gocchin

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.

Taken from GTI where there are more pics: We thought the ViQ had left us... Earlier this year when Tourstage announced 5 new X-Blade models in a one time release including newly designed and forgiving X-Blade GR models, many of us in the golf industry thought it signaled the end of the ViQ line. The largest segment of golfers in Japan is comprised of the "average golfer" or as players in the West call it the mid to high handicapper. The ViQ line has long been a mainstay at the top of the sales charts for the average golfer battling perennial rival XXIO. However in the last few years of ViQ models, we saw more tweaking of models rather than new innovation and the ViQ line's popularity waned a bit as companies like ONOFF, Fourteen, PRGR and of course American brands like Taylormade and Callaway ate into the ViQ's average golfer market share with new designs and awesome performing clubs. Tourstage was quiet since its most previous ViQ launch back in early 2008 but it turns out they were in fact taking the time to completey revamp the lineup with a visual, technology, and design overhaul. But it is back with a new look and purpose... So I received the new ViQ iron which looks nothing like the 2008 model. This is a very flashy iron and Tourstage boasts a lot of performance from all the new featueres it has put into this design. With the X-Blade GR C-1 and P-1 comfortably satisfying most mid handicap players in Japan, it looks to me as if the ViQ has shifted its focus toward the high handicapper head in the average golfer group. The 2010 ViQ is designed as an automatic iron for maximum forgiveness and maximum distance. I don't mind high tech looks but I find the new ViQ a bit too shiney and a bit too busy for my eye. Let's see if this high tech pays off where it really counts, feel, performance and forgiveness. Inverted co-- .... no it's Super Turbo Rubber. The 2010 ViQ utilizes several features to improve feel and forgiveness including a badge like emblem in the center of the cavity right by the sweet spot. I cannot help but be reminded of Taylormade's Inverted Cone at least visually from the outside. On the inside it is different as that badge covers Tourstage's Super Turbo Rubber which is meant to increase ball speeds at impact through its rebound characteristics and also improve feel but dampening impact. Feel is subjective and some people might like this and some might say it takes away too much feedback. For the high handicapper its probably a good thing to minimize vibrations on miss hits and create any extra ball speed. In front of the Super Turbo Ruber is a 1.85mm thick (or you could say thin) Hyper Maraging Steel face. There has been a huge shift in Japan when it comes to use of materials in average golfer irons and fairway woods from Titanium faces to Maraging steel faces. Many manufacturers are finding that Maraging steel provides great feel and performance results. Maraging steel is supposedly stronger than Ti so it can be made thinner for a more explosive impact. Makes me wonder when it will show up in a driver. Many of the top average golfer ions in Japan, including models from ONOFF and PRGR all use maraging faces now and the feel is excellent. The 2010 ViQ also feels very good or should I say feels like almost nothing when you pure the sweet spot. The Super Turbo Rubber is at work here. Automatic distance at your calling... The new ViQ places a lot of weight down low in the sole for a very low CG helped by two tungsten weights, one in the toe and one in the heel of the sole. Both these weights also have Super Turbo Rubber under them to again help enhance, or for some take away feeling. There is a an undercut cavity here which progresses higher towards the toe and towards the heel to widen the sweet spot on typical average golfer misses towards the toe and heel. Because the tungsten weights are so big the number indicating the iron is actually right in the middle of the sole. So with all the new design features and a wide sole, mid size top line and definite offset, is this an easy iron to hit? Yes it is. It sure fits the bill as an automatic iron. The low CG and strong lofts (24* 5 iron and 44* PW) provide some serious distance and is very easy to hit straight. The ViQ is not a shovel like some GI irons in the West but it is definitely larger than other mid sized irons and will give that higher handicapper enough confidence at address. It's size does make it easy to hit. Another thing that made the demo I had so forgiving is that it is shafted with a Tourstage graphite. Tourstage uses ultra light 55g mid kicking graphite which really help those slower swingers pick a a few miles per hour. The 5 iron weighs only 357g total weight. Thanks to the strong lofts the shots do not balloon but climb steadily reaching an apex and finishing with a rather soft landing especially in the short irons. It does what it supposed to do... So in conclusion, while I am not thrilled with the iron's overall look and I'm not a fan of too much offset and bigger head, the truth is, looks aside, the ViQ does what it is supposed to do. Be an easy iron to hit and give the higher handicapper the automatic performance they are looking for. Many traditionalists and better players may doubt the use of the Super Turbo Rubber (especially those who are always playing forged irons) but I think for the higher handicapper which this iron targets, the rubber works. So if you haven't been playing golf long or are stuck shooting in the 90's and 100's or simply need irons that can go very far very easily, then the 2010 ViQ is your calling. If you are an improving player who already is a decent ball striker and looking to add control to your game as you break into the 80's and lower go read the X-Blade 703 review. I've got the new ViQ Driver here as well and boy it looks.... interesting.

From GTI where there are a ton more pictures.... Our new Tourstage demos have come in and I started out by testing the new 2010 X-Blade 703 today. This premium Japan forged S25C cavity back fits right in between the X-Blade 701 series and X-Blade GR for size and target audience. The X-Blade 703 is slightly larger than the 701G making it fall between compact and mid sized cavity. It is designed to launch slightly higher than the 701G but lower than the GR C-1 Forged. So how does this iron look and feel in person? It was a beautiful day for pictures so lets find out! Good looking 1 Piece Forging... On first impression, the X-Blade 703 is a very good looking 1 piece forged CB. The head shape is a very strong looking yet a clean design. I say this even though it has CNC'ed notches and lines in the back cavity which I find unique and different. It is quite stunning in person. It definitely falls between compact and mid sized when it comes to overall dimensions in every way. The cavity is rather deep which pushes the CG lower but not too low as the toe and heel portion of the cavity have less meat. Most of the meat of the cavity is centered and this produces a nice solid but soft feel. Typical Tourstage and I can say it reminds me of the feel of the 2007 ViQ Forged except in a smaller package. Trajectory produced with this head design is an above mid trajectory. Not high like say the GR P-1 or ViQ but a controllable mid to mid-high ball flight that many better players will prefer. Sets up well at address... At address this is a well balanced iron. There is some offset but not enough to look like a some mid sized irons that have obvious goose necks. Enough offset to be forgiving enough at squaring the ball. The topline at setup is still rather thin. It was very acceptable to my eye. The X-Blade 703 frames the ball well enough to give confidence at address but its not at all large looking. This look would suit a low handicapper just fine but also be no problem for the improving mid capper. Feel AND Forgivness... Feel and forgiveness are both very subjective measures. What feels good to one player may not necessarily to the next. However I am one to believe that a forgiving designed iron can play part in enhancing the feel of an iron. We all know that a blade is considered the purest feeling iron but, if you cannot pure the sweet spot it will feel like crap. Truth is a blade or players cavity while pure feeling is not the most forgiving club so they do not give much room if you are a less then good ball stiker. A forgiving design will allow even a less than adequate ball striker a better chance at getting a pure shot away and less distance lost when they don't hit the sweet spot. The X-Blade's overall balanced design and wider forgiving sole with heel and toe relief really play a part in making the iron forgiving so that mid handicappers can reap the benefits of this soft forged 1 piece cavity by making good ball contact. I was very satisfied with how forgiving this iron is especially as a 7 series Tourstage iron. Great overall balance... When Tourstage first announced the X-Blade 703, I was unsure as to where it would fit in with the current lineup. Then the specs and pictures came out and I was surprised that they made it a solid cavity and branded it as more forgiving than the 701G with undercut cavity. Typcially irons with undercut cavities are perceived to be more forgiving than a solid 1 piece cavity. In this case however Tourstage did their R&D and the 703 is indeed more forgiving than the 701G thanks to its increased face size, offset, wider sole and forgiving sole grind. This iron was a pleasure to hit (I'm usually scared of X-Blades (^_^)) and I'm happy to say that it has enough feel and control for the low handicapper yet enough feel and performance for the improving mid handicapper. This is one balanced iron with good looks to boot.

Well that's why they are called Epon Japan Forged right? (^_^) Honestly why is it that people always ask where Epon is forged? They have a humongous Epon Factory and Forging plant sitting in Niigata Japan... it's not there just for show. (^_^) Even though their international Agent is in Taiwan I'm pretty sure most if not all of our orders ship to customers from Niigata. I know mine always have. (^_^)

They are not released until December 4th but I've asked for demos from Tourstage. I would imagine they feel similar to the ViQ Forged but with less offset and a smaller head.

Oh that's not a very good address picture. I posted some better ones on the gti blog 2 weeks ago. Here they are:. http://www.golftoimpress.com/2009/10/tours...d-viq-for-2010/

B, it took me some time to get used to the sound as well. But now I kinda like it. Especially when people turn and look and your ball is way down there... (^_^)