Jump to content
TESTERS WANTED! ×

High Handicap Impressions on Rogue Draw Driver


SoutheastLefty

Recommended Posts

After three different fitting sessions and waiting 2 weeks for delivery, I finally got my hands on my new driver! 

 

The specs:

  • Left Handed Callaway Rogue Draw, 10.5*
  • Project X Hzrdus Yellow 76G, 6.0
  • Stock Shaft Length (45.5 inches)
  • Stock Grip (GolfPride NewDec Platinum)

 

For a recap of how I ended up with this club, read my full fitting experience here.

 

First Impressions:

 

I was only able to hit the driving range this weekend (thanks so much, rainy DC weather), but my first session with this club was truly impressive. 

 

With the heavier shaft and much stiffer profile than my old club, I felt much more in control throughout my swing. This was most pronounced in my downswing, where the heavier club helped me feel when I was coming over the top, thus mitigating that bad motion and delivering better results. 

 

My prior driver swing delivered a fade to the left side of the fairway to a slice-miss on a bad swing. With the Rogue Draw, I was hitting center target line to slightly left on poor swings. 

 

My goal with this club was to eliminate the out-of-bounds miss to the left. It's clear from my driving range session this will prove to be a success. 

 

The shaft:

 

Overall I'm really impressed with the Hzrdus Yellow. Leaning on this driver compared to my old R15 was night and day. Ballflight was much more penetrating and dispersion very tight. 

 

What really stood out to me was how stiff this shaft is compared to my old driver that also had a "stiff" shaft. When I put both on the ground and lean on them a bit, The Hzrdus has very little give and my R15 Shaft felt like it was going to snap in half. As many have said here and elsewhere, not all stiff shafts are created equal.

 

Overall feedback from the shaft is a bit muted since it's so stiff, but miss hits felt much more solid (likely a bit of the new head as well). 

 

I'd highly recommend trying a heavier shaft for increased control. Many folks think (as do the marketers) that heavier shafts will slow your swing speed down considerably. I can tell you that for me, this wasn't the case at all. The stiffer profile and overall control of the shaft encouraged me to really get after a few with really positive results. Your milage may vary, but don't shy away from trying a heavier shaft when getting fit. 

 

The Clubhead:

 

At address, the head profile is incredibly inviting. The solid black to exposed carbon-fiber finish helps make the head not look massively oversized. Compared to my old White-top R15, this thing looks sleek. 

 

Coming from a white head driver back to a more traditional black was interesting. The contrast between the ball and head has more of an effect on my comfort level at address than I thought. I just felt like I had a much better idea of where I was lining up, for whatever reason.

 

From above, you'd have no idea it's the draw biased head compared to the standard Rogue. For those of you that care about not showing you're playing with equipment that's designed to mitigate your high-handicap miss, this may be important (it's not for me). 

 

As for performance. Man oh man, when you strike center face with this bad boy, the ball just explodes. My wife came with me to the range and when I pured one she was amazed at the sound at impact and how the ball took off like a rocket. 

 

Mis-hits were very forgiving.  On several toe strikes I felt very little twisting (likely also thanks to the stout shaft) and while the result was offline, the ball definitely carried closer to full distance than my prior club while "in play" of my defined fairway at the range.

 

The caveats: 

 

If you tend to solidly fade the ball and rarely hit a draw, this the draw version of the Rogue Draw will not have you suddenly pumping pure, tight draws. This wasn't the expectation, nor is it the result. For me it eliminated my strong fade on good drives, pulling those to straight down centerline, while tightening my miss from OB to left-fairway. 

 

This club definitely opened up a pull-hook miss for me. I don't think I've ever missed fairway right, and there were a couple swings where I was really trying to turn over on the ball that resulted in dead pulls. I suspect my new miss will have me exploring a number of areas on the course that I've never had to explore.  ;)

 

Conclusion: 

 

Very, very impressed with the club. I can't speak to on-course results just yet (I'll reply with an update once I get a round or two in) but I can say that my range session was as impressive as it could've been.

 

One thing I'll keep looking out for is the right-of-fairway bias that may become more prevalent as I continue to improve my swing through the recurring lessons I'm taking. For my swing right now, I suspect it'll be awhile before the draw-bias starts getting me into trouble, but it may in the future. 

 

Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Happy to take any and all questions you may have!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking forward to your on course review! I'll be interested in how your aim/setup may be affected with the draw driver once you have a defined fairway you need to hit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

In my  :wilson_staff_small:  carry bag:
:mizuno-small: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex
:cleveland-small: Launcher 5h
:cleveland-small: Launcher CBX 6i-PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 54* & 58*
:cleveland-small: Huntington Beach #10
:bridgestone-small: e12 Contact
CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bought the Callaway Rogue Draw driver as well , I am a lefty that can send it way left. 

 

Have used it for multiple range sessions and 4 rounds now and have had some success , amazing what hitting more often from the short grass and not the rough can do.

 

Its not fool proof and I am still able to miss left but the miss still leaves a shot or chip out and not the just take a drop cause that ball is gone type of shot.

 

I have not adjusted my stance, but while being fit the pro had me adjust my grip to more of a strong grip from the neutral I had been using. I did notice while being fit that the ball tended to go to the center right , but on the course my experience has been more center left.

DRIVER -  Ping G425 SFT Driver Tensei AV 55 Orange Reg Flex 

Woods -  Ping G425 7 wood  Tensei AV 65 Orange Reg Flex 

Irons - Cobra Rad Speed 1 Length UST Recoil 780 Smacwrap Graphite Reg Flex 

WEDGES-  Callaway jaws 52/56/60

PUTTER-  Taylormade FCG spider putter 34" 

BALL-  Pro V1x or Tp5X  -- trying to figure this one out.

Footjoy Tour S golf shoe 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who fit you at 45.5"?

 

Great question and something we chatted a lot about in my fitting.

 

I haven't measured, but that's the "stock" length from Callaway, so since we didn't order it cut down from stock I assume that's what it's playing. We talked a little about cutting down to 45, but our thought was that it's easier to properly trim down if needed versus putting it back, so I'm going to play it for a bit and if needed, take it back to have it butt trimmed down. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If needed? What sort of fitting is that? You are either fitted for the correct length for your physique and swing or you're not. Trial and error all you want prior to buying a club, but once you've paid for it and it later needs adjusting to length, that isn't a fitting at all IMO. The fact that you chatted about it in your "fitting" and they did nothing about it seems a little bizarre to me - particularly to a higher index player.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If needed? What sort of fitting is that? You are either fitted for the correct length for your physique and swing or you're not. Trial and error all you want prior to buying a club, but once you've paid for it and it later needs adjusting to length, that isn't a fitting at all IMO. The fact that you chatted about it in your "fitting" and they did nothing about it seems a little bizarre to me - particularly to a higher index player.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not sure why you think butt trimming after the fact is such an awful thing? 

 

When you cut down that's irreversible.

 

Hitting 60+ shots in a driver fitting indoors only is a much smaller sample size than me playing standard length at my range and on the course for a few weeks. Easy enough to simulate a shorter shaft by marking the 1/2 inch increments on the driver, not perfect, but certainly doable.

 

Taking that feedback from real-world outdoor play will allow the fitter and I to make a better informed decision.  Frankly the fact that he was willing to offer that and do it after the fact free of charge (incl. swing weighting) speaks to us working together to get the right answer. I'm honestly more comfortable with the fact that he wants to see me again and get my feedback, rather than ordering the club irreversibly cut down and never seeing me again. Or worse, cutting it down, asking for my feedback, then trying to get me to pay for a replacement shaft.

 

The reality is that my fitting is ongoing on that point, I guess. I'd expect the same from my fitter if I ordered an adjustable head weight driver. TXG talks about this a lot where they have customers come back in after the fact to make adjustments based on their real world experience. 

 

Feel free to read through my fitting thread, but I ended up getting fit with a 3rd party retailer that doesn't necessarily have each driver shaft cut to different lengths. Sure we could play around with gripping down in increments etc etc, but as mentioned in the other post (not going to rehash the experience here), I tried to pay for a premium fitter that had all the shafts already cut to specific lengths and effectively got told to buzz off. Making the best of a non-premium experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Butt trimming after the fact alters several things - not least of which is swing weight and flex. 

You can read about it in my post here:

 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/18091-setting-the-record-straight-on-tipping/?hl=%2Bsetting+%2Bthe+%2Brecord+%2Bstraight

 

If you have been fitted for length correctly, then I'm afraid you haven't been fit - it's that simple. No premium fitter in their right mind would have anything already cut to specific lengths - that is insane. That's like a tailor cutting his cloth before measuring someone for a suit.

I don't really know if you understand what a bespoke fitting is, but from what you are describing - it ain't it.

I'm sorry, but words fail me. I'm out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Butt trimming after the fact alters several things - not least of which is swing weight and flex. 

You can read about it in my post here:

 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/18091-setting-the-record-straight-on-tipping/?hl=%2Bsetting+%2Bthe+%2Brecord+%2Bstraight

 

If you have been fitted for length correctly, then I'm afraid you haven't been fit - it's that simple. No premium fitter in their right mind would have anything already cut to specific lengths - that is insane. That's like a tailor cutting his cloth before measuring someone for a suit.

I don't really know if you understand what a bespoke fitting is, but from what you are describing - it ain't it.

I'm sorry, but words fail me. I'm out.

 

I appreciate your insights, no need for the attitude. I'm new to golf, 3 or 4 years into this, and my first time going through a fitting (that was painful to begin with), so no need to be belittling. 

 

You're telling me a fitter doesn't have a 45.5, 45, 44.5, 44 set of demo driver shafts? Obviously not for building, but don't they all have different lengths to actually properly "fit" you into them? The one I went to had the universal adapter to plug any shaft onto any head to demo and test. Not sure what it's called (I'm new to this), but how would you otherwise get fit for length? Guessing, gripping down on it? 

 

https://www.pxshaft.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/TTGOLF16-PX-10.pdf

 

"Butt trim shafts to finished length after tip trimming unless specified"

and

"Taper Tip Shafts should never be tip trimmed because they are designed to discrete lengths. Butt trim taper tip shafts to finished length."

 

What am I missing? 

 

I also think you misread my posts or I mis-typed something. I DID NOT get a premium fit. Period. The guy was incredibly disinterested in fitting me. I ended up at a third party retailer around me, NOT a premium fitter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

How is the rogue draw working for you?  After a couple rounds of struggling slightly with tee shots drifting  back to the left , I adjusted mine to the 12.5 setting with the draw option on the head/shaft and last night to see the difference and I was hitting more fairways again. 

DRIVER -  Ping G425 SFT Driver Tensei AV 55 Orange Reg Flex 

Woods -  Ping G425 7 wood  Tensei AV 65 Orange Reg Flex 

Irons - Cobra Rad Speed 1 Length UST Recoil 780 Smacwrap Graphite Reg Flex 

WEDGES-  Callaway jaws 52/56/60

PUTTER-  Taylormade FCG spider putter 34" 

BALL-  Pro V1x or Tp5X  -- trying to figure this one out.

Footjoy Tour S golf shoe 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey all, apologies for the delay in posting on-course thoughts! I've played 2.5 rounds since I got to the range with the club, and results are overall very positive. Typical disclaimer applies: I've continued to take lessons since getting the club. As a result, these improvements are not only driven by the fitted driver, but also continuing to invest lessons and practice time into my game.

 

First, some quick aggregate stats:

 

Round Scores: 

41 (9 Hole twilight), 87, 87

 

Driving Stats (31 tee shots with the Rogue Driver):

Left: 5 (16%, -17 percentage points from previous 33% average)

Hit: 19 (62%, +6 percentage points from previous 56% average)

Right: 7 (22%, +11 percentage points from previous 11% average)

 

Balls lost: 1

 

Average Drive: 261 yards (captured via golfshot plus, GPS distance from tee to standing over ball)

 

Second, Anecdotal thoughts:

 

Wow. Just wow. My confidence off the tee had increased dramatically. Having the heavier, stiffer shaft really helps me feel like I can get after my drives. 

 

As expected and seen in the data, the combination of the Rogue Draw head plus the lessons I'm taking have cut my average left-miss (slice, I'm a lefty!) in half. The data doesn't show the true improvement here though, when the left miss rears it's ugly head it's less pronounced and still in-play. Hence, only 1 slice lost ball over 2.5 rounds. At this rate, the driver will pay for itself by summers' end  :D

 

What I'm seeing between swing changes and the draw head is that I've introduced a right miss 2x as often as prior. Most of these shots aren't duck-hooks, rather straight pulls. None have been lost OB right. I need to get used to aiming a bit more to target line, instead of up the right side of fairway. I'm still compensating for that heavy fade/slice I previously gamed. 

 

As for distance, it's really hard to say how much of this is club vs. swing. I'm definitely making much cleaner contact (hence the improved stats), but I truly believe that the club helps me achieve this with the draw biased weighting.

 

Next Steps for me: 

 

  1. Get comfortable aiming a bit more true to fairway, rather than up the right side
  2. Continue to work on lower body/upper body timing. 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Increased confidence is great because the more comfortable and better you are off the tee, the better you'll be feeling about those approach shots from a better position. Nice!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

In my  :wilson_staff_small:  carry bag:
:mizuno-small: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex
:cleveland-small: Launcher 5h
:cleveland-small: Launcher CBX 6i-PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 54* & 58*
:cleveland-small: Huntington Beach #10
:bridgestone-small: e12 Contact
CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Increased confidence is great because the more comfortable and better you are off the tee, the better you'll be feeling about those approach shots from a better position. Nice!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

 

No doubt. Especially in my last round, it was clear that my putting was what stopped me from scoring lower. 1 GIR 4 putt and 2 3 putts. Ouch. The greens are starting to speed up here in the D.C area now that the monsoon is over and it's heating up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No doubt. Especially in my last round, it was clear that my putting was what stopped me from scoring lower. 1 GIR 4 putt and 2 3 putts. Ouch. The greens are starting to speed up here in the D.C area now that the monsoon is over and it's heating up.

 

I see you are in Arlington.  I grew up there & played golf pretty much everywhere.  If there was green grass to be walked on in and around there, I found it.  I played mainly on Army & Navy CC.

WITB:  Do I like Titleist or what? 

 

Driver:     :titleist-small: TSR3 9* UST Mamiya Proto LIN-Q Blue 

Fairways   :titleist-small: TSi2 UST Mamiya LIN-Q Blue 13.5* 

Driving Iron:   :titleist-small: U500 17* :Fuji:  Blue Ventus HB Velocore 

Irons   :titleist-small: T350 4 & 5, T200 6 - PW UST Mamiya Recoil Dart F4 105g

Wedges    :vokey-small: SM6 48*, SM9 52*, SM8 56* Modus Tour Wedge 

Putter    :cameron-small: Newport 2 w/ Garsen Ultimate grip 

Ball    :titleist-small:  *ProV1 Left Dot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I will admit I'm a high handicapper as well. However, I was able to get my hands on a new Rogue Hybrid (first ever hybrid in my bag) after working some discount magic.

I will say for someone that tends to slice (but drastically improved over the last year) this hybrid has worked wonders for me. Distance is phenomenal and everything is much straighter.

Good luck!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Driver -  :taylormade-small: M2 D-Type, 9.5 degrees, (Stiff flex) (Golf Pride MCC +4 grip)

3/4W -  :cobra-small: King F6 Black 3-4 Wood (Stiff flex) (Golf Pride MCC +4 grip)

4H -  :callaway-small: Rogue (Stiff flex) (Stock grip) (Golf Pride MCC +4 grip)

4-AW -  :callaway-small: Steelhead XR Irons (Stiff flex) (Golf Pride MCC +4 grips, 7i with Winn Dri-Tac X Grip) 

SW -  :callaway-small: 56* X-Wedge

60* -  :callaway-small: MD4 Wedge

Putter - Odyssey White Hot RX #7

Bag -  :callaway-small: ORG 14 cart bag

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice write up lefty - keep us posted on your results on the course. 

Left Hand orientation

:taylormade-small:SIM 2 D Max with Fujikura Air Speeder Shaft 

Cobra  Radspeed 3W/RIptide Shaft
:ping-small:  410  Hybrids 22*, 26*

Cobra Speed Zone 6-GP/Recoil ESX 460 F3 Shafts 

:titelist-small: SM7 54* Wedge

:ping-small: Glide 3.0  60* Wedge

:odyssey-small: O Works putter

:ShotScope: V3
:918457628_PrecisionPro:NX9-HD

:CaddyTek: - 4 Wheel 

EZGO TXT 48v cart
:footjoy-small: - too many shoes to list and so many to buy

:1590477705_SunMountain: And  BAG Boy

Golf Balls: Vice Pro Plus 

2020 Official Teste:SuperSpeed: Beginning Driver Speed  - 78

2019 Official Tester :ping-small:  410 Driver

2018 Official Tester :wilson-small: C300

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...