ryoma v-spec and vertical gear effect

[chiromikey]

i mentioned this a long while back in a review of the v-spec but nobody really commented on it so i didn't discuss it any further. although i have an understanding of gear effect i don't pretend to be the best person to explain the physics behind it so if you're looking for that part of the discussion you'll have to seek elsewhere.

the 435 is consistently the longest driver i've ever played and the ryoma has always been the most point and shoot. but every once in a while, usually about once per round, i can get the ryoma to out bomb just about anything...and anyone! i've always known the reason but just chalked it up to luck since i'm not good enough to consistently hit the face a tiny bit high and off the toe. but when i do...look out! and i'm talking. 350+ yd bombs with about 290yds carry and 60yds roll.

i've been able to work gear effect with other drivers but nothing like the ryoma. the only thing to ever come close was the ping i15. obviously it helps to have hard fairways but my swing speed certainly doesn't deserve bombs like these. i'm considering using several layers of athletic tape and taping up the entire face except a spot just high and towards the toe and focusing on trying to do this more often.

anyone else been lucky enough to experience this with the ryoma (or any driver) or good enough to do it consistently?

[MoreBeerBetterGolf]

My Ryoma experience was a little befuddling to me as it really wasn't that long and I didn't really hit it any straighter than anything else on average. What I did notice was weird though was sometimes I would hit these pure lasers that wouldn't bend at all in any direction from the time they left the club til the time they hit the ground. Usually I have and prefer some shot shape and have it with most drivers but found that a bit odd.

The phenomenon you're referring to I've seen with 910D2, that for the most part, I absolutely hated because it spun into orbit for me. Meaning high shots that ultimately fell from the sky and didn't give me much distance.

I was just thinking about some of my most memorable drives ever the other night and I was surprised that several of them actually came with that setup. For the most part it was just another driver for me but the ones I hit just right were straight up man-bombs.

We played in a coed scramble 2 Mays ago "The Bro's and Ho's Scramble" and nuked one onto the green on an uphill par 4 that was 305 or so. Hit one past the green on a par 4 on our home course that I still haven't duplicated in probably a hundred rounds there since. Guess she just had a magic G spot I couldn't find very often. Story of my life.

[marmaduk]

This is actually a thing??!!!!

This is not much actual input to your discussion but i'm an average 260-270 driver of the ball. every now and then i'll hit it 290 longest ever 311 gps but once and I do mean ONCE with normal conditions dry fairway and a smooth hard swing (Nothing crazy) I drove the ball 346yds!! gps confirmed. no wind not down hill or anything.

I had no idea what happened. my playing partners were dumbfounded.

It has never happened again

[chiromikey]

This is actually a thing??!!!!

This is not much actual input to your discussion but i'm an average 260-270 driver of the ball. every now and then i'll hit it 290 longest ever 311 gps but once and I do mean ONCE with normal conditions dry fairway and a smooth hard swing (Nothing crazy) I drove the ball 346yds!! gps confirmed. no wind not down hill or anything.

I had no idea what happened. my playing partners were dumbfounded.

It has never happened again

yep, it is an actual phenomenon. the first few times it happened i recall saying to my partners "meh...i kinda toe'd that one" and then found my ball 75yds past theirs. now when it happens i just keep my mouth shut and laugh to myself...and when we reach my ball and they're all talking crap i just humbly say that i must have landed on a sprinkler head.

[marmaduk]

Hmm this is interesting. Very interesting indeed.

Is this "sweet spot" , If you will, always bit high and toward the toe?

Does it exist in all drivers?

and finally, can you post a link to where I may read up on this a bit more?

I feel like I'm about to geek out on something. The last time that happened I spent 76 hours straight in my study. not good. not good indeed. Time to stock up on kimchi noodles.

[chiromikey]

vertical gear effect is not partial to only specific drivers but i would theorize that the specific bulge/roll design of a particular driver might increase it's effect.

i'm sure google or a search on the wrx site would yield many hits but i'll look around for a good link.

**edit**

definitely check the wrx site. here's some hits from google

http://www.andrewricegolf.com/tag/vertical-gear-effect/

http://mytrackman.com/university/learning-tools/mark-anderson-case-study-1--vertical-gear-effect

Edited March 14, 2013 by chiromikey

[supo]

it doesnt happen to my ryoma , but it happens to my kamui pro.

the 435 is day in/out the boomer.

the ryoma is the point man.

the kamui pro is the monster form the deep .

there will never be a driver i hit in my life,ever, that beats one i hit in tassy o n the 17th.. the last day

ever.

i got it 100% flush with the wind left to right wind fade and it was redicuslouly past everyting wed hit al lweek it was at the front of the green it was rediculous. there was nothing it cud have hit it was just theperfect storm.

thats why i like to take that out every match.

the ryoma i find is just so so autoimatic , its straight pin point lock load boom.

and yes slight high toe shots get the best results for some reason.

ill never be without a ryoma.

[chiromikey]

i agree. i own many drivers and will likely own several more...but i'll never be without a v-spec or 435!

[ant]

i havent seen ryoma in person let alone hit it but from what i read on tsg blog there is alot of weight shaved off the clubhead body itself and added weight to the back via the weight port and thats probably is why you are seeing that effect. gory details can be found here http://www.tutelman.com/golf/ballflight/gearEffect2.php for those interested.

[wmclarenf1]

i agree. i own many drivers and will likely own several more...but i'll never be without a v-spec or 435!

Yup but for me a D1 and 435.

[swisstrader]

One of many articles on gear effect:

http://www.tutelman.com/golf/ballflight/gearEffect.php

I also never seemed to get along with the Ryoma I purchased. May have been the shaft I chose, but the thing was a hooking machine and I almost NEVER hook the ball.

Craziest drives I ever had was on vacation in Cabo. They had some deal where you could test drive a new Tsunami driver (yes, Tsunami!). Thing came with a VERY whippy senior shaft and I just hit long bombs all day long with that club. My playing partner who I play with all the time was floored. The really dumb thing was I figured I would just buy it when I got to the states, but never again found one with the exact same specs.

I have definitely noticed that my best drives these days are exactly what the article recommends, which is to play the ball off the toe and just turn it over hard. Discovered this quite by accident when I bought the Lab Launcher in that it has a black face and you can see after each drive where you've hit the ball on the face of the club. Each time I juiced my drive another 10-15 yards, I looked at the face and it was a toe hit vs a hit on the sweetspot. Gear effect at its finest!

Edit: don't ask me why I copied the exact same article as Ant...mid- zheimers disease.

Edited March 14, 2013 by swisstrader

[chiromikey]

i havent seen ryoma in person let alone hit it but from what i read on tsg blog there is alot of weight shaved off the clubhead body itself and added weight to the back via the weight port and thats probably is why you are seeing that effect. gory details can be found here http://www.tutelman.com/golf/ballflight/gearEffect2.php for those interested.

those ARE gory details...but it was still fun to read! ;)

[wmclarenf1]

i havent seen ryoma in person let alone hit it but from what i read on tsg blog there is alot of weight shaved off the clubhead body itself and added weight to the back via the weight port and thats probably is why you are seeing that effect. gory details can be found here http://www.tutelman.com/golf/ballflight/gearEffect2.php for those interested.

i havent seen ryoma in person let alone hit it but from what i read on tsg blog there is alot of weight shaved off the clubhead body itself and added weight to the back via the weight port and thats probably is why you are seeing that effect. gory details can be found here http://www.tutelman.com/golf/ballflight/gearEffect2.php for those interested.

One of many articles on gear effect: http://www.tutelman.com/golf/ballflight/gearEffect.php I also never seemed to get along with the Ryoma I purchased. May have been the shaft I chose, but the thing was a hooking machine and I almost NEVER hook the ball. Craziest drives I ever had was on vacation in Cabo. They had some deal where you could test drive a new Tsunami driver (yes, Tsunami!). Thing came with a VERY whippy senior shaft and I just hit long bombs all day long with that club. My playing partner who I play with all the time was floored. The really dumb thing was I figured I would just buy it when I got to the states, but never again found one with the exact same specs. I have definitely noticed that my best drives these days are exactly what the article recommends, which is to play the ball off the toe and just turn it over hard. Discovered this quite by accident when I bought the Lab Launcher in that it has a black face and you can see after each drive where you've hit the ball on the face of the club. Each time I juiced my drive another 10-15 yards, I looked at the face and it was a toe hit vs a hit on the sweetspot. Gear effect at its finest! Edit: don't ask me why I copied the exact same article as Ant...mid- zheimers disease.

Way too much info for me man... I just hit the damn thing and if it works great.