gocchin Posted May 7, 2007 Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 Well, many of you may not know that I only started golf last July after falling in love with the game at a corporate Golf Day. I joined TSG in August and had mostly a Taylormade Bag at the time, by the time I full converted to JDM it was late fall and there was no golf left to play. The last two weeks, the weather finally got good here in Toronto, the first week I had a fever for 4 days then had to have a root canal. Finally today I got out for 18 holes to see if the winter of practice at the indoor range and lessons plus lots of new JDM equipment had paid off. Firstly I want to thank Chris here at TSG, not only is he a good friend and great guy, he knows everything about JDM equipment and is totally honest about it. He has helped me learn so much and when I wanted something that wasn't right for me he told me so without hesitation. He set me up with all my gear and helped me make choices on every piece of equipment. He and Jacque and TSG have made golf so fun for me. I have practiced hard and spend countless hours studying my many Japanese Golf Magazine subscriptions. And it helps to have a Japanese wife who I must thank for also being patient and understanding with this hobby of mine. Haha this is like a victory speech or something! So on to today. I was nervous the first hole as I had only hit the Roddio/Inpres X 460D at the range. I am not the best at driving the ball. I have always struggled with a slice and until I got the Axiv hit too many shafts that felt to0 boardy and stiff for me with no feel. I do not have a fast swing, so discovering JDM shafts is a blessing for me. Not only do they fit my swing profile the feel is amazing. The Roddio is so smooth and feel is superb. My clubfitter was part of our foursome today and he said the Roddio W5BA was loading and unloading perfectly for me. It felt great and honestly works amazingly with the Yamaha 460cc head which I am pleasantly surprised about. The driver is super forgiving, with it's closed face that helps me hit straighter and the shaft loads and kicks well with feel I honestly think is better than the Axiv. The roll is also fantastic. However, I was not hitting my woods well today. The drives on the first three holes were pretty good then my swing got funky. However the rest of my bag saved me. Because I wasn't driving the ball well the woods weren't doing so good either so I had to rely on my short game. Let me tell you this, My Epon Model X wedges saved me many times, in the sand, in the rough, I stuck many balls close to the pin. The wedges are unbelievably versatile. They worked for me in every condition. I also hit a few really good shots with my Scratch Inpakuto PW. It is just so soft like butter, I'm really happy I thought of getting a custom PW. My clubfitter has a 60* Scratch and he is telling me it's his fav club right now. Another club that really surprised me and saved me from the rough a few times was the Fourteen UT-106 that Chris recommended I get. He was dead on. I thought I preferred the wood style utility but this baby with an iron type face rocked!! When I hit it solid it was a pure bullet. Paired with a Tour AD UT-85 it is so easy to hit. It's like Blader-X said, when your equipment works so well and it all comes together for you, it just makes the game such a joy to play. After a few sand saves with the Epon and putting with my Gauge The One putter to make par, I was smiling from ear to ear. The ViQ forged were also very reliable and the Axiv shafts a big improvement for me because of my slow swingspeed, I basically had a great day with Utilities, Irons, Wedges and Putter. My failure with the woods was more my swing being off than the equipment (I was off the toe far too often with the driver). I did not even hit my Royal Collection CV Pro 18* 5 wood once because I just didn't feel confident with my woods, but my clubfitter borrowed it for one hole and ended up 220yards right next to the pin. So without a doubt all the equipment was awesome.... just need to practice more now. Anyway a productive first day and yeah I love my JDM bag!! Pics added below too: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blader-X Posted May 7, 2007 Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 JDM equipment is beautiful to look at, . . . but, its even better to put into play. Thanks for sharing. Now get out there tomorrow and play again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breal Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Give us some pics sounds cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K2_2 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 T, I had no idea you were so new to the game... but I am glad that you are having so much fun with it, both on and off the course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keen Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Congrats, sounds like a great day =) and yeah, pics =D Updated your WITB yet ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corky3 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Gocchin, for someone so young in the tooth, your posts are always informative and entertaining. We are lucky to have you onboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclekent Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 One year in and look not only at your knowledge, but your club collection! I have to beg, borrow and steal to get my wife to let me add a club a year! Your gear rocks! Thanks for all the insight into the JDM mags as well as the blog. After a few more months with the Yamaha, give us a full fledged review. I love TSG Kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Alexander Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 gocchin, I know you love golf. But man, you have been playing less than a year and already know more than 99.9% of the global population about JDM equipment. You must have an IQ of 160+. More importantly, now the weather is conducive get out to the course and wear those babies out!! I'm sure with your dedication you will be down to single figures in no time. Keep up the good work on the site, we all love your posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idrive Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Congrats on the great bag!! I've always said Golf is supposed to be fun. Having a bag full of JDM equipment is half the fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb2235 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Great Post!! Would have never believed you just took the game up based on your knowledge and passion evidenced by the divot in your living room. Love to see some pics of the bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmelton697 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Gocchin, I remember when you first came on board but I had no idea you were so new to the game. Thanks for all the advice and information you've given me lately. Congrats on the JDM bag and I'll be looking forward to more of your informative posts. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gth1017 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 As Forrest Gump would have said: "Wow! Only one year! And that's all I've got to say about that!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffer19 Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Hi T: You know we have a golf date when I come back from overseas in 2 weeks time, right? I cannot wait when I actually get to try out your Roddio in real condition and compare it to my white board and Six on my Epon(s). AS for putter, it would be the Matsu against the Gauge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocchin Posted May 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Haha yes I guess it's a surprise to many that I just started last year. But I have a passion for the game... though my actual playing does not quite match my knowledge yet! As I said, a lot of what I have learned is from Chris and 4-5 Japanese golf magazines that I read every single month. Not to mention I spend countless hours surfing Japanese sites about gear. The rest goes to practicing golf and time with the wife, who luckily loves playing too (trust me that really helps!) I am always more than willing to help anyone here on the site with equipment choices and I hope that all my reading and learning comes to good use. I've always thought that the more info everyone has the better so I'm here to share! I plan on playing 2-3 rounds a week so hopefully I can give some good feedback, plus I not only spent the winter practicing indoors but also fiddling with a Vector Launch monitor just to understand ball flight and shaft characteristics. It's one thing reading about it in a magazine and then actually trying to replicate results on the monitor and in real life. I come from a technical computer background, so my love for gadgets and tech has naturally moved on to JDM gear, the most high tech and quality stuff there is in my opinion. Without TSG here, I would have never become what I am today golf-wise and Inpakuto probably would not exist... now to find some time to post on the blog would be nice. (^_^) Duffer, I'll be waiting for your return from HK. I've got another Epon on the way to me, a custom one Chris is helping me build which I cannot wait to try with the Roddio! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocchin Posted May 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Everyone loves pics and it's a nice day outside so I took some! Here's the bag lineup I used yesterday (also added to first post): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclekent Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Gocchin.....that is one phenominal set! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forte Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 T do you even work or is your home you just minutes from work ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocchin Posted May 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 T do you even work or is your home you just minutes from work ? Haha actually I'm currently retired. I was working when we last met downtown but now it's just golf. (^_^) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
master Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 Hi Gocchin, Nice equipments you have. I envy you. How do you find the Yahama driver? I just bought the same driver this Sunday, 10* with factory installed Rombax 6X07 S flex, I haven't been on course with this driver but at the range, this driver is a bomb, very forgiving, soft when hit flushed, I'm not sure whether it was due to I'm getting use to the driver/shaft in my second outting at the range, or the shaft needs run-in, but last night I was hitting this bomb after bomb, my swing speed is around 45m/s & I have no difficulty hitting the driver/shaft & I feel the shaft has losen it a bit, like gradually accepting me, what a unique feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocchin Posted May 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 I was very pleasantly surprised by the Yamaha, especially coming from the Epon 460 which I think is the purest feeling driver around. The Yamaha is super forgiving and yes it is quite long. When hit flush on it actually sounds like the Epon, and yes very soft. I also love the design of the head, very high tech looking and the face is slightly closed which makes it easier for me to go straight. It's a great match with the Roddio. It was a great recommendation for me by Chris... (again)^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrs6 Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 1 year Goochin unreal, if this was formula 1 you have landed straight into the ferrari seat some of us have been playing with minardi equipment for many,many to many years!! great posts , info and the pics are pure GOLF PORN. Im sure it wont be too long before you turn your Hcp from 95 to 59 .LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe295 Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 wow those are some nice sticks! I have to add my surprise to the others that you've only been playing for a year. Amazing the amount of information you've managed to pack inside your head in so short a period of time. I've played for a long long time and still never taken a chunk out of the carpet. I look forward to you sharing more of your information and experiences in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocchin Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Gosh people will never forget the carpet divot will they??? (^_-) Well it shows I'm hardcore right? \(^^)/ I really love playing golf and taking pics of golf gear these days... life is fun.... o(^^o)(o^^)o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.