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a MUST GET for any decent ball striker!


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The AF901 by Epon has been in the bag since before it's release, never has any club sat so firmly without a contender and still nothing comes close. I am using all 3 lofts along with my 3 wood and I am by no means a long ball hitter but I do consider myself a decent ball striker. My distances with the 19* NGS stiff graphite shaft are 220-230 depending on roll which is not bad as it acts in between my 3 and what would normally be a 5 wood. The 22* with R flex graphite gives me a nice high but most importantly easy to reproduce 205ish yard stop and drop. The most used the 25* also in R flex plays the roll of my 3 & 4 iron, ya see these clubs very accurate, deadly long but their best attribute is that you can take yards off or add them by choking up and swinging smoothly. Great around lengthy greens using a basic putting stroke too It's the AF701 on steroids and those of you who own the 701's understand its freaky long, sometimes too long.

We have had some Nationwide players who deem swing speeds just over 110 hit both the R and Stiff NGS graphite shafts a mile and dead straight with perfect high trajectories. I have tried this with a steel shaft and do not think it is nearly as good when compared to the stock graphite offered. In fact I like the stock shaft over UT-85's and the Ozik Hybrid we tested.

In short, It's just a damn good club that I can wholeheartedly suggest to anyone looking for more accuracy and distance. Try it!

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I also have been playing all three lofts and a 3W for many months now. I also agree that the stock shafts are stellar. I find that choking up and down creates a few more types of shots that typically don't exist with just plain hybrids or FWs. My fave shot is a low knockdown that spins enough to stick the ball onto the green. I also find that they work very well out of the fairway for long pinpoint shots rather than the roll out that FWs sometimes provide. If can get around the mental need for a traditional hybrid, I would suggest buying these. After some adjustment time, I bet they will be firmly in your bag.

Edited by bogeydog
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has anyone tried it with the kb tour hybrid shaft?

it's indeed a nice club, i like the fact that the lie angle can be adjusted

Since I play the KB Tour in my irons, I considered this, but haven't pulled the trigger. I may get risky and give it a whirl next month.

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how are the KB Tours treating you?

i just bought a new set of shafts and plan on softstepping to match my NSPRO1150

The KB Tour shafts are the best I have ever played period. I have a new set going into my new George Spirits MB. Hopefully I will have the next week. The accuracy of the KB Tour shafts is unreal. Their trajectory is perfect and the spin control right on. No other shaft I have ever had (DG S300/S200, Nippon 950/1050/1150, Roddio) have ever given what they have. They have changed my game.

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that's good to hear about these shafts

did you have to add a lot of weight to get the swingweight back up or did you just leave it as is

The Yamaha heads were a little heavy so not much was done. The GS-MB are lighter, so will add some. I try to get D2 SW. On the new clubs, I am also using 48g grips. We will see.

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i have the 22 and 25 although i mainly play the 25* now. both were shafted with tour ad 65 iron shafts but did not like them so much. i am actually enjoying my 25 shafted with nspro750s. love it. i wouldt say i hit it longer but its definetely a good 4/5 i replacement and does the job quite well. i am considering getting a 19 and re-using my 22 but i am enjoying my gfield 20/22 very much. its only about time til i go back to the epons.

damn af701 on steroids indeed

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I just may have to try one of these out.

Has anyone seen the new lineup from Srixon in the Proshop? Their utility iron has a lot of similarities to the Epon.

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i wouldn't use lighter grips to adjust swingweight, it doesn't do anything for you because the weight change is in the grip, wrong side of the balance point or fulcrum. it's kind of like wearing a watch or backweighting. you don't loose any head feel if you change those. i believe swingweight was a guideline for builders so they can build a club to play to a specific flex. The heavier the head, the more swingweight, the more flexible the shaft...the opposite if it's too light of a head, the flex is stiffer. adding more weight to the butt will not make the shaft stiffer or softer. hope that helps.

a video that I saw on Mizuno where the guy shows you how they build a club in the tour van swingweight the assembled club without the grip.

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i wouldn't use lighter grips to adjust swingweight, it doesn't do anything for you because the weight change is in the grip, wrong side of the balance point or fulcrum. it's kind of like wearing a watch or backweighting. you don't loose any head feel if you change those. i believe swingweight was a guideline for builders so they can build a club to play to a specific flex. The heavier the head, the more swingweight, the more flexible the shaft...the opposite if it's too light of a head, the flex is stiffer. adding more weight to the butt will not make the shaft stiffer or softer. hope that helps.

a video that I saw on Mizuno where the guy shows you how they build a club in the tour van swingweight the assembled club without the grip.

I agree, many people seem to think swing weight has more to do with the overall weight than the balance of the club.

In regards to KB tours, I am not a big fan, Black Gold, S300, NS1150, NS999 all seemed more consistent for me, I guess I must give them another run.

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i like my NSP1150s and didn't think much of my BGs, in fact i have a set sitting in a closet somewhere, thought i'd give it a try sometime..prob not going to happen.

there's a lot of good reviews on the KBs from many different forums so it's worth a try. hype is hype till you try it for yourself right? i'm going to softstep a 5.5..it's suppose to feel smoother than it really is and you have to add wight to the head to get it to D2.

i'll report back when i get my shafts in and have some range time with it.

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i like my NSP1150s and didn't think much of my BGs, in fact i have a set sitting in a closet somewhere, thought i'd give it a try sometime..prob not going to happen.

there's a lot of good reviews on the KBs from many different forums so it's worth a try. hype is hype till you try it for yourself right? i'm going to softstep a 5.5..it's suppose to feel smoother than it really is and you have to add wight to the head to get it to D2.

i'll report back when i get my shafts in and have some range time with it.

I agree also with the SW comments. My original comment wasn't really the way I meant it. Interestingly, the GS irons had the Iomic 48g grips and little tape used. I was trying to match it when I change the grips however I was able to save the stock Iomic grips.

As far as the KB Tours, they work perfect for me. I haven't really ever had great experience with the Nippons. They have always been somewhat sloppy to me. Not a knock on them, but I prefer the results and play of the KB Tour. Of course, I have yet to play the new set in the GS-MBs but will do so next week.

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The AF901 by Epon has been in the bag since before it's release, never has any club sat so firmly without a contender and still nothing comes close. I am using all 3 lofts along with my 3 wood and I am by no means a long ball hitter but I do consider myself a decent ball striker. My distances with the 19* NGS stiff graphite shaft are 220-230 depending on roll which is not bad as it acts in between my 3 and what would normally be a 5 wood. The 22* with R flex graphite gives me a nice high but most importantly easy to reproduce 205ish yard stop and drop. The most used the 25* also in R flex plays the roll of my 3 & 4 iron, ya see these clubs very accurate, deadly long but their best attribute is that you can take yards off or add them by choking up and swinging smoothly. Great around lengthy greens using a basic putting stroke too It's the AF701 on steroids and those of you who own the 701's understand its freaky long, sometimes too long.

We have had some Nationwide players who deem swing speeds just over 110 hit both the R and Stiff NGS graphite shafts a mile and dead straight with perfect high trajectories. I have tried this with a steel shaft and do not think it is nearly as good when compared to the stock graphite offered. In fact I like the stock shaft over UT-85's and the Ozik Hybrid we tested.

In short, It's just a damn good club that I can wholeheartedly suggest to anyone looking for more accuracy and distance. Try it!

090_001.jpg

105_001.jpg

"It's the AF701 on steroids and those of you who own the 701's understand its freaky long, sometimes too long."

If you are using the AF701's --- you may not need a hybrid, I'm finding that the AF701 long irons are replacing my hybrids that I had in the bag. Much more accurate and just as long, if not longer!!!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have a few rounds in with my newly acquired 25* AF901. Got it to replace my 4 iron (Epon type-s). It is MUCH easier to hit than my 4 iron with a much higher trajectory. Distance is comparable. Almost feels like I am cheating with this club. Works great from sand and rough also. I went with the NGS stock graphite shaft.

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i had a good run with my af901 and went back to the 4 iron typeS. i seem to be more consistent with the 4 iron, but the af901 is pure when you hit one dead center. it has a much better trajectory. i think i might go back to it and see what happens. i have the altus hybrid firm in mine.

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