gocchin

Very true, I've hit some clubs made in China (yes some Japanese OEM's produce in China too). that feel pretty good. QA is the key as you say. The r7 forged is a good feeling iron too that wasn't made in Japan.

You're right J, they are made in China. I thought they might have been Japan as many Nike clubs are but not the VR's... I guess Nike is saving money by going the China route.

Yes a definite classic. A wonderful small mallet with Premium Zone insert. 350+g head with 535g total weight. Loft 4*, 71* Lie, 3* Open Face. SUS303 body with soft alumite insert. Very good collectors item to have and very awesome feeling. Hang on to it!

Great stuff Jack. I need to check where those VR are made.... sounds though like the 901's are a good fit. (^_^)

Awesome feedback Jack! Great information with all the numbers and tests. The 901 is definitely a looker. I love the way it looks and so far so good for you it seems. Look forward to the course impressions!

I think you're totally right B, with new designs and new materials and technologies blades are definitely easier to hit than ever. What does this mean? Are you going to own both the 901 and AF-Tour?? (^_^)

Totally agree Jack, forgiveness is definitely subjective as is feel. It is definitely being used as only a data point and the complete review is not based on forgiveness. Most of the testers are pro players and reviewing for the sake of the consumer and of course their opinion is not written in stone, it's a very general guide to help buyers make good choices and that includes telling the mid handicapper they can't hit that iron. In most cases the tests measure off center hits and distance loss + ease of use. The review I happened to be looking at compared athlete golfer irons ie the 901, zr-800, zr-30, VR forged Blade, VR cavity back MP-62, X-Blade 701 etc... The 901 had terrific feel and control but was on the higher difficulty scale and that totally makes sense especially when there are larger CB's in the tests. And you're right there are a million factors involved for any iron and any test... but if we're going to knock every review or any feedback for consistency, then magazines, user feedback on this forum or in any medium may as well be called useless since we all swing different, play different setups, different courses etc. But it's not useless because it gives us all a general idea about a product. (^_^)

Both Miura and Epon do not get much press in Japan when it comes to publications and reviews and the thing is they prefer it that way. They have more of an underground following. So the only time I read about feedback on clubs from Epon is on personal blogs and from independent reviewers. The AF-TOUR is too new for any feedback yet. The MB-5003 was glowing with positive reviews from many blogs and indie reviewers. The TS 901 is more mainstream but has also gotten very good reviews but has been knocked for not being so forgiving (yes yes I know most blades aren't so an if a person is looking for forgiveness they shouldn't look at a blade) in other words, for the really really good ball striker. Strongest points touted in reviews for the 901 are soft feel and control. The AF-Tour may lack some high tech feature like tungsten or infused titanium, but that doesn't mean it won't feel good or perform well. Epon's careful research and design goes into this head plus its premium forging process which definitely makes it worth a try. (^_^) PS. I'm kidding about the combo set, and as idrive said the lofts would be way off with the AF-701 and they are just far too different... but hey if Spoon will do it... maybe in my dreams. (^_^)

I always watch his reviews especially for the sound. I do understand what he's saying too but watching his smooth swing and the type of sound (especially drivers) at impact really says alot about the drivers. He will hit the Tourstage very soon.

For sure I can't play them but they look so good and if they feel as good as they should I'm tempted to make a combo set with my AF-701!

No problem Jack, I should probably get a few more of his videos up. He should be doing the Inpres X video soon.

For that bag model, there is only one color left in stock, Red. All the others are sold out. It's crazy even here in Japan for the DWD stuff... it's as if they have a cult following. I get notification from them about new products and half are like sold out within days. Nuts.

Updated pics of prototype 1:

I try to play all my clubs these days or not keep them as I am financially limited after purchasing a house in Japan. (^_^) As for the glove as I mentioned in the other thread that the Gold's glove uses Double AA grade leather usually only reserved for tour pros while most retail gloves are B grade. Double AA is softer and thinner yet more durable.

The weather is still great here in Japan.... a warm 20C today. I was happy cause some goodies showed up from Sasaya-san. I asked him to refinish my Stage 5 wedge. He grinded the knicks and scratches as well as flattened the face and re-engraved the score lines (sharp!!). Then refinished in a gun blue and redid the paint fill. Very nice as the previous finish (also gun blue) had worn off and was showing signs of rust (before and after below). Also had Sasaya make me a bag tag... got jealous of idrive's and have seen quite a few people ordering them. My bag tag matches my Gold's hearts proto putter Black, White and Red theme! Sasaya also sent me the new Favorite with G glove (you can see it along with my Gold's Factory Warabe putter cover). Softest glove I have ever felt and does in fact fit like a second skin. The grip/traction is tremendous and I'm curious to see how it will hold up during use/wear and tear. Nice detail and workmanship though of course not made at Gold's Factory unless Sasaya-san has become a master at stitching as well. Always fun to get new stuff so thought I'd share my excitement. (^_^)

Yeah I tried the new GR-C1 the other day. Logo aside it is a very good looking iron. The undercut is gone and the iron itself has very clean lines. It has a narrower sole than the previous GR and does appear smaller. The feel is also more solid because of the lack of an undercut, yes the feel is more like the ViQ Forged but smaller head, less offset, thinner topline and thinner sole. If you find you've outgrown the ViQ Forged the GR C-1 is the logical next step. Especially if you're looking at more control and playability.

You're talking about the GDO Video reviews on Inpakuto right? Kanatani Ichiro is one of the most respected pros in Japan. As an amateur he was the captain of the Nippon University golf team, one of the most prestigious universities in Japan and in the golfing arena. He went on to be a pro in 1984 and had one victory on the JPGA the Citicorp International Open in Ikaho. He retired from the pro tour early as he found he had a knack for doing media and publications . He is a commentator on most JPGA televised events and reknowned teacher to pros and amateurs. He's featured in all the major Japanese golf publications and TV Shows either giving golf tips or reviewing golf equipment.

Well you could always put those TS clubs plus one of your Gold's putters in a hot DWD bag. (^_^)

Good for you J. Those are all beauties. You should consider the two new pro model bags from TS. Both are very stylish and premium bags.

Today besides demoing the Legacy Forged iron I had a chance to check out Tourstage's new X-Blades, including the 901, 701, 701G and GR C-1. I had seen and tried the 901 before and as I mentioned they are very compact. To my surprise, the 701 and 701G were nearly as small. Perhaps only a tad larger topline, a touch more offset but head size was very close. They are really beautiful irons, all of them, even the GR save the GR logo. I was expecting the 701G to be bigger but they were very close to the 701 except with the undercut cavity. The GR C-1 irons actually had very clean lines. They appeared smaller than the previous generation GR irons probably due to the lack of an undercut. All the forgings are great. Wonderful feel for all of them but definitely aimed at the lower handicapper. I also spent some time in the chipping area and bunker area with the all the new X-Wedges. The 101HB has an ackward head shape with it's semi goose neck and larger overall head, it's definitely aimed at those who are not as confident with their wedges. The 901 and 101LB are compact and spin like mad. Very nice feel and grinds on both. Lots of people were lining up to try so I didn't get much time with them, I hit them side by side with the new MT-28 V4 which were a tad bigger. Seemed like the Tourstage spun more.

I spent some time hitting the Legacy Forged today. (indoors off a mat unfortunately but better than nothing). First impression, it's much better looking in person than in pictures. The finish is like a brushed steel almost like the Ping Rapture. The face area is not that big, smaller than my gamers the Epon AF-701 and about the same sole width. Perhaps a touch less offset and a touch thicker topline. Definitely gives confidence at setup. I hit the Legacy with the 50i graphite. I was very pleasantly surprised. As easy to hit as the AF-701 and very good feeling. Solid but pretty soft and not much click even with the undercut cavity, probably due to the Vibration Absorption Rubber in the back cavity which in fact works. Off center hits did not feel harsh at all (the graphite probably helped). I've never had a Callaway Iron I could play, the X-20's were too big/bulky and the X-Forged too hard to play. But the Legacy has changed my mind. It's going to be a good one, high tech, nice feel, good forgiveness.

Here are some comparison pics of the V Forged (top) vs V Forged Tour. You can see the less offset, thinner topline and sharper toe of the Tour Model.

Well put G, with manufacturers limited by R&A/SLE rules they can only turn to technology and design (and of course better shafts). Tourstage has definitely moved away from the deeper face as BigBen said, everyone could use some forgiveness. Add in all the tech and top notch materials and you have a wonderful feeling and performing driver. I see you've been reading all the product descriptions I write for all the stuff in the pro shop. Glad to see. (^_^)

It's a nice shaft and very popular here in Japan but it's not made for the hard or aggressive swinger. Will launch higher than any of the boards and has very good feel. I liked it but only tested it briefly as I prefer lighter weight shafts. Very smooth and works best with the smooth swinger. For this year in Japan the best selling Diamana's were a close call between the White and ali'islei with maybe the ali'islei moving more because it was a choice upgrade for OEM's.

You're exactly right B, more and more players on the Japanese tour are going with higher lofts, shallower faces, more MOI. Even the trend is changing in irons with less playing blades and more playing forgiving CB's.