Callaway Epic Max LS Driver Review
If you are looking for a driver that combines low spin, high forgiveness, and adjustable features, you might want to check out the Callaway Epic Max LS Driver.
This driver is part of the Epic family of drivers that feature the innovative Jailbreak Speed Frame technology for faster ball speeds and greater distance.
In this review, we will take a closer look at the Callaway Epic Max LS Driver and see how it performs in terms of looks, feel, sound, and playability. We will also compare it with some similar models from Callaway and other brands and help you decide if this driver is right for you.
Callaway Epic Max LS Driver
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver is the newest addition to the Epic line of drivers that were launched in 2021. It is designed to deliver low spin, high forgiveness, and adjustable features for players who want to optimize their distance and accuracy.
The driver has a 460cc head size and a slightly smaller footprint than the Epic Max Driver. It also has a higher MOI and a lower CG than the Epic Speed Driver. The driver comes with a premium stock shaft option from Mitsubishi, Project X, or Aldila, and a Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align grip. The driver is available in 9°, 10.5°, and 12° lofts.
The LS in the name stands for Low Spin, which means that this driver is engineered to reduce the amount of backspin on your shots and increase your ball speed and distance.
This driver is ideal for players who tend to generate too much spin or launch the ball too high with their current driver. The Epic max LS driver also features an OptiFit Hosel that allows you to adjust the loft, lie, and face angle of the driver to suit your swing and preferences.
You can choose from eight different settings that range from -1° to +2° in loft and neutral to draw in face angle.
Looks/Impression
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver has a sleek and modern look that appeals to many players. The driver has a black matte finish on the crown with some green accents on the edges. The crown also has a subtle alignment aid that helps you set up your shots.
The face of the driver has a silver finish with some grooves and markings that indicate the sweet spot. The sole of the driver has a glossy black finish with some green graphics and logos. The sole also has two weight ports that allow you to adjust the CG location of the driver by swapping a 13g and a 1g weight.
The Epic Max LS driver looks great at address and inspires confidence and alignment. Also, the driver has a slightly smaller head size than the Epic Max Driver, but it still has a generous footprint that covers the ball well.
Looking at the open face, you could tell it also has a slightly open-face angle that helps reduce spin and promote a fade bias.
Finally, the Epic Max Ls driver has a classic shape that appeals to many players who prefer a traditional look over a futuristic one.
Key Features/Technologies
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver boasts of several features and technologies that make it unique and effective. Here are some of them:
Jailbreak Speed Frame: This is a titanium structure that connects the crown and the sole of the driver and creates a stiffer and more stable head. This allows the face to flex more at impact and generate faster ball speed across the face.
Flash Face SS21: This is a computer-designed face that optimizes the speed and spin consistency of each shot. The face also has variable thicknesses that enhance forgiveness on off-center hits.
Triaxial Carbon Crown: This is a lightweight and strong material that saves weight and redistributes it to the perimeter of the head for more forgiveness.
OptiFit Hosel: This allows you to adjust the loft, lie, and face angle of the driver to suit your swing and preferences. You can choose from eight different settings that range from -1° to +2° in loft and neutral to draw in face angle.
Adjustable Weighting: This allows you to adjust the CG location of the driver by swapping a 13g and a 1g weight in the sole. You can choose between a low spin or a high MOI setting depending on your needs.
These features and technologies work together to enhance the performance of the driver and give you more distance, accuracy, and forgiveness. According to Callaway, the Epic Max LS Driver can deliver up to 13 yards more distance and 400 rpm less spin than the previous Epic Flash Driver.
Performance
We tested the Callaway Epic Max LS Driver on a launch monitor and on the course to see how it performs in terms of forgiveness, speed, distance, feel, sound, and playability. Here are our findings:
Forgiveness
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver is one of the most forgiving drivers we have ever hit. The driver maintains ball speed, distance, and accuracy on off-center hits and mishits.
The driver has a high MOI and a low CG that help stabilize the head and reduce twisting at impact. The Epic Max LS driver also has a large sweet spot that covers most of the face and minimizes the loss of performance on heel and toe strikes.
Besides, it absolutely very easy to hit, probably one of the easiest, and does not punish you for your mistakes.
Speeds & Distance
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver is also one of the fastest and longest drivers we have ever hit, even with all of the new drivers from both Callaway and other brands. The driver launches the ball with high speed and low spin which results in optimal distance and accuracy.
This driver has an aerodynamic shape that reduces drag and increases swing speed. It also has a Jailbreak Speed Frame that enhances face flexion and ball speed across the face.
The Epic Max LS driver is also equipped with a Flash Face SS21 that helps to optimize speed and spin consistency on each shot.
With minimal effort, the Callaway epic max LS driver can easily add 10 to 15 yards to your drive.
Feel & Sound
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver has a solid and satisfying feel at impact. The driver feels balanced and stable in your hands and at impact. You also get good feedback and feel on different parts of the face.
At impact, you get that crisp and explosive sound that matches its performance. The sound is loud but not harsh or annoying. The sound is also consistent across the face and does not change much on off-center hits.
Playability & Workability
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver is very easy to control and manipulate with different swings and shots. The driver has an adjustable hosel that allows you to fine-tune the loft, lie, and face angle of the driver to suit your swing and preferences.
You can easily change the trajectory, shape, and spin of your shots with the hosel settings. It also has an adjustable weighting system that allows you to change the CG location of the driver by swapping a 13g and a 1g weight in the sole. You can choose between a low spin or a high MOI setting depending on your needs.
The driver also has a slightly open face angle that helps reduce spin and promote a fade bias. However, you can still hit draws or straight shots with this driver if you adjust your swing or hosel settings accordingly.
Pros & Cons
There are a couple of take pros and cons of the Callaway Epic Max LS Driver that you should consider before buying it. Here are some of them:
Pros:
- Low spin design for optimal distance and accuracy
- High forgiveness on off-center hits and mishits
- Adjustable hosel for fine-tuning loft, lie, and face angle
- Jailbreak Speed Frame for faster ball speed across the face
- Flash Face SS21 for enhanced speed and spin consistency
Cons:
- Expensive compared to other drivers in the market
- Not very suitable for high spin or high launch players
- Sound may be too loud or harsh for some players
- New models have more technologies infused for better performance.
Who Should Play This Club
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver is ideal for players who want to optimize their distance and accuracy with a low spin, high forgiveness, and adjustable driver. This driver is suitable for players who tend to generate too much spin or launch the ball too high with their current driver.
This driver is also suitable for players who want to fine-tune their loft, lie, and face angle to suit their swing and preferences. This driver is best suited for players who have moderate to fast swing speeds (90 mph or above) and who prefer a fade bias or a neutral ball flight.
Comparison with Similar Models
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver is similar to other models from Callaway or other brands in terms of features, performance, price, etc. Here are some of them:
Callaway Epic Speed Driver: This is another model from the Epic line of drivers that features the Jailbreak Speed Frame technology for faster ball speed and more distance.
This driver is designed to deliver high speed, low spin, and high launch for players who want to maximize their distance potential. This driver has a smaller head size (450cc) than the Epic Max LS Driver (460cc) and a lower MOI and CG than the Epic Max LS Driver.
This driver also has a slightly closed face angle that helps promote a draw bias. This driver is ideal for players who have fast swing speeds (100 mph or above) and who prefer a draw bias or a high launch ball flight.
Callaway Epic Max Driver: This is another model from the Epic line of drivers that features the Jailbreak Speed Frame technology for faster ball speed and more distance. This driver is designed to deliver high forgiveness, high launch, and high spin for players who want to optimize their accuracy and consistency.
This driver has a larger head size (460cc) than the Epic Max LS Driver (460cc) and a higher MOI and CG than the Epic Max LS Driver. This driver also has two weight ports that allow you to adjust the CG location between a draw or a fade bias.
This driver is ideal for players who have slow to moderate swing speeds (80 mph or below) and who prefer a draw or a fade bias or a high launch ball flight.
TaylorMade SIM2 Driver: This is a model from TaylorMade that features the Speed Injected Twist Face technology for faster ball speed and more forgiveness.
This driver is designed to deliver high speed, low spin, and high launch for players who want to maximize their distance potential. This driver has a similar head size (460cc) as the Epic Max LS Driver (460cc) but a lower MOI and CG than the Epic Max LS Driver.
This driver also has an asymmetric sole design that reduces drag and increases swing speed. This driver is ideal for players who have fast swing speeds (100 mph or above) and who prefer a neutral or a high launch ball flight.
Ping G425 LST Driver: This is a model from Ping that features the T9S+ forged face technology for faster ball speed and more forgiveness. This driver is designed to deliver low spin, high forgiveness, and adjustable features for players who want to optimize their distance and accuracy.
This driver has a smaller head size (445cc) than the Epic Max LS Driver (460cc) but a higher MOI and CG than the Epic Max LS Driver. This driver also has an adjustable hosel that allows you to fine-tune the loft, lie, and face angle of the driver to suit your swing and preferences.
This driver is ideal for players who have moderate to fast swing speeds (90 mph or above) and who prefer a fade bias or a low launch ball flight.
Conclusion
The Callaway Epic Max LS Driver is an excellent choice for players who want to optimize their distance and accuracy with a low spin, high forgiveness, and adjustable driver. This driver delivers impressive performance in terms of speed, distance, feel, sound, and playability.
This driver also features the innovative Jailbreak Speed Frame technology that enhances face flexion and ball speed across the face. This driver is suitable for players who tend to generate too much spin or launch the ball too high with their current driver. This driver is also suitable for players who want to fine-tune their loft, lie, and face angle to suit their swing and preferences.
This driver is best suited for players who have moderate to fast swing speeds (90 mph or above) and who prefer a fade bias or a neutral ball flight.