Callaway are launching a new, upgraded version of their popular Epic driver and woods for 2019 with the new Epic Flash hitting the market.
The Epic was well received when being launched as the GBB Epic (Giant Big Bertha Epic) in 2017, with ground-breaking Jailbreak Technology with its hourglass shape and its two vertical metal bars to provide greater flex, and things have been taken up a notch to the latest version.
The GBB has been dropped from the new Epic, and the term Flash added instead. That is because the big technological selling point of the 2019 version is Flash Face, which is all about generating more ball speed and distance for golfers of all abilities. The Jailbreak Technology is also present once again.
In the new range is the Epic Flash Driver and Epic Flash Sub Zero Driver, as well as fairway woods in both versions. Significantly, Callaway have trodden new ground in the creation of the products too with Artificial Intelligence used for the first time during the design process courtesy of an $8 million super computer.
“We couldn’t have come up with Flash Face using conventional engineering principles,” said Dr. Alan Hocknell, senior vice president of R&D. “We wouldn’t have gone in this direction without A.I. because it’s non-intuitive compared to previous face technologies, including our own VFT and X-Face. The wave configuration isn’t symmetrical, nor does the pattern seem logical. Yet the ripples work together in a complex manner to maximize ball speed.
“Employing A.I. allowed Callaway engineers to speed the evolution of face technology dramatically—Flash Face isn’t something a human would have arrived at any time soon.”
Callaway’s machine learning research involved 15,000 different face designs, and the one chosen for the Epic Flash features subtle ripples from heel to toe. The idea behind the technology is that the face provides more flexibility, more speed and a great sweet spot to ensure even off-centre strikes gain maximum distance.
The face is multi-material with the inner made from a unique titanium, while the carbon crown has been made lighter than its predecessor to allow weight to be moved in the head, resulting in a higher MOI.
On the sole of the Epic Flash are 16-gram sliding weights which can be adjusted for draw, fade or straight flight setups depending on the requirements of any golfer. The Sub Zero version features a 12-gram sliding weight on the back of the head and a permanent weight in the sole which can be replaced with lighter or heavier options depending on preference.
Unlike the driver, the GBB Epic woods did not feature the Jailbreak Technology when released two years ago. But it does appear in the new product and Flash Face is also firmly part of the new design.
The woods have an even thinner steel club face that also features Callaway’s Club Face Cup technology and the hosel has been switched for a new, lighter version for optimal setup of the lie and launch angle. The Sub Zero woods also have the interchangeable weights featured in the driver version too.
See also: Callaway Launch Oversize Golf Ball
