Equipment
GolfWRX Spotted: Callaway Mavrik drivers and fairway woods for 2020
Say hello to Callaway Golf’s newest driver and fairway woods for 2020—Mavrik and Mavrik Sub Zero.
We just spotted the new Callaway Mavrik drivers on the USGA Conforming List, which for those that don’t know, is a publicly available database that allows tournament committees to check the conformity of any club that might be put into play during an event. Every single OEM has to submit each variation of a club to the USGA before it gets deemed legal for competition.
For the new Callaway Mavrik to show up on the USGA List on an “off week” for the PGA Tour, beyond the Tiger Woods’ hosted Hero World Challenge, means that there is a very good chance we could be seeing this in a few bags this week, not just in the Bahamas but on the European Tour as well.
What’s New With The Callaway Mavrik Line?
First up, there is the confirmed continuation of the now traditional Callaway “standard” model along with a lower-spinning, lower-MOI Sub Zero version. What is difficult to tell on either head is the geometry compared to the Epic Flash. If Callaway is going to work along what has been their standard practice over the last couple of years, the new Mavrik should be slightly shallower and longer heel to toe like the Rogue which would offer a total boost to overall forgiveness.
Callaway’s JailBreak face technology is predominately featured on the sole, and again this is an assumption, but with the success of last year’s A.I. designed Flash Face, it would be hard to believe that the team at Callaway would be abandoning that.
The most noticeable difference so far compared to the 2019 Epic Flash is the lack of any movable weight track along the back of both Mavrik driver models. They look to have the same adjustable hosel but no adjustable CG, beyond the potential of move a heavier weight to the rear of the Sub Zero head.
I must admit that compared to the Callaway Epic Flash the new Mavrik drivers look to be trending towards a slightly more subdued overall graphic scheme but that has very little to do with the technology and is just an observation. We have heard unconfirmed rumors that the main accent color will be orange, but until we have a clubhead in hand, this is just a rumor.
Mavrik Fairway Woods
Just like with the drivers, any technology included in the Mavrik fairway woods beyond what we can see are up to the imagination.
We know that we will have a standard and a Sub Zero model, and that unlike the previous Epic Flash fairway woods, the Mavrik heads will NOT be adjustable at the hosel. The interesting thing about the hosel is that Callaway has been producing non-adjustable versions the standard retail (adjustable) heads on tour for a few years now, and this could mean that as far as fairway woods go, there is potential for increased forgiveness from freed up mass when the adjustability is removed—at that point it becomes a fitting want versus a performance need with either one being the better option depending on the player.
Keeping You Updated
Until more details emerge we will have to continue to speculate, but you can see what other golfers are saying about the new Callaway Mavrik driver and fairway woods in the GolfWRX forums here: GolfWRX Forums: Discussion the All New Callaway MAVRIK
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Whats in the Bag
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB 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
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Jim
Jan 10, 2020 at 2:23 pm
Looks like a$149 driver from Wal-mart. Unappealing and not the driver you’ll
See at country club or tour player bags….
Ro
Jan 7, 2020 at 3:55 pm
I tested the new Mavrik Driver today and it is Orange & Black and very forgiving, omg…couldn’t miss. I was hitting indoors but I was very pleased with the response. The sweet spot is huge. I currently have the Rogue driver, but have not ordered this new toy
Ro
Jan 7, 2020 at 3:56 pm
Typo, I have ordered the Mavrik Driver
need my fix
Dec 17, 2019 at 10:16 am
i was wondering if anyone had any opinions on matt kuchar
george
Jan 5, 2020 at 8:04 am
He’s a douche
JAS HERRINGTON
Dec 17, 2019 at 7:08 am
I`d buy it, if it wood stop my hook. Gosh I hate 2c it go lef.
Trevor Green
Dec 6, 2019 at 3:45 pm
Introducing, the new Callaway M2
Charlie Waffles
Dec 6, 2019 at 12:19 pm
Let me guess…
1. longer
2. more forgiving
3. better sounding
4. increased MOI
5. less spin
Now let me go and read the column and see if I’m right. #justchasingafewyards
Low Tier God
Dec 4, 2019 at 3:09 pm
No APW. So, this is the Rogue’s replacement?
Jerkeejoe
Dec 3, 2019 at 10:27 pm
Gotta love the hard on for names and color schemes on here. Who cares what it’s called or what color it is if it performs?
joe
Dec 3, 2019 at 5:53 pm
The author of the article doesn’t know that the color isn’t rumored to be orange. It IS orange. The Callaway representative has been bringing them to retailers around Denver for almost 2 months and every single person I know has hit this club. It’s definitely orange. A bit more muted than the flash… And looks cheap as hell.
Joe
Dec 3, 2019 at 2:10 pm
Total Callaway, Pick a terrible name and mis-spell it in a block sans-serif font. Are we sure this isn’t their second-tier line which they sell at Sam’s Club?
gurn
Dec 2, 2019 at 9:55 pm
SHHHH My used Epic Flash just dumped in price
JP
Dec 3, 2019 at 2:40 pm
Your Epic Flash just appreciated in price! This mavrik driver isn’t going to move the needle at all imo.
Andrew M Prutsok
Dec 2, 2019 at 6:01 pm
Grayscale was a bold move.
JP
Dec 3, 2019 at 5:33 pm
Seriously? Haha. That’s the pic from the USGA conforming list. That’s not how the clubs will look. Haha.
Joe
Dec 3, 2019 at 5:49 pm
Seriously, the joke went right over your head and you’re laughing at him?
Rich Douglas
Dec 2, 2019 at 1:01 pm
Given the physical limitations placed on clubs by the USGA, it would seem manufacturers are running out of potential performance improvements. If that’s the case, a normal market would be saturated with competing clubs, all performing in a similar manner.
If this is becoming the case–and I think it is–the choice will come down to two factors: fit and price. Which club is best for you and how much does it cost? Even the first factor will become largely irrelevant to the second–fit will not drive cost.
Will costs come down? Two forces act against this: an unfair marketplace and perceptions driven (and distorted) by advertising, commerce’s propaganda arm.
As we know, there is no real competition at the retail level. Prices are set by the OEMs and enforced with supply agreements. There is also very little competition on price between OEMs; they function as a cartel.
Couple this with factors like reputation and advertising and you get a skewed market with a huge informational imbalance (between OEMs and consumers). Retail outlets don’t help–they make things worse.
I used to blindly go with one TM driver after another–until the SLDR showed to be a real dud. Then I finally got fitted. Thinking I was going to buy another TM or the latest from Callaway, I instead went with a Titleist 917D3 and a custom-fit shaft–something I would not have predicted. I won’t switch because (a) this club fits and (b) there really is no compelling reason to switch.
I did the same with irons, going to Wishon Sterlings. Never going back. And as we know, there really hasn’t been a lot of innovation, nor improvement, in iron design since multiple-material and slotted designs became the norm.
If I ever switch from the Titleist driver, it will be to go to a shorter shaft, something I could do in any club. So I’ll get fit with the latest because I’m switching anyway, and that will be that.
Tryhard
Dec 5, 2019 at 9:36 pm
Holy. Is there no character limit on comments? Dude just went off and wrote his own article.
Val K
Dec 2, 2019 at 12:51 pm
I want an Iceman model.
Realist
Dec 2, 2019 at 2:00 pm
I was looking for the “Goose” model myself…haha
Gibson888
Dec 3, 2019 at 8:30 pm
The tried to do a Goose model but it was dead in the water.
Gibson888
Dec 3, 2019 at 8:31 pm
*They
Arnie
Dec 6, 2019 at 1:21 pm
I want an Mr Freeze model
Marshall
Dec 2, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Not to be negative, but these couldn’t look more “blah” and uninteresting. I’ve been a fan of the last few iterations of drivers from Callaway, but these definitely have a less-than-premium vibe to them.
However, I guess that matters only little if they play better than what is currently out there.
John
Dec 2, 2019 at 12:28 pm
Pretty basic looking. Should come with a goose neck hosel.
HDTVMAN
Dec 2, 2019 at 12:26 pm
Here we go again…$500+++…get you platinum cards out!
Jack Nash
Dec 2, 2019 at 2:46 pm
You got it. Was thinking the same myself. Guess they just want to beat Taylormade to the punch.
jgpl001
Dec 3, 2019 at 4:45 pm
Surely there isn’t an M5 or M6 replacement due already…
dat
Dec 2, 2019 at 12:08 pm
MEH-vrick
Cody Reeder
Dec 2, 2019 at 10:48 am
You guys really should start giving credit in your articles to the forum individuals that post this info. Its the right thing to do.
DJ
Dec 2, 2019 at 10:30 am
It is the new Rogue – same design
Eric Hutchens
Dec 2, 2019 at 10:12 am
Terrible Name. Is it a Top Gun product placement. Not a fan at all, even if it’s a good driver. Where are you Harry Arnett?