Callaway Epic Flash Hybrid Review

Callaway Epic Flash Hybrid

Following the success of the Epic club lines and Jailbreak Technology, Callaway has introduced the new Epic Flash hybrid. The Callaway Epic Flash hybrid has a carbon crown, Jailbreak Technology, and key tungsten weighting to deliver premium performance for players at any skill level. Oh yeah, the Epic Flash hybrid is long too.

The Looks

Right out of the gate, the Callaway Epic Flash hybrid clearly fits in with the Epic Flash family with its carbon crown and black/green/yellow color scheme. However, much to some internet golf readers’ satisfaction, the yellow is more downplayed. At address, the Epic Flash hybrid has a larger footprint and a slightly deeper face. If you’re a “small/compact hybrid player,” you might find the Apex hybrid more visually appealing. Players that like their hybrid to be more of a “mini wood” will find this Epic Flash to have that look. A nice full pear shape that sets up confidently behind the ball whether in the rough or on the tee.

How Does it Feel?

Upon my first strike with the Epic Flash hybrid I noticed it had a very distinct feel. Good shots feel like they jump off the thinner face cup and the impact feels very solid due to the acclaimed Jailbreak bars in the head located right behind the face. Combine that solid feel with Callaway’s T2C Triaxial crown carbon and you get the Epic Flash’s signature feel. There’s a very distinct carbon fiber feel at impact when you hit one on the screws as opposed to anything too metallic. It’s much closer to a crack off of a wooden baseball bat.

Callaway used what they call “MIM’ed tungsten weighting” in this hybrid. While this weighting has significant performance impacts, it also impacts the feel. By strategically distributing tungsten weighting within the head and adding an external weight on the sole, Callaway was able to optimize the center of gravity (CG). That optimized CG gives the Epic Flash hybrid great balance throughout the swing making it easier to track the head and maintain control.

How Does it Sound?

Given the footprint of the Epic Flash hybrid, the club has a somewhat fuller sound at impact. Much like the feel, the sound has much more of a solid “crack” to it when you rip the ball. I actually found the sound to be reminiscent of the original Callaway Epic fairway wood – which we were big fans of on this site. Shots hit lower on the face firm up fast and that “crack” sound dies off. Overall, the Epic Flash hybrid’s sound is pretty impressive – especially at higher swing speeds.

On-Course Performance

There is certainly some shot versatility in the Callaway Epic Flash hybrid, but its bread and butter is the high and long bomb. Let’s start by talking about the height. As mentioned earlier, Callaway placed MIM’ed tungsten in different locations of the head to optimize CG. As you can see on the sole, there is a good bit of weight right in the center. This means the CG is low and fairly neutral. Normally this would result in a fairly neutral launch, but the slightly taller head and heavier sole weighting helps get the ball in the air easier. That said, with the CG placement in the middle, your spin is a touch more controlled and the flight is more rising as opposed to a floating balloon. It’s worth noting, shaft choice will have a large impact on this as well.

Ok, let’s just put it out there – this hybrid is really long. The Jailbreak bars keep the head extremely stable at impact so the energy is transferred from the face right back into the ball. Pair that with the thinner face and you have higher ball speeds. Now let’s go back to the flight/spin conversation. The Epic Flash hybrid has a rising flight and some extra spin to hold the ball in the air better. If you add the higher speeds to that flight, you get a good bit of distance! Good players with the right shaft will have plenty of shot shaping abilities, but this thing is built for the easy long ball and it does that quite well.

(Side note: I have above average ball speed, therefore my distance is also above average. But one of our friends, let’s call him “Bobby Dazzler,” outhit my DRIVER with this hybrid. I hit a pretty good drive too…)

Final Thoughts – Callaway Epic Flash Hybrid

Overall, the Callaway Epic Flash hybrid is a solid golf club. Ultimately it comes down to what you’re looking for in your hybrid’s role. As a long iron replacement, I think the Epic Flash could be a little too much club. I think this hybrid will excel in the “mini fairway wood” category where players are looking for longer distances but need forgiveness they might not get out of a fairway wood.

Sort of along those lines, I strongly recommend doing thorough testing for this hybrid. With the added hosel adjustability and the general performance of the club, I think this is going to be crucial for players looking to get optimal performance. There’s no question that the gains are there, but making sure you get the right flight, spin, and yardages will make a huge difference. Once you get dialed in, you could start doing some real damage in this section of your bag.