Backspin9

Strictly as a rough comparison, the i110 Aerotech felt (to me) stiffer than a 5.5 Project X, closer to 5.7 or 5.8 which is why I soft-stepped them. It didn't change the ball flight by any noticeable degree but the shafts felt 100% better. The ideal thing would be to find out what CPM's suit your swing speed and have the set built off of that. I just got lucky that soft-stepping them once worked out perfect.

I have been playing the i110's for years -- S flex soft-stepped once (in Bridgestone J38 DPC) as they do play stiff to flex. I put ProSoft inserts in them as well and this has helped the tendonitis in my left elbow. Even with the inserts there was no loss of feel until I tried Winn Dri Tak grips. Those killed everything so it was back to a standard multi-compound grip. These have been as accurate as anything for me and very consistent for distance. I'm a high ball hitter and get a nice mid-high trajectory from the Aerotech's, but everybody is different. At this point it would be hard to play anything else. It would be nice if more OEM's offered them as an option. To my knowledge Titleist is the only one doing so at the moment.

I'm using Aerotech Steelfiber i110's in my Bridgestone J38 DPC irons -- S flex soft-stepped once. I tried the 95g version with a D3 swing weight but they just didn't feel right. Soft-stepped the 110's and built them to D2 and that was the magic combo. I also use Prosoft Inserts (for elbow tendonitis) and the clubs feel like a hot knife through butter. I put the 125g Aerotech's in my wedges. Steelfibers are expensive but I've found them to be every bit as accurate as anything else with the benefit of absorbing shock without losing feel. These are great shafts.

I recently put some Royal MCT grips on my whole set and they've been impressive. They're similar to a GP Dual Durometer and have a nice semi-tacky feel. For $3.50 a piece they were worth trying and I like them so far. I was using Lamkin Perma-wraps which had a softer feel but they barely lasted a couple of months. Hopefully these will last longer. They make them in a bunch of different colors and I have 3 colors that match my shafts. It sounds silly, but they do look good! Problem is they're hard to find and I've heard they're more popular in the Asian market. Here in the U.S. Golfworks and Ebay are the only places I've seen them.

I'm not sure exactly what the insert is made of. It looks like rubber but I'm sure it's more than that. It feels very soft and is nice for the fast greens I play. I would compare it in feel to the Taylor Made RSI insert or possibly the Odyssey White Hot inserts. I made the appointment for the seesion only a week out. They are open Mon-Fri from 9-5 for fittings. You should book early to make sure you can get in if there's a specific day/time you want. Definately worth a trip.

Here are some pics of the putter:

This season has been one of frustration on the greens. Not putting terribly, but not great either. I live in the Chicago suburbs and decided to go to Bettinardi's Studio B for a fitting and see what they had. After trying out a dozen or so putters I found one that I liked. It fit my eye visually and was giving good results. On to the fitting... What I learned during the fitting process was the most surprising. It was more like a lesson. My misses were generally pushes and we found the reasons why: 1. Incorrect lenght 2. Incorrect lie -- putter was way too far toe up 3. Both of these were causing me to stand too far off the ball 4. Too strong of a right hand grip They cut the putter to length (34") and adjusted the lie so the putter soled flat. Now my eyes were over the ball and it felt like I was on top of it. A little weaker in the right hand so the putter would "release". The results were great. I was making putt after putt from 20 feet. No right miss. Yes! The new setup does feel different and it will take some time to get comfortable but I feel like at least now it's going in the right direction. Studio B sells only tour putters. They also have the Japan tour line (and oddly enough) I picked a Japan-only MC-3 Tour. I love (and play) a lot of JDM clubs so I must gravitate to this stuff. This particular MC-3 is not the typical black finish, though. It has a satin finish with the Bettinardi honeycomb face. It also has a black rubber insert which gives it a terrific soft feel and puts a great roll on the ball. I've searched all the Bettinardi sites and have not seen one like this. I really don't know a lot about Bettinardi's and chose this one based on results and feel. I didn't really care what it was as long as it works. It's going to be a gamer and hopefully a good one. One last comment -- the price. The fitting is $100 but is taken off the price of the putter. The putter itself was $550 and I got to pick the grip (black Iomic) and headcover. Not cheap, but in my ballpark. This should save me from buying more putters (hopefully) and moreover, if it cuts strokes off my game it will be worth every penny.

This will sound like blasphemy.....but I picked up a Ping Karsten center shafted mini-mallet that is face-balanced and works well with my back-and-through stroke. The only problem I had with it was it swing weighted to E1 which is MUCH heavier that I was used to. I put a 30g counter-balance weight in the butt and got it down to D3 and the difference was dramatic. It took the hands out of the stroke and putts hold the line better, plus they're going where I'm aiming. Distance control is also very consistent. I would never have thought counter-balancing would be as effective as it is. I have seen some guys using 50-70g but they say that also deadens the feel somewhat. The 30g weight did not take away from the feel but greatly added to the control. Definately worth a try, and easier than replacing the shaft.

Still using the B-330 since switching from the ProV1 in 2006. No reason to change, really. The ball perfoms really well for me. I've been meaning to try the B-330S but haven't gotten around to it. A friend plays the Precept IQ180 and I was surprised at how well that ball did. Very soft feel and great distance off the driver. Not a huge amount of spin off the irons, but acceptable for a ball that costs $20 a dozen. I may use these this fall when the leaves are on the ground and balls have a habit of finding some strange hiding places.

I use Meguiar's All Metal Polish. Got is at a boat store. It's a paste type of polish and really makes the clubs look nice, at least for a while. It wears off eventually but I love they way they look when they're first done. Just make sure to tape up the grooved part of the faces. After they're polished I spray some jewelry cleaner on them (Windex works, too) and buff them with a soft cloth to get any excess polish off. It takes a few hours to do a set, but it's worth it. Use the Dremel #414 felt polishing wheels. One wheel will last for about 2 irons then it will be black and need to be changed. Good luck!!

This is the 3rd season for my J33 cb's and they still look like new. They get played 4-5 time a week including practice time. I keep them clean and use the covers when riding in a cart to stop the dings. I also don't hit off of mats very often. They get buffed and polished with a good metal polish and a dremel a couple of times year. I have a set of Titleist 704's with Fuji graphites that I use for winter practice when only the mats are available. I hate those things. (the mats, not the irons. LOL) Personally I would not use different irons for practice and play unless they were exactly the same.

I just got 2 nice Tourstage shirts send to me by my nephew who is stationed in Japan. Here is my take on the sizing, FWIW: (These are Toustage brand, not Paradiso) Normally I wear an XL in U.S. size and the fit is a little loose, which I like. Sleeves usually come down 1" to 2" below my elbow which is usually ok, but sometimes they're a tad long. The Tourstage shirts are Japan size LL. They are very high quality and more "form fitted". Not tight, and they are made of a "stretch" kind of fabric. I would say they are maybe 1/2 size smaller than a standard U.S. size XL. Sleeves come down right to the top of the elbow. Now for the woman's point if view: my wife says these fit great on me, not baggy like some of my shirts. At first they felt a little tighter than what I'm used to, but after a day of wearing one it was fine. I am 5'11" and 165 lbs. with broad shoulders and the Japan size LL in Tourstage brand is just about perfect.

I always preferred a more muted sound but have gotten used to the "tink" of the newer drivers. I loved the sound and feel of the J33 460. The new Tourstage drivers, especially the ViQ 460 (2008 model) are kind of loud but not obnoxiously so.

Just look at Bridgestone and Tourstage. While the Bridgestone gear sold in the U.S. is very good quality and priced according to what the U.S. market will pay, it's not (IMO) on the same level as Tourstage, at least for the woods. I doubt an X-Drive in the $700 range would get many buyers because 1) few people have even heard of Tourstage, and 2) fewer still would pay that much for a driver. If only they knew what they were missing....

If the medium Japan size fits you, how does that compare with a medium U.S. size? My nephew is in the Marines and stationed in Japan. He is sending me a couple of Tourstage shirts in Japan size LL and I wear an XL in U.S. size. It's kind of taking a chance, but still cheaper than a trip to Japan (as much as I'd like to go).