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Callaway Rogue Driver


PPOPHIL

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This spring I went driver shopping over multiple weekends and tested all the new ping drivers, all the m 1-4 series from taylormade, cobra, Cleveland , Srixon and both Rogue draw and regular,  I think I hit 14 different drives over the course of a month and kept coming back to the rogue.

 

a bit about my game, I am a mid to high handicapper with swing speed under 95 mph , playing the reg flex shaft. I have the setup currently on draw +1  at 11.5 loft. During testing the Rogue draw out distanced and helped correct my left handed slice to where my drives are mostly center to center left  in the short grass and findable, still with the odd miss hit.   I attribute a lot of my improvement this year to being able to have a lot of par 4s be driver short iron (7-pw) and not driver 4/5 or chip back into the fairway.

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 

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Thanks for the reply, Here's my Rogue story, please bear with me. First I'm a 7.7 handicap with the Rouge Draw set to standard and +1 loft bringing it to 11.5. For the past 13 years I have been hitting the Great Big Bertha II 9 degrees. I natural hit a low ball. Two years ago I went to the PGASUPERSTORE at the egging of my friends (who always said I was to good of a player to be hitting such an old club and I responded "it's not the arrow it's the Indian). The instructor said I would benefit from. A higher ball flight, so I found the same GBB II with 10 degrees on eBay for $36. Finally took the plunge and got fitted a local reputable golf shop and bought the Rouge Draw D-0 swing weight 1 inch short (44.5). Played a couple of rounds with it set to the drawer and that 10 and a half degrees and just was not impressed with it. Definitely lost some length 10 to 15 yards and still missing on my poor swings to the right. So I wanted to give it more of a chance and I played another two to three rounds with the same results. So I increase the Loft + 1 and set the draw to neutral or standard and my last round definitely improved not so much with distance, I guess the one in Short is taking its toll on distance, just thought today's clubs would be so much better and in my opinion they aren't especially for the money

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I was contemplating on trading my Epic head for a Rouge one in the spring. I went to a local pro shop where the pro was a Callaway dealer. He told me the Rouges were not as good as the Epics. He said they just didn't have the “pop” the Epics had. Long story short he talked me out of giving him my head and money. So.......there must be something to it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

CobraConnectChallenge3

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I'm really pleased with mine, I have the sub zero in both driver and 3-wood. Had to adjust to it switching from a Nike Vapor but once I did it's been smooth sailing. Some equipment fits people easy others not so much, I can't hit the f7 or f8 to save my life...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Right Handed

4.5 handicap

Driver: Nike Vapor Flex with Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki ZT60x5ct S-flex shaft and stock grip.

3-Metal: Nike VRS 15 degree with Mitsubishi Rayon tour issue Diamana S73x5ct X-flex shaft and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grip.

Irons: Ben Hogan PTx 22, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46 degrees standard length and lie with KBS Tour-V stiff shafts and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grips.

Wedges: Ben Hogan TK15 54, 58 degrees with KBS Tour-V X-flex shafts and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grips.

Putter: Nike Method Converge B1|01 with Superstroke Flatso 2.0 grip.

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What shaft do you have in it? That, of course, is a huge factor in your "feel" of any driver.

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite)
Putter...Ev
nRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both)
...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour.

Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023)
Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020)

followthrough.jpg

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I was contemplating on trading my Epic head for a Rouge one in the spring. I went to a local pro shop where the pro was a Callaway dealer. He told me the Rouges were not as good as the Epics. He said they just didn't have the “pop” the Epics had. Long story short he talked me out of giving him my head and money. So.......there must be something to it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

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I would agree with him, the Rouge just doesn't have any POP. My 13 year old driver has more POP. It is more forgiving ( a larger sweet spot) but the ball just doesn't go anywhere. Oh one more thing, it sounds terrible, like hitting a plastic bucket.

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"Rouge Draw D-0 swing weight 1 inch short (44.5)."

This is a massive red flag to me and the fitter (if you had one) should have added weight to the head to compensate for the shaft being shortened an inch. Wouldn't be surprised to see this being a bit lower than your previous GBB and it doesn't surprise me that you have lost some distance. A little more head weight should help raise your ball speed and subsequently your distance. 

*:taylormade-small: Staff Professional*

Driver:  :taylormade-small: Stealth Plus+ (7.25*) - Fujikura Ventus Black 6X Tipped 1" 

3 Wood: :taylormade-small: Stealth Plus+ (14.25*) - Fujikura Ventus Blue 7x Tipped 1"

Driving Iron: :taylormade-small: P790 UDI 2 iron - HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 100 6.5

4 Iron: :taylormade-small: P790 - KBS C-Taper 130 X

Irons (5-7) :taylormade-small: P7MC - KBS C-Taper 130 X

Irons (8-P) :taylormade-small: P7MB - KBS C-Taper 130 X

Wedges: :taylormade-small: MG3 Black 50.09 / 55.11 - KBS TOUR FLT 130 X

60* Wedge: :taylormade-small: High Toe Raw - KBS Tour 130 X

Putter: 5WoCG8Y.jpg Custom Black ER2 or Custom Black :taylormade-small: Del Monte

Bag:  :taylormade-small: FlexTech Stand Bag

Glove:  :taylormade-small: Tour Preferred Glove

Ball: :taylormade-small: TP5X #11

RangeFinder: :918457628_PrecisionPro: R1 Smart Rangefinder

Instagram: @dpattgolf

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... I don't actually feel bad for OEM's but sometimes I certainly understand how difficult it is to design a club that appeals to  gofers today concerning looks and feel. I played the Epic last season and loved the sound/feel that is very dense with a deep thud. Callaway got hammered for producing a driver that felt "dead" to many younger players that never hit a persimmon driver. So the Rogue and SZ has a more explosive sound/feel that of course I do not care for.

... Obviously personal experience can find one driver longer or more forgiving than another and for a myriad of reasons, but technically the Rogue is an improvement compared to the Epic. The trouble in paradise comes when those improvements are not only subtle, as in 1.2 yds longer and 128 rpm's in reduced spin when hit by a robot, those improvements do not always translate to a better driver for many when used in the real world. The difference in sound/feel alone is enough to give me more confidence in my Epic than my Rogue SZ, and confidence leads to better swings which leads to better performance. Even hitting a great drive that feels/sounds bad can cause a lack of confidence. There are just so many really good drivers out right now and imo there is not one OEM producing a superior driver to another. Give me 100 golfers hitting the new F8, M4, Rogue and G400 and I would not be surprised to find around 25 different people picking each one as their favorite. The Rogue is very good but will it not fit everyone. I prefer the Cobra F8 and have my Rogue SZ for sale because even though I have hit drives as long and accurate as my F8, the Rogue is just not as consistent for me, and no doubt personal preference plays a role in that performance. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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Didn't like the feel/sound if the epic and hated the rogue even more. The titleist 917 outperformed both for me and the ping g400 outperformed that.

 

Imo Callaway drivers have gotten worse nice the gbb

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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I have never liked the feel of Callaway drivers. They have always been very hard feeling. Every time I have hit a Callaway driver, it has sent a jolt through me.

Wilson Staff C300 9.0* Fujikura Pro 58 stiff

Callaway Rogue 3W Mitsubishi Diamana D+ LTD 80 stiff

Mizuno MP-18 MMC FLI-HI 2 iron UST Mamiya Recoil 95 stiff

Ping I200's 4-W Aerotech Steelfiber I110 CW stiff

Ping Glide 52* and 58* stiff

Bettinardi Studio Stock #38 Armlock

 

 

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... I don't actually feel bad for OEM's but sometimes I certainly understand how difficult it is to design a club that appeals to  gofers today concerning looks and feel. I played the Epic last season and loved the sound/feel that is very dense with a deep thud. Callaway got hammered for producing a driver that felt "dead" to many younger players that never hit a persimmon driver. So the Rogue and SZ has a more explosive sound/feel that of course I do not care for.

 

.

 

I would agree with this description- I used the Epic pretty extensively, but it felt pretty dead, that's just the jailbreak tech working. 

 

There is a lot of good stuff out there, but to the OP- from your brief description , it sounds like a sub par fitting. There might be life in that driver, but it may not have been fit properly. 

My Mixed-Bag:

 

Driver:      :callaway-small: Mavrik Sub zero, ventus black 7x

Fairway:     Still looking!

Irons:         :mizuno-small:MP-18 MB 4-PW

Wedges:     Miura K Grinds

Putter:       Evnroll 1.2 blade

Ball:        :srixon-small: Z star XV

 

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This is a massive red flag to me and the fitter (if you had one) should have added weight to the head to compensate for the shaft being shortened an inch. Wouldn't be surprised to see this being a bit lower than your previous GBB and it doesn't surprise me that you have lost some distance. A little more head weight should help raise your ball speed and subsequently your distance.

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I played the regular Epic last year and loved it. Increase in accuracy and distance over my last driver. I switched to the Epic SZ earlier this year and got more consistently longer drives...not by much but enough to notice. 

I happen to be in the golf store when the Callaway rep was showing the Rogue to the owners. I got to hit it and was a good 12-15 yards longer than with my Epic. But at $500 I just couldn't stomach ditching the Epic which was $500 last year. 

Now that the Rogue's are hitting the used market, I might look for an SZ, but we'll see. I like to go at least three generations before I 'upgrade'.

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I LOVE my Rogue! My bday present this year was a new driver. I was still using a TM 2008 Burner TP. I loved that driver too. But it wasn't cosistent on my mis-hits, of which there are many.

 

I tried all the big brands and hit a lot of golf balls. I went through a fitting, a disappointing one but that's a different story, and the Rogue just felt the best and had the best numbers. The Ping G400 Max was next on the list, but the numbers were always shy of the Rogue. I didn't like the Taylormades M3 or M4. And the Titleist 917 was too short.

 

Since it's been in my bag my driving has vastly improved. I feel confident behind it and I don't have the 1st tee jitters. I can hit my old Burner as far from time to time, but that was only on a perfect hit. The Rogue was probably my best golf club purchase ever.

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I really wanted to like the Rogue but I demo'd several and switched shafts around and never found one that I could hit consistently or that felt right to me.  I ended up with an M4 and for me it's much better feeling and performing.  I honestly liked my 915D2 better than any of the Rogues that I hit.  I imagine if I would have had more shafts to try in the Rogue, I could have found one that worked for me but I'm just not that patient and don't have enough access to different shafts to try out.  

TM Sim2 Max  10.5

Ping G410 5 wood

Ping G410 7 & 9 woods 

PXG Gen 5 0311P  5-gap

PXG forged 54 & 58 wedges

PXG Operator H w/ BGT Stability shaft

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  • 7 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I've been playing the Rogue Draw 10.5 for the last year.  Really happy with it, but I didn't really have anything to compare it to.  

Demographics - 71 years old with about a 12 handicap.

I decided to purchase a Tour Edge EXS driver with a senior shaft and cut down to 44", same as my Rogue.  I've only played 9 holes with it so far, but it was much longer and much easier to control than the Rogue.  I played a course that I know really well and can pretty much pin point where my drives should land.  The EXS was beyond that point on every drive.  Not only that, I was getting a nice straight and medium height flight on every drive.  

I also noticed that the next day I did not feel the normal soreness in my lower back.  Just seemed like the EXS was less stressful to swing hard with.  At $ 299 it's a big boy driver with a little boy price. 

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On 8/21/2018 at 3:37 PM, PPOPHIL said:

I would agree with him, the Rouge just doesn't have any POP. My 13 year old driver has more POP. It is more forgiving ( a larger sweet spot) but the ball just doesn't go anywhere. Oh one more thing, it sounds terrible, like hitting a plastic bucket.

I have the Callaway HyperX that my wife bought me for my Birthday about 8 or 9 years ago and even to this day I love it.  I usually go by the old saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it".  Sure there a lot of nice new drivers out there but I've tried a bunch of them and don't see enough improvement to compensate spending the money.  If the older equipment works then there is no need to upgrade yet.

Edited by Jpgolf416
misspelling
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If I'm buying a club, you can pretty much assume it's at least a year or two out of season. So I'm the guy writing reviews for clubs that everyone else is trading in 🙂

That said, I picked up a Rogue Sub Zero from Callaway Pre-Owned. Last week, I got my first chance to hit it on a range. One issue: the range had just opened and literally had no markers of any sort to aim at or to gauge distance by. So I truly have no idea how far it was going.

But here's one thing I did learn: at least for me, the Sub Zero simply cannot go left at all. I even swapped the adapter to the Draw setting (still at 10.5°), and while it toned down the big right benders, there was nothing like a draw in sight.

This is not a complaint from me: my typical driver miss the past couple of seasons has been a snap hook. So if I can aim down the left side of every hole and swing away, that's going to be awesome. I'll check back into this thread a few more times after our course (eventually) opens with distance numbers and actual on-course performance, but at this point, I'm optimistic that this stick is going to help my quest for a single digit cap this summer.

:titleist-small: TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue
:755178188_TourEdge: CBX T3 15°, Project X HZRDUS Black
:callaway-small: Epic Super Hybrid 18°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S
:755178188_TourEdge: C722 21°, Ventus Blue 8S
:touredgeexotics: CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0
:Sub70: 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 6–PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 48°
:mizuno-small: T22 54° and 60°
:edel-golf-1: EAS 4.0, Garsen G-Pro grip
:taylormade-small: TP5x and Tour Response

Full WITB with pictures

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  • GolfSpy MPR changed the title to Callaway Rogue Driver

I’ve had the rogue sub zero for a little while now and haven’t had any problems with it, all around solid club for me where you get out what you put in it. I’ll shape the driver to keep one side or the other out of play and it’s been as reliable as I can ask for. It won’t however (for me at least) cure a bad swing, you put a hook swing on it and that ball will hook same for a slice. I don’t know that I mind that too much though...


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Right Handed

4.5 handicap

Driver: Nike Vapor Flex with Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki ZT60x5ct S-flex shaft and stock grip.

3-Metal: Nike VRS 15 degree with Mitsubishi Rayon tour issue Diamana S73x5ct X-flex shaft and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grip.

Irons: Ben Hogan PTx 22, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46 degrees standard length and lie with KBS Tour-V stiff shafts and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grips.

Wedges: Ben Hogan TK15 54, 58 degrees with KBS Tour-V X-flex shafts and GolfPride MCC midsize Black/White grips.

Putter: Nike Method Converge B1|01 with Superstroke Flatso 2.0 grip.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/23/2019 at 10:07 AM, GolfSpy MPR said:

If I'm buying a club, you can pretty much assume it's at least a year or two out of season. So I'm the guy writing reviews for clubs that everyone else is trading in 🙂

That said, I picked up a Rogue Sub Zero from Callaway Pre-Owned. Last week, I got my first chance to hit it on a range. One issue: the range had just opened and literally had no markers of any sort to aim at or to gauge distance by. So I truly have no idea how far it was going.

But here's one thing I did learn: at least for me, the Sub Zero simply cannot go left at all. I even swapped the adapter to the Draw setting (still at 10.5°), and while it toned down the big right benders, there was nothing like a draw in sight.

This is not a complaint from me: my typical driver miss the past couple of seasons has been a snap hook. So if I can aim down the left side of every hole and swing away, that's going to be awesome. I'll check back into this thread a few more times after our course (eventually) opens with distance numbers and actual on-course performance, but at this point, I'm optimistic that this stick is going to help my quest for a single digit cap this summer.

I do the same thing when I upgrade clubs. Got a SZ from callaway preowned for almost 1/3 the original cost and if it doesn't work out it will sell for at least what I paid, if not a little more. Win win...

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