TheGolfSpecialist

Very nice. Let me know how the new irons are when you get a chance to play a round with them. I did truly enjoy hitting the irons. I do agree that many people shy away from Yamaha as they are not as common in the states.

I was using a 9.5 degree head. I would say that the X-Con did contribute greatly to the high launch. They are a good combination if you are looking for the high launch right off of the club face. The X-Con was very stable and tight throughout the swing. You can definitely feel the shaft load before the release. Very consistent.

I would say that this wedge is softer in feel all around, but I was able to spin the ball much better with the GS wedge. This wedge also has a slightly larger and rounder head. Let me know if you have any more questions...

Yamaha Inpress-X irons The Yamaha Inpress-X irons are very pleasing to the eye. I especially liked how compact the head was designed. The cavity back made it look much easier to hit than a traditional blade look. This club provides the right combination of workability and forgiveness, but I would say that these irons were designed with the better players in mind. There is a slight offset throughout the set, but it is not significant enough to make any major difference. These irons are relatively forgiving on shots caught a little thin. (I was still able to get a pretty good trajectory on the ball.) I found like in most irons, shots missed slightly towards the toe were much more forgiving than off of the heel. The distance I got was getting were very consistent throughout every shot. There were no extra “hot spots” on the club face. I found my shots coming off very straight. The slight offset did not have much effect on the shape of the shots. The compact head on these irons made it easily workable in both directions. The clubface gave off a very soft feel which I found very pleasing. I was able to make solid contact out of different lies and lengths of grass. The compact and cavity back design of the head made it much easier to get the club swinging through thick rough. These irons should be recognized for its feel and playability from various situations on the course. Overall a very high quality set of irons. Rating Scale Aesthetics Nice compact looking heads with a soft looking finish. The cavity back makes it look less intimidating at address. I like how the head is relatively compact. Rating– 4.25 Feel I liked the soft feel produced by the head. It gave me great feedback right away. Shots struck well are definitely rewarded with a feel that would be comparable to any quality golf club. Rating– 4.5 Forgiveness These irons are forgiving on shots caught a bit thin and off the toe. There was minimal variation in distance on slight misses. These irons definitely help you get through some tough lies. Rating– 4.0 Distance Distance wise, these irons are similar to many of its competitors in the market. We must also remember that each set of irons have a different standards of loft and shaft length. Rating– 4 Accuracy I was able to consistently produce a very straight ball flight with these irons. It was very easy to shape shots when necessary. The slight offset did not affect my ability to create shots either way. Rating- 4.5 Overall Rating -4.25

Geotech Ti MOI driver (Ozik Xcon S-flex shaft) This new driver is an oversized weapon for all calibers of players. The Geotech Ti MOI driver has a very rounded head shape that makes the head appear much larger than other 460cc driver heads out there. The dark blue finish adds to the clean appearance at address. I do have to add that this may not be the desired look for some purists and lower handicapped players out there. This driver looks very forgiving and easy to hit. I would say that it is similar to the Nike Ignite driver in feel. The driver gives off a sound that is toned down and easy on the ears. (Very good if you plan to hit many drive on the range.) This driver definitely promotes a very high launch of the golf ball and the ball gets up right away at impact. I would like to mention that it was a bit difficult to produce a low ball flight with this driver. If you are looking to produce low penetrating ball flight this would not be the club for you.The driver was forgiving on off center hits. The driver had a slightly closed face which promoted a right to left ball flight. I found it harder to work the ball in both ways off of the tee. I do however have to say that the club head stayed very stable through impact, even on off center hits. I was able to get a consistent right to left flight almost every time. It felt like this driver head had a “sweet zone” instead of a sweet spot since the distance I was getting were very consistent no matter what part of the clubface the ball made contact with. Rating Scale Aesthetics This driver appears very round and much bigger that other 460cc drivers. I would prefer a black finish over the shade of blue that was used for this club. The model sits slightly closed at address which I did not like. Rating– 3.5 Feel I liked how all shots hit off center were all consistent in feel. I was able to get solid feedback at impact. Rating- 3.75 Forgiveness This driver was overall very forgiving on off center hits. The distance was very consistent no matter if the center of the club face was missed. Rating – 4.5 Distance The Geotech driver produced a high ball flight which was able to produce a good amount of airtime. I do think that it would not be a recommended club when playing into the wind. On a calm day it would be a competitor with any other driver. Rating– 4.5 Accuracy This driver produced a consistent high, right to left ball flight. Rating- 4 Overall Rating -4.05

George Spirits GS-SW 58* (S400 Dynamic Gold) The Gerorge Spirits Sand Wedge is one of the best looking wedges I have seen in a while. The black finish makes the club look very compact and sharp. It reduces glare on sunny days making it easier to address. I liked the thin top line of the club head which made it look like I can cut through the turf even from the tightest of lies. I did find that this wedge has a hard feel when the ball makes contact with the face. It is not a club made for someone looking for something very soft. The club head had some good weight to it making it easier for the head to flow through different lies on the course. I was especially amazed with how much spin I was able to get off of every shot. This wedge allowed me to spin the ball from just about any lie. So far I have not come across a wedge that spins more than this one. Another thing I found with this wedge is that I can control the trajectory of the ball very well. I felt like I had total control of the amount of spin put on the ball. I was able to hit low approach shots with a lot of spin which I really enjoyed. This wedge has a relatively small sole which is great for hitting off of the fairways. With the amount of spin I am able to get with this wedge, it was a lot easier to be aggressive from inside 100 yards. I was getting a good amount of spin even on off center hits. Rating Scale Aesthetics The best looking wedge I have seen in a while. I liked the thin top line and the black finish. It has an aggressive look to it making you feel like you can attack the flag stick from anywhere. Rating– 4.75 Feel This is definitely not the softest feeling wedge on the market. I do have to say that the feel is very consistent throughout the club face. I was able to get used to the feel of this wedge after approach shots around the green. Rating– 3.75 Forgiveness This wedge allowed me to get a good amount of spin even on off center hits. Being able to consistently spin the ball allowed me to be aggressive from a variety of lies. Rating – 4.25 Distance Distance wise, this wedge similar to many of its competitors in the market. I found that I was able to get a tremendous amount of spin when I tired to hit the ball very low. One thing that needs to be watched for is over spinning the ball. Rating– 4.0 Accuracy I was able to get a consistent trajectory on all shots. I found this wedge very easy to keep the ball low to the ground. Being able to keep the ball low to the ground has helped me stay in control of my shots. Rating- 4.75 Overall Rating -4.3

Epon 208KGX Wedge 60* (Silver Satin Finish) This Epon wedge has a very round shape head with a relatively thick top line compared to other leading brand wedges. The wide and rounded sole made it very easy to throw the ball high in the air from the rough. I found the design of this head very useful when trying to hit a high, soft shot from green side bunkers. I would say that this club was designed with short approach shots around the green in mind. The face was very soft and was very easy to feel the distance in my hands while trying to control short shots around the green. I would say that it is one of the softer feeling wedges that are available today. I did not find it very crisp in when hitting off of very tight lies. The rounded sole made it a little harder for the club head to dig through the turf after impact. This would be a handy wedge in the back for little recovery shots around the green. Any shots caught high on the club were thrown up high and stopped on a dime. I was able to get the ball to land softly onto the green from a variety of lies. As far as spin goes, this club did not produce as much spin as I expected, but the high and soft shots I was able to produce helped me stop the ball quickly on the green. Rating Scale Aesthetics It has a very basic round shaped head. I did find the top line a bit too thick. The very round shape of the head does make it look like it has more loft then there actually is. This wedge can make anyone feel like they can hit a high, soft landing shot around the green. Rating– 3.75 Feel This is one of the softest feeling wedges I have hit this year. This wedge was able to produce a soft feel no matter what part of the clubface the ball was struck on. Rating– 4.5 Forgiveness This wedge was pretty forgiving on off center hits from fluffed lies around the green. I was able to get good height on the ball even with some grass between the ball and the club face. Shots missed a little high or low on the face still got up right away. Rating– 4.25 Distance This wedge was just about average in the distance it produced on normal full swings. However, I did find it hard to try and squeeze an extra few yards using this club. Rating– 3.5 Accuracy This wedge was very consistent in producing a high ball flight right off the bat. I felt like I was able to control the club head and make the ball land at a desired distance every time. Rating – 4.0 Overall Rating -4.0

Epon AF-201 3Wood (15 degrees, MachLine FW65 S-Flex Shaft) The Epon AF-201 Fairway Woods are very clean looking and would be a good club for golfers of all calibers. A very good thing about these fairway woods are that the have very good chemistry with the driver. They look like they belong together, so it would be crazy not to get the driver and the fairway woods together. The fairway wood has a finish exactly like the driver and is shaped to look exactly like a smaller version of the driver. The club sits very square at address. It has a moderately deep face which is preferred by many better players. The stock shaft that comes with the woods is all well fitted for the club, but they are on the weak side. I was amazed by how easily I was able to get the ball in the air. The ball jumped off of the club face very quickly, but managed to stay on a boring flight which I especially liked. The club was workable both ways and I did not have to fight the ball from going one way. After a few swings, this club gave some extra confidence and I felt like I could get the ball in the air from any lie. I was able to feel the head throughout my swing which I feel is very important. (This requires the right combination of head and shaft weight.) I liked the club’s playability from tight lies. It gave me a solid feel and sound that confirmed a solid shot when it was struck. This 3wood was not particularly forgiving on shot hit on the toe or heel. There was not a major problem in shot disbursement on off center hits, but the difference in distance was very noticeable. There were no problems getting the club head through light rough, but I do think that the relatively light weigh of the club would make it difficult to cut through thick or wet rough. Overall this would be one of my top choices for fairway woods. I would play them for their looks and workability. Rating Scale Aesthetics I absolutely love looking at this fairway wood. This is the basic and traditional shape of a fairway wood. I would say it is one of the best looking ones on the market. The finish and shape goes together very nicely with the Epon Driver. Rating– 4.75 Feel I like the soft feel of the face which is noticeable the second the ball makes contact with the club. The sound that it gives off is solid and not overly piercing. (Sound greatly affects a player’s feel) Sound and feel are all preferences, but I personally would rate this club pretty well. Rating– 4.5 Forgiveness This fairway wood is not the most forgiving club out there, but manageable for most players. There was very noticeable distance loss on shots missed a little towards the toe or heel. Rating – 3.75 Distance Distance was comparable to other 3woods I have hit in the past. Rating– 4.0 Accuracy I was able to work the ball in both directions with this fairway wood. Workability is very important in getting the right being able to accurately place the ball when playing a demanding golf course. I did also like how I was able to get a consistent boring ball flight every time. Rating – 4.5 Overall Rating -4.30

Sorry for the late reply on this. This was one club where I really liked the stock MachLine UT370 shafts that came with it. The MachLine graphite shafts are a bit on the weak side as far as flex goes, but I was really able to feel the club head throughout my swing with this shaft. (which I like) I have not found a shaft that goes better with this club as of yet. If I come across one I will post it right away. If you feel like you are feeling too much weight in the head, I would recommend trying out the Fujikura Rombax series shafts. They have a full line made for utility clubs and a selection of slightly heavier shafts as well. Any comments, questions, concerns, just let me know. Thanks.

Aesthetics Now this is what I call a putter! This putter has a traditional “ping anser” style head which most golfers are used to. Compared to other blade putters I’ve used in the past which include putters from Ping, Odyssey, and Scotty Cameron, this putter has a slightly smaller head. The putter neck has a full off set similar to Scotty Cameron’s Newport or the Ping Anser. I love the pure black finish which is very different from the most of the putters on the market today. The color also reduces the amount of glare on the putter head on sunny days. Rating-4.75 Alignment The white aim line on the back of the putter stands out on the black putter head. I found it very helpful in lining up putts, especially the short 3 to 4 feet range everyone has problems with. The heavy head allowed the putter to sit very comfortably on the green. The compact putter head and the black finish made the golf ball standout and made it easier for me to really concentrate on setting the aimer line on the back of the ball. Rating-4.5 Feel/ Sound I was surprised by how soft the putter was. At first, the black finish gave me the impression of it having a firm feel, but it turned out to be one of the softer feeling putters I have used. A lot has to do with the soft sound it gives off when the golf ball makes contact with the putter face. The head was also very heavy which helped me keep the putter head very stable and low throughout my stroke. The only thing that may be a drawback is that it may take some time to get used to how soft this putter actually is. Rating-4.5 Accuracy The putter head was very stable and I was able to keep long putts rolling down the target line very consistently. I believe a lot of this has to do with how comfortable I was when setting up and aiming the putter. I think this putter fit my eye nicely. The putter is the most important tool in the bag so chemistry is very important. Compared to the Ping Anser and the Scotty Cameron Newport 2, I was able to roll the ball closer to my intended target with this putter. Rating-4.5 Design The overall design of this putter seems like any other putter, but I found some little parts that make this putter unique. I have noticed a thin cavity running down the neck and also on the sole of the putter head. These cavities are there to distribute the weight of the club into the proper places of the club head to make it well balanced. I think that these little detailed work put into the design of this putter is what’s going to make this putter a hot item. Rating-4.25 Overall Rating – 4.5

Epon AF-901 driving iron (19 degrees, Mach Tech UT370 S-Flex Shaft) The Epon AF-901 is the next generation of hybrid clubs. Referred to as a “driving iron”, this club is unlike any other type of club on the market. This club sits on the ground just like a regular iron, which is a major plus when it comes to aiming. I like the thin top line and wide bottom sole is visible when the club head rests on the turf. If an oversized iron head but on some weight, it would look like this. When you set the club down behind a ball, this club actually looks as though it has way more loft than it actually does. This is makes it look like a very easy club to hit, which it is. If you can’t get a ball off the ground with this club, I don’t know if there is a club out there for you. I noticed that the ball jumped up in the air very quickly after impact. Even slightly down hill lies were not a problem. The high trajectory I got with this club allowed me to attack some flag sticks from new distances. It does however favor a slightly drawing ball flight. I had to work very hard to try to get the ball to fade. If you are looking to play a fade, this club may not be your top choice. This club is definitely friendly to off center hits. Balls struck on the lower half of the club face still somehow managed to get good air time. The compact head design allows the club to flow through various lies from the rough. I also found it surprisingly easy to pick a clean shot out of a fairway bunker with this driving iron. This would be one club I can very proudly recommend to anyone. Rating Scale Aesthetics I loved the way this club sat on the ground. It has a very unique designed head which, I believe the majority of the golf population will like. It also looks like it is easy to hit, which it is. This club will make you believe you can hit a solid shot before you swing it. Rating – 4.5 Feel This club felt solid and gave me feedback right at impact. It is not the softest feeling, but it made me feel like I really hit something. It felt very hot coming off of the club face, but lets the golf ball land very softly into greens. Rating - 4 Forgiveness This “driving iron” was very friendly to off center hits. I was able to get the ball off of the ground very quickly off of many situations. I was able to get good trajectory on the ball even on slightly down hill lies. Rating – 4 Distance This club produced a nice and high trajectory consistently. The distance I got out of this club was about the same as a traditional 5 wood. I did have a hard time keeping the ball low, so into the wind I saw a significant loss in distance Rating– 3.75 Accuracy This club allowed me to hit a slight draw every time. I was able to hit targets with a draw every time, but I did have a hard time trying to shape a fade. I did like how I was able to get a consistent ball flight every time. Rating - 4 Overall Rating -4.05

Epon AF-101 driver (9.5, Mach Line 7080 S-flex shaft) This new driver can satisfy the needs of many purists out there. Just find your combination of shaft flex and loft and you’ll be one step closer to hitting your desired tee shots. I personally have an average swing speed of about 110 mph with a driver, so an s-flex shaft was a good match. The Epon AF-101 has a traditional pear shaped head with a short hosel, preferred by many purists. I loved the deep face design and black finish which made the 460cc club head appear more compact than its actual dimensions. Those who prefer a club head that looks larger than it actually is, such as the Nike Sasqutach, should stay away from club. (It may look like a 3 wood to you.) This driver gives sends the ball off at a relatively high launch angle right off the bat. The titanium club head gives off a very satisfying and solid sound, not overly earsplitting at impact. It is a very forgiving club on shots hit a bit high or towards the toe. I found that drives missed in these areas got just about the same distance off the tee as drives hit in the middle of the face. With that said, I have to add that this driver will definitely let you know if you miss hit anything toward the heel. After a heeled shot, you will have a very short walk to your golf ball. The club head sits very square at address, making it very easy to aim at a desired target. This is a big plus for players who like to shape shots off the tee. I was able to shape shots both ways with ease. I have a natural draw on most of shots, but I had no problems going the other way. Rating Scale Aesthetics This is a very clean cut driver with a traditional pear shape. I especially like the black finish on the club head. Sits very square at address and gave confidence for shaping tee shots. It looks like one of Bat man’s fancy toys. Rating– 4.5 Feel It was very solid at impact. Shots hit in the center of the face felt like the ball shoots off of the club face right away. Rating- 4 Forgiveness This driver was very forgiving on shots missed a little high or towards the toe. I did not see a significant loss in distance when missed in those areas. However, shots hit off of the heel can make you feel very weak. Rating – 3.75 Distance The Epon driver had a hot face which made the ball get some good air time as well roll. I would not say that it is hotter than any other driver on the market today, but it can compete against any that step up for the challenge. Rating– 4.5 Accuracy The driver was very easy to shape shots in both directions. Rating- 4 Overall Rating -4.10

I'm glad you got to see my review. I will have more reviews coming up soon. Will definitely look to do a review on the MB-5003. Please feel free to post any question or comments.

Upcoming Nike Irons Nike Prototype (cavity back) The new cavity back irons by Nike has a very compact head and are designed to look very close to traditional muscle back irons at address. Their prototype version has already found its way into the bag of tour professional Keiichiro Fukabori. We can look forward to seeing a lot more of these clubs in the bags of other Nike staff professionals. Nike Prototype (pro combo OS) The new Nike Pro Combo OS, will feature a slightly larger head than the previous Pro Combo sets introduced. These irons will have a much lower center of gravity and the lofts will be tweaked 2degrees stronger for added distance. The heads were designed to work best with graphite shafts. The big selling point is their new oversized, but yet very clean looking wedges that come with this set. The prototype of this set is currently being played by Shingo Katayama.

These irons were found in the bag of tour professional Tetsuji Hiratsuka. He says that muscle back or cavity back does not matter to him. The main thing he is concerned with is the amount of offset the clubs have. Hiratsuka says that even 1mm of difference in offset can make a big difference in ball flight. These irons have been in his bag for a while, so it is safe to assume that they are of the finest quality.