Help choosing a Japan-spec driver...

[gocchin]

Hi first post here... :tsg_smiley_embarrassed:

I'm looking at picking up a new Japan-spec driver from Tour Spec Golf. I only started golfing this year but have been doing it very regularly, 3-4 times a week all summer. I currently have a TM R5 Dual w/ a Grafalloy Pro Launch Blue 55R. I'm very much into gadgets and technology and much of that has carried over to my golfing purchases... yes I'm becoming a club ho. :tsg_smilie_cool:

I don't particularly like heavy weighted drivers as my swing speed is slow to average. So I'm looking for a driver with a regular flex mid kick shaft and lighter swingweight. I've narrowed it down to the following 2 drivers based on their specs:

Srixon Japan W-505 Driver Non-Conforming

Taylormade R7 XR Driver

I'm wondering if anyone can give me feedback on these two. What exactly about the W-505 makes it non conforming? Is it above legal COR? The XR seems to be geared towards the average golfer and it's light stock R shaft comes in at a C9 swingweight. I couldn't find info about the stock shaft configuration with the Srixon and what swingweight it would have in R flex. Any help or advice would be very much appreciated!

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

[hornyjuan]

Not to discourage you from both your choices but both drivers were released early last year. There are definetly newer and better choices out there for 2006.

Non-comforming just means the COR limit is higher than USGA standards. So the face will feel HOT and the spring effect will be greater. A few members on this board love the 505 and i think a Japanese publication rated it #1 but this was last year.

The latest craze seems to be the Epon Technicity 460. I bought into it :tsg_smiley_yes:

[gocchin]

Not to discourage you from both your choices but both drivers were released early last year. There are definetly newer and better choices out there for 2006.

Non-comforming just means the COR limit is higher than USGA standards. So the face will feel HOT and the spring effect will be greater. A few members on this board love the 505 and i think a Japanese publication rated it #1 but this was last year.

The latest craze seems to be the Epon Technicity 460. I bought into it :tsg_smiley_yes:

Thanks for the input. I was looking around the forum and there seemed to be lots of positive feedback on the Epon Technicity 460... I was having trouble finding some technical specs on the driver such as head weight and swingweight... but from the feedback it sure looks like quite the driver!

I did notice too that the Srixon ZR-600 would be out soon too... :) Ah so much to choose from! :tsg_smilie_smile:

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Yup that ZR-600 does look good. Early reviews score it above almost everything else on the market.

I suggest for a low to mid/high handicap player:

EPON 460 .5 closed stock shaft( very forgiving with great feel )

Callaway ERC3 stock shaft ( may not be for you as it has a lower flight )

ZR-600 stock shaft ( havent hit it but it looks worth a try )

Taylormade R7 460 stock shaft ( forgiving with a similar flare to what you play now )

[gocchin]

Yup that ZR-600 does look good. Early reviews score it above almost everything else on the market.

I suggest for a low to mid/high handicap player:

EPON 460 .5 closed stock shaft( very forgiving with great feel )

Callaway ERC3 stock shaft ( may not be for you as it has a lower flight )

ZR-600 stock shaft ( havent hit it but it looks worth a try )

Taylormade R7 460 stock shaft ( forgiving with a similar flare to what you play now )

Thanks for the recommendations! I'm definitely interested in the Epon 460. If I'm not mistaken you're using it now and have tried it originally with the stock shaft? When stock does it feel head heavy? Any idea what the swingweight rating is stock? I just want to get an idea of the feel since I can't exactly demo it (wish I was back in Japan!!) :)

When will TSG be getting the ZR-600's in or be doing pre-order?

One of the reason's why I'm looking at non-conforming or "hot" drivers is my lack of distance. Granted that will probably come with more practice. Since I will probably be recreational only I'm not adverse to hitting an "illegal" club. :tsg_smilie_cool:

Edited August 29, 2006 by gocchin

[dorkman53]

Uh......I guess it is a little late to be asking this question now, but..........is the Epon 460 conforming to the USGA C.O.R. standards? I don't play any competitive rounds, so I wouldn't do anything different if it wasn't, but I'd just like to know. I assumed it was conforming, because there was nothing to indicate it wasn't. Perhaps that was an unjustified leap of faith.

Thanks

Addendum: I just answered my own question. I have the conforming head. They come both conforming and non-conforming. The conforming heads have "Technity" underlined in blue, the non-conforming heads have it underlined in red. I have the blue. That's nice to know, because I'm hitting it farther than anything I've ever had with a 45" shaft, so I know it's the club/shaft combination, not a .86 face.

Edited August 29, 2006 by dorkman53

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Uh......I guess it is a little late to be asking this question now, but..........is the Epon 460 conforming to the USGA C.O.R. standards? I don't play any competitive rounds, so I wouldn't do anything different if it wasn't, but I'd just like to know. I assumed it was conforming, because there was nothing to indicate it wasn't. Perhaps that was an unjustified leap of faith.

Thanks

Addendum: I just answered my own question. I have the conforming head. They come both conforming and non-conforming. The conforming heads have "Technity" underlined in blue, the non-conforming heads have it underlined in red. I have the blue. That's nice to know, because I'm hitting it farther than anything I've ever had with a 45" shaft, so I know it's the club/shaft combination, not a .86 face.

Its available in both, but the non conforming versions face gets scratches easier than the conforming.

I only ship out conforming unless the customer requests the HR model.