50 Words or Less
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX D fairway wood has a big footprint and an even bigger draw bias. Tons of ball speed and strong forgiveness.
Check out the new Callaway Paradym X fairway wood HERE
Introduction
With its jaw-dropping ball speed, the Callaway Rogue ST MAX fairway wood [review HERE] ranks as one of the best that I’ve tested in 2022. As good as it is, Callaway knows that one size doesn’t fit all, so they also offer the low spinning Rogue ST LS [review HERE] and the Rogue ST MAX D. In this review, we’ll take a look at this larger, draw-biased MAX D to see if it can walk in the boots of the impressive MAX.
Looks
Callaway describes the footprint of the Rogue ST MAX D fairway wood as “Largest.” Set next to the MAX and LS fairway woods, the MAX D is clearly the biggest of the bunch. This is primarily seen in the fact that it’s the longest from front to back. Because of this big footprint, the face appears even more shallow than it is. Like the MAX FW, the MAX D sits slightly closed at address.
Were it not for the “MAX D” designation, the sole of the MAX D and the MAX would be identical. Both put the focus on the gold Tungsten Speed Cartridge. They also have a patch of carbon fiber on the toe side, but this is only noticed on the second or third look.
Sound & Feel
The sound of the Callaway Rogue ST MAX D fairway wood is hard to distinguish from the Rogue ST MAX FW. It’s a muted, understated sound that gives you a sensation of ball speed without screaming it to your opponents. This is paired with a solid feel for an overall experience that’s more akin to a players club than a game improvement club.
Feedback comes mainly through the hands. Even though this is a larger club, you can easily sense when a strike is pure and when it has wandered toward the outer edges of the face.
Performance
Discussing the performance of the Callaway Rogue ST MAX D fairway wood needs to start with an acknowledgement that this club isn’t really built for me. My ball flight already tends to go left, so I don’t need more draw bias. Additionally, I prefer a much smaller footprint from a fairway wood. With larger heads, I tend to have some difficultly with consistent contact. As such, my experience was feast or famine. Let’s get into the details.
Regardless of fit, the standout characteristic of the Rogue ST MAX D fairway wood is the ball speed. Just as with the MAX, the ball speed is blistering on center and still extremely high off center. This is all thanks to the combination of an AI-designed face and new Jailbreak ST technology. This newest version of Jailbreak employs “batwings” at the perimeter of the face to add stiffness while still letting the face flex. The other key design element is the Tungsten Speed Cartridge. By pushing the CG low and forward, the ball launches easily with less spin.
What sets the MAX D apart from the other Rogue ST fairway woods are the upright lie angle and the heel weighting. Both of these things promote a draw, and they’re very effective. Most of the shots I hit with this club were sweeping draws. If you see too many fades or slices with your fairway woods, this could be the antidote.
As I said, the MAX D fairway wood was feast or famine for me. There were shots that were mishit because of my discomfort with the head size. Many more started left and screamed further left. However, when I was able to start the ball a little right, the shots were beautiful. Those shots were still strong draws, but they launched reasonably high and went a long way.
In comparing the Callaway Rogue ST MAX D fairway wood the other two models, it has the largest footprint and a shallow face. It comes in just three lofts – 3W, 5W, and 7W. In many ways, it’s identical to the MAX – “Highest” forgiveness, Jailbreak ST Technology, and AI Designed Flash Face. The differences are the stronger draw bias, higher launch, and higher (“Mid” per Callaway) spin.
Conclusion
For the golfer that wants to boom sweeping draws off the turf, the Callaway Rogue ST MAX D fairway wood is perfect. This club has a large footprint that some golfers are going to find very comforting and forgiveness that all golfers can enjoy.
Visit Callaway HERE
Callaway Rogue ST MAX D Fairway Wood Price & Specs
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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