Callaway GBB Epic Fairway Wood Review


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Performance
Innovation
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Just like any mid-handicapper, I’m always looking for extreme efficiency and top performance in a golf club. A few weeks ago, a pro golfer friend of mine suggested I buy the Callaway Epic Fairway Wood. He’s a zero handicapper. Of course, I trusted him, and my instincts didn’t let me down. I’ve put together this golf club review to show you how this brilliant Epic fairway wood can help your game. 

Things to Consider Before Buying a Callaway GBB Epic Fairway Wood 

Choosing a fairway wood can be a complicated task, but not if you know what to look for. With so many lofts, shafts and head sizes available, it’s not easy to find the perfect fairway wood for your set. 

The club head material is crucial to your game. Usually, fairway woods have steel heads. Titanium heads are half the weight of steel heads which helps in setting a lower centre of gravity in the back of the head. This positioning adds forgiveness to your launch and increases the golf ball’s distance. 

Fairway woods can also have a mix of materials in their heads such as carbon, titanium, and steel. A multi-material head guarantees great distance and control of your shots. 

I’ve found that fairway woods come in a wide range of lofts. The No. 3 wood ranges from 13° to 15° lofts, No. 5 has 17° to 19° lofts and No. 7 has 20° to 22° lofts. These specifications are different depending on the fairway wood’s manufacturer. 

Fairway woods act as a transition between the drivers and the hybrids or long irons. They come in different lengths. The No 3 Fairway Wood is the longest and measures between 42 to 43 inches. The No 5 Fairway Wood measures from 41 to 42 inches and No 7 Fairway Wood measures from 40 to 41 inches. Again, lengths depend on the manufacturer of the club. 

Fairway woods have shafts which are made from graphite and they’re produced in R (regular), S (stiff), and X models (extra stiff).


Callaway GBB Epic Fairway Wood Detailed Review

The Callaway Epic Fairway clubs integrate the revolutionary Triaxial Carbon composite material to increase power, improve forgiveness and accuracy. They’re great for any golfer who needs a long, easy to launch and precise fairway wood. 

The 4th generation Face Cup technology provides extreme ball speed across the face and increases the distance covered. 

Callaway’s Speed Step feature guarantees great aerodynamics for fast club swings and extra distance. 

The sound the club makes at impact is hollow, but I find it overall satisfying. If you’re looking for great acoustics, you should try out the TaylorMade M4 fairway wood. 

However, if you prefer a fairway wood which is smaller and has fewer spins then you should look at the Callaway Epic Sub-Zero version of the GBB Epic Fairway line. 

If you’re not willing to pay a higher price for your fairway wood, then you should not look at the these particular Callaways. 

Pros

  • Extraordinary forgiveness 
  • Extreme distance coverage 
  • A wide range of lofts available 

Cons

  • A little expensive
  • The quiet sound at impact which requires getting used to
  • Solid feel

Features and Benefits

Just about every box is checked by this Callaway Epic Fairway when it comes to design, playability, distance, and forgiveness. 

Technology

The Callaway Epic Fairway integrates cutting-edge technology into its structure. The Triaxial composite head is engineered to improve power, forgiveness, and precision which helps the ball cover great distances. 

This fairway wood is very easy to swing because of its lightweight. You’ll certainly feel how light it is when you compare it to your other clubs which have heads made of high-density material. The Epic fairway’s head only weighs 5.8 grams. 

Thanks to the lightweight of the head, Callaway’s engineers have made it possible to distribute weight in strategic positions inside the club head. This optimises MOI and enables an extremely low centre of gravity for great launch and accuracy. 

The larger head of the fairway wood provides an increased area to hit off, making it suitable for this golf club to be used by any level handicapper. Off-centre hits are much more forgiving due to the durable material of the head. 

Callaway’s Speed Face Cup technology is incorporated in the Epic fairway wood to provide greater speed when striking the golf ball. Even if you strike a mis-hit you still get maximised speeds because you don’t need to put in too much effort into your shots with this fairway wood. 

The Epic fairway wood doesn’t have Jailbreak technology implemented yet due to the aspect ratio which is shallow top to bottom relative to its width. Also, it has a smaller face than the Callaway driver, so automatically you are closer to the perimeter of the face when you shoot. This is why the Callaway Epic Fairway has increased flexibility integrated into its face perimeter. It really comes down to flexibility as you take your shot off the turf with the Epic fairway wood. What Callaway aimed for was to develop great flexibility for the striking face but also for the area behind the face. 

In the future though, I think Callaway should consider including Jailbreak technology into its fairway woods also. They have the right systems and simulators to fine-tune Jailbreak and adapt it to higher flexibility needs. This would have a great positive impact on the fairway wood’s performance. Not that I’m complaining about it even now. 

The OptiFit adjustable hosel sleeve makes the Callaway Epic Fairway Wood fitting for any golfer, whether a beginner or pro.

Centre of Gravity

The centre of gravity is placed low on the Epic Fairway Woods, due to the lighter crown. This helps players take much higher and more accurate shots.

Callaway stated that the Epic Fairway woods generate around 200 rpm less spin than their previous Big Bertha fairway wood models. 

Design

The Epic fairway wood is very appealing and combines shades of green in classy lines. 

The head is extremely aerodynamic. Although it’s mostly rounded, it facilitates a sweet spot feeling from the face when you strike the ball. 

I’m not sure about you, but I think that it’s extremely important to have good looking golf clubs in your set. Not only will you feel better and more confident among other players, especially the pros, but you’ll also get a sense of control. Appearance always matters. 

The large clubhead makes this fairway wood perfect even for beginners. Because Callaway focuses on making it easier to take your game to the next level, it’s set visual distinctive guides on the club head. 

Two green lines on the crown help you align your shot with greater precision. You can consider them as the green traffic lights telling you to go ahead and take your best shot because you’re free to go. 

The sense of freedom this golf club gives you is far from anything you’ve experienced before. So, if you’re just starting out playing golf, you should definitely consider buying this fairway wood. 

Feel & Sound

When you strike the golf ball with the Epic fairway wood you’ll hear a quiet sound. It’s not as luxurious as Callaway’s titanium or steelhead fairways but still, it does the trick. However, it will take some getting used to the acoustics of this fairway wood at impact. 

The fairway’s solid feel and quiet sound are different than any other fairway you’ve used in the past. 

Loft Selection

Epic fairway woods are designed under the supervision of aerospace experts to guarantee superior aerodynamics for fast and effortless swings. This is why Callaway has produced a wide range of lofts to give you the opportunity of choosing the right fairway wood for your set. 

Callaway has manufactured a wide range of 6 models of epic fairway woods to choose from, covering all requirements a golfer needs. The Callaway Fairway woods’ lofts cover 3, 3+, 5, 7, Divine Nine and Heavenwood models. 

Callaway GBB Epic Wood Specs

Mens Callaway GBB Epic Wood Product Specifications

Name

Loft

Availability

Standard

Length

Lie

CC

Swing Weight

3+W

13.5°

RH Only

43.00”

55.00° Adjustable

173

D2

3W

15°

RH / LH

43.00”

56.00° Adjustable

179

D2

5W

18°

RH / LH

42.50”

56.50° Adjustable

158

D2

Heavenwood

20°

RH / LH

42.75”

56.50° Adjustable

170

D2

7W

21°

RH / LH

42.00”

58.50°

148

D2

Divine Nine

24°

RH / LH

41.50”

59.00°

140

D2

Womens Callaway GBB Epic Wood Product Specifications

Name

Loft

Availability

Standard

Length

Lie

CC

Swing Weight

3+W

13.5°

RH Only

43.00”

55.00° Adjustable

173

D6

3W

15°

RH /

LH Custom Only

42.00”

56.00° Adjustable

179

D6

5W

18°

RH /

LH Custom Only

41.50”

56.50° Adjustable

158

D6

Heavenwood

20°

RH /

LH Custom Only

41.75”

56.50° Adjustable

170

D6

7W

21°

RH /

LH Custom Only

41.00”

58.50°

148

D6

Divine Nine

24°

RH /

LH Custom Only

40.50”

59.00°

140

D6

Shafts

The stock shaft options include Fujikura Pro, Diamana M+ Green, Project X HZRDUS and Rogue M AX. The Epic Fairway woods are made for any golfer who wants an extremely long, precise and easy fairway wood. 

Personally, I believe the Callaway Epic Fairway is an excellent addition to my set. It’s easy to love this golf club because it really is your best friend on the golf course. It combines superior adjustability, state of the art technology and extreme forgiveness to help you overcome any bumps and turns on the course. 

Since I’ve been using the Epic fairway wood, I’ve managed to significantly improve my golf skills with no effort at all. 

Mitsubishi Diamana (Green) M+ 40 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

Mitsubishi

Light

44

High

Mid

Mitsubishi

Regular

45

High

Mid

Mitsubishi Diamana (Green) M+ 50 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

Mitsubishi

Light

49

High

Mid

Mitsubishi

Regular

51

High

Mid

Mitsubishi

Stiff

52

Mid

Mid

Project X HZRDUS T800 65 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

True Temper

Light

59.5

High

Mid

True Temper

Regular

63

Mid-High

Mid

True Temper

Stiff

64.5

Mid-High

Mid

Project X HZRDUS T800 75 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

True Temper

Light

65

High

Mid

True Temper

Regular

65

Mid-High

Mid

True Temper

Stiff

75

Mid-High

Mid

Fujikura Pro Green 72 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

Fujikura

Regular

71

Low-Mid

Mid

Fujikura

Stiff

74.5

Low-Mid

Mid

Fujikura

X-Stiff

75.5

Low-Mid

Mid

Aldila Rogue Max 75 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

Aldila

Regular

71

Mid

Low-Mid

Aldila

Stiff

74.5

Low-Mid

Mid

Aldila

X-Stiff

75.5

Low

Mid

Aldila Rogue Max 85 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

Aldila

Stiff

83.5

Low-Mid

Mid

Aldila

X-Stiff

83.5

Low

Mid

Mitsubishi Diamana (Green) M+ 40 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

Mitsubishi

Women's

43

High

Mid

Mitsubishi Diamana (Green) M+ 50 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Kick Point

Mitsubishi

Women's

47

High

Mid

Project X HZRDUS T800 65 Graphite

Manufacturer

Flex

Shaft Weight

Torque

Kick Point

True Temper

Women's

40

High

Mid

Callaway GBB Epic Fairway Wood - Social Proof

Although I’m overwhelmed about how the Callaway fairway wood has improved my skills in such a short amount of time, I checked several reviews from all types of golfers to see if I’m subjective about this golf club. It turns out I was absolutely right. 

Not only is it among the leaders in the market but it also has great reviews from the pros. To give you a hint about what others think, look over the reviews I’ve included below. 

"


It’s a party coming off the face. I had total control over the trajectory.


Low-Handicapper

"


Good on low strikes: I still got good distance. Dispersion was narrow.


Mid-Handicapper

"


It cuts through the turf to get you smooth contact.


High-Handicapper

How does the Callaway GBB Epic Wood compare?

Cobra King F8 Fairway wood

To really appreciate the Cobra King Fairway wood, you need to turn it over to admire its parallel sole rails used for control and stability. The extremely strong steel face inserts and sole weights provide increased distance and ball speed. 

Cobra has created several loft options such as 3-4 (adjustable 13° - 16°), 5-6 (adjustable 17° - 20°v), 7-8 (adjustable 21°-24°) for the F8. The F8+ comes in lofts covering 3-4 (adjustable 12°-15°), 5-6 (adjustable 16°-19°). 

Comparison

The Cobra F8 and Callaway are perfectly adjustable to accommodate beginners and pro golfers. The Callaway features more flexibility in its Triaxial Carbon head than the Cobra King’s steelhead which adds more speed to the shot. 

Ping G400 Fairway Wood

Ping has created a unique fairway wood engineered for your off-centre hits. It’s added new materials and shapes to make these shots easier and has included an ultra-thin crown for ball speed. The face is made of a C300 steel material, the same used by the aerospace industry for landing gear in light aircraft. The Turbulators on the head add slight alignment which makes it easier to calculate your strikes. 

Comparison

Both the Callaway Epic Fairway and the PING 400 fairway have increased the flexibility of the face for extreme ball speeds and extra distance. The Epic fairway wood and the Ping 400 fairway wood provide visual inserts on their crowns to help you align your shot 

TaylorMade M4 Fairway wood

The TaylorMade M4 fairway woods are larger than others and the sound they make is superior. This fairway wood integrates GeoCoustic design which uses geometry to strengthen the body and create a high-quality strong sound. 

The fairway wood is easy to hit and covers a great distance. The inverted Cone design on the interior of the face increases ball speed off centre. The internal weight is split into two on the M4 fairway, which increases accuracy and distance. 

Comparison

The TaylorMade M4 fairway wood creates a distinct sound due to the GeoCoustic design, whereas this Callaway golf club makes a silent and almost quiet sound. Both fairway woods have low centres of gravity and integrate superior technology to guarantee extreme ball speeds and distances covered. 

Should I buy the Callaway GBB Epic Fairway Wood Golf club

All in all, I really recommend you choose this Callaway Epic Fairway for your club set. Not only will you have a beautifully and carefully engineered fairway wood to improve your game, but you’ll also feel confident using it. 

With great adjustability and cutting-edge technology, this golf club is perfect for any player, regardless of skill levels. Although it’s a bit on the expensive side being priced at $280-$400, it’s definitely worth the money.