I disagree. The informational content was not all it could be. While learning that versus the custom Miz, the NC-1s have less vibration and offset, a larger top line and sole and are more forgiving, left unexplored are items like comparative trajectory, distance, and accuracy vs his standard set of clubs. Also Chris gives no indication of his game so there is no basis for judging how suitable a fit these clubs might be for anyone else whereas including his handicap, swing speed and 5 iron distance would be a logical first step in providing a bridge between his needs and others.

While the contest was framed as what's going into his bag, it was an opportunity for others who may not share his tastes or abilities to vicariously demo all the clubs under consideration. Were shot selections compromised in a particuler brand, did one set feel head heavy or light, was distance control the same for all sets, were mis**ts severely punished?

As a narrative, it was fun to read. As an aid in purchasing one of these sets it was frustrating.

Fair enough 8H,

My DSS is 108mph, i can crank it to 116 but my feet slide out from over swinging the club. I am for sure a hitter not a swinger with an aggressive start down from the top. I haven't had my 6 iron speed tested for quite some time now. I'm an Irons player with better than average ball striking skills, my 6 iron doesn't shoot so long only 165yds give or take 5 at any given moment. Handicap is at a firm 3 down from a 7 due to lessons, a video called the swing machine, and the addition of the GFT 4 wood. I can shoot even - 2 under 3 rounds straight then chump out a 80+ every 5-7 rounds.

comparative trajectory: With different shafts and different players testing I cant speak for the others but in my personal opinion the PRGRs had the lowest trajectory then the G-Field, Custom Mizzys and highest the XCB2. That doesn't mean these suckers fly high, I mean the CG location is anywhere from 17.5 to 19mm on all of these sets so floaty shots are not an issue of the head but more so of the shaft.

Distance & Accuracy: Anything shifted with the NS1150 goes longer for me with a better zooming upward lift to it landing softer with less roll than say an S300 etc Again the shaft differences didn't make this to easy and my goal was more selfish than anything else, what will end up in MY bag and secondary piece of mind from the results of the testing participants which honestly didn't help much at all. As far as noticeable distance gains the G-Field w/PX shafts take the lead, i was hitting my 6 iron 165-176 so just a bit further than the other clubs. I really have no standard clubs I guess with all my changing the irons I have played the most would be the NC-1. I have been playing gauge irons frequently since the original MB. So I sum it up as Distance depends more on shaft than anything, trajectory as well. If I try to take shafts out of the picture I say the custom mizunos are the most accurate, its visual and mental for me second would be the PRGRs if you connect with the ball on the proper plane they work out very pure and accurate. IMO forgiveness and accuracy work together in some ways, I mean naturally if your hitting a more forgiving club chances are it will fly straighter on a higher % of the shots, straighter and online will equal closer to the hole IMO. As far as working the ball left to right and vice versa the PRGRs take the cake! Just a slight adjustment really gives you the desired play. The G-Field long irons are extremely workable as well, in fact its the only set i can hit a low 4 iron draw from a tight lie after a pulled drive to get me back in play on the par 5's. The MP60s were the least workable.

With all these sets being players CBs they carry virtually the same attributes the difference is obviously in setup, feel, and design. I mean we are really splitting hairs when it comes to distance and accuracy but as far as feel, forgiveness, and trajectory go there are noticeably differences.

I hope this helps, If 8H or anyone else has specific question let me have um.

In regards to your demo plan 8H, we are simply not ready to handle that. We actually have a more simplified plan created but it wont be implemented until mid 2007 realistically.

Thanks for keeping me on the ball :tsg_smilie_smile:

anyone

Besides looking at the pics and off the top of my head I would say marus grind is a mid bounce non cambered sole which easily opens up. the head itself is very compact and yes the specs are a the very light side. The new X-wedge looks more versitile for the better plater, more bounce, more camber, better size face and profile and at D3. I would select the new 06 X-Wedge in a hearbeat.

Those are pure sex. I am a new member here but have been lurking for about a year or so.

I am looking to get some custom 60s done...maybe 2-7 60s, with 8-pw 32s. Dunno if I want to go with a satin with blue fill or a satin black w/ red fill :tsg_smiley_yes:

Maybe an early birthday gift to myself is in order.

What is the turnaround time from order to delivery?

Everything takes 4-6 weeks. No longer and no sooner.

Also I would like to add that a warning has been put out about heads only coming from parts of S.E asia that are defective and were sold on ebay. The problem was 1 of 2 things, head weight too light or face thickness to thin.

Was this head purchased on ebay as head only?

Sorry for the delay guys but I extended testing by 4 full rounds of golf with Tourspecgirl. I just had to give the two top contenders a good testing to come to my conclusions. All 4 sets were solid overall If I wasn't in this business I would have chosen any set on any given day but me being who I am ( one critical SOB ) and fortunate enough to have these clubs in hand I just had to select the one that improved my score, felt the best, looked attractive to my eye, and put my mind at ease.

The G-Field NC-1 was the winner for 3 of 4 testers, well guys that wont cut it because I was not confident with the participants in the first place so i'm gonna play the wild card and trump them to announce the Custom Grind Mizuno Combo's as the winner. Yes its unfair but these guys had no sensitivity when it comes to feel and to be honest had no preference when it comes to shape of the face, top line size and offset. i'm talkin low single digit players with oversized cast irons.

I boiled it down with my own extensive testing, the G-Field NC-1s have had over 25 rounds of play while the custom grind mizunos 5-7 less...

The G-Field NC-1 vs Custom Grind Mizuno Show Down:

The NC-1s are definitely a more forgiving club from long iron to short in comparison to the MP60/32 grind combo. Off center shots went longer straighter with a less harsh vibration. One of the exercises they decided to do as a group was hit one handed iron shots with the 9 iron to test poor impact as well as good. Hands down the NC-1s performed best of all irons tested. I would actually rate the XCB2 more forgiving than the 60/32 combo. I don't look for distance when it comes to irons, I desire accuracy, feel, and setup more than anything so if your a certified yardage freak these observations may not help.

The Custom Grind Mizunos have slightly more offset than the G-Fields, a smaller top line and sole. Like I mentioned before because of the standard forged head shape of the 60 vs 32 the set doesn't appear to be a true matching combo from face angle. The 60s have a more shallow face and pointy toe while the 32s are taller rounder and just overall more attractive in my opinion. From a profile point of view the MP32 short irons are the most beautiful scoring clubs I have EVER seen and this was my biggest determining factor, yes i would have chosen the G-Fields in a second if they were put up against a full set of MP60s but the 32s stole my heart and mind just making approach shots more accurate and rewarding. It may be my personal preference for a more compact short iron but from the tee, grass, rough, sand and dirt they were a dream come true. I have owned retail MP32s and they in terms of soft impact and pure feel they don't even compare, the double nickel brushed satin finish is the key here where I remember the chrome feeling just good not spectacular. The soft feel, pin point accuracy, and MP32 profile from above and face view sealed the deal for me and one of the testing participants.

This entire experience has taught me loads about iron selection for me as a player. I had good and bad days with all four sets in rain and sun at multiple courses, a total of 6 people contributed and gave decent feedback but nothing a TSG'er would be satisfied with. I cant say that what we selected would be the better iron for you but I am comfortable saying I have successfully and extensively tested some of Japans best Irons. 3 of the 4 irons come from the same manufacture can you guess which three? Being made at the same place means nothing, materials and manufacturing differs between companies and specifics are kept secret.

The determining factor for victory " MP32 PW "

Here are my brutally honest suggestions and observations when selecting irons for your own.

- don't believe the Hype! Companies use words like ______ technology, and put a whole mess of fancy descriptions to convince you that what they did is revolutionary in the golf industry. Keep in mind they pay writers to spruce basic concepts into advanced concepts when its all design variables and attributes to those differences. Lets take a look at rac technology in Taylormades Irons they use a two-step process called coin-forging. The first step forms the rough shape of the head while the second creates the intricate details. It is simply about controlling the vibration in a club head. G-Field has the same concept in the NC-1 milling on the back face to dampen vibration except theirs is done with a CNC machine. Try to follow basic and sound design concepts with brands you know put extreme effort into quality and design. Unfortunatly those are usually the most expensive.

- Where is it forged? Its not the OEMS fault you guys get a kick out of comparing foundrys. Fact of the matter is that internet golf forums have been comparing the wrong foundries for years. Its actually quite embarrassing for all of us. Let me give you this example Endo is a manufacturer for Mizuno, Bridgestone, Yamaha, PRGR, S-Yard, Titleist, Callaway, Ben Hogan. 55% of the worlds most famous brands are made by Endo. Now all these guys on the forums are trying to compare apples to oranges or... how about apples to apples? Not really because each brand has different materials, specifications and price points they need to reach and not all clubs forged at the same place feel the same. Throw Miuras foundry in taiwan into this mix and that changes everything you thought you knew about who makes what and why it feels good. Fact is Finish plays the single biggest role on feel with carbon grade being a close second. The higher priced companies use daishin in china while the more economically priced clubs are done usually near or at the foundry.

- Custom Grind makes little difference in Irons! This is my ninth set of custom grind mizuos not to mention I have owned each model in its retail form. They way Irons are designed now days are completely neutral and beneficial to all course conditions, The Oems wouldn't design clubs any other way. Keep in mind irons are designed with specific CG locations in a certain location on each club consistently and in some cases with progression. When you get drastic and start making adjustments that location will not only move the sweet spot it will make you compensate for your swing faults where you should be correcting them.

IMO in terms of spin:

#1 is the GAS1 Forged with 5 illigal CNC deep grooves

#2 is the GAS1-SQBT Milled Face

#3 Crews Milled Series

Any idea how much they would cost shipped to Tennessee?

BTW, shaft is'nt so important.

If i were to guess about 550 shipped. let me know if your interested the expensive part is shipping.

Anybody?????

Email to [email protected]

I have access to used sets, condition is not so hot if your lucky 8/10.

The most popular wedge on the Japan Tour is the 2005 Tourstage X-Wedge 03. Not anymore, with the help of Japans top pro's Tourstage has further enhanced the JPGA's most used short game weapon. Its a 2 wedge set that retails for 63,000 yen in Japan same price as the Maruyama spec's :tsg_smilie_money3:

Not such a bad idea to put the winner up against the AR-1s in my view.

A man's work is a man's work, however I think Tour Spec Girl has just as much fun testing them!!

The AR-1 is a 2005 model, this test is for the latest 2006 OEM gear.

I would however love to have a shootout between Blade Golf, Traditional Golf, and Scratch Golf as battle of the custom club makers!

Custom Grind Mizunos vs G-Field NC-1 coming soon...

CCB Top line:

G-Field NC-1 Top line:

CCB Sole:

NC-1 Sole:

CCB Face:

NC-1 Face:

what's the deal with head only 220s - seems to always be a few popping up here and there. are they legit chris?

I had a few of those and they are legit, You will notice they have a serial number on the back area, I'm not sure what this number is but I'm guessing it either designates it for tour use or means its defective. Really cant say.

Can anyone describe the tradeoffs between the 2 for feel/distance/forgiveness?

They look a lot alike; I've got to think the VIQ are a little bigger with more offset?

Thanks!

I hit both, the VIQ Forged has more offset, a slightly thicker top line and larger bulk near the sole. The XCB2 is much more player and I would say 20% less forgiving yet both are very user friendly, feel is the same as well as distance. If I had a choice it would be the XCB2.

2 years ago on Kauai, Goosen had the Japan TP driving iron head cover on his putter. I have no idea which one he is playing now. For a long time I told you guys this driving iron was the best. I guess it takes a pro to convince you... :tsg_smilie_wink:

I still own the TP 2U yet think the PRGR 220i is a better club.

I usually suggest a heavier swing weight to slow down an aggressive tempo. IMO players with a quick a violent tempo benefit from a heavier weight gaining accuracy and a more consistent result. Players with a smooth tempo usually do pretty well with clubs off the rack, in some cases it can actually increase distance because they can man handle the club a bit more when its light.

I have tried the same club and shaft with different swing weights on many occasions. For my personal swing the result with D0 was much more erratic and inconsistent than what I currently play now which is D3.

Id wait on the DFI, Rumor is Nike Japan is creating a new SQ DFI model or somthing along those lines. As far as performance goes the SQ is nikes top dog, the DFI is good but isnt as long or forgiving IMO. The CG on the SQ is further back as well as the face is longer heel to toe increasing stability for the average and better player.

Honma went bankrupt last year and these two companies bailed them out.

http://www.antfactory.jp/english/index.html

http://www.milestone-tm.co.jp/

They are not giving out any more accounts in Japan, just basically trying to survive and make it to the next product line.

We were lucky to have 4 different participants take part in the Tourstage X-Blade CB2 challenge. This time it was hectic and almost uneventful due to the language barrier. None of these players had any idea what Tourstage was and had no clue Bridgestone even makes golf clubs. I'm not going to waste much time into the itty bitty details of each players shot, i will just say that 3 of 4 testers got along great with these irons. The highest handicap (13) having the most problems, IMO due to ball striking skills.

Distance: 2nd place

Feel: 4th Place

Forgiveness: 2nd place

I am very impressed by the new XCB2, I personally enjoyed everything about these except its feel, it is not the old school Tourstage impact we have grown to love, instead its a more firm forged feel. The setup, and overall ease of use is what I consider its two biggest selling points. The club is just flat out attractive and easy to hit. Mentally because it has a blade like setup it can take some confidence out of you but after you groove into them, they are just as good or better than most other irons on the market. Just as forgiving as the model before it yet with a much more compact profile, based IMO off of the VIQ forged it gets the ball up quite easy and maintains the feel of heavy weight hump or lower COG than it should. The Long Irons were unusually easy to hit. shots hit high on the face feel a bit harsh, but most hit low center, heel, or toe really don't lose much distance and don't vibrate up your arms into your teeth.

Better than the 900MD? IMO yes, It may not feel as pure or have the same level of workability but its forgiveness makes up for it.

I rank this set in 3rd place.

Not sure if they will be seen stateside, but for those interested I still have these in stock. I'm surprised the U.S players are only catching wind of these now, They have been out for almost 2 years and used to be in many bags on the JPGA tour.

TM Japan TP Driving Iron 229.00 + 22.00 Shipping available in NS950, S200, and X100! 16* & 19* Lofts!

the MP32's look mighty fine. A quick question for Chris...can the iron numbers be placed high on the heel instead on the sole? Would like a clean looking sole.

The Iron #, Grain Flow Forged, and Cut Muscle come engraved on the raw head. Everything else can be adjusted.

It really depends on what finish,

For brushed satin I only suggest a company in Japan or China, for Chrome, Black, etc.. U.S.A is fine.

Joe Kwok doesn't do refinishing he sends them out to a plating co in the states. My honest take on this is you need not have them done unless your in love with them or they have sentimental value to you.

It will cost you quite a bit in the end when your just gonna scuff them up again and again with a grin.

I've been playing with a Banzai shaft. Was great a first, but it started going too high (on the verge of balooning) and hooking. Had it in a Halo BTW.

Well I've decided to get a new hybrid and saw good reviews about the GD UT shaft here.

Do they have any tendency to baloon or hook? I've read that they launch high...

My swing speed is 105 with average tempo...

Any help would be great.

Thanks...

At 105 I suggest a tipped S flex, The GD UT Shafts are a charm, I am playing one in my Utility wood at this moment, Nice medium trajectory with a tight dispersion pattern. Feel has a good kick. If you have any specific questions please let us know, there are a good handful of TSG'ers who have tested this shaft and as far as I know enjoyed it.