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What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Jack Backhouse brings you the low down on Callaway’s first ever draw-biased fairway wood
Callaway have released a fairway wood aimed at the player looking to reduce their slice, so how did we find it? Let’s take a closer look…
Callaway Rogue ST Max D fairway woods review: NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
The Callaway Rogue ST Max D fairway is aimed at players looking for more forgiveness and to stop the ball from curving to the right so much.
This isn’t just an anti-slice club however, it is really long and the ball really feels to shoot off the face and doesn’t feel at all like a game improvement club.
PROS
Long front-to-back profile makes the face feel shallow
Draw bias helps straighten out flight
Consistent ball speeds on miss-hits
Goes a long way!
CONS
Not adjustable
sits closed at address which might not suit the eye of every golfer
Callaway Rogue ST Max D fairway woods review: First impressions
The Callaway Rogue ST Max D Fairway is the only fairway wood in the Rogue ST lineup designed to help stop the ball from curving out to the right so much, a problem most golfers struggle with. The club has a large footprint and an elongated head, which makes the club seem very shallow and confidence-inspiring.
Callaway Rogue ST Max D fairway woods review: NCG verdict
This club differs from the other fairways in the Rogue ST lineup. It sits slightly closed, has a more upright lie angle and has more weight in the heel of the club, all of which contribute to stopping a slice. My natural shot shape is a draw so normally I wouldn’t consider a club with additional draw enhancement, but after testing this club I would consider adding this to my current lineup.
I really liked the high launch that the Callaway Rogue ST Max D fairway delivered. To see the ball consistently get up in the air and draw every time left me wanting to hit more and more shots with it, which isn’t my normal 3 wood experience. This is likely due to the fact Callaway has elongated the head compared to the other Rogue ST fairway models moving the centre of gravity further back in the head.
The stand-out feature of the Callaway Rogue ST Max D fairway is without a doubt the ball speed. None of the adjustments to the club to make it draw-biased has compromised what the Rogue ST line set out to do, which is delivering great ball speed. This is largely down to the new AI-designed club face and the Jailbreak ST technology and the ‘Batwings’ that allow the face to flex more on impact for greater speed.
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I took this club out on the course after initial testing on the range, and found it very usable from the tee, fairway and given a reasonable lie in the rough. From a tee, the flight was probably too high for what I’d like, but the flight from the fairway and rough was great and consistent.
All but two of the shots I hit on the range finished to the left of the target and with the spin axis consistently tilted to the left you can expect the club to help stop your slice. The 149mph average ball speed I got from the club was more than what I was expecting and much more consistently higher than I get from my current 3 wood. I hit a couple of shots slightly from the heel which both finished just to the right of the target, and didn’t experience too much of a drop-off in the distance or speed.
I hit the Callaway Rogue ST Max D fairway with the new Tensei AV Blue 65 Graphite Shaft in stiff and found it worked brilliantly for me. The shaft has a low-mid Torque and mid-kick point which seemed to help get the ball up in the air consistently without sending the ball too high and left at impact.
I am definitely considering putting the Callaway Rogue ST Max D fairway in my bag. To be able to consistently hit a draw with a 3 wood when I try to exclusively hit a fade with my driver is a huge factor for me. This club isn’t just for a high handicapper who needs help stopping the slice, it delivers great performance and could be utilised by a player of any ability.
Stock shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue 65 HB Graphite: Regular, Stiff Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue 75 HB Graphite: Regular, Stiff Project X Cypher Black 50 Graphite: Regular, Womens Project X Cypher Black 40 Graphite: Regular, Light
