Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero fairway wood Review
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At a glance
- TG Rating
- Owner Rating
- RRP £269.00
What we say...
The Epic Flash Sub Zero fairway wood combines groundbreaking new Flash Face technology with precision shot-shaping for high swing speed players.
Callaway’s new Epic Flash Sub Zero fairway wood replaces the brand’s 2017 Epic fairway wood, and features the same technology in the brand new Epic Flash and Epic Flash Sub Zero drivers
RELATED: Callaway’s 2021 Epic woods reviewed and tested
Callaway used Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) and Machine Learning to develop Flash Face technology for the new Epic Flash and Epic Flash Sub Zero drivers. And they’ve applied what they learned to create an ultra-thin, forged Carpenter 455 steel cup face for Epic Flash fairway woods too. The result is a uniquely designed clubface that’s expressly engineered for high COR across a large area, to promote fast ball speed on both center and off-center hits.
Epic Flash Sub Zero fairway woods incorporate three additional proven performance- enhancing technologies, Jailbreak, adjustable sole weighting and a new, lighter OptiFit Hosel.
Jailbreak technology stiffens and stabilizes the crown and sole, allowing the face to take on greater impact load, promoting faster ball speed. And the adjustable sole weighting consists of interchangeable 16g and 2g weights. Installing the heavy weight in the front location promotes lower spin and a flatter trajectory; installing the heavy weight in the back promotes easier launch and a higher trajectory.
The new, lighter OptiFit Hosel provides all the adjustability you expect while creating discretionary weight. This saved weight in the hosel allowing Callaway to combine Jailbreak and adjustability for the first time ever in a fairway wood.
R&D boss Dr Alan Hocknell told us: “The Flash Face of the fairway looks completely different to the driver, but still embodies the same design principles.
“A fairway wood is a lot shallower than a driver, and the usage is different – you hit a bunch of shots off a tee that you might hit more centred, but shots from the fairway will be a little bit lower on the face. So we had to take all that into consideration.
“The result is a face that’s still hot from the centre, when you hit it off a tee, but even hotter from the key impact zone low in the face. “So unlike the driver, the thinnest area is low on the face, creating a lot of speed; the centre is relatively thin, too, so there’s sort a face within a face. We were challenged when we first saw it, but we prototyped it and it worked.”
Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero: TG Verdict
There will be plenty of Flash Sub Zero fairways in the bags of tour pros this year, because faster swings generate spin, which needs to be controlled to maximise distance. The Flash Sub Zero was our test pro’s longest 2019 fairway (tied with TaylorMade’s M5), thanks partly to the low and forward weighting returning more energy to the ball for extra distance.
Those gains though come with a trade-off in forgiveness. Our pro saw 38 yards of drop-off between on and off centre hits, showing brilliantly how punishing the Sub Zero can be if you don’t quite middle it.
Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero fairway wood at a glance features and benefits
New Flash Face Technology And Carpenter Steel Face Cup For Fast Ball Speed
Callaway engineers applied learnings from Artificial Intelligence to create a new fairway wood face design that promotes increased ball speed for longer distance.
Jailbreak Technology for Faster Ball Speed
Internal Jailbreak bars stiffen and stabilize the crown and sole, placing more impact load on the face to promote faster ball speed.
Why we use a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor
Adjustable Sole Weighting to Control Launch, Spin & Trajectory
Switch weight positions (16g and 2g) between front and back ports to adjust launch, spin and trajectory.
New OptiFit Hosel for Loft and Lie Adjustability
New, lighter OptiFit hosel design saves weight while offering a wide range of loft and lie adjustability to dial in easier launch and differing flights. The saved weight has allowed Callaway to combine Jailbreak and hosel adjustability for the first time in a fairway wood.
