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GolfWRX Spotted: Callaway Epic Speed and Epic Max drivers on conforming list
The rumored and much-discussed Callaway Epic Speed and Epic Max drivers are now officially on the R&A’s conforming list. (Expected to see them soon on the USGA Conforming Club List). The newly updated January 4 list includes the Callaway Epic Speed, Epic Max, and Epic Max LS (which is generally used to define Low Spin).
With the PGA Tour season about to start, and players gearing up with all the 2021 equipment, including the newest Callaway staff player Jon Rahm, it should come as no surprise to see them pop up on the list this week. In true Callaway fashion, there are a number of different versions that can be found, but judging by the names, some will remain as “tour only” options for now.
With these drivers now on the list, we can probably expect to see an official announcement soon along with a retail launch date.
Callaway Epic Max
Upon first glance, the Callaway Epic Max looks familiar, but when analyzed closely, there are a number of new things going on with the sole of the driver to make us believe Callaway has done some serious tweaking under the hood.
The first and most obvious are the four Jailbreak ports on the sole behind the face. Jailbreak was a revolutionary change in design for Callaway to help retain ball speeds around the face, and with the Epic Max, it appears that the company is doubling up on these support structures to add rigidity and increase stability.
The other new addition is the carbon toe portion of the sole. It’s safe to assume that the crown will continue to be carbon composite and this toe part is being used to save additional mass. The last time Callaway went to a carbon sole portion was with the original Epic, and it proved to be quite useful.
What we know for sure
The great thing about visual technology is that, well, it’s visible, and on the sole of the Epix Max we can also see
- An adjustable sliding weight
- AI Speed frame – to optimize the internal structure
- Horizontal lines indicating that some of the Cyclone shaping introduced in the Mavrik line will also carry forward.
Epic Speed
The name is the giveaway for this club head, and based on the removal of the sliding weight track, which requires additional mass to support, the Callaway Epic Speed has been designed to absolutely optimize speed and boost MOI.
The head features the same four Jailbreak ports as the Epic Max, as well as the carbon composite toe. Replacing the sliding track is a single weight in the rear of the head, which is likely to be used to push weight low and back for added forgiveness while also allowing final swing weight adjustability.
Epic Max LS
The Callaway Epic Max LS looks to have all of the same technical attributes of the standard Epic Max but in a smaller package. It’s hard to tell from the black and white images but the telltale sign is the angle and radius from the hosel to the back edge of the driver with the Max LZ version (on the left) being less round and bulbous compared to the standard Max version (on the right).
The Epic wildcards
The wildcards spotted on the conforming list are the Epic Speed DS and Epic Speed LS.
They share the same technologies as the other drivers listed but with the noticeable exclusion of the four Jailbreak ports for two ports and adjustable front weight. Callaway is well known for producing tour only product for some of its staff players—most famously Phil Mickelson, and with the recent signing of the highly ranked Jon Rahm, it could be that one of the parts of his deal was that Callaway would do anything they could with drivers to make sure Jon was comfy with the new products.
They could also be special editions to be announced alongside the rest of the new line but it would seem a little odd that there would be versions with less face tech—only 2 Jailbreak pieces instead of four.
Conclusion
With the success of the 2020 Mavrik and the previous 2019 Epic Flash driver lines, Callaway looks to be progressing with a proven formula of building driving uniquely targeted to golfers’ needs by offering three unique heads to help find the best fit—seems pretty epic.
To see what other golfers are saying check out the GolfWRX forums.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
stephen
Jan 4, 2021 at 11:30 pm
You all sound like haters just stay off the blog we really don’t want to hear it, just keep playing your 10 year old cheap clubs.
Ben
Jan 5, 2021 at 11:05 pm
Thank you for your comment. I feel exactly the same. I don’t understand why there are so many haters on the most Gear centric community leaving useless comments.
Stacey Abrams
Jan 4, 2021 at 10:01 pm
Yeah, love the roll out of 5 and 6 drivers per model! Drives me nuts!!
golfer
Jan 4, 2021 at 8:56 pm
Consumers have to stop buying the $550 dollar driver and $1500 set of basic carbon steel/chrome blades if we ever want the price to come back down. Buy Hogan, buy sub70, buy used. We drive every pricepoint with our wallets.
MNW
Jan 4, 2021 at 6:59 pm
how about showing pics of the club from playing position??
Who cares about the bottom.
be like saying “Check out my New Corvette”
then posting a pic of the under frame.
Golfer
Jan 4, 2021 at 8:50 pm
These are photos from the Usga conforming club database. They are only so players in the future and the usga can identify clubs. tough to do that from the crown view
Joey5Picks
Jan 4, 2021 at 6:13 pm
Where are all the Taylormade haters chiming in about Callaway releasing a new driver that *may* make you longer, at the rate of $550/yard?
simms
Jan 4, 2021 at 4:26 pm
I wonder if it starts at $500 or $550 maybe $599 this time…need to pay for those two new 50 cent jail break bars…
Desert Hacker
Jan 4, 2021 at 9:21 pm
HA!! And Mr. Jon Rahm’s contract. ?