TourSpecGolfer

Introducing the Ryoma Maxima 2016 Driver - Here are your first in hand photos and review of what is one of the most highly anticipated drivers from a Japanese golf brand this year. Three years in the making Ryoma claims to have made a significant improvement in all around club head performance over the previous version (D1 Maxima) which was released nearly three years ago. If you have tried any of Ryoma Golf's clubs you know, they are not just another club made for the sake of a new release they often bring the player better and tangible results over most other clubs. Starting with the photo above the new 2016 Ryoma Maxima's shape has evolved into what visually looks more symmetrical and balanced, this deep face also has a decent amount of impact area on the heel and toe section for added forgiveness. So after hitting the new Maxima extensively I found it to be much straighter than the D1, somehow Ryoma has managed to keep off-center shots much straighter whereas the previous D1 was considered a bit wild on mis-hits. My personal bad shots are high and low on the face, and these types of misses were no problem when I did hit it on the heel or toe intentionally the face absorbed the harsher vibration well, and the dispersion seemed to have a lot less side spin than the previous version. By the way, I'm hitting the 6S Stiff Flex 63g Standard Ryoma Shaft by Graphite Design. As shown above, the address view is much improved the 2016 Ryoma Maxima no longer has that elongated and awkward shape it looks like a semi players driver now, it's a full 460cc's but looks to hide it's size very well. The paint on the crown and new face design makes the face look more square; I found the Type-D as seen in these photos to look totally square. One of the things many people said about the D1 Maxima was that without a stable shaft the dispersion was a bit wild especially for the aggressive swinger, I used to consider this a hosel depth issue but it was actually just a head characteristic as the D1's hosel depth was no different from most drivers on the market. Good news is with the new 2016 Ryoma Maxima is they have solved this issue and while sharing the standard stiff flex with players who usually hit X they could quickly adapt their tempo to hit some super powerful and long drives without the wayward deflection. So what we have now is not only a much better shaped and looking new Ryoma for 2016 we also have one that fits a wider range of player and keeps just about everyone in the fairway better than the previous version. Distance is the key when it comes to Ryoma clubs, their drivers, fairways, utility woods and heck even their putters are known to produce better range than other brands. The new 2016 Ryoma Maxima is indeed longer as far as I can tell comparing the D1 vs 2016 using their heaviest stock stiff graphite design shafts I was getting the same carry but much more roll like 10yds+ comparing the two the launch angles they are both similar mid/high but the difference was the 2016 Maxima had a more penetrating and less floaty ball flight. What I'm getting all around from the experience of the new driver is it's better for everyone. Spin rates seem to have noticeably lowered but are still won't produce knuckle balls; the new Maxima is very easy to hit high, straight and long. Feel is different but equal, not better or worse than before just a touch less hollow still springy yet firm and I prefer the acoustics of the new version by a bit. Hitting both the D1 vs. the 2016 Ryoma Maxima side by side Type-D 10.5 with stiff flex shafts was a good yet nonscientific way to test the evolution between the two. Ryoma is legit I have not experienced this type of all around the improvement of a club that looked so similar to it's predecessor even in name. I like that they did not give it a new name. What is also very telling is that Ryoma pulled all D1 Maxima stock from Japanese Golf Stores early and had even asked TSG to stop selling the previous conforming model. THIS people is what shows a brands integrity they are not concerned to liquidating their old stock before the new one arrives. Hope my brief review helped, I can confidently suggest this driver to a wide range of players, The Type V in Black for it's heavier head weight and square face angle with stiff stock shaft selection to the Type-G for the smoother slower swinger who want's a lighter club head & spec and finally the standard Type-D which is what I feel most average players will fit into well as it's a good all-around balance of launch, shaft specs, and head weights. TSG can also custom order you head weights; we can offer the new 2016 Maxima weight kit or custom build your Ryoma Maxima to the head weight you want and even request custom hand picked specs for the more discerning player. Type-D (click here) Type-G (click here) Type-V (click here)

SUS303

Yup you can mill the face so the top line is thinner. lots to do with a head like this.

So a factory in Taiwan really wanted to make us samples and sent some over. These guys do some pretty decent work, they make for JDM brands as well. I have a few different designs and couldn't figure out what to do with them. So I figured if anyone here want's to do some GF mods over the value of 750 bucks I will provide the blank no cost. You can get a lot done with $750 if you don't have to pay for the blank. For example: Face Milling Refinish Weights Shaft/Grip/Spec ( possibly even a Teramoto ) Email [email protected] if your serious. Here is the first head I'm offering up, very nice shape and after mods + refinish can easily look top level.

The Shinny's in Smoked Copper.

15 AAA is a great spin reducing, straight shooting and consistent results producing shaft. + 103 just nut it center and you should be a happy camper.

Higher lofted head + lower launching shaft is what I would do. I also go heavier shaft at a shorter length to really kill spin as well. But with ZY's and 7D's it's a big enough reduction in spin I don't have to go that short or heavy.

There is a new MUSO coming out, made by Fujikura instead of Triphas. They make great value shafts when you look at the cost per performance. Will add to proshop shortly.

I tossed my auditor, MOI matching has done nothing for me. Maybe it works for others but for me nothing beats the old school of proper lie/length/swing weight/grip size/loft gaps/proper shaft/head - that's all hard enough to figure out on it's own before tossing another wrench in there.

Good Shaft Cutter Good Vice Swing Weight Digi Scale CPM Machine Many ferrules Polishing compounds Paint for fill Tip Weights Safety Glasses and Face Mask Quick and Slow dry epoxy + Glass Beads Tons of ferules Split grips to dry fit etc.. etc.. good luck!

Nice pics, you clean wedges well!

Hutchy you get too wrapped up in this chill out It's a golf forum for Japanese golf clubs and that's it. More of these rants and you are on vacation, nothing personal but this adds nothing. If people want to poke let them poke, someone can report it to me and I will be the bad guy :) Sorry new forum upgrade asking support how to lock threads down from the member side with this new theme.

Just an FYI guys, these things are awesome! 3W 184ｃc 5W 163cｃ 7W 152cｃ 9W 143ｃｃ 11W 133cｃ

Ok guys Im gonna trim this up... no more thread jacking.

We can get you these in a range of costs, as low as 750 for a base color whith the fancy bamboo with all the extra gold for close to 1800.

The 7D shafts are custom made to the players info, the specific head design and the final build specs so yes any driver can be a match.

I mean the body itself, crown and sole. face can't compress by hand. Yes you do want a body that compresses and expands this is one of the only true non gimmick factors that increases RBI. See those drivers that have the cutaways like TM, Nike, even the ZY-7 well those prevent and restrict the expansion of the head. I think what you can feel safe in is Ryoma as a brand, everything they produce works and is different now is it better for the individuals game that's the million dollar question but all their drivers, fw, ut's, even the putters have not been just another club.

I'm not the best guy to compare DG shafts because I barely play them to have feedback.

Release is June 29th. Japan shops do not have any demos either ( only TSG :) Pre-orders are up the proshop. The prototype that I am reviewing is not a final either, badge in the back will be changed aesthetically. I can say from first impressions that this driver is not as wild as the D-1 Maxima and side by side against the D-1 special tune this new 2016 even in conforming is longer, they seemed to have cured the D-1's wildness in the head design and or the standard shaft, I'm not sure because I'm not allowed to re-shaft it yet. I think I'm set for the year on personal drivers, ZY-7 and 2016 Maxima in rotation what more can we ask for.

There is no ETA on a special tune version or beyond power version. This is a completely new driver, it has a lot of new technology no other driver has. The 130* cup crown is a huge deal, this entirely new material had to be created to achieve this along with the forging method and physical adjustments to the forging press. They were able to keep the MOI while making the head less elongated and put the CG 50% lower than below while reducing spin. When holding this head give the body a firm press, it's the only driver I've been able to compress by hand without hitting a ball. Co. Listed Features: - 3 Years in the Making - Now 10 Yards Longer - New Propritary Titanium Material - New Cup Crown Structure - Increased Flex in Body - 50% lower Center of Gravity - 900rpm less spin than competitors - +3.8mph Average Initial Velocity Gain - New Anti Roll Power Booster

The New 2016 Ryoma Maxima Driver - Back in March we sat down with Mr. Tanihara President and Designer of Ryoma Golf a man who we consider a genius and separate from the traditional golf industry in Japan with a background in medical science and technology. During our meeting he pushed across the table a couple of new prototypes and asked us not to take any photos, what I had in my hands was the next generation 2016 Ryoma Maxima. This club is three years in the making as Mr. Tanihara wanted to see large tangible improvements over his competitor's performance. Everything was re-evaluated and designed completely from the ground up starting with the material and featuring new manufacturing methods. Below is the official press release translated into English: Our companies policy is to only release a new product when there is a performance difference from previous versions. The new 2016 Maxima is the first driver to be released in three years following the D-1 in 2009 and the D-1 MAXIMA in 2013. The New 2016 Maxima driver's greatest features are the world's lowest center of gravity and the high rebound initial velocity. The New "2016 Ryoma MAXIMA" is a complete revision of the original design. It further improves on the company's own patented DSI technology and has achieved the astounding feat of outperforming its famed predecessor by a distance of 10 yards on each shot. Designed using an unprecedented new forging method involving a new technique that utilizes every last gram of head weight to create the best distance driver in golf today. An "under press Cup crown" featuring a bend angle of up to 130 degrees was created, which is impossible for all other titanium alloys. The welding position has been substantially lowered, and extremely high-density 17g tungsten powder was employed in the design of the new "anti-roll power booster". A lowering of the center of gravity corresponding to a score line interval of 5mm per club was implemented while maintaining the deep face shape, which achieved a low center of gravity rate of 50%. Compared to ordinary drivers from other companies, the back spin has been reduced by 900 rpm on average. Also the average initial velocity was improved by 3.8mph as a result of the strengthening of the spring effect extending across the body. Our company has created an unrivaled high-performance club that belongs in a new category of its own. By continuing to create products that perform beyond their price, we strive to remain a producer trusted by golfers.

So you guys are ready for this?

Get a room you thread jackers ;)

These are Kyoei Open Model forgings which are the best you can get in Himeji. Kyoei, Miura and Endo are the only factories that have the precision forging press in Japan, That is the final press where they re-heat the head and do one last stamp. Miura and Endo both learned this from Kyoei and actually Kyoei's heats it hotter than Endo's. FYI Miura is not a foundry and purchase their base forgings from elsewhere, not a knock against them at all, I love MG. Which leads me to a whopper... No one has noticed that Miura now uses different base forgings than they did just a few years ago. I don't even think Miura Global was aware of this.

Crazy says different design for the UT, ive hit all weights and flexes at Crazy for both the irons and UT and the UTs are imo how they should have made the irons, softer with more feel. They dont feel anything like the iron shafts which are boardy and stout, Im building a set of STP 100 SX with a lot less tip trim in a set of PRGR super egg irons, I call this the cheat set. So if anyone is interested in the iron shafts lets work closely on the tip trim and objective to get it right.