A lot of golfers, especially high handicaps, often hit their fairway wood as far as their driver, and usually straighter. A lot of these people also struggle to hit their fairway wood off the turf.
The ST Max is designed to easily launch the ball straight and far, no matter where you’re playing from. I’m a mid handicapper and have been using the Rogue for 15 full rounds. Let’s dive into the details to see if it’s the right choice for you.
In This Review
Product Details | Intro | Looks | Sound & Feel | Performance | Bottom Line | Alternatives
Callaway Rogue ST Max Product Details
| Club (Degree) | 3 (15) 3HL (16.5) 5 (18) Heavenwood (20) 7 (21) 9 (24) 11 (27) |
| Shaft Flex | L, R, S, XS |
| External Weight | No |
| Launch | Mid |
| Spin | Low |
| Bias | Slight-Draw |
| Forgiveness | High |
| Face Profile | Shallow |
| Head Profile | Slightly Oversize |
| Company Website | Callaway |
The Intro
The ST Max came out in 2022 and is the standard version in the series. You also have the ST Max D, which is an ultra game-improvement club because of the extra draw-bias. You also have the ST Max LS, which has a neutral lie and produces less spin.
The standard ST Max will suit the majority of mid to high handicaps. You’ll get the slight draw bias, which should help you hit straighter shots. That said, it’s not enough to reduce the versatility as you get better.
It’s supposed to produce a lot of speed through impact, so that should mean it hits the ball far. I’ve hit the ST Max irons and the driver in the past, both of them are very good, so expectations were high with this one.
The Looks
At address, the profile gives a confidence-inspiring feel with its slightly oversized look. I wouldn’t say it’s too large, especially for a game-improvement wood. Compared to the other models, this one is in the middle, in terms of size.
Looking down, you can tell that the face is slightly closed, but it’s nothing too crazy. The driver was the same way, but I was able to hit that right down the middle.
The main thing people may have issues with is that adjustments are limited. There are no sliding weights and there are no loft/lie adjustments. What you see is what you get.
The Sound & Feel
Most golfers have a tough time hitting the sweet spot consistently, so it’s important that mishits perform and also still feel right. You shouldn’t get harsh vibrations through the handle, but you still want to feel what went wrong.
When you make solid contact, the ST Max has an explosive feel. It doesn’t produce a high-pitched pingy noise and it’s not dull either. There really isn’t much to complain about.
On off-center hits, you can notice a difference right away. The sound isn’t a whole lot different, but you get some vibrations up the shaft and into your hands. I could usually tell right away whether I missed toward the toe or heel.
The Performance
With a club like this, we’re mainly looking for three things:
- Hit the ball far
- Hit the ball straight
- Be easy to hit off the ground
It’s not really designed for low handicappers so there really isn’t a need for maximum workability and versatility. Average players just need to hit more fairways and greens.
To figure out how the ST Max performed, we’ll take 10 shots off the tee and record the distance. I have the 5 wood with a stiff shaft. If you’re curious, you can read our guide on 3 woods vs 5 woods to learn what’s right for you.
We’ll also look at how many fairways were hit. I also have the Epic Flash wood (2019 version) that I’ll compare to. Here are the results:
| Distance | Fairway Hit |
|---|---|
| 232 | No |
| 237 | No |
| 234 | Yes |
| 245 | No |
| 229 | Yes |
| 242 | No |
| 248 | Yes |
| 235 | No |
| 234 | Yes |
| 240 | Yes |
| Average: 237 Yards | FIR: 50% |
On average, I hit my 5 wood 237 yards and was able to hit 50% of the fairways. If you want to see how you compare, you can see how far people hit their clubs HERE.
Compared to my old Epic Flash, the newer ST Max hit the ball 5-6 yards longer on average. It’s not a huge amount, but I’ll take extra yards when I can get them.
What I was a bit surprised by was how much the ST Max curved the ball. My shots went quite a bit more right than my Epic Flash. I thought it would be the opposite, but it wasn’t as good as my old club.
The Bottom Line
After testing the ST Max against my Epic Flash and using it for 15 rounds of golf, I have mixed feelings about it. I know people who love theirs but it just wasn’t right for me.
On one hand, it hits the ball high and far and is easy to hit off the fairway. On the other hand, it didn’t hit the ball as straight as I’d like.
Obviously, it’s something to do with my swing. That said, I hit my previous Epic Flash (with the same shaft) a lot straighter.
If you slice the ball, the draw bias on the ST Max D could help you straighten that out. The only downside to this is that it probably won’t be ideal as you get better.
If you hook the ball, the neutral lie of the LS will probably be better. The thing to note about this model is that you need a decently quick swing speed to hit it well. The reason is that it’s a lower-spinning club.
If you have any questions or would like to share your experience with the ST Max, be sure to leave a comment below.
Where To Buy
Buy new from Worldwide Golf or used from Global Golf
The Alternatives
Even though the ST Max series are great clubs, they may not be the best option for everyone. If you’re interested, you can read one of our guides and find out which fairway woods we like and recommend. You can find those below:
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