RLL33

Can I ask a little more about the history? You're the 2nd owner, right? Is the chip you mention the small mark near the heel? How/when did it happen? What is the shaft? How many times has it been regripped? Thanks very much.

Tour Velvet for me, but I also like the TSG grips from the online shop here <g>, which are similar, but slightly softer. Gripmaster Kangaroo perforated for my putter.

Thanks for the replies, guys. Interestingly, my wife doesn't seem to mind me keeping this one near the bed while we sleep... <g> When I did that with the T388 the first week I had it, even our cat, which is named Kobayashi, wasn't down with it. All think this baby looks like a work of art -- which of course it is. (Thought Sasaya-san might enjoy the anecdote though... <g>)

Well, I wasn't sure I could like the feel of my old Yamada 85029 putter any more than I already did, but it was getting pretty old and I had to admit there were a couple of nicks in the face that were affecting putts. And then I saw Tario's article about the work Master Sasaya was doing at Gold's Factory, and a few TSG'ers who had sent putters in encouraged me to try it. So I sent my baby across the Pacific. And all I can say is, wow, it's now the Yamada, only better! My request to Tario was a little unusual, I guess. As much I thought the look of many of the Gold's refinishes was stunning, I wanted to try and keep the look of my 85029's burning copper and possibly play up the antiqued quality it had developed over time. So, between Tario and Master Sasaya, they went to work. And for me, the result is not only stunningly beautiful, but the feel with the new milling is somehow even better. The putter always felt like butter to me, but if possible, it now feels even richer. All I can say is, the ball seems to sink into the face until I just about feel the dimples. And most importantly, when I took it out to the club this week, I had two of my best putting rounds of the year. Yesterday I had 4 one-putts alone on some pretty tricky greens! So.. my thanks to Master Sasaya, to Tario, and to Stew, Craig, and others here who reassured me about taking the opportunity to have this work done. Below are a couple of pics, too. my thanks again to all involved, --Richard

Thanks, AK. I'll be interested in your take after you've hit the new one, too.

Looks interesting. Not having tried any versions, I'm curious. Can any of you compare it to, say, the Ryoma F3 (which i did not like) or the S-Yard XV 3-wd (which I do like)? Thanks.

I didn't care for the dent sole either. It seemed to bounce/push the club in unexpected ways when I opened the face. Went back to my '57 C and Y's. Haven't tried the 5000 yet, but plan to when grooves say it's time.

Happy B-Day, T! Enjoy!

Beauty.

From your pictures, those two putters look like gems. Enjoy!

I had the same experience with a Whitlam -- sound and feel way off and almost hollow unless hit in a precise spot just toe-side of center. It was also way heavy for me (home course has very fast greens...). My Yamada 85029 is somewhere over the Pacific as we speak on its way back from Golds. Really looking forward to having that baby back -- best sound and feel I've ever come across.

Sorry, Chris, went here from the home page and didn't make a note of the full model number, was just responding to the image of the club more than the number. At least on my TSG home page, it's the Yururi 2013 KM-0208 CNC Gekku Iron.

Man, those new Yururi 208 irons are stunningly nice looking. Was wondering if anyone has hit them and how they play.

Just a bit of news about Goodsie in case anyone has been trying to get in touch with him here as I was... Turns out his computer was hit by some nasty lightning in one of the recent storms down Texas way, so he hasn't been able to check in here or with email. I reached him fine by phone this morning though, and he should be back online soon. Thought I'd pass this along.

This look like a beauty of a club. Very appealing what seems to be coming out of this studio. Tario -- still looking forward to your posting pics of the cavity back iron you mentioned in another thread was coming.

I second what many have said about the driving iron's lower penetrating flight and ability to hit from various lies, including rough. Like a lot of people, I've gone through many, many hybrids over the years, and always had the odd experience of each one eventually producing ballooning hooks -- even when I started out liking the look and feel of the club. Don't know what causes this exactly -- maybe it's expectation, maybe not... All I know is it happens... By contrast, the driving irons I've used have maintained their low, long, and straight ball flight. Perfect off the tee for short Par 4's, and incredibly easy to hit well flighted shots out of rough that turn into the long iron approaches that hit on or near a green on long Par 5's. My home course also has one dead on straight and very narrow 205yd Par 3 with back to front sloping green, and I find hitting an 18-deg iron like throwing a dart on this hole. I've been using the Callaway x-Util Proto's for some time, both 18 and 21 deg, but recently have started experimenting with the Yonex Zero, which I've found is scary long when I connect just right with it. Have been thinking about using it as my driving iron, and throwing the Cally 21 and 24 in the bag as 3 and 4 iron replacements. In any case, I'm done for now with straight hybrids. For me, there's nothing better than the feel of a well hit long iron.

Thanks -- will get in touch with him now.

Guys: I believe several of you mentioned a clubmaker in Austin who's on the Forum here and whose work you like a lot. Can someone refresh my memory of who it is and/or tell me how to get in touch with him from Southern Cal? Thanks so much.

Great post! The adventure looks excellent indeed -- terrific to see the Master at work, and great to see guys from here get to meet up in person with you, too, Tario. Would enjoy making that trip some day as well. Congrats, Craig, enjoy those putters! (Really looking forward to seeing how my first one emerges from GF, too!)

8-iron in the side pocket -- very cool... ;=]

Any idea on when the CB's might be coming?

These ARE great looking clubs. I look forward to seeing the CB's as well.

Badd, Interesting comment. I was actually going to start a thread asking if others experienced this -- especially with blades or player's CB's. I've found this to be true as well, particularly if it's a range with matts, not grass. Seems like clubs that I love most on grass sometimes feel the worst on matts, which would make sense since I like to hit down and through the ball...

wmc: I see you mention a 70g option for the MCI iron shaft. Is this available? (All listings I've seen, including here at TSG, show 60 and 80, but I hadn't seen anything in between.) I'm currently trying the 60 and like the feel and lightness a lot, but was wondering if there was something a touch heavier without going up to 80. Thanks.

Given the way I fell hard for the S-Yard T.388 driver this year, I was defintely anxious to get my hands on the new XV 3-fwy wood. My relationship with an old R-7 3-wood has turned, over the years, into something of a challenge, as many clubs have tried -- and failed -- to kick it out of my bag. It's firmly been the one club that would not go JDM in my bag. But after spending the holiday weekend with the XV, I can say that the R-7 now sits next to my bag here in my office. It still calls to me, but there is something Kobayashi-san is doing with these S-Yard clubs that just clicks for me. First of all, for T-388 lovers, this 3-wood looks like a mini-me T.388. Here it is sitting right next to the stealth bomber itself: The look is a match at first sight, and even though the face is not the same titanium, the thin maraging steel gives off the same flexed punch that T.388 contact keeps me coming back for. Sound, as Tario has aptly described it, is deep enough to tell you you're getting the same rebound effect that powers the driver, and the flight is straight-on penetrating like the T.388, and yes, this thing is long, too. My first go around with it was the range. First swings did feel a little stiff or heavy to me, and I have to admit the R-7 was still smiling when I got home. But I put the same light weight (51g) Hiskei Wave carbon shaft in it that I've been using in the R-7, and headed back to the range. And it was then that this thing really began to pop for me. Net at the range is at 230yds, and my hits started climbing well up above the mid-section in height. And still the trajectory was missile like and straight. Not a trace of ballooning even as the ball found the top part of the net, which for me is a very long 3-wood. So... took it to the course. And cracked it off the first tee to where my pre-t.388 driver used to leave me. And found it both accurate and long the rest of the day. It was great off good fairway lies, and I found I could get the ball up in the air like the R-7 if I moved it a little forward in my stance. And I even hit a low flying missile from the rough at the end of the day on 18 when I sometimes feel tired playing the course's toughest Par-5 coming in. Here are a couple more views of Stealth-3 as it's now being called here: My thanks again to Tario and K-san and the S-Yard crew! My R-7 has even nodded graciously to me, and I've thanked it for being the longest running club in my bag ever. But at least on the long end, S-Yard now rules for me.