I’ve always been a fan of Callaway’s fairway woods. Normally, their wide & more level soles just seems way easier to hit compared to shorter, more rounded soles of other brands. However, the Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood is designed a little differently than most Callaway fairway woods.
Callaway’s latest release of clubs (Epic) is packed with just about everything known to man that makes the ball go further off the club face. However, more distance isn’t really what everyone needs in a fairway wood. The majority of golfers are going to want a high-launching head, as getting enough height on a fairway wood (especially a 3 wood) can be difficult. If extra height is what you are looking for, this isn’t the best fairway wood for you.
Let’s jump right in. Here’s my honest, unbiased, un-sponsored review of the Callaway Epic Speed fairway woods.
Appearance
If you take a look at the crown of the Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood, you’ll see faint green dots and a small checkered design near the back of the club head. At address, the green dots are hardly noticeable, and it gives a great overall look when you are standing over the ball.
Flipping the clubhead over, you’ll see the weight positioning. The 7g weight is positioned right behind the club face – right between the jailbreak blades. This “front” weight positioning is a dead giveaway that it’s a more penetrating club compared to other models. It’s also a dead giveaway of a general lack of forgiveness compared to a fairway wood with a lower center of gravity design.
The club face design is a little different than what I’m used to seeing from Callaway. The Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood has a face that is more rounded at the bottom. This makes the club more versatile, but generally a tad bit less forgiving.
Performance
I truly enjoyed hitting the Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood. As someone that always hits shots higher & “spinnier” than I’d like, I like the higher center of gravity design that keeps the ball lower than other fairway woods on the market.
However, before I get any deeper, I want to make something clear. My anecdotal results don’t mean anything for you. My swing is very different than your swing, and I’m probably built very differently than you are (thank god, right?). For that reason, take everything that I say with a grain of salt or sand or whatever the saying is.
I will say this. My mishit shots were bad… really bad. I’m used to a flatter sole that makes the ball still fly high and relatively straight on a mishit shot. My mishits with this club were very low and left/right, though.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Lower, more penetrating ball flight for those that hit their fairway woods too high
- Lower spin for those that generate too much spin due to swing speed and angle of attack
- More versatile compared to most Callaway woods, due to the more rounded sole
- Slightly smaller, generally more appealing club face at address
- Extremely long. So long that you may want to get a higher lofted fairway wood to replace your current wood (get a 4 wood to replace your current 3 wood)
Cons:
- Very expensive for a fairway wood ($300)
- Not super forgiving
- Most golfers will be better off with a higher launching design
- Fixed hosel (not adjustable like most Callaway fairway woods). Very surprised to see this, honestly.
Callaway Epic Speed vs. Max Fairway Wood Comparison
No doubt – the Callaway Epic Speed and Callaway Epic Max fairway woods are great options. However, they serve different purposes and are meant for two different types of golfers. Here’s a quick comparison of the two.
- The Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood is lower spinning and lower launching.
- The Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood is less forgiving.
- The Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood has a slightly smaller club head, and a more rounded sole.
- The Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood is less adjustable and slightly less draw-biased.
- The Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood has less loft options
Who It’s Best For
The Callaway Epic Speed fairway wood is great for a golfer that currently hits the ball too high and with too much spin. If your wood shots seem to fall straight down from the sky, you’ll probably benefit from a club like this.
However, keep in mind that it’s never a great idea to buy a club to fix a swing problem. Sure, it may “work” in the short term. But fixing something with a bandaid will only last for so long.
Better Value Alternative
If you want a great fairway wood that performs very similarly to the Callaway Epic Speed, then consider the Titleist 913Fd fairway wood. They are both low launch, low spin heads with the weight towards the front of the club head.
Though Callaway has more gimmicks (AI face, jailbreak technology, blah, blah, blah) and maybe a slightly faster club face, Titleist has an adjustable hosel which is an important feature in my opinion.
Either club is a great option. One costs $300 new, while you can pick up the later for around $80 in great condition online. The choice seems pretty obvious to me! But we are all in different financial positions. If you can afford the best of the best, go with Callaway Epic Speed. If you are on a budget, go for the Titleist 913Fd.
