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Ogura (lastname) Yuko (firstname), or affectionately know to her millions of fans in Japan as Yukorin, took up golf to prove that even a super idol and entertainment talent with a packed 7 day a week, nearly 365 day a year schedule to show that with the proper coaching and training she could break 100 in her first year of playing golf. Yukorin is 23 year old who has long been one of my favorite idols. I just the other day made a post on my blog Inpakuto.com that I had received her 2008 calendar for my home office. My wife knowing that I'm a big fan of hers found out that there would be a magazine published featuring her training and all the key lessons she used to break 100 in under a year. She ordered it for me and it arrived today! Along the way Taylormade Japan and Adidas who are well aware of her popularity picked up the tab for gear and clothing for a year, and smartly so. First we'll start with pictures of Yukorin in her regular day job as number one Photo book seller and visual DVD queen of Japan. Her pure and cute looks have slayed many fools like myself into collecting her stuff. Kawaiiness at it's best... (kawaii is cute in Japanese). Now on to business... the golf. Being a TM girl, Yukorin gets to wear all Adidas and sport the ladies line of TM golf clubs. She actually started these lessons last year so the new Ladies Burner clubs hadn't come out yet. Driver: Ladies R7 New XR 14* 420cc driver with REAX 30XR shaft at C2 FW's: 3, 5, 7, 9 R7 New XR Steel Fairways with REAX 30XR shafts at C0 Utilities: #5 and #6 R7 Draw Ladies Rescue with REAX 45 Lite at C2 Irons: R7 Draw Ladies 7-SW with REAX 45 Lite at C2 Putter: TM Rossa Fontana RSi She began lessons late last year with a dedicated coach at K's Island Golf Academy in trendy and hip Shibuya. The magazine pretty much demonstrates drills and tips that helped Yukorin break 100. I scanned a few of the pics for your enjoyment. Didn't bother with most of the lessons but can do that too. (^_^)

If you have no problems hitting the MP400 in the woods then you can handle a flexible lightweight regular shaft as that's what XXIO's are. I say go for the Mach Line 501's. They will be a similar weight to the Beres which you already use. You will probably be very happy with Type X and Mach Line. (^_^)

The Fourteen has the thinner topline and slightly smaller profile. (^_^)

He doesn't specifically mention the material on his blog but he does briefly mention the "backing" as being sus303. I will have to verify with him.

I don't know of an official one yet, but there may be soon.

The EMB driver has been delayed a couple of months until December as Epon has figured out a way to squeeze 5 or so more yards out of it. They want to release the best high MOI driver ever so are making sure things are right.

The lofts are 5.5* on the 1 and 6* on the 2, honestly from the standard specs I have not seem too many people who order the putters change them, they are more worried about how their putter looks! So yeah seems like the specs are good for most people. Gold's putters are not far off from most other J-Spec putter brand specs.

This is exciting! The birth of the new TSG workshop happening right before our eyes! (^_^)

Hi BNIERENBERG, Do you prefer a shallow or deep face, compact or bigger head FW at address? Are you a good ball striker with FW's? Some more info would help me give some recommendations to suit your preferences... (^_^)

Hi Bela, I think you'd be okay with the graphite, but maybe 601's. Are those the stock MP400 shafts in the XXIO woods? Looking at your current make up, I'm guessing the Beres are B49 shafts? If so those are pretty close to the 501's in weight so you may be okay with those too. If the seller is an authorized Epon dealer he should have no problems getting 501 601 or 701 from Epon. If it's your chance to get mach line graphite with the irons, like you said I'd go for it. NS Pro 850 is more common and easy to get, and you have had experience with both steel and graphite so it seems like you feel pretty comfortable with graphite. (^_^)

Great feedback BigBen, it's the same reasons I love graphite in irons. Great performance and unbeatable feel. My irons are so smooth. I will not go back to steel... especially now with all the quality graphite out there...

That's just the club building area... he will have the rest of his castle to store clubs (^_^)

Awesome video on Golf Digest Online profiling Miyagi and MTI last year.... pros love the wedge and see him in action making them and working closely with pros (he personally goes out and fine tunes every wedge for every pro).... Videos seem to work best in IE (videos start with commercials). Part 1: http://www.golfdigest.co.jp/golftv/documen...i/060822_01.asp Part 2: http://www.golfdigest.co.jp/golftv/documen...i/060822_02.asp Part 3: http://www.golfdigest.co.jp/golftv/documen...i/060822_03.asp

This is exactly true, the only way shaft companies can drop weight in their shafts and get lighter is to use thinner plys and graphite which in effect softens the flex.

Gonna be awesome man! Home made TSG! (^_^)

Hehe Chris your pics make them look better than all the others I've seen (^_^)

I knew you'd chime in so I left that for you to say. (^_^)

See Bela, here's another hardcore JDM man right here who has used Graphite in his irons at one time or another. (^_^)

Hi Bela, Yeah that is one problem with Mach Line, they do not list the flex in the graphics but instead put it on the butt end if I remember correctly with a sticker or something. Problem is that's under the grip!! You can always test and guess the flex or if you have access to a clubfitter check the cpm's. Mach Line should definitely correct this (^_^).

More and more of us are indeed using graphite in our irons... there are several on this forum who are (including myself). The Mach Line iron shafts are on par with the Axiv and Graphite Design shafts, quality and performance wise. In other words, like Axiv and GD, they provide feel and performance coupled with the dispersion of steel. Mach Line did not heavily promote their Graphite shafts, which is why many people may have not even noticed that they were around. As a matter of a fact Epon is banking on the AF-701 as being the perfect match with Mach Line graphite shafts. So much that the standard tip size for the AF-701 is for graphite 0.370 parallel as opposed to the 301 and 501 which are taper. The Mach Line offering focus on light weight and mostly low kick points (except for some of the shorter irons which are mid) until you get to the 701 models which are mid in the long irons progresing to high kick points in the shorter irons. Flex ratings are very similar to Axiv, slightly higher torque. I like really lightweight shafts so I tried the 501's. Very smooth, nice feel and at that weight and flex ® you can feel the kick, and just as good as Axiv and GD. I think I will get a set as they are also very reasonably priced compared to Axiv and Roddio.

The difference between the 1 and 2 is head shape including the cavity. This is a private stock #2 with flat bumpers and sharper/pointier heel: This is a private stock #1 with rounded bumpers and more rounded overall appearance: There are many types of blinkers but they are all used for alignment purposes... they create almost a new mallet style putter. Here is one of many blinker putters from Gold's: The slit line is a sound slot that separates the face from the back of the putter like this: Hope this helps. Please ask if you need to know more.... (^_^)

Yeah I do wipe down after every shot... but the moisture in the air today was unbelievable... thanks again for everyone's concern and advice... (^_^)

One of the most forgiving sets of irons in Japan. Been among the best sellers all year. Packed with technology to help the improving golfer.

While I'm playing I don't use the headcovers on the wedges, only on the way to the course... I don't use them on the way home either for exactly the reason you mentioned. They started surface rusting like that while they were in the bag and I was still playing... it was just so moist everywhere today...

That's a very good point, it's true the lighter weight Nippons are indeed softer. I'm also in that swing range and I tested the 750GH wraptech and was using Stiff as the R was super soft.