News
Spotted: Callaway Epic Flash, Epic Flash 3-wood
We spotted both Steve Stricker and Kevin Na hitting Callaway Epic Flash woods on the range of the Ritz Carlton Golf Resort ahead of the QBE Shootout in Naples, Florida, today.
The Epic Flash and Epic Flash Sub Zero showed up on the USGA’s conforming list just this Monday. As with all photos from that registry, however, the images were both in black and white and only of the sole of the club. Fortunately, with apparent Tour seeding and testing under way, we can catch a glimpse of the color scheme, face, and crown designs.
Enjoy the photos of Callaway’s expected 2019 wood release and let us know what you think.
More photos of Steve Stricker with the Epic Flash driver in the forums.
More photos of Kevin Na with the Epic Flash 3-wood in the forums.
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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Spotted: Tommy Fleetwood’s TaylorMade Spider Tour X Prototype putter
Tommy Fleetwood has been attached to his Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 putter for years now. However, this week at the Wells Fargo Championship, we did spot him testing a new putter that is very different, yet somewhat similar, to his current gamer.
This new putter is a TaylorMade Spider Tour X head but with a brand new neck we haven’t seen on a Spider before. A flow neck is attached to the Spider head and gives the putter about a 1/2 shaft offset. This style neck will usually increase the toe hang of the putter and we can guess it gets the putter close to his White Hot Pro #3.
Another interesting design is that lack of TaylorMade’s True Path alignment on the top of the putter. Instead of the large white center stripe, Tommy’s Spider just has a very short white site line milled into it. As with his Odyssey, Tommy seems to be a fan of soft inserts and this Spider prototype looks to have the TPU Pure Roll insert with 45° grooves for immediate topspin and less hopping and skidding.
The sole is interesting as well in that the rear weights don’t look to be interchangeable and are recessed deep into the ports. This setup could be used to push the CG forward in the putter for a more blade-like feel during the stroke, like TaylorMade did with the Spider X Proto Scottie Scheffler tested out.
Tommy’s putter is finished off with an older Super Stroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip in blue and white. The Mid Slim was designed to fit in between the Ultra Slim 1.0 and the Slim 3.0 that was a popular grip on tour.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
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Equipment
Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.
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Tom
Jan 16, 2019 at 12:36 pm
I took an Epic Flush after my second cup of Joe this morning.
Anon
Dec 23, 2018 at 11:13 am
Aaron Rodgers loves this.
Dan
Dec 21, 2018 at 2:07 am
I’ll say this if you think the Wilson driver looks better than the new Callaway, you can’t shine a turd
smz
Dec 18, 2018 at 12:37 pm
The only technological change is the name… “Epic Flash”… chosen to attract the childish nature of immature golfing boyz…. sooo pathetic
ogo
Dec 21, 2018 at 1:51 am
Shoulda called it “Epic Flush”…. like hitting the ball “flush”… 😮
SEAN
Dec 8, 2018 at 11:04 pm
Interesting story with Epic Flash. Have not had chance to try but looking forward to. I do play Callaway woods and irons and my Rogue was not longer than original Epic but was far more forgiving for me. Rogue fairway wood, best thing since sliced bread. For those commenting on the “looks” of a driver(from one generation to another)…..that has little to do with a clubs performance. The technology in the heads from Callaway, TM, Ping and others is almost all within the head itself. There are certain head shapes that are almost universally considered good looking, but other than the aerodynamics they have little to do with clubs performance. Speaking of looks, the green/yellow combination on new Epic…….not my favorite. I suppose one can get a custom paint job but now the price is getting out of control for those of that live in reality with normal jobs and kids and other stuff competing for our discretionary dollars.
Dan
Dec 6, 2018 at 12:47 pm
Heads up everyone, every driver these days is pretty much maxed out to the usga tolerances, so most of these small changes are just that ,small. The proper driver is based on a good fit and a head that’s not outdated. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but if you think all new clubs are just marketing and don’t offer performance improvement you aren’t good enough to see the subtleties. My 2017 Epic blows away anything ever made, mainly because my fit and swing are solid.
Des
Dec 6, 2018 at 9:26 pm
So it’s not the club, it’s because your swing just happens to work with the club.
So what’s your point? Lol
DJ
Dec 7, 2018 at 12:57 am
My Hammer driver blows everything away. Shout out to Jack Hamm! youtube the infomercial to get the low down. It’s the Hammer!
Kevin J Robertson
Dec 6, 2018 at 10:07 am
Look at these pics!
https://community.callawaygolf.com/t5/Clubs/Epic-Flash-color-pics/td-p/93449
HDTVMAN
Dec 6, 2018 at 9:17 am
Good idea to put the sliding weight on the Sub Zero. I still don’t like Jailbreak, as customers seem to push the ball right or left if not hit center face. I’ll stay with the Ping G400 MAX.
Tom
Dec 6, 2018 at 12:48 am
I hit one of the prototypes, it carried 75 yards farther than the previous offering and rolled out another 125 yards farther, net Gain of 200 yards.
My Uncle Rico hit it over them there mountains….
Andy
Dec 5, 2018 at 6:28 pm
yep…. hell hath frozen over…Wilson’s newest driver looks waaaay better than Callaway’s newest driver.
shawn
Dec 23, 2018 at 4:58 pm
… and your opinion is soooo significant to us….. thank you 😛
Jordan
Dec 5, 2018 at 4:14 pm
Mizuno: “We’ve heard customer feedback and decided to ditch the bold colorways in favor of all black”.
Callaway: “Hold my beer”
shawn
Dec 23, 2018 at 4:59 pm
My toys are more colorful than your toys… nyah nyah myah