Help me fill the gap between my driver and 5-iron

[Ara selai]

Just joined this forum, but have used the excellent advice here as a reliable resource to help refine club choices in the past. Now, I need some help on fairway woods and/or utilities that I cant find the answer to in any previous post.

Before I get to my question, though, let me explain my irons and driver choices at either end of the club range. As a preamble, the next two paragraphs are rather long-winded, but I'm trying to complement the clubs I've got with whichever FWs/utilities I end up with, so the info might be useful. (Besides, we all like to talk about our clubs, right?)

>DRIVER: Off the tee, I hit a 10.5* Epon AF-101 with a stock (here in Jakarta, anyway) Mach Line 3042R shaft. Am considering changing the shaft, as I'm having dispersion issues that I hope can be corrected, perhaps with a stiffer shaft. Otherwise, I'm very happy with the driver. I hit it consistently 245-250 yards with a swing speed a little less than 100 mph. Even with my dispersion (+/- 25 yards either way on good hits, but usually with a fade to the right), I feel pretty confident with it. If I absolutely nut it, I might expect another 10-15 yards, but my accuracy, such as it is, goes way down. I considered newer JDM offerings from Yamaha (Inpres D, V, and X), Taylormade (R11 and Burner), Titleist (910D3), and Cobra (S3), but none of them was even close. The Titleist was my second choice, and I usually hit their drivers abysmally. The Yamahas and Cobra were okay, but I never warmed to the R11. With the white head, it looked like a gigantic cumulonimbus cloud, and felt about as substantial. I also hit some Fourteen and OnOff drivers, but I can't even remember the models, so I obviously wasn't terribly impressed by them. I wanted to try the Epon AF-102 and AF-151, but there were none in stock, nor were they going to be coming into the shop anytime soon (on back order). So, to cut to the chase, I ended up with a gently used 101, and am loving it! Simply put, it's the best driver I've hit in ages. My only desire would have been for ever-so-slightly more loft (12* please!) for more carry.

>IRONS: I'm currently playing Miura CB-2006 irons (5-PW) with Nippon NS Pro 850GH shafts, and I can't say enough good things about them. Butter? These are, in the immortal words of the great Isaac Hayes, Hot Buttered Soul! So nice, they'll make you want to slap your mama. Without trying to sound like the guy you hate to play with, I hit them like a house on fire: straight, solid, predictable flight, with a medium trajectory, soft landing, and excellent dispersion! I carry the 7i just around 155-160 yards on a typical swing (85-87 mph with a 1.35-1.4 smash factor on the monito), and have gotten up to 25 yards longer carry when the gods are smiling, and I'm swinging like Freddy Couples rather than Fred Flintstone.

(Long digression: before buying the 2006s, I tried Miura CB-501, CB-301, PP9003, CB-3003; 2010 & 2011 Yamaha V-forged, Inpres X, and Inpres D; Fourteen TC-910 and TC-710; OnOff NS Pro 850, NS510, and MP510; and Mizuno MP-53 and MP-63. No Epon 501s, 301s, or 701s in stock anywhere, which should probably tell me something. No worries, though, the 2006s were simply THE ONES, like Excalibur. I actually wanted the CB-501s to be the pick of the litter, as I think they are the best looking non-blade available right now, maybe ever, but I just didn't hit them as well, nor any of the other Miuras. I've promised myself to re-try the 501s - and some blades and the Epons - towards the end of the season, to see if I've improved enough to hit them well. I actually hit the Yamaha D's the longest, but then I realized they have 4* lower lofts than the 2006's. I thought the 2010 Inpres X V-forged and MP-53s were probably the other real stand outs. Not as impressed with the Fourteens or OnOffs.)

So anyway, those are the clubs I'm trying to match with some combination of new low irons, utilities, and fairway woods. I've got a reasonably predictable gap between my driver and 5i of about 60 yards to fill with up to 4 clubs. In theory, that works about perfectly, at ~15 yards a club, same as my irons. Now (finally!), here's the question: which clubs?

>FAIRWAY WOODS: I demo'ed the Royal Collection TRC, SFD III, and BBD VS Tour 3W (15*) and 5W (18*) with stock shafts recently, and thought the TRCs and SFDs were both every bit as good as their impressive reputations. Very long, exceptionally straight, excellent feel (easy to locate mis**ts and good ones felt effortless), nice sound. With both models, I hit the 5W substantially more accurately and confidently off the deck than the 3W. So much so, that I'm not yet sold on a 3W at all. But I need something between the 5W and the driver! The BBD did not work for me at all. Too much of a player's club, I guess. Anyway, after hitting the TRCs and SFDs, I only half-heartedly tested a couple of other brands (Yamaha and Titleist). I also strayed from my plan, and didn't give the offerings from Fourteen or OnOff a fair crack, which I'll remedy on Tuesday at the driving range, when I hope to also try the Miura Precious Edition FWs. Unfortunately, I couldn't try the TRCs and SFDs head-to-head (I tried them 2 days apart), so I don't know yet which model I prefer. Any thoughts? I know the SFD is probably better suited to my handicap (20++), so that's my bias at the moment. Also, they're in stock! What about the Fourteens or OnOffs? What differences should I expect? And what about the Miura PEs? Trying to find reviews for them is like looking for hens' teeth. I want to like them, since they'd match my irons, but the handful of reviews out there have been pretty average. BTW, no store I've found in town carries Epon FWs or the PRGR Eggs, so sadly, they may be roadside casualties. Anything else I should consider? Tourstage? Mizuno?

>UTILITIES: And then there's the utilities... Based on the success I was having with the Royals, I expected to hit them just as smoothly. I tried the SFDs and TRCs head-to-head in 20* and 23* lofts, but I pulled everything left. Way left. And they flew lower than the FWs. It was like night and day compared to the FWs. I had a few creamy shots that kept me going back, but something (shaft? head weight? set up? swing speed?) just wasn't right. Will re-evaluate on Tuesday, hopefully with better results. I also tried the Tourstage X-UT in comparable lofts (I think they were 1* weaker), to see if that made a difference, but had no better luck, so I stopped there and didn't try any others. I have asked the shop to shaft up some Miura PE and MG heads for me to try on Tuesday, but I'm not sure they (or any other brand/model) is going to yield better results. Any suggestions? What perplexes me is that back in the day, I used to absolutely murder a first generation Taylormade Firesole 24* Rescue club. I really need something to fill the gap between a 5W (lets assume 18* and a 215-220 yard carry) and my 5i (27* and 190 yds), but I'm at a loss to think what will work. I've always been rubbish with low irons, due to a lack of confidence at address, so I'm not optimistic about going down that path. That said, I'd like to try the Epon 901 driving iron, but as with the rest of the Epon stuff, no one seems to have any to demo here in Jakarta. Maybe a 7W and 9W? I definitely haven't seen any laying around, so not sure that's even possible. Plus, sad as it is to say, four woods wouldn't leave me anything to get out of the rough with.... What about shafting a Utility club with a FW shaft? Or would they play too long then?

Summing up what has turned out to be a first post of epic proportions (Sorry! And thanks if you've read this far...), I'm hoping that someone out there can recommend a good FW/utility club combination for my bag that will get me from my driver to my irons in 3-4 clubs. I need to carry between 190 and 250 yards with these clubs.

I wouldl definitely appreciate any and all advice re: brands, models, and styles (FW vs Ute) to consider.

Edited July 30, 2011 by Ara selai

[Spoon]

Well welcome to the boards. Ive tread your

Post it does seem dautimg doesn't it? Well

For now I suggest maybe a 4wood and maybe a 20

And 23 hybrid.

For the wood, nothing beats the egg 17deg. You can get them here

In tsg it's stupid easy and long, or you can go with 5w , many jdm brands have easy

To hit 5w so our choices are abundant.

Or utes I still suggest the trc, you my have had difficulties bec of the shaft.

With your ss I suggest something in the 65 or even 55 range. Or

You cannery the onoffs although they seem to be for the higher ss player.

Do rememberthat the shaft is key. A well suited head can quickly go wrong

More than an I'll suited head with the right shaft. Choose a shaft your comfy

Wth and get that in the head you like.

Good luck, I'm suretheother helpful members will have useful comments on your

Particular dilemma.

By the way do you get ourepons from raja golf? They are the guys down at Indonesia iirc.

[bogeydog]

Yes that is a long post.

DRIVER - that Machline shaft may be too light and soft for you. Go Quadra Proto 65S.

FW - You have demonstrated some great clubs. I doubt the Epon FW will offer you any more. Maybe consider the Akira M series. I just received a 5 and 7 wood. They look excellent. Will phone them tomorrow. Nice shape and flat lies.

I am going through the same exercise now. I also have the new Srixon 20 and 23 hybrid irons to test.

I am hoping to settle on driver, (3, 5, 7) woods, 4 iron Srixon 5-PW, 51, 57, putter. I could rotate a 18* hybrid and 3 iron Srixon if necessary.

[Ara selai]

Thanks for the speedy reply and your perseverence, Spoon! Glad to hear your thoughts.

I'll keep an eye out for the EGG Spoon, but it would have to be Very Special Indeed (for me) to beat what I was doing with the RC TRC and SFD 5Ws on the range. As I mentioned, I haven't been able to find an EGG anywhere in town to try. Will keep an eye out, though, as I'd hate to find out after the fact that I wished I'd bought one! I've got an ancient, dinged-up but well-loved Cleveland Quadpro 17* 4W that I've always hit well. I'll put it in the bag tomorrow with its mated 22* 7W to see how those lofts work distance-wise for me.

i got the Epon driver at Top Golf. They've got a very good selection of JDM clubs, and the staff are very good at making sure customers walk away happy. I wish they'd had the 102 or 151 to try out, but the 101 was a real bargain and has been treating me very well. What do recommend in terms of replacement shafts to consider? Haven't been to Raja, but will drop by after work sometime next week to see what they have on offer. Hopefully an EGG or an AF-901 to try!

[Ara selai]

Thanks, Bogeydog. I'll try the Quadra shaft in the driver if I can find a dealer here who carries it. Any other shafts to consider?

Re: woods - I doubt I'll be able to find the Epons anywhere around here anyway. They seem to be either too popular here to keep in stock (which isn't borne out in the bags on the courses I've played) or they just aren't available full stop. Haven't considered Akira previously, but that's due to my own ignorance. Let me know how they go for you. In the meantime, I'll look around for some to demo.

Srixon hybrids. Hmmm. I had a look and passed them over after my fiasco today with the TRC, SFD, and X-UTs. Are they heavy or light swinging? How do they compare with those I've tried in terms of feel, length, and dispersion? I'm always glad to have an excuse to try out something new!

How do you find the Srixon irons to play? I've never hit them well, so passed them over this last time when I was testing irons.

[bogeydog]

Keep in mind that anything you want the guys at TSG can get for you. Contact Gocchin.

The Srixon is a driving iron style. Check out the Golf to Impress blog as well as the forums for info. Weight is iron like. A style similar to the Epon 901. Since you say that you hit the irons so well, that style may work well.

The Quadra is a must have.

I will post a review of the Akira tomorrow.

[supo]

100% agree on the quadra 65s i n the epon 101

its a tried and true deliverer. nothing better . just a cpl of equals.

utes. well ive been uteing for 6 months now

and im finding the RC seem to have the best overall feel and performance ive played for my game.

i use the 18 -21- 24 degree ones and rotate them along with a cpl of prgr egg irons ive converted.

depending on course.

the 18* ute doent go as far as my yamaha 5 wood, but goes much higher , so i can bag both for differnt shots.

and its got the stock NS 950 s steel in it.

awsome club.

the yamaha ute is very similar, just bigger, shape is pretty identical, maybe for higher handicapper its a better choice , its a little lighter. or the overall weight is dispersed more evenly, the RC is heavy

prgr 3gg in 17* is another one its massively long, but in 17* they are hens teeth.

plus its nothing like a ute.

the RC wood u r taklikng baout the sfd might be ur best club, its bigger and sleeker, the bbd is an all ime classic FW for better palyers

if thats available ,the sfd wont let u down, just shaft it right!

[gocchin]

All good suggestions here. A 4w is a very good idea as your only fairway wood.

17* and a 20 and 23* utility would fill the gaps nicely.

If you went for the TRC FW 5w its 17* and complimented that with the TRC UT's at 20 and 23*, you'd probably be very happy especially if you plan on teeing of with the fairway wood as well. Though if you are pulling the TRC's left a heavier shaft would help straighten that out (they come in 55 65 and 75)

If you won't tee off, nothing beats the Egg Spoon off the deck. Its been the longest fairway wood (and one of the easiest to hit) for 3 years running. Its definitely longer and easier to hit than the TRC FW.

For your driver, based on your distance the MachLine 3042R is probably too light and soft. There are a ton of great driver shafts out there including Quadra and Crazy.

[Eca]

+ 1 on the egg as being great off the deck & long. Tee in low & no issue. It was a long search for this.

Ur iron & Driver distances suggest ur just under 100mph & can easily be over. My stock Driver Ss is 102 & will be <100 on precision gripped down drives & Crazy CB46 7.2 is great combo of distance & dispersion while staying light at 60-65g class. 6.7 I think is in te weaker side for u.

Prior to that is standard quadra 65sx, also great but anti left so not suited as you already fight the right side. Quadra Proto however is another story according to many here, certainly a shaft Im looking into.

[Ara selai]

Lots of well-considered advice here, guys! Thanks again!

Shaft-wise for the driver, I'ill look for the 2 Quadras mentioned and the Crazy. Would love to see the dispersion tightened up.

Wood- and Ute-wise, it sounds like a 17-20-23 combo is the general consensus. Barring other suggestions, I'll narrow in on the RCs, and give some time to the Egg and Akira if I can find them to demo. How MUCH longer is the 17* EGG than, for example, the TRC 5W? Would it hit closer to a standard 3W or 4W? I'm wondering how the distance gaps between the driver and the 5i might look with it and 2 utes slotted in versus a 5W and 2 utes?

Also, as far as a 17* club goes, can someone chime in on the advantages/disadvantages of a FW vs a ute? Prior to getting the Epon driver, I was not confident at the tee with a big gun, so I often dropped back to a 3W or 4W. Would a ute work as well off the tee as a FW for shorter distance holes? Would the EGG serve my purpose? And what should I expect off the turf, recognizing that I'm on the fairway fringe (or worse!) at least a quarter of the time after the tee shot? How does the EGG perform when its not on the short grass? Would it be any different to a more classic fairway wood? Keep in mind that I can only demo the clubs on a swing monitor or at the range, so I need to rely on users' opinions for real world performance characteristics.

Last thought: if I go for a 17-20-23 combo and forego a 3W, I'll have the option to carry one final club. I'll have lofts that go 10.5-17-20-23-27-30-34-38-42-47-52-56-P. Any thoughts on what to consider for this "freebie"?

[supo]

for a free spot.

unquestionably go for a rogue wedge

if ur confident with 13 then a super wedge is an absolute must

ur hoping u never need it, but when u do its a shot saver.

i use the bunker meijin 70* for this purpose

and i use it a lot more than i thought i needed it.

[Ara selai]

Wow- just had a computer glitch and lost my reply to you, Supo. The gist was: what on earth do you use the 70 for?!? I can honestly say I've never stood at address and said to myself, wow, I wish a had a 70 in the bag right about now. I've never even missed a 60* wedge. That said, if I DID have one, I'm pretty sure I'd find a reason to use it! Rogue wedge, indeed!

[supo]

its a howler..!

i bought it just bec it was 70* and i wanted to see what that does

nad you can almost hit yr self on the head with it.

that trick shot mickelson does over his head.?????

well aint done it yet but ...,

no i use it for lobbing over bunker edges when a pin is super tight to the fringe

out of rough close to the green.

down hill lies in thick rough think over shooting the green, pin at the back.

short down hill lobs

i used it a heap i n hawaii save me a lot.

this thing doesnt spin it just rolls

its the ugliest weirdest club ever , but it works for me a treat.

[Spoon]

its a howler..!

i bought it just bec it was 70* and i wanted to see what that does

nad you can almost hit yr self on the head with it.

that trick shot mickelson does over his head.?????

well aint done it yet but ...,

no i use it for lobbing over bunker edges when a pin is super tight to the fringe

out of rough close to the green.

down hill lies in thick rough think over shooting the green, pin at the back.

short down hill lobs

i used it a heap i n hawaii save me a lot.

this thing doesnt spin it just rolls

its the ugliest weirdest club ever , but it works for me a treat.

cant u do that with an open 58 deg wedge? i would think 62 but 70?

need to post pics of that alien stew

[supo]

no cant get the 60 to do anything like this thng

Edited August 1, 2011 by supo67

[Spoon]

no cant get the 60 to do anything like this thng

that looks weird but i guess it fits the purpose.

i can relate to the awkward stances and lies especially from the

rough and targetting a fast downhill green with the pin near the water.

do you ever use this from the fairway?

[gbs]

Thanks, Bogeydog. I'll try the Quadra shaft in the driver if I can find a dealer here who carries it. Any other shafts to consider?

Re: woods - I doubt I'll be able to find the Epons anywhere around here anyway. They seem to be either too popular here to keep in stock (which isn't borne out in the bags on the courses I've played) or they just aren't available full stop. Haven't considered Akira previously, but that's due to my own ignorance. Let me know how they go for you. In the meantime, I'll look around for some to demo.

Srixon hybrids. Hmmm. I had a look and passed them over after my fiasco today with the TRC, SFD, and X-UTs. Are they heavy or light swinging? How do they compare with those I've tried in terms of feel, length, and dispersion? I'm always glad to have an excuse to try out something new!

How do you find the Srixon irons to play? I've never hit them well, so passed them over this last time when I was testing irons.

Ok used to have an EGG spoon not for me sold my D spoon yamaha and settled for smaller heads like the onoff + and titleist 910F hit them way better. If you are down in SBY anytime i would gladly get you some egg spoon to try and quadra shafts and a few of my crazy shafts.

I have tried the Yamaha twin rail in TOP golf the other day whilst i was in JKT and i think i fell in love them. Do drop by there and demo them.

[Ara selai]

Guys, help! I have been trying to find dealers here in Jakarta who carry the Quadra and Crazy driver shafts mentioned above, with no luck yet. Any suggestions? Are there any other shafts I should try out for the 101 while I continue my search?

And what shafts should I be speccing out for whichever woods and hybrids come out on top?

Otherwise, @gbs, how often are you in JKT? I haven't made it to SBY yet, but I'd be very interested in trying out the shafts and EGG Spoon.... Was there a particular Yamaha twin rail model you tried?

Edited August 1, 2011 by Ara selai

[Ara selai]

Supo, it's not JDM and its grooves don't conform, but have a look at the next rogue wedge for you to consider: the Wishon Giant Niblick!

http://www.wishongolf.com/designs_details.php?dKey=103&dType=wedge

There's a picture on the Wedges page to compare its size (3x that of normal wedges) to his other offerings.

If it didn't work out, you could always fry an egg on it.

[gbs]

Guys, help! I have been trying to find dealers here in Jakarta who carry the Quadra and Crazy driver shafts mentioned above, with no luck yet. Any suggestions? Are there any other shafts I should try out for the 101 while I continue my search?

And what shafts should I be speccing out for whichever woods and hybrids come out on top?

Otherwise, @gbs, how often are you in JKT? I haven't made it to SBY yet, but I'd be very interested in trying out the shafts and EGG Spoon.... Was there a particular Yamaha twin rail model you tried?

Don't go there often anymore. maybe once every 2 months. suppose to be there this wednesday but things changed. Sorry i can't remember which twin rail i tried. let me search for it.

[gbs]

This was what i tried http://www.yamaha.co.jp/product/golf/products/fw_utility/v_fw.html

[Ara selai]

UPDATE: My grail quest is over (at least for the time being). I had a third hit of a selection of JDM FWs and Utilities tonight, following 2 earlier marathon sessions that kicked this post off. That's over 600 balls worth of testing, so the least I can say is that I gave everything a fair chance!

I went with the (well-reasoned, I think) advice in this post to aim for a 17/18 + 21/22 + 23/24 combo, so I didn't try any 3Ws out this time. Here were the contenders:

Fairway Woods (all 5W, as no 4Ws to be had)

OnOff 2010 FW Plus MP610

Royal Collection BBD Tour VS

Royal Collection SFD III

Royal Collection 2011 TRC

Tourstage X-FW

Yamaha 2011 FW Inpres X D

Yamaha 2011 FW Inpres X V

MISSING IN ACTION: PRGR Egg!!!

Utilities (tested all models @ 20/21*. In a few cases, I tried the 17/18* and/or the 23/24* as well.)

Miura HB

OnOff Fairway Wings (IMO, one of those model names that could use some re-thinking)

Royal Collection BBD TRC

Royal Collection SFD III

Royal Collection 2011 TRC

Tourstage X-UT

Yamaha Inpres X D

All of these clubs are top performers, with stellar reputations and many glowing reviews, so I wasn't surprised that it took so many balls to pick a winner. What did surprise me was just how little differentiation I saw compared to when I was testing irons. In the end, I suspect variations in my swing through the three sessions probably had as much impact on my opinion as the clubs themselves. In the end, I think I could have gone with just about any of these clubs and been happy.

The only clubs I could not get to work for me were the Tourstages. Over two sessions with these clubs, I CONSISTENTLY hit both the FWs and Utilities fat, so much so that the protective tape was worn off the leading edges. The problem was worse with the Utes, but still aggravatingly present with the FW. To make matters worse, even on the occasional pure hits, I pulled shots left with alarming regularity. Duck hooks, rocket shots to left field, I just never straightened them out. Tried various stiffness of shafts to see if that mattered. Nope. All I saw was a slight difference in trajectory. Worm burners to the hot box at third base or long fly outs to the Green Monster in left field. Needless to say, I ruled them out without much regret. I had the same problem with the TRC utes I tried on Saturday, but that problem didn't recur tonight in the "money" round (see below).

Next to fall by the wayside were the Miura hybrids (didn't like the color scheme and overall appearance, didn't like the screw weights on the base, didn't like the flight, and wasn't overly impressed of the feel. Game over, Mr. Hands of God!) and the OnOffs (only average, in MY hands, compared to the others). I'll reiterate the point, however, that even these also-rans were in contention for a good long while because there was so little differentiation among the clubs.

So then it was down to the Yamahas and the Royal Collection stable. Full disclosure: I think I might be a bit of a closet Yamaha fanboy. I seem to hit their clubs well, regardless of the model. I loved their Inpres irons when I tried them a month ago, and the FWs and Utes are just as impressive. If I were half the club ho that many of you guys are, I'd be sporting a backup Yama-only bag! Shots with the Yamahas had a nice middle trajectory, good carry and roll, and went reliably the distance I intended. I didn't have a strong preference for the D or V FWs, because I couldn't perceive any difference between them. I'm sure there's some technological mumbo jumbo that makes one different from the other, but it sure wasn't borne out in my results. In the end, the only reason I didn't pull the trigger was that I had better results with different Royal Collection clubs at each loft.

More full disclosure: I'm even more of a Royal Collection fanboy than Yamaha, at least in terms of FWs and utes. (I didn't test their irons, but now I think maybe I should have.) In each of the 3 lofts I tested, at least one RC club won me over to the point that my final decision was only which RC club to choose.

First, the 23/24. There were no high-lofted woods or driving irons to try, so it was really down to a ute. The Yamaha D was in pole position. Based on my first two sessions, I was prepared to pit it mercilessly against the SFD and TRC. However, I accidentally picked up one of the 24* BBD utes to demo (or the rep "accidentally" slipped it into my demo pile while I wasn't looking), and I just CRUSHED it every shot I took. Five swings, five pures, and it was the first club home and hosed. I don't think I've EVER hit a club that well that easily (that said, the Epon 502 irons I tried on Saturday were pretty close). The SFDs were a distant second (forgiving and soft, but not in the same rareified atmosphere), and the 2011 TRCs got the "thanks for playing" award (below the Yamahas). I can't explain the TRCs - last week they were my faves; this time they were also-rans. The last thing I need in my bag is Jekyll-Hyde club when I'm ~200 yards out trying to choose what to hit. I tried the BBD out several more times in the middle of testing the 20* and 17* clubs, just to check, and it was a gift that kept on giving. HIGH trajectory, smooth feel, straight, and long, with a nice abbreviated rollout that makes me think I could hold a green.

Next, the 20/21. This was definitely the loft with the least differentiation for me between clubs. I was understandably biased by the impressive performance of the BBS @ 24*, so I asked the rep to get me a 21* to try against the Yamaha, SFD, and TRC. It wasn't quite as effortless as the 24; it took me 4 swings or so to stop catching the ball a little high. The interesting thing is, even these mis**ts played well. Straight and about 20 yards shorter than when I zoned in and started hitting it purely. It also had noticeably more lateral dispersion than the 24*, but not enough to worry. Good, true flight, with a little more rollout than the 24*. That said, in all honesty, the SFDs, the 2011 TRCs, and the Yamaha were all just as good. If I hadn't already had a hard-on for the BBDs, I don't know which one I would have selected. Probably not the TRCs, as they had a bit more of the left bias I'd experienced previously than the Yamahas or SFDs did.

Finally, down to 17/18: I was fully prepared to take another ute in this loft, and was hoping the BBD was going to do me right again. However, when hitting the 5Ws against the utes, I got better results with all the 5Ws than I got with any of the utes. Once I determined that the 5W was getting me what I wanted (distance plus a lower, more penetrating trajectory with decent roll), I quit hitting the utes, so I didn't really develop a preference in them. I might go back and try the utes again another day, as there could be a time I want their trajectory characteristics over the 5W, but for now, they're not in the bag at this loft. In my previous rounds, I'd hit the 2011 TRCs and the SFDs much better than the Tour VSs. So much so, that I was ready to rule out the VSs in this final demo round. However, I really liked the smaller club head of the VS compared to the SFD, so I brought all three out to compare to the 2 Yamahas in contention. As with the 20* utilities, there was not an awful lot to recommend 4 of the clubs over the fifth. Those four all had nice flattened rainbow-like arcs, went a very reliable 210-225 yards, and had reasonably comparable dispersion patterns (interestingly, my impression was that I clustered the 5Ws better than the 20* utes). However, there was one club that rose to the top. This time, with final selection on the line, the Tour VSs came to the party. It was at least 5 yards, if not 10, longer than the others (mostly carry), and - within the narrow range of difference among the clubs - a LOT more accurate. I hit a lot of balls to confirm this, and what I noticed was that its trajectory was different from the others. It started of low, then rose softly, and dropped at a slightly higher angle than its take-off. I'd never compare myself to a pro (and my handicap confirms my honesty), but it had a trajectory like you see on TV. I've never had a club do that, and it was just plain fun to watch. Over and over. At first I thought it might be the shaft, but they were all S or SR. Still could have been a subtle difference in the kick points of the different stock shaft models, but it didn't matter. I had my third club! My only regret was the missing PRGR Egg to demo, but I've still got a 14th club to bag, so I can always try it in 14* (if I can find one to demo), or ho around like the rest of you lot and trade out with the VS if I like it that much more after trying it out!

End result after more deliberation than I'd expected: Three out of three to Royal Collection. Congrats to their design team for developing an outstanding range of clubs! The seem really welll suited to my game right now. (And kudos also to Yamaha for making such solid products across the board!) Hope other GTIers find this review helpful, if they're deliberating what to carry to bridge the gap between their driver and 5i. I ended up with a driver/wood/utility array that goes 10.5 (too low!)-18-21-24; my 5i is 27*, so, at least on paper, I think the progression looks good. I definitely appreciated the advice you all gave me to help me reach my decision. Now I've just got to save up for the Quadra driver shaft! Oh yeah, and think about reshafting the FW and utes. AND decide if I want to replace my previously sacrosanct SW and putter with JDM gear. It's a slippery slope....

Edited September 1, 2011 by Ara selai

[gbs]

Thanks for the detailed info. I am in search for a 3fw and an easier UTE. your findings certainly helps. Gotta get my ass down to JKT to demo some of those RCs

[coops1967]

lordy, that 70deg 'wedge' is ugly...

I've got a 73. (!!!) degree Feel wedge on the closet somewhere... looks like a regular wedge, just hilariously lofted - works ok, actually. May have to dig it out

[Ara selai]

@gbs: if you like small FW heads, like me, then you'll love the Tour VS. It's slight deeper than the Yamaha D and V, but a lot more compact at address. Really lovely "old school" look, and the flight is textbook.

If you come this way, let me know if you can bring a 14* Egg. Or 17*.