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In this review, I’ll be taking a look at the Callaway MAVRIK Standard driver.
Callaway has iterated on the breakthrough AI design of the Epic Flash to develop the new Flash Face SS20. The new design is meant to produce faster ball speeds across the face, more consistency, and better feel than ever before.
So, how does the MAVRIK really shape up in practice? Is it worthy replacement to the Rogue from a couple of seasons ago?
Here’s what I’m going to be covering in this review:
- Ratings
- Performance
- Where To Buy This Driver Online
- Conclusion
Read on to find out what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note:Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
The MAVRIK driver is a gold medal winner of the 2020 Golf Digest Hot List, and it’s also a favourite of PGA Tour player Xander Schauffele. It has been received very well by critics but not quite as well by consumers.
Still, it currently has a 4.6/5 (86% recommended) average rating on the Callaway website. It also has a 5/5 on Global Golf and 4.7/5 on CGPO.
What People Like
- better forgiveness than the Epic Flash
- tight dispersions
- easy to hit
- consistent performance
- excellent sound and feel
What People Don’t Like
- a lot of people are underwhelmed by the look
- not as low-spin as some would like
- a bit expensive
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What are the features?
Flash Face SS20
One of the standout features of the MAVRIK is the new Flash Face SS20, which builds on the Flash Face of the Epic Flash driver. The Flash Face is the result of A.I. – a supercomputer and machine learning that combined tens of thousands of prototypes into one “super face”.
The SS20 essentially produces faster ball speeds over a larger area of the face.
Cyclone Aero Shape
The other standout feature of the MAVRIK is the new Cyclone Aero head shape. It enhances aerodynamics and reduces drag, resulting in faster clubhead speed.
Jailbreak & T2C Triaxial Carbon
Jailbreak Technology first made an appearance in the Rogue driver. The Epic Flash added the T2C Triaxial carbon material. The MAVRIK features both of these.
Jailbreak consists of titanium bars that vertically connect the crown and sole. This places more impact load on the face, further increasing ball speeds.
T2C is a very light carbon triaxial fabric that allows for maximum weight savings. This weight is redistributed in the head to raise the moment of inertia (MOI), resulting in more forgiveness.
FS2S Titanium
The face of the MAVRIK driver is made of high-strength FS2S titanium.
It’s six grams lighter than regular titanium and delivers better speed, forgiveness, spin control, and more consistent results.
Stock Info
The standard MAVRIK driver is available in 9°, 10.5°, and 12° standard lofts at 460 CC. Also available is the women’s MAVRIK driver in at least the 10.5° and 12° lofts.
Every MAVRIK driver comes with an Optifit hosel that allows you to adjust loft and lie. The loft settings are -1, +1, 0 and +2 (a range of 3°). The lie settings are N (neutral) and D (draw), giving a total of 8 possible configurations.
You can choose from several premium aftermarket graphite shafts including UST Helium Black, Project X EvenFlow Riptide, and the ALDILA ROGUE White 130 MSI. There are also over 100 different grips to choose from.
If you’re interested, full information on the driver, shafts, grips and their specs can be found on the CGPO website.
Below are the specs of the MAVRIK driver. Click or zoom to enlarge.
How does the driver perform?
Distance
One of the key takeaways of my testing with the MAVRIK is this: it’s a bit longer then the Rogue but not quite as long as the Epic Flash, particularly when hit in the sweet spot.
When you think about it, this isn’t really surprising. The MAVRIK is meant to be more forgiving and have more spin than the Epic Flash, and this necessarily implies less distance. At the same time, off-center strikes are as long if not longer because of the larger ball speed zone on the Flash Face.
With that said, it’s not a short driver by any means; once you dial in a good ball flight, you should be very happy with the results.
I did feel like I was getting slightly more clubhead speed as a result of the new head shape, and I was able to verify this with launch monitor data.
Forgiveness
This is one of the MAVRIK’s biggest strong points. The Jailbreak technology, T2C triaxial carbon, and new Flash Face SS20, combined with the new FS2S titanium material, produce the best ball speed preservation across the face that I’ve ever seen in a Callaway driver.
The forgiveness is a slight improvement over the Rogue and a noticeable improvement over the Epic Flash. This also translates to exceptional consistency with results that are very repeatable.
Remember that you can experiment with your loft and lie settings to produce even better results. The absence of a sliding weight on the sole isn’t a big deal at all.
Playability/Trajectory
The playability of the MAVRIK is excellent; it’s definitely one of the easiest Callaway drivers to hit.
I found the ball flight to be straight and fairly high, which is to be expected when you have some spin. As with the Rogue, I did find the driver with the stock shaft to be on the light side.
These realities could possibly present some problems for golfers who have high swing speeds and/or struggle with ballooning ball flights. But it reinforces the fact that the MAVRIK is ideal for high-handicappers.
Naturally, it’s a little less workable than the Epic, but I think that most golfers who benefit from the MAVRIK won’t mind much.
What about look, sound & feel?
The Look
If you’ve ever seen or used Callaway drivers, the first thing you’ll probably notice is that the head shape of the MAVRIK is unique.
This is the “cyclone aero shape” — among other things, the sole is more rounded and curved as you move towards the back. I’m not sure I prefer this style over previous ones, but I imagine it would appeal to many.
Compared to the Rogue, the 460 CC head seems to be a bit more elongated from back to front, with a taller face.
The MAVRIK has a carbon fiber crown and is mostly black with orange and white accents. The sole has less “pits & valleys” than the Rogue driver, which is probably meant to streamline the aerodynamics.
I personally think the MAVRIK looks good overall, but many think that it looks too vanilla and boring. To each their own.
The Sound & Feel
The MAVRIK feels very stable throughout the swing, like you can’t mishit it unless you make a conscious effort to.
Many people who have played the MAVRIK will attest to the fact that the sound is just fantastic: a solid “whack” with a feel that has the perfect balance of solidness and clickiness. Some would call it the “quintessential” driver sound.
You really have to hit the driver yourself to understand how good the sound and feel are. Mis-hits feel pretty good too, and while it’s great that they sound better (less hollow) than they do with the Rogue driver, there’s still enough feedback there to know when you miss the sweet spot.
I do feel like I swing faster with the MAVRIK as well, so I have little doubt that the new head shape is indeed effective.
Where should you buy the MAVRIK driver online?
The MAVRIK driver is now more than a few seasons old, and you can no longer order it custom-made directly from the official Callaway website.
The best you can do now is look for it on Callaway Golf Pre-Owned and eBay. CGPO has a bunch of these drivers on offer with a 90-day buy-back policy, 12-month warranty, and free headcover included.
If you want to save more money, you can find discounts on eBay. Optionally look at what’s available on Global Golf.
Conclusion
Does the MAVRIK deliver next-level performance? The answer is yes.
It improves on what made the Rogue a great driver, and while the Epic Flash still has it beat in a couple areas, it’s the best option for golfers who want more forgiveness than what the Epic Flash has to offer.
The MAVRIK is a very consistent performer with impressive forgiveness across the face and an amazing sound and feel. High and even mid-handicappers should be able to pick it up and start hitting it without much difficulty at all.
If you do find that the MAVRIK Standard isn’t for you, I definitely recommend checking out the MAX and Sub Zero variants.
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Are you interested in the MAVRIK driver? Have you tried it yet? What have your results been? Let us know in the comments below.
Callaway MAVRIK Driver
Distance
8.5
Forgiveness
9.6
Playability
9.8
Look
8
Sound & Feel
9.8
Pros
Tight dispersions
More forgiving than the Epic Flash
Consistent results
Easy to hit
Very satisfying sound & feel
Cons
Some think the look is too bland
Not for those who want low spin and max distance
A bit pricey
9.1