jimmieboi

If I were to go 7D, the toughest decision is choosing the head. How could I know which head fits me in the first place!!?? I see that they just open a new branch in Umeda Osaka, I'll go there and have a visit on my vacation in July.

Just out of curiosity, 7D fits you by choosing shaft from one out of the 50 shaft model already available. So that makes 7D doesn't build shaft specifically for you but fitted you with the already available shaft from one of the 50 model!!?? That would make fitting at 7D similar to getting fit in any other golf studios where there are as many as 50 or even more shafts to choose from!!?? They don't stock shaft so they have to build it (thus the long order time) From what I see how "other can play my 7D shaft very well" I think it's because a better player could easily play 7D from a fellow whose fitted with a slower/smoother swing speed/tempo, and able to use with ease. Try using a 7D shaft that's fitted for a better player and let the slower/tempo swing player use it. It will be another story.

To avoid hook in your case, try increasing the swing weight to at least D3. Keep the overall club weight as light as possible but swing weight at D3. You'll get more head speed and more control.

That's a Nike Covert design.

Nice colorful gears. I got that asics shoes too but in yellow. One of the best non-spikes shoes out there.

Want to know about hot melt too. I checked with my local (very professional one) club builder and he said if melted metal is inserted into the head (can only go into heel section), it would make that driver draw bias.

Get ultra light shaft with light grip then 44" on t388 maybe doable.

Is the pocket size LM happen to be Skytrak!?

Glorious is a very underrated driver. IMO, the best for distant JDM driver there is.

I have tested Glorious in 9.5 degree in KuroKage shaft. The shaft is a mid/high kick (low launching low spin) shaft. Glorious is said to be high launching driver. I got very good result with a 301 yards, launch angle 15 degree, ball speed 170 and 2300rpm. The shaft was in SR so if it were to be in X the spin could further be reduce then I have to step up to 10.5 degree to achieve the same launch. I could get more carry more roll by doing so. High lofted head doesn't necessarily launch high. High lofted head in 388cc (S-yard 388) launch lower than the 8.5 Ryoma Maxima in the exact same shaft. The only problem I have with JDM driver is the illusion of a close face angle even if it were to a 1.5 degree open, also the head is too light (sub 200g) making it extremely difficult to have it in 45inch in a D 2.5-3 swing weight. Anything lighter than D 2 (all pros has their club at least D2, by pros I mean swing speed of 110mph and up) will be too uncontrollable and also lost of energy transfer (lose distance). There should be a Western spec driver for JDM gear. Asian spec are meant to be built in 46inch and up. The key to this high laughing thing, is not to all get high lofted driver or high launching head. The point is to get the Dynamic loft VS swing plain right. The dynamic loft should be in 17 degree region vs the ground (actually ball launch angle is slightly lower than the dynamic loft. It cannot go above). It's a head shaft combo and an individual's swing to acheive that. Go search Bubba's trackman on new Ping G30. His ball speed was 180mph, launch angle 15 degree with spin of 1900rpm. He carried it 330yards. He wouldn't have hit that far if his launch is at 10 degree. I find that JDM tries to go so low on loft and advertise low piercing ball will yield in more distance. Some may argue that low penetrating ball is good into the wind, it's a yes and no. If you go low with lots of spin into the wind, your ball will climb sky rocket up (ball spin is same as wings on airplane. As the ball spin it generates high pressure on the bottom and low pressure on top, thus generating lift. The more velocity act upon the ball (head wind), it will climb like a ballon and dropped at steep angle (no roll to slight back spin). Golf ball behavior is based on physics so there's an optimum numbers for it whereas hitting the ball requires feel and that's art. Simply put golf is art & science same can be said to how pilot flies a plane.

JBeam Glorious is the highest (so far tested) JDM head out there. The low and forward CG (t.388 or Zero) reduse spin and launch drastically, thus those are available in 10.5 and advertise to go very low (10.5 only for the Zero or you can't get it up with anything lower). Wish it came out in 11 or 12 loft. Whereas Ryoma has its CG low and back, thus lots of forgiveness (low and back CG results in lesser side spin on off center hit and easy launch but in turn produce lots is back spin). The more back spin the more it struggles into the wind. That's why Ryoma users agree that it's a bad driver when play against the wind. The best way IMO, is to go get fitted and if one doesn't like the feel of the USDM, get the specs your fitted and purchase the matched ones on JDM market. I've done enough of hit and miss. Launch monitors' data is as accurate as it can be.

Yes 14 degree with ball spin 2000 rpm + or -. I have hit the hi core Honma driver with A Flex shaft. I got swing speed 125mph, ball speed 170mph with 16 degree launch. Just these numbers my ball should be in 300+ territory, it landed 260 with no roll. Spin was at 5000++. (Let's not take direction into account). 3 numbers matter most, Ballspeed, launch angle and Spin. Expensive launch monitor (flight scope, GC2 or Trackman) doesn't care what club you use, it only care about how ball behaves.

How heavy is the Rouge!? If it's too heavy then how will you get the swing weight in ZY-11 up to D3 or more!? A C8 or D0 can't be consistent with that high swing speed and also you'll lose power upon impact. Adding filler to the neck will ultimately hook the ball. Adding too much lead tape will alter its CG. The Rouge and KuroKage are the number 1 and 2 dominating shaft on tour right now respectively. Rory uses KuroKage and Adam Scott uses Rouge. The head I use is a SLDR S which is a high launch low spin head (JBeam Glorious said to have similar attribute). Low lofted club will result in side spin if miss hit, thus not forgiving. Too high loft will result in too much spin, thus you'll needed a good shaft to bring the spin down (but you'll need high loft for the optimum launch). IMO, get the highest loft possible (to match the 14degree launch angle) then choose shaft to get the spin down. Driver head for launch angle and shaft for spin, then you'll end up having a forgiving head (from high loft) and a distance gain from lower spinning shaft. 14 degree launch looks extremely high when you see the ball flies, but that's the optimum angle. Go try on trackman and you know what I mean. Some have ascending blow then you'll need lower lofted club, some have a level or descending then you'll need a higher lofted club. Low loft doesn't mean far. Bubba uses a 7 degree but his blow is extremely high. He achieves a launch angle of 14 + with 2000 rpm and a ball speed of 180, thus a 310 yards carry. Fowler is not a huge guy but he average 300 yards with his 11.5 Cobra driver. His swing is dead flat. Only launch monitor will tell you what you need.

Sadly to say the 12 degree driver is SLDR (I'll change it to JBeam Glorious in 12 degree soon. The Glorious is low and forward CG). All of my low lofted club are on shelf for display now. The Kurokage is an awesome shaft. Very low spinning and easy to hit. I had it in 60g flex X. Lighter shaft will allow me to go D3 swing weight with a shorter built at 45inch. It will be a bomb if I shafted it into Glorious, but need to pump some cash first after purchasing 2 drivers in less than a week. P.S. Epon just ditch out of Thailand's market making Thailand without a distributor. So Epon product will be an ultra rare item from now on, buying Epon is a must for me even if it doesn't fit my swing as I am an Epon fanboy. What's wrong with Epon these days anyway.

Exactly. It doesn't matter what loft you use.....what matter most is the ball launch angle (plus ball speed and spin). I've been using 8.5 degree all my life and after fitted for a 12 degree (head has to be low and forward CG for a high launch low spin) shafted with KuroKage (low spin shaft) I've gain 20+ yards. If your ball launch is too low then maybe a 9.5 is too low for you. Higher launching shaft will help but that will also increase spin and will not gain you distance either.

Why would one want to play low loft and neglect the actual ball launch angle. Optimum ball launch angle is 14 degree no more no less. I just got fitted by highly trained fitter today (at last) and found out that driver loft I should play is 12degee (I normally play 8.5 my whole life). To achieve 14 degree launch, I needed a 12 degree head (I have a depending to level blow). Then choose shaft that will results in 2500-3000 RPM. Sergio Garcia, Rick Fowler and Martin Kaymer play 11.5 - 12 degree driver. They all hit 300+ drives. With swing speed over 110mph, swing weight should be at least D3. I think your ZY-11 is built wrong. Just for reference. My SS is 120mph.

Why not like it?? I think it's one of the most cool-looking bags there is!!

By "controlled" doesn't mean it goes short. IMO, a controlled shaft should feel heavy. By feeling heavy doesn't mean the total weight is heavy, just "feel" (swing weight) upon swing. It can be cut short and still doesn't make driver feels too light. Distance shaft, for example, the LY-01 Hot, feel not heavy (but not so light as the Royal Deco or TRPX Air). Light feeling shaft benefits in adding more swing speed (but can go wild). This Bangvoo shaft 787 goes quite far but still stable (I'd say it's very well balanced between distance vs control), I think you gonna need to play a flex softer or you'll need more effort playing this shaft. I put it on Kamui Ray FW 14* at 44 inch. It goes around 280yards off the deck. It's my mini-driver.

One of my most favorite shaft. Very stable with a unique kick at impact. This is a controlles shaft. Mostly go dead straight. Feels heavy, hence making it stable. I think it's comparable to the Sigma series in Crazy line up.

This Sanki shaft is totally the opposite to 7D, I think. 7D doesn't add any thing to its shaft, pure raw looks while the Sanki add not only gradient sparkling color, but also the Bamboo looks. Both should perform equally well as they are super hi-end and price marked quite the same. The Bamboo options looks good, hope TSG adds that option to the so called working shaft.

Agree in the perfect shaft for Ryoma head. This is the one and only head that is difficult to find the right shaft. Crazy Boron went all over the place. Now still experimenting for the right shaft.

Face angle on the Maxima is actually neutral. Most of JDM driver though have neutral face angle, looks slightly close. Epon 504 J,H , JBeam 435ii and maxima to name a few.

JDM product is an addiction. One can never have enough of.

I'll replace TRPX S-013 with JBeam 435 Black onto the X-Line shaft (possibly upgrade to 7D later). The S-013 is a very very good driver. Straight and very very far (furthest of all the Driver I have in possession. I would say most JDM Driver have a slightly "close" face angle at address (Epon 504J,H, Ryoma Maxima, TRPX S-013, Crazy 435ii) although all measured to have a square to 0.5 degree open face angle. If it comes to JDM Driver I think JBeam is on top. You should be good with any model if it were JBeam.

We have similar swing speed. Mine is avg at 115. I would say the Diamana X is not a distance shaft. It's a controlled shaft. I have it shafted on t388, I went straght most of the time but only average at 280 yards. The TRPX s-013 shafted with X line went 30 yards further on average. The new JBeam 435 Black promises to be even further so I guess the JBeam 535 or ZY-11 or even the 435 Black might be your best bet.