Callaway Epic Hybrid Review

RBG Callaway Epic Hybrid Review Featured Image

Callaway’s Epic line of golf clubs has been impressive to say the least and they continue to improve. The Callaway Epic Hybrid was kind of the last piece of the puzzle and it has performed as well as its predecessors.

Hybrids, in general, are kind of the swiss army knife of the golf bag. Golfers use them off the tee, from the rough, for long approach shots, and even to chip and putt from off the green on occasion.

Hybrids have become an extremely important club in the bag of tour pros, scratch golfers, weekend warriors, and especially beginners and high handicappers. The following is a Callaway Epic Hybrid review that will help you decide if the Epic Hybrid is the right club for you.

Things to Consider Before Buying The Callaway Epic Hybrid

There is a lot to love about the Callaway Epic Hybrid. In a market that is growing more and more crowded by the day and where more and more companies continue to pour resources, the Epic hybrid still sets itself apart as one of the best in the hybrid market.

The Epic Hybrid has Face Cup Technology for increased distance and forgiveness with a thinner interior to increase ball speeds.

The club head uses the same composite material that features triaxial composite so that the weight of the club head is lessened. This weight is then moved to the back and bottom of the head for a lower center of gravity and higher MOI. This both increases forgiveness and launch angles making it easier to get off the ground and harder to shank.

The Speed Step crown found in the Epic driver and fairway woods can be found in the hybrid as well. This increases aerodynamic and in turn swing speeds and distance.

You can adjust both the loft and the weight of the club so that you can set up for a higher launch or a draw bias.

All of these technological improvements came at a time when hybrids were really reaching their peak of popularity and have given Callaway a strong position in the hybrid market. As hybrids cater more towards less experienced golfers, launch and forgiveness are as important as any other feature out there and the Epic excels in both.

Pros

  • One of the best features of this club is the launch. You get a high launch with a penetrating ball flight for extra distance and ease.
  • With Cup Face Technology and redistributed weight, there is a lot of forgiveness in these clubs.
  • The higher launch is great for approach shots and helps you stick more greens.
  • Off center hits still go high, long, and straight.
  • The smaller clubhead is great for better players and not really a downside for higher handicappers.
  • It looks great at setup both because of the design and size of the head.
  • The 18-degree option is very versatile because it is powerful off the tee and great off the deck.
  • A lot of loft and shaft options. 
  • The adjustability is great for golfers who like to work the ball around the course or who use different launch angles for different lies.
  • They are as long or longer than any other hybrid of its time.

Cons

  • There are some new hybrids on the market that have surpassed the Epic in technology and quality.
  • The regular price of this hybrid is quite high.

 

Features and Benefits of The Callaway Epic Hybrid

Construction (4.5 out of 5)

Head

The face is made of 455 forged steel and uses a face cup. The rim and face are both very thin with a flexible hinge for maximum ball speed.

The head is slightly smaller than most hybrids at this level which should appeal to better players, but it is not so small that it would affect most higher handicappers in a negative way.

The crown of the club is very aesthetically pleasing and a good contrast next to the ball.

At the same time, the triaxial carbon composite makeup is considerably lighter than what you would expect and gave Callaway the ability to add weight to the back and bottom of the club head.

This movement of weight shifted the center of gravity down and both increased the launch and MOI of the club. The head also features Speed Step technology which increased the aerodynamics of the club and made it a couple of MPH faster.

The head is designed for speed and forgiveness and it accomplishes both. 

Shaft Options

The stock shaft of the Epic hybrid is the UST Recoil ES. You can purchase this shaft in either Light, Regular, Stiff, or X Stiff flex and at different weights between 76 and 85 grams. The UST Mamiya Recoil shaft is a top flight graphite shaft and with the options and versatility available, there is a good option for any golfer and any swing type.

Club Specs

    • Club Name (Loft): Hybrid 2 (18), Hybrid 3 (20), Hybrid 4 (23), Hybrid 5 (26)
    • Hand: Men’s Right and Left Hand
    • Head Material: Carbon Triaxial Crown, Forged 455 Steel Face
    • Lie Angle: 57.5-degrees to 59-degrees
    • Grip: Golf Pride New Decade Multi Compound
    • Shaft Name: UST Recoil ES 760/780
    • Shaft Material: Graphite
    • Shaft Flex: Light, Regular, Stiff, X Stiff
    • Shaft Weight: Between 76 and 85 grams
    • Swing Weight: D2
    • Adjustability: Loft, Face Angle, Weight

Performance (4 out of 5)

Forgiveness

There are plenty of forgiveness features in this hybrid making this one of the club’s biggest strengths. The compact head size could potentially decrease forgiveness, but the sweet spot is so big and the MOI so high that it does not really make a difference.

The cup face gives you both distance and forgiveness, but the flexibility of the rim and perimeter weighting is what really makes this club forgiving.

Even off center strikes tend to go far and straight, and the low center of gravity and high launch make it easy for even high handicappers to get a terrific ball flight.

Hybrids, in general, are forgiving clubs compared to long irons, but the Epic hybrid goes a step further and is one of the most forgiving and easiest to hit hybrids out there.

Control/Shot Shaping

This is a very low spinning club which is good for control and accuracy but not as strong for shot shaping. The higher launch can take away from your control a little, but the launch is not so high that it is a negative factor for most golfers.

One thing that does help the shot shaping capability, however, is the adjustable weights in the club. You can adjust the head to give yourself a neutral, fade, or draw bias and this adds some spin to the ball to get it traveling in the direction you want.  

Distance

From the Speed Step aerodynamic design to the forged 455 steel face to the cup face, this club is built for distance. The design makes it fast and the technology makes it forgiving and long.

The ball gets off the ground quickly, and it does have a rather high ball flight, but that ball flight is also penetrating and straight to give you maximum distance.

Looks/Feel/Sound (5 out of 5)

The club looks great at setup. The more compact head and great design features make it stand out with great contrast against the white ball. The looks alone are definitely a 5 out of 5, and even the silver finish on the shaft looks and feels great.

In terms of feel and sound, the Epic Hybrid performs extremely well. It has a very solid feel to it and you get great feedback in your hands at impact. When you hit the ball solidly, you know it. It has that sound that you get with a steel-faced club when you make solid contact that sounds as good as anything you will hear on the golf course. 

Cost (4 out of 5)

When the club first came out, it was a very expensive alternative. At almost $300, there were not many hybrids on the market that cost more. Now that there are newer and more technologically advanced options, the Epic hybrid has come down considerably. In fact, it is difficulty to find a new one, and used one will cost you closer to $150 than the former $300 price point.

Alternatives to The Callaway Epic Hybrid

Epic Flash

The Epic Flash is newer and more technologically advanced than its predecessor. If you are looking for length, forgiveness, and a little more length, then the Epic Flash is probably the hybrid you are looking for.

The Flash line from Callaway came out in 2019, and it has been a smashing hit. The Epic Flash hybrid is just the final piece of this terrific series of golf clubs. The crown and face look similar to what you find in the Epic hybrid, the face of the Epic Flash is just a little longer and higher.

Maybe the biggest 2 differences between the Epic and Epic Flash are Callaway’s use of Cup Face technology and the inclusion of Jailbreak in the creation of the Epic Flash hybrid.

Callaway created their “Cup Face” technology which gives this hybrid an extremely thin and hot face that is as long and as forgiving as you will find on a hybrid. The Jailbreak Technology increases ball speeds compared to the Epic hybrid by reinforcing the face and increasing the sweet spot considerably.  

Pros

  • This club is as long as any hybrid on the market.
  • Even though it is long, it does not sacrifice ball flight and spin for distance meaning that it holds greens well and has enough spin to be workable.
  • The metal infused tungsten weights allow for a mid trajectory with good backspin.
  • Jailbreak Technology was a huge breakthrough in terms of forgiveness and ball speed, and the Epic Flash was the first to include it.
  • Cup Face technology gives you a very thin and very forgiving face.
  • A good array of shaft and loft options.
  • A bigger and more inviting club head than the Epic.
  • Adjustable loft/lie combinations.
  • Looks great at setup.
  • The added distance is effortless and the ball flight and spin are as well.

Cons

  • It is considerably more expensive than the Epic hybrid.
  • It is not as adjustable in general.

 

Callaway Mavrik Max 

The Mavrik Max is another hybrid that helped change the market as Callaway continues to remain at the forefront of hybrid design. The Mavrik Max was the first hybrid to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create optimal distance and forgiveness in face technology. The resulting “Flash Face” technology is nothing sort of a game-changer.

With AI and Flash Face technology, Callaway did not just create one technologically superior face, but each loft is slightly different when it comes to face technology.

The size, thinness, and overall design of the club face of each loft is created for maximum distance and optimal forgiveness. You still get the jailbreak technology, the looks, and the great performance, but the “Flash Face” technology has really bumped the performance of this club up a level.  

Pros

  • This club has everything that the Epic and Epic Flash hybrids had but includes Callaway’s AI developed “Flash Face” technology.
  • Flash Face means that every loft is designed for optimal performance and superior face architecture.
  • Jailbreak technology gives you great ball speed and forgiveness.
  • This hybrid features a huge sweet spot and barely legal ball speed.
  • AI technology is the most precise and versatile out there. Every club is designed and manufactured to the smallest detail and specification.

Cons

  • Even more expensive than the Epic Flash.
  • It was the first to use AI, so it may be worth waiting for the next iteration of the club.

 

Final Thoughts on The Callaway Epic Hybrid Review

(Overall Rating: 4 out of 5)

There have been some new hybrids like the Mavrik Max, Epic Flash, and TaylorMade SIM Rescue that have made this initial Epic hybrid a little dated.

When the club was created, however, it was the leading hybrid on the market and it actually made other companies work harder on their hybrid line.

Hybrid clubs, in general, are gaining in popularity, and Callaway has remained at the forefront of hybrid technology.

The Epic was one of the first hybrid clubs that used the same face and head technology that you find in that brand’s driver and fairway woods and in that way set the market for hybrids.

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