Ara selai

@gbs: if you like small FW heads, like me, then you'll love the Tour VS. It's slight deeper than the Yamaha D and V, but a lot more compact at address. Really lovely "old school" look, and the flight is textbook. If you come this way, let me know if you can bring a 14* Egg. Or 17*.

UPDATE: My grail quest is over (at least for the time being). I had a third hit of a selection of JDM FWs and Utilities tonight, following 2 earlier marathon sessions that kicked this post off. That's over 600 balls worth of testing, so the least I can say is that I gave everything a fair chance! I went with the (well-reasoned, I think) advice in this post to aim for a 17/18 + 21/22 + 23/24 combo, so I didn't try any 3Ws out this time. Here were the contenders: Fairway Woods (all 5W, as no 4Ws to be had) OnOff 2010 FW Plus MP610 Royal Collection BBD Tour VS Royal Collection SFD III Royal Collection 2011 TRC Tourstage X-FW Yamaha 2011 FW Inpres X D Yamaha 2011 FW Inpres X V MISSING IN ACTION: PRGR Egg!!! Utilities (tested all models @ 20/21*. In a few cases, I tried the 17/18* and/or the 23/24* as well.) Miura HB OnOff Fairway Wings (IMO, one of those model names that could use some re-thinking) Royal Collection BBD TRC Royal Collection SFD III Royal Collection 2011 TRC Tourstage X-UT Yamaha Inpres X D All of these clubs are top performers, with stellar reputations and many glowing reviews, so I wasn't surprised that it took so many balls to pick a winner. What did surprise me was just how little differentiation I saw compared to when I was testing irons. In the end, I suspect variations in my swing through the three sessions probably had as much impact on my opinion as the clubs themselves. In the end, I think I could have gone with just about any of these clubs and been happy. The only clubs I could not get to work for me were the Tourstages. Over two sessions with these clubs, I CONSISTENTLY hit both the FWs and Utilities fat, so much so that the protective tape was worn off the leading edges. The problem was worse with the Utes, but still aggravatingly present with the FW. To make matters worse, even on the occasional pure hits, I pulled shots left with alarming regularity. Duck hooks, rocket shots to left field, I just never straightened them out. Tried various stiffness of shafts to see if that mattered. Nope. All I saw was a slight difference in trajectory. Worm burners to the hot box at third base or long fly outs to the Green Monster in left field. Needless to say, I ruled them out without much regret. I had the same problem with the TRC utes I tried on Saturday, but that problem didn't recur tonight in the "money" round (see below). Next to fall by the wayside were the Miura hybrids (didn't like the color scheme and overall appearance, didn't like the screw weights on the base, didn't like the flight, and wasn't overly impressed of the feel. Game over, Mr. Hands of God!) and the OnOffs (only average, in MY hands, compared to the others). I'll reiterate the point, however, that even these also-rans were in contention for a good long while because there was so little differentiation among the clubs. So then it was down to the Yamahas and the Royal Collection stable. Full disclosure: I think I might be a bit of a closet Yamaha fanboy. I seem to hit their clubs well, regardless of the model. I loved their Inpres irons when I tried them a month ago, and the FWs and Utes are just as impressive. If I were half the club ho that many of you guys are, I'd be sporting a backup Yama-only bag! Shots with the Yamahas had a nice middle trajectory, good carry and roll, and went reliably the distance I intended. I didn't have a strong preference for the D or V FWs, because I couldn't perceive any difference between them. I'm sure there's some technological mumbo jumbo that makes one different from the other, but it sure wasn't borne out in my results. In the end, the only reason I didn't pull the trigger was that I had better results with different Royal Collection clubs at each loft. More full disclosure: I'm even more of a Royal Collection fanboy than Yamaha, at least in terms of FWs and utes. (I didn't test their irons, but now I think maybe I should have.) In each of the 3 lofts I tested, at least one RC club won me over to the point that my final decision was only which RC club to choose. First, the 23/24. There were no high-lofted woods or driving irons to try, so it was really down to a ute. The Yamaha D was in pole position. Based on my first two sessions, I was prepared to pit it mercilessly against the SFD and TRC. However, I accidentally picked up one of the 24* BBD utes to demo (or the rep "accidentally" slipped it into my demo pile while I wasn't looking), and I just CRUSHED it every shot I took. Five swings, five pures, and it was the first club home and hosed. I don't think I've EVER hit a club that well that easily (that said, the Epon 502 irons I tried on Saturday were pretty close). The SFDs were a distant second (forgiving and soft, but not in the same rareified atmosphere), and the 2011 TRCs got the "thanks for playing" award (below the Yamahas). I can't explain the TRCs - last week they were my faves; this time they were also-rans. The last thing I need in my bag is Jekyll-Hyde club when I'm ~200 yards out trying to choose what to hit. I tried the BBD out several more times in the middle of testing the 20* and 17* clubs, just to check, and it was a gift that kept on giving. HIGH trajectory, smooth feel, straight, and long, with a nice abbreviated rollout that makes me think I could hold a green. Next, the 20/21. This was definitely the loft with the least differentiation for me between clubs. I was understandably biased by the impressive performance of the BBS @ 24*, so I asked the rep to get me a 21* to try against the Yamaha, SFD, and TRC. It wasn't quite as effortless as the 24; it took me 4 swings or so to stop catching the ball a little high. The interesting thing is, even these mis**ts played well. Straight and about 20 yards shorter than when I zoned in and started hitting it purely. It also had noticeably more lateral dispersion than the 24*, but not enough to worry. Good, true flight, with a little more rollout than the 24*. That said, in all honesty, the SFDs, the 2011 TRCs, and the Yamaha were all just as good. If I hadn't already had a hard-on for the BBDs, I don't know which one I would have selected. Probably not the TRCs, as they had a bit more of the left bias I'd experienced previously than the Yamahas or SFDs did. Finally, down to 17/18: I was fully prepared to take another ute in this loft, and was hoping the BBD was going to do me right again. However, when hitting the 5Ws against the utes, I got better results with all the 5Ws than I got with any of the utes. Once I determined that the 5W was getting me what I wanted (distance plus a lower, more penetrating trajectory with decent roll), I quit hitting the utes, so I didn't really develop a preference in them. I might go back and try the utes again another day, as there could be a time I want their trajectory characteristics over the 5W, but for now, they're not in the bag at this loft. In my previous rounds, I'd hit the 2011 TRCs and the SFDs much better than the Tour VSs. So much so, that I was ready to rule out the VSs in this final demo round. However, I really liked the smaller club head of the VS compared to the SFD, so I brought all three out to compare to the 2 Yamahas in contention. As with the 20* utilities, there was not an awful lot to recommend 4 of the clubs over the fifth. Those four all had nice flattened rainbow-like arcs, went a very reliable 210-225 yards, and had reasonably comparable dispersion patterns (interestingly, my impression was that I clustered the 5Ws better than the 20* utes). However, there was one club that rose to the top. This time, with final selection on the line, the Tour VSs came to the party. It was at least 5 yards, if not 10, longer than the others (mostly carry), and - within the narrow range of difference among the clubs - a LOT more accurate. I hit a lot of balls to confirm this, and what I noticed was that its trajectory was different from the others. It started of low, then rose softly, and dropped at a slightly higher angle than its take-off. I'd never compare myself to a pro (and my handicap confirms my honesty), but it had a trajectory like you see on TV. I've never had a club do that, and it was just plain fun to watch. Over and over. At first I thought it might be the shaft, but they were all S or SR. Still could have been a subtle difference in the kick points of the different stock shaft models, but it didn't matter. I had my third club! My only regret was the missing PRGR Egg to demo, but I've still got a 14th club to bag, so I can always try it in 14* (if I can find one to demo), or ho around like the rest of you lot and trade out with the VS if I like it that much more after trying it out! End result after more deliberation than I'd expected: Three out of three to Royal Collection. Congrats to their design team for developing an outstanding range of clubs! The seem really welll suited to my game right now. (And kudos also to Yamaha for making such solid products across the board!) Hope other GTIers find this review helpful, if they're deliberating what to carry to bridge the gap between their driver and 5i. I ended up with a driver/wood/utility array that goes 10.5 (too low!)-18-21-24; my 5i is 27*, so, at least on paper, I think the progression looks good. I definitely appreciated the advice you all gave me to help me reach my decision. Now I've just got to save up for the Quadra driver shaft! Oh yeah, and think about reshafting the FW and utes. AND decide if I want to replace my previously sacrosanct SW and putter with JDM gear. It's a slippery slope....

@jpsfreak: I'd be very interested in your opinion on the Miura 9003s. Of all the clubs I tried, I was least impressed by these (see my original post), and I'm still perplexed why they gave me such grief. They were shafted with Nippon NSPRO 950 shafts. I'm a steel fan (have NSPRO 850 in my current clubs), so I can't see that that was the problem. The 9003s just felt unexpectedly and inexplicably harsh to me. The other problem I had with them was finding a consistent trajectory, despite the cavity back. Was wondering if you might have had a different experience? I'm particularly interested because they were high on my list of contenders before I hit them. Also, I didn't have the opportunity to try any of the Miuraism heads in my iron mini-shootout - how do the SB01s compare to other clubs you listed? I think gbs will be able to help you with your quest for Quadra and Crazy shafts here in Indonesia, or else Carlo can ship you some from the Philippines. I have tried many stores in JKT and have not had any luck (yet) in sourcing them locally. 100 balls with the 2006s at the range tonight. Except for a couple of typical duffs (tough course!) and 3 or 4 skulled shots, every one of them 5-PW was within 10 yards of where I was aiming. And even the duffs had the decency to go straight. Hope the honeymoon lasts forever! (The other 200 balls were testing FWs and Utilities, but that's another post).

Supo, it's not JDM and its grooves don't conform, but have a look at the next rogue wedge for you to consider: the Wishon Giant Niblick! http://www.wishongolf.com/designs_details.php?dKey=103&dType=wedge There's a picture on the Wedges page to compare its size (3x that of normal wedges) to his other offerings. If it didn't work out, you could always fry an egg on it.

I got my Miuras a few weeks ago, and wasn't able to find any Epons to try at the time (hadn't heard about Raja Golf yet). I did try some OnOffs (NS Pro 850, NS510, and MP510), but none of them worked as well for me as I would have liked. After 20-30 balls with each, I was done. The NS Pros were an older model Plus series. In addition to hitting more poor shots with them than some of the other clubs, I wasn't a fan of the head shape or the exaggerated metal bulge at the back of that model. I guess I should have persevered and tried some of the newer Pluses as well! The Yamaha Inpres Ds were real standouts, as were the Inpres X V-forged I mentioned previously. In fact, my incredibly patient friend who stuck it out with me while I whittled the selection down to the final three sets commented that he thought the D was my best club in terms of distance and trajectory. Of course, as I mentioned in another post, the Yamahas were lofted 4* stronger than the Miuras (501s and 2006s), so the Yamaha 7i that I was crushing was like a Miura 6i. Hence the differential in distance. In the end, I got the Miuras because (1) I had more pure shots with them than with any of the others; (2) they were the easiest for me to set up and swing without thinking too much (maybe gracefulmis a good way to describe them); and (3) despite my initial negative impression of the busy design of the back of the head, which I was pretty unimpressed with compared to some of the others, they were the ones I kept coming back to again and again to try, and they were the ones I kept thinking about at home. As previous posters have mentioned, it's horses for courses. That said, having now also tried the Epon 502s, I really wish I could have tried them head to head with the Miuras and the Yamahas. As I said, the Epons swung themselves. I usually keep irons in the bag for at least a couple of years (I'm more finicky with drivers and woods), so I'm not planning on changing these soon. And right now, I wouldn't have any reason to, based on what they're doing for me. That said, I'll monitor my progress, and will re-try the 502s and Yamahas (and perhaps the OnOffs) if for some reason the bottom falls out of the 2006s sooner than that. Then, as (if) my game improves a bit, I'll be re-testing the Epon 302s and Miura 501s as a "graduation" present. Hopefully soon! @FrankThong: I tried the following shafts on different heads: Nippon NS Pro 850GH, 950 GH, and 1150 GH in stiff and regular. I also compared both the stiffest stock graphite shaft and the Nippon 950 shaft on the Yamaha Ds. I definitely wasn't as thorough in testing shafts as I was in clubs, but I pretty much knew what I wanted. As expected, I really preferred the steel (the graphite went left, left, left), and found that the 850s allowed me slightly better club speed without sacrificing any control with respect to the 950s. The 1150s were too heavy too keep up my speed. On a separate note, how do you like your TRC utility? I've got another post asking about this vs the SFD and any other contenders. @gbs: Sent you a pm. Did you get it? Would definitely appreciate some local help! And how do you like your Srixon ute?

Guys, help! I have been trying to find dealers here in Jakarta who carry the Quadra and Crazy driver shafts mentioned above, with no luck yet. Any suggestions? Are there any other shafts I should try out for the 101 while I continue my search? And what shafts should I be speccing out for whichever woods and hybrids come out on top? Otherwise, @gbs, how often are you in JKT? I haven't made it to SBY yet, but I'd be very interested in trying out the shafts and EGG Spoon.... Was there a particular Yamaha twin rail model you tried?

Another Lengthy Post! Spoon suggested in a previous post asking about FWs and hybrids that I check out Raja Golf here in Jakarta for Epon clubs. I'd never heard of Raja before, and it turns out they're the only authorized Epon dealer in town, which explains why I hadn't found any Epons to demo when I was buying new irons last year. Anyway, I took his advice after playing a round today, and stopped by on the way home. What a fantastic store (and serene to boot, which counts for a lot in Jakarta!)! Wish I'd known about it back when I was looking for irons and a driver! They didn't have the Epon AF-201 FWs or AF-901 driving iron I was looking for (out of stock, and apparently not a lot of requests for them), but they DID have the 302, 502, and 702 irons, none of which I'd been able to demo previously. So of course, I gave them all a good whack, to see how they compared in particular to the swag of Miura, Yamaha, Fourteen, OnOff, and Mizuno irons that I had tried out previously. Verdict: none of the Epons made me second-guess my choice to go with Miura CB-2006s. The way I'm hitting those right now, that was kind of what I expected, but I have to admit, after reading so many glowing reviews of the Epon irons I HAD been wondering.... So anyway, here's a newbie's thoughts for anyone considering Epon AF-502, AF-302, or AF-702s vs Miura CB-2006, CB-501, CB-3003, CB-301, and PP-9003s. (This may or may not be timely: I suspect my 2006s may be discontinued shortly, given recent price reductions here in Indonesia (40% off and a free wedge). I see they're also discounted at TSG. Any word on a replacement, Gocchin, Spoon, or Supo?). To keep this post as short as possible (but not really very short at all), I haven't included specific comparisons with all the other JDM irons I tried previously. Rather, I'm only comparing the Epons to the Miuras, since that seems to be one of the most common comparisons requested on this board. (Nevertheless, I have to mention that, if you're looking for irons at this level, it is WELL worth considering Yamahas as well as Epons and Miuras. I liked their 2010 Inpres X V-forged irons almost enough to get them instead of the Miuras. If only they hadn't been close to twice the price! See my other thoughts all the way at the bottom of this post). Also, please keep in mind that my tests were only off the mat, so others' opinions may vary, especially if they've gamed any of these clubs, as I do the 2006s. Please chime in if you disagree (or agree). For the record, and as I mentioned in my previous post, I'm a low 20s handicapper. My tempo can be uneven, but I'm generally more a "swinger" than a "hitter". I have a moderate swing speed (about 85 mph with the irons), and carry my 7i a little under 160 yards. When I mis**t, I'm usually fat on the ball. Hope that helps as I describe the clubs. To business: I hit the 502s well (and, surprisingly, a for-grins set of Yururi musclebacks I'd been wanting to try), struggled with the 302s (lots of off-center toe shots), and was thoroughly unimpressed by the 702s. 502s first. I found them easier to hit (and definitely more forgiving) than the Miuras. By that, I mean ANY of the Miuras I tried (see my original post for specific details). The 502s almost swung themselves. The head weight is simply tremendous for my swing, and the club head got under the ball nicely (is there a grind issue at play here?). BUT, they just didn't give me the same creamy feel on sweet shots as my Miura 2006s or even the CB-501s, and they didn't give me anything like the kind of feedback I want on mis**ts. The 2006s get under the ball just as nicely as the 502s, and feel a bit more "solid" to me. I recall reading a description somewhere (can't recall for which clubs) that that particular club feels like hitting a nail square-on with a well-weighted, small-headed hammer. That's exactly how I'd describe the 2006s, which I'd played earlier in the day for 18 holes. The 502s, for all their ease to hit, felt less sensitive, if that's a meaningful desription for anyone. Maybe less dynamic is a better description.... All the shots felt very similar, regardless of how the were struck. Plus, I found the (in)famous "clicky" sound of the Epons a real turn-off, like the ghastly metallic sounds that certain drivers have, although not as noticeable. The 502s looked slightly thicker at address, but I didn't bring my 2006s inside for a direct comparison. I also felt the 502s set up with perceptibly less offset, which I liked, but wouldn't want to swear to that without seeing comparable clubs side-by-side. I definitely prefer the backs of the 502s to the 2006s, which I find pretty busy. My overall impression was that the 502s would appeal to a wider range of golfers than the 2006s, but are not quite the right club for me. (For the sake of completeness, I should mention the other Miura CBs I tried, the 301s and 3003s. Neither of these models performed well for me, so I'd have to rate them behind the 2006s and 502s, in that order, in terms of performance. I couldn't get either set to settle down in terms of dispersion; they just sprayed all over the place. FWIW, I prefer the looks of the 3003s to the 502s, but like the 502s looks more than the 301s.) Onto the 302s. I really liked the look of them at all angles (and the Yururis, but that's a different story), and I felt like I was going to crush the ball. Sadly, no. Unlike the smooth-swinging 502s, these came down from the backswing heavier, and I never found a real groove with them. In that regard, they were like the Miura 501s, which I wanted to love, but never found a really solid groove with either (and which would probably appeal to similar players). Because I hit both so erratically, I can't really comment on feel, except to say that good hits with both clubs were like nirvana. Much nicer than the previously-mentioned Miura 301s or 3003s, neither of which ever "sang" to me. Neither the 501s nor the 302s ever felt harsh. It's probably worth noting that the 302s don't have the annoying clicky sound of the 502s, since they don't have the hollow spot in their back. On a purely personal note, I prefer the Miuras to the Epons by a huge margin, because I think the Miuras are knock-down, drop-dead, gorgeous clubs. Now to the 702s. These were the absolute runts of the Epon litter, in my opinion. They looked fat at address, they had no feel at all, and I couldn't detect that they were any more forgiving at all than the 502s. I hit them well enough, but was - frankly - thoroughly unimpressed by them. Bleah! Of the Miuras I tried, I think they are most comparable to the PP 9003s, which, incidentally, were my least favorite of the Miuras. I prefer the look of the 9003s overall. Specifically, I think the 9003s might have a slightly thinner topline (but defer to others who have seen them side-by-side), and I prefer the look at address and in the bag. I definitely didn't think the 9003s looked as bloated when I tried them as I did the 702s. But aesthetics aren't where the rubber hits the road (or, in my case, where the iron hits the astroturf). In terms of performance, I found the 702s to be more forgiving than the 9003s, which jarred my hands perceptibly on even slight mis**ts. This was surprising, as the 9003s are meant to be "friendly"' yet these were the only clubs, Epon or Miura, that I had this problem with. So, in summary, having now tried all the current-model cavity backs I care to at the moment from these two heavyweight companies (except maybe the Miura CB-202, which I really like the looks of), I would choose them as follows FOR MY GAME: 1) Miura CB-2006 (pure and easy) 2) Epon AF-502 (forgiving, but lacks sensitivity) 3) Miura CB-501 (would require more practice and an improved game, which are excellent incentives!) 4) Epon AF-302 (ditto) 5) Miura CB-3003 (I could have hit these a lot better; if so, possibly a better choice than the CB-501 or AF-302) 6) Miura CB-301 (ditto, but I liked them slightly less than the 3003s) 7) Epon AF-702 (average at best; many better options out there) 8) Miura PP-9003 (no excuse for the harshness) To round it out without any specific commentary, of the other clubs I tried, I'd put the Yamaha Inpres Xs slightly in front of the AF-502s; the Mizuno MP-53s only slightly behind the CB-501s; and the OnOffs and the Fourteens comfortably ahead of the AF-302s. Oh yeah, and I'd be trying a LOT of other clubs before picking up the AF-702s or PP-9003s again. Let me know if you'd like

Wow- just had a computer glitch and lost my reply to you, Supo. The gist was: what on earth do you use the 70 for?!? I can honestly say I've never stood at address and said to myself, wow, I wish a had a 70 in the bag right about now. I've never even missed a 60* wedge. That said, if I DID have one, I'm pretty sure I'd find a reason to use it! Rogue wedge, indeed!

Lots of well-considered advice here, guys! Thanks again! Shaft-wise for the driver, I'ill look for the 2 Quadras mentioned and the Crazy. Would love to see the dispersion tightened up. Wood- and Ute-wise, it sounds like a 17-20-23 combo is the general consensus. Barring other suggestions, I'll narrow in on the RCs, and give some time to the Egg and Akira if I can find them to demo. How MUCH longer is the 17* EGG than, for example, the TRC 5W? Would it hit closer to a standard 3W or 4W? I'm wondering how the distance gaps between the driver and the 5i might look with it and 2 utes slotted in versus a 5W and 2 utes? Also, as far as a 17* club goes, can someone chime in on the advantages/disadvantages of a FW vs a ute? Prior to getting the Epon driver, I was not confident at the tee with a big gun, so I often dropped back to a 3W or 4W. Would a ute work as well off the tee as a FW for shorter distance holes? Would the EGG serve my purpose? And what should I expect off the turf, recognizing that I'm on the fairway fringe (or worse!) at least a quarter of the time after the tee shot? How does the EGG perform when its not on the short grass? Would it be any different to a more classic fairway wood? Keep in mind that I can only demo the clubs on a swing monitor or at the range, so I need to rely on users' opinions for real world performance characteristics. Last thought: if I go for a 17-20-23 combo and forego a 3W, I'll have the option to carry one final club. I'll have lofts that go 10.5-17-20-23-27-30-34-38-42-47-52-56-P. Any thoughts on what to consider for this "freebie"?

Thanks, Bogeydog. I'll try the Quadra shaft in the driver if I can find a dealer here who carries it. Any other shafts to consider? Re: woods - I doubt I'll be able to find the Epons anywhere around here anyway. They seem to be either too popular here to keep in stock (which isn't borne out in the bags on the courses I've played) or they just aren't available full stop. Haven't considered Akira previously, but that's due to my own ignorance. Let me know how they go for you. In the meantime, I'll look around for some to demo. Srixon hybrids. Hmmm. I had a look and passed them over after my fiasco today with the TRC, SFD, and X-UTs. Are they heavy or light swinging? How do they compare with those I've tried in terms of feel, length, and dispersion? I'm always glad to have an excuse to try out something new! How do you find the Srixon irons to play? I've never hit them well, so passed them over this last time when I was testing irons.

Thanks for the speedy reply and your perseverence, Spoon! Glad to hear your thoughts. I'll keep an eye out for the EGG Spoon, but it would have to be Very Special Indeed (for me) to beat what I was doing with the RC TRC and SFD 5Ws on the range. As I mentioned, I haven't been able to find an EGG anywhere in town to try. Will keep an eye out, though, as I'd hate to find out after the fact that I wished I'd bought one! I've got an ancient, dinged-up but well-loved Cleveland Quadpro 17* 4W that I've always hit well. I'll put it in the bag tomorrow with its mated 22* 7W to see how those lofts work distance-wise for me. i got the Epon driver at Top Golf. They've got a very good selection of JDM clubs, and the staff are very good at making sure customers walk away happy. I wish they'd had the 102 or 151 to try out, but the 101 was a real bargain and has been treating me very well. What do recommend in terms of replacement shafts to consider? Haven't been to Raja, but will drop by after work sometime next week to see what they have on offer. Hopefully an EGG or an AF-901 to try!

Just joined this forum, but have used the excellent advice here as a reliable resource to help refine club choices in the past. Now, I need some help on fairway woods and/or utilities that I cant find the answer to in any previous post. Before I get to my question, though, let me explain my irons and driver choices at either end of the club range. As a preamble, the next two paragraphs are rather long-winded, but I'm trying to complement the clubs I've got with whichever FWs/utilities I end up with, so the info might be useful. (Besides, we all like to talk about our clubs, right?) >DRIVER: Off the tee, I hit a 10.5* Epon AF-101 with a stock (here in Jakarta, anyway) Mach Line 3042R shaft. Am considering changing the shaft, as I'm having dispersion issues that I hope can be corrected, perhaps with a stiffer shaft. Otherwise, I'm very happy with the driver. I hit it consistently 245-250 yards with a swing speed a little less than 100 mph. Even with my dispersion (+/- 25 yards either way on good hits, but usually with a fade to the right), I feel pretty confident with it. If I absolutely nut it, I might expect another 10-15 yards, but my accuracy, such as it is, goes way down. I considered newer JDM offerings from Yamaha (Inpres D, V, and X), Taylormade (R11 and Burner), Titleist (910D3), and Cobra (S3), but none of them was even close. The Titleist was my second choice, and I usually hit their drivers abysmally. The Yamahas and Cobra were okay, but I never warmed to the R11. With the white head, it looked like a gigantic cumulonimbus cloud, and felt about as substantial. I also hit some Fourteen and OnOff drivers, but I can't even remember the models, so I obviously wasn't terribly impressed by them. I wanted to try the Epon AF-102 and AF-151, but there were none in stock, nor were they going to be coming into the shop anytime soon (on back order). So, to cut to the chase, I ended up with a gently used 101, and am loving it! Simply put, it's the best driver I've hit in ages. My only desire would have been for ever-so-slightly more loft (12* please!) for more carry. >IRONS: I'm currently playing Miura CB-2006 irons (5-PW) with Nippon NS Pro 850GH shafts, and I can't say enough good things about them. Butter? These are, in the immortal words of the great Isaac Hayes, Hot Buttered Soul! So nice, they'll make you want to slap your mama. Without trying to sound like the guy you hate to play with, I hit them like a house on fire: straight, solid, predictable flight, with a medium trajectory, soft landing, and excellent dispersion! I carry the 7i just around 155-160 yards on a typical swing (85-87 mph with a 1.35-1.4 smash factor on the monito), and have gotten up to 25 yards longer carry when the gods are smiling, and I'm swinging like Freddy Couples rather than Fred Flintstone. (Long digression: before buying the 2006s, I tried Miura CB-501, CB-301, PP9003, CB-3003; 2010 & 2011 Yamaha V-forged, Inpres X, and Inpres D; Fourteen TC-910 and TC-710; OnOff NS Pro 850, NS510, and MP510; and Mizuno MP-53 and MP-63. No Epon 501s, 301s, or 701s in stock anywhere, which should probably tell me something. No worries, though, the 2006s were simply THE ONES, like Excalibur. I actually wanted the CB-501s to be the pick of the litter, as I think they are the best looking non-blade available right now, maybe ever, but I just didn't hit them as well, nor any of the other Miuras. I've promised myself to re-try the 501s - and some blades and the Epons - towards the end of the season, to see if I've improved enough to hit them well. I actually hit the Yamaha D's the longest, but then I realized they have 4* lower lofts than the 2006's. I thought the 2010 Inpres X V-forged and MP-53s were probably the other real stand outs. Not as impressed with the Fourteens or OnOffs.) So anyway, those are the clubs I'm trying to match with some combination of new low irons, utilities, and fairway woods. I've got a reasonably predictable gap between my driver and 5i of about 60 yards to fill with up to 4 clubs. In theory, that works about perfectly, at ~15 yards a club, same as my irons. Now (finally!), here's the question: which clubs? >FAIRWAY WOODS: I demo'ed the Royal Collection TRC, SFD III, and BBD VS Tour 3W (15*) and 5W (18*) with stock shafts recently, and thought the TRCs and SFDs were both every bit as good as their impressive reputations. Very long, exceptionally straight, excellent feel (easy to locate mis**ts and good ones felt effortless), nice sound. With both models, I hit the 5W substantially more accurately and confidently off the deck than the 3W. So much so, that I'm not yet sold on a 3W at all. But I need something between the 5W and the driver! The BBD did not work for me at all. Too much of a player's club, I guess. Anyway, after hitting the TRCs and SFDs, I only half-heartedly tested a couple of other brands (Yamaha and Titleist). I also strayed from my plan, and didn't give the offerings from Fourteen or OnOff a fair crack, which I'll remedy on Tuesday at the driving range, when I hope to also try the Miura Precious Edition FWs. Unfortunately, I couldn't try the TRCs and SFDs head-to-head (I tried them 2 days apart), so I don't know yet which model I prefer. Any thoughts? I know the SFD is probably better suited to my handicap (20++), so that's my bias at the moment. Also, they're in stock! What about the Fourteens or OnOffs? What differences should I expect? And what about the Miura PEs? Trying to find reviews for them is like looking for hens' teeth. I want to like them, since they'd match my irons, but the handful of reviews out there have been pretty average. BTW, no store I've found in town carries Epon FWs or the PRGR Eggs, so sadly, they may be roadside casualties. Anything else I should consider? Tourstage? Mizuno? >UTILITIES: And then there's the utilities... Based on the success I was having with the Royals, I expected to hit them just as smoothly. I tried the SFDs and TRCs head-to-head in 20* and 23* lofts, but I pulled everything left. Way left. And they flew lower than the FWs. It was like night and day compared to the FWs. I had a few creamy shots that kept me going back, but something (shaft? head weight? set up? swing speed?) just wasn't right. Will re-evaluate on Tuesday, hopefully with better results. I also tried the Tourstage X-UT in comparable lofts (I think they were 1* weaker), to see if that made a difference, but had no better luck, so I stopped there and didn't try any others. I have asked the shop to shaft up some Miura PE and MG heads for me to try on Tuesday, but I'm not sure they (or any other brand/model) is going to yield better results. Any suggestions? What perplexes me is that back in the day, I used to absolutely murder a first generation Taylormade Firesole 24* Rescue club. I really need something to fill the gap between a 5W (lets assume 18* and a 215-220 yard carry) and my 5i (27* and 190 yds), but I'm at a loss to think what will work. I've always been rubbish with low irons, due to a lack of confidence at address, so I'm not optimistic about going down that path. That said, I'd like to try the Epon 901 driving iron, but as with the rest of the Epon stuff, no one seems to have any to demo here in Jakarta. Maybe a 7W and 9W? I definitely haven't seen any laying around, so not sure that's even possible. Plus, sad as it is to say, four woods wouldn't leave me anything to get out of the rough with.... What about shafting a Utility club with a FW shaft? Or would they play too long then? Summing up what has turned out to be a first post of epic proportions (Sorry! And thanks if you've read this far...), I'm hoping that someone out there can recommend a good FW/utility club combination for my bag that will get me from my driver to my irons in 3-4 clubs. I need to carry between 190 and 250 yards with these clubs. I wouldl definitely appreciate any and all advice re: brands, models, and styles (FW vs Ute) to consider.