By Coach Erik Schjolberg – Jan 15, 2024
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Low spin driver for better players with handicaps teens or below
- Lofts available in 9° and 10 1/2°
- Same head shape as the Max, but designed for higher swing speeds
- 23 g tungsten speed cartridge is set low and back to subdue launch angle
- One of the most forgiving and accurate low spin drivers
Ever heard the song “The Good Part” by AJR? Well, when I think of the Rogue ST MAX LS and the Triple Diamond I hear the lyrics, “let’s skip to the good part” playing in my head. Here we go!
The Rogue ST Max LS is the everyday low-spin option of the MAX head that resolves the launch and spin-creep for faster swinging players that have tried the MAX.
The Rogue ST Max LS has a neutral ball flight, is workable, forgiving, and is an excellent all-around performer. This driver holds the No. 1 spot for my favorite drivers of 2022.
Callaway Rogue ST Max LS Driver Review
Lofts Available: 9⁰ and 10.5⁰
Clubs In Series: Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver, Max LS Driver, Max D Driver, and Triple Diamond LS Driver
Pros:
- All-around excellent performance
- Stability is superb with the jailbreak system
- Accuracy is among the best I’ve tried this year
- Ball speed is consistent and linear with the effort you put into shots
- The driver is accessible to players at a much wider range than its profile would suggest
Cons:
- Price – $550 is a lot to pay for a new stock driver
- Ball speed isn’t the fastest out there (yet, distance is still accessible)
- I can’t think of many. If you have the swing speed, test out this driver
Lofts Available
9⁰ and 10.5⁰
Handicap Range
Scratch – 14. Club head speed and elevation off the tee is a must to play this driver, but it’s not harsh enough that higher handicappers can’t play it.
Technical Review
Built off the MAX head, the Rogue ST Max LS has all the forgiveness of the original, but is designed for players with a faster swing speed, that are looking to cut down on backspin, and are going for distance.
The Rogue ST Max LS accomplishes all of that in the same beautiful package that Callaway promotes with the rest of the line.
The major differences in the Rogue ST Max LS are the weighting and the design of the SS22 flash face. Callaway drops the new tungsten speed cartridge technology at the back of the driver to a 23-gram weight instead of the MAX’s 26g to help subdue launch angle associated with a hot face.
MOI has become synonymous with launch and forgiveness. Extra weight, especially in a dense Tungsten, allows players to get the ball up high and fast.
For those that have the speed to do so on their own, extra weight at the back of the head can sometimes be counterintuitive.
Combined with the custom flash face that also optimizes spin for each specific driver, the 23g cartridge provides a stable platform to get the ball deep in the fairway.
Yes, you read that right. Callaway is custom designing the flash faces with the help of their artificial intelligence system to tune for spin, forgiveness, and ball speed.
The MAX design remains true even with the Rogue ST Max LS coming in at 460cc for optimal forgiveness and playing at 45.75” for the best leverage and distance allowed by regulation.
Swing weight in the Rogue ST Max LS does change depending on the shaft you choose. At 50g it will play D3. At 60g, D4. And at the stock 70g offering D5.
While I enjoyed hitting the Tensei AV White and Ventus Blue that came stock with this offering, customization may be necessary to push this driver to maximize efficiency.
Performance
I’ve been waiting for a long time to write and share this review.
As mentioned above, the Rogue ST MAX LS Driver takes the number 1 spot in my (very large) bag of drivers for 2022… and with good reason.
Without waxing poetic about all the aspects I like, the LS does everything very well at a very high level which makes it the ideal choice for finding the fairway, or laying into a shot to get some extra distance.
Who are we kidding… this is going to be a long section. Let’s begin!
First and foremost, the stability of this driver is incredible. The jailbreak speed frame coupled with the tungsten speed cartridge makes hitting any reasonable shot comfortable and confidence inspiring. I love seeing the two jailbreak posts poking out the bottom of the club as it’s visual confirmation that the face and frame are reinforced.
I’m going to make a bold statement here. Barring aberrant swing mechanics, any ball struck that even touches the posts of the speed frame is going to get out there and be playable.
It’s THAT good, and it’s that reliable. Honestly, this Rogue ST Max LS reminds me of the Ping G425 LST in terms of forgiveness, except I found it to be a bit hotter off the face and more stable overall.
The next thing I noticed in testing is the sheer accuracy (dispersion) of the driver. I was able to place the ball where I wanted, to find fairways, first cuts, or easily playable angles from rough consistently.
I love a good smash off the tee, but low scores are produced with fairways in regulation and this stick checked the boxes for me.
The last thing that stood out was the pure efficiency of the Rogue ST Max LS. I noticed that my swing speed dipped slightly compared to other drivers I’ve tested, approximately 2-3mph, but it had no tangible effect on my total distance.
I was still able to carry the ball comfortably in the 275+ yard range and sniff total distances in the 320y range, with rollout, on the high end.
Combine all these factors and they add up to one major plus — confidence. Playing this club, I had confidence that I could step back and hit a fairway, or I could add a little more rotation to my swing to chase after distance and try to play driver-wedge golf.
For those that are attuned to numbers, I tried to push the limits a bit to get some stats on the high end…
Averaging five shots I was able to carry the ball 295y with a club speed of 112mph and a ball speed of 166.3 mph. Backspin on the ball was around 2,325 rpm with 3/5 of the shots fully playable in the fairway and two pushed/blocked out right.
The average total distance? 321.6 yards. It’s insane that I didn’t have to work all that hard to pump out those numbers.
Looks
The Rogue ST Max LS shares the same design characteristics as the rest of the Rogue ST family and I loved the matte carbon fiber fade adorned by the gold striping at the back. Simply put, this club looks amazing when the sun hits it on course.
Overall the Rogue ST Max LS has a symmetrical shape and a generous profile while sitting behind the ball. The face of the club is a bit more pointed towards the toe but this shouldn’t affect playability.
There’s really not much to say here. This club is gorgeous and it plays well. There is enough club head to be confidence inspiring behind the ball without a funky shape.
There are no gimmicks, or unexpected cues. Just a clean presentation ready for launch.
Sound
The sound of the ST line overall has blown previous drivers out of the water. I’m a proponent of performance over looks and sound, but a few of the Callaway offerings since the last Rogue have been downright obnoxious, especially when hitting in an enclosed bay at the range.
The Rogue ST Max LS in particular has an even lower register than its family and provides a satisfying “crack” with well-struck balls. I dare say that this driver is quiet compared to some of its competitors in the market.
Feel
From a feel perspective, the Rogue ST Max LS has positive feedback whether you hit it in the center, or towards the ends of the head. You won’t necessarily know it from the sound register, but you’ll feel it in your hands.
The only knock I can think of is for balls that are struck higher towards the toe of the driver. This is the one circumstance that I can recall missing a shot and immediately thinking, “oops, that will be trouble”.
Pros
- All-around excellent performance
- Ball speed is consistent and linear with the effort you put into shots
- Stability is superb with the jailbreak system
- Accuracy is among the best I’ve tried this year
- The driver is accessible to players at a much wider range than its profile would suggest
Cons
- Price – $550 is a lot to pay for a new stock driver
- Ball speed isn’t the fastest out there (yet, distance is still accessible)
- I can’t think of many. If you have the swing speed, test out this driver
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a low-spin driver, this is a must try. Period. Consumers often look at max numbers—max ball speed, max swing speed, max carry—as quantifiers for which driver is best.
I don’t think the Rogue ST Max LS will check any of those boxes in the #1 spot. However, it will be darn close to the top in ALL of those categories, which collectively, produces some of the most consistent, accurate, and overall positive numbers I’ve seen in quite a few rounds of testing.
Lofts Available: 9⁰ and 10.5⁰
Clubs In Series: Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver, Max LS Driver, Max D Driver, and Triple Diamond LS Driver
Pros:
- All-around excellent performance
- Stability is superb with the jailbreak system
- Accuracy is among the best I’ve tried this year
- Ball speed is consistent and linear with the effort you put into shots
- The driver is accessible to players at a much wider range than its profile would suggest
Cons:
- Price – $550 is a lot to pay for a new stock driver
- Ball speed isn’t the fastest out there (yet, distance is still accessible)
- I can’t think of many. If you have the swing speed, test out this driver
When all the factors are combined, this driver takes the cake for me. She’s versatile, she’s a beauty in the bag, and the numbers match up. I’ve named mine “Fiona”. Put one in your bag already!
What are the Other New Callaway Rogue ST Drivers?
Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver
If you’re looking for a little bit more forgiveness and you’re not swinging so hard (110 mph+) then the Max (non-LS) version may be a better option. Read our full write up on the Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver here.
Callaway Rogue ST Max D Driver
If you’re a golfer struggling with a slice off the tee, or if you simply want to play more draws, then the Max D version is a great choice. Check out our full review on the Callaway Rogue ST Max D Driver here.
Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS Driver
Notice the lack of the “Max” designation on this one. Why? This driver is going to be the “Tour” option in the Rogue family, and is going to provide much more distance off the tee… but at a cost – much less forgiveness. If you think you’re ready for this club, read what I had to say in my full review of the Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS here.
Alternate Choices to the Callaway Rogue ST Max Low Spin Driver
TaylorMade Stealth Plus
Another low spin option from this year’s crop is the Stealth Plus from TaylorMade. The carbonwood driver was all the buzz in 2022 (and still is). Read our full review of the Stealth Plus Driver if you want to see how it performed.
Ping G425 LST
Ping’s LST is their low spin driver option. Released in 2021, it’s still one of the best drivers on the market in my opinion. Check out our full review of the Ping G425 LST Driver.
Best Golf Drivers
And if you’re looking for a list of the absolute best drivers on the market, check out our test and ranking of the best 5 drivers of 2024 right here.
FAQ
Note – Some of these FAQs were covered throughout the article, but I still get these questions a lot… so here are the “short and sweet” answers to the most common questions:
How does the Rogue ST Max LS compare to the Rogue ST Max driver?
The Rogue ST Max LS Driver compares very similarly to the Rogue ST Max. The LS is going to be a little bit less forgiving on miss hits, but produces lower spin rate numbers due to the weight reduction in the tungsten speed cartridge. The LS is geared towards faster swingers who just generate way too much spin on non-low-spin drivers.
What does LS mean on Callaway drivers?
The LS on Callaway drivers means “Low Spin”. The weight has been positioned differently across the entire driver head to reduce spin rpm numbers for faster swinging golfers.
Lofts Available: 9⁰ and 10.5⁰
Clubs In Series: Callaway Rogue ST Max Driver, Max LS Driver, Max D Driver, and Triple Diamond LS Driver
Pros:
- All-around excellent performance
- Stability is superb with the jailbreak system
- Accuracy is among the best I’ve tried this year
- Ball speed is consistent and linear with the effort you put into shots
- The driver is accessible to players at a much wider range than its profile would suggest
Cons:
- Price – $550 is a lot to pay for a new stock driver
- Ball speed isn’t the fastest out there (yet, distance is still accessible)
- I can’t think of many. If you have the swing speed, test out this driver
About the Author
By Coach Erik Schjolberg – Last Updated Jan 15, 2024
Expertise:
Coach Erik actively coaches several PGA Tour Professionals. He’s the head golf instructor and writer here at Swing Yard, was voted the “#1 Golf Coach in Scottsdale, Arizona”, and has been coaching for over 20+ years. Erik also owns and operates his own online golf school, EJS Golf Academy. His other credentials include: Active PGA Coaches Membership, Titleist TPI Level 1 and 2, Trackman Certified Level 1, Dr. Kwon’s Biomechanics Level I and II, Scott Cowx Certified Level I Advanced, BodiTrack and V1 Sports Pressure Mat Certified, Titleist Club Fitting and Ball Fitting Certified, PGA Hope, and Sportsbox AI. Check out Erik’s full bio and certifications for more info.
“……If you have the swing speed ……”
What swing speed should you have for this to be a top choice driver? (mine is about 100mph)
My opinion is that you’d have a minimum swing speed of 105mph, and that’s your AVERAGE, not your high end swing. Also, you must be a good ball striker (meaning you KNOW and have tested your contact position on the face, and it’s in the center most of the time). At 100mph, you’re right on the cusp, and you could “play into” this driver – especially if you’re actively learning to increase your swing speed (again, while maintaining good center contact). If you feel like you’re at your max potential swing speed, then go with the Rogue ST Max (non LS). Hope that helps man!