- Updated: August 17, 2022
Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS Driver Review
Still The Reigning Gamer Champ
Ryan Heiman
Founder and head author at Independent Golf Reviews
I played 25 rounds of golf with the Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS driver in my bag. It has a combo of low spin and max forgiveness which is what I need right now. The reason this club had so many rounds of play before the review is because it was up against stiff competition all year; but Callaway did it again and won the “gamer” spot in my bag. I was also able to hit it on my FlightScope Xi Tour Launch Monitor to collect shot data.
Here is my overall experience and thoughts on the Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS Driver
How did Callaway do it again for 2022? As a product tester I have access to most of the new gear on the market. My golf bag is like a revolving door for much of the season as I test and play all the new clubs. But once the testing is done what stays in the bag is really the main question; “What clubs do I game?” Callaway has dominated the driver slot for years, and still came out the winner in 2022. The Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS Driver is a combination of everything I want in a driver; launch, feel, low spin and forgiveness. It checks all the boxes for me as my “gamer” driver for 2022.
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS kind of appears to be missing major technology with a very simple looking sole. There are no weights, sliders, funky slots; it is actually pretty basic with only a big “gold” tungsten weight bar on the back. That weight is what drives this club as it creates an axis of weight from the face to back of the club for transferring energy to the ball. This raises the MOI for max forgiveness. While having weight on the sides can correct some directional issues; weight “down the line” seems to really be the key for my needs of hitting a straight ball. Callaway then fine tuned that by reducing the spin so that higher swing speeds can get long, straight and low spin shots.
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS driver is one sleek looking driver. It is black, gold and has just hints of white. That stealthy look is paired with carbon fiber on the crown and sole. This sleek look is all about having maximum weight available for low and back. This helps create launch, lower spin and forgiveness on less than center strikes. More carbon means more weight to use where they want it. Having minimal weight ports and adjustable items reduces head structure for those items which also allows them to manipulate the CG. The purpose was to raise MOI while keeping low spin and some workability for the better golfer.
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS Driver has kind of a high toe variable thickness Flash Face SS22 which uses AI to calculate the probable hitting zones and makes those as hot as possible to have the fastest overall face possible. It is a tall face which has always appealed to me, since I tend to miss up and down more than right and left. Also deep face drivers then to be lower spin which has also been a benefit to my game. The JailBreak Technology again is important for energy transfer at the face. It strengthens the connection between sole and crown which stiffens up the trampoline of the face for “HOT” drives.
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS driver is a gamer. I have hit huge drives with this club. The numbers are outstanding and the visual is perfect when I put a good swing on it. However, I have been struggling on the tee box with my driver. It isn’t related to any club, but purely in my brain. The dreaded “yips” with the driver have been cursing my game. This club on the range is the best driver I hit in 2022. If you see me swinging on the course, you might be wondering if I even know how to play golf. But when I put a good swing on the tee, this club just goes and goes. I just wish I could fix my brain on the tee right now. The club is doing everything it can to help me. It generally wants to go straight with maybe a tiny amount of draw bias.
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS driver is one of the best sounding drivers Callaway has had. The original Rogue had kind of harsh sounds, this one is near perfect; muted carbon crack at impact. While sound and feel are subjective, the launch and spin are also just as pleasant. They ball launches quickly with a flat flight and really tries to hold the line. It is that combo of all those features that has me “gaming” this driver.
The Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS Driver comes stock with a variety of shafts; the Mitsubishi Tensei AV RAW White Graphite 75g stiff shaft is a really popular option. The extra weight also help lower the spin and launch as well as controling tempo with a little extra weight. This low spin, low launch shaft seems like the perfect compliment to this head which is also aiming for low spin and launch. This shaft has certainly been popular in 2022. It is for the strong golfer with a firm, yet very smooth feel. It is nicely balanced and has a strong kick.
Callaway Rogue ST MAX LS 9* Driver Stats
Data from Flightscope Xi Tour Launch Monitor
➜ Spin: 2031 rpms
➜ Launch Angle: 12.3*
➜ Dispersion: 5.6 yds
➜ Club Head Speed: 105.4 mph
➜ Ball Speed: 156.8 mph
➜ Total Distance: 306.4 yds
➜ Carry Distance: 284.6 yds
Summary
Callaway appears to have gone simple for 2022; but the secret technology is hidden in the weight bar, carbon panels, Jailbreak and FlashFace. The Rogue ST MAX LS is a combination of forgiveness and low spin. If you want to go even lower spin check out the Triple Diamond or more forgiveness go MAX. But for the most forgiving and low spin the MAX LS is going to really help a bunch of golfers. While it took me a long time to crown the champ this year, Callaway still wears the “gamer” crown in my golf bag.
For more information: Callaway Website
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About The Author
Ryan Heiman – Founder and Head Author of Independent Golf Reviews
Ryan has over 10 years of experience testing and writing golf reviews of nearly every brand out there.
HCP: 3
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