Epon EMB First Impressions

[bogeydog]

Today I hit my new Epon EMB 10.5 with square face, Graphite Design Tour Ad for EMB stiff shaft at 45.5", D2 SW.

Look

I am ok with the look. From the top looks like 460 with extra stuff around the back. Yes large, but not offensive. Beautiful finish, well made. As previously described it is more shallow than the 460. Shaft is nicely finished in a platinum color. Nice tough with little beatles flanking the label.

Feel

The club seems very well balanced. The waggle feels great and inspires confidence. Contact is very solid and loud. I like the loudness though...Perception of power. Feel isn't Epon 460 feel. Solid, but more tinny. Maybe the sound amplifies the tiny feel. Shaft is smooth and kicked fairly well. Not as much kick as my Roddio shaft experience, but more that my GD Quattro Tour MD 5 in stiff.

Performance

Ball flight was a slight draw with mid trajectory. Distance was maybe 10 yards better on the fly then my 460 with Roddio W6BA. Rollout was ok. Ok here is the kicker.......Swing as hard as you want with a pretty good swing and it only goes straight. Miss it a little, no problem. I can't see missing many fairways with this thing. Seriously I think I would need to try and aim it to the trees.

Thoughts

Saturday I will test again and get some launch numbers. I am curious to see spin numbers, etc. My feeling is that I may need slightly less torque in the shaft, but not much. Keep you posted.

Edited December 29, 2007 by bogeydog

[gocchin]

Sounds very promising B.... thanks for the feedback and look forward to seeing more!

[oukk]

Could anybody tell me if the EMBs are USGA approved??

Thanks

[TBone]

The EMB face height is 50mm.....for comparsion, what is the face height on the EPON 460ZR?

[gocchin]

The EMB face height is 50mm.....for comparsion, what is the face height on the EPON 460ZR?

The 460 is 57mm tall and features an MOI around 4200.

[gocchin]

Could anybody tell me if the EMBs are USGA approved??

Thanks

Of course it is S.

All drivers coming out of Japan now are USGA conforming. Most of the big brands don't even sell non conforming models any more.

[oukk]

Of course it is S.

All drivers coming out of Japan now are USGA conforming. Most of the big brands don't even sell non conforming models any more.

lovely~

[bogeydog]

Ok, today I went and got some launch data:

EPON EMB 45.5", GD Tour AD for EMB, CPM 230

Club head speed - 96.1 mph

Launch - 14.1

Ball Speed - 140.1

Back Spin - 2815

Carry - 233.4

Total - 248.5

CPM using 5" clamp was 230. This seemed soft for the shaft which is spec'd as a stiff and D2 SW.

EPON 460 44.5", Roddio W6BA, SR flex, CPM 239

Club head speed - 93.7 mph

Launch - 16.2

Ball Speed - 136.3

Back Spin - 3284

Carry - 224.8

Total - 237.7

Temp - 50 degrees

Wasn't swinging real well. SS was down from my normal 97-100 (winter time swing)

All in all this club is super straight. For me I think that I would like to try a shaft with slightly less torque, maybe in the 3.5 range and a little more launch. I have a slight OTT move and less torque may leave the face a little more open. My thoughts are the Axiv-X or Roddio. Spin and launch was quite different depending on how high on the face it was hit. The optimal position seemed to be the top 1/4 of th face. With better temps and proper balls (TM TP Black) I think I would gain 15-20 yards.

Any thoughts?

Today I hit my new Epon EMB 10.5 with square face, Graphite Design Tour Ad for EMB stiff shaft at 45.5", D2 SW.

Look

I am ok with the look. From the top looks like 460 with extra stuff around the back. Yes large, but not offensive. Beautiful finish, well made. As previously described it is more shallow than the 460. Shaft is nicely finished in a platinum color. Nice tough with little beatles flanking the label.

Feel

The club seems very well balanced. The waggle feels great and inspires confidence. Contact is very solid and loud. I like the loudness though...Perception of power. Feel isn't Epon 460 feel. Solid, but more tinny. Maybe the sound amplifies the tiny feel. Shaft is smooth and kicked fairly well. Not as much kick as my Roddio shaft experience, but more that my GD Quattro Tour MD 5 in stiff.

Performance

Ball flight was a slight draw with mid trajectory. Distance was maybe 10 yards better on the fly then my 460 with Roddio W6BA. Rollout was ok. Ok here is the kicker.......Swing as hard as you want with a pretty good swing and it only goes straight. Miss it a little, no problem. I can't see missing many fairways with this thing. Seriously I think I would need to try and aim it to the trees.

Thoughts

Saturday I will test again and get some launch numbers. I am curious to see spin numbers, etc. My feeling is that I may need slightly less torque in the shaft, but not much. Keep you posted.

Edited December 30, 2007 by bogeydog

[gocchin]

B, not bad numbers for that swing speed, but I think optimal would be 15* or so of launch and under 2500 spin. I bet that would gain you 10+ yards. You may very well get that with a Roddio or Axiv X.

I'm not surprised that they are CPMing out so low, especially with the extra length in the clubs. I bet a Regular at 46" will come down to like 210. Also in Japan lately, there has been a lot of focus on flex and cpms and what it means in relation to swing speeds. They had tests where 95-100mph swingers had the best results hitting a shaft at 197cpm!!

[bogeydog]

Any way to estimate the CPM numbers with the Axiv or Roddio? I have been playing the Roddio W6BA on my Epon 460 all year and like it. I think it was not tipped by Chris and CPMs at 239.

How can we tell the difference between the Roddio/Axiv and Tour AD for EMB?

B, not bad numbers for that swing speed, but I think optimal would be 15* or so of launch and under 2500 spin. I bet that would gain you 10+ yards. You may very well get that with a Roddio or Axiv X.

I'm not surprised that they are CPMing out so low, especially with the extra length in the clubs. I bet a Regular at 46" will come down to like 210. Also in Japan lately, there has been a lot of focus on flex and cpms and what it means in relation to swing speeds. They had tests where 95-100mph swingers had the best results hitting a shaft at 197cpm!!

Edited December 29, 2007 by bogeydog

[gocchin]

We could take a guess at it depending on finished length and how deep the hosel is (I have that info somewhere). The Roddio was probably tipped to a certain extent for your Epon as that's how Roddio's reach CPM. The Roddio can be installed to any CPM you want really. 235-245 is pretty much SR though many people have different opinions on this (^_^). I AM an R flex and play all my shafts between 225-235 cpm and have played even softer at 215 or so. I tried one at 197cpm (wifes... didn't quite work for me... couldn't time it right (^_^) ) but had no problems with 210-215. CPM's aside, a lot of the shafts performance will depend on it's bend profile and rigidity distribution, that is what the player will perceive as flex and kick.

[TBone]

How do these #'s compare to your 460/Roddio set-up?

Ok, today I went and got some launch data:

Club head speed - 96.1 mph

Launch - 14.1

Ball Speed - 140.1

Back Spin - 2815

Carry - 233.4

Total - 248.5

CPM using 5" clamp was 230. This seemed soft for the shaft which is spec'd as a stiff and D2 SW.

Temp - 50 degrees

Wasn't swinging real well. SS was down from my normal 97-100 (winter time swing)

All in all this club is super straight. For me I think that I would like to try a shaft with slightly less torque, maybe in the 3.5 range and a little more launch. I have a slight OTT move and less torque may leave the face a little more open. My thoughts are the Axiv-X or Roddio. Spin and launch was quite different depending on how high on the face it was hit. The optimal position seemed to be the top 1/4 of th face. With better temps and proper balls (TM TP Black) I think I would gain 15-20 yards.

Any thoughts?

[bogeydog]

460/Roddio info now in original post.

How do these #'s compare to your 460/Roddio set-up?

[Duffer19]

The 460 is 57mm tall and features an MOI around 4200.

Is it really 4200 for the 460cc? Then there is no need for me to change to the EMB driver just to get marginal increase. The CPM is within my expectation for stock shaft of J spec clubs. Non Epon GD such as QT or the new MD would be higher in cpm for comparable flex.

[gocchin]

Is it really 4200 for the 460cc? Then there is no need for me to change to the EMB driver just to get marginal increase. The CPM is within my expectation for stock shaft of J spec clubs. Non Epon GD such as QT or the new MD would be higher in cpm for comparable flex.

Straight from Epon R, 4200 for the 460, 5500 for the EMB. But of course they are two totally different drivers. The 460 is far more traditional whereas the EMB is meant to be a larger high MOI driver as you know.

[Duffer19]

Straight from Epon R, 4200 for the 460, 5500 for the EMB. But of course they are two totally different drivers. The 460 is far more traditional whereas the EMB is meant to be a larger high MOI driver as you know.

Thanks T so do you have yours yet?

[bogeydog]

I need to say that they EMB in play is much more forgiving. You can really load into this head if you want.

Thanks T so do you have yours yet?

[oukk]

With higher MOI, what does it exactly do? (higher launch? straighter? less backspin?)

Thanks!!

[Breal]

With higher MOI, what does it exactly do? (higher launch? straighter? less backspin?)

Thanks!!

MOI is were there is less clubhead twisting at impact, also because of the shape you can hit motre on the heel and toe and get good results and hit it more solid and still straight. This is from what I got from it.

[oukk]

MOI is were there is less clubhead twisting at impact, also because of the shape you can hit motre on the heel and toe and get good results and hit it more solid and still straight. This is from what I got from it.

Thanks.

If I have not misread from some other posts, some ppl don't like high MOI because it generates higher backspin rate.

Could this happen??

[Duffer19]

Thanks.

If I have not misread from some other posts, some ppl don't like high MOI because it generates higher backspin rate.

Could this happen??

I think high MOI drivers generate less of anything lncluding spin hence more forgiving on mis**ts but at the same time, more difficult to work the ball, draw or fade.

[dorkman53]

I had an Epon 460 10.5 degree with an Axiv 6564 L at 45". I now have the EMB with the Axiv X 6058 @ 45.5" and 12 degrees. Both the 460 and the EMB are square faced.

I didn't get enough carry with the 10.5 and the stiffer shaft. The EMB hits more like I wish, with my relatively flat swing I get a nice high line drive trajectory.

I find them both to be very long, but for me the EMB is longer due to more carry. Rollout is good for both.

Both are forgiving, but the EMB seems to be even more forgiving on off center hits. It is VERY easy to hit straight shots. I haven't even tried to work the ball yet; straight is good. The EMB is the longest controllable driver I've ever had to date, and the Axiv-X shaft has LOTS of kick without feeling at all like a noodle.

So far, I'm very pleased with my purchase, but experience is still limited.

[bogeydog]

I am going to shaft mine up with an Ozik XCON5 firm and see how it goes. I suspect that this will increase launch a little and reduce the spin.

I had an Epon 460 10.5 degree with an Axiv 6564 L at 45". I now have the EMB with the Axiv X 6058 @ 45.5" and 12 degrees. Both the 460 and the EMB are square faced.

I didn't get enough carry with the 10.5 and the stiffer shaft. The EMB hits more like I wish, with my relatively flat swing I get a nice high line drive trajectory.

I find them both to be very long, but for me the EMB is longer due to more carry. Rollout is good for both.

Both are forgiving, but the EMB seems to be even more forgiving on off center hits. It is VERY easy to hit straight shots. I haven't even tried to work the ball yet; straight is good. The EMB is the longest controllable driver I've ever had to date, and the Axiv-X shaft has LOTS of kick without feeling at all like a noodle.

So far, I'm very pleased with my purchase, but experience is still limited.

[dorkman53]

I should add on significant difference. The 460 gives a quiet, solid, muted "thunk". The EMB is LOUD; to me it sounds like a home run swing from an aluminum baseball bat. I know my buddies are going to kid me about it for a round or so, then they'll get used to me blowing it by them.

I had similar issues when I got a "Heavy Putter." A bit of good natured kidding, and now it is never mentioned. (Best putter I've ever had; in my bag for 2 years.....an eternity for a club ho.)

[idrive]

I officially have 4 full rounds with the EMB in my bag now.

I have the Axiv-X 6062 SR shaft. my SS is right around 100 mph. I can swing harder if need be.

BUT, what I am finding out.. as hard as it is to get through my thick head... is that my nice,

smooth tempo swing is going just as far as my Gorilla swing. AND, at the end of the day, my back

doesn't hurt!!!!

There is no doubt that this is the easiest Driver I have ever hit when it comes to keeping the ball in the fairway. At this point I'm not convinced that it is any longer than my Epon 460 w/Roddio Shaft. I'm not saying it isn't as long either. Just with the colder weather I've been using a different ball and the inconsistancies (fairways) in the Golf Courses make it really hard to tell.

If someone is looking for a Driver that keeps the ball in the fairway, this one fits the bill quite nicely.

The axix-x shaft is a great match as well. Great kick, excellent feel and performance.