TourSpecGolfer

Ok so they went the route of steel, makes sense as you dont need your FW to be ultra light. As Ti prices go up, expect to see more of this.

The new design X-Wedge coming this december has taken a page out of EPONs book using an NiCR finish to enhance feel. Notice the milling marks are off to an angle to promote a more optimal spin . also notice they did away with the cut away sole.

Coming this December, the new Tourstage 2007 X-Drive series. They have done a complete revamp on all models 410, 430, 430P and 460cc's. It features a sharper toe look unlike what they have used in the past, that more rounded look. Also Torustage has added 2 weight plugs and shaved some weight off the crown. Im guessing this version will be more forgiving and user friendly than the last.

looks solid, they make better UT's than FW's IMO.

I think its the upcoming U.S version.

Titanium prices are going up, thats why brands like Nike, Callaway etc.. are doing research on plastic heads. when the USSR collapsed they had to put their titanium on the market to make cash but those reserves are depleting and head manufactures are starting to see the prices of the raw material increase. Same deal with the AirBus A380 and Carbon/Graphite shaft materials, its in high demand. Japan uses top notch titanium, stuff that America hasnt tried due to cost, does this stuff actually help your game, probably not but they are able to do some cool things like make a low C.O.R driver fly a couple yards further than high C.O.R, create expanding head drivers that produce a stronger launch of the club head etc.. Callaway uses chemical milled technology on the ERC3 and the titanium crown done that way is almost as light as composite. no matter what the application a square driver should have a higher MOI, does a good player need that? some do some don't it really depends on the persons swing troubles. Will tiger use it? of course he will as he is Nike's money making machine. Feel is a big part of golf clubs, everyone thinks distance, and forgiveness but when you do hit a shot perfect and that shot feels superb you enjoy the game more, and thats what this is all about isn't it. You will see the Japanese think out of the box and try exciting things in their equipment, things that are getting the chopping block in the USA due to cost.

this will sell quick as its an item i am asked for very very often but dont have because they are not produced any longer.

The Nike SQ was a semi hit in Japan so I dont think having the option of a square driver around is a big problem. They like new age tech stuff, although the FT-square and sumo are old tech by just moving the CG & MOI to extreme areas they IMO will still offer it in their market. Im waiting to see when they will release the ERC3's counterpart in the states.

Tour world is custom order for select account. The irons shown in your pics are one of the many Tour Worlds that came out.

Ozik is a U.S brand that is part of Matrix Composite Corp they have a big following in Korea also. I have been learning all i can about the different methods of shaft making and testing and it seems the OZIK line doesnt cut as many corners when trying to build a high quality product. From first glance i have noticed they Freq. all shafts individually where other brands print the overall CPM on the shaft. now does that and all the extra boron, zylon, hand wrapped really make a big difference? Lets wait and see. I have played 1 round so far with the Code 6 Stiff flex tipped but dont want to make a quick judgement till i really get the feel of these shafts in different flex's and models.

Its been in my bag for a while now with the steel NS shaft, but that shaft has gotta go, the ball flight is just too low so im going to swap it out with either a UT-85 or the Ozik Hybrid Altus. Feel is very good and solid at impact, not as easy or long as the GFT UT though.

Never heard of them until today. no ads in japanese magazines or company information.

They could for sure change the ferrule if you like the gray/silver ones. FYI, these wedges are not available.

I have been getting questions from BSG'ers if the OZIK is really all its cracked up to be and if it stands to the Hype it has been given on that board. I really had not had much time with the TP-7, Altus, Code Series, and hybrid shafts so I decided to pick up a variety of different shafts and put them to the test. My launch monitor results are best with a 10.5* driver and R flex shaft so I will be starting with the TP-7 R flex. I like my shafts at about 243cpm installed at a D2-D4 swing weight in of course the EPON 460 technity, in fact all the OZIK shafts will be tested in this same setup and we can see if these things are really worth the 1k price tag. From what im hearing there should be a substantial increase in distance or accuracy by changing to these shafts. I purchased every model in multiple flexes and promise to give them a fair and balanced testing and report the results to you. Here are some images of the test subjects, i have some single digit, scratch, and under par players with fast and smooth tempo's who are willing to give us a few hours of their time for lunch. We will be using both the accuvector and zelocity to find our ideal shafts in the ozik line and compare it to what in my personal opinion are the best shafts in the industry, Mamiya Axiv V-Spec, DREV & Mach Line by NGS, Fujikura Rombax, and Diamana Blue, Red, and White board shafts. Understand that every swing is different and what will work for me or our testers may not work for you in the same manner. Here are some pics of our test subjects:

The Type X has had a cosmetic adjustment that is not shown in the pro shop. They added the gold color Emblem to give it more flare. check it out below: Type X-07 model Type HG wedge Plated Proto ( no ferrule installed ) Prototype Technity Dull Nickel Wedge ( no ferrule installed ) Model X Wedge w/Cr20 finish like Type J Epon makes the best quality forging and is the only manufacture that can do the most complex cavity designs on a forged head. Their Cr20 finish is simply pure and adds a feel at impact that is nor hard or soft but just the best i and many have ever felt.

Im pretty sure these are not forged. Better depends on the user.

you can also look here but the new adidas bags are already listed in the pro shop: Adidas 2006

Ok guys I put in some serious test time on the range, on course and with opinions from other golfers, some pro level and many mid handicappers over the last 10 days. We also did testing on the launch monitors but it just isnt the same when testing irons. R7 forged w/ Black Gold R flex Blueprinted Srizon ZR-600 w/ Black Gold R flex Blueprinted EPON type J w/ Black Gold R flex Blueprinted EPON type X w/ Black Gold R flex Blue Printed All clubs had the exact same specs based on a 38" 5 iron D2 swing weight No one model was determined best by the group who was able to hit these. I was the only golfer who played several rounds while the others only had range time. I selected the Type X as my new gamer because I found them easier to play, more forgiving, and easy on the eyes. A shot hit perfect was just as soft as any of the others, shots hit off center clicked and had a different feel but went straighter than the other models. The EPGA guy who helped me test these clubs liked the type X for this very same reason, he knew when he didnt hit it by feel and sound. The type J I would consider the least forgiving but the best feeling iron i have ever played. mid cappers didnt appreciate this but the low score guys loved it to death. sold 2 sets of the type J based on love at first strike. The ZR-600 was very forgiving for a players cavity back with a soft/solid feel if that makes any sense to you guys, I had a difficult time hitting them on the mat, but hit the long irons equally as well as I hit the type X's very impressed with these, Srixons best irons yet. The R7 forged had the most drool factor on the range and to just about anyone who saw them. Its got a soft forged feel to it but not as good as the others, the setup, finish and overall design of the clubs simply work but TM is just not my cup of tea, Miura forged or not.

its a basic DREV shaft in softer specs, opps I shouldnt have said softer! Actually softer is the reason why people are getting better results from it. You would be surprised at the Tour wannabies in these forums that decrease head speed coming into impact.

Power Transfer Ratio (PTR) also known as Power Transfer Index (PTI) is a percentage % calculated as Ball Velocity / Club Speed x 100%. This represents an indication of centeredness of impact between the ball and club face. If you have a high club head speed and your PTI is low your hitting it off center. Have you ever noticed a slower swinger who can hit it past you? that means their swing is more efficent for its club head speed.

the long irons have a tungsten composite within the head itself. my guess is just a lower CG in those irons compared to the mid and short. perhaps by adding 10-20 grams. Yup, 2 clubmakers, jacque and I are in the process of getting certified in repair, fitting, design and frequency but still need to apprentice under some real guru's one of which is Koyama from japan. these guys are not for TSG alone as we have some very big things we are bringing to the industry outside of TSG early next year. The goal is a tolorence of .25 - .50 and offer whats called blueprinting standard to everyone by using 2 clubmakers to build 1 set and double check eachothers work.

When I return from fitting school I will start testing import clubs. Thing about that is I am testing it for my swing not yours. Another thing we noticed from testing was that players that have a smoother tempo or not much wrist cock didnt see as much performance increase in aftermarket shafts because they didnt load properly. This was the case even for guys who had 108mph swing speeds.

Custom Mizuno Options Page

Yesterday i participated in a test that had 3 new zelocitys, 2 older vectors, 1 new vector and the track man. Here were my averages: Swing Speed: 100 mph Ball Speed: 147 mpg Launch Angle: 13.7* Back Spin: 3500-3800 ( too high ) Carry Average: 244 yds Power Trasfer Ratio: 146 This average is based on my performance club the 10.5 Epon with DREV Tour R flex tipped to play soft. I was able to get my swing speed to 104mph but the increased speed didnt add any distance and usually increased spin. keep in mind i have some issues with my swing, i do often hit down on the ball which hurts my launch angle. I did however get a peak ball height of 28 yards in the air which is great as 30 is considered optimal. Amatuers, a couple EPGA players, PGA wannabe's, and mini tour players participated. most of these guys didnt know much about equipment or fitting but 99% of all players used a shaft too stiff and a loft to low. To my suprise the 105mph+ group did best with R flex shafts, these guys are good players with PTI ratings of 150 and above. My advice to all of you is the same, softer shaft, higher loft no matter how much you think you know about equipment. A low spin shaft dont work if your PTI is below 150 score so dont even try it. Its usually technique that is giving you the unwanted spin. If your a high ball hitter, check your technique first, then adjust loft, and last shaft. Oddly the difference betweek a high kick shaft and low kick is only 1.6" in most cases. My second best results came from the cleveland launcher 460 10.5 with a tipped A flex shaft! how about that for a 101mph SS. The only import clubs tested were the EPON and Srixon ZR-600. The ZR-600 was perfect except for the launch angle. One of the EPGA guys was 16 yards ahead of all other clubs with my driver. 10.5 w/PT-6 Stiff, another mini tour player had the highest power transfer ratio of the day with it. Was it the head or the shaft? Of course a combo of the two but it worked for the better player. Of the machines tested the trackman was the most accurate as it tracks the downward flight after peak, but IMO not worth the extra money unless you own an OEM that does loads of driver testing. The zelocity was great and accurate with the most usefull readings but the new version we had didnt have half the programs written yet. The New accuvector pro is CRAP, not accurate, and hard to get going. The old accuvector was great as usual besides the fact its hard to do irons and fw's because its based on sound as well as photo. We were trained on each of the various machines except the trackman and I came to the conclusion that if you have 25ft of space to swing and let the ball fly Zelocity is #1, If you are indoors and have 10-15ft of flight space the original accuvector takes the cake.

The comment i made about toe weight distribution and a shorter hosel was about traditional blade design not cavity backs, not neo blades, not game improvement. What matters a lot in design is that the vertica center of gravity and horizontal CG meet up in a spot you will hit the most. keep in mind by adding 10 grams to the hosel or the toe will move the CG 1/64th's of an inch toward the weight. In regards to the AR-1 design I would like to know where the CG location is and if its consistent through the custom grind models from scratch. These like the Miura 301's are blank heads made in Japan. The AR-1 is also sold by Geo Tech which is a component brand owned by Tom Wishon which confirms its a quality design as Wishon doesnt put his name on things that are not sound. GEO TECH 670 HC