It’s simple, Epic in name, Epic in Performance.

Rating: 4.5
Author: Dillon B

After taking a year-long hiatus last year with the release of the ‘Mavrik’ range, Callaway have returned with EPIC in 2021 with a new set of drivers bearing the iconic green colourway and and we got two grips with their ‘SPEED’ model to see just how good it is.

The new 2021 range of drivers come in 3 models, those being Max, LS and Speed and all three drivers serve a different purpose, give different feedback and cater to a different type of player depending on what you want. All three however are manufactured using AI technology and built around Callaways ‘Jailbreak frame’ and technology.

Jailbreak frame

The Jailbreak frame is not new to Callaway but in the ’21 EPIC, Callaway has looked to seek improvements in its structural design making it the fastest driver Callaway has released.

In previous versions, Callaway had looked to add rigidity to the frame but now with AI, there is an increased element of stability.

In fact, the Jailbreak frame is designed to stiffen the body in 3 different directions. Horizontally, vertically and torsionally to generate even more ball speed.

The Jailbreak frame doesn’t do its magic in isolation either. Callaway has added AI in their new titanium-based Flash Face and with their new Cyclone Aero shape, driver head design all work harmoniously together to create a forgiving experience with greater clubhead speed.

Design

Make no mistake about it, The new 2021 EPIC is one of the most beautiful looking drivers on the market right now.

Its iconic Hulk green colourways and sporty finishes are a joy to look at but it also feels premium at the same time. With a less is more approach it’s not overbearing on the design at address.

Its simplicity is what makes it attractive and it really enables you to stay focussed on the Callaway chevon ball marker without any distractions. You’ll also get glimpses of the titanium Flash Face and huge sweet spot marker to aid forgiveness and consistent ball striking. Its bold and sleek body look as aero-dynamic as it feels on the takeaway and we love the tiny pinstriping details on the back.

Probably the best-looking part of the driver at address is how the Carbon fibre bounces off the head of the driver depending on the light. Tee off with this thing on a sunny day and it looks gorgeous.

If the top EPIC Speed is Bruce Banner. Clean cut and smart, then the bottom definitely feels like his alter-ego. A mean green machine.

There is a lot going on when you turn the driver over to reveal its sole. The first thing you’ll notice is the middle strip bearing the moniker “SPEED” which also acts as a division point splitting the driver in half. On the front half you’ll see where the Jailbreak technology is connected to the clubface with four emerald-like jewels and on the back you can see even more aerodynamic engineering at play with three fins designed to cut up resistance directly underneath the weight port.

Another feature we loved that has made it’s across to the new range is the Optifit Hosel where the player can change the loft and lie angle simply by spinning the dials creating the perfect optimisation for their game. The benefit of having the Optifit hosel is that the shaft doesn’t rotate at all so need to re-align anything at a later date.

Performance

So how fast does the SPEED driver actually feel? In short, it feels pretty fast.

Given that in testing we already had a slow(ish) swing speed, on impact, the balls felt really explosive off the face and the club felt lighter and faster and definitely more forgiving.

Even our off-centre shots felt a lot more corrected and there was a lot more consistency on the drives which in turn helped us gain more confidence throughout the rounds.

Even at 460cc, at address, the club did look a bit smaller than say a Ping but the Flash Face really helps you drive the ball home and visualise your strike.

Whilst it felt light in the hand the EPIC SPEED felt incredibly balanced and really gave good feedback at the Moment Of Inertia.

Ball striking almost felt effortless and the sound off the face was superb. Overall this is probably the longest driver we’ve ever used as well as the most forgiving.

Whilst we weren’t professionally fitted for our version, there are still a few more yards and added consistency to squeeze out of the SPEED which is a massive positive.

Conclusion

Overall, we haven’t got anything bad to say about the 2021 EPIC SPEED. Both its design and performance surpassed our expectations and it’s been an absolutely joy to use.

The sound and feel felt really premium and whilst they are only a few improvements vs the previous EPIC range, they are definitely improvements making this a contender for one of the best drivers Callaway has ever made.

With SPEED being the fastest out of the three in the range, Callaway has done a good job in covering all bases with the options available with the LS and Max versions available too.

Whilst the price may be steep for some, we’d say the forgiveness and confidence this club offers outweighs the cost.

With so many options available from Callaway and given the price tag, we would recommend getting fitted for the club to really get the most out of it and getting the right EPIC for you.

The Callaway EPIC drivers are available to buy starting at £499

Setup

At the time of testing, we used a Callaway SPEED driver, 10.5-degree loft, Factory Optifit arrangement, Project X HZRDOUS Smoke IM10 shaft, Regular Flex, Golf Pride Tour Align Grip.