gocchin

You should have no problems playing an R flex M63. There is no Lite Flex M63 Ion Plated Flowerband. There are no standard flexes or swing speed ranges written in stone but the M63 Regular can be played by anyone with a 85-95mph swing depending on their swing style.

I spoke to Master Sasaya today and got an idea of what can be done on this putter as well as pricing so if any one is interested just let me know. It is pretty much a blank canvas that can have anything done to it. Sasaya-san noted the interesting thing about this putter is the feel at impact, which is soft BUT firm as with most nicely forged putters. It is a different feel from the stainless Fastback.

The dispersion on the XCon 5 is not bad, it is however a pretty good distance shaft. It will launch higher than the Griffin which is more of a control shaft. I did have the Griffin in the Kamui but I switched it out because the butt is a bit thicker than I would like and I have small hands. The 456 is naturally a higher launcher so I would suggest you stay with 9* or 9.5* and a low spin shaft. No shaft can over come a steep downswing which naturally creates back spin on impact, you are probably right this is where you lose distance. As for a premium shaft over a stock one, there can be advantages when it comes to not only dispersion but spin as well. Several independent testers actually HIGHLY recommend the 456 with Crazy's Longest Yard shaft. The LY shaft has a huge cult following in Japan as it is a monster distance shaft and a favorite of long drivers. I think I should add it to the pro shop. It has tremendous kick and low spin and is made of premium carbon. Do you slice or hook?

Actually they are "supposed" to launch lower due to more meat higher on the back cavity, that in fact brings the CG a touch higher up rather than lower like the previous two models. Also for the grind it was changed ever so slightly with a more rounded sole on the 2010 but with slightly less heel relief to compensate.

None announced yet but there definitely will be new bags.

I love Pearly Gates but it costs two arms and two legs!

Hi Randy, There is now AW or SW for the AF-502 unfortunately.

If you play 37.75" or 38" with the TP Burner and your KBS you should have no problems reaching a higher swing weight without adding powder. The stock S200 is already D3 at 37.5" stock length for the 5 iron.

You're talking about me aren't you? (^_^) As for LeCoq they are under the Descente umbrella along with Cutter and Buck and Munsingwear. All huge brands in Japan with exclusive clothes for the Japanese market as Duffer alluded to. We will have them all this spring. The Descente group is huge as you can see below.

As you guys can imagine, since I live in Japan I have access to all the brands, and while I never bought clothing much when living in the West I do love the apparel here and have tons of it. Once Spring rolls around we will be expanding apparel since that is when most of the top stuff comes out also at much better prices than jackets and sweaters. I love LeCoq Sportif that many of you may have seem YE Yang wearing... its bright! Admittedly not cheap but looks darn good!

Just to clarify, when we say the first batch went fast this is for standard spec sets. TM needs to produce several thousands of these sets at one time for mass release which is why the next batch is February. This as far as I know does not apply to custom spec orders as I know those of you who ordered custom specs may be concerned (though i am confirming with the rep today). Also just because the first batch is gone does not mean we cannot source a set so contact us first if interested.

Great feedback! Feel is definitely subjective for any club really. A raw face is definitely doable and I've seen the master do it on previous Gold's irons. That would give it some bite and it could still be 2010 conforming as I've seen Royal Collection do that with their new wedge and make USGA conforming.

How is any blade different from one another besides topline, sole width, amount of offset, grind, quality of steel... Blades are the most classic and basic iron and the truth is there is not much "different" about blades when it comes to technology yet people are still searching for the perfect blade and that means feel and performance as well as looks. This blade obviously looks good in the classic sense and will be fine tuned by the master but we'll still have to see how it comes out in the end. After all that is why Chris is asking for everyone's feedback... YOU can make it different by giving your suggestions as this is not close to a finished product yet, so its kinda hard to answer, how is it different as it is still in the development stages. What do you guys want to see in a blade that will make it different? How does one make a blade radical without sacrificing pure feel or playability? This is why we need your help! Detailed suggestions are welcome! (^_^)

Different finishes are always available through Gold's. Gold's is the master of custom finishes. (^_^)

I just spoke to our TM rep and was told that the demand is huge for the Burner TP in Japan, far higher than the R9 irons ever were. He said the first shipment for official release is already sold out. I think we better get as many sets as we can!!

Haha yes... they were VERY difficult to get as they are all sold out in Japan. Demand has been the highest yet for a Yamaha tour model. Looking forward to more pics and feed back... I thought you sold your 2009 model?

You're pretty much correct. Endo also forges and has forged many other brands including Callaway, Titleist, Cobra, Nike, Yamaha, Tourstage, Fourteen, PRGR, S-Yard, and others to name a few, presently or at one time or another....

The Tour Forged sold out within days of release in Japan. The higher price is equated to demand and the fact that it is limited. The Tour and standard V Forged designs are rather different with the Tour much more blade like and very little offset. The regular V Forged has a overall bigger head, more offset and a lower center of gravity. We had a hard time getting the Tour Limited as they sold out so fast. Bogeydog got a set from us of course. (^_^)

Most likely 0.355", as you've probably seen I've added them to the pro shop yesterday: http://www.tourspecgolf.com/Taylormade-Jap...-Burner-TP-Iron

all those are pics of the 703 including the face. The 703 will launch higher than the 901 and a touch higher than the 701. It does have the deeper face though as you noted. The DI-6 is noted as mid launch so matched with the 703 it should still be mid launch.

They are definitely one good looking iron and a great balance of feel and forgiveness. I was very impressed when I demoed them especially with looks and forgiveness. If I swap out my ONOFF I am seriously considering a set with Bassara graphite. I think tourspecgolfer really likes these as well and is also considering a set but he probably wants a set of Yamaha. (^_^)

I just spent a week with both the 703 and ViQ. I'm not exactly sure why people would say the X-Drive 703 looks like a Callaway. It does not look or feel like one to me. I'm writing up a review for the blog but in the meantime I'll post some pics I took first.

Actually wrote this for the blog but may as well post it in the WITB section. Magazines and websites love to cover what's in the bag for all the top pros on tour. One of the things I find most interesting is what's in the bag of your fellow peer or average golfer. There are so many brands out there and what each person plays is not only a testament to what fits them but what brands they like and in many cases what is most popular in the market. Today we are going to look at the what's in the bag for... ME. As many of you know I have access to almost any club in Japan and I test and try all different brands and models regularly. At first switching clubs for me was like a revolving door, but strangely enough, I have slowly become less of a golf club ho in Japan than I was before. Maybe because I've finally tried to stick with what works for me, and the gear that will improve my game. Too many players, myself included, get caught up in all the great gear out there and swap clubs in an out, often more frequently then we should. While reasons like simply wanting to try something new or on the search for the longest iron or best spinning wedge, are all valid reasons (I use those reasons too), sometimes when a club works you stick with it. So what has managed to stick with me most of this year? Some of you who know me may be amazed to see how used my clubs actually look since in the past my WITB posts on the forum has always looked like brand new clubs. This is a credit to the clubs I play now as most of them have lasted much longer than usual. So as I've said above, my main bag (yes I do have backups so I still qualify as a "club collector" lol) consists of clubs I actually game and work for me. These are clubs are truly help me make my game better. Driver: The driver is my worst club. I have long battled the right side and because of this lose distance. I went from too steep a downswing, causing too much spin and too high a trajectory to flattening out my swing which improved spin tremendously but in the process losing trajectory. I've been able to get away with playing 10.5 and 11.5* retail off the shelf drivers. Many of these retail drivers especially average golfer models have real lofts that are higher (in some cases 2-3* even) than stated loft. The truth is this is not necessarily a bad thing for the average golfer or slower swinger because, as I have discovered myself, that higher loft works for getting extra carry for this bracket of player. This fall I replaced my PRGR GN502 gamer with a Kamui Works 456 Silver. As many of you know this driver is handmade to spec and all specs are pretty much exact. The Kamui I have has a true loft of 11* and even with a high launching Motore Speeder VC3.0, I could probably use a tad more launch but the feel and forgiveness of this driver are tremendous. I am thinking of getting Kamui to produce a 12+* loft driver for me. I play the 456 Silver at 44" and a C8 swing weight. I feel at this length and balance that I have enough control and speed to load the shaft and produce results. Fairway Woods: I am carrying a 17* PRGR egg Spoon and a 20* PRGR GN502 Hit. They are both very different clubs but both are amazing performers. I use the egg more than the GN502 because it is simply so long as you can read from my previous review on it. I am not a long hitter so I need the egg frequently as my second shot on par 5's or long par 4's. I play both these clubs because of their forgiveness and performance. They are both very easy to hit. The 17* egg is shafted with a Griffin G53 at 42.5" though I may re-shaft it as the Griffin is best in a driver at longer lengths and is a mid launch shaft. The GN502 also has a G53 at 41.5". I am not looking at replacing either of these woods right now as they simply work. Utility: I carry a 24* ONOFF Fairway arms utility. This in fact replaces my 5 iron (which is also 24*). I have found I can hit this utility far more consistently than a 5 iron or than most utilities I have tried in the past. My fairway arms UT was a special order from ONOFF and I had them build it to a shorter 38.5" and I use it as a 5 iron off the deck and off the tee with great success on long par 3's . The shorter shaft makes it very easy to control and square at impact which is exactly what I wanted. The ONOFF gives a higher but very stable trajectory with a soft landing. Irons: I'm playing the ONOFF 2008 Iron 6-PW. These irons replaced the PRGR GN502 and Epon AF-701 I had earlier this year. ONOFF is about to replace this model with a 2010 model but this iron is one of the reasons why ONOFF has made great progress as a brand to be reckoned with especially among average golfers. The maraging face feels amazing and forgiveness is on a whole new level. I personally find them more forgiving than any other mid sized cavity I have tried which is why I am playing them. Distance is amazing and with custom shaft options you can have them built the way you want. Mine are shafted with Roddio I-6 graphite built by ONOFF as a custom order. These shafts play a big part in how the irons performs and are very stable but smooth feeling graphite shafts. I do play my irons at standard lengths with is a 38" 5 iron. Wedges: The Sky Dream Jump DP-2010 are actually the newest edition in my bag. They replace what I consider to be the best wedges I have played in a long time the Royal Collection 6150TG Forged. DP-2010 have a mid to compact head, minimal offset and a wonderfully milled face. It is as I mentioned in previous blog posts, a very different wedge as it is made from a damp alloy material with high magnesium content. Sky Dream Jump says the actual material is 3 times stronger/harder than S25C steel but feels just as soft due to its absorption characteristics that really grabs the ball at impact creating major spin. I have these shafted with Roddio I-8 graphite to go along with the I-6. The verdict is yet to be decided on these new wedges but so far I like them a lot or they would already be gone from my bag! Putter: I was playing the Gold's Factory Hearts proto for all of last year and I began the season playing a center shaft itsy bitsy Spider. By summer my putting was going very poorly as I had poor control with the Spider. The Spider is forgiving and the agsi+ face is soft but I was not getting enough feedback from the spider so I went back to a blade anser style putter. I like a heavy head with a shorter length so I now have a Bettinardi Japan model 360TR cut to 33" and D1.3 swing weight. The firmer yet soft (does that make sense?) honeycomb face gives me the feel and roll I want and my putting has improved tremendously. Is another Gold's putter on the horizon for me? Maybe. One of the best things about my bag is the bag itself. I got a ONOFF caddy bag figuring it looked different. It not only looks different it has turned out to be the most useful caddy bag I have ever owned. Storage is unparalleled with huge easily accessible pockets on all sides. I keep a sweater, rain gear, food, drinks, my shoes, lots of balls and accessories and still have lots of room to spare. So there you have my bag at least until next year. Golf is all year round here in Japan so I hope the golf ho bug doesn't bite me especially with lots of great new gear coming out in 2010 from Epon, Tourstage, XXIO, ONOFF and others!

I really want to try the EM-S. I was a big fan of the EMB and even bigger of the 460ZR. But it is definitely true... so many good drivers out there these days!

They just came out earlier this month and we just put them on sale 2 days ago so I doubt many customers or members have them. Only Chris and Carlo (Spoon) can probably give good feedback.