TESTED BY: Jimmy Emanuel, Golf Australia Writer (GA Handicap 9.4).

COST: $429.99.

MODELS PLAYED: Rogue 3-wood, fitted with Aldila Synergy 60 Stiff shaft. And Rogue Sub Zero 3-wood with 15˚ loft, with Project X Even Flow 75 6.0 Stiff shaft.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Just like the drivers, the Rogue fairway woods possess a tidy overall look.

At address, the standard model sat square to my eye and looked bigger than the Sub Zero, but I would certainly not describe it as too big.

In contrast, the Sub Zero was slightly open and more compact behind the ball and instantly appealed to me.

The Rogue appeared to have more loft visible at address, which will help increase confidence for those who struggle to get fairway woods in the air. Whereas the Sub Zero looked to almost carry less loft than the stamped 15˚.

HOW IT PERFORMED: Approaching my testing knowing that the Sub Zero was closer to my current 3-wood in both performance and appearance, I was aware it more than likely would end up my preferred option of the two. However, the standard Rogue’s consistent distance and forgiveness across the clubface instantly stood out to me both on the range and on course.

The ball flight of the standard was consistently as straight as any fairway wood I have tried and launched on a high but strong trajectory. When hit side by side with my own recent model, the Rogue was only slightly longer on good strikes but really proved the worth of Jailbreak technology on mis-hits.

Shots from the toe and the heel were regularly equal in distance to a good shot with my club, while the variance from the target line was also lessened. This forgiveness allowed me full confidence when taking a rip at par-5s in two with the Rogue, even when a water carry was required.

Where the standard impressed with how easy it was to use, the Sub Zero stood out for its distance and penetrating ball flight.

A good swing with the lower spin model produced an incredibly strong flight that easily bested my own 3-wood of the same loft for distance on nearly every occasion. The Sub Zero’s forgiveness was also noticeable when compared with previous low spin fairways I have tried – and its slightly open appearance at address felt as if it would never go left.

The feel off the clubface of both models was solid and powerful, and picking differences between the two in this regard would be splitting hairs for me.

After thinking the Sub Zero would easily be my pick of the two, the standard Rogue hugely impressed with its combination of distance and forgiveness, while the Sub Zero’s ball flight and appearance stood out.

As a result, I would be happy playing either model and their performance even had me thinking of replacing my own 3-wood. A previously unfathomable idea.

FACTS AND FIGURES

SUITABILITY: With the forgiving, higher launching standard model offered in eight lofts ranging from a 3+ to an 11-wood, and the low spin Sub Zero available in a 3+ wood, 3-wood and 5-wood, there is a Rogue fairway for every player type.

SHAFTS: A variety of shaft models and weights are available in both the standard and Sub Zero Rogue, including the Aldila Quaranta, Aldila Synergy, Project X Even Flow and Project X HZRDUS Yellow.

LEFT-HANDED: All three lofts offered in the Sub Zero are available in left handed, while the standard model is offered in a 3+ wood, 3-wood, 5-wood, Heavenwood and 7-wood.

CALLAWAY SAYS: Rogue fairway woods are the world’s first fairway woods to feature ‘Jailbreak’ technology, helping golfers to unlock the same ball speed benefits they will see in Callaway drivers featuring the technology.

Marrying Jailbreak to proprietary ‘Hyper Speed Face Cup’ technology, Rogue Fairways are a step-change in ball speed performance across a larger part of the face, promoting increased distance and improved forgiveness.

Two vertical steel Jailbreak rods, positioned directly behind the face and cast into the main body of each head, work in-sync with the Face Cup, to create new levels of ball speed, even on off-centre hits.

Ball flight and distance is further managed with the addition of a ‘Triaxial Carbon Crown’, moving unwanted weight from the top of the head and re-positioning it where it can influence centre of gravity (CG), moment of inertia (MOI) and ball flight.

For more information on the entire Rogue range, visit wwww.callawaygolf.com.au or phone 1800 217 777.