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In this review, I’ll be taking a look at the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero driver.
The Sub Zero driver variant was first introduced a couple seasons ago, and it’s Callaway’s attempt to accommodate better players who need less spin.
It has all the features of the original Epic Flash, except it has a smaller footprint and has a more forward CG for lower spin.
So, how does the Epic Flash Sub Zero perform in comparison to the Epic Flash? Is it worth putting in the bag? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
Read on to find out what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
The Epic Flash Sub Zero driver is touted as being “the only driver awarded 20 out of 20 stars in the 2019 Golf Digest Hot List”.
It has been received extremely well by consumers and critics — nearly as well as the Epic Flash.
It got an average rating of 4.7/5 (91% recommended) on the official Callaway website, which is quite impressive considering the fact that the low spin doesn’t suit everyone.
It has the same rating on Callaway Golf Pre-Owned and a 4.8/5 on Global Golf. Almost all of the well-known critics have given the Epic Flash a 5/5 star rating.
What People Like
- manages lower spin while maintaining almost all of the forgiveness of the Epic Flash
- great power, distance and accuracy
- amazing feel
- if your swing is sound, this thing is a pure joy to hit
What People Don’t Like
- can experience poor results without the right configuration
- some don’t like the sound
- expensive
What are the features?
The core features of the Epic Flash Sub Zero are largely the same as the Epic Flash, which I talk about in my review here.
It’s worth noting that the driver was awarded the best driver for swing speeds 106 mph and above by a GolfWRX expert panel comprising 13 top-ranked club fitters from around the USA.
To summarize the features:
Flash Face Technology
Callaway’s engineers used a supercomputer and machine learning to develop the Flash Face.
This face has a design meant to maximize ball speeds in the center of the face, unlike anything that’s been seen before.
Jailbreak Technology
Lightweight yet strong titanium bars that connect the crown to the sole of the club transfer impact loads to the face, increasing ball speeds. This technology was first seen in the Rogue driver.
T2C Triaxial Carbon Fabric
The T2C carbon fabric is a new addition. It has a tight weave, allowing for some weight savings.
In the Epic Flash Sub Zero, these weight savings are used to increase the MOI for more forgiveness on mis-hits.
As mentioned at the start of the review, the main difference in the Epic Flash Sub Zero lies in the head shape and CG.
In particular, the head is less elongated, and the driver produces a stronger ball flight with less spin. This is ideal for better players with faster swing speeds.
In addition, the sliding weight on the sole is 12g instead of 16g, and the premium stock shaft options are different.
Stock Info
The Epic Flash Sub Zero driver is available in 9° and 10.5° standard lofts, lower, you’ll notice, than the loft options of the other Epic Flash variants.
The stock shafts are the Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue and Project X EvenFlow Green in graphite. The stock grip is the Golf Pride Align New Decade.
There are many premium shaft and grip options to choose from. If you’re interested, full information on the driver, shafts, grips and their specs can be found on the CGPO website.
Below are the specs of the Epic Flash Sub Zero driver. Click or zoom to enlarge.
How does the driver perform?
Distance
Distance with the Epic Flash Sub Zero can be fantastic or not so great depending on the type of golfer you are.
If you’re someone with a high swing speed who tends to struggle with too much spin and height on your shots, chances are you’re going to realize huge distance gains over your previous driver.
This is because the weighting and shape of the head is a little different than the Epic Flash, producing lower spin and a stronger flight.
If you’re a slower swinger, however, you may not have great results with the Epic Flash Sub Zero. It all depends.
As for me, my swing speed is somewhere in the mid-high range, and I was hitting the Sub Zero as far if not a few yards farther than the Epic Flash.
This is in line with what I expected coming into it, and overall, I’m very pleased with the distance results.
Forgiveness
Past releases of the Sub Zero driver in the Rogue and Epic families sacrificed forgiveness a good amount. This is a normal consequence of lower spin and better feel.
I’m pleasantly surprised to say that the Epic Flash Sub Zero driver sacrifices very little in the forgiveness department, despite its low-spin traits.
Compared to mis-hits with the Epic Flash, my ball speeds across the face were nearly the same.
With that said, because of the weighting difference, I did notice that mis-hits were a little more amplified in terms of the shape and ball flight. Impressive marks overall.
Workability/Trajectory
As you might expect, the Epic Flash Sub Zero driver is more workable than the Epic Flash. It’s easier to shape shots, hit fades and draws, or flight it low, and the feel allows for more touch and finesse. This is perfect for better players.
Playability is great, and with the right swing and ball contact, you’ll get a beautiful penetrating ball flight that carries and rolls a long way.
What about look, sound & feel?
The Look
I’ll start off with the head shape. It’s less elongated than the Epic Flash from back to front, and at address, it even appears to be a touch shorter from top to bottom.
The alignment aid and white stripe are the same, but one thing I’ve noticed is that the sweet spot appears even more biased towards the heel than with the Epic Flash. I don’t know if this is really the case, but I imagine that better players would like this setup.
Aside from these differences, the Epic Flash Sub Zero looks the same as the Epic Flash. The hosel is adjustable, unlike in the Epic Flash Star.
The sole design is the same, save the subtle “Sub Zero” logo under the main Epic Flash logo and the new weight cavity to the right of the logo.
The included headcover is the same, which I don’t mind. Everything gels nicely from the head to the grip.
The Sound & Feel
I found the sound of the Epic Flash Sub Zero driver to be about the same as the Epic Flash — not hollow, tinny, muted or wooden. It’s a very balanced sound.
When it comes to feel, it does feel a little more solid than the Epic Flash, which is to be expected. Hitting the sweet spot of this driver is truly one of the best feelings in golf.
In terms of mis-hit feedback, it’s a little more distinct than the Epic Flash, but at the same time, mis-hits feel a touch harsher. In any event, it’s easy to isolate your misses and make the necessary adjustments.
Where should I buy this driver online?
The Epic Flash Sub Zero driver is now more than a couple seasons old, so you can no longer order it custom from the official Callaway website.
The best you can do now is look at Callaway Golf Pre-Owned (great discount prices) or pick up a steeply discounted set (new or used) on eBay.
For example, CGPO has a fairly large selection of used drivers with a 12-month warranty, 90-day buy-back policy, and headcover included.
You can optionally look at what’s available on Global Golf.
Conclusion
The Epic Flash Sub Zero driver packs all of the features and technologies that make the Epic Flash great, but with a slightly more compact shape and altered weighting that promote lower spin and a stronger ball flight.
Amazing distance, surprisingly good forgiveness, a modern look, comfortable feel, and workability are all there.
If you’re a better player and/or have a faster swing speed and traditionally struggle to get a lower ball flight with less spin, the Epic Flash Sub Zero driver is a must-try.
Even mid or high handicappers can benefit greatly from this driver if they want to challenge themselves. Give it a few hits and see how it goes.
Are you interested in the Epic Flash Sub Zero driver? Have you tried it yet? What have your results been? Let us know in the comments below.
