New Product Launch: Callaway GBB Epic Driver
Callaway Golf struck a death knell for persimmon head drivers in 1991 when it introduced the first driver with a head crafted entirely of stainless steel. They named it Big Bertha, and there were still World War I veterans alive then who could recall the ferocious German howitzer that was its namesake. Now it is 2017, and no one can remember the super-powerful gun, and the stainless steel headed driver is a distant memory as well.
Callaway is back with a new version of its Big Bertha driver and good luck finding a trace of stainless steel on this high-tech weapon. The company is touting its “Jailbreak Technology” and “Exo-Cage/triaxial carbon construction.” It promises that the GBB Epic driver will have more speed, more distance, and more control. How is it going to deliver all that?
Exclusive Jailbreak Technology
To generate faster ball speed and deliver greater distances, two, tiny 3-gram titanium bars are hidden inside the driver’s face. At impact, the face, sole, and crown of the driver all flex somewhat, dissipating energy. Those two titanium bars are attached to the sole and the crown, introducing a strong vertical connection to the construction of the clubhead.
The vertical stiffener prevents the crown and sole from bulging at impact, doubling the striking load of the face. This delivers a greater energy transfer to the ball, faster speed, and greater distance. The increased control comes because more of the face is in contact with the ball at the point of impact. It is a revolutionary enough design to warrant a design patent.
Wait, There’s More
The new Callaway GBB Epic driver is the result of years of research and development and because of that, you get a few more goodies as well. The “Exo-Cage” is a lightweight titanium body and the woven fiber carbon crown inside shaves 10 grams of weight from the clubhead. The “Speed Step” crown itself is an aerodynamic marvel that also creates greater clubhead speed. Callaway went right to NASA experts to get that design. The OptFit hosel technology permits the golfers to play with three degrees of loft – from one degree more upright to two additional degrees of loft.
The GBB Epic comes in two versions, differentiated primarily by movable weights that alter the clubs’ moment of inertia (MOI). The heel/toe setting on the garden variety Epic serves up 21 yards of play with 450 rpm of sidespin. The Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero driver, designed for more aggressive swingers of the golf club, has removable 12-gram and 2-gram sole weights to vary spin and trajectory control. With the 12-gram weight inserted the amount of sidespin imparted will be dialed all the way down to 100 rpm. Here’s a short video about the Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero Driver:
Some Inmates Left Behind
Callaway also designed the GBB Epic Fairway Wood to complement the driver. These more lofted versions carry all of the above technological advances but no Jailbreak Technology. They also sport the redesigned track and siding weight to customize the club to your swing. All the members of the current Callaway GBB Epic family are dressed in an eye-catching neon green. The original Big Bertha must be rolling over in the scrapyard.
Callaway’s new GBB Epic metalwoods are now available in the following models:
- Callaway GBB Epic Driver
- Callaway GBB Epic Driver for Women
- Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero Driver
- Callway GBB Epic Fairway Wood