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2015 Epon Zero Driver


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Release date is April 24th.

Mirror finish & Black IP

post-18-0-05840300-1427808789_thumb.jpg

post-18-0-56129900-1427808799_thumb.jpg

Difference between previous version:

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Standard Shaft is DOA which is a partnership brand between Epon & FSP.

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What they are saying to push the shaft is interesting, it came in the form of a warning:

During their test hitting of the new Zero without the DOA shaft you lose 20 yards but with the DOA shaft you gain 10 yards...

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Looking forward to in hand pics :)

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Wow, interesting, how can a shaft, which is very swing dependent create that type of difference for a universal golfer set to elicit that statement. I am skeptical. The driver head though looks great in specs and looks!

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"with me.....without me"

Tom Cruise in Knight and Day

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interesting...

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Would be interesting to know what type of Ti they are using on the face?

My AF-153 feels and sounds really nice off the face but the distance I get is far from spectacular compared to my G30.

What is their strategy to improve distance performance?

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So first you lose 20 yards if you don't use the DOA, but then get only 10 yards back if you do use it after all? Ok! Makes sense...not

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I think perhaps that it is 20 yards shorter than the older model Zero without the DOA shaft and 10 yards longer than the older model Zero with the DOA shaft.....

* So this is basically a dead head with a super long shaft ???? How much longer would the old Zero be with a DOA shaft ?

Edited by robbie
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So first you lose 20 yards if you don't use the DOA, but then get only 10 yards back if you do use it after all? Ok! Makes sense...not

I think they are saying a 10 yard gain overall.

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I think they are saying a 10 yard gain overall.

Yes that's exactly it. Basically they are trying to push their new shaft really hard.

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i can understand saying its 10 yards longer with shaft but the 20 yards without it makes me believe the head is a dud.....

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It should still be very nice IMO, it will feel good and for sure looks good but what's needed is the explanation of why? I buy Japanese for the Quality & Technology.

Epon has the Quality but not the technology. Think Casio G-Shock MR-G Watch, be that way with anything and dominate.

Relying on the brand name to carry sales won't last forever without innovation.

As JDM grows and golfers become more discerning they learn that technology does matter and sell!

Truth is when you cut epon drivers open they are empty and rely on the material, weighting, and CG placement, nice it's still the fundamentals of golf but so much more can be done and at the very least explain the why.

This is precisely why many OEM's have left Endo, the lack of advancement in wood technology "especially in Adjustability" and use of new tech in various ways to reduce and distribute weight creatively.

So what we have seen from Epon is the same tech in different shapes and CG locations for many years now. They have nailed the looks part down, but it's time they play catch up with tech. Unfortunately it's already too late. The term used by my engineer friends is "unwillingness to adapt" and that has led their customers to go elsewhere.

The tech comes from the OEM level, not the factory but when the factory doesn't invest in the tools and tech to produce the customers desire they go elsewhere like overseas... and then the focus shifts to Technology over Quality which we don't want. It needs to strike a balance.

FYI Epon & Endo are operated completely separately, it's hard to tell who exactly is at fault for the lack of innovation but I will say Honma and Maruman are still cranking out some sweet tech at Endo which leads me to its Epon who's the weak leg in design.

Endo is still my favorite iron factory for mass made but IMO paying handmade prices for mass produced clubs is outrageous. What Japan has over any factory in the world is grinding which can't be bought or designed it's years and sometimes generations of skill/talent/practice handed down that creates that so if I were giving advice to Endo again it would be to absorb Japan's best asset and incorporate it into creating the best products in the world. Will that happen? Never they want someone who works for peanuts with no attitude doing a robotic task repetitively and let me tell you these grinders have attitudes, each one is quirky and unique in his own ways so I understand these are not the easist folks to employ.

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The original Zero was a beast...i found the face very forgiving in terms of distance and it was high launch and low spin.....i quit gaming the driver because the miss with that club for me was a big slice......for players who play a fade, this could be quite the weapon !

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looks just like he 101 to me, which is a good thing bec that was a great head.

the shaft co needs some investigating.

black ip face , best looking face material ever ,but the wear on it is noticeable after a sort time.

201 gram head is nice tho.

think itll go well.

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I think they are saying a 10 yard gain overall.

I think so too, but it's not what it says. I guess translation screw up

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  • 3 weeks later...

black ip face , best looking face material ever ,but the wear on it is noticeable after a sort time.

is it really the black IP face like the Limited 101? I hope they have improved on it.

as I have said before, when its cold and wet the black face is terrible, no spin and the ball goes nowhere. I have sandblasted the face off mine, which improved it a little but its hard to tell, because I live in temperate climate (queensland) it is so rarely cold when it rains. However during a rainy cool day a couple of weeks ago, it happened again on a couple of shots.

I showed mine to a metalurgist, and he said its hydrophilic (opposite of hydrophobic). The easy way to verify is to cool it down in a bucket of ice, then wipe the case completey dry with hand or towel. within about 2 seconds the entire face is covered with water again. And as a result, water between ball and clubface and loss of spin.

Edited by theblake
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I hear what you are saying man as I live in QLD, but I have never had a problem with the IP finish, that might just be how inconsistent my drives are anyway that I don't notice the difference, but it is an interesting theory non the less.

Would be interesting to here from other QLD members if they found the same as you suggest with say the crazy 435 or 450.

Very much looking forward to the new zero though man, hope increased head size means more forgiveness.

Looks stunning and sure it will feel unreal.

Edited by hutchy
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I hear what you are saying man as I live in QLD, but I have never had a problem with the IP finish, that might just be how inconsistent my drives are anyway that I don't notice the difference, but it is an interesting theory non the less.

It's not a theory, two other people have said to me also that it is no good in the rain, and I know only 3 people that have used one, the third guy is the one who sold it to me. I took it a step further to figure out why ( I have also played in rain plenty of times in indonesia, no problem there).

In June/July head out to a driving range when it's a cool foggy evening, and watch the balls fall out of the sky.

I have sent a couple of emails to Epon, no reply, My mate is an EPON clubmaker, he couldn't get a reply from his Epon contacts either.

Edited by theblake
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Thats a great follow up, would be interesting to hear the word from the top and if they have tested it in all atmospheric conditions with all materials and finishes....which I am sure they have.

I just thought the bucket of ice theory would stand with all finishes under those conditions you mentioned.

Thanks for the info.

Edited by hutchy
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Release date is April 24th.

Mirror finish & Black IP

attachicon.gif2015 Epon Zero Driver.jpg

attachicon.gif2015 Epon Zero.jpg

Difference between previous version:

attachicon.gifEpon Zero VS.jpg

Standard Shaft is DOA which is a partnership brand between Epon & FSP.

attachicon.gifo0600043513261537969.jpg

What they are saying to push the shaft is interesting, it came in the form of a warning:

During their test hitting of the new Zero without the DOA shaft you lose 20 yards but with the DOA shaft you gain 10 yards...

This head sure does look like a kobayashi design.

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