Review: Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero 3-wood

Hitting This Club Gives Me Déjà Vu

Have you ever hit a brand new club and said, wow, it feels like I’ve hit this club before? That sensation of déjà vu can be very real when a club has similarities to a previous club. Sometimes it is a design that is recycled many years later, other times it is because there was just a tweak to the previous model integrated into the newest model. That is really how I feel about the Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero 3-wood. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad things, since the Callaway BB Alpha 815 3-wood is still one of the best fairway woods I’ve hit. The new Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero just built on that for an even better 3-wood.

The Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero takes many of the great things in the BB Alpha 815 and makes them better by improving the forgiveness, looks and softening the difference between the weight positions. The 2 weights can make this club sound, feel and play differently depending on where you put the heavier weight; forward or back. But it isn’t as extreme as the BB Alpha 815. The GBB Epic Sub Zero uses a 22gram and 3gram compared to the 30gram and 3gram. This way it doesn’t feel like two completely different clubs, but a variation of the same 3-wood. Weight forward for more penetrating, lower spin and more distance or weight back for higher, more hold and greater forgiveness.

The Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero 3-wood is a compact design, but surprising is very forgiving. I expected it to be on the more difficult side of 3-woods to hit because it is compact and is the “low spin” model which might lead you to think it is demanding, but it is not. I played it with both the weight forward and the weight back and settled on the weight back for the extra height since it still has plenty of distance. That extra height also means that it is a little straighter too. This is really the biggest improvement in the GBB Epic Sub Zero 3-wood is how easy it is to hit. It still maintains a compact look but plays like a much bigger forgiving head.

The stock package is nicely done with the Fujikura Pro Green shaft. I went with the 72 for just a little more stability and control. These shafts have been really popular since they have great feel, excellent control and good spin and launch numbers.

Callaway has really dialed in the composite head feel. This 3-wood has the Triaxial Carbon Crown which offers weight savings which allows Callaway to lower the CG, but also mutes the sound and feel. While all metal heads a certain pop and ting to them, this carbon crowned head has this thwack that really feel great. The weight forward or back didn’t change that feel as drastically as the BB Alpha 815 had. It still has the sensation of how the weight hits through the ball either from the back of the club or from the face, but with 8 less grams that is muted, which I think is an improvement in the design. Another new design feature is the Speed Step Crown which has little diffuser ridges right near the face which are designed to help with aerodynamics for fast club head speeds. I don’t have a wind tunnel to test that, but this club certain has fast club head speeds.

I did a bunch of testing with the Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero 3-wood on my Flightscope Xi Tour Launch Monitor to see if it could replicate the BB Alpha 815 results. It wasn’t exactly the same, even though it gave me déjà vu. It really is an improvement from the club because the gap was less and the forgiveness was improved. I really liked how with the weight back I had plenty of distance with the increased forgiveness. It fits into the bag really nicely. Once I got the 3-wood on the I found my range testing to be proved valid. When I needed to hit a fairway and control the distance and flight, the Epic Sub Zero 3-wood was perfect. Off the turf it slides through nicely for a couple good looks at eagle on a few par 5s.

FlightScope Xi Tour Launch Monitor

Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero 3-wood Forward

Spin: 2633 rpms
Launch Angle: 13.2*
Dispersion: 4.9 yds
Club Speed: 100.1 mph
Ball Speed: 151.7 mph
Total Distance: 259.6 yds
Carry Distance: 238.7 yds

FlightScope Xi Tour Launch Monitor

Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero 3-wood Back

Spin: 2943 rpms
Launch Angle: 14.8*
Dispersion: 4.2 yds
Club Head Speed: 99.9 mph
Ball Speed: 148.7 mph
Total Distance: 246.9 yds
Carry Distance: 234.2 yds

In 2017 Callaway is killing it with the Epic wood line. The Epic Sub Zero Driver keeps winning the top spot in my gamer bag and the Epic Sub Zero 3-wood compliments it nicely. While the sensation of déjà vu with this club is very real, the improvements make it an even better 3-wood option. The additional forgiveness is really what sealed the deal for me. Even if you haven’t hit previous Callaway fairway woods, you should give this one a try, you are going to like what you see and feel.

Check the price online here

For more information: www.callawaygolf.com

Quick Hits
+Adjustable weights change performance
+Great feel
+Killer looks
+More forgiving
+Easy to launch

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