Callaway Rogue Driver Review

The new Callaway Rogue Driver is said to produce faster ball speeds than the Callaway Epic Driver

Callaway’s newest Rogue Driver combines the power of Jailbreak technology and X-Face VFT technology to promote high ball speed and long distance.

Callaway claim to have broken away from their own metalwood design protocal to once again reinvent the driver, inspired by a desire to dramatically change driver performance by changing the driver dynamics.

They took the technologies that made the Callaway GBB Epic and say that they have supercharged those to create the Callaway Rogue Driver, a driver that combines all they know about boosting ball speed with a new, MOI-enhancing shape that they say delivers exceptional forgiveness.

・Callaway introduce new Rogue Drivers and Fairway Woods
・Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Driver
・Callaway Rogue Draw Driver 
・Callaway Rogue Fairway Wood
・Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Fairway Wood

Callaway say their new Rogue driver produces 1.5- 2mph faster ball speeds than last year’s Epic, achieved by enhancing their revolutionary Jailbreak Technology with new, hourglass-shaped titanium bars which are 25% lighter to stiffen the crown and sole.

As a result of that the new stiffer body, the Callaway Rogue driver has a thinner face and better energy-transfer to the ball thanks to their new X-Face VFT architecture which thickens and thins strategic areas of the face to promote higher ball speeds on off-centre impacts and consistently high ball speed and long overall distance.

By removing the sliding weight track at the back of the head, the Callaway Rogue driver also has a 15g weight saving over Epic. Why is that important? Repositioning that weight delivers more forgiveness and a 16% tighter shot dispersion. Along with an improved aero package.

Callaway Rogue Driver Review: You Should Know

Features similar game-changing “jailbreak” tech found in last year’s Epic, but pumped full of more performance for 2018. No weight track saves 15g; the stretched head is 10% bigger; and because MOI performance has increased by 600 points Callaway says dispersion is 10% tighter than Epic. All the tuning is said to add up to 1.5-2mph of extra ball speed over the Epic.

Callaway Rogue Driver Review: We Say

Rogue is light years ahead of last year’s Epic. It has a more user- friendly stretched head shape which for a majority of us will boost con dence on the tee. Our pro produced his fastest average ball speed and longest average carry (274 yards, shared with TaylorMade’s M3) with the Rogue. That speaks volumes about its excellent combined package of distance with forgiveness. A similarly strong performance for TG Editor Chris (who’s prone to spraying shots all over the face) racked up his longest average carry (238 yards), meaning Rogue is an excellent match for lots of club golfers too.

Everything you need to know about driver shaft weight. And why it’s now more important than flex. 

Callaway Rogue Driver Review: Verdict 

One of our top three drivers of 2018. Yes, £469 is a lot of money for a golf club, but this is alotofclub–andit delivers on its distance promise. For the average club golfer the Rogue’s a leap forward in terms of forgiveness, too; just make it your business to get the right shaft as there’s plenty to choose from.

See our Best 2018 Driver Test here

Battle of the 2018 driver faces

New vs Old Driver Review: Rogue vs XR vs X Hot vs RAZR Fit

Callaway Rogue Driver: Key Features

Jailbreak Effect for Enhanced Ball Speed
Combined power of Jailbreak technology and X-Face VFT technology to promote high ball speed and long distance in the Callaway Rogue Driver

Boeing Aero Package
New boundary-layer geometry increases the Speed Step’s efficiency for better airflow and more head speed.

Triaxial Carbon Crown for Increased MOI
The largest ever carbon composite surface area in a Callaway driver. Its light-and-strong composition saves weight that’s redistributed to increase MOI.

Premium Shaft Selection at Multiple Weights
Choose from 40g, 50g and 60g weight classes — Aldila Quaranta, Aldila Synergy, Project X Even Flow.

Q&A: Callaway’s Senior Vice President of R&D Alan Hocknell explains the tech in the Rogue drivers below…

Callaway Rogue Driver: Carbon composite

At Callaway we’ve pioneered carbon bre in drivers. The tech’s now so good the Rogue’s crown is 63% lighter than an equivalent titanium crown. All that weight saving is redistributed to raise MOI and protect ball speed and distance

Callaway Rogue Driver: Rogue is bigger

Callaway Rogue Driver: New aerodynamics

We knew we wanted Rogue to be larger, but that amplifies drag issues in the downswing. By working with Boeing we better understood the transitions from face to driver crown. These have a softer, more generous radius, so air effectively stays closer to the driver’s surfaces for longer, reducing drag.

Callaway Rogue Driver: Shaft choice

In recent times we’ve gone from offering a single stock shaft option to sometimes 20. It’s led to confusion, so for Rogue the offering is more manageable (with a premium offering in key weight ranges) and easier to understand.

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• RRP £469 
• Available Lofts: 9°, 10.5° and 13.5° HT. Left hand options available in 9°, 10.5° and in 13.5° HT 
• Adjustability: OptiFit Hosel Tech Specs: 460cc, 45.5” shaft length 
• Premium Shaft Selection at Multiple Weights
• Triaxial Carbon Crown for Increased MOI
• Boeing Aero Package
• Jailbreak Effect for Enhanced Ball Speed