gocchin

Added new MP-64 and MP-69 custom orders from Yoro!!

Endo forgings began with these new Z Series models. All 3 are S20C. The 725 is amazing looking, looks very powerful and as they say in Japanese Kakkoi or cool. But as you all noted, compact and less offset. Feel is soft especially on the 925 as Stew noted. The laser milling (taken from Cleveland) is very nice on both feel and spin.

Sky dream jump D-Tour wedges are non conforming and sharp as heck... Yururi gekku raw, most older Miura, the Kenmochi black model, all sport sharp non conforming grooves.

After seeing the irons again at the show I'm finally getting around to writing up my review. And yes ENDO forged!

T brought up a good point about the face angle at address. The way the club sits with that big power booster on the back always makes the face look closed when you are setting up to the ball. This is because the hump in the weight rolls the face into a closed position when placed on the ground. Of course this is not the case when you swing it. Some people with lesser swing speeds actually have a hard time launching the 9.5* Vspec so if you want more launch definitely a v-Spec in 10.5* or 9.5* Premia.

None of those irons are actually new. The bag is reasonably new. The XT and GT Type S are last year and the X-Lite are 2011. I have gamed all the irons and the GT Type S is in fact similar to the AF302. The GT Type S as well as the XT irons were designed by Kobayashi-san FOR S-yard while he was president of Endo and chief design Meister. (meaning he did the bulk of designing for all Endo customer brands). I have gamed both the GT Type S which are very nice but produce a stronger trajectory than the AF302 which launch higher. This is due to the higher cavity and CG position in the GT Type S. I did not like the XT admitedly when I first saw them but I love them now. They are very automatic and the distance is simply awesome just like the driver. I prefer them over my old AF701 which again they have a similar design to. What turned me off about the XT iron was the shiny face but when I spoke to S-Yard they told me it was a special chrome coating to protect the irons in the long run. I went to the range and hit about fifty range balls, leaving marks all over the face. One wipe with a DRY towel, removed ALL the marks and it looked like it had never been hit. Feel is very good and not clicky which is surprising.

Tabuchi-san told me the sheep are based on the origin of golf in Scotland. Shepherds would get tired of grazing their sheep so they used to hit round stones into rabbit holes and the game was born. This is also why they call their woods Shepherd. Fuso Dream is the golf brand, and Buchi is a line under Fuso Dream. Fuso Denki is the parent company and as Chris mentioned an Electrical Company.

Yes it came out last year and was designed by Kobayashi-san FOR S-Yard at the time Kobayashi-san was still at Endo. Endo had two "meister" designers that did designing or contributed and worked with brand design teams. Kobayashi-san was one of them and he did all S-Yard designs. Of course now S-Yard is his own brand.

I have both here. I gamed the hi Cor on Monday and it was the Speed Type with 46" Tour AD shaft. I used R-1 and thought it might be soft (I am 90mph) but it was just right. I out drove both my playing partners on quite a few holes and they both swing over 100mph.

Mark I love the S-Yard XT and its feel... it has already knocked Ryoma out of my bag. The quality of the driver it self is so high and the feel fantastic. I never thought anything could out carry the Ryoma but the XT does.

<a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SLIDE.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SLIDE.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22146" alt="SLIDE" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/SLIDE.jpg" /></a> Romaro Sports had a very strong 2012 and they looked to ride that momentum right into 2013 by adding new clubs and accessories to an already awesome lineup. Last year saw all new drivers and woods as well as Pro Forged blades and the Ray H for better players. The Ray V Forged iron which were from late 2011 were still among the most popular irons for improving players and better players looking for forgiveness. Romaro though which has traditionally been a company focused on the athlete and better golfer decided it was time to tweak the Ray V Forged iron to make even more forgiving yet more appealing visually. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7355.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7355.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22148" alt="DSCF7355" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7355.jpg" /></a> The took an already great design forged from S20C steel and featuring an undercut cavity with TPU insert, the sharpened off the shape of the cavity back creating a straighter top line and sharper toe but increased the forgiveness by changing the internal pocket cavity and weighting. The increased MOI and larger sweet spot equal less distance lost on miss hits and an overall more attractive package. The back cavity has a new V pattern which enhances feel at impact on the sweet spot. Romaro decided to release the improved V Forged as the TypeR which is the name of the new performance lineup aimed at the average golfer. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7387.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7387.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22151" alt="DSCF7387" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7387.jpg" /></a> Romaro has always featured forged Titanium cup face fairway woods and utilities which is rare in golf other than drivers. The Ray FW and UT's from last year (which are still current) were well liked by the better player but average golfers did not find them as easy to play due to thicker faces and higher CG positioning aimed at stronger players. They redesigned all the fairway woods to feature thinner and hotter faces with lower and deeper CG positioning due to a new sole design with weighting similar to what the 460HX looks like. They even did it with the smaller Tour Select Head which is for the player who wants a smaller square faced head but with forgiveness. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7397.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7397.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22152" alt="DSCF7397" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7397.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7371.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7371.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22157" alt="DSCF7371" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7371.jpg" /></a> They of course applied the new TypeR design to the standard Ti Fairway woods as well as the new utility which are both now available in either black or satin now. I spoke to the chief of sales who told me the new TypeR is very easy to launch and the face is a lot hotter especially for more average players. As always with Romaro the finish of the heads is top notch and very attractive. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7378.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22158" alt="DSCF7378" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7378.jpg"/></a> Last years Ray SX wedge was very very popular and the limited black versions sold out very quickly, they decided to tweak the SX with a more versatile S sole featuring toe and trailing edge relief as well as plenty of heel relief allowing for the wedge to open up nicely. The top blade features new CNC milling and the wedge is now available in black as standard. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7385.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7385.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22161" alt="DSCF7385" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7385.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7402.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7402.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22163" alt="DSCF7402" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7402.jpg" /></a> Romaro is always well known for colorful accessories like bags, head covers and grips and the Golf Fair showed of some of their new colors in what looks like Lime Green/Yellow, Fuschia Purple and Sky Blue bags. I don't even know what these colors are officially called yet but they are definitely bright. Romaro mentioned that they actually have several scheduled club releases that we will see as 2013 progresses including new irons and new drivers which are currently in the final stages of design and development. We are certainly looking forward to seeing them all and testing them all out! The new TypeR line will release in late March and we will be reviewing them here at TSG as always!

Yup yours is MCI 80 R.

Yes the 519 has become the Black Tour... may have been minor tweaks for production.

Already up to 49 wedges on our pre order list... I am crossing my fingers S-Yard can come through!

The GT Type S is in fact a Kobayashi-san design but he designed it while he was still at Endo. In fact pretty much every driver and forged iron/wedge has Kobayashi-san's fingerprints on it. He created the mold for that iron above as well as the XT and the XT and GT drivers.

Anything you want R. T, the stock lofts are D3 in the 50 52 and D4 in the 56 58 60 so going to 130 will do D5 for the sand wedges. KBS Hi Rev is 130g for X and DG Spinner W+ is 131g and might be a great fit.

I just wanted to clarify about the stock shaft, it is the Shimada K's 120 DCR (Dark Chrome) in a wedge flex. This is a very good shaft. ALSO custom shafts are available. To the 20 customers who have already placed their orders, you can choose a different shaft... if you want. Just let me know.

Labospec 420 is sold out so go with the 909....

Hi Guys, S-Yard has started up their facebook page and are giving away S-Yard caps and accessories which look really nice. All you have to do is LIKE the page for a chance to win. You get to follow all their cool posts as well and watch Kobayashi-san in action there... (^_^) So check out the page and give it a like! http://www.facebook.com/pages/S-Yard-Co-LTD/311751335513068 Caps are very cool by the way!

Actually its not that they want the wedge to rust... it is to leave the S20C pure. Spin is also affected by materials of a club ie the softer material creates more contact with the ball and more friction. There is no plating in between the ball to hinder direct contact with the face of the S20C wedge.

Hi Ed, yes as I said in the writeup Kobayashi-san tested with both raw and plated but in the end the raw gave better feel and more bite. His focus is on creating a wedge with the best performance possible so for now yes it is unplated. That said, the finish is done so well, I actually thought it was plated and initially when I asked him I said what kind of plating is this? If you look carefully at the back face, it in fact features a black dye on the top portion of the blade where the tungsten weights are and a different teflon black on the center and lower part of the back face, again S-Yard did not hold back on the processes here. They could have simply dipped the whole head in black dye but did not.

Keep in mind the look on the back is not for aesthetic reasons... if it were purely for looks this wedge would definitely be "robotic" but there is purpose behind the design and luckily we do not see all that at address. (^_^)

Stew the Shimada K's is a wedge flex. It's the HW120 in DCR.

<a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF8006.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF8006.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22071" title="DSCF8006" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF8006.jpg" alt="" /></a> When many of us talk about wedges, we talk about the clean design and the simple look as well as its shape and grind. The truth is there are many great looking wedges out there but in the end do aesthetics contribute to performance? Enter S-Yard's new BOLD wedge. It is by no means the cleanest looking design or simplest looking wedge, but without a doubt one look at the BOLD entices visions of strength, technology and design. In other words, the BOLD looks all business. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7941.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7941.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22073" title="DSCF7941" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7941.jpg" alt="" /></a> The entire TSG crew is in Japan for the Japan Golf Fair that was held at Tokyo Big Sight last weekend. We were lucky enough to have some time to visit S-Yard on Tuesday and to sit down with Kenji Kobayashi the president and chief designer of S-Yard Golf. If you read my post about the <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/re-introducing-s-yard-the-rebirth-of-a-premium-brand/"><strong>Rebirth of S-Yard and its T.388 driver</strong></a> last month, you will know that Mr. Kobayashi has over 40 years of experience in the golf industry including the last 20 as the highly respected President and top designer of the world's largest forging house, Endo Manufacturing and its private brand Epon Golf. It is always a pleasure to sit down with one of the most technical minds in golf and he was happy to talk to us about his new creation the BOLD wedge. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7921.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7921.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22075" title="DSCF7921" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7921.jpg" alt="" /></a> The BOLD wedge may very well be Mr. Kobayashi's favorite design to date and this includes a resume of clubs over the past 18 months alone which he designed like the Epon Zero driver, Z:EN Putter, Personals muscle backs and of course the T.388 Forged driver for S-Yard. Yes this wedge is his ultimate in technical expertise, even over all the models from Yamaha, Titleist, Tourstage, Callaway, etc all of which he played some part in designing over the past two decades. Its no secret S-Yard clubs are produced at Endo and S-Yard and Mr. Kobayashi would not have it any other way thanks to his ties to the forging house as well as its ability to produce the most advanced golf clubs with the highest workmanship. It is through his experience at Endo that he was able to gather and analyze the data of many other wedges on the market and come to certain conclusions for the BOLD. In recent years, many brands have realized that a higher COG (center of gravity) in a wedge can result in more spin and a more stable trajectory. Because of this many brands now tout these higher COG designs. Mr. Kobayashi found that while COG has moved higher in many newer wedges, it was still not high enough to create the best spin and optimal stability. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7919.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7919.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22076" title="DSCF7919" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7919.jpg" alt="" /></a> Mr. Kobayashi explains that most of the mass in a wedge is in the sole hence the low COG on most wedges. This is of course something we already know. Mr. Kobayashi also notes that with the lower COG and the tendency for players to strike the ball lower on the face to hit the sweet spot of the wedge (essentially where the COG is), that lower impact actually can ever so slightly cause loft instability at impact. This plus the extra high launch causes less spin and traction and an unstable ball flight. Comparing numbers and doing various tests, he decided that 21.5mm is the optimal COG location for best spin and most stable trajectory thanks to its ability to "grab" the ball. He also noted though, spin from a wedge is of course not relative to a single design aspect only. The wedge design as a whole must work together for max performance and this includes the material (and even finish), COG position, score lines/face, grind and even how it sets up as we all know golf is mental and confidence is everything. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7961.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7961.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22077" title="DSCF7961" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7961.jpg" alt="" /></a> With Mr. Kobayshi's initial focus on the COG location of 21.5mm, he set out to design a wedge that would embody this number. He realized that no matter how thick the top blade and thin the sole, 21.5mm could not be obtained without a more radical manufacturing including weighting alterations. Mr Kobayshi began by creating molds, one for the shape of every loft (he does not believe in creating one wedge mold and then tweaking it for multiple lofts is slightly different and should be manufactured that way depending on its intended purpose). These heads are of course forged from JIS S20C steel at Endo, grinded into shape and then drilled above the sole to remove a large amount of weight. The subtracted weight is then put back in the head by using high quality tungsten weighing to the tune of up to 25g in the top blade of the wedge. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7977.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7977.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22081" title="DSCF7977" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7977.jpg" alt="" /></a> As they began testing this design the saw an increase in spin rate as well as a stronger more stable ball flight which allows players to attack the pin and rely on heavy back spin to stop the ball or draw it back to the hole. Mr. Kobayashi further enhanced the spin by decreasing the pitch of the score lines and having Endo do a very intricate laser milled pattern on the face. Looking at the image above, the milling look almost like extra teeth thanks to the circular design which can actually act as a target aid. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Untitled-2.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Untitled-2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22084" title="Untitled-2" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Untitled-2.jpg" alt="" /></a> A closer look shows that the circular patter are actually breaks in the laser milling lines across the face which cause those circular illusions. I asked Mr. Kobayashi what the reason was for this besides being visual and he explained that the ends of those mill lines also contribute to more bite especially when working the ball with the full length of the face. Those who open the face of their wedge and create more spin by moving the ball up diagonally across the face ie from bottom heel towards the top toe will experience more bite. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF8001.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF8001.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22086" title="DSCF8001" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF8001.jpg" alt="" /></a> Here is a look at address and you can really see how one could line up the ball with the face milling. Its pretty cool and I think its one of the most interesting milling patters I have seen. The picture above also shows the shape and offset at address. The BOLD is of course thicker up top but its tear drop shape and darker finish do not give the impression that it is a thick wedge at address (though it clearly is when you look at the back face). The offset is progressive meaning that the lower lofts have a touch of offset progressing into much less offset in the higher lofts. Mr. Kobayashi explains that each loft/wedge has its specific intentions and offset is taken into consideration as Mr. Kobayshi breaks up his 5 lofts into 3 groups. The 50 and 52 which have offset are made for approach shots most likely with 3/4 to full swings. The slight offset helps square the face for better impact. The 56 and 58 are sand wedges which have less offset for control the less offset comes into play as well when the ball is played more forward in your stance for example in bunkers. Finally the 60 is the lob wedge with the least offset as it is meant for delicate control and touch shots. The less amount of offset allows you to direct the ball where you want it to go. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7981.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7981.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22090" title="DSCF7981" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7981.jpg" alt="" /></a> Mr. Kobayshi wanted the BOLD to handle a wide variety of conditions so he decided on an S grind which features a rounder medium sole width with moderate camber (curvature of the sole). Bounce is on the higher side but this is because it is measured at its highest point on the rounded sole of the BOLD. Because of the camber on the BOLD the effective bounce is in fact less. The S grind has trailing edge as well as toe and heel relief which allows for opening of the face and cleaner entry and exit from the turf. Mr. Kobayashi believes that bounce is a good thing and will add to the wedges ease of use. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7991.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7991.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22092" title="DSCF7991" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7991.jpg" alt="" /></a> Visually the wedge has some nice touches on it. We would have loved a little less stamping but its one of those things the Japanese will always lean towards... lots of words. Other than that it looks quite aggressive which may not be everyone's taste but the more I look at it the more I like it. It's machined hosel and very cool socket are very nice looking. The finish of the wedge is non plated with a black satin finish. Because it is not plated, this means the wedges will require a bit of maintenance ie keeping moisture off and wiping dry. I asked Mr. Kobayashi about this and he said they considered plating but in the end through their testing decided that the raw unplated S20C steel not only gave the best feel but more friction on the ball. Plating is not out of the question for the future but for now he likes the black satin finish which matches very well with their very good stock shaft, the Shimada K's Wedge shaft in DCR (Dark Chrome tint). <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7923.jpg"><img'>http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7923.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22094" title="DSCF7923" src="http://www.golftoimpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DSCF7923.jpg" alt="" /></a> The BOLD wedge was just announced on Tuesday and we don't even have our pricing yet (retail is around 295.00 USD) but are currently taking reservations through your forums and email. The first 500 pieces were allocated for the Japanese domestic market and practically sold out in ONE DAY. It appears we have been lucky enough to get a small number for the March 17th release (the second batch is slated for May). The BOLD is available in 50/10 52/12 56/14 58/11 60/11 configurations all with the stock Shimada DCR 121g Wedge shaft. Custom shafts are available but initially standard specs will be shipping. The wedges all feature heavier head weights and D3 in the 50 and 52 and D4 in the 56 58 and 60* lofts. This has to be one of the most exciting wedge releases in a long time. Its design, its concept, its manufacturing and quality all point to big demand and I can tell you know, every staff member at TSG has ordered one and are dying to play it and this has never happened before for any other wedge. <a href="http://www.golftoimpress.com/contact">Join us in this revolution by contacting us to reserve yours! </a> DON'T FORGET TO LIKE THE NEW S-YARD PAGE. THEY WILL BE POSTING LOTS OF DESIGN AND NEW CLUB POSTS ON THEIR OWN PAGE! http://www.facebook.com/pages/S-Yard-Co-LTD/311751335513068

I've added you to the list!