Blader-X

I use mainly a TourStage X-UT which I feel is the best hybrid ever made. Trajectory is on a line and its great off the tee, from the fairway and even out of bunkers. TourStage has a newer model now, but I still feel the model I use which is a little boxy, is the best yet. I also recently picked up the Miura IC-6001. I had Goodsie shaft it up with a Black KBS shaft as well as bend it down a few degrees and this thing is a total rocket launcher off the tee. In fact, you might enjoy this same set up from your previous description of how well you like to hit an iron off the tee. I don't really have room in the bag for this club but I keep in there to have fun with it. And let me tell you, its really a lot of fun. Good luck in your search. If I get some time, I'll try to snap a few shots of both to show you.

I have always liked the way the Mitsubishi's look. Just wish they had more feel than they do. Really looking foward to seeing some reviews on this shaft when it comes out.

The P9003x is by far, my shaft of choice. I haven't experienced a shaft to date which gives me the trajectory I'm looking far that this shaft does. I like low to medium flight that just bores through the air. Combine that with really great feel and not to mention a killer color (cherry red) and I don't really need anything more. Now having said all that its not the longest shaft out there. I find as I'm getting a little older I don't quite hit as far as I used too. When I'm really on this shaft gives me right around 285 yds but when my swing isn't quite as fast, I average right around 250. I would definitely say that if your swing speed isn't at least 110 mph then go with 9003 in stiff. Even though I'm not as long as maybe I used to be this shaft still performs very well and the dispersion pattern is very small and that's probably the reason why I love it the most. One of these days I'll have to drop down to a lesser stiff shaft but until then, I'll keep bagging this club. Even then I think before I'd change the shaft I would probably go with a 10.5 degree head, which, I'm actually thinking about doing later this year if Epon comes out with a newer driver design. Also, just for clarification purposes the P9003 only comes in an x-stiff. The 9003 comes in stiff and x-stiff and is basically the same shaft I believe only made for slower swing speeds. IMO the 9003 series is the best shaft GD has ever come out with, but then again, its only my opinion.

I absolutely love to play in the rain. I know, I’m a fool, but I’ve shot many a good round in the rain. You have to really work to keep your hands and grips dry. Its very draining mentally and physically, but its a really good way to see just how good you are. Any errors in ball-striking are magnified immensely with both mud in your face and severe loss of distance. I love the rain. In fact while in Japan golfing with family on a course in Chiba shot one of my best rounds in rain which lasted throughout the round, but it was a wonderful day even with the rain.

Yep, that shaft kicks some major tail!! I'm back to swinging very well after a rough last month. It wasn't the shaft, it was my setup position and having too much weight on my left side at address. This tends to happen to me from time to time due to lingering effects of my two ACL surgeries from long ago. Anyways, the 9003, I just can't say enough about. Very, very accurate shaft.

Great reviews and great input from everyone. However, all my love goes to the 901's. Maybe its because I've shafted them with KBS and had them made to my specs, or maybe its the magic provided by Goodsie, but I've never hit a better, more balanced iron. Again its a personal thing, but I'll keep my 901's for quite some time.

Do these wedges conform to the new rules about grooves soon to be implemented?

These are a steal for that price. They really are great wedges. Perfect grind IMO.

Couldn't agree more. Any head will work since as Chris says the technology is about maxed out now. Find a head you like but definitely make sure you find a shaft that works for you and works well. Would be a shame to have a nice JDM head with a shaft that doesn't work and then you end blaming the club for poor performance. That being said, my favorite still remains the Epon. While the majority of the bag is TourStage, I still very much like the Epon for driver.

Couldn't agree with Chris here more. Just to clarify my comments above, I'm talking starting position only. At impact, hands are ahead on every shot.

Bman, very interested to hear how it goes as well. This shafts got my interest. I'm thinking of maybe replacing the UT95 with the SF9 in my utility and possibly even trying out the SF8 in the 3 wood which would supplant my favorite P9003x. While there is no better shaft IMO for my driver than the P9003x, I would definitely like to see how this new line does in the FW since its specifically made for them.

Hey T, I couldn't agree with you more in regards to the P9003.

Having just responded to your hand question in a previous post and now seeing this post, I would offer up my take on what's going wrong with your wedges. Hand position. Now mind you, I'm not able to see what you're doing but my guess is that you're starting with you hands too far foward. From this position once you swing back and start on the downswing, you will never hit the ball because your hands have started too far out in front in the first place. Your body knows this and now must compensate. The compensation is that you're probably also dropping down with your upper body so you can hit the ball. So two things will happen. If you drop down too soon, you'll hit behind the ball (fat) and since your hands already started too far foward, when you start coming through, they become foward even more and this opens the club face. Its virtually impossible to square up the face at this point. In terms of the shank-like shot, you're doing the same thing. Only difference is that the move down is more in sync, but because the hands are already too far ahead, you make compensations with the hands to square the club face and in essence by doing that you come across the line using the hands. And from this point its hosel-city sweetheart! I know what I speak of as I went through this very same ordeal years ago. The cause was that on those wedge shots I always had my hands way too far foward. The fix? Start with those hands in the mid-line of your body just as you would with any other club. Take your backswing and cock the wrists. Now, coming down just focus on using the shoulders to turn and try as you might not to release the club. What you want to feel is that because you're not releasing the club, you're going to miss the ball completely. This is how it "feels" in the beginning. Stick with it as it will take some good solid range sessions to get through. I would also suggest that when you start this, start with feet together, ball right on line between the feet, hands at the midline and start with small, smooth swings. Try to feel it first. Now I say smooth swings, not "slow" swings. The swings will be slow, but I don't like that term because to me, it gives one the sense of decelerating and that will kill any swing in golf. Think "smooth." One other thought. With the wedges, I really believe that many people are guilty of trying to set the club too soon. Think of your wedge when your messing around on the range as a driver. Swing it back low and smooth and take your time in setting the wrists. After you get the hang of it, especially the backswing part, you can begin to re-introduce a more aggressive down swing in the turn. Allow you hands then to release naturally by not even thinking about a release. I do hope this helps you. I'm sure there may be some differing opinions out there but I truly believe in what I've written above as I'm writing to you from experience. Good luck. B

We're talking full shots here, right? My hands never waver from their starting point no matter the club. The only thing which will change is ball position and that depends upon what club I'm using. Its my belief this is absolutely fundamental to a sound swing. Changing hand position only encourages inconsistency. For me, my hands are pretty much in my midline of the body. To have them too far back encourages a hook or fat shot; too far foward will give you a slice or thin shot. Take it from me, don't mess around with your hand position. My ball striking has never, and I repeat never been better than it is currently. And I attribute that greatly to my starting position in the swing. You know, you may mess around with hand position somewhat in the short game but even then, I found its best to keep that to minimum. Would love to hear others' takes.

Has anyone had any experience with this shaft as of yet? Hey T, might you know from your sources how this shaft would compare to the P9003x?

All my equip comes from TSG, naturally. However, I only see the newer, updated version available. http://www.tourspecgolf.com/proshop/p2160/...oduct_info.html Mine is the earlier version. I'm sure someone on this website might have one for sell or even try getting a hold of Gocchin or TourSpecGolfer.

I've gone back and forth from no hybrids, to carrying three and right now, I've got perfection. (For my game that is). I'm back to carrying 3-PW, two wedges, driver, 3 wood and . . . one hybrid. That hybrid is the best I've ever hit. The TourStage X-UT. Mine isn't the new one but the previous model. Low piercing trajectory and can hit from off the tee, off the fairway, in the rough and even the bunker. It really does it all. Full shots, half shots. Not to mention it looks great doing it all as well. My old, old favorites were the Sonartec TRC line. I think the best thing about it, is the trajectory. High enough to be effective but it doesn't balloon; ever. It just seems to be on a rope. Its the club I go to when I really, really need to pull off a shot. If you're looking for a shaft for one of these, the Graphite Design UT is the best I've seen or hit. Go with the 95 gram as well as X-stiff. That's my take Mjr. D. Good luck.

A little off topic, but a little related as well: Nice to have Shingo doing well and sporting Dance with Dragons and On/Off gear as well. Great pub for JDM. Hope he continues to do well today. In fact, with Tiger out, hope Shingo does REAL WELL. Like, maybe . . . become the first Japan-born Masters champion, perhaps?

Yes the TourStage 101 wedges are cast per their website. Haven't been able to find whether the 901 wedges are cast as well but I'm assuming they are. However they are very solid. I do believe them to be cast which is we they don't quite feel as nice as the irons, but really, were talking about splitting hairs here. Solid clubs.

I really think this year, TourStage has some very special clubs. The 901 irons are a forged head with a titanium insert. Not really a new concept as they did this before with their X-blades in 2005; only then it was just in the 5,4 and 3 irons. This year they did it with all the clubs in the 901's and I really believe its one reason why they've got such great feel.

Yes, I'm playing them. I've had in both in the bag since December. Goodsie tuned them up for me with the KBS black-nickel shafts 6.5, one-inch over, 2 degrees flat and swingweights of E1 and E2. Both the 53 and 59 replaced my previous Epon X-wedges in 50, 55 and 60. I'll review now and compare a little with the Epons. For a fair comparison, please note that my Epons were also one inch over standard with 3 degrees of flatness and swingweights of E2, E2 and E4. The Epon X-wedges are shafted with True Temper Black Gold Stiff. Looks: The color on this wedge is very pleasing to look at. After having played the Epon wedges in copper and these in this color, I don't think I can go back to chrome wedges. Even though my irons are chrome, for some reason wedges that have an off-color really appeal to me eye. Although they look much smaller than the Epons, these 901's are only slightly smaller when you really look close. The TourStage have more rounded corners giving that "smaller appearance." The 901's do have a longer neck than the Epons. Also, the leading edge of the 901's is blunted whereas on the Epons, it is much sharper. The grind on the 901's include a good amount of heel relief as well. More so than the Epons. I do like the graphics on the back of this wedge. Some may not, but for me, it looks pretty cool. Overall, the look of this wedge does give me confidence. Feel: The Epon copper wedges I played have very, very soft feel. The feel of the 901's are slightly harder than those but nothing in the feel of them has bothered me. I did hit them with S200's they came with, but since switching them out with the KBS, I've found I do really like this wedge a whole lot. At the same time I bought these wedges, I also went with new irons, the X-Blade 901's by TourStage as well. The 901 wedges do not feel as good as the 901 irons but I suspect that may be due to the insert placed inside the forged head of the irons. Now, mind you though, while the feel is not as good as the irons, its still very high when compared to other wedges. I've found nothing that I've ever hit has matched the feel I get from the 901 irons. As perfect as perfect can be. Playability: While I know this wedge is pretty to look at and a collector's item as well, clubs that I buy are typically put into use and these wedges are no exception. Up until the 901's, my old Epons were the best wedges I had used for my game. However, these 901's have since replaced that notion. I've found them to be actually suited to my game a little better. Trajectory is lower than the Epons with just the right amount of spin. Mind you, the trajectory is also dependent upon the KBS as well. The 59 gets the most amount of use, but I find both clubs can be used for any shot I want. Back a few years ago, I had went from a 52/58 setup to the 50/55/60 and found improvement in my wedge play. However, in doing that I had to eliminate a longer club. Now, with the 901's in 53/59, I'm back to a two-wedge set up and these two wedges give me any shot I want or need. I just think that speaks the the versatility of 901s. Overall, I really couldn't be much happier with these wedges. I've played them since December so I'm pretty much over the honeymoon stage. In fact when I first got them, I wasn't so sure if they would take over the Epons. I really, really loved my Epon setup and had written numerous times on this site about them. But over the last few months, I've come to really appreciate the 901's. I'm as confident in them as any club in the bag right now. The only drawback is that I don't play as often as I would like. If I could improve on anything in these it would be to have the feel of these match exactly what I'm getting from the 901 irons. The feel in the 901 irons is extraordinary and words cannot accurately describe to you just how unbelievably great they are. The 901 wedges are a very solid product and TourStage has done very well with their latest offerings. I haven't hit any of the other wedge products from TourStage so I cannot offer any comparisons but the 901 X-wedges get high praise from this golfer.

Great review Chris, by the way, do you have good pics of this model in the black version?

Hey Mjr D, My thoughts go to the KBS. Currently playing those in the new TourStage 901 X-blades and they are by far the best iron shafts I've hit to date. Not only are they the most balanced shafts to date, but so pure, so strong and the least dispersion. I don't get to play as much anymore as I used to, but when I do, those clubs are money. Its kind of scary to think if I did play again like I used to just how good things might be. In terms of low trajectory, that can be accomplished by how stiff a setting your club builder makes not to mention, how you go about hitting them. In terms of a club builder, I can't recommend the services of "Goodsie" enough. He built my current set up and the combination of his skills, TourStage's forging and the KBS shafts and its like the heaven's signing every time I pull a club. I really now know what's its like to have a club that won't let you down. If I hit a bad shot, its ME hitting the bad shot and nothing that was the club's fault. That wasn't always the case as I've found out from this set up. Good luck with what ever you choose, but KBS is something special in this man's opinion.

Xchangemanx those are beautiful and thanks for the pics. Knowing Epon quality, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Idrive, how do these Epon blades compare to the TourStage 901's?

Changed it up this year from last. PW 47 (TourStage 901 X-blade) AW 53 (TourStage 901 X-wedge) LW 59 (TourStage 901 X-wedge) All three have the KBS Black-nickel wedge shafts. Last year was the Epon X-wedges in 50/55/60 w/ no PW. Current set-up seems to be working out just fine w/out having to make any major adjustments. I find wedge play to incorporate a larger amount of feel than in standard iron play.