shoe295

Retail is Retail regardless of location. Price is always dictated by the market so if you can charge the equivalent of $1300 in Japan while the same item costs $890 in the USA it's because that's what folks will pay. Always remember that the goal is to make money and if your price point is too high you don't sell enough to make any profit; conversely if the price point is too low you sell a lot but leave some dollars (or euros or yen) on the table. Granted that seems obvious but sometimes the obvious is overlooked. As too why the Japanese market will command a premium price I have no clue, but command one it does. I agree with Chris that design is the key ingredient as that directly leads to the performance characteristics of the club. I also know that performance characteristics have very little to do with price point. A Cobra driver does not perform $500 less than a TM R7TP (or does it?) but the price difference is there for the world to see. Does the Cobra cost $500 less to make than the TM product? Do I even need to ask that question? Anybody think that Callaway FT series is $100 better than Cleveland's Launcher? Does it hit the ball $100 better, farther, straighter, more consistantly? Yet look at the price. Each manufacturer has created their own image and prices themselves according to that image regardless of the product they sell. What they are really selling is the image. Quick example then I'll be quiet...For those in the states, Wal-Mart is the discount king but do you think they actually sell every item cheaper than anyone else? Not on your life, very few items actually are significantly cheaper, some are even way more expensive but people buy it from them thinking they are getting a deal because Wal-Mart has the image of selling everything cheaper than anyone. Now if I wanted to play devil's advocate I'd bring the premium one pays for "Tour Clubs" as opposed to retail because they are made differently, but I won't bring that up so just forget I mentioned it.

Guys, we haven't seen the Sun in 14 days! Grey and brown are the colours du jour; yech. I'm thinking I need to go on an extended road trip somewhere like oh I don't know Puerto Rico! Southern Wisconsin must have p*ssed off Mom Nature in a big way to deserve this treatment. Heck I'd even settle for a week of -14* if it brought sunlight with it...*sigh and droop shoulders*...back to the basement to await the football games..

Alan if that makes YOU nervous just think how I feel! I'm not sure I could ever get my fragile psyche to accept 4 months of this kind of weather without winding up with a sawzall in my hand knocking down walls, tearing up stairways, ripping out kitchen cupboards..think golf is an expensive hobby try remodeling your entire house all at once! Come to think of it this argument makes my golf look cheap in comparison heh heh *light bulb appears over head* this line of thinking may have some merit! As for the moderator, Chris asked me the other day, how could I say no? So if you have any ideas on how to make the sight better please share them. ( it's kinda frightening tho isn't it :tsg_smilie_wink: ) In my youth I never needed no grill to smoke things!!! :tsg_smilie_whistle: There's just something about taking dead raw flesh and tossing it over a hot fire that makes me feel so ....must be a testosterone thing ya think? Mike, nice winter crop ya got up in your neck of the woods ya hey der; I have all to much understanding of how that happens and how much time is involved in tending that crop, yes indeed the aroma of smoke and stale beer um um good ... :tsg_smilie_confused:

Notice how far his right knee kicks towards his left on the back swing; not only does he get his shoulders rotated but he gets his hips turned quite a bit also; not as much hip turn as you used to see in the early 70's, think Johnny Miller here, but still looks like quite a bit more than what you see in most of today's "modern" swings. Look at the extension at the top also..no wonder the guy creams the ball!

Feel like I've entered the monsoon..rained all morning, actual thunderstorm and into the afternoon yesterday and got up to like 41*..evidence of global warming?..hah! methinks is some kind of trick of nature to lul me into complacency and suddenly freeze my a** off. I wonder how far north Andy went? if it was far enough he got plenty of snow I believe. I don't think I've seen the sun for about 5 days...starting to get that closed in dark and gloomy feeling..I like to call it feeling "English" which refers to the feeling conveyed in d**kens' and Conan Doyle's descriptions of weather... peace and love...I'm off to brood

Interesting, thanks for the information bump

Agree with this, except if you want tour equipment go for that instead. Too many products, not enough time but my experience has taught me there are no really "bad" clubs, just clubs that don't fit my game sometimes. The key is to enjoy the process; seek knowledge, try stuff, repeat! :tsg_smilie_cool:

That is a very nice looking set of clubs; *shake head and sigh* every year I debate with myself whether I should dump my blades and go with a CB, and this year has begun the same! I could really get used to looking at a set of these, the pitching wedge, in the pic at least, fits my eye nicely.

I like the commercial with Ai, made me chuckle. Now since I don't read nor speak Japanese, I originally thought those are subtitles during Maru's discussing the X Drive but it makes no sense to subtitle something in the same language. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated! thanks in advance and thanks for posting those Chris. Great swings on exhibit.

A safe New Year to all... just reading about the food Andy had going made me hungry. mmmm ribbbbbsssss :tsg_smiley_yes: Andy, enjoy the skiing..and Shakey's May the New Year bring you all nothing but roses whose thorns draw no blood!

I figured that's why you used the Callaway comparison and I have at least an understanding of how these will feel, which would not have been possible with the XXIO/ONOFF comparison. Are the lofts being stronger what gives them the increased length? They look nice, in terms of topline, but I wonder about the sole as it looks a little wide to me.

What a nice quiet Christmas, grilled a turkey for myself and my mom. Mmm mmmm good. Was a nice quiet day. Tomorrow, back to work..but as is OT I do not complain. Listened to the Blackhawks blow a 2-0 lead to Detroit in the last 40 seconds of the game, then lose by giving up a goal in the last second of OT! Never seen that happen in all the years I've followed hockey.

ROFL...

Oh my that hurt... :tsg_smilie_cool:

Ho Ho Ho... who would have thought that one day that simple phrase would have so many different meanings? May you all have a very safe and Merry Christmas. And as long as I'm muttering old phrases, may you all be blessed with that age old dilemma; "so many clubs...so little time". and now it's off to work I go...retail support gets all the good hours :tsg_smiley_no:

Anxious to read the complete review, particularly how the shaft works compared to say the W60 which fits my characteristics quite well. I like the deep face a lot as my most common miss is high on the face. As for TM abuse, I've never really understood it either, except perhaps as a response to personality on another site. I didn't see or hear a lot of negativity when Ping went G2 to G5 in what seemed like 2 weeks time. I'm all for more choices as I really enjoyed being confused and agonizing over what to add to the bag :tsg_smilie_rolleyes: ; especially the part where I think I should have got something else before my first choice even arrives :tsg_smilie_confused: . I have 5 women running my life, ergo I'm always confused!

Agreed, it's an eclectic group from whom I've learned a lot of interesting information. Lot's of fun so welcome and enjoy. By the way, nice putter! I await the center shafted version.

Same to you my friend, I wish you good health for Christmas! And who knows maybe the New Year will bring a West Coast road trip along in it's diaper! :tsg_smilie_rolleyes:

I would like to see the Colts get there, but am not sure they can get by Denver. Doesn't really matter who they, or anyone from the AFC, plays they should kick the NFC sideways and around the block. That being said watch out for the Bears, with that defense and if Rex Grossman can be just an OK quarterback they can give everybody fits.

thanks for sharing that Hipcheck....what a surprise for the guy who picked last.LOL...

Tour Edge Exotics for sure as the 3 wood is amazing; Ping G5; I like the look of the Mizuno MX, although the sole is all I've seen; ah..so many choices so little time. Would really like to try the X Drive 435, and and and and only everything else

Sure, but if I want to buy the new X Drive 435, or a Gauge Design wedge that solution becomes problematic. I think part of the fun is the research and investigative phase, followed by the let's talk myself into buying this and finally anticipation of the arrival of a mystery club. What's really tough is coming to the conclusion that the new arrival just doesn't work for me. I really want everything to work and that's just not the case, hence the accumulation of stuff in the corner.

Nice catch Alcap :tsg_smilie_cool: I knew they looked familiar, of course most everything looks familiar anymore when you've seen so much come and go. I think I may even have some of those Staff Tour blades around here someplace. I should really get those out and hit them so I remember how truly difficult it was to hit golf shots, and the pain and suffering that was involved with a thinned shot!

A second or third job also helps as the paypal account needs replenishing often. It also helps to be willing to resell those purchases that don't work out for you. I have problems with this as my corners are filling up with lots of stuff I no longer use but can't seem to part with. *shake head* *scratch stomach* *reach for coffee cup* But then again the stuff doesn't complain about being there and it is kinda fun to watch it accumulate.

Hip..good luck with the new job! I understand being busy only too well! In fact I've reached the point where I'd like to do nothing for a while. Nice road trips you got planned! That should make winter a lot more tolerable. Thanks for the offer Mike..the winter season hasn't even officially begun and I'm tired of it already.