50 Words or Less
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX fairway wood creates a ton of ball speed across the face. One of the hottest fairway woods available. Mid launch and low spin. Draw biased.
Introduction
Everyone in golf has opinions, but there’s one group of people whose opinions I really value: fitters. My friends at Club Champion see everything, so it takes a lot to get them excited. That’s why, when their eyes get wide talking about a club, I pay attention. During a recent visit, I felt that kind of excitement when they talked about the Callaway Rogue ST MAX fairway wood, which pushed it to the top of my must-try list.
Looks
At address, the Callaway Rogue ST MAX fairway wood is a miniature version of the Rogue ST MAX driver [review HERE]. It has a matte black crown that fades into carbon fiber as it gets further from the ball. A small white chevron aids alignment. The face of the MAX fairway wood is slightly taller than average, and the footprint is similarly sized. It has a round, symmetrical shape and sits just a hair closed.
Flipping the club over, your eyes will immediately go to the golden tungsten weight near the face. One other point of interest, though it’s much less eye-catching, is the patch of carbon fiber toward the toe. Everything else about the sole is dialed down.
Sound & Feel
Like the drivers, the sound of the Rogue ST MAX fairway wood is quiet, but it effectively conveys how hot this face is. It sounds like a muted whip crack with a drawn out sizzle after the initial pop. The low volume meshes well with the solid feel of impact. Overall, every shot I hit decently felt like it was long gone.
Feedback on strike quality is delivered primarily through the hands. The sound isn’t quite as crisp when you mishit it, but I noticed the change more in the feel.
Performance
The headline feature of the Callaway Rogue ST MAX fairway wood is obvious: ball speed. Smash factors of 1.49 and 1.5 felt like a given if I kept the ball on the middle segment of the face. It’s easy to see why Callaway calls this their “fastest fairway wood ever.”
High ball speeds are not limited to the sweet spot. I hit a shot that felt like a shank, and it registered a ridiculous 1.43 smash factor. This high level of forgiveness comes from the combination of an AI-designed face and new Jailbreak batwings that give the head stiffness while still allowing the face to flex.
All of that ball speed is only useful, of course, with the right launch and spin to optimize distance. To that end, Callaway is using a Tungsten Speed Cartridge to push the CG low and forward for higher launch, lower spin, and more ball speed. I found the Rogue ST MAX to be mid launch, low spin, and very consistent. Even on thin or heel strikes, the spin never eclipsed 3,000 RPM. For me, the launch was never very high (which is on me, I’m a low launching player) but it was consistently within a 2 degree window on decent swings.
The one thing about the Rogue ST MAX that did not work well for me – but might make it a winner for others – is the draw bias. For me, the club’s tendency to start left and draw exacerbated my low launch problems. However, for players that hit their FWs too high or slice them, these features are going to help them hit longer, straighter shots.
The MAX sits in the middle of the Rogue ST fairway wood line up. As such, it’s likely to have the broadest appeal. It has the widest loft range – all the way to an 11W – where the LS stops at 5W and the MAX D at 7W. The Rogue ST MAX is billed as mid launch, low spin, semi-draw bias, and “highest” forgiveness. For comparison, Callaway bills the Rogue ST LS [review HERE] as having low launch, low spin, neutral flight, and “high” forgiveness. The Rogue ST MAX D [review HERE] claims to launch high with mid spin, have “highest forgiveness” and, of course, a draw bias.
Conclusion
Callaway has long been known for their excellent fairway woods, and the Rogue ST MAX deserves a spot among the company’s best. This mix of technologies produces amazing ball speed, which is something every golfer needs. If you want to hit longer FW shots and get a little help producing a draw, this is a club to check out immediately.
Visit Callaway HERE
Callaway Rogue ST MAX Fairway Wood Price & Specs
Matt Saternus
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I have just got my 3 wood 7 wood and Max irons having traded in my apex irons and epic 3 wood and 7 wood am hitting a club longer with irons and just love the 3 wood and 7 wood to bis
I have the ST Max in the 3HL and 7 weed with the MMT60 shaft and WOW!
Long off the tee and easy and long off the deck. I’ve owned many versions of Callaway fairways and these are the best. The MMT shaft may knock off some of the draw bias you saw. On the course, so far I have hit these straight or they start slightly right with a limited draw.
Thought the shallow face might create an issue off the tee but no. I ordered a 15 deg Max at 43.5 inches with MMT60 to use as a second driver off the tee on certain courses. These clubs are devastating. I first bought a 5 wd with the 3HL but the height was insufficient, so I returned it for the 7 wd. Just a great club,
Jerry,
I also got the Max 3W with the MMT shaft in 60g but in XS. It’s definitely my backup driver. Played Montebello CC 3 days ago in CA & I used it on the par five 11th (478y) from the tee, 268yards total!! That’s 11yards shorter than my longest Driver of the round (279y).
Needless to say I used the Max 3W on all of the par 4s. Off the deck I averaged 258y, longest being 266y. If I sound like I’m bragging, I am. I’m 67yo, 6hcp, playing XS clubs. Very proud of myself.
And yes, the MMT definitely eliminated the draw bias. I play a fade & it’s easy to draw it when I need it.
Congrats on your choice of shaft for the Max 3W. It’s been a game changer for me. It will be for you too.
Having seen them in person and in your pictures, that face looks super shallow. Not sure if this info is readily available, but is this as shallow or shallower than the G425 3 wood?
Kevin,
To my eye, the face is shallow but not exceedingly so. I think it’s probably fairly similar to the G425, though I don’t have one in hand at the moment for a definitive comparison.
Best,
Matt
I am low launch low spin and have the 16.5 3hl Rogue ST LS. You should try that one if you need launch without the draw bias. Love how they have so many loft and head options in this line.
great Article as always. In all your Test over the years nothing comes even close to Cobra King LTD Fairway Wood that’s why I bought after your Review. It even outperforms most of all new Drivers.
https://pluggedingolf.com/cobra-king-ltd-fairway-wood-review/
Like “M” I have the same Rogue ST LS 3 wood 16.5 degree 3 wood and I also currently have the Ping G425 Max 7 wood 20.5 in the bag. Completely love the 3 wood (and I have the Rogue ST LS driver too) so am thinking about replacing the Ping 7 woods with one of the Rogue ST 5 or 7 woods (or “Heavenwood”) as I’ve always got on really well with Callaway fairways. For me the shape (but not size as its still compact at 152cc) of the Ping 7 wood is too deep front to back (and wide….like it’s “squashed”!!) and I do prefer a more compact looking head for a club that is only used off the deck. Like the profile of the Rogue ST Max that Matt has reviewed here but the slightly closed face angle is, for me, a big so it would maybe push me back to the neutral face angle of the Rogue ST LS in 5 wood……but it’s a shame Callaway only offer the 18.0 degree 5 wood for the LS, but no higher loft.
Think I need to get into a Callaway retailer and look at/try some Rogue ST Max fairways and see how they look to my eye at address – not saying you are wrong at all about the face angle in your review here Matt but I’d like to check them out for my own eye too…
Look forward to your Rogue ST LS fairway review…….think you will love it!
I have a g425 9 wood. I do awesome with it for approach shots from a certain distance. I do better with woods than hybrids. I am considering this callaway 11 wood to continue that approach shot trend. I am a high launch player. Do you think the 11 wood could hold a green on approach shots?
Joshua,
Yes, I would be surprised if it wouldn’t.
Best,
Matt
Matt, so this fairway is talented as fast, but I just read your TSR3 review and at the same club head speed you carry the Titleist 5 yards farther… What am I missing?
Ian,
A lot. My club head speed was not the same with the TSR3, it was 2 MPH faster. Also the TSR3 launched higher and had more spin, hence more carry distance but less total.
-Matt
I’m confused do I hit the 3 wood of hard pan like an iron?
Jose,
If the ball is on hard-packed turf, I wouldn’t recommend hitting any club with a very hard, descending blow for the safety of your clubs or your joints. I’d think “gentle descending” or “sweeping,” personally.
-Matt
Does the club head have a bit of an offset? Does the driver also have an offset face? Thanks
Mark,
No, there’s no offset.
-Matt