gocchin

The ZR-700 is in play by a few JPGA pros already....

As most of you know, most Japanese ride carts when golfing (which is one of the reason why lightweight carry bags are not common). There have been some high tech carts in Japan including 4 person, air conditioned, refrigerated, etc. Now individual carts, which may actually speed up play as each player can ride over to his or her own ball immediately. They include speed readings as well as how much power remains and a balance indicator so that the cart won't start moving until everything, rider included is balanced and stable... not sure about the helmets though... (^_^) These Segway carts are actually available worldwide but of course the Japanese have to roll them out for actual full scale use cause they are high tech. (^_^)

So in my weekly search for new clubs to try. I was looking at the PRGR R35 "Chipper" wedge in the Pro Shop here: http://www.tourspecgolf.com/proshop/p780/P...oduct_info.html It's pretty much a 35 degree wedge built and weighted like a 34" putter at 547g. The concept is simple. You play it like a putter from anywhere around the outside edges of the green. It allows you to use your putting stroke for extra accuracy and create a low 25% carry 75% roll shot right at the pin. I decided to get one to try it out as reviews in Japan say, if any club saves you strokes, this is it. I brought it out to the driving range and hit the practice greens so I could try the club from all different lies and distances. PRGR says it's optimal within a 5 yard zone outside the green. This club is going in the bag. If you are a good putter this is the club for you. From 10 to 15 yards from the hole. This thing was deadly. After getting an understanding of how much much I needed to swing the R35 to get it going a certain distance I actually put a few right in the hole. It worked from rough, fairway, fringe, even sand (as long as the bunker was not deep. The key, control! Even shots that didn't go into the hole often ended up 1 or 2 feet from the hole. This club is a winner... it is impossible to fluff or over hit because of it's heavy controlled weight. Luckily I had a space for it in the bag. (^_^)

Srixon is not offering any upgrade shafts... yet. But any driver can be upgraded to a Roddio by TSG. (^_^)

Honestly, I'd recommend you get any of the other Gauge wedges, like GASI, GAS SBQT or GASII or even the GFT's. Those are amazing wedges and better developed than the older Type A and B. Or better yet buy Epon or Yuriri and you will never worry about another wedge... (^_^).

Most of the Gauge Wedges use the Caliper logo. The Satin finish and dark hitting area were used for the G-Field GFT wedges but also for the Gauge Type A and Type B wedges. The difference between the A and B were the shape of the head.... apparently the A was a Japanese style shape while the B was more of an American Tear Drop type. Type A: Type B: Face: I'm guessing it is forged. There are some new ones for sale in Japan for around $60-70

Thanks for pointing that out. I've corrected it to all the lofts available.

I'm pretty sure they were all forged except for the CCB-1's which are cast. I do not have much experience of feedback on the MB2's and 3's but the NC-1 was supposedly very forgiving. The Studio Handmades were the only ones hand made I think.

Turn around should be quick as long as Chris has your shaft in stock and not counting shipping to and from TSG.

Haha do you really want to know??? Based solely on distance, the Nike Sasquatch (test was performed before the Sumo came out). Third was the New ViQ. All drivers were tested by different scratcg players with different swing speeds including ladies and then their best 10 drives for each driver and each player were counted and averaged.

Haha do you really want to know??? Based solely on distance, the Nike Sasquatch (test was performed before the Sumo came out).

I have no plans to switch to the Roddio at the moment. I'm very happy with the Axiv's and he Roddio's don't have a model in a weight that I would like. I wish I actually had the 558 Axiv shafts instead of these 758's... I like light. I only play the Tour AD in my wedges...

Good call xxio, I think that is what it may have developed into because I'm not familiar with any Tourstage driver that looked like that.

You're also going to have to maybe consider two different feeling clubs as the MP-57's are back to Mizuno's Grain Flow forged are they not? While JPX E500 are advanced one piece forgings by Endo. I'd guess that the E500's would be more forgiving and easier to hit. Until I actually see the MP-57's side by side with another iron, it will be hard to get a perspective on dimensions...

I'm still using my TourStage Stand bag. Not the lightest bag but pvc synthetic leather like material is very durable and after a year it still looks like new. It's like a mini tour bag. Attention to detail is great too with Tourstage zippers and rivets. It's got big pockets, shoe compartment and insulated bottle holders, a couple of velvet lined personal goods pockets and is pretty good looking. Don't mind the clubs in there, that was taken back in February. Tourstage always makes pretty good bags.

By the way Ajay, why are you looking? The X-Drive and Epon are close to the best you can get. I don't know if the Craft 425 will be as long as either but it is as much an Athlete's model as the X-Drive if not more. It has been called a workable players driver, I think it may only be average in distance.

I will let you know in a bit, there are a few but I have to dig out their names. Roddio's presence on the Japanese tour is relatively new and growing. It's difficult for any brand to crack Graphite Design Tour AD's stranglehold on the J Tours... Also there are some conflict issues playing Roddio meaning that most brands like GD, Diamana, Fujikura, are predominately shaft companies only, Roddio is part of the Daiwa group which includes ONOFF so playing Roddio would be difficult for some of the larger named pros due to equipment contract conflicts unfortunately...

Here is my former M402 which now belongs to another member here....

The MP Craft 425 and Srixon ZR-600 were considered "Athlete" models in Japan for the lower handicapper and good ball striker. In most reviews that I've read, pro reviewers have pointed out the Craft as for good ball strikers. The ZR-600 has been a consistent favorite of all Srixon Japan pros. Almost every single one still carries it for it's hot face and high ball speeds. Came second in the 2007 D1 (distance) Driver Shootout out of like 48 models.

Of course almost every single one has been in TSG's possession and has been posted on TSG by Chris. Did you go through the TSG gallery? You can see all the Gauge putters in there including Tera and Tubu plus many of the ones on the Golf Rescue site.

I didn't like the regular zomo's so much. I might think differently for Maru's proto or pro model. My personal favs are the Premium Zone M2+, Tera, Tubu, Leap M and Gold's 402 Proto. Anyone could make my bag.... if I was a mallet user. (^_^)

I'm surprised with similar shafts that the epon beat the srixon by that much. I liked the srixon, the shape sound and feel of it. Of course it's not the same as the Epon but it was still pretty good.

So my wife started golfing more regularly this year. She's pretty athletic so she's picked up golf well. She started officially last fall at the end of the season with a Ping G2 400cc driver and Bridgestone Precept woods, utilities and irons. She had an Odyssey White Hot #5. Those were okay for her... BACK THEN. She has watched, and allowed, me to get new clubs for myself every week of the year and recently began wondering, hey were are all the good Ladies JDM clubs??? Afterall I can only beat her by about 5-10 strokes over 18 holes so she was beginning to wonder if it's just my gear.... I showed her Tourspecgirl's Ladies Epon set and she really liked them, she has also tried my forged irons and really likes my Epon driver so I ordered the same set for her. They arrived today!! I had just gotten her a XXIO 460cc driver with Axiv 4044L last week which she take over 160 yards (total). The XXIO driver has been the best selling ladies driver in Japan for FIVE years straight. However she found her Precept irons heavy and not as forgiving or nice feeling as she'd like (spoiled hitting my irons I guess!). She's only 5'2" and around 95 pounds so a set of clubs with JDM specs including lighter weight graphite and stronger lofts would probably suit her. She also now has a two putter rotation, a Crafting Edition Gauge GA00 tuned by Gold's Factory and a Red G-Field Premium Zone M2+. On to the Ladies Epon or Lepon for short (yes yes no jokes about the infectious sounding name!) The set comes with everything but putter. Even a bag with wheels. The bag weighs around 8 pounds or so which is common in Japan as nobody there carries, they all ride. The Ivory canvas like bag with brown suede accents is pretty styling, very upper class looking. She'll probably stick to her old Mizuno bag if she has to carry since it's half the weight. The set has Graphite Design shafts throughout it's makeup all specially made lightweight and ladies flex for Lepon in a grayish silver non distracting color. There is a driver, 3, 5, 7, and 9 Woods all with NO alignment aid (just the way I like it! don't know bout her...) Nice canvas like head covers Ivory or red with large stitched numbers. The face appears closed slightly on all the woods and the crown is a pearl like deep green. The irons are wide soled undercut with a very low center of gravity. They are 6-PW including amazing AW and SW clubs which I will go into more detail later. All the irons are around C5 and perfect lie and length for her height and swing. Typical Epon quality, a beautiful forged premium set. The 6 iron is a very light 360g and the heaviest club is the 34" SW at 400g. There is offset on the irons, enough to help close the face for someone who is still improving or just starting out. The wedges are amazing. From address they look like any other epon wedge. However the back and sole is one round thingamajiggy. I can't even describe it. I was chipping on the carpet and I cannot believe how easy it seem to slide along the ground. I don't think there is a like or turf type these wedges CANNOT play on. Radical looking but they work!! So here are the pics of her bag... sorry there are so many. I went picture crazy. (^_^)

Yeah I do prefer lighter shafts. My strength is my short game, 100 yards and in, chipping and putting. Because I don't swing so fast I go for lighter clubs. 50-60g in driver, 3 wood, utilities and 75g Axiv graphite in irons and 78g Tour AD graphite in wedges. The weight may not be that noticeable but I find that different weight shafts even within 5-10g will play a little different whether in flex/cpm or torque rating which will change the feel. In this case we're talking about 4.0 tq in the 6ba and 5.4 tq in the 5ba. This is not to say the higher torque is not tight in dispersion cause it is.

I have a GFT at my clubfitters so can't take side by side pics, but Blader-X did take some in his Technity FW review... I will borrow them for here (thanks B!): TourEdge Exotcs 15°, Epon Technity 13.5°, G-Field GFT 16° G-Field GFT 16°, Epon Technity 13.5°, TourEdge Exotcs 15° G-Field GFT 16° Epon Technity 13.5°