949 Fairway

Added First Impressions

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/29-sub70-949x-fairway/?do=findComment&comment=8373

Final Review

OK, here we are, about 3 weeks later, and the short answer to any question is Yes, this club will be in the bag for the foreseeable future.  Now to the details.

After those first few outings, I kept the Sub70 in the bag over a number of rounds.  Some were normal club rounds, a couple were more serious inter-club matches.  I mentioned in my introduction, I was interested in this review opportunity because both my 3-wood (Titleist 915F) and hybrid (Titleist 816 H2) are about 6 or 7 years old, and I've been considering replacing both.  The Sub70 5-wood seemed like a potential replacement for the hybrid, I was hoping for similar distance (200 yards or so) and higher ball flight.  So I used the 5-wood everywhere I might have used the hybrid, and a few more besides.  It was a bit of a journey for me, I made similar mistakes to those I made with previous club changes, I swung harder and expected more.  That doesn't work for me, and probably doesn't work for most people.  I found that I could hit tremendous hooks by setting up just a little too far away and catching the ball towards the toe.  This club CANNOT fix bad swings.  

Then I settled down, started making normal swings with proper set-ups.  And like magic, the ball started to fly reasonably straight, reasonably high, and consistent distances.  I wasn't magically hitting every shot in the center of the clubface, but I wasn't near as far off as on some of my earlier swings.  And the more I relaxed, the better the shots became.  I wasn't sure what to expect from the rough, but the seems to glide through the grass, and the ball jumps up pretty well.  I'm now hitting it pretty straight to a slight draw, consistently hitting fairways and/or greens, I'm really pleased.  

On to the ratings:

Aesthetics - 5 of 5

Its simply a good looking club, nothing flashy, nothing complicated, just solid.  I'm a pretty traditional guy, and this club looks pretty traditional to me.  The carbon fiber for the club body is the “new normal”, and I like it.  No alignment dot or logo, that's just fine.  The sole is also fairly simple, and I like that, fancy graphics don't help to hit the ball.  The sound is solid, a nice subdued click.  The feel is consistently solid, even on those god-awful hooks I was hitting originally.  I can feel the off-center, but its not real harsh.

The Numbers – 5 of 5

I'm usually more of a on-course guy, but there's a new indoor Trackman Simulator facility near me, so I booked a half-hour there.  I ended up spending an hour hitting, no additional charge, a big thanks to https://www.tapinleesburg.com/.  I hit a few different clubs, but concentrated on my hybrid and the Sub70 5-wood.  I feel like the distances are a little less than “reality”, with reality being based not (as much) on my ego but on real distances on the golf course.  But I think the trends are probably accurate.  I've edited out a few obvious mishits, but the figures show the results.  Based on the Trackman numbers, the 5-wood is about 5 yards longer than the hybrid, and has an apex about 10 feet higher.

Dispersion seems a little wider with the 5-wood, but I hit more shots with it.  Take away those two wild shots to the right, and the patterns are pretty similar. 

 In short, I got just the performance I hoped for.

On the Course – 5 of 5

Hitting off a smooth mat in a Trackman simulator is one thing, but what matters is on-course performance.  I'm pretty happy with the 5-wood.  I've hit it from a tee on par-3 holes, level lies, uphill and (less often) downhill lies, ball above and below my feet.  I've played from the fairway and from the rough.  Generally, I'd say the 5-wood is easier to hit solidly and get flying than the hybrid, especially from light to moderate rough.  Reasonable mishits still flew straight enough, with little loss of distance.  I honestly have not a single complaint, the club simply works.  Its not magic, it doesn't make up for poor decisions of poor swings, but if I do my job, the club does its job.  Facing a 200-yard par-3, I can pull this and believe I am GOING to hit the green.  

The Good, the Bad, the In-Between - 5 of 5

I'm not sure what all belongs here, but I've considered a few things about the company and their business model.  One drawback to Sub70, and other DTC clubs, is that most of us will never be able to hit one before we buy it.  But Sub70 offers a 60-day money back guarantee.  They have a demo program, you can try a club for a nominal cost.  I'm not sure there's anything more they can do to make things work.  The selection of shafts and grips seems pretty good to me.  So Sub70 gets 5 stars, not only for the one club I have, but for the way they do business.

The one suggestion, and I docked a half-star in my initial impressions, I'd prefer paper instructions with the club.  I'd rather not have to find the website to figure out how to add a degree of loft when I'm getting ready to play, I want to have that stored in my golf bag.  

Play it or Trade it?  5 of 5

This club is in my bag for the summer, and probably beyond.  I'm reworking my wedges this Spring too, reducing from 3 clubs to 2, so I'll have a spot to fill at the long end of my bag.  I'll certainly be looking at Sub70, maybe even a 3-wood to replace my current one, and a 7-wood to fill the gap between the 5-wood and my longest iron.

Conclusion

I applied for this Review because I was considering changing out my current hybrid for something that would get me about the same distance, with a little higher ball flight.  I got just that with the Sub70 949x 5-wood, slightly longer distance, noticeably higher ball flight.  Beyond that, its plenty forgiving, and easier to hit from poor lies.  This club is a keeper, and my experience will definitely lead me to consider Sub70 clubs in the future.

The Review (updated 5/8/2022)

Sub70 949X 3 Wood  – Official MGS Forum Review by @pakman92

Link to Personal Introduction

First Impression, Aesthetics and build quality (4.8 out of 5 Stars)

My Sub70 949x 3 wood arrived via UPS in a very classy looking black box.  The Club was very well secured with foam blocks placed strategically inside the box with cut outs for club(s) to fit into.   Inside I found a hand-written note which I felt was a very nice touch.  Something I would not expect from a large established brand.   Also included in the packaging was a ball marker, a Sub70 sticker, a head cover, a torque wrench, and a couple of weights, 6 gram and 12 gram.   Ripping the shrink wrap off the cover revealed a very clean, simple, and compact looking head.  I liked how the top of the head was void of any markings.   The subtly visible carbon fiber weave pattern looked in harmony with the similar pattern on the HZRDUS Evenflow Riptide shaft I chose.   Lamkin 360 grip in grey added a little contrast to otherwise completely black club.   Overall, I was very impressed with the looks.  I wasn’t sure I would like it based on the pictures I had seen, but it looked very classy in real life.   Closely examining the head, I found the build quality to be excellent.  There were absolutely no blemishes with the paint work.   The painted parts and the non-painted areas were smooth in transition.  I also liked how the adjustable hosel did not have a separate cosmetic ferrule.  They can slip down sometimes.  I give aesthetics as well build quality 4.8 out of 5 stars.  I did not care for the look of the head cover.  It looked rather cheap and blah.   I never keep OEM headcovers, so no big deal.  I felt the white scoring lines stood out a little too much against otherwise very clean looking head.  I'm knit picking here. 

I was happy to find that the club sat near square at address (only very slightly open).  Many of the 3 woods I have tried in the past sat naturally open which caused me to manipulate the heads with my hands to get them to be square at address rather than being able to let them rest naturally on the turf.   For that reason, my current 3 wood, Callaway Epic Flash 3 wood, has the hosel setting that closes the face angle a couple of degrees.  From the Sub70 website, I found that "-1" setting is for closing the face angle by one degree.  I made the adjustment immediately before hitting any balls, I found that it sat perfectly square for me which will inspire a lot of confidence at address for sure.   I think I prefer the way the club sat with "-1" setting just a little better, so I will be starting my testing with that setting.  

I took the swings with the Sub70 off the mat for the first impression part of the review. The Sub70 felt nice in my hands, I could feel that it was a little heavier in my hands probably due to the 70 gram class Evenflow Riptide I have in it vs the 60 gram class Evenflow green I have in my Callaway.   I prefer a smaller compact sized head when hitting off the turf (or mat) and Sub70 definitely fit that bill.   I made solid contact with all 9 swings which is almost unusual for me with a 3 wood.   The sound was a satisfying thud.  It was not clicky or pingy which can be off pudding.   I was launching them a bit low and distance suffered a bit because of it.  A couple which hit I solid felt very good.  The low mishits flew further than I expected.  I wanted to add some flair to the first impression part of the review so, I took those first 9 shots on Pebble Beach 18^th hole just past the big tree in the middle of the fairway about 225 yards to the pin.  I sprayed them a bit, but like I said, I was impressed that I made decent contact with all 9 swings.  I had planned on hitting 10 shots, but the 9th shot was too good so I decided to end it there. Here's the link to the video First Shots with the Sub70 949X 3 wood (Edited:  Added Trimmed video below)

To summarize, at first glance, I was very impressed with Sub70 949x 3wood.   I plan to hit many more shots with it and my current gamer to provide comparison data both on and off the tee.   (Update: 5/7/22) I had a chance to put it in play today at Pinehills - Jones course in Plymouth, MA.  It was a very tough day with 20-30mph sustained winds with stronger gusts and wind chill of low 40's.   Needless to say, I didn't dare go for any par 5 in 2.  But, I had a chance to hit it off the tee on the second hole with it.   I hit a tight little draw that must have been wind-aided on a firm fairway which Arccos recorded a 263 yards. (See pic below)

The Numbers (4.5 of 5 stars)

I had a chance to hit 60 shots each with the Sub70 3 wood and my gamer, Callaway Epic Flash 3 wood spread out over multiple weeks on my launch monitor.  Below is a video summarizing the result.     

As described in the video, Sub70 excelled both on the tee as well as off the deck.  Only reason for 4.5 stars instead of 5 was because of the few yards of loss in carry when hitting off the deck.  However, I was so much more accurate with the Sub70 and the Evenflow Riptide combo than my Callaway Epic Flash, there was really no comparison.   Apart from dispersion/accuracy differences, most of the metric were similar including launch angle, peak height and spin rate. See below for summarized results.  I attribute my success with the sub70 partially to how comfortable I felt withe the way the head sat.  I didn't have to manipulate the club in anyway which gave me a ton of confidence.  Clear winner!

Off the Tee - Sub70 had tighter dispersion, much more on-line and has equal distance vs Callaway

 

Off the Deck - Sub70 had tighter dispersion but was 4 yards shorter (carry) on average

Data in numeric format - key differences circled in red

 

 

On The Course  (4?? out of 5 stars)

Unfortunately, I've only had limited opportunities to collect data using Arcos and Sub70.  I certainly feel much more confidence wielding the sub70 over the Callaway.  It has already replaced my Callaway in the bag which will soon find its way to ebay.  Be on the lookout for a used Callaway Epic Flash 3 wood in great condition!   I will have more opportunities to put MY sub70 in play over the coming weeks and I will update the rating at that point.  

The good, the bad and the in-between (3 out of 5 stars)

Would I buy another sub70 949x wood if mine was lost or stolen?  Yes, absolutely.  Would I have ever bought a sub70 949x wood w/o having had this testing experience?  Absolutely not.   There is the rub.   Without the ability to test it out firsthand in some fashion (fitting, store hitting bay, etc.), it will be difficult to make the leap.    Will I buy a 5 wood to go with the 3 wood if I ever decide to add a 5 wood to my bag?  Possibly.  Will I buy a Sub70 Driver or an iron set?  Probably not.    While this is a great club (especially in my case), I don't know that I have bought into direct-to-consumer-without-ever-seeing-the-club model. 

Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)

It's already in my bag and I foresee that it will stay there for a long time.     

 

 

Nice first impressions guys!

I’m interested I really like my 2h from them and seeing that there is a 5w being compared to a 2h is what I’m going to keep an eye on. I really want to decide about a hybrid or wood coming up and this will kind of help

@pakman92abosutely crushed the video (and initial impression writeup). Solid work man.

On 5/9/2022 at 1:46 PM, MrBandit said:

Interested to hear you interpretation of performance of your 5Wood. 
P.S. you don't need extra paper.. lol

 

6 hours ago, tommc23 said:

Nice first impressions guys!

I’m interested I really like my 2h from them and seeing that there is a 5w being compared to a 2h is what I’m going to keep an eye on. I really want to decide about a hybrid or wood coming up and this will kind of help

I just added to my first impressions, based on another 27 holes with the Sub70 5-wood.  At this stage, I'd say the 5-wood has a noticeably higher trajectory and softer landing than my hybrid, which is exactly what I was looking for.

Great vid, and 1st impression fellas. 

 

I am finally going to get to not only hit the 4 wood, but I am putting into play for my 3 day tourney this weekend. I haven't swung a club since last Tuesday May 3rd. Tomorrow (5/12/22) will be the first day back at testing. 

Great job testers. I am venting my fairway wood options so really curious how all of these are of the turf. Worry about the head size of the 3w being hard to hit off the deck. 

15 hours ago, Lacassem said:

@pakman92abosutely crushed the video (and initial impression writeup). Solid work man.

Thanks!  I wish I didn't have the crackly audio for the first minute.  It was pretty fun doing it.   I'll be collecting more data and sharing in near future.  The club (in combination with the shaft) has been great so far.  I hope it ends up being a keeper.

Looking forward for tomorrow, get to continue to test of the Sub70 5 Wood, on a course where there is plenty of water and I feel being in the fairway is key.
https://www.waterchasegc.com/

 

On 5/11/2022 at 3:50 PM, DaveP043 said:

 

I just added to my first impressions, based on another 27 holes with the Sub70 5-wood.  At this stage, I'd say the 5-wood has a noticeably higher trajectory and softer landing than my hybrid, which is exactly what I was looking for.

@DaveP043 Distance is pretty close to the 3Hybryd for me.. I ball flight has been about the same interesting enough.. but its been in the fairway most of the time.
Looking forward to letting it fly tomorrow, high ball flight and softer landing is what I will be looking forward to.

I know it's early in the test, but some head to head launch monitor numbers against the club it would replace in your bag would be very helpful from any of the reviewers.

I love that this club is adjustable. I hit 15-20 shots with it how it arrived, standard setting & factory weights. I may have had 3 or 4 decent shots was all. Most of the time the ball was low flight and a pretty big hook. I had to really work to get it to turn right and that just threw off my swing. I put the heaviest weight they sent in the toe and adjusted the the face Angle up 1 1/2 degrees. WOW what a difference that made. Straight ball flight with a slight draw if/when I got quick with the swing. What I might do is run a test with the current settings, then return it to the original settings to show a comparison. The ball fakes further and seems ti jump off the club face. 

4 hours ago, JFish350 said:

I love that this club is adjustable. I hit 15-20 shots with it how it arrived, standard setting & factory weights. I may have had 3 or 4 decent shots was all. Most of the time the ball was low flight and a pretty big hook. I had to really work to get it to turn right and that just threw off my swing. I put the heaviest weight they sent in the toe and adjusted the the face Angle up 1 1/2 degrees. WOW what a difference that made. Straight ball flight with a slight draw if/when I got quick with the swing. What I might do is run a test with the current settings, then return it to the original settings to show a comparison. The ball fakes further and seems ti jump off the club face. 

That sounds similar to what a few of us did in the hybrid test last year. A few of us found that putting the heaviest weight in the toe helped us as well. I know I moved weights all around to find the best ball flight and most consistent feel. Has anyone else messed with the weights or is stock working well enough?

On 5/13/2022 at 11:50 AM, MrBandit said:

Looking forward for tomorrow, get to continue to test of the Sub70 5 Wood, on a course where there is plenty of water and I feel being in the fairway is key.
https://www.waterchasegc.com/

The game on Saturday was excellent, I used the Sub70 5 Wood most of the day. It was solid, longest drive was 232yds landed nice and soft. A couple of miss hits went straight and worked out better if I had hit flushed, probably would have ended in the creek or water.
For the most part it was stripe show, , it was the perfect club for that course.

Now million dollar question is what do I take out of the bag to keep this in, Its between the 5Iron or the 3hybrid.. 

Sorry I have been MIA. Tested positive for covid and just now getting back to golf. Hoping to get to the range tonight and compare the 4 wood against the Titleist U510 1 iron I am thinking it could replace. 

On 5/16/2022 at 5:16 AM, tommc23 said:

That sounds similar to what a few of us did in the hybrid test last year. A few of us found that putting the heaviest weight in the toe helped us as well. I know I moved weights all around to find the best ball flight and most consistent feel. Has anyone else messed with the weights or is stock working well enough?

When I first took this club to the course, it seemed really light, I didn't feel like I understood where the club head was during the swing.  I replaced one of the weights with the heavier one, and that 3 g difference really seemed to change the feel for me.

I managed to get to a local indoor Trackman facility last week, and got some numbers that confirmed my early impressions.  I'll include a summary of those numbers in my final review, hoping to have all day Friday to work on it.

Update from this pass weekends tournament. The Sub70 5 Wood was instrumental on my game all weekend long.  It was straight and as long as it need it to be, between 215-230yds consistently.  It was great of the tee and off the fairway, it became the most reliable club in my bag besides the driver.

I hit it low at times or high at times when need it, playing partners all commented on how straight it was and consistently down the middle I was always hitting the club.

I have to say am happy surprise at its performance, made me consider looking into their hybrids.

26 minutes ago, MrBandit said:

Update from this pass weekends tournament. The Sub70 5 Wood was instrumental on my game all weekend long.  It was straight and as long as it need it to be, between 215-230yds consistently.  It was great of the tee and off the fairway, it became the most reliable club in my bag besides the driver.

I hit it low at times or high at times when need it, playing partners all commented on how straight it was and consistently down the middle I was always hitting the club.

I have to say am happy surprise at its performance, made me consider looking into their hybrids.

Their hybrids are very good check the review we did last year we all enjoyed them 

As the test contines, how are you all enjoying it? any issues arise? Really thinking hard of updating my setup from Super/3H to 4w/7w.

My final Review is up on the Review page.  I'm really happy with the Sub70 5-wood, its in my bag for this weekend's Member-Guest tournament, and beyond for the foreseeable future.

On 6/1/2022 at 12:49 PM, DaveP043 said:

My final Review is up on the Review page.  I'm really happy with the Sub70 5-wood, its in my bag for this weekend's Member-Guest tournament, and beyond for the foreseeable future.

Dave looks like it is fitting into the bag perfectly.

 

nicely done on those who finished their review 

My final review is up.  My apologies to everyone for delay.   I know timely completion of the review makes the whole thing work...  I had an unfortunate bout with the virus.   Anyhow, what a great experience (the testing that is).   Please check out my review.   Sub70 was awesome!

All of these reviews have been great.  I would be interested to hear if anyone has used the Sub70 demo program?  I know multiple people have mentioned how difficult it is for them to pull the trigger on a club or set of clubs that they have never seen or it,  I am totally in the same boat.  I looked at the demo program online and it seems there is a $20 fee to demo the club for 30 days.  And if you buy the club the $20 comes off of the total and if not you return it at no more costs.  At least that is what I gathered from the description but would be interested to hear the process from someone who has done it before.

@DeBartola_B I have not done the demo program but from everything I've heard online, it's a pretty good program. The $20 is a bit of a misnomer though. You pay a lot more than that and after you return the clubs, you are refunded all but $20.

This is straight from the demo section of their site:

 

Quote

The final cost to the player for this Demo Program is $20.00 which is used to ensure that the clubs are packaged and shipped properly. When completing the checkout process the golfer will be charged $200.00 for drivers, $99 for utility clubs, $159 for U/I combo sets and $120.00 for all other demo products. HOWEVER, upon return receipt of the clubs at our facility, golfers will be refunded $180 for drivers, $79 for utility clubs, $139 for U/I combo sets and $100 for all other clubs.

 

Hey MGS'rs

 

I just wanted to follow up to give a quick up date on the status of the 949X 4 wood I was blessed to demo for you. It is still in the bag and unless Sub70 tells there is a better option or way to re-work the top of my bag it will be staying right where it's at. The club is awesome and getting better when I put a good swing on it. Even the misses are that bad, my miss is on the toe which in most cases will cause a draw. Those shots end up left side of the fairway or in the rough or left side of the green. I wouldn't call this a fairway finder as my swing sometimes gets loose, quick and like a un-folded lawn chair but it helps a ship load to keep the ball in play. The other day I was using it off the tee and we were clicking. I was out driving the other guys in my group with them using their drivers. I walk most of the time when I play. The one guy needs two knee replacements so he carts it. He found his ball, couldn't find mine. Well thats because I was pin high 25' left of the pin, not the green the pin and 40 yards past his ball. I usually about 10-20 yards longer than him with driver. The hole was 282 yards, I figure I flew it 270ish and it rolled on late summer fairway into the bunker. Right now I have no desire to hit my driver on anything that doesn't fit my eye, but I'll hit this 4 wood with confidence. 

 

The demo plan is awesome. I demoed a driver with zero issues. Sub70 was helpful with suggestions and super friendly. They haven't told me to buzz off yet and I can have that effect on people at times. 

 

Good luck all. 

Perfect timing as I'm looking to replace current 3W. Have TM RBZ2 that I like but not very consistent with. Have a Srixon Z355 also but more inconsistent with it.

Would appreciate opportunity to test the Sub70.

Spring is starting back up where I’m at and I would want to compare this to my new Sim2 Max.

Good weather, plus if I hit em well half the guys in my golf group will buy them.

What a way to start the testing season! Best of luck to all applying and I'm looking forward to reading the reviews. 

Need a replacement for my RocketBalz fairway metal. Yes, it’s that old!

I live in Texas and play twice a week, carrying a 12 handicap.  I currently play Ping G400 SFT 3- and 5-woods, both with R Flex graphite shafts.  Would love to try the Sub70's.

Good luck applicants! Sub70 looking fantastic as usual!

I’m a current owner of a set of Sub 70 699 pro irons. I really like the way they feel and perform. The 3 wood would be a great addition to the irons!

Looking for a 15 degree 3 wood and a 5 wood in the 18-19 degree range.  Would love to test these!

I am a DTC golfer who is interested in what Sub70 has to offer. This would be a great opportunity.

I would be interested, but primarily in the higher lofts, 7W first, 5W second, then 4W. I don't carry a 3W, and do not intend to.

I'm in the market for a new fairway wood. Sub 70 has been on my radar so I'd love to test them. 

Located in South Florida and would love to test this club.  I play a Cobra Rad Speed 3 wood now set to 16 degrees. I have not found anything better after trying Titleist TS2, Cleveland, and a few others.  

Need a replace for a trusty but frankly outmoded Callaway. Let’s see what cha got. 

699 Pro 3-iron is one of the best clubs in my bag. Would love to see if the 949X could help me hit more fairways.

Would love to become a tester! I play at least 4 rounds per month casually, plus about 1 or 2 tournaments depending on the tournament schedule for the Golfweek Amateur Tour that I play on, and spend about 3-4 days per week on the driving range. So, hopefully I'll qualify to really put some of these things to the test!  LOL. 

I would like to be a tester. Have been looking for a new fairway wood to replace my current one which has become difficult to hit.

I’ve got their Pro Tour 5W in the bag and would love to see the differences. Irons and 3u in the bag of theirs too. 

Would love to compare these with my Callaway Epics!

Actually like my Titleist TS2 5 wood. Am always looking for something that might be better. Good luck to all that are chosen. Have fun.

Would love the opportunity to test these.  Retired play 3 to 4 times a week.   I have been curious about sub70 for some time now. 

I have seen all the reviews on these clubs . This club looks amazing.  I have an older fairway wood in the bag and would love to upgrade . 

As for the Masters 

Victor Hovland 

I’ll put it head to head against my Srixon ZX.

Would love to get closer to filling out my bag with Sub 70 equipment.

I have been actively searching for the perfect fairway woods for several years.  In CA and playing to an 8.9 index as I strive to improve. Lots of gym time and swing mechanics have helped my fairway wood distance which I need at 66 years of age.  I've tried at least 15 fairway woods (using Callaway Pre-Owned, including the Japanese versions) looking for the ideal launch, shaft and turf interaction attributes.  Very intrigued by the D-T-C brands; since I live in Silicon Valley I'm always looking for disruption.