FIRST LOOK: Callaway’s new Epic Max Star family of ultra-light clubs

Not all golfers have the speed or strength of a tour player, so not all golf clubs should weigh the same as those used by professionals.

That’s why there’s a segment of golf clubs in the retail market that are made with lighter heads, shafts and grips. Golfers with slower swing speeds need help creating distance and height on their golf shots, and clubs that weigh less can help them immensely.

Typically, lightweight models also carry less hefty price tags since less technology is put into their constructions. Callaway’s new Epic Max Star family of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons are different, though.

Irons

The new Epic Max Star lineup, as Callaway describes, is in the “exclusive, ultra-lightweight, ultra-premium performance category.” That means that while they’re in the group of clubs on the market that are made with lighter-weight components, the clubs are packed with technology and come with high-end prices.  

Below, we dive into the Epic Max Star drivers, fairways, hybrids and irons to see what’s different about them compared to Callaway’s standard Epic Max offerings. They will be available for pre-sale on October 21 and hit retail on November 4.

Callaway Epic Max Star driver

Although Callaway says the Epic Max Star driver weighs in at 52 grams lighter than the stock Epic Max driver, the Star version comes with many of the same head technologies as the standard model.

For example, the Epic Max Star has the familiar A.I. (Artificial Intelligence)-designed Jailbreak Speed Frame that’s made to enhance ball speeds on off-center strikes, and it has a Flash Face to promote faster speeds. Additionally, the crown is made from Triaxial Carbon to reduce weight compared to titanium, and it has a 9-gram sliding titanium weight in the rear of the head to customize ball flight.

While most stock shafts on the market weigh around 60-70 grams, the stock ATTAS Speed T1100 shaft in the Epic Max Star head is just 36 grams, which combines with a stock Winn Dri-Tac Lite grip that’s 25 grams. Overall, the Epic Max Star drivers have a D1 swing weight, and they will sell for $699.99.

Callaway Epic Max Star fairway woods

The Epic Max Star fairway woods are made to launch the ball high and fast, on both center strikes and misfires. Since most slow-speed golfers struggle to create enough speed and height to make a fairway wood a viable option to hit from off the grass, these are designed to help.

The woods use Callaway’s familiar Jailbreak system to create higher ball speeds by allowing the forged face cups to flex more at impact. They also have Triaxial Carbon crowns to save weight, which has been redistributed lower in the heads for higher launch and forgiveness.

Additionally, the woods come with two interchangeable weights (5 and 12 grams) in the sole for customization. Simply place the heavier 12-gram weight in the back position for even higher launch and more forgiveness, and put the 12-gram weight in the front position for a more penetrating flight and less spin.

The Callaway Epic Max Star fairways come with ATTAS Speed shafts, Winn Dri-Tac Lite grips, a fixed hosel to save additional weight, and they will sell for $429.99 each.

Callaway Epic Max Star hybrids

The Epic Max Star hybrids use Callaway’s Jailbreak A.I. Velocity Blades, which are specifically designed to create more speed on shots hit low on the face; that’s where the company says most golfers miss their shots when using a hybrid.

While the Epic Max Star hybrids are made to have lighter builds, they do use a heavy Tungsten material in the heads to help lower the center of gravity (CG). By placing weight lower in the heads, the hybrids are designed to launch higher and have better forgiveness. From address, golfers may notice that Callaway designed the Epic Max Star hybrids to look more like a fairway wood with a longer profile. Overall, the hybrids are made to launch the ball high from various playing conditions.

The Epic Max Star hybrids come stock with an ATTAS shaft, and they will sell for $349.99 per club.

Callaway Epic Max Star irons

Callaway reports that for the first time ever, the A.I.-designed Flash Face Cup will be used in an Epic Star iron. This is significant because the unique face design is made to increase ball speeds on shots hit across the face, thus creating more distance on average.

To go along with the high-tech faces, the Epic Max Star hollow-bodied irons have forged bodies made from 1025 mild carbon, and they use Callaway’s familiar urethane microspheres to improve sound and feel at impact. The irons also have Tungsten Energy Cores to improve launch and forgiveness using high-density Tungsten weights.

The Epic Max Star irons (5-PW, AW, GW) come stock with ATTAS Speed shafts, Winn Dri-Tac Lite grips, and they will sell for $349.99 per iron.

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