08 May 2019

How does one better driver performance beyond the confines of the Rules of Golf limiting COR and such? Is that a question better answered by the human brain, or can Artificial Intelligence come up with the answer?

Apart, neither. Yet when the ingenuity of the brain leverages on the machine learning of A.I., the resulting answer defies human comprehension, ergo, Callaway’s Flash Face. An internal mapping consisting of dozens of subtle ripples flowing from heel to toe. The centre of the face is now the thinnest region, not the thickest as it was in past conventional design. Conforming to the rules of golf, Flash Face further extends the ability of the face to flex even more efficiently, whilst Jailbreak retains head stiffness, generating increased ball speeds and further distance gains compared to Callaway’s previous drivers.

“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,” says Dr. Alan Hocknell, Senior Vice President of R&D at Callaway. “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. There’s never been anything like Flash Face before in golf equipment, and the effect on performance is intense.”

To create a stronger face to cope with increased ball speed, the Epic Flash Face is made from 595C Super Aged Forged Titanium, which is tempered for strength and then laser welded on to the head. Forged on the inside, the face is then milled on the front so that it is consistently closer to the limit.

 

Epic Flash Driver

Complementing Flash Face, Jailbreak technology promotes fast, face-wide speed via two internal, hourglass-shaped bars connecting the crown to the sole.

Epic Flash also has a new triaxial carbon fabric, called T2C, which has a tighter weave that allows weight to be moved from the crown and repositioned in the head to create a higher MOI promoting better distance and accuracy on mis-hits.

Additionally, Adjustable Perimeter Weighting has a 16g sliding weight on a built-in track at the rear of the clubhead to create the desired ball flight, be it draw, fade, or dead straight.

 

Lofts: 9°, 10.5° and 12° HT.

 

Stock shafts: Project X Evenflow, Project X HZRDUS Smoke, Mitsubishi Tensei AV, Fujikura Speeder Evolution for Callaway (Epic Flash Star)

 

Adjustable hosel: Yes

 

Loft change: – 1° to +2°

 

Epic Flash Sub Zero Driver

The Epic Flash Sub Zero driver comes with a technology package which Callaway says delivers the ultimate combination of low-spin and high MOI in a driver for high launch. And for the first time, a Sub Zero model includes Adjustable Perimeter Weighting technology, consisting of a 12g sliding weight on a track at the rear perimeter of the head to influence shot shape.

For the faster swinging golfer, a visible weight is permanently embedded forward in the sole, pulling the CG lower and forward to reduce spin. Heavier or lighter weights can be installed to achieve different swingweights through custom ordering.

 

Lofts: 9° and 10.5°

 

Stock shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke, Mitsubishi Tensei AV

 

Adjustable hosel: Yes

 

Loft change: -1 to +2°