Hybrids have a very specific and important purpose in the game of golf. Long irons are notoriously difficult to hit. Fairway woods are easy and forgiving, but they only really work out of perfect lies and are not great approach clubs.
Hybrids feature the ease and forgiveness of fairway woods coupled with the high launch and soft landing of an iron. In a lot of ways it is the best of both worlds.
The Callaway Rogue hybrid takes the forgiveness and distance that you find in the Rogue driver and fairway woods and brings it to the Rogue hybrid. This is a really good club especially for those golfers (almost all of us) who struggle with long irons.
The following is a Callaway Rogue Hybrid Review where I will describe, rate, and compare the Rogue hybrid with other clubs. The Rogue line of clubs is all about forgiveness and that is a really good trait for a hybrid to have.
Things to Consider Before Buying The Callaway Rogue Hybrid
The Rogue hybrid was the first hybrid to feature the famous Jailbreak Bars that, along with Artificial Intelligence (not used in this club), has set Callaway golf apart from their competition.
Those jailbreak bars have been the gold standard for extra distance and forgiveness, and the lightweight version of them in this hybrid is a great feature.
The Rogue head is a little taller than most hybrids, and that added face height gives it even more forgiveness and a larger sweet spot. In front of the jailbreak bars is the ultra lightweight forged face cup.
This steel face is really thin and the added stability of the jailbreak bars allow it to transfer maximum energy from club to ball. The weight pad at the bottom of the sole is low and precisely placed for a high launch angle making it an easy club to hit and get up in the air.
This club also has the Speed Step that was a collaboration between Callaway and Boeing that produced some of the most aerodynamic clubs on the market.
There is no adjustability in the weight or the hosel, but that actually took away some of the built-in weight of the club and allowed it to be placed elsewhere for a higher MOI and more forgiveness. Something that does not get talked about enough with this club is the visible and effective leading edge.
It cuts through the turf well and helps make sure solid contact is achieved as often as possible. The bottom line is that the Rogue was the first Callaway hybrid that used much of the same technology in the driver and fairway woods and moved it into the evermore popular hybrid.
Pros
- The first hybrid to incorporate jailbreak technology.
- A great leading edge that instills confidence, cuts through the turf, and helps you make solid contact with the ball.
- One of the most forgiving hybrids out there, and forgiveness is of utmost importance in a hybrid.
- A slightly taller head allows for increased technology and a larger sweet spot.
- It is a large hybrid with a high MOI and a huge sweet spot.
- Speed Step technology ensures great aerodynamics.
- The weight pad is precisely placed low and deep in the driver giving you a higher launch and a great ball flight.
- It is a really easy club to hit.
- The ultra thin cup face is hot and transfers a ton of energy from club to ball.
- High MOI and a high launch angle.
Cons
- It was on the expensive side when it first came out.
- No adjustability.
- Other hybrids have surpassed it over the past couple of years in terms of technology and features.
Callaway Rogue Hybrid Features and Benefits
Construction (5 out of 5)
Head
The first hybrid golf club to have the jailbreak bars, the head of this club was ahead of its time when it first came out. A hybrid with most of the same distance and forgiveness features of a driver and the high launch and soft landing of a long iron. The steel face cup is very thin, but the jailbreak stiffens it up a little. The MOI is high for a hybrid and the leading edge cuts through the turf. You have a low and deep center of gravity for an even higher launch, and the clubhead is oversized without being too big. It is a really well made club.
Shaft Options
All of the Rogue hybrids come with an Aldila graphite shafts and in a couple of different weights. This shaft is lightweight and very stable so it fits hybrids in general, and especially a club like the Rogue hybrid. The Rogue lives off of its forgiveness, stability, and accuracy and the Aldila Synergy shaft aids in all of those club features.
Club Specs
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- Golfer: Men’s and Women’s
- Hand: Left or Right
- Clubs/Lofts: 2 hybrid (17 degrees), 3 hybrid (19 degrees), 4 hybrid (21 degrees), 5 hybrid (24 degrees), 6 hybrid (27 degrees)
- Lie Angle: 57.5 degrees – 59.5 degrees
- Length: 39” – 41”
- Swing Weight: D2
- Shafts: Aldila Synergy in a few different weights
- Shaft Stifness: women’s, R, S, and X
- Grip: Callaway Men’s Universal
Performance (4 out of 5)
Forgiveness
Just like the rest of the Rouge family of golf clubs, forgiveness is paramount. The oversized club, low center of gravity, jailbreak bars, huge sweet spot, and high MOI all add up to make it one of the most forgiving hybrids out there. It launches high, gives you some added distance, and off center strikes still go pretty long and really straight. One of the best things you can say about a forgiving golf club is that it is easy to hit…The Rogue hybrid is easy to hit.
Control/Shot Shaping
Just like the rest of the Rogue line, this club was designed for forgiveness and distance and at the expense of shot shaping. You have a lot of control with your swing in the sense that the club is really light and easy to swing. If you want control in terms of drawing and fading the ball, the low spin rate prevents that to an extent. This club was built to go long and straight and it is hard to shape shots with it.
Distance
The club was built with forgiveness in mind, but distance was not an afterthought. The jailbreak, forged face cup, and speed step technology make this club one of the longer hybrids out there. The Speed Step is not as important with a hybrid as it is for your driver, but it does add a little swing speed. The major features that provide you with that extra distance is the forged face cup and jailbreak.
Looks/Feel/Sound (3 out of 5)
You almost definitely forfeit at least some feel for the type of forgiveness that the Rogue hybrid offers. The high MOI and dense head that provide forgiveness do not allow you to feel the ball in your hands or provide the same sound that other hybrids do. The clubs look great just like the other Rogue line of golf clubs, but the feel and sound leave a little to be desired.
Cost (3.5 out of 5)
At around $270, the Rogue hybrid is on the higher end of cost for the hybrid market. The good thing is that you can shop around and sometimes find it for a lower price. For the features and forgiveness it offers, it is worth the list price for most golfers, but cost is an issue for the majority of people reading this article and it is on the high side.
Alternatives To The Callaway Rogue Hybrid
Callaway Epic Flash
There is a lot to love about the Callaway Epic Flash 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 Flash hybrid sets itself apart as one of the best in the hybrid market.
The Epic Flash Hybrid has Face Cup Technology for increased distance and forgiveness with a thinner interior to increase ball speeds. You will also find the jailbreak technology that Callaway has become known for creating. 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 and placed in an exact position for a lower center of gravity and higher MOI. This gives you one of the highest launches for a hybrid. The Speed Step crown found in many Callaway drivers and fairway woods can be found in the hybrid as well.
This increases aerodynamic and in turn swing speeds and distance though after further study it helps in a hybrid only moderately. The Star weight package makes this one of the lightest hybrids out there which increases stability and clubhead speed and is especially nice for seniors, beginners, and higher handicappers.
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.
- Jailbreak technology gives you some stability and extra distance.
- A lot of loft and shaft options.
- They are as long or longer than any other hybrid out there.
Cons
- There are some new hybrids on the market that have surpassed the Epic Flash in technology and quality.
- The regular price of this hybrid is quite high.
Callaway Mavrik Max Hybrid
The first hybrid to be created using Artificial Intteligence (AI) technology, it has many of the same features you will see on Mavrik Max driver.
The Flash Face technology gives you a huge sweet spot and a lot of forgiveness, and the club is setup for a high launch angle making it easy to get off the ground.
The thin face on these hybrids transfer a lot of energy from club to ball and that is one of the reasons the Mavrik Max hybrid is one of the longest out there.
Add to that the forgiveness and high MOI on these hybrids, and you have a really good all-around club. This offering from Callaway is our choice for second place in the hybrid category and the truth is you cannot go wrong with either the Mavrik or SIM clubs.
Pros
- AI technology produces some of the longest and straightest shots in the hybrid category.
- Multiple lofts available depending on your game and the clubs that you want to replace.
- Jailbreak technology helps with ball speed and distance.
- One of the most advanced hybrids on the market.
- Consistent ball speed across the club face for a much larger sweet spot and less chance of a mishit.
- The same technology that went into the successful Mavrik driver can be found in their hybrids as well.
- Different levels of the Mavrik make it suited for a wide range of players.
- Setup to produce a high launch.
Cons
- A high price tag.
- Does not look as good at setup as some of the other options.
Final Thoughts On The Callaway Rogue Hybrid Review
(Overall Rating: 4.4 out of 5)
We would encourage any level of golfer to try out the Rogue hybrid. In general, the Rogue will probably fit mid handicappers, those transitioning from mid to low, and those transitioning from high to mid.
In truth, that is a large majority of the golfers out there. These are really good hybrids. No matter what skill level you are, in today’s game, at least 1 hybrid is almost a necessity and most golfers will use more than that.
Even if you are used to long irons and fairway woods, try the Rogue hybrid out and see if it is not a really good “long approach club” alternative.