Fairway woods are some of the most versatile clubs in your bag. You can use them off the tee, off the deck, you can use them to punch out of the woods, and you can even use them to chip from around the green.
The key is to find a club that is best suited for you game and your swing so that you get the most out of these valuable clubs.
The Callaway GBB Epic is a great all-around fairway wood that combines forgiveness, distance, and accuracy into one product.
The following is a Callaway Epic Fairway Wood Review that will help you understand if these are the right fairway woods for your swing.
Things to Consider Before Buying The Callaway Epic Fairway Wood
There is such a wide array of lofts, head technology, sizes, weights, shafts, and prices that it can be difficult to decide which fairway woods to carry.
There are some brands that cost more just because of their name and some that perform as well or better than their price. Many fairway woods are made of steel while others are made from the much lighter titanium.
There are also those fairway woods that have a mix of materials combining carbon, titanium, and steel to guarantee distance and control.
You also have to decide how many woods you want to carry compared to hybrids and irons and what type of shaft material your club will have.
Once you have decided how you want your club setup, it is time to start looking for the best option.
The Callaway GBB Epic Fairway woods hit the market in 2017 and were a huge hit. They feature Triaxial Carbon Composite material that improves accuracy, increases distance, and provides a lot of forgiveness on every shot.
The 4th generation face cup technology adds even more distance across the entire surface of the face and the oversized head looks great and is easy to hit.
The Speed Step that Callaway still uses today was created together with Boeing and adds to the aerodynamics of these clubs giving you more swing speed and better distance.
It is a light club that gives you great feel, and even though it sounds a little hollow, you know when you make solid contact.
One of our favorite things about the club is how it looks at address. It is big but not too big, colorful but not distracting, and modern but in a classical way.
Pros
- Triaxial Composite Material construction that is lightweight and very strong. It adds to the forgiveness, distance, and accuracy of the clubs.
- Face Cup Technology extends the sweet spot and makes almost the entire face long and straight.
- The “Big Bertha” name and quality that golfers have come to know and love.
- A variety of available lofts.
- The weight saved by the carbon composite material mentioned above allows the Epic to lower and move its center of gravity toward the back of the club. This extra weight in the bottom increases the clubs MOI and also aids in launch.
- The GBB Epic is really easy to hit.
- It is still one of the most forgiving golf clubs on the market.
- Since it has been on the market for a while, you can find this club at a great price.
- It is a really long fairway wood and is just as long off the deck as it is off the tee.
- A very low spin rate increases distance and accuracy.
Cons
- New technology like jailbreak and X-Face is not present because the GBB Epic is a slightly older club.
- The sound at impact is a little hollow and difficult to get used to.
- Flies a little too high off the tee.
Features and Benefits of The Callaway Epic Fairway Wood
Construction (5 out of 5)
Head
The Triaxial composite head is made up of carbon fibre, titanium, and steel to provide the ultimate in distance and forgiveness and at 170cc of volume it is big for a fairway wood. The composite material is very light which allows the Epic fairway woods to move some of the weight toward the bottom and rear of the club head. With the center of gravity moved back and down you get both a better launch angle and higher MOI. The Cup Face Technology increases the size of the sweet spot and the Speed Step makes this club as aerodynamic as any you will see on the market. When this club came out, it was ahead of its time, and the Epic name continues to perform extremely well because of the club head technology.
Shaft Options
There are plenty of shaft options for the Epic fairway wood line. Some of the best graphite shaft manufacturers, including Fujikura Pro, Diamana M+, Project X HZRDUS, and Aldila can be found on Epic woods. You can find each shaft in either Regular, Stiff, or X Stiff and weights range from 40g to 80g and anything in between. The stock shaft options are top notch for the Epic woods.
Club Specs
- Club Name (Loft): 3+W (13.5), 3W (15), 5W (18), Heavenwood (20), 7W (21), Nine (24)
- Hand: Men’s Left or Right
- Material: Composite (Carbon, Steel, Titanium)
- Head Volume: 170cc
- Shaft Names: Fujikura Pro, Diamana M+ Green, Project X HZRDUS, Aldila Rogue Max
- Shaft Type(s): Graphite
- Shaft Felx: Regular, Stiff, X Stiff
- Shaft Weight: 40g, 50g, 60g, 70g, 80g
- Swing Weight: D2
- Adjustability: Loft and Face Angle
Performance (4.5 out of 5)
Forgiveness
While these clubs are long, their forgiveness may be what sets them apart the most. They boast a very high MOI which means little to no twisting at impact.
The cup face technology gives you a huge sweet spot so even off center hits travel far and straight.
The low center of gravity, high launch, and low spin means that you should be able to get this ball high and straight with the majority of your shots.
Control/Shot Shaping
The shot shaping capabilities of these clubs is lacking, and that is the only reason that this section did not receive a 5 out of 5 rating.
They produce very little spin which is good for almost every golfer reading this article right now because it gives you extra accuracy and distance.
For those golfers who want to fade or draw their fairway woods around the course, the Epic woods may not be for you. While shot shaping is not a strength, control is. These clubs are very easy to hit and very easy to control the lofts and distances.
Distance
These clubs are really long. Everything about these clubs were built for speed and distance from the low spin rate to the huge sweet spot.
There are some clubs that produce really good distance if you hit the ball exactly right every single time, and then there are others that produce what I like to call “effortless distance.”
The Epic fairway woods fall into the latter category. The distance they produce is effortless. Off-center hits still go long and far, slower swing speeds get some extra pop, and you get really good distance off the tee as well.
Looks/Feel/Sound (4 out of 5)
The sound of these clubs leave a lot to be desired. It sounds hollow at impact and it is really difficult to tell what kind of shot you have played based on sound alone.
The feel of the club is good and solid, and you get good feedback in your hands though you don’t with your ears.
The looks of the club, on the other hand, are a huge positive for the GBB Epic. The GBB Epic is a big club head, the stripes of green are classy and not overused, and the “X” on the face of the club shows you just how big the sweet spot is.
In the words of former NFL player Deion Sanders, “If you look good, you feel good; and if you feel good, you play good.” These clubs look and feel good, and hopefully they will help you to “play good” as well.
Cost (5 out of 5)
One of the best things about the GBB Epic is that you can find these clubs used for less than $100 and if you can find them brand new they will be on deep clearance.
When they came out, they were expensive, but with the new versions and lines out currently, the GBB Epic can be found at a great price.
Alternatives to The Callaway Epic Fairway Wood
Epic Flash
The Epic Flash takes the Epic fairway woods to the next level with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Jailbreak Technology. AI produced Callaway’s famous “Flash Face” technology which improved upon the cup face technology of the GBB. Flash Face Technology includes corrective angles on the club face to improve accuracy and straightness, and with flash face technology every club is created specifically to its loft and design.
They are very forgiving, very long, and very straight. The Jailbreak technology puts 2 hourglass shaped rods behind the club face to provide some stability and to connect the crown and sole of the club. This extra stability increases the forgiveness, size of the sweet spot, and distance that this club produces.
Pros
- These clubs are even longer and more forgiving than the GBB Epic.
- It maintained the general look and feel of the GBB but added some great features in terms of forgiveness and distance.
- They look just as good and aerodynamic as the GBB.
- It is almost difficult to mishit these clubs.
- Off center strikes still go long and straight, and the low spin rate helps you stay away from the dreaded slice and hook.
- All in all, if price is not an issue, the Epic Flash is a newer and better fairway wood than the GBB Epic.
Cons
- They are a considerably more expensive option.
- Even with the increase in technology, they are still very hard to work around the course.
Callaway Mavrik Max
The Mavrik line of Callaway golf clubs have been some of the most popular woods and drivers for the company. The first thing you notice is that they just look like the most technologically advanced club out there, and then when you hold them for the first time that feeling does not change.
They are light weight, have a low and rear center of gravity, feature Flash Face Technology, and they even have weight adjustability. They also have the highly regarded Callaway Jailbreak technology.
Pros
- As long and maybe even more forgiving than the Epic Flash.
- Produces enough spin for good players to work the ball around the course.
- Comes in a wide variety of lofts and there is some adjustability in the club.
- The leading edge of this club interacts well with the turf and make it better off the deck than the GBB or Epic Flash.
- The sweet spot is almost the entire surface of the club face.
- The oversized head, design, and leading edge all look great at setup and instill confidence before each shot.
- Very easy to hit with a low center of gravity and high launch angle.
Cons
- Even pricier than the Epic Flash.
- The Mavrik Max’s oversized club head may be too much for some golfers.
Final Thoughts on The Callaway Epic Fairway Wood Review
(Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5)
When the Callaway Great Big Bertha Epic fairway woods came out, they were some of the best on the market. The Epic drivers of that year featured Jailbreak Technology, but that was not included in a fairway wood until the Epic Flash. Even without that transformational technology, the GBB Epic clubs are a really good fairway wood option and especially now that their replacements are out and you can find them at a great price.
