Ara selai

google "chikara designs mb-1". you'll get there....

The Chikaras are apparently "made in Japan" per their website. No claims that the forging is Japanese, so I tend to think perhaps not.... But who knows? Those who have hit their wedges seem very pleased with them, in any case. It's not too important to me, if they perform. If no one's got any experience with the irons, it may be a moot point anyway.

@ ukok or others. Anyone know who Chikara uses for their forgings? Carl won't say (trade secret, apparently for competitive advantage purposes, which I understand completely), but is there any gossip? He says they're better than Kyoei, who he used to use....

@ eca & swisstrader. Playing irons is not the reason for my handicap. It's my diabolical short game and erratic tee shots. So I'm hearing the siren call of blades to see how the other half lives. Amd after hitting the Yamaha Tours, I understand the appeal. They're not nearly the bear that I thought they'd be! Plus, There's the school of thought that says I will learn more from blades than CBs. As far a Epon vs Miura, I already had my mulligan on that topic. I really like the way Epons hit, but for whatever reason, have gravitated towards Miura out of the two. If I can find an AF TOUR to hit, though, you can bet it will be on the list! They look nice!

@ukok. Whats your opinion of the Chikara wedges? As no one seems to have experience with the irons.

Recently, I've been discussing blade options with a bunch of people... First, I got interested in Miura's 1957 baby blades. Then, I hit Yamaha's 2011 Tour blades and thought I'd fallen in love. Then I hit Miuraism SC-01s, which aren't really blades, but are definitely more blade-like than most cavity backs, and I REALLY fell in love. Then, I started looking at Miuraism SB-01s and 02s, and realized I was on the slippery club ho slope...AGAIN! To wit, I was in the process of arranging to borrow SB-01 and SB-02 7-irons to test, when I got a separate email suggesting I look at Royal Collection's RC Forged blades (photos in GTI ProShop) and Carlton Masui's Chikara Designs MB-1 irons (photos at http://www.chikaradesigns.com/products/mb1_images.html). So now, needless to say, I've slipped a good way down the slope, and am hoping to get some additional perspective. Anyone out there care to share their thoughts on any of these specific clubs, or recommend yet more alternatives? Yamaha Tour blade Miura 1957 baby blades Miura Tournament blade Miuraism SC-01 Miuraism SB-01 Miuraism SB-02 Royal Collection RC Forged blade Chikara MB-1 blade As mentioned, I'm going to hit the Miuraism SBs (and have hit the Yamahas and Miuraism SCs), so I'll use them as my 'reference' sets going forward. If you've hit any of those, and can compare them specifically to YOUR favorite blade, that would be really helpful. Obviously, my list isn't exhaustive, and it isn't meant to be. There are more than enough posts already covering the topic of 'favorite' or 'best' blades. What I'm looking for is feedback about a select few clubs, and suggestions of others similar to the ones I listed. I think I'd prefer smaller, denser heads, which appeal to me more on an aesthetic front, but I won't be sure until I hit the SB-01s. (By way of explanation, I absolutely love my Miura KM-350 putter, and am looking for blades that perform along the same lines and feel like it does, to the degree that irons and putters can be similar.) Meanwhile, one of the other guys I've been talking to is after something more like the SB-02s or Tournament blades, and he's trying to pick new clubs urgently before a killer golf trip to Bali at the end of November, so again, SPECIFIC FEEDBACK is what we're both after. Some things to consider, in no particular order: flight, feel, forgiveness (such as it is in blades), size, workability, appearance (especially at set-up, so topline thinness), sole width, grind, spin, distance, loft true to standard or not (where 7i = 35 degrees, for the sake of comparison), best conditions for playing (lush, hardpan, links,...), and so on. For what it's worth, and to kick things off, I think the Chikaras LOOK absolutely fantastic (especially the knife-edge topline and the cool sole grind), and, from what I can gather elsewhere online, Carlton Masui has an excellent reputation. In particular, his wedges (Chikara, and his previous work at Gauge) seem to be very well regarded. But what I'd like to know is if anyone's had the opportunity to actually play his irons and can describe how they PERFORM? Are they as good as they look? Does anyone know anything at all about his forgings? I'm highly unlikely to find a set to demo here in JKT, so am hoping that someone can help me out on these in particular. Pictures may say a lot, but they don't tell the whole story. (Oh, and yes, I know they're not JDM in the strict sense, but there's clearly a JDM lineage in there!) Here's another particular question: how do the RCs compare to the others? I have a soft spot for RC clubs, but I can't find one of these to demo, and head size specs are scarcer than hen's teeth for these; are they closer to, for example, the Miura 1957s or the Miura Tournament Blades or the SB-02s? (I think that's the right head size progression, from smallest to largest) And what are their pros and cons in comparison to any of the others? In fact, it would be really helpful if you could list the pros and cons of any club you discuss. What did you love? What did you hate? What compromises did you have to make in your selection? Was there one you really wish you'd bought, or were sorry to have sold? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide! Looking forward to hearing your opinions.

Do they make it in 56? I have a 52 and a 58. Wanted a 56, but didn't think they were made, so went the 58. Good luck! They are FANTASTIC!

They definitely do. I like the looks of the 2011s better, based on this one picture. Have Yamaha released specs yet?

Part 2: I tried the Yamaha 2011 Tour blades again (hoping the price will come down soon, now that the 2012s have been announced!). I was comparing them to the following clubs: OnOff 2011 Forged irons Fourteen 710 Fourteen 510 Tourstage 2010 X-Blade GR Forged Tourstage 2011 X-Blade 705 My overall sense is still that the Yamahas are the best hitting of the bunch. They have a really nice, steep flight that rains the ball onto the green. I was testing the 7i at a pin 149 m out, and was hitting that distance consistently, with about 10 m of dispersion either way. For 'blades', they're very forgiving. I say 'blades' because the OnOff, which are called cavity backs, are pretty similar in terms of rear 'cavity' depth. The OnOffs were my second choice tonight. They have a clean look and are in many ways similar to the Yamahas. The Yamahas had more heft, but had a heavier shaft in the clubs I was demoing. The OnOffs have a more rounded toe profile, but otherwise look like the brother of the Yamahas. The flight of the OnOffs is slightly lower, but was the second-highest of the clubs I tried. The lower flight I experienced (haven't checked the specs to see if they're loft is lower) seemed to give a bit more dispersion, but still reasonable at about 15 m either way. I hit them with a little more right fade than the Yamahas. The OnOffs have a long sole length; they and the Fourteen 710s were the longest in that regard. I wasn't as enamored of either of the Fourteens. The 510s set up similarly to the Yamahas, and the 710s had a slightly thinner topline and sole than the Yamahas. They had a still lower flight, and I experienced a lot more erratic dispersion. I'd put them in the same bucket as the RCs I tried last week: all right, but nothing special. The Tourstages were better than the Fourteens, in my opinion. Not as nice as the OnOffs or the Yamahas, but more workable than the Fourteens. I preferred the 705s, but there wasn't a huge difference between them and the regular GRs. Mis**ts with the 705s were more punishing, whereas the regular GRs were more of your forgiving cavity back. Neither would make my top 5, but I'd gladly play them for a round if they were on loan. And now the dark horse. The store rep brought out a Miuraism SC-01 7i towards the end, as the Miura Tour blades I'd hoped to demo weren't shafted. Holy mother of god!!! I have a new favorite club! I, and all 4 guys I was hitting with, creamed it, time and again. We hit about 200 balls in total and couldn't stop asking to try it again. And again. And again. We've all got very different swings, but we were just pounding the balls at the flag. The coolest thing was the flight: straight shots went straight with no strong fade or draw; hits to the right drew left about 5 m and shaped beautifully; hits to the left faded right 5?or so meters and had the same characteristic shape. I'm not talking about working the ball (which was easy to do); it was like they were correcting themselves if a hit was slightly off axis. Inhave no idea how it works, but it did the same thing for all 5 of us. The other thing was the FEEL. The only way I can describe it is the ball BLOSSOMED off the face. All the feedback was there, and yet it was like there was a momentary expansion of that feel before the ball took off. They weren't shafted with anything special, just NS Pro 950 shafts, which I have on my CB-2006s, so I've got to think it was the club doing the work. Or else that shaft was MADE for this club. MAGIC! They weren't any longer than any of the other clubs, they were simply BETTER. I have NEVER hit anything that even approaches this club for the sensational feel of a pured shot. Although they're called 'cavities', they don't have any really perceptible cavity in the traditional sense of the word. It's a dent back with a bit of an edge around it, but far less of a cavity - in the usual sense of the word - than you'd ever imagine. They're not cheap, but they're on a different PLANET from the other clubs I've tried. (Unfortunately, there were no SB-01s to demo to see if its only the SCs, or whether all the 'isms are that special.) If you have a chance to try them, don't miss the opportunity. You can buy 2-4 other sets for their price, but they might just be worth that premium! I can't say enough good things. These would be mine right now if I'd had the spare cash tonight. (Actually, I CAN say one more thing: we all commented on the grips, which were Miura custom, and were just brilliant.) I'd love to know how to source them. Anyone who wants to sell his (or her) gently loved set and can ship them to Jakarta, flip me a PM, PLEASE!

Spent a bit of time last week at the range trying out the 2011 Yamaha Tours, at the request of a fellow TSG'er. My impressions are based on hitting the 7i. It was shafted with True Temper Golds. I also tried the Royal Collection BBD's Tour VS (NS Pro 850 and 950), the Ping Anser Forged, and my Miura CB-2006s. (NS Pro 850). Tomorrow, I hope to try the Miura Tour Blade and a selection of Fourteen and OnOff irons. In my opinion, the Yamaha is one of the nicest clubs out there. It has a thin topline, a thin sole, and nice balanced head weight. It is almost the exact same dimensions as the 2006. Slightly different shape, which will be apparent in photos if I can upload them. It sets up beautifully with minimal offset, and swings effortlessly. I had very tight dispersion, and was carrying it a shade under 150 m with regularity. Not too much roll. (My Miura 2006 length -carry plus roll on a clean shot - is a reliable 150-155 with a full swing, so this was about the same all in.) The flight was quite high, compared to the other three clubs, which probably accounted for the limited roll. In general, shots were a hair right of target. Very few skulls or fat shots, attributable I suspect to its effortless swing. I hit the Yamahas with slightly more consistency than my Miuras, which I pulled a few times, and tended to drift left of target. I've reviewed the Miuras before, but I'll reiterate here that on pure shots, they're still the winner. As they look so similar to the Yamahas, there's not a lot to say about set-up/address. They have a different swing characteristic, though - more apparent weight on the backswing. Not as effortless. I like the weight, as I can gauge how well I stay in-plane, but it's different from the Yamahas, so definitely worth testing for yourself. In general, I felt more feedback with the Miuras. In comparison, I was pretty underwhelmed by the Royal Collections and the Pings. I love RC fairway woods and utes, but for me, the magic didn't translate to the irons. I also don't like the looks of the RCs. The back is odd, with the raised logo, and the topline is too thick for me. I'm also not a fan of the pocket cavity. Didn't like it in the Epon 501s I tried a few months ago, and don't like it in the RCs. Some will, but not me. I hit the RCs erratically, though well-struck shots were every bit as good as with the Yamahas and the Miuras. The Pings were fine. They actually look really nice, and set up well. They hit fine too, with a lower flight than any of the other clubs. But, truth be told, there was no 'magic' to them. They were a very nice, sensible club. I think they deserve to be tried, if you can, because they are definitely better than many, many offerings out there. Just not the one I'll rush back to. Overall, I give the nod to the Yamahas in this head-to-head, although they wouldn't displace my Miuras, if I were in the market. There's just not enough difference to justify a switch. But I'd sure get them if I were selecting between the two clubs right now, and didn't already have either. In my opinion, the Pings and RCs take a backseat to these two. Hope to be able to swing the Yamahas against the Miura Tours and comparable Fourteens and OnOffs tomorrow, and will provide a report if/when I do. No Miura baby blades to demo; those are the ones I REALLY want to try!

Based on input, and what I can actually find locally to test, here's my revised list of shafts: GD Tour AD DI6, DJ6 MATRIX Ozik F6m2 Attas T2 Diamana kai'li, ahina, il'ima Fubuki ...and the dark horse Nunchuks in December Any further thoughts (besides the over-analysis angle)?

Suffice it to say I'm NOT tour level! Smash factor is measured on a swing monitor. I'll bet the one that measured me was doctored to give 'improved' results, like the 'improved' distance one gets with a Yamaha loft (and they're by no means the only culprit)!

As you can imagine, I don't see 1.45 very often! 1.38 or so about usual on good shots. And yes, the inconsistency kills me.... @duffer. Yep. I tend to think about these sort of things when I'm stuck in JKT traffic for an hour, not at address. When I'm playing, I'm just trying to be the ball, in the immortal words of Ty Webb

My smash factor is around 1.4, up to 1.45 on good shots, and 1.25 to 1.35 on bad ones. I thought I might be over-analyzing!

@ theblake. what the heck are Maltby clubs? Can you post pics somewhere?

Yet another question, if there's a physicist in the forum: does my preferred trajectory (low initial trajectory, rising, with steeper drop-off than take-off) occur as follows? (1) The initial velocity of the ball at take-off exceeds the lift effects of the spin, resulting in low, linear ascent. (2) As the ball begins to decelerate, the spin 'catches up' to the velocity and lift forces begin to affect the ball, resulting in a rising mid-flight. (3) During terminal deceleration, the ball follows its preferred gravitational (descending) arc? If so, it seems to me that there ought to be a way to determine the optimum ratio of initial-ball-speed-to-spin to try to get this flight more often, like I see in my 5W. Or maybe just the shaft/head combo likely to produce closest proximity to that ratio. No? Is there a better place to post this quesry for a bit of discussion?

Another question: based on theblake's recommendation, I spent some time tonight reading some other forums, and am newly curious about the Nunchuk, which represents a completely different concept in shafts. Has anyone else tried one, who cares to comment on its characteristics and performance relative to more typical drivers? I'm intrigued by the counter-weighted concept in particular.

I like a low, rising flight with somewhat more emphasis on carry. [That said, I've noted my buddies who hit it long have a serious amount of roll, even on higher shots.] I find the trajectory on my Royal Collection BBD's VS Tour 5W ideal, and would like to match that with a bit more distance. It's shafted with a 41.75" Flex 62S Graphite Design/RC stock shaft. That said, at the end of the day, I want accuracy and fairways with my driver, even if I sacrifice a bit of 'playability' or distance. I also like a healthy dose of feedback - I wasn't sure where several of my drives went tonight, and that's no good to learn what I'm doing wrong in terms of my swing mechanics. Does that help?

@ theblake. That would be great, although I'm not sure I can wait until December, if my last round was any indication! To that end, I tried the Tour AD in DI6 S and DJ7 S tonight, set up with the new Tourstage driver. I preferred the 6, but neither of them was an obvious choice. Both were definitely better than the stock shaft, but the most effortless shaft I tried in terms of trajectory, distance, and flight was the Bridgestone/GD proprietary 10-03 design. Really liked that, but it only comes pre-assembled with the head. Not sure where that leaves me....

Another question, Gocchin. What weight/flex do you think I should be looking at?

@ gocchin. Thank you for that assessment. Previous advice was gathered from earlier posts. Glad to hear the voice of reason, as I definitely don't want/need too much shaft!! Will certainly keep my expectations with respect to my selection realistic. To that end, should I consider any of the less 'spec' Graphite Design shafts in addition to the three models you mentioned? @other posters. Thanks for your advice,too. Would be very interested in hearing specific feedback re: shafts you've tried and why you liked them or not. For instance, what should I expect with the Nunchuk? It's the one that's got three pieces melded together, right? Also, what other models have worked well for you (mores than just brands)?

After a very erratic day last weekend with my usually trusty Epon AF-101 driver, I've decided I want to change the shaft out, and was hoping you experts and afficianados out there can help me refine my choices. Loft: 10.5* Current shaft: stock Mach Line 3042 R flex Distance/swing speed: 245-250 yards @ swing speed a little less than 100 mph. Aspire to gain about 10 yards. Handicap: mid 20s (a decent short game and consistency off the tee would bring that happily below 20). Issue/problem: A while back, I noted I was considering changing the shaft, as I was having dispersion issues that I wanted to correct, perhaps with a stiffer shaft. However, the dispersion improved when I slowed down my swing to avoid whippiness (see below). Recently, though, it's returned...in spades. So I'm back to thinking about a stiffer flex and a premium shaft. Swing style: Even tempo, aspiring to 3:1 backswing:foreswing; modulated rhythm; lead with hips; tend to fade to right, but can hit wicked duck hooks unexpectedly. Steep descent angle; upright stance and club lie. A note: Since buying the club, I've greatly improved its accuracy by slowing down my swing speed very noticeably, which has allowed me to square the club face more consistently. Fortunately, the slower swing speed has resulted in only small losses in distance. However, previous advice on the forum was to go for a stiffer flex, which I suspect would let me bring the swing speed back up to 100+ without great detriment. So now I'm trying to resurrect the advice I was given previously, and bring together info from other posts as well. I'd really appreciate commentary on what to expect in each shaft (trajectory, spin, anti-left, straight, anti-right, etc). I like a med-low trajectory with decent carry. Don't need a high bomber, unless there's an advantage to that trajectory that I haven't appreciated. Previous posters have suggested a 65g shaft in one of the following models: Quadra Fire Express Graphite Design 9003 Crazy 80 Noir Diamana Stinger Diamana Il'ima Is any of these particularly well suited for my swing, and is there a price-to-performance 'tipping point'? Happy to consider other options. Thanks for any advice!

Are you opposed to trying utility 'woods'? I clobbered my 21* RC BBD's TRC utility from 190 yards out, in deepish fringe/rough off the fairway, to within 3 feet of the pin on Saturday for birdie. Needless to say, I love them! They're not the MOST forgiving (they're pretty compact) and they're not an iron like the ones you listed, but I reckon you ought to give them a try, even if only for comparison's sake. I find mine very confidence-inspiring and easy to hit without over-thinking the shot. Just set up and swing. They're lethal from the deck, have a good, predictable flight, and are very honest in terms of feedback. Plus, they'd be a nice match with your driver and EGG Spoon. The older model (BBD's) comes in 18* (called a 'U2'). The newer 2011 model, which I didn't hit as well, comes in 17* or 20*, and was recently voted Utility of the Year in Japan (http://www.golftoimpress.com/royal-collection-2011-new-trc-ut-named-utility-of-the-year/)! Just a thought, as long as you're considering options.... FWIW, the only UT-iron on your list I've hit was the Epon, which was not - in my opinion - as forgiving as most of the non-iron utes I tried. [but felt great when I caught it well.] In any case, good luck finding the right club for your game! I'll be quite interested to see what advice you get, and which one you eventually select. If I'd had the excellent selection of utility irons that you listed to try out, I might have ended up with very different bag!

Definitely a square-square-square swing with the Miura, and the arc felt really comfortable and in-control. Today was my first day on the greens with the putter, and the things I noticed were: (i) the putter was deadly accurate - went exactly where aimed, with authority; (ii) feel is magnificent - solid, firm, and buttery (it felt like hitting an iron purely); (iii) the dense head worked better for me on uphill or breaking lateral slopes than downhill lies. I was completely unprepared for the speed on the downhill lies. On three different holes, I missed the cup by inches or less (attesting to its true roll), but went yards long as a result of a little too much mustard on the shots. I was giving it the same gentle stroke I normally use with my Scotty, but didn't anticipate the length. Anyone considering buying one of these - and everyone should, IMO! - ought to keep in mind that the dense head REALLY transmits a lot of energy to the ball. That's great in many cases, but definitely requires some adjustment in other cases. Overall, I can't speak highly enough of this club. It is pretty much the Uber-putter, as far as I'm concerned. Compared to my Scotty, the main differences I noticed were my improved accuracy (no missed putts within 2 m, and excellent lag control on longer shots, with the exception of the downhill shots I mentioned previously) and the feel, which simply has to be experienced. There is NO torque on this baby, and the firmness ought to be a benchmark for other putters. It made the Scotty feel a little frail. The last thing I'll say is that I'd love to try it with a shorter shaft. I noticed I was choking down an inch or two on the grip as a natural tendency. [Can someone direct me to the recent post on shaft lengths? I can't find it anymore.] I'm 6'2" and play with a 35" shaft, and wonder if I should consider something a little shorter?

I will have to pay closer attention to the arc as I use the Miura. With the Scotty, it's always been a very minimal in-square-in swing, approaching square-square-square, and never felt quite right, nor gave me the length results I expected. I notice a bit more natural tendency to in-square-in with the Miura, and have found the putter gives me a more consistent putt. But that's been on practice greens, and not the course....