Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Driver Review
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At a glance
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What we say...
The Callaway Rogue Sub Zero driver is lower spinning than the standard Rogue, featuring Jailbreak technology for incredible forgiveness
Callaway’s Rogue Sub Zero Driver is a powerful, extremely low-spinning, Tour-level driver packaged in a high-MOI head shape. Although it is designed to appeal to Tour Pros, Callaway think their Rogue Sub Zero driver is so forgiving and easy to hit that any amateur seeking lower spin is also a great candidate for it.
The performance of the Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Driver performance is spearheaded by their improved Jailbreak Technology, which drastically changes how the head behaves at impact. There are new, hourglass-shaped titanium bars are lighter than before, yet equally effective at stiffening the crown and sole, allowing the face to take on more impact-load to promote faster ball speed.
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・Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Fairway Wood
Improved XFace VFT Technology promotes fast ball speed across a larger part of the face. That, combined with Jailbreak, promotes a significant boost in ball speed and distance. Rogue Sub Zero’s high MOI starts with its light-and-strong triaxial carbon composite crown, which saves weight that’s redistributed in the head’s perimeter. We can’t emphasise enough what an astonishing engineering feat it is to make a low-spin golf driver with this high level of forgiveness.
Rogue Sub Zero’s head shape and construction allows Callaway engineers to position
the CG low and deep with a more neutral bias. This position, along the head’s neutral
axis (the line that runs perpendicular to the loft and intersects with the geometric centre
of the head), promotes higher launch and low spin — the launch conditions that promote
maximum distance.
Two interchangeable weights (2g and 14g) in the front and back of the sole allow you to
adjust spin-rate ±200 rpm. Position the heavier weight forward to lower spin; position it in
back to increase forgiveness and promote higher launch and longer carry.
Boeing and Callaway collaborated to develop the Speed Step Technology used in past
Callaway metalwoods. In Rogue, they worked with Boeing to redefine the geometry of the
leading edge to improve airflow to promote faster head speed.
Callaway say the Sub Zero has more of a player’s profile (than the Callaway Epic Driver); expect it to be in Sergio’s bag for 2018.
Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Driver Review: You Should Know
Both Epic models (standard and Sub Zero) remain in Callaway’s range for 2018. Original “jailbreak” technology sees two titanium rods connect the crown to the sole behind the face which Callaway say sti ens up the head for faster ball speeds. 12g and 2g sole weights can be interchanged to lower spin or increase launch and MOI.
Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Driver Review: We Say
The Epic Sub Zero was one of our favourite drivers of 2017, and just because it’s been superseded by Rogue for 2018 we weren’t quite ready to ditch it just yet. TG Ed Chris still has one in the bag and he swears by its long, spin-reducing properties. With the new Rogue Sub Zero designed very much as a player’s driver (our test pro launched it 1.5° lower than the Epic SZ in the same shaft and loft), we reckon the more forgiving Epic Sub Zero is still well worth a place among our top drivers over £400. Just remember you only get the full force of forgiveness with the 12g weight in the back port, and you need a decent amount of speed and/or launch to get it airborne to max carry.
Everything you need to know about driver shaft weight. And why it’s now more important than flex.
Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Driver Review: Verdict
It will be interesting to see how many golfers opt for an Epic over a Rogue, at the same price. It’s a tough sell for Callaway as the Rogue is so good. But if you really need low spin, the Epic Sub Zero is a brilliant option and much more forgiving than the Rogue Sub Zero. You might even nd an Epic for less than the RRP as the year progresses.
See our Best 2018 Driver Test here
Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Driver: Key Features
Jailbreak Effect for Exceptional Ball Speed
Combined power of Jailbreak technology and X-Face VFT technology to promote high ball speed and long distance.
Triaxial Carbon Crown for Increased MOI and Lower Spin
The most carbon composite surface area ever in a Sub Zero model. Its light-and-strong composition saves weight that’s redistributed to increase MOI and align the CG with the neutral axis, lowering spin.
Interchangeable Weights for Increased Spin and Trajectory Control
Two interchangeable weights (2-gram and 14-gram) to adjust spin-rate and launch angle. Put the 14-gram up front to lower spin, or in back for higher launch and increased MOI.
Boeing Aero Package
New boundary layer at the top-edge of the crown improves the Speed Step’s ability to “trip the flow” of air to promote faster head speed. Premium Shaft Selection at Multiple Weights Choose from 60g, and 70g weight classes — Project X Even Flow.
Callaway’s Senior Vice President of R&D Alan Hocknell explains the tech in the Rogue drivers below…
Callaway Rogue Sub Zero: Why doesn’t the Rogue have a sliding weight track?
The adjustable sliding weight track is a visually obvious technology that people buy
into, and you may see it in future Callaway Drivers again, but we wanted to have a
point of difference between Epic and Rogue. The Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Driver, can dial in more/less driver spin, via interchangeable front/back weighting, which directly influences ball flight trajectory, something the more accomplished player is seeking.
Callaway Rogue Sub Zero: 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 Sub Zero: Rogue is bigger
Both Rogue and Epic are 460cc drivers, but Rogue is stretched from face to back and slightly from toe to heel. To get this look in a conforming driver we used a atter crown compared to the Epic.
Callaway Rogue Sub Zero: Hourglass-shaped Jailbreak bars
Since Epic we’ve run an exhaustive amount of experiments on Jailbreak (not only on vertical rods, either) and looked specifically at how the tech performs with our new X-Face and Variable Face Thickness. New hourglass shaped rods give a giant leap from Epic to Rogue.
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 Sub Zero: 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.
