By Ed Travis
Callaway Golf had a banner season last year with the Epic family and hopes to duplicate it this year with the new Rogue line.
Like the Epic, Rogue has titanium bars (Jailbreak Technology) connecting the crown and the sole, which are hourglass shaped and save 25% off overall weight, when compared to Epic.
According to Callaway’s research the “Jailbreak Rods” have the effect of stiffening the club, thus energy is more efficiently transferred, producing additional ball speed.
The second feature not to be overlooked is Rogue’s new X Face, Variable Face Thickness (VFT), which combined with the “Jailbreak Rods” helps preserve ball speed for off-center hits. This design also allowed mass to be moved lower, altering the center of gravity, for better launch, plus added resistance to twisting.
Compared to the Great Big Bertha, Epic and XR model drivers the face of the Rogue is thinner because of the improved “Jailbreak Rods.”
Boeing Aerospace was consulted on the Speed Step, first seen on their XR driver. For the Rogue, they were brought back to modify the geometry of the leading edge and head curvature, which added 0.7 mph increase to clubhead speed.
The carbon composite crown is similar to the Epic, but larger, in fact it is the largest Callaway has ever produced.
Compared to past Callaway drivers, the XR 16 recorded a Moment of Inertia (MOI) of 7,400, the Epic tested at 8,000 MOI, but the new Rogue saw a significant increase of that number to 8,600 MOI.
Any driver above 7,000 MOI is considered “forgiving.”
Company testing also shows the Rogue produced 16% tighter shot dispersion.
The marketing attention this year will be focused on the titanium rods inside the Rogue, but the face design of the new Rogue is also worth further explanation.
The X-Face with VFT has raised ridges, in the shape of a large X, in the middle of the inner side of the face, with varying thickness in strategic areas. The result, in addition to producing a minimum thickness overall, helps ball launch numbers and allows the areas of the crown, as well as, the sole flange near the face to be thinner, while still lowering energy loss from vibration.
Callaway’s research and promotional material states,
“X-Face with VFT technology expands the area of the clubface that delivers faster ball speeds to promote more distance from off-center hits, and more consistent ball speed and distance overall.”
In addition to the standard configuration of the Rogue, there are three models from which to choose. One that promotes a draw, an anti-slice configuration, plus an upright lie, with an offset between the head and the shaft.
The Rogue Sub Zero for better players is a low spin model but still has a high MOI, with two weights in the sole.
Each Rogue driver model is priced with a MSRP of $500.00.
The Rogue fairway woods have the “Jailbreak Rods,” although they are steel not titanium, as in the driver, and they also feature Callaway’s face cup design. There are two models, the standard and the Sub-Zero, both priced at $300.00.
