2019 Official Forum Member Review-Callaway Epic Flash Drivers

[Golfspy_CG2]

Coming off taking the title of 2019 Most Wanted Driver the Epic Flash Sub Zero and Epic Flash have been put in the hands of four valued members to to see how they perform for them. 

Follow the guys as they put these two drives using AI to use to see if they live up to the hype.

 

 

 

 

Su

Epic Flash Testers

@yungkory                    Stage 1                  Stage 2

@edingc                        Stage 1                  Stage 2         

 

Epic Flash Sub Zero Testers

@sirchunksalot             Stage 1                   Stage 2

@THEZIPR23                Stage 1                    Stage 2

[yungkory]

Callaway Epic Flash Review – yungkory

Intro

 

First and foremost, thank you to MGS and the forum staff for selecting me to review the 2019 Most Wanted driver! There’s nothing quite like the feeling of waking up and seeing one of the moderators has sent you a private message with a title like “Callaway Epic Flash Testers!”

For those who don’t know me, my name is Kory and I’m lucky to call Hawaii my home.  Growing up in a family of golfers, I’ve been playing since a very young age, maybe since I was around 5.  I had some clubs that an uncle of mine chopped down and slapped some grips on and would join my stepdad on the range.  Living in Las Vegas at the time, when I was around the age of 10 was when I really started to understand the concepts of hitting down into the ball instead of trying to sweep it, thinking about the next shot, etc., and started to break 100 from the ladies’ tees.  I played golf year-round by spending my winter breaks here in Hawaii, but never competitively, just as a means to spend time with my family.  I lost my love for golf during and after college, but after some friends dragged me back onto the course 2 years ago, I’ve been fully obsessed all over again.  My playing partners range from former D1 collegiate golfer and High School State Champ, to people who have been playing for only a year and shoot in the 100s, but I am not the type to really care who I’m playing with.  I’m on the course to have a good time, and whether I’m playing well or not, I enjoy myself. 

I’ve never joined a club, so I’ve never had an “official” handicap, but I typically shoot 80-83 and play courses around 6300-6500 yards comfortably.  18 Birdies currently has me at a 9 hdcp, but since I was selected for the test, I’ve purchased Arccos and will be using that to measure my game moving forward.  One of my strengths is being able to generate a decent amount of clubhead speed for my size, but I struggle with consistency and lack of an ability to hole makeable putts.  My driver swing speed averages 103-105 mph when I’m swinging well, and I’ve been told that I have a very smooth tempo.  I’ve been quoted many times by my friends saying that “I play golf to hit driver.” It’s undoubtedly my favorite club, and if you put me on a course that requires me to hit irons off the tee for position, I’m not going to have a good time.  I’ll look for any excuse to let the big dog eat, and that usually lands me in the soup on those courses, so I tend to avoid those courses whenever I can.

 

My typical ball flight is a mid-height (or what I consider to be mid-height) draw, and my miss is a block when I get stuck, or an over draw/hook when I flip to compensate.  I’ve been working on moving my path a little more out-to-in since my Flash fitting (more on this later).

Current WITB:

As I mentioned, I love hitting driver and testing them for my game.  I probably enjoy it a little too much if you consider the fact that I’ve changed three times in the last 2 years since I joined MGS.  It’s not that any of these drivers were terrible, I just gained something over the previous one each time I tested.  A list of my drivers since 2017 (all of them were fit in some capacity, either custom at my local shop, or at a range demo day):

·         Callaway GBB Epic

·         Ping G400 Max

·         Titleist TS2

Now that we’ve gotten ME out of the way, let’s talk about the Epic Flash!

First Impressions

This year, it’s all about Flash Face, a new club face that Callaway has employed a super computer to build.  It looks like a rainy day on the Doppler radar to me, but being someone who works in the tech industry, I believe in computers.  To quote Callaway directly, they’ve used AI and Machine learning to “give computer systems the ability to “learn” with data without being explicitly programmed.  Through Machine Learning our computers cycled through 15,000 face iterations, learning from each one, before arriving at Flash Face.” In layman’s terms, this means that they avoided having to physically build 15,000 versions of the driver to arrive at the final, most-optimal face.  If you think about it, that’s actually a pretty good idea if you’re trying to find the theoretical fastest driver face.

Having played the original iteration of the Epic, this is a familiar-looking design to me.  It has the same shiny-black crown that fades into a carbon fiber towards the back, and I love how open and lofty it looks – it really appears like it will have zero issues launching the ball.  What is missing are the small “bumps” on top that they collaborated with Boeing on to increase aerodynamics in their previous models.  Interesting in their quest to be the speediest, they left those out? Maybe it was marketing hype all along? On the bottom, they’ve shortened the adjustable weight track and painted it quite possibly the ugliest color combination I have ever seen.  I get it, yellow is fast, like a Lamborghini, but with that dark green? It’s not going to stop me from bagging it if it outperforms my current gamer, but I don’t know anyone outside of Wisconsin who would order this color combination if they had a whole color palette to choose from.  The face has some crazy high-tech mumbo jumbo going on with the crop-circle looking sweet spot that I’m not crazy for, but once I take it back it’s out of sight, out of mind.

The shaft I was fit into was the Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue 60 in stiff flex, tipped 1”.  I liked the feeling of this shaft in previous demos/fittings (it’s also offered as a no-charge upgrade in the TS line) but I always felt like it was a little whippy, and that always scares me into thinking I’m going to spray it all over the course.  My fitting was done at Aloha Golf Center here on Oahu, by a Certified Callaway Custom fitter, and he recommended we tip the shaft an inch after he frequency tested the one I had been swinging.  He also helped me a little bit on my swing path, which was 8* in-to-out at the time, and was able to get me to 3* with a pretty simple swing thought (thanks Joey!). I was swinging about 1* up and not presenting much loft, so he decided that 10.5* of loft would suit me best until I work on hitting up into the ball more.

My goal for this review is to provide my fellow spies with as much practical data as I can.  Launch monitors and raw data are great, but as a spy friend of mine once said – we play golf on a course, not a simulator.  I plan to leverage Arccos to help me see if there’s a measurable difference over my current gamer, and to put Flash Face through the paces while I hit balls out of every part of the club face (on purpose of course ).

[yungkory]

Callaway Epic Flash – Official MGS Forum Review by yungkory

Testing Results

After 11 rounds (63 shots) tracked using Arccos this past month, and a couple of range sessions, I can say that I am thoroughly impressed by Epic Flash.  I’m going to try to do my best to NOT sound like the biggest Callaway fanboy (I’m not) for the rest of this review, but this driver truly has me smiling from ear to ear.

 

Looks (9 out of 10 points)

The shape, to my eye, really looks like it’s ready to launch the ball at address.  It’s more stretched back compared to something like the pear-shaped TS3.  The graphics on top are very subtle and you almost can’t see them unless you’re in the sun.  I love the glossy look, the fade of the carbon fiber as you move to the perimeter is very sleek, and the subtle green/yellow outer paint is a nice little touch.  Combined with that simple Callaway Chervon sign for alignment, the driver looks phenomenal and not overly busy down by the ball.

However, the underside is a completely different story, and the only reason I didn’t give it a 10 for looks.  I know for some, it doesn’t matter much because you never see it, but it didn’t feel “right” to give it a perfect score if I thought there was room for improvement.  I was never a fan of the green/yellow colorway, it looks okay in moderation (like the pinstripes around the perimeter) but the amount of Green Bay Packer green and gold is just not my cup of tea.

From the back you can see more of the carbon weave which I still think looks great, and after 11 rounds the face has held up nicely as well.

Sound & Feel (8 out of 10 points)

There’s been a lot of discussion about the sound of the driver throughout this thread, with a lot of different opinions.  Since this is so subjective, it’s not hard to believe that each of us could totally hear a different sound.  To my ears, the sound is more of a “crack” than a metallic sound – like the difference between a wooden baseball bat and a metal one.  Of course, it still has a bit of a metal sound since it’s made of metal, but I think the carbon crown mutes it nicely and does a good job of changing the acoustics.  No one is going to snap their neck to look your way at the range, but your playing partners are going to know when you’ve struck the middle when it sings the national anthem of BOOMTOWN, USA.  Absolutely no issues with the sound for me.

 

The feel across the face – and believe that I’ve tested all parts of the face – is pretty soft overall.  It’s very easy for me to tell where on the face that I’ve hit it, and the sweet spot feels very springy letting you know immediately when you’ve middled one.  I like being able to tell where on the face I’m striking it because it helps me make slight adjustments mid-round.  It’s not Mizuno butter forged soft, but it’s just soft enough to not feel cheap, while still feeling like it’s firm enough to really send one deep.  I took points off because I was expecting something so “revolutionary” as Flash face to give me some different feelings, but it didn’t.

 

Basic Characteristics (20 out of 20 points)

Yes, I’m giving this driver a perfect score for this section.  Compared to my TS2 (which I sold after 2 rounds and one range session) this driver is higher, longer, and a ton more accurate.  I’ll admit that TS2 didn’t really stand a fair chance due to an ill-fitting shaft, but the results that I’ve gotten from Flash are enough to where I don’t even care to try anything else currently on the market – and that’s saying something coming from a driver ho.

Trajectory wise, it has a degree of loft more than my TS2 did, but the height difference seems MUCH higher than my previous driver.  I don’t hit up on the ball much, 1-2* on average, but I’m getting such a nice flight and the ball just seems to stay in the air forever now.

Workability isn’t really my “thing” as someone who floats between a 9-11 handicap, so I don’t have much to say on this.  Most of the time when I try to hit a cut with this driver, it just turns my draw straight.  As I mentioned in my stage 1, my swing path was 8* to the right when I went to my fitting, and with some help he got me to 3*. I’m not really one to try and fight my tendencies, and if I were really required to hit a cut, I’d reach for a fairway wood.

Accuracy is leaps and bounds improved over TS2.  According to Arccos I have hit 53.5% of fairways, and my average dispersion left to right is 22 yards.  Honestly, it feels like I’ve hit more than half of the fairways in the last 8 rounds that I’ve gamed this driver, but it’s hard to argue with the numbers.  I’m taking dead aim off the tee box and swinging completely free trusting that if I do my part, the driver is going to do its part.  I’ve lost one ball over my last 8 rounds off the tee since bagging Flash, one.  I made that one count though, I blocked it like 50 miles right into some beachy pine trees!

Distance on average is up, and my personal bests have been huge.  Arccos has my smart distance at 271 which is on par with what I’ve seen floating around the Internet when comparing swing speed to carry numbers.  This also ties into the forgiveness of the driver.  It feels like as long as you hit it somewhere on the face, you’re not punished too much.  My big miss is a low heel shot and even those are getting out ~250, and not missing fairway by much if at all.  They will have some shape to them, but they’re findable.

Adjustability is an option, but I haven’t tinkered with it much because it has just been working so well.  I’ve tested lowering the loft down to 9.5, but it feels like too low of a launch and I’m not getting an optimized carry.  Unfortunately,  I didn’t have any LM access to get numbers now that I’ve found my swing with driver, but during my fitting 10.5 was optimal for my club head speed and delivery conditions.  I’d rather let the driver do the work for me, rather than putting more effort into swinging up into the ball – even if it means I might squeak out a few more yards.

 

On-Course Performance (30 out of 30 points)

If you’ve been following the thread, you’ve probably already seen the success that I’ve had on course with this driver.  As I mentioned, average distance is up, and it has allowed me shorter clubs into greens where I play.   

Case in point, #1 at the muni we play most-often after work.  It’s about 300y depending where the tees are.  Normally I would play a draw off of the tree in the middle of the fairway because most often, I end up left of the bunker with about 50-60y left for my 2^nd.  One of the very first rounds with Flash in the bag, I nearly drove the green, left it about 4 feet short of the fringe. 

Same goes for the 4^th hole (#1 handicap) which plays all uphill and normally into the wind.  On my previous best drives I’d have around 150y remaining which is a stock 8i depending on how strong the winds are.  In my most recent round, I had a wedge left which is absolutely the shortest distance left between my last 3 drivers (OG Epic, Ping G400, and TS2) before Flash.   

Back to the overall performance, as I said distance is up, and dispersion has been great.  I fought a left miss with TS2 that I absolutely hated.  Now, my miss is right, and overall dispersion is actually pretty good at 23 yards IMO:

I give it an honest 30 points because there’s absolutely nothing – short of it actually hitting the ball for me – that I feel I could further ask from this driver.  I've always gotten along with Callaway drivers, but this has honestly been an improvement over the OG Epic for me, even with a stock no-charge shaft.  The only thing I would change about this driver would be the color scheme, but that's very superficial and wouldn't keep me from purchasing this if I were in the market for a new driver.  One thing I do wonder though, is why they took out the "Boeing" speed step thingys?  I mentioned it in Stage 1, but I still don't have an answer. I think they helped further frame the ball at address and help setup to target.  I haven't seen an overall improvement of scores since bagging the Flash, but it's mostly because I forgot how to hit an iron after falling for this club.

Miscellaneous (5 out of 10 points)

I do have one negative thing to say about the club, and it was during the building/shipping part of the test.  As I mentioned in my Stage 1, I was custom fit but told the fitter I could only select from the no-charge options.  In the end he decided I should tip the Tensei an inch and that was the order that MGS put in.  However, when it arrived, it was the wrong shaft that was tipped.  It took another 10 days or so to get the correct shaft, but it wasn't trimmed from the tip.  Could it be because they're assembled in Mexico?  Not sure, but it was off-putting, especially since it put the mods through some more work to get the correct club for me to test.

 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20 points)

The TS2 was replaced within week 2 of my testing.  The maximum distance isn't much further than TS2, but the consistency of distance is up, and dispersion tighter.  Whether or not that is due to Flash Face isn't something I have been able to deduce, but I'll just let the numbers speak for themselves.  I think this driver could benefit anyone who doesn't hit too much up, or down on the ball, but has a relatively-flat AoA due to the mid-spin characteristics I saw in my fitting and throughout testing.  Even if you're not a "high" spin player, I think the Epic Flash is 100% worthy of a test during your fitting.  The price is right in line with most other OEM's, and their selection of no-charge shafts should cover all types of swings.

 

Conclusion

The Epic Flash is no joke of a driver.  I can't specifically test and validate Flash Face because I'm a human and can't hit every millimeter of the face, but as a whole this driver is a beast.  I have no doubt in my mind that once I find the rest of my game again, that this driver will play a key role in me getting my cap down

Final Score: (92 out of 100 points)

[edingc]

Hello, everyone! I’d like to start by thanking MyGolfSpy and Callaway for this opportunity. As a longtime reader of MGS and the forums, I’m pleased to be able to contribute back to this awesome community.

I’m a 30-year-old hacker who has whacked around golf balls for as long as I can remember. I grew up on a large farm, often grabbing my father’s old clubs to take aim at objects in the yard. Although I played baseball in high school, I spent a lot of time with friends on the golf course once I earned my driver’s license.

I have never taken formal lessons. I golfed often throughout college, breaking 90 once. I met my wife at the end of college, and we moved away from our home state of Michigan for work in 2013. We spent time in Wyoming and New Mexico before returning home to Michigan in 2017. I played very little golf during our four years away.

Last spring, I played in a charity scramble for my work. It was one of the most humiliating golf days of my life. I was the only member of my foursome with any golfing experience, but I played awfully. Tops, shanks, the works. After, I decided I either needed to sell my clubs and give up golf completely, or commit to getting better.

I spent months working on my swing through YouTube videos and many, many practice swings. I have played five nine-hole rounds since October 2018, shooting 49, 46, 45, 42 and 43 on very wet courses and sub-50 degree days. Eighteen holes is a rarity for me. Our dog, a house always in need of fixing and a 675-square-foot vegetable garden stretch my summers plenty thin. I’m thankful for an understanding and golf-playing wife, of course.

I have never been more than an average player when playing well. The strength of my game at the moment is my course and mental strategy. The last three rounds of mine have been some of the best golf of my life.

Driver has always been an issue and is the worst club in my bag. Although I have been practicing the SuperSpeed protocols with my homemade sticks, the speed increases have not yet permanently transferred to my actual driver swing. I lack confidence in the driver and it shows in my erratic results with it on the course. 

Right now, I sit comfortably between 97-100 MPH with the driver in cold weather. As the videos show, I currently am fighting a backswing sway that manifests as a forward move/over the top/casting sequence in the downswing.
 
I had purchased a new old stock Cobra F6 from eBay this winter, but only played two rounds with it. My testing of the Epic Flash will be without direct comparison to another club.

I had never been fit for any of the clubs in my bag or hit a single shot on any launch monitor prior to this opportunity. For this testing, I was fitted at The Golf Emporium in Rockford, Michigan, using a Flightscope.

On this particular day I struggled with nerves and an unrepeatable swing. My angle of attack was very steep, and my Flightscope results looked the part of an early season swing. That influenced my fitting into the HZRDUS Smoke 6.0 60 gram shaft. The Smoke is a low-spin option meant to help offset the steepness of my swing.

(If Jack “The Hammer” Hamm influenced Callaway’s marketing...)

For me, the name Epic Flash and the green/yellow color scheme screams “comic book hero.” This baby certainly looks the part! It is gorgeous!

Callaway’s selling point for the Epic Flash is that the driver face is the first created with artificial intelligence. According to the marketing material, Callaway’s computers iterated through more than 15,000 face prototypes before settling on the production design.

It arrived on spec at 45.5 inches long and at D4 swingweight.

Forgetting the technology for a moment, two little things really stuck out to me when the Epic Flash arrived on my doorstep.

As someone who orders a lot of things over the internet, I appreciate the minimalist shipping box Callaway used (pictured below next to the shipping box for my Wilson C300 irons). The subtle branding makes the box less of a target for package thieves.

A second small, but awesome detail. An easily-removable UPC on the shaft. No Goo Gone necessary. Little things like this really show the thought put into these drivers.

I work in information technology, so I’m a sucker for all things computers. I’m very excited to see how the Flash Face technology benefits my game. I am plagued by inconsistent ball striking, putting me smack dab in the middle of Callaway’s AI-driven demographic.

(Don't hate me for the iron headcovers. These clubs spend a lot of time being thrown in and out of my trunk. I hate bag chatter.)

This is my first driver with an adjustable weight track. The Epic Flash features a 16-gram weight. As my first Callaway, it is also my first experience with the Optifit system. Forever a tinkerer, I am very interested to see how I can use those things to my advantage.

The arrival of the Epic Flash coincided perfectly with spring finally arriving. I purchased both a range and course membership, so this summer should be spectacular! I'm looking forward to putting this beauty through its paces and reporting back. I was also invited back to The Golf Emporium to grab some launch monitor numbers later this summer.

Honestly, given my past struggles the Epic Flash doesn’t need to do much to earn a spot in my bag. I am excited to see if this club can give me the confidence I desire from the tee box and to see if the Flash Face technology lives up to its hype.

(PS: Early indicators are positive!)

[edingc]

Stage Two - The Review 6/3/2019

Callaway Epic Flash Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by edingc

The results are in! 

I’ve had a wonderful spring season testing the Callaway Epic Flash, and I’m now the guy at the range who empties almost an entire bucket with the driver. Since getting my hands on this beauty, I’ve played 10 rounds of golf and hit several hundred range balls. I’ve tried two different stock option shafts, and I had my first ever Trackman experience to look at some launch monitor numbers.

Again, a huge thank you goes out to Callaway and MyGolfSpy for the awesome testing opportunity. I hope my reviews and insight have been helpful for everyone.

So, did the Epic Flash and its much-hyped “Flash Face” AI-driven face technology live up to expectations?

Looks

Looks are always subjective, but to me the Epic Flash is an extremely beautiful club. The general shape of the head is very pleasing, and the club doesn’t look too large or elongated despite its volume. The crown is stunning. I prefer a more matte finish, but the faded-in carbon fiber crown adds just enough depth from the top-down view. From above, the club is very subdued and not a shiny mass. I felt confident when looking down at the driver.

The bottom of the club is much more busy with more emphasis on color and lines. I don’t have a problem with this at all, but choosing such a polarizing color scheme is a big head scratcher. Offering a more basic scheme (a la the Ping G410’s beautiful combo of red, black and gray) would have been been a better choice for mass appeal. 

The adjustable weight track is nestled into the rear bottom of the club and works well within the overall shape of the head. The stock MCC Align grip with the green alignment rib continues the green color scheme.

I enjoy the flashiness (no pun intended!) and don’t see any reason to penalize the club’s score in this category much for it.

Score: 9 (out of 10 points)

Sound and Feel

The sound is arguably the most polarizing aspect of the Epic Flash based on feedback I’ve read around the internet. To be honest, I didn’t notice the sound until reading other comments in this thread. Below is the video I made several weeks ago comparing the Epic Flash to a few other drivers I had available to test.

The sound to me is very metallic, which I’ve discovered is a sound many do not enjoy. I don’t notice the sound at all in open spaces like the driving range. In tighter spaces, such as a few tree-lined tee boxes on my home course, the sound is much easier to notice as it echos off of the surrounding objects.

As far as feel goes, I’ve never hit a driver that has felt so effortlessly explosive. As we’ve all mentioned in our updates, a good swing just launches the ball down the fairway. Callaway also has done a great job of allowing the club to provide adequate feedback on mishits despite the new face technology. I have a tendency for heel hits, and you most definitely know when you miss the sweet spot.

After a while, the sound grows on you. It never detracted much from my opinion of the club. And when the feel and results are so good, you stop caring about how it sounds.

Realistically, the club scores 10 for feel and six for sound. I’ve split the difference here. 

Score: 8 (out of 10 points)
 
Basic Characteristics
 
The Epic Flash features a wide array of adjustability, loft options and stock shaft choices to fit a range of players.

I have a very steep out-to-in swing that I’m constantly working to correct, so during my initial fitting I was fit into the HZRDUS Smoke 6.0 shaft, the lowest spinning stock option. Through further experimentation on the range, I found turning the head down to 9.5 degrees from the stock 10.5 degree setting resulted in better ball flight for me.

When I’m swinging well with the Epic Flash I get a predictable baby fade/cut. With other drivers, this was often a big slice even on my better swings.

A few weeks ago I went for a Trackman fitting to confirm my original specifications, which I detailed in an update.

Based on my swing at the moment, having the OptiFit adapter in draw position is a must. I may also look into grabbing a HZRDUS Yellow 6.0 shaft, one of the no upcharge options, based on the results of that fitting. 

Throughout my many range sessions I tinkered with both the hosel and weight positions and they definitely influence ball flight, even for a higher handicapper like myself. As I mentioned above, having the hosel and weight in the draw positions help me to play a baby fade rather than a slice.

The Flash Face technology is where the Epic Flash shines the most. At most, a poorly-struck shot lost 10-15 yards carry. And while I’m not the most accurate of drivers, the Epic Flash kept me within reasonable distance of the fairway on even some of my worst swings.

The biggest surprise for me was how much I enjoy the stock MCC Align grip. The ribbed grip makes it easy to ensure correct club face alignment every swing. I was certain I would hate the grip when I first received the club.

I also tried the Epic Flash Sub Zero head for fun during my fittings, but even that could not prevent overspinning my drives with my steep swing. Goes to show that even the best technology can’t overcome a bad swing! All together, the Epic Flash is a beast. 

Score: 19 (out of 20 points)

On Course Performance

I played seven of my 10 testing rounds at my “home” course, which features many narrow fairways lined with trees. I opted to hit driver on every hole that wasn’t a par 3, which works out to be 15 of the 18 holes. I’m glad I played aggressively because it allowed the Epic Flash to shine.

I tracked my rounds on GAME Golf to give me an accurate estimation of driving distance. What I found astounded me - my best drives carried 235-240 yards! In previous years, I could not have dreamed of seeing that kind of carry distance.

(A note about carry/total distance: Almost all of my shots this spring have been carry with little or no rollout due to extremely wet conditions. Forecast looks like we may finally get some drier weather soon.)

The Epic Flash was a monster on several holes this spring. The fourth hole at my home course is a shorter, but tight dogleg right. I had several great results on this hole, playing a beautiful baby fade right around the dogleg, leaving me a wedge into the green multiple times. During one of my last rounds I hit the heel on this particular hole. The Epic Flash still kept the ball in a playable position and the distance allowed me to hit a low runner under trees to get to the green. Outstanding!

At around 6,200 yards, my home course isn’t long by any means. However, thanks to my improved distance, I’ve eliminated having to hit several clubs from my bag. On many of the shorter holes, I can now hit driver and a wedge to reach the green. For example, hole five is a straight-away par 4. I fire away with the Epic Flash and leave a little flip wedge from within 75 yards.  

Comparing myself to a model 15 handicap (roughly what I am), GAME Golf’s Insights feature shows that driving is currently the strongest part of my game. 

I shot my first sub-40 nine holes ever with the Epic Flash in my bag, and my “good” scores have trended into the low 40s this spring. I have broken 90 three times so far this year. The last time I broke 90 was during college in 2009 when I played three or four times a week! I know the Epic Flash is a big contributor to my successes so far this season.

Score: 30 (out of 30 points)
 
Miscellaneous 
 
I only played two rounds with other people during my testing. During one round with my father-in-law, he remarked how much better and farther I was hitting my driver compared to last year. I let my brother-in-law tee off with the Epic Flash during another round, and all he could say after a single swing was, “That felt so good.”

Callaway nailed my submitted specifications, and they got the driver to me quickly and packaged well. The included wrench works as expected. 

I love the head cover. The shape makes it much easier to get on/off than the sock-style headcovers I’ve had in the past. And despite its white color scheme, it has not yet picked up much, if any, dirtiness from being put on the ground during range sessions and while on the tee box. Major kudos to Callaway for such a great accessory.

Durability has been good so far. I have hit a few shots where I was sure there would be an “idiot mark” on the crown, but the paint has held up well with no major visual blemishes to note.
 
Score: 10 (out of 10 points)

Play it or Trade it?

The Epic Flash has done wonders for my game. When my swing is right, it’s an absolute beast. And when my swing isn’t right, the Epic Flash packs in so much forgiveness that I can still have reasonable second shots.

I will also continue to monitor my shaft situation as I work on my swing to see if something like the HZRDUS Yellow would be a good purchase for my game.

I’m by no means a low-handicapper, but with the Epic Flash in my hands I feel like I’m going to hit the fairway more often than not. I would recommend this driver to anyone who wants the utmost in forgiveness, but also wants to be rewarded for hitting it in the center of the club face. I would expect the Epic Flash to work for a wide range of golfers because of the lethal combo of distance and forgiveness.

Like almost every other competing driver, the Epic Flash is priced around the $500 mark ($529.99). If you’re in the market for a new driver in 2019, definitely be sure to check out this Callaway offering. The uniqueness of the Flash Face technology definitely sets it apart from the other brands at this price point.

Score: 20 (out of 20 points)

Conclusion

I mentioned in my stage one review I was searching for a driver that would give me confidence even when I wasn’t swinging my best. The Callaway Epic Flash exceeded my expectations in this regard. Hitting my driver is fun again. Even my mishits fly further and straighter than they have in the past. And the club feels so darn smooth.

Callaway took a huge step forward with the Flash Face technology. The ability to maintain ball speeds on mishits will benefit every golfer regardless of handicap. Having the wonderfully-designed OptiFit hosel and a sliding weight that actually impacts ball flight adds to the awesomeness of the club.

We’ve had exceptionally wet weather in Michigan so far this year. I’m very excited to see how the Epic Flash continues to impress me as the courses dry out and as I continue to improve. I will be sure to keep this thread updated as the season progresses.

If you’re looking to purchase a new driver this golf season, the Callaway Epic Flash should be on the top of your “must try” list.

Final Score: 96 (out of 100 points)
 

[sirchunksalot]

Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero Official Member Review

April 9, 2019

Before I get started, I want to thank MyGolfSpy and Callaway Golf for the opportunity to test the 2019 Most Wanted Driver, the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero. This is a big test and I'm humbled you put your faith in me.

I'm very fortunate to have been a tester before in the SuperSpeed review, and if you'd like to know more about me, you can check that out here:

[/url] Also, for anyone wanting to follow along on Twitter, you can find me @tngolfhacker.

 

Since joining MyGolfSpy, my bag has seen a major overhaul. I'm now swinging a Ping G400 LST driver with an Alta CB 55 regular flex shaft. I've updated my irons to Cobra F8's with True Temper XP 90 regular flex shafts 5-GW. Finally, I bought a Bridgestone Tour B XW1 56 wedge to round out the set. All of these choices were influenced by the reviews done by the members of this forum. Thank you for the excellent jobs each and every one of you did. You definitely made a lasting impression on me.

 

How would I describe my game? If I had to use only one word, it would be average. My Arccos handicap is currently at 23.1 with a driving handicap of 23.8. I swing the driver 94.6 mph, which I hope to see an increase in soon, since I just finished the level 3 protocol of SuperSpeed.

 

I don't have one particular thing that I really excel at, my game is just hit the ball and hope it goes near where I'm aiming. If I had to pick one thing I'm decent at, then I would say 3 wood off the deck. I'm not able to reach a par 5 in 2, but it's not from a lack of trying. I still struggle to hit greens in regulation on par 4's, but the chances to go up significantly with anything less than a 7 iron.

Weaknesses, you ask? That would be the short game. My chipping used to be good, but lately I've been hesitant to really go at it and find myself short of the hole and left with longer putts. I average 40 putts a round and I feel that I need to work on this in order to have better rounds.

 

I love having driver in my hands, it's not so much confidence as it is knowing that a good shot gives me a better chance to go low. I will hit driver on every hole I can, even if I know a shorter club is the smart thing to do. I hit it high, and can miss the fairway equally on both sides. I hit slices to the right, and either pull or pull hook it to the left.

I'm a self taught golfer, and it shows. Most of my knowledge of the golf swing I've learned either by reading or watching YouTube.

The day the Callaway arrived I was doing SuperSpeed in the back yard. I heard the truck pull up and immediately ran to the driveway to greet the UPS driver. It was excruciating to hold off opening it until I went back and finished my session. I did, however, take it to the back yard and let it encourage me in my quest to get faster. Upon opening the box, I noticed it was packaged well and in pristine condition.

The Golf Pride Align grip is a nice touch, I'm hoping it will help me to be more consistent when it comes to hand position. Bonus points for really complementing my Arccos

While I didn't get properly fit for my current driver, I did for this one. I had hit the Ping G400 LST on a couple of occasions and liked the sound, feel, and performance. I was surprised when I got fitted for the Callaway that my fitter (Golf Headquarters) put me in the Project X Even Flow Green 55 shaft in stiff flex. I wasn't expecting stiff, but the fitter wanted to go with it in order to help my dispersion. [/url]

This is the first driver I've had that incorporates a sliding weight on the head to promote either a draw or fade, plus the OptiFit hosel will adjust both loft and to promote either a draw or fade bias. I'm definitely going to experiment with this in order to find my optimum settings and work to take one side of the fairway out of play.

 

The big technology Callaway is touting this year is all in the face of the club. Flash Face! Basically, the engineers taught a supercomputer how to design a clubface that will promote faster ball speed all across the face and to thin out the center of the face to make it faster. According to Callaway, the computer ran non-stop for 4 weeks going through 15,000 designs before coming up with the finished product. Plus, the Epic Flash line is still equipped with their Jailbreak technology which stabilizes the crown and sole to put more of the load on the face, which makes it more efficient.

 

Other than an Odyssey putter, I've never gamed a Callaway. When I went for my iron fitting, one of the sets that I tested were the Rogues, and they were awesome! They were neck and neck with the Cobra F8's, but the Cobra's were more budget friendly, had Arccos, and were excellently reviewed here on the forum.

 

So, is Flash Face just Artificial intelligence or true genius? This enquiring mind wants to know. I plan on putting this club through the wringer by doing a bunch of course testing, driving range work, and hitting up the launch monitor to see if it's longer, straighter, and faster than my current gamer.

 

Stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sirchunksalot]

 

Stage 2 Official Review 6/2/2019

Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero by sirchunksalot

It's been a joy and an honor to have been selected as a reviewer for the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero driver. Thank you MyGolfSpy and to everyone who's followed along and been active in this conversation.

 

In what could be considered The Year of the Driver, what makes the Callaway a worthy winner of the Most Wanted Driver of 2019? I was lucky enough to find out along with a phenomenal group of testers to see what the Epic Flash line is all about.

 

For this test, I really wanted to see if this driver was as long and accurate as they claimed. I wanted to know if the technology would perform as described, and if the Flash Face was a breakthrough or another flash in the pan. After 12 range sessions, 13 rounds, and hitting driver on 127 holes, here's what I think.

 

Looks

 

The Sub Zero looks amazing at address, the dark coloring with the subtle lines at the front and back of the head give it a nice touch. I really like the bold Callaway chevron that they chose to add as an alignment aid as it basically says to me "Your ball is going this way". I love the carbon fiber on the back portion of the crown, it's barely noticeable looking down at it, but I think up close it gives a nice contrast.

 

 

I like the graphics on the face of the club that give the impression of a bullseye, it really gives an accurate idea of where the ball struck after the swing or when using spray powder.

 

 

The Golf Pride Align grip that is half white and half black pairs well with the Project X Even Flow Green shaft to really coordinate the colors looking down at the club. I do regret not knowing that the logo on the shaft would be facing down, as having it up would have been absolutely beautiful.

 

 

What I'm not too fond of is the color combination that Callaway decided to go with for the bottom of the club, green and yellow. I can't say that I associate these colors with Epic, Flash, or Sub Zero. I more associate them with exit signs (Right turn here), the Andon board at work, and the Green Bay Packers. I'm married to a woman from the Chicago area, so that's a no go like the Florida Gators or Alabama Crimson Tide colors for a guy from Tennessee.

 

Looks (8/10)

 

Sound and Feel

 

My first experience with the sound of the Sub Zero was in a hitting bay at my fitting and it was LOUD. Getting out on the range, the sound was more muted but still a little louder than I like. Coming from a Ping G400 LST, which produced a nice, muted crack I found that I wasn't exactly in love with the sound the Callaway was producing. On some hits, it sounded a little tinny to me. Once I put spray powder on it I noticed a heel bias to my hits and that might have been a culprit in the higher pitched ting I was hearing. Now the sound is better to my ears, but it's not the auditory nirvana of the Ping.

 

When struck in the sweet spot, the Callaway feels like the ball isn't even there: it's gold. On off center hits, the driver head feels just a little stiff. My thought is the two bars that Callaway uses, their Jailbreak technology, it stabilizes the head and that makes it feel more rigid. The G400 had more of a feel that the ball was mashing into the face and it felt like you could feel the trampoline effect.

 

To the Callaway's credit, I've only had one shot that felt completely horrible. I was on the 250 yard par 4 12th hole at Waterville and hit a couple of shots to see if I could reach the green and hit one well on the heel and it stung. Other than that, I really like the feel. I can definitely tell where I've contacted the face and they managed to not really punish my hands with vibrating feedback on heel or toe biased hits. The overall feel is just not quite as good as what the Ping brings to the table, but it's not offensive.

 

Sound and Feel (8/10)

 

Basic Characteristics

 

For me, the Epic Flash Sub Zero is a high launching machine, paired with the Project X Even Flow Green shaft it really his the ball high. I believe in the adage "hit it high and let it fly". There's a hole at one of the courses I play, Chatata Valley, that the 5th hole requires either a fade or a shot over the trees to be in good position on the fairway and I'm not afraid to try to fly them. I'm not that good at shaping shots, so I pretty much let what my swing is doing that day dictate what I do. I have seen that the driver can move the ball in both directions, but this guy can't do it on command.

 

If you were to look at my driving stats, you wouldn't be too impressed with my accuracy. I miss more left than I hit the fairway. I've been playing a tight course for most of the test with a lot of fairways between 20 and 25 yards wide. I've been pleased to see smaller misses on average than with any other driver I've gamed, I'm still getting shots from just off the short grass that still have a line to advance.

This driver hits bombs! I've had a personal best (271) and several over 250. It's also pretty forgiving on shots on the heel and toe, it seems like the toe loses less distance than the heel. A good toe shot has given me drives in the 240-250 range, the heel has delivered shots 225-235. High and low strikes seem to lose more distance, bringing drives below 200 yards.

 

This is the first driver I've had that has both an adjustable hosel and a sliding weight. It's easy to tweak the settings, just loosen the bolt on the head, turn the adjustments where you want, put the head back on, and tighten. The sliding weight is as simple as loosening, sliding, and tightening.

 

I've played with the settings, adjusting both the sliding weight and the hosel into extreme draw positions and lowering the loft to nine degrees. My current setting is neutral, 10.5 degrees, with the sliding weight 1/3 of the way into draw.

 

I have more confidence in my driving than I have in years. I don't play in tournaments, but in games with my friends I have no doubt that I'm going to go home with the bragging rights.

 

There's really nothing with this driver that I can think of that they can do to improve on it.

Basic Characteristics (20/20)

 

On Course Performance

 

Coming into this test, I had just recently bought a new Ping G400 LST and seriously had doubts that Callaway had made a driver that could outperform the matte black beauty I was sporting on the course.

 

I'm not afraid to admit when I'm wrong.

 

The Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero performs. I'm hitting longer drives than ever, I've hit my four longest drives EVER since putting it in the bag. I'm hitting less club into greens, a lot of holes it's driver then a wedge. Granted, I've played a shorter course than normal for most of my rounds just for the simple fact it's a tighter driving track. I will say I'm hitting fewer fairways, but the misses are smaller than usual. In fact, I also shot my lowest round ever (89) with the Sub Zero. I only hit 4/13 fairways, but all of my drives left me with good looks to advance my second shots toward the green. If I hadn't drove my tee shot down the middle of the fairway on 3 and into the creek, my score would have been better.

 

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that every shot was perfect, but going into this test I was struggling with some swing flaws (pulls, pull hooks, pop ups) that have been plaguing me, but this driver wants to hit the ball straight.

 

Callaway has always been a brand that I respected. I almost bought a set of the Rogue irons back in October, but the Cobra F8's performed as good as them. Plus, given the fact they received rave reviews here on the forum, they went in the bag.

 

As far as this driver goes, I think Callaway has hit the bullseye with Jailbreak, Flash Face, and the Opti-fit hosel. I don't know how they can improve on what they did this year, but if they do, it's going to be a beast!

 

Statistically, I'm only shooting about 1.25 strokes better a round with this driver. Looking at my Arccos stats, you'll see that both my overall and driving handicaps have gone down and my chipping and approach have gone up. Good drives can only do so much when you're shanking, chunking, and blading shots when it comes to improving scores. But, the Epic Flash Sub Zero is putting me into positions, if taken advantage of, that will help me score lower.

 

On Course Performance (30/30)

 

Miscellaneous

 

When it comes to the big picture, Callaway almost hit every major detail to make this a perfect club for me. In life, sometimes the small things can make or break a good impression. So, how did Callaway do with the more minor details?

 

It was packaged well, I didn't notice any blemishes on the head, shaft, or grip. They sent along a wrench, an instruction booklet, and a headcover. A couple of things about the headcover, it's a little bigger than the one for my G400 and still had the look of the Jamaican bobsled team. In fact, when I took it out of the package I tossed it at my wife while shouting "Cool Runnings!".

One of the things I really love about what Callaway did with this club was to offer the Golf Pride Align grip standard. I know I mentioned it earlier, but I just love how good this grip goes with the club.

 

For the majority of this test I've played solo after work or been paired with another golfer. Getting to play with my normal buddies after several rounds was great, they're not used to seeing me hit bombs. Their reaction was priceless when I sent my first drive 253.

Miscellaneous  (9/10)

 

Play It or Trade It

 

My original plan was to play this club for about three rounds to get to know it and then compare it in alternating shots with the Ping. After those three rounds the only time I have hit my Ping was to do the sound comparison video and one drive on the course. I guess you could say the Callaway is firmly in the bag. I can't deny the fact that my driving stats are better with the Sub Zero leading off. I'm still not hitting fairways as well as I would like, but considering my swing has been a mess it puts me in better positions to score.

 

I was initially worried the better player tag that's associated with the Sub Zero line would be a problem with my playing ability, but it's been both long and forgiving. I'm hitting longer drives and definitely have more confidence off the tee.

 

I know it's the new normal, but the price point of $549 is a bit steep. Would I have bought this driver knowing beforehand how good it works for me? Without a doubt. I am a believer that if this driver can help a high handicapper like me that it can benefit all golfers with at least moderate skills. It's definitely found a home in my bag.

 

Play It or Trade It (20/20)

Conclusion

 

Callaway has got a winner with the Epic Flash Sub Zero. It delivers distance and forgiveness, even for a hacker like me. It's not quite perfect, as the sound and color combination are not the best. It's not horrible in either respect, but could use a bit of tweaking. But, man, does it perform! I've shot my lowest round ever and also hit the four longest drives of my life. Flash Face is legit, I'm not the most consistent ball striker, but I'm seeing better performance on my mis-hits. Anyone looking for a new driver should definitely put it on their list of clubs to try.

 

Final Score (95/100)

 

 

[THEZIPR23]

          

Thank you, MGS and Callaway, for selecting me to test the Epic Flash Sub Zero  2019 most wanted winner! It is an incredible honor to be selected. I have never been so nervous to win anything in my life but super stoked to put this driver through the paces. To all my fellow spies, I will put all my effort into bringing you a review that will bring insight into the actual use of the driver and how it might fit into your game.

          My name is Ryan, I live in Fresno, California with my wife (of 19 years, and our two amazing children, Addison (16) and Thomas (13). 

We also have four dogs. They are all amazing and allow me to have golf as a main focus in my life (my family not the dogs). For those of you unfamiliar with Fresno. It is located almost smack dab in the middle of the state. Just over 2 hours and I can drive to the coast or to Yosemite. As with most of California you can play year-round, we will get very hot during the summer, but all of this has allowed me to  play a lot of golf and at many great courses. I am a Controller at an almond processor and other than the commute, it is a great job.  In between work and home is play, or a golf course in my case. My home club is located on the way home from work. It is a private club consisting of almost exclusively farmers. The membership has had better years but it is still hanging tough. With fewer members it means fantastic pace of play. Saturday 9 am tee time and its 3 hours 15 minutes. Since it is on my way home from work, I play frequently. It’s not unheard of for me to play 5 times a week.

            I played my first round of this great game at the age of 13. I knew so much about golf in general that upon arriving at my ball in the fairway I went searching though my bag for a tee. That’s what I did on the first shot why wouldn’t I on the second? . I shot 99 on the par 68 that day and really should’ve never left the golf course. Instead I played basically everything but golf. Golf wasn’t cool, but mainly it was baseball that got in the way. Baseball is my first love and with it being the same season as golf, golf took a backseat. I probably played a dozen or so rounds between 13 and 18. I can still remember it to this day, standing on the diamond of my junior college team, it was during infield practice and I decided I didn’t want to put in the effort to play anymore ball. I went straight from the field to the golf course and haven’t looked back since. 3 months later I made that same Junior College’s golf team. Quick story about the quality golfer I was then. Our first tournament standing on the first tee, I was with the first threesome off. All 3 teams were all gathered watching. I was so nervous I could barely hold the club. I hit 4 balls off that tee. The first two went a combined 20 yards and hit the pro shop, located pretty much right behind me, the third one OB left, the fourth was destined for the same spot until it somehow bounced the opposite direction, it was in play and I couldn’t run fast enough off the tee. I made a 12 and shot 89.

(left side is pre lesson, right side is post lesson.)

As you can see, I hit the ball to all fields, just like on the diamond. Miss is either a block or a pull hook. Even with that, my driver is my weapon. I play par 5’s in under par, and if I have to hit a shot on a particular line off the tee, 99% of the time it will be with driver regardless of distance needed.

I have bored you enough with me now let’s move to the good stuff. I have had the privilege of hitting all 3 versions of Callaway’s JailBreak technology drivers. The epic was good but the mishits were punished. The Rouge was a definite improvement in that category. So, what can AI and Flash Face add to JailBreak. Is it the magical combination of both? I was fit for my current gamer by Club Champion, my swing being as it was prior to my lesson I was forced to play very heavy clubs my entire life. If they weren’t heavy, they would go left and keep turning left. Pretty sure if I played in space, I could hit the ball in a full circle. My irons for example are D9.

My instructor fit me for the Flash and we decided that as I have and continue to rebuild my swing, I can keep a lighter club on the planet. So, I was fit for a 10.5* with the PROJECT X HZRDUS SMOKE 60 X-Stiff,

it is turned down a degree and the weight is all the way in the toe. Lighter equals faster for me. With the swing changes and the lighter club, I have seen almost a 10 mph increase in club head speed. Prior to January 98.5 was where I was at. During the fitting I was between 107-108, with ball speeds hitting 163, now if I just knew where the club face was. I wish I had the actual report however during the fitting the internet and computer crashed. I am super excited to see how all this translates to the golf course. It really doesn’t mean much unless you can stand on the 18th tee knowing that a perfect drive will win you the match and then being able to execute it.

I had hit the Flash prior to receiving it, but for those of you who haven’t seen it the colors are that bright. Not really my cup of tea but results are what truly matter. The top line is just beautiful though. They moved the crescent on top more towards the middle compared to the Rouge. Which I am still undecided about. It is one of the few drivers that at address doesn’t sit closed to my eye. It sits very square and screams hit me. In comparing the shapes of the Rouge and the Flash, the Flash appears smaller and taller. The carbon top is one of my favorite looks and this one doesn’t disappoint.

 

Callaway employed a super computer to design the perfect face. 15,000 different faces were created, what would have taken 34 years on this PC, to find the right one. Did it work? Is it faster than humanly possible? Does the sliding weight add to ball control? Does the new carbon crown deliver more forgiveness? Or are all these claims just part of the never-ending marketing machine that is equipment manufacturers?

Whatever the answers are I am super stoked to find out. With my schedule as it is, I will be spending extensive time on the range (something I’ve never done) to unearth these answers. I am very curious to see work ability and how the sliding weight changes the dynamics of the club. Of course, there will be many rounds played as well, it will even get some tournament play as the season is about to kick off in earnest.

 

Let me know if there is anything specific you would like to see. 

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[THEZIPR23]

I would like to thank MGS and Callaway for the opportunity to test the Epic Flash Sub Zero, it is my first testing opportunity and a fun and enjoyable process. I was able to get in 24 rounds and multiple range sessions since the club arrived. Hosel adjustments and the adjustable perimeter weighting were tested in almost all positions (I didn’t test in max loft with weight in full fade position). The results will speak for themselves.

 

LOOKS

    I was able to get my hands on the driver well before it was released to the public through our local Callaway rep and my first thought was gawd that is a terrible combination. I still feel this way about the color combination. It is just not my cup of tea, in fact the headcover was described by someone at my club as an ugly paint can. Luckily my Dodger blue cover replaces this, it is just paint fill after all and pretty easily changeable if you desire, or for some more coin Callaway can do it for you.

 

The colors aside the rest of the club is gorgeous. The carbon crown is glorious and transitions beautifully to the face. The crescent on the top helps with overall alignment and the deeper face screams bomb me at address. Durability is normal. There are a few scratches on the face, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Score: 8 out of 10

 

Sound and Feel

    I have always been unbiased by sound and feel. Don’t get me wrong they add to a club, but I am strictly performance based. If it works, I don’t care about sound or feel. The first time I hit the Flash it left a ringing in my ears. My first thought was wow that was something. Of course, it was with range rocks so it was a different sound than I would hear playing. The sound has grown on me so much so that I don’t even notice it. It is definitely high pitched and tingy and extremely different from the previous gamer.

 

Score: 6 out of 10

Basic Characteristics

    When I got fit, I was not swinging great but the CHS and ball speed numbers were fantastic. My instructor/fitter told me I am not going to put you in a different shaft to help with dispersion at the cost of ball speed. Well, he was right, first drive I hit on the course was in the fairway at 299. 

I would bottle that one and hit it on every hole if I could. 

    As you know Callaway employed AI to create the face of the Epic Flash in order to increase ball speed and I can say without a doubt it worked! I have been consistently achieving distances that I reached when I was 25 (I am 42 now). But that distance doesn’t just equate to perfect swings. Where the Flash really shines is off center hits. There is always some distance drop off when not struck sweetly but not anything I have seen with any other driver. My low range stats show that I am longer on mishits than I was on average with my previous gamer. Let me repeat that; I AM LONGER ON THE BOTTOM RANGE THAN PREVIOUS GAMER WAS IN MIDDLE RANGE. 17 yards on low range, 11 yards on smart range and 4 yards on high range. Just incredible!

It is not like my gamer was old either it was a Rogue Sub Zero. So, from one generation of driver I have seen a huge increase across the board. 

    Distance and forgiveness are part of the equation but accuracy and how all three combines to performance when the pressure gets ratcheted up are really what I look for in a driver. If you read my stage one you know left is death for me, it has always been, and probably always be the miss that gets me in trouble. The first tourney I played in with the Flash was at Del Monte GC, the ninth hole is a par 5 with OB left. In order to have any shot at the green you have to hit it down the left side. Standing on the tee box I picked out a tree on the left that is about 3 yards from OB and against my better judgement I trusted it. The results were close to perfection. The ball went exactly where I wanted to, no left, very little side spin. The Flash comes through again. 

My fairway accuracy is actually down a little compared to the Rogue but the majority of that comes from me not knowing where to actually start the ball to take in to account the lack of side spin and overall distance I am getting. The lack of side spin does lead to a little bit lack of workability. I am still able to move the ball some but not near as much as I have been able to with previous drivers. This is both good and bad, while the spin negates some workability it in turns leads to an overall straighter ball flight. With the perimeter weighting track, it is easy to adjust the ball flight on any given day to suit your needs of that course. The track is also placed in such a way that for me, the flight moved significantly with just the tiniest of adjustments. 

Score: 19 out of 20

 

On Course Performance

    There is not really much to say here. If you followed along on the thread you’ve seen the results that all testers have gotten. The Flash is the best driver I have probably ever played, and I have played many. There have been a few bad driving rounds over the last 24 but they are few and far between and there is nothing a club could do to fix that. The year of the driver has produced! Overall, I don’t think there has been a round that I have played that I have not been impressed with the Flash. I have shorter clubs into every hole. Two par 4’s that I haven’t been on in over 18 years, I was able to drive. My driving handicap has come down almost 6 full shots according to Arccos. Nothing different just a driver change. That is incredible, and it is still trending down. With the increase of distance my scores haven’t dropped significantly but are much more consistent than they have ever been. I have a much tighter range and expect the low scores to be lower as the season progresses and the rain stops. One major aspect that stands out to me is the driver at address. It sits wonderfully behind the ball and increases confidence when playing. . I really like the deeper face and any extra boost in confidence is bonus. Overall the club just flat out performs.

Score: 30 out of 30

 

Miscellaneous

My club has roughly 160 members 17 of them are now playing the Flash partly based of the results I have had with it. It is now normal to hear my playing partners shaking their heads on multiple tee boxes. That is always a wonderful result. I even had someone I don’t play with comment on how well I have been driving it. Which means I’m famous, just saying.

The Opti-fit adaptor that Callaway uses is IMO the best on the market. It allows every adjustment to be made without changing the orientation of the shaft. This is a big plus when it comes to grips, shaft graphics or puring.

 

Score: 10 out of 10

 

Play it or Trade It

 

    As of right now it is an emphatic play it for me. The results have been amazing and completely unexpected. I assumed there would be some improvement from the prior generation, but nowhere near what I have seen. It would be a buy for me if you would’ve told me I would pick up 10-15 yards even at $529, which falls in line with other drivers in the market, and unfortunately that $500 driver is now the norm. If you are in the market for a driver, I would make a strong recommendation to try The Epic Flash. The Sub Zero I tested is definitely the lower spin option, It fits nicely with my swing and if you are a higher spin player it is a great option. 

 

Score: 20 out of 20

 

Conclusion

    There are not enough superlatives to describe the Epic Flash Sub Zero and how I feel about. I am stunned at the performance. It has been an incredible addition to my bag and will be a key player in helping me reach my goal of scratch. Thank you Callaway, fellow spies and MGS!!

 

Total score: 93 out of 100

[JohnSmalls]

Team G410 vs Team Flash Face.  Let's go! 

[THEZIPR23]

Stage 1 is up. 

 

[yungkory]

2 hours ago, THEZIPR23 said:

Stage 1 is up. 

 

Dude, your swing is great. Reminds me a lot of Rickie, and from now on I'm going to call you Big D*ck Zip!

[THEZIPR23]

9 minutes ago, yungkory said:

Dude, your swing is great. Reminds me a lot of Rickie, and from now on I'm going to call you Big D*ck Zip!

Thanks!

Actually laughed out loud...

[edingc]

Stage one up for me, too. 

@THEZIPR23 Add me to the list of jealousness. I'm working on getting that turn!

[GolfSpy_APH]

Well done so far! Great intros and stages ones... Pumped for the rest of it even if the flash hasn't been on the top top of my list 

[THEZIPR23]

47 minutes ago, Apolloshowl said:

Well done so far! Great intros and stages ones... Pumped for the rest of it even if the flash hasn't been on the top top of my list 

Still in honeymoon phase, but initial reports show that computers are smarter than humans.  

[edingc]

2 minutes ago, THEZIPR23 said:

Still in honeymoon phase, but initial reports show that computers are smarter than humans.  

I concur. I'm really excited to see my GAME Golf driving stats by the end of this season.

[GolfSpy_APH]

It's going to be a lot of fun to follow along and I can definitely tell how excited both of you are to get it all started and going. Awesome to hear things are looking good so far!

How do you guys like the stock GP Align grips? 

[GolfSpy_BNG]

Great stuff so far fellas!

Team G410 vs Team Flash Face.  Let's go! 

This is gonna be fun to follow. Here is hoping for great results and maybe a little trash talking!

Sent from my Moto Z3 Play using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[edingc]

1 hour ago, Apolloshowl said:

How do you guys like the stock GP Align grips? 

I think, subconsciously, the alignment aid helps. I seem to be getting the handle and clubface into the same positions without much thought. I love that the OptiFit allows for individual adjustment without affecting the alignment aid.

I'm not sold on the MCC grip, however. As someone who has always had clubs with velvet grips, it's an adjustment I may eventually get used to.

You might have noticed I ordered the grip +2 wraps. That was not really covered in my fitting, I made that decision myself. That turned out to be a very good idea. I'm going to give the MCC a few more rounds and then I might go for an Tour Velvet +4. I like the slightly oversized feel even though my hands are quite small (medium glove size). 

 

[sirchunksalot]

It's going to be a lot of fun to follow along and I can definitely tell how excited both of you are to get it all started and going. Awesome to hear things are looking good so far!
How do you guys like the stock GP Align grips? 

I really like the Align grips as they give me a better feel for consistent hand positioning. I was at the range today struggling with consistency when this older gentleman encouraged me to take a stronger grip. I was able to place the Align into the first joint on my fingers and get repeatable positive results.

Sent from my SM-G955U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[THEZIPR23]

1 hour ago, Apolloshowl said:

 

How do you guys like the stock GP Align grips? 

I had just put new align’s on all my other clubs, so it was perfect for me. It had been years since I had felt a reminder in a grip. It works well but to me is very subtle too, This is first club I have ordered in a long time that came with stock grip which is nice. As @edingc said with the optifit, the grip stays when adjusting. I wouldn’t recommend the align grip on an adjustable club that doesn’t. 

[sirchunksalot]

My stage one is up!

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/31045-2019-official-forum-member-review-callaway-epic-flash-drivers/?do=findComment&comment=526899

[yungkory]

3 hours ago, Apolloshowl said:

It's going to be a lot of fun to follow along and I can definitely tell how excited both of you are to get it all started and going. Awesome to hear things are looking good so far!

How do you guys like the stock GP Align grips? 

I don't really notice the spine helping with "alignment" it's just a "firm" section of the grip. I don't even notice it in my glove hand to be honest.

[yungkory]

My stage one is up!

Sorry you all are seeing it a day late, time zones and stuff.

For those reading the thread, please don't hesitate to ask us testers questions. Also, if you have any feedback feel free to let me know how I can provide a better test for you. You might have noticed in the driver swing videos I shot today that I'm swinging my TS2. I was sent the wrong shaft after the mods submitted my specs, and I'm still waiting for the replacement. You might've also noticed the MGS hat, go get you one. With that said, any feedback I have regarding the driver is currently based off of me hitting it during my fitting.

[edingc]

Looking at all the photos again makes me realize just how nice looking the Epic Flash is. The carbon fiber crown is, for lack of a better term, hot!

Wonderful Michigan weather isn't going to be conducive to hitting the range for the rest of the week. They are even talking some snow again . Hoping to get at least nine holes in Saturday evening. The forecast calls for mid to upper 40s and maybe some sun. 

And I'll echo @yungkory. If there are any questions I can answer or photos I can provide, please let me know! I will have some GAME Golf stats to look at during testing, and next week I'm planning to take my foot spray powder to the range and look at correlation between impact location and ball speeds.

[Berg Ryman]

First question for you guys, will this driver save every one of us?

[edingc]

1 minute ago, Berg Ryman said:

First question for you guys, will this driver save every one of us?

From a burning building, probably not.

Tongue-in-cheek aside, the Flash Face seems to be every bit as forgiving as Callaway has made it out to be. I really feel like I'm not being punished terribly for missing the sweet spot. I may give up some distance, but I've had a hard time getting the ball to do anything but go straight.

[THEZIPR23]

48 minutes ago, Berg Ryman said:

First question for you guys, will this driver save every one of us?

It depends on what you need saving from. I have 6 rounds in with it, unable to access stats now but I will post them later. The dispersion is better than any driver I have hit. I am continually amazed by the complete lack of side spin. I have always been able to move the driver, mainly left, but I don’t think I have hit any that have moved more than 10 yards. Yes I can still miss fairways but it is 95% due to starting line rather than curve. 

[Berg Ryman]

I can't believe I made a Flash Gordon joke, yet got serious answers about a driver. Best golf forum on the internet? Undoubtedly.