gocchin

Selling my Baldo Prototype UT 21* with Bassara h350 utility shaft in R flex. Original headcover included. Head only is 319.00 + shipping usually. 245.00 shipped paypal gifted.

Yup but we are working with S-Yard to schedule shipping as we are about to it Golden Week holiday in Japan. Just let me know if you need one!

Richard, we should have the FW in May, I am looking forward to trying it!

Everyone knows I play lighter weight graphite in my irons so I was originally going to go with 850GH in my 50 and 56 but with my iron shafts currently around 65g I thought the nearly 25g increase would not flow well so I decided on 750GH. I pulled the stock shafts and the challenge was keeping the swing weight in check with a nearly 40g drop in shaft weight. By using a lighter grip I was able to match my irons in the 50 at D1 and the 56 at D2. Living in Japan I have the pleasure of trying pretty much any wedge and my yardsticks for judging have been the Sky Dream Jump D-Tour, RC DB Forged 2011, Vokey Forged and the Labospec W358 Shingo wedge. The Bolds being forged at Endo feel very similar to the DB Forged (also Endo). The grind is actually similar I feel to the SDJ. The SDJ were monster spinners (non conforming grooves) and I find the Bold with its milling patter spin better than the Vokey or DB. As for size, everyone is different but I like the way they look. I feel confident at address and confident when I swing which is exactly what Kobayshi-san wanted when he designed their "look" at address. For me the grinds and bounce are perfect for the courses here in Japan which are soft lush fairways and soft sand. The 50 could be a bit less for approaches but you can just open the face or deloft the club a bit to turn the bounce down thanks to the grind. I'm not a physically strong player and I tried the Shimada which were way too heavy and its like the wedge swung itself and I was pulling the shots. With the 750, I think the feel is better (for me) and control is certainly improved as I can handle the lighter wedge with a much smoother swing. Speaking of graphite in wedges, I used only play graphite in my wedges, Axiv in the SDJ, Tour AD in the DB and Vokey. Also tried the Toyoshima with Crazy Black Wedge, Yamaha wedges from every year with Tour AD. I felt graphite was very forgiving and very easy to swing... the reason why I went back to steel was its much cheaper to reshaft all my wedges through out the year. (^_^)

Jason glad you love the driver. I consider myself very average and was originally intimidated by the size, but as I posted in most of my initial impressions and blog post... surprised the hell out of me. I never would have imagined it would be this forgiving. I love the trajectory and the feel. I could play the SR but now that they have an R that would suit me even more.

Hi Anton it is true that from a top perspective it would give more of a 3D view of the CG length and from that you could actually more clearly see the gravity angle as well which is very small on this head. You said the image isn't actually accurate but it is as accurate as S-yards own technical image. (^_^) Kobayashi-san certainly has tons and tons of data. Not only on the clubs from S-Yard that he designed but from every driver, iron and wedge ever made at Endo. Brian brought up some good points that I was trying to stress as well... the lie angle is probably suited for the amateur and non pro golfer and in the end that's probably the reasoning.

Thats what we are all waiting to find out! No where in sight right now here in Japan!

Flying Cat is part of the Fore'bes lineup along with KZG and Nano Power... Nexgen I would skip that. Lower quality and only has a Drakon presence because they pay and sponsor guys to play them thanks to Golf Partner's deep pockets. Flying cat sounds interesting but I'm not sure how people would respond to the looks!

Please do not follow the lines in that image. I made that image to simply illustrate where the centerline is and where the CG is. It may not be 100% accurate nor to scale. Simply to illustrate that the CG distance is 32.91mm, thats it. Coops thanks for the great info. I am always learning myself and anyone who can point out great info and points like that is much appreciated! Anton Kobayashi-san was simply at the range again testing the driver. He made the calculations long before that test driver was made. The man has been designing golf clubs for 40 years, 20 as the top designer for Endo (meaning he had a part in the designs of a huge number of drivers that were made including all the big brands in the US and Japan. All these arguments seem very sound technically and do make sense to me. But I find it strange they why not many manufacturers are going with the flatter lies to accommodate then? 56.5* for the Mizuno is ultra rare by JDM standards. Based on the market here where these clubs are designed for, it appears higher lie angles are the norm. Which is why pros must go out of their way to bend lies flat if they want them, as manufacturers still see the higher lie angle as better for mere mortals and amateurs? You asked me for the reasoning behind the choice. I think in his opinion and considering the design of the XV, the more upright like suits the wider audience and thats that. In the end how the driver performs is what matters. So far the T.388 and its 60* lie angle seems to have done okay. (^_^)

Will try and do a comparison in the next few days... need to squeeze it in! (-_^)

Not just a number that works with the majority of golfers Anton but one that specifically works with his design aspects. He chose 61* as he believes it is the best compliment for the design of his head. Will it fit everyone? Probably not as there is no club that fits everyone in this world. But if he things its the best lie to have, I believe him! (^_^)

No because the lie angle simply means the toe will be up for someone with a flatter swing plane, it will not necessarily point left. In this world, there are millions of golfers all with different swings. Of these millions of golfers how may come in with the driver head perfectly parallel to the ground at impact. Not a large percentage I would think, and in general most probably have more droop and come in quite upright. Judging Kobayshi-san's swing probably is not the best thing to do. However if you look at the second image and the blurred head which is about to strike the ball, there is in fact some droop and the head looks much more square, not toe up. However his swing is certainly not text book. The bottom line is, the lie angle is only one single factor. He made the lie angle 61* because he believes it is optimal based on the other design aspects of the head. If it were any flatter its possible with the CG length and placement, the driver could become a fade machine and he would rather have it draw than fade.

Steve as for where the balls are made, obviously S-Yard is not a golf ball maker so they out source them. Based on S-Yards connections it is very possible they are made at the same place as Epon balls but the designs are different so the results may be as well. Yours is the Type F which is more short game spin but the driver trajectory is higher.

R the guys above were all driver orders that got very delayed and I mean VERY delayed. Maybe you will get an extra wedge next time (^_^)

Hi Anton, I actually had asked Kobayashi-san this exact question when I talked with him last month. I noticed the same thing that all lie angles were around 60*. He explained that based on his calculations of the short CG length coupled with shaft droop on the down swing, 60 to 61* was optimal for his designs for squaring the head at impact. Keep in mind here while we typically see 60-61* lie angles on heads that are for average golfers and slicers, those heads are heavily weight for a draw, have closed faces and huge gravity angles, rotating the head very quickly. This not the case on Kobayashi-san's designs and the higher lie angle in his opinion works and actually makes hitting the sweet spot which is a tad towards the heel easier.

I'm glad you guys got your balls. I had requested that S-Yard make up the delays for you with some goodies and I am glad they came through! I should note this is their first time shipping items overseas so there were definitely some bumps in the road and we really appreciate everyone's patience as they learn the ropes of exporting.

Kenji Kobayashi, Chief Designer and CEO of S-Yard golf continues to follow his passion for designing beautiful golf clubs that perform as good as they look. Following the successful releases of the T.388 Driver and the Bold Wedge, S-Yard has released Mr. Kobayashi's latest driver, the XV. Mr. Kobayashi realized as great as the T.388 is, with 388cc head and shallow face (meaning low teeing of the ball) is not for everyone. So with that in mind he sought to create a driver that would be sold side by side with the T.388 and encompass the same premium quality and design with top notch performance as its smaller sibling. The XV, a premium Endo forged 450cc driver was released this week to huge fanfare in Japan, especially among those who clamored for a premium Kobayashi design but were not confident enough to play the T.388. I was lucky enough to be one of the first to get the new XV driver so today I will share my initial impressions on the clubs design and performance here on the blog. For those who do not know Mr. Kobayashi, back in 1993 S-yard produced the world's first all forged Titanium driver called the T.301 which they produced at the Endo factory. The T.301 was designed by Kenji Kobayashi, who not only went on to become the president of Endo manufacturing, the worlds largest and highest quality forging house, but also one of the most respected and revered figures in the Japanese golf industry over the last 20 years. Mr. Kobayashi's designs, and knowledge of golf club manufacturing as well as the creation of the T.301 Forged driver led many in the industry to refer to him as the "father of forged Titanium drivers". In 2001 he officially became the president of Endo manufacturing where he also took over the reigns of Endo's private brand Epon Golf. Many golf enthusiasts will be familiar with many of his Epon designs including the Technica and Technity series, as well as more recently the AF line all the way up to the ZERO driver and Z:EN putter as well as his influence on many top global golf brands which produced their clubs at Endo under the design eye of Mr. Kobayashi. Fast forward to the summer of 2011. Mr. Kobayashi decided it was time to retire as the president of Endo and open up some free time to enjoy the recreational side of golf after 40 yeas of being involved in the business side of golf. His retirement did not last long as S-Yard came calling as they knew Mr. Kobayashi would be the man to lead their brand back to and beyond the same lofty heights of success it had before. Early 2012, Mr. Kobayashi became the president of S-Yard in charge of the direction of the company as well as golf club design and earlier this year he began his dream lineup by releasing the T.388 driver and Bold wedge. As many of you have probably read, Mr. Kobayashi is not your typical CEO of a golf company. He spends more time in his personal workshop dreaming up ideas and designs and them creating molds of each club with his very own hands. Back in February, when we were at the S-Yard headquarters in Ginza, Mr. Kobayashi had already established the design for the XV and was demonstrating how he finalizes the shape of each head. In the showroom next to his workshop, there is one single spot light installed in the center of the room where Mr. Kobayashi places each head as if at address and then rotates the club while walking it 360 degrees under the light to see how the club appears at ever possible angle and simulating the sun in different positions in the day. He explains that how a club appears at address plays a huge factor in how a player will hit that club. He wants all his designs to give a golfer confidence at address and a clear view of how the head lines up with the ball. "How well one can hit the ball is very much influenced even before a golfer swings" he says. One of the most exciting things about working at TSG is when new clubs for testing arrive at my door. When the XV arrived today I ripped off the plastic with no hesitation, like a kid on Christmas day. It is very obvious even at first glance that this head is a compact design even though its 450cc large. The T.388 was a much smaller head, with a shallower face meaning a lower tee up height for a penetrating drive that won't lose distance even on a super windy day. Another thing I liked right away was the lack of words or stampings on the head. Simply "XV Forged Titanium" Mr. Kobayashi carried over the performance characteristics of the T.388 into the XV which is the same but at the same time different. At 450cc it is 16% larger in overall size than the T.388, this allows for the XV to have a much deeper face. One of the adjustments many golfers getting the T.388 had to make was teeing the ball lower. That is not the case with the XV. The deep face and allows for the CG to be placed high and short in the XV which like the T.388 create a low spin and strong launch. Due to the depth of the XV face, the CG position is quite a bit higher in distance from the sole compared to the T.388. The beautifully shaped XV face also provides a larger hitting area which technically should translate into a larger sweet spot which would be amazing considering how surprisingly forgiving the T.388 already is. Many larger driver heads today feature not only lower center of gravity points but also a longer center of gravity distance from the center line of the hosel. This length coupled with usually a deep CG in the head create a large gravity angle causing a driver head to rotate quickly square at impact. For a slicer or average golfer this is a good thing, but for better players or stronger swingers, it can cause pulls or hooks. The XV and its short and shallow CG prevents over rotation of the head and reduces those shots left. Mr. Kobayashi believes the distance is optimal for squaring the driver head at impact for the most stable direction. As you can see from the image above, the CG point is not only higher on the face but also a tad towards the toe to allow for a higher tee up and more control. The XV has a very high back crown which is what allows the center of gravity to be placed so high. The variable thickness (internal ribs like the T.388) forged cup face has flanges that expand the full length of the face from heel to toe that overlap the chemically milled crown and chemically milled sole. This is part of S-Yard's active head design that is also used in the T.388. with the upper portion of the crown being much higher it creates a more rigid and strong body which in turn allows the face to transfer and repel maximum energy at impact. In the case of the XV the flanges have been slightly shortened to even further increase energy deflection. The feel is typical Endo with a wonderful soft but crisp impact that it seems like many premium golf club lovers want. This feel and sound is very much the result of not only the materials (ie everyone thinks being forged is all it takes to feel good) but also the active body design and variable cup face. The XV uses the matte black crown as opposed to gradient and reflective metallic looking crowns that reflect light different depending on the angle of the sun. A shiny and reflective crown changes the appearance and the shape of the head and creates a lack of consistency at address. The matte black finish clearly shows the contours and shape of the head and allows you to frame the ball up perfectly no matter what the conditions are. I find the head size perfect at address. It has the appearance of a head closer to 410cc due to the traditional shape, however its obvious the face area is larger. The deeper face as I mentioned also allows for players to more confidently tee up higher. For the XV, Mr. Kobayashi called on Fujikura to provide a stock shaft that would fit his requirements. He personally hand picked a prototype Rombax in the 60g range to pair with the XV. Unlike the Tour AD in the T.388, this Rombax has lower torque in order to handle the larger head and reduce twisting and unwanted excess flex creating more consistent impact. The kickpoint is mid to high to keep in line with the stronger trajectory the XV provides. As many know, the Tour AD in the T.388 is a superb shaft and very stable and quite true to flex. The Rombax in the XV is also quite true to flex and thankfully the lower torque does not appear to have taken away any of the feel. Under 100mph is definitely a Stiff/Regular while the stiff could probably handle 105+ mph swings fine (If you check out S-Yard's facebook page you can see Mr. Kobayashi hitting a prototype of the XV and his swing speed is about 110mph - pretty good for 65 years old!). The weather was not great today with strong winds and light rain. I tried a 10.5* XV in the SR flex and initial impressions were very good. While the T.388 took me several sessions and a few weeks to dial in thanks to the change in size and smaller face, the XV I tee'ed up to my usual height and just swung away. Even in the wind the trajectory was nice and strong with not even a hint of ballooning. The feel of the driver is superb and the larger face seems more forgiving. Like the T.388 run out is amazing even though it was damp, I was still able to get very good run. It has only been a day with the driver but I am already won over by its looks and design. The aerodynamic head and the cool gradient to mirror chrome finish on the sole look awesome. Performance is very promising and as an average golfer the truth is I can use all the forgiveness I can get. Many people say only pros or better golfers can give proper feedback on clubs but I don't believe it. I think an average golfer due to an inconsistent swing can really tell how good and forgiving a driver really is. A better player will always hit the same spot and be super consistent. It is the inconsistency of an average golfer that many golf clubs are designed to try and overcome and the XV does a reasonably surprising job of it considering its compact design. Lets face if if a driver is not forgiving I will certainly know after 10 shots where maybe only half strike dead center in the sweet spot. Next week is Golden Week holidays here in Japan and I have a few rounds scheduled at home courses where I can truly give the XV a run. So with two awesome drivers available from S-yard, how is one to choose which one is right for them? I will be doing a comparison post of both drivers side by side in the coming weeks but for now, those who love small heads and don't mind teeing up lower and striking the ball with a level blow will want the T.388. Players who want some more forgiveness and like to tee it higher, and feel confident with a slightly larger head will go for the XV. You can always own both! <a href="http://www.tourspecgolf.com"><strong>Look for the XV in the pro shop for order soon!</strong></a>

Yes the stock shaft as I noted was chosen by Kobayashi-san himself from prototypes available at Graphite Design. He purposely chose something a tad more stout to pair with a smaller head. This allows for more control and stability and reduces the flex/twisting in the shaft to prevent ballooning or unwanted loss of direction as typically softer shafts would do. Also with a stiffer shaft less reliance on timing which is a good thing for the smaller head and probably why people hit it so well (predictable).

I just spoke to our S-yard sales rep and yup, R flex is now available for the 10.5* loft as well. 9.5* as special order. Swing speed are approximate and depend on swing style as well. 87-95 R 92-100 SR 98-108 S

Didn't know there was an R flex. I will give S-yard a call and ask them tomorrow.

Miura Giken Japan's 2000 series irons have always been considered the most balanced of all Miura models. While the compact 1000 series squarely aimed at the single digit player and athlete golfer, and the Passing Point series allowing the average and weekend golfer to play forgiving Miura irons, the 2000 series sits right in between in fact overlapping both target audiences. By being the best all around series in the Miura line, it also takes the title of being the most popular line. The new CB-2007 encompasses all of the previous 2000 series model strengths and takes it to a new design level. We've seen the 2000 series advance technically away from the simple traditionalist designs to heads focused on CG placement, flowing and symmetrical shapes across the sets to increased MOI and a focus on bringing all around play to a a new meaning. Miura sent over their new CB-2007 for me to check out and I have to say it follows in the footsteps of the new CB-1007 cavity back and MB5000WC wedge in that it is very good looking. It has all the usual Miura stampings which are probably more words than the iron needs on the back face but this is something we have all probably gotten used to. If they could have only moved W.D.D. Accurate Forged to the neck and not put "Fast & Strong", the iron would be even more visually appealing but oh well, I've given up on lecturing JDM brands about cluttering their iron heads with too much stampings. The first thing one notices is of course the, almost like hooks in the back of the cavity. This is what Miura dubs the new W-Power bridge. In Japan, W is commonly used for DOUBLE in case you didn't figure it out. The two hooks or swooshes or bridges as Miura calls them, total 7 extra grams in weight and not only bring the CG tad higher in the head but also create a variable thickness face which enhances feel and supposedly creates a larger sweet spot. The CB-2007 is not ultra compact but its not bit either. Miura is great at hiding the size of an iron through its individual physical aspects. Even in the Passing Point irons, Miura does the same visual cues that act almost as optical illusions in making one thing the iron is small. The same thing applies here as the supposedly bordering on small to mid sized head looks mall thanks to a thin top line and narrow sole. The narrow sole features a W sole grind (yes double) which has aggressive leading edge relief and trailing edge relief. Courses in Japan are very lush and soft so the W sole grind helps with versatility. Golf is all year round here and courses can dry up and harden in the winter where the narrower sole comes into play making this an all year round sole. The face of the iron is longer heel to toe but the straight top line slightly squarer and taller toe give it very good balance and again the appearance of a more advanced iron. One thing Miura has down is finish. They tend to always go the route of a satin finish which I personally like much better than chrome. The face is sandblasted which gives it a bit of a "glitter" but this is to add additional friction to create spin. The head is actually a tad larger than the previous generation CB-2006 with the exception of the hosel being a tad shorter which tightens up control. But truthfully any difference in size would probably not be noticeable to the naked eye since it is 1 or 2 mm here and there. Looking at the CB-2006 at address, you really get a sense of how thin the top line is. The finish, the shape of the face and neck including very slight actually give the CB-2007 a pleasing and balanced look. As you can see it is not a big head in anyway though you can see the longer blade length. I only received the CB-2007 as heads and have just a couple of days with them before I send them off to Tourspecgolfer to be shafted up for testing in Vegas. So these are only my impressions of the the iron visually and design wise. I like what I see and I think that Miura really has improved a lot in the design aspect of their clubs lately and are catching up with the times. The W-Power Bridge is a nice touch and the overall design balance of the CB-2007 will make it appealing to better players who would like a tad more forgiveness as well as improving golfers who want a forged cavity back to take their game to the next level. The new Miura Giken CB-2007 is shipping now and <a href="http://www.tourspecgolf.com"><strong>available in our pro shop! </strong></a>

The 1 series has always been aimed at the scratch golfer and low handicapper while the 2 series is aimed at the better player and improving golfer. The 2007 is larger, has more offset and CG placed lower than the 1007. A set of 2007 just arrived here but I no longer have the 1007 here or I could do a side by side. YOu can see the design aspects in the 1007 here: http://www.golftoimp...n-introduction/ Chris will have both irons and will be able to do a side by side. I just started snapping pics of the 2007, its nice.

Hi Landy the GT A-Spec Limited Edition http://www.tourspecgolf.com/product_info.php?products_id=4880 has the highest CT at over 280+ of any Geotech Driver. It is probably the longest they have right now. As you noted it uses a special tip for install that allows adjustment of the face angle and lie angle and loft. I am pretty sure we can order more for you.

It's a very difficult call to pick a driver as the "longest driver". It depends on each individual as we all have different levels, styles, swings, bad shots etc. If there were such a thing as the longest driver, every one would own it. You are also right that the shaft (especially the right one) will play a big factor as well. Can we choose a few? (^_^) For me personally right now its in NO particular order: S-Yard XT Hi Cor Ryoma Special Tuning S-Yard T.388 on windy days (strong launch and good roll while the two above are not as good in the wind due to higher launch) Crazy 435 Crazy 460 All are very long drivers for me, though the XT Hi Cor is in the bag now as I love not only its distance but its feel and sound as well. Sorry so hard to choose just one!

The XV is something that has been in the works for months. The mold Kobayashi-san is workin on now is something new for later this year. That PDF is the Japanese press release posted on their site last week. As Chris said we will be posting up all the info this week as well as the new line in the pro shop.