CALLAWAY EPIC MAX LS

◆ LOFTS 9° / 10.5° ◆ STOCK SHAFTS Mitsubishi MMT 60/70

VERDICT It’s nice to hear there’s a movement away from just chasing high-launch, low-spinning drives on tour. Thanks to this new thinking, the LS is a much more rounded proposition. Its head has more of a traditional pear shape, which decent players often appreciate. As far as numbers go, the LS flat-out performs. Our joint longest low-spin driver (with two other models at 279 yards), and a carry distance drop off of just 5.3% means the LS is forgiving enough to nail down a position among our best six drivers (not just low-spin models) of the year. And they’re the numbers that should be a factor if you’re thinking of going low spin this year. The LS was lower launching and peaked shots out lower than the Epic Speed, which is to say that if you prefer a more penetrating trajectory over a hanging ball flight, the LS is likely to be right up your street.