gocchin

Yes they are apparently going to be released in October here in Japan. They have an improved grind over the V5 and we've been told by Fourteen they spin much more than the V5 as well. One of their testers Shintaro produced over 1000rpm more back spin on average with the RM-11 over the V5. They still feature the reverse taper blade but now the grind varies depending on the loft. Chris should be getting samples soon for testing.

37m/s 40m/s 43m/s 46m/s That's what the M numbers mean. The numbers E posted above are only my recommended estimates.

Don't forget Yamaha is made by Endo so they are always on par with epon feel wise...

You won't miss anything as they are exactly the same wedge with the only difference the Protos being limited and raw with no plating. The grind, shape, neck and of course grooves and face are different from the original DB forged which were designed and grinded by Grind Studio master Tomaru-san. The new DB Forged were designed in house by RC. Both are great wedges.

I will of course get it but keep in mind it is Hi Cor in other words non conforming which will rule out a lot of potential buyers. What I'm interested in seeing is the new fairway woods and if they will rival the spoon for ease of use and distance...

Everyone knows I'm a big supporter of graphite and it originally was for its lighter weight and feel - feel being easier to load and unload and you can feel it. Plus yes its much less harsh especially if you miss hit. Moving to heavier shafts I could have gone with the 950GH instead of the CB02 from Crazy but I didn't for several reasons. The 950GH is a good feeling steel shaft but the Crazy still feel much better. Even though its a 40g increase from what I had before the way the shaft feels through the swing, it doesn't feel like it got much heavier, in other words its still very responsive but yes much straighter. Secondly which is just me is typically graphite shafts have smaller butt ends and with small hands I do much better and am able to turn over more with graphite. 950GH is already too thick for my liking (850GH is okay though).

The key is the egg is quite easy to hit off the deck. The new model actually excels off the deck vs teeing off thanks to its shallow face long sole.

I just put a 7V05 tipped 0.5" in my egg spoon and find its much more stable, not only the club but my swing due to the additional weight. Still launches nice and strong but very straight. The Quattrotech is also very good as Spoon mentioned.

Stew if you go for the 456 its more like the AF101 as its a higher back and mid deep face. It's not a pear but its easy on the eyes. The newer Ray is shallower and not as deep back so it looks much more like the Ryoma at address: Kamui Ray on left, Ryoma on right: If you need either just drop me an email. T

Some Nippon shafts recently actually say made in Japan. For those who have seen the 502 they will notice that the cavity of that fake is very rough and sharp (edges). However for those unfamiliar, they could easily be cheated. Counterfeits are getting worse and worse. A customer emailed me yesterday saying he could get a full set of Maruman Majesty Gold clubs from some online shop in China for nearly half the price of a single Majesty driver in Japan... I just told him to read my post about counterfeits....

I've used the FW80 and LYFW but yet to try the Crazy UT shafts which are supposedly very very good. Now that I'm moving to heavier shafts I think the time has come.

Hi Guys, We have an Oakley account. We can get you any item as long as its in stock. Just send me an email. Thanks, T

It could very well be a whippy training aid as his actual gamer of a driver is in his bag (white headcover) while the white shafted proto is a black headcover. Maybe GD just doesn't want to tell.

They typically release their irons very late in the year like around December. Fujita (Bikke = nickname) ALWAYS gets prototypes around this time to test. Its a pretty normal pattern every year. He always plays the Tour Model. Toru Taniguchi, Yamaha's other pro plays the standard V Forged. And yes the Tour Model sells out way too fast and they never make enough. We should start the pre order now though as I said its not the official release model yet.

I asked Graphite Design Japan this morning and they said that it is not any specific model. It's a one of a kind at this point designed specifically for Ryo. Whether it goes mainstream (probably will if it works well since every brand in Japan loves milking Ryo-kun's popularity) or not has yet to be decided.

Apparently Crazy does "make them" themselves though I am sure it is outsourced to some manufacturing factory. They are made in Japan and it is Crazy's design as well as proprietary manufacturing process. It will be a while before there is feedback. I did get some more details. All shafts are taper tip and mid kick. 0.600 butt sizes. I have yet to see them in real life so I actually mixed up the finishes. The standard silver finish is the cheaper one and the dark chrome is the more expensive one.

Hi Stew, Yes ONOFF is also a very good option. Its not quite as long as Ryoma but feel great and cost a lot less.

As a high handicapper who is looking to improve and at the same time enjoy golf, the best thing to do is to choose clubs that will help you achieve these two things. Too many times I have confident average and beginner golfers proclaim to me that they are improving fast and want those low handicapper models which in turn make the game harder and much less enjoyable and if anything ruing growth and progress. At the same time golf clubs are not cheap so you want some clubs you can really grow with and still play when you are shooting in the 90's or even 80's. Based on this, the Ryoma is a great suggestion and is my suggestion as well. Other drivers are the EM-S and the new Eggbird is better than the Impact that is if you don't mind hitting a 46.5" driver. For fairway woods, definitely look at the PRGR Egg spoon and fw and even the Royal Collection TRC if you consider a more traditional and compact head. The ONOFF Fairway Arms are also very easy to hit and forgiving. Utilities are also good choices for replacing long irons and short woods, and are very versatile when you need them. In many cases the key will be getting the right shaft especially as you improve and your game and swing changes.

If you go to a heavier shaft, the swing weight will increase. Every 8g heavier equals approximately 1 swing weight point. This does vary depending on each shaft a well as the balance point will affect swing weight. Something heavier and stiffer will certainly prevent the shots left. If you keep the driver at the same stock 45.25" length, the swing weight should stay the same or higher. You didn't mention what flex stock shaft you were using. If you go with Crazy and are a more aggressive swinger which you probably are since you battle the left side and think you can drive the ball over 260m the CB46 in 7.2 flex is a good option as well as something a bit heavier like the 80LSII which people mentioned as well. It really comes down to your swing and your budget.

Blade like, higher CG, more meat in the center. Was a choice iron of several tourstage pros last year. I preferred the standard 703 forged myself and I think the 705 models are an improvement. The 703 Limited was sold out.

Great feedback B. You are right on about distance. The Akira FW's are not really a distance FW like the egg and other spoons. The main draw of the Akira is solid feel and control and accuracy which you certainly found out.

Its the same here Stew, I have a few drivers here but the Ryoma always stays in the bag. I can't complain with straight and forgiving as at the end of the day its what comes through for me. Find the right shaft and its nearly unbeatable. People seem to realize that a well since more than 75% of the Ryoma drivers we sell go with custom Crazy shafts.

Just to add: More premium materials More advanced manufacturing ie forged vs cast, lots more attention to hand work ie polishing and welding Right at the limit of COR as E pointed out JDM drivers are not cheap but I always say you pay for what you get and JDM brands know this and put alot of their earnings back into design, manufacturing and research to produce those hot drivers.

All good suggestions here. A 4w is a very good idea as your only fairway wood. 17* and a 20 and 23* utility would fill the gaps nicely. If you went for the TRC FW 5w its 17* and complimented that with the TRC UT's at 20 and 23*, you'd probably be very happy especially if you plan on teeing of with the fairway wood as well. Though if you are pulling the TRC's left a heavier shaft would help straighten that out (they come in 55 65 and 75) If you won't tee off, nothing beats the Egg Spoon off the deck. Its been the longest fairway wood (and one of the easiest to hit) for 3 years running. Its definitely longer and easier to hit than the TRC FW. For your driver, based on your distance the MachLine 3042R is probably too light and soft. There are a ton of great driver shafts out there including Quadra and Crazy.

When I write up any of our product descriptions in the pro shop swing speed references are always referring to driver speeds whether it be iron shafts, fw shafts or driver shafts. So yes they are certainly driver speeds.