Epon - Someone needs to set the record straight.

[Mjr. D]

What's the story on Epon distance? I've heard so many contrasting stories that it's impossible to form any type of conclusion.

I own a Technity driver which although i love the feel of, naturally, i find it to be one of the shortest drivers i've ever used. However, i also own the Technity 3 wood which i find is one of, if not THE longest, laser hitting 3 wood i've ever used. I own a technity wedge and a Copper X wedge. Both seem to be fairly standard in terms of distance. So i ask you, what is the story with their irons? Are they on the short side or the long side? I would think they would be shorter than "normal" simply because of the extreme soft feel in combination with the high spin. That's purely speculation though.

Someone come out and set the record straight once and for all here, does Epon make the best feeling gear but at a cost (distance), or is their lineup perfectly fine in terms of length?

Edited September 11, 2007 by Mjr. Diarrhea

[gocchin]

For me the Epon is the longest driver I've ever hit... however for every club you mentioned, there are too many factors that affect distance... You really can't compare iron distances with all the different lofts and styles of irons. An Epon Type X or AF-701 will be far longer than the Type J or AF-301 but they both offer different benefits. Wedges, the main priority is accuracy, feel and spin, for me I don't really consider distance on wedges as my priority...

The Epon driver for many is one of the longest drivers... for some it might not be... a lot has to do with the shaft and the player. It's pretty much impossible to "set the record straight". If the epon was hands down the longest best feeling driver ever, nobody would buy anything else. For me I'm thrilled with the feel, performance and quality of Epon. It is not the be all and end all of brands, there is no such brand in my opinion, there's just too much good stuff out there!

[+TourSpecGolfer]

What's the story on Epon distance? I've heard so many contrasting stories that it's impossible to form any type of conclusion.

I own a Technity driver which although i love the feel of, naturally, i find it to be one of the shortest drivers i've ever used. However, i also own the Technity 3 wood which i find is one of, if not THE longest, laser hitting 3 wood i've ever used. I own a technity wedge and a Copper X wedge. Both seem to be fairly standard in terms of distance. So i ask you, what is the story with their irons? Are they on the short side or the long side? I would think they would be shorter than "normal" simply because of the extreme soft feel in combination with the high spin. That's purely speculation though.

Someone come out and set the record straight once and for all here, does Epon make the best feeling gear but at a cost (distance), or is their lineup perfectly fine in terms of length?

It depends on how well the driver setup and specs suites your swing. For me its just as long as any I have hit but with the best feel hands down.

When on the Vector or Zelocity it produces higher ball speeds and more distance than most drivers. There is no one who can set the record straight because we all have different results based on our swing, the shaft, and the specs it's built at. This is common knowledge for any driver, if it doesn't suite your swing the results wont please the player.

I also don't get what your saying about high spin? Its a very low spinning driver which leads me to believe it could be issues with your swing.

If it was short people would not be buying backups, simply read the reviews man, Its a cannon.

[gocchin]

Agreed again, on the Vector here the Epon was a low spinner.... I had three 105-110mph swingers hit it shafted with an Axiv V-spec and it was longer than any of their own drivers.

Its very possible it could be short for some but almost all the reviews I see are positive and about it being long. Many times it's an adjustment period I've seen for people to get used to the different feel.

[rb2235]

I played no less than 5 Epon 460 10.5/shaft combos this year and all were different in terms of distance with the Accra SC65 being the longest. I didn't find them to be significantly shorter or longer than the numerous drivers I played this year from the major US OEMs. All comes down to the shaft fitting your swing profile and more importantly having confidence in the club.

As far as irons, it's impossible to compare distances as the lofts are all over the place. There is no standard. My friend plays TM RAC CGB's and hits his PW 145-150 yards but if he was playing Titleist 690CBs he would likely hit an 8 iron from that yardage.

Just my .02

[gocchin]

Just for information sake I hit my wife's Ladies Epon 6 iron further than most 5 irons in all the other sets I hit, what does that mean? Not much cause the loft on that 6 iron is like 24/25* and ladies flex graphite... (^_^)

[idrive]

As far as the irons go...

The shaft is going to play a factor as with every club on the planet.

But, my EPON irons (J's) seem to be pretty standard if not a hair longer than any other irons

with the same loft angles.

So, to answer your question... the Irons, J's in particular, do not have a distance loss because of the

soft feel.

FWIW I hit my EPON driver as far as any other driver out there. What I like most about it, besides the feel, is the forgiveness. When I mis hit a drive it's usually a bit on the toe. The ball, instead of going right stays straight or even works back to the middle of the fairway.

[ajaykkr]

Driver..

Among the three drivers i own - Mizuno Mpcraft 425 is longer by about 5-10 yards consistently.... Epon and Xdrive 460 are equally long, but less then the 425..... ball flight is the same (atleast i dont think its significant, maybe the 425 is a bit lower)...

the epon is a hair more forgiving.....(but i rate myself as a good player).... i favor the epon over the other two when it comes to crunch time as the variances are smaller....(and yes i have another epon as a backup - to the main epon and the xdrive and mpcraft)

fairway wood

Absolutely the longest carry compared to any of the other fairway woods i have hit (agree its 0.5* lower loft.... but thats not the reason for the distance)....also, one of the longest in overall distance.... more importantly dispersion is very tight.... closest to the Epon is the gfield fairway....but the epon is way way better.

Irons:

haven't tried any till date as they do not have a blade... but the type j's lofts are stronger than most blades, so it should be longer....but comparable to other CBs (i have a set of af-301s on the way and i can tell you more after that....reference point will be the 8-10 sets of other irons that I have including two CBs - handmades and miura CB 1006).

Edited September 11, 2007 by ajaykkr

[Mjr. D]

It depends on how well the driver setup and specs suites your swing. For me its just as long as any I have hit but with the best feel hands down.

When on the Vector or Zelocity it produces higher ball speeds and more distance than most drivers. There is no one who can set the record straight because we all have different results based on our swing, the shaft, and the specs it's built at. This is common knowledge for any driver, if it doesn't suite your swing the results wont please the player.

I also don't get what your saying about high spin? Its a very low spinning driver which leads me to believe your issues are in your swing and your blaming the club.

If it was short people would not be buying backups, simply read the reviews man, Its a cannon.

No no, i'm not blaming anything. I love my Epon driver so don't take offense. I still hit it out there about 320 with it. I just find it shorter than a lot of other drivers i've used. I have it shafted with a Roddio.

I'm looking for others thoughts/opinions, that's all.

Edited September 11, 2007 by Mjr. Diarrhea

[leepark]

For me, Diarrhea's assessment is SPOT on! The Epon 460 driver is shorter and significantly less forgiving than most drivers I've tried. I am currently playing the TM 460 and it's absolutely longer and more forgiving. Contrary to popular belief, I've been told (by clubmakers) that Japanese drivers tend to have very small sweet spot. Although I wanted to love the Epon (investing heavily on a reshaft) it just didn't work. I had my worst driving stint with the Epon. I'm finally coming out of my slump with the TM. This is not to say that the results will be different for others.

On the other hand, the Epon 3 wood is a different story. Long and forgiving. I was this close to giving up on Epon products but the more and more I hit the 3 wood the more and more I like it. I never thought that my TM 16* wood would come out of the bag but right now I'm going with the Epon more often. I don't even have to hit it well to get great results, it's amazing.

Haven't tried the irons so can't say. I still have my Epon Copper X-Wedge 52* and like it, but it's got major competition with the TM Y Cutter.

[ajaykkr]

For me, Diarrhea's assessment is SPOT on! The Epon 460 driver is shorter and significantly less forgiving than most drivers I've tried. I am currently playing the TM 460 and it's absolutely longer and more forgiving. Contrary to popular belief, I've been told (by clubmakers) that Japanese drivers tend to have very small sweet spot. Although I wanted to love the Epon (investing heavily on a reshaft) it just didn't work. I had my worst driving stint with the Epon. I'm finally coming out of my slump with the TM. This is not to say that the results will be different for others.

On the other hand, the Epon 3 wood is a different story. Long and forgiving. I was this close to giving up on Epon products but the more and more I hit the 3 wood the more and more I like it. I never thought that my TM 16* wood would come out of the bag but right now I'm going with the Epon more often. I don't even have to hit it well to get great results, it's amazing.

Haven't tried the irons so can't say. I still have my Epon Copper X-Wedge 52* and like it, but it's got major competition with the TM Y Cutter.

what were the specs of the epon 460 (as against the TM 460, particularly the face angle and the loft and the shaft)

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Again guys, its the setup/swing not the club head. How can faster than average ball speeds and reduced spin equal less distance? Also when you are talking about sweet spot are you aware that is a term used by OEMs and the sweet spot actually doesn't exist its in fact the location of the center of gravity. Please read " how golf clubs really work and how to optimize their designs by Frank Werner and Richard Greig" , also Wishons search for the perfect driver. We have done launch monitor fittings with dozens of players on course and in the bay and ANY driver depends on the setup. For some people it takes a Roddio, others an OZIK, others a V2, in the end if the shaft doesn't fit your swing you wont get the distance you want. Try your driver with 5 different shafts and then try to tell us that they all go the same distance.

LM numbers are not bias, for my personal swing I get less distance with the RODDIO and AXIV than the X-CON 5 and my current 6-ply prototype, others get better numbers with the Axiv and Roddio etc..

These are the basics of club fitting and nothing spectacular.

[Mjr. D]

Ya fair enough. I'll buy that. I'll also take the best feeling driver ever made over an extra 10-15 yards any day.

I'm looking to buy my first set of Epon Irons. What would you guys recommend? I actually hit my Mizuno Mp-37's better than my Ping G2's and Callaway Fuisons so i'm not against muscle backs. I'm guessing a smaller surface forces me to focus better. I find this with heel-toe weighted putters over big mallets etc as well. I know in baseball, many times coaches (only the very few good ones out there) will tell the pitcher to not just focus on the catchers mitt, but an individual, much smaller target inside the pocket of the mitt. It narrows their focus and creates even greater pinpoint accuracy. I'm guessing this is why some people, although not great golfers in terms of their handicap, play better golf with muscle backs and blades.

[Spoon]

my epon driver is just about as long as my ercIII but then again i am still getting the hang of my roddio shaft and i can easily gain say 15 yards once i get used to the shaft so i think my epon driver has the potential to be the longest driver ive had. as for the irons i generally hit my type x irons longer than my previous irons, then again the type x has stronger lofts and i am using much heavier shafts. cant quantify the distance as there are many shaft possibilities as well as player swing profiles to consider. what works for you wont necessarily be the same for others.

also for me distance is not really a factor for me, hell id like to be long in all my clubs but what i generally preferr is feel, consistency, accuracy and forgiveness. the epon certainly caters to all my needs and more. i wouldnt shift to a longer driver if i cant hit it well most of the time.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Mr. D hits the ball 320!!

I tell you what D, I want you to try out a few more shafts before you give up on her, Allow me to help you out by offering you a stellar deal on a shaft that suites your fancy. Im thinking an Ozik F7M2 but PM me and we will get your stats figured out.

Main thing is your a happy camper

[Spoon]

Mr. D hits the ball 320!!

I tell you what D, I want you to try out a few more shafts before you give up on her, Allow me to help you out by offering you a stellar deal on a shaft that suites your fancy. Im thinking an Ozik F7M2 but PM me and we will get your stats figured out.

Main thing is your a happy camper

WOW!

[Mjr. D]

Mr. D hits the ball 320!!

I tell you what D, I want you to try out a few more shafts before you give up on her, Allow me to help you out by offering you a stellar deal on a shaft that suites your fancy. Im thinking an Ozik F7M2 but PM me and we will get your stats figured out.

Main thing is your a happy camper

Thanks Chris, that's a kind gesture, i appreciate it! However, i actually want to keep my Technity as is. I hit the thing straight and the feel is amazing with the Roddio. It's actually my gamer when i'm playing serious, and not just out on the weekend with my friends trying to hit the odd mammoth bomb! Haha. I'm looking to buy a new driver shortly, something ultra low spin, low low launch and i am looking at putting a F7M2 or F8M2 in that head. So, if the offer stands in a month, i'll hit ya up. Thanks again.

[mkb3245]

The F7M2 is a great, great shaft. Great recommendations for what you're looking for Mr. D.....

[MCsub]

I will give as fair as an assessment as possible when my new logo arrives. It will be set up exactly as my XD435 on a stiff PT6.

I don't drink the koolaid so to speak - if everyone tells me the Epon is the greatest thing in the world but I hit my Tourstage better then that is what I will play. I did try an Epon against the XD last year and my Tourstage was much better, but the Epon arrived on a stock Drev shaft which did not suit me. For the record, I hit the two clubs the same distance w/ range balls, but the Epon was erractic w/ that shaft. I did find the feel interesting - kind of spongy almost, like the ball stuck on the face a bit. But very solid.

I will give a report in a few weeks after I have had a few chances to side by side the clubs.

[leepark]

what were the specs of the epon 460 (as against the TM 460, particularly the face angle and the loft and the shaft)

Epon was 9.5* (0.6* open) with Avix V-7076 & later reshafted with Fuji Pro70 X.

TM460 9.5* (not exactly sure of face angle but seems slightly open) with ZCOM MW74 X-Stiff.

The Axiv was probably not a very good fit with my swing, as it seemed a bit weak resulting in most shots going right.

The Fuji was matched exactly to my swing and profile, although significantly better than the Axiv I couldn't hit the Epon with any consistency (even on good swings).

The ZCOM was not fitted for me but thought it might work, and after a few rounds I must say the combo works! The TM460 head is so much more forgiving and longer for me.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Epon was 9.5* (0.6* open) with Avix V-7076 & later reshafted with Fuji Pro70 X.

TM460 9.5* (not exactly sure of face angle but seems slightly open) with ZCOM MW74 X-Stiff.

The Axiv was probably not a very good fit with my swing, as it seemed a bit weak resulting in most shots going right.

The Fuji was matched exactly to my swing and profile, although significantly better than the Axiv I couldn't hit the Epon with any consistency (even on good swings).

The ZCOM was not fitted for me but thought it might work, and after a few rounds I must say the combo works! The TM460 head is so much more forgiving and longer for me.

Thats too bad, It shows what works for many doesn't necessarily work for the everyone.

[leepark]

Thats too bad, It shows what works for many doesn't necessarily work for the everyone.

it is too bad... i wanted it to work so badly. i love the look and feel. still think it's a great clubhead, just not for me. i love the epon 3 wood though.