RLL33

Me like-y "uber sexy from above..." as long there's also "soft touch down below..." ;=] Look forward to getting mine.

R- I have the 1007 Y-grind on order. Will show it to you at the Club and let you know how it plays when I get it. --RLL

I didn't care for the Ryoma either -- based on sound and feel. Compared to the warm satisfying "thwack" of the XV, the Ryoma was, for me, a cold steely clank. No comparison on ball speed coming off the face either for carry and roll.

It took more than four years for me to find a 3-wd that kicked the one I was using out of my bag. The S-Yard XV is the magic in the 3-wd that the XV-5 is for a 5-wd. Long, penetrating, tight lasers. Slightly lower trajectory than the 5 and considerably more roll out.

I have a black one on order and am looking forward to trying it, as my CB-301's are finally starting to wear. And as my miss is actually toward the heel, I'm looking forward to it now even more... Really like the Y-grind wedges, too, so that also gives me reason for interest.

Totally agree. Think I posted pics of the 3-wd next to the t.388 back over the summer when i dubbed it my mini-T. Just got the 5-wd last week to go with it, and now the three of them sit at the top of my bag just breathing heavy to be hit, like rockets on a launch pad dripping coolant before ignition. The 3-wd off the tee gives me some of the longest and straightest stingers I've ever hit in my life. And the 5-wd off the ground gets up a little higher and lands a little softer, but is close in length. Just an amazing trio, IMO. I feel longer just planting my bag on the first tee with these guys in the bag. And now my mates hear my "Kobayashi-i-i-i howl more often than ever. <g></g> Should also add, as I posted last week, that the TRPX Messenger in the t.388 has kicked that thing up yet another notch, too. I still have one with the stock shaft in it, but the Messenger is in the bag for now. And I do hope Tario was right that they may come with a fairway shaft at some point. I'm using Matrix shafts in the 3 & 5 for now -- my kind of light and long.

We know S-Yard has me in the bag with the t388 and mini-t's now in XV 3 & 5-wds. For irons, my Miuras are finally starting to wear down, so I'm looking at their Y-grind CB1007's in black finish, the S-Yard GTS, and the Yururi KM-1007 which catches my eye every time I see a pic of it. Wedges stay Miura.

Thanks, let me know, I'd be interested in the heads only.

How does that Roddio shaft play and/or would you consider selling the heads only?

Thanks, Ash -- and cheers to all here. Incidentally another forum member here, exhaloprez, and I discovered we are members at the same club here in LA. Shared a drink and good talk after my round yesterday, which was an added plus! Any of you others, if you're ever in the area and feel like a game, feel free to PM me.

First round is in and it confirms what I saw on the range. Laser bomb off the first tee to 270. Course then has two consecutive Par-5's on 3 and 4 of the opening 9. Hit a draw on the uphill dogleg 3 and a fade on 4 that carried a ravine that sits at 250. Reached the apron just off both greens in two -- (a gift also of the XV 5-wd that was delivered the day before...). The Messenger that Tario recommended is indeed a fine shaft for me in the T.388. Very easy to feel where the clubhead is in my swing, and its aim is just so true. Much as Ash indicated, it just seems to go where instructed. As always, I value the control more than the distance. BUT I did enjoy the distance, don't get me wrong. <g> This one stays in the bag for now. Also thanks to Tario and Stew for their words on the XV 5-wd. I did find that it had almost the carry of the 3-wd, but off the ground, I got better lift for softer landings. The 3-wd is still killer off the tee. It's a mini t388 for me, sometimes getting out there almost as long. Just in love with my bag at the moment! Many thanks to Tario and TSG!

You can PM him here @ Goodsie

Thanks, Craig, will do.

I kept it identical to the stock S-Yard shaft @ 45 1/4

That's a tough call. I'd say since you like the feel of your Zen so much as is, I wouldn't mess with it. Problem is, you do like the feel of the FF in the Miura... All I can say is, the Zen with the FF in it is as close as I've ever felt to just tapping putts with the palm of my hand. And at 35", I don't feel the putter is too light. Greens at my club are fast though, so in general, I lean toward lighter putters... I have the FF in my Yamada, too, which I imagine is closer to the Miura in feel, and though heavier than the Zen, I like its feel too.

Thanks, Ash, I appreciated our conversation. Can't wait to get it to the course -- probably tomorrow.

Well, I finally decided to try another shaft with my S-Yard t.388. After consulting with Tario, he recommended the TRPX Messenger in S/R for me. (My swing is just on either side of 100 with my driver.) So I got it and sent it out to Goodsie for fine tuning. Just got it back on Friday. And after multiple hits on the range yesterday, I just had to lay this thing down to cool it off. I was burning the net at the end of the range, and it was burning my hands with excitement. So I set it down and snapped the above pic. Found I could work the ball in both directions, as with the stock S-Yard shaft. Easy swings were also similarly straight and penetrating. But a difference emerged when I teed it high and cut loose. First one was up near the top of the screen (which sits @230). Don't know if it shows in the pic, but there's a flap in the net toward the top near the second pole from left that I always try to hit because it's loose. Only touched it one other time a while back with the D1 Premia. But not only did I hit it with this thing twice, on the second the ball flew through and made that flap fly! That was when I put this baby down and went for my camera... To say I'm looking forward to getting it out to the course this week doesn't do it justice... Will report back after a couple of rounds, but once more thanks to Tario for the choice and to guys here for the reviews which made even this diehard S-Yard guy give something else a try. I didn't have luck earlier with some tries at Crazy shafts, but man, I agree with what others have said here, this TRPX is something special. Light but firm. Tight dispersion. Can really feel and control the kick. And oh yez, it is LONG. And for those interested, it seems to be a great matchup with the t.388, which I still feel is my "driver for life..." <g> --Richard

Totally agree. I understand the difference now that tuned shafts make. For a touch player, the effect is immediate.

Hosel is 355. Ordered one direct from UST website.

I missed the first offering of the Epon Zen here on TSG, but fell hard for the pictures and writeup. Then was glad to see one show in the BST, and grabbed it. Little did I know the adventure I was about to embark on... The Zen arrived, but was poorly packed and shipped, and the sight of the flat smashed box made my heart sink right at the front door. Sure enough, when I opened it, the shaft was splintered (by our lovable USPO), but I was relieved that the head seemed fine except for the slight bag nick disclosed by the seller. So, after getting over my rage/disappointment, the rational side of me took over and I immediately gave Goodsie, the miracle builder, a call. And soon my Zen baby was on the way down to Austin. Well, long story told, it arrived back in my hands last weekend just in time for my birthday and when I opened the package this time, the clouds parted and I heard the music I expected the first time 'round. Goodsie reshafted it with with a finely tuned UST Mamia Frequency Filtered and we added a new grip I got from BestGrips.com called the Major Leaguer, which is made out of the leather used for major league baseball gloves (it even smells like your favorite mitt...) embossed with my initials in the nice subtle touch I prefer. And Goodsie even retouched the tiny bag chatter nicks to perfection. And then after rolling it on my practice putting green, I took this baby to the club. And ho-o-o-ly-y-y-y-y! I never thought anything would feel as sweet as the Yamada I had refinished by Master Sasaya at Gold's over the summer, but this thing is softer than butter, sort of like a chamois coated butter stick. I rolled in two 30-foot birds, and had one of my best putting rounds in a long time. I literally can't wait to pull it when i arrive at the green. This is one rare bird, and I'm grateful to TSG and hugely to Goodsie for putting it in my bag. Love the grip, too, in case anyone's interested in trying something new and novel. Guess my putter rotation goes back to an even two... Here's some pics:

Whoa, that's a beauty! GLWS, although if it were mine, I'd kind of hope it didn't go...

Beautiful work, beautiful pics, beautiful writeup. Thanks to Master Sasaya and Master T.

There are some older threads with pretty extensive discussion, but these are metal and carbon composites that, for me, play with the tight dispersion of steel at a lighter weight that isn't "air-y" like I've found Aerotechs to be. Have them in all my Miuras and love them. Trajectory is strong and distance is excellent for my smooth tempo.

Impermanence is the way. To celebrate impermanence is enlightenment.

T -- I've sent my Messenger and backup t388 to Goodsie for tuning. Looking forward to seeing what that combo will be like. Will report back.