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A-GRIND Classic Driver vs T388 by S-Yard


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Having hit both now I'm in love.... with both!

So many of us have owned a T388 and it will go down as one of the best ever small headed drivers. It's mute, almost feels foamed, very straight with low spin and a fairly soft feel with dull thwack sound to it.

A-Grind Classic Driver has got everyone intrigued, many have sold and I'm glad to inform you guys it's pretty awesome and very different than the 388 and while feel is always subjective this is a more soft metal feel less muted than the dull thwack of the 388.

My A-Grind Classic has the Crazy Type B in it, the T388 stock shaft and side by side distance is equal so in other words not super long but still long. I would say both have very very similar performance characteristics and where they differ is in feel and looks. Feel is for each to decide but for looks A-Grind wins by a hair imo but of course we all have different eyes. with the different shafts trajectory of the A-Grind was more penetrating imo, more roll, and tighter but thats prob because two different shafts.

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does the taller face play into performance at all? great comparo pics Chris!

I don't think so but hard to tell with two different shafts, A-Grind felt more pure metallic to me over the T388's foam like thwack. I would guess head vs head the A-Grind has a touch more spin and higher launch but because of the Crazy shaft the result was a touch lower and stronger flight with more roll.

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A sole plate. Never thought I'd see another one after the wood drivers disappeared.

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Damn, I want that A-Grind just for the looks. Might just sit it on my desk and never even play it!!!

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the A-grind is as long and lower that the 388?????

wholly molly this must be a worm burner, the 388 is as low as u can go and its long.

shuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.., i gotta get me one now.

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More penetrating, more roll than the t388...?!?!?

Ditto what Stew said.

Would love to see a comparison using the same shaft.

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Wow, the A-grind makes the .388 look large even. Though of course the shallow face on the .388 makes it look not that small behind the ball.

Fantastic shape on the A-grind, looks so "hitable", reminds me of the Mizuno 611 but with an even more refined look.

Edited by Vegaman
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Oh the A grind's traditional shape is such an absolute beauty!! And low launch too.

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A sole plate. Never thought I'd see another one after the wood drivers disappeared.

Those are Faux screws.

Chris, can the A-Grind be hand selected? I want an open face...

Unfortunately no, they are all square with 202g heads +/- 1g.

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I'd like to try both of those.

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  • 2 weeks later...

i played both these over the weekend as well.

i honestly cant believe it but its true, the a-grind is equal to, at least .........., the s-yard for launch

u cant play this with another driver in the bag at the same time like i like to, its defiantly like a one tirck pony. too hard to get yr head around swaping backand forwards.

easily one of the best loking heads ive seen, i think the syard is easier to hit , goes longer, but snap hooks are MUCH easier to do.

both of these are for certian players , i can imagine them not being liked by a HUGE segemnt, but loved by another.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Would the S-Yard fit the bill for me? 9.5 is higher than I normally play but if it's super low spin and launch it doesn't matter. Was thinking of putting a Diamana X in it. Are they foamed (I hope not).

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not foamed. diamana X is what ive got in mine but its only 60s , not a good match.

wud be mch ebtter served with the 70s cut to 44.5 or less.

9.5* shud be fine , this is seriosuly LOW.

weight is 202 gram.

mine needs tweeking.

im thinking of going 44 inch with a GDp9003x.

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Feel is nice? What's the upside to using this head over someting like the Egg 1 or 435 Black or ZY-11 or the new Honma drivers? I'm curious about it and my Diamana X is 70 TX.

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yea feel is fine, its pretty nice actually , its kind of heavy but crisp, good thing is when u miss the centre it tell you.but not in a negative way.

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Feel is nice? What's the upside to using this head over someting like the Egg 1 or 435 Black or ZY-11 or the new Honma drivers? I'm curious about it and my Diamana X is 70 TX.

As I have the Egg1, A-Grind, diff. JBeams and tried all new Honmas on a demo day:

A-Grind:

Pros: Best looking head in the market, Best at adress, On of the best workable heads. Got smashfactor over 1.5 with it.

Cons: Very hard face! Would only recommend for people over 102-105 mph. (.. I´m to slow..)

Neutral: Low launch / low spin head. Go one more in loft and install only 1 inch tip.

Egg-1:

First I had big problems to dial in, because of the very light head weight (190g). "Tuned" the combo with 7g leadtape (head) and a better (for my hands) grip with 8-10 g counterweight (so it ´s 319-320 g).

Now..

Pros: One of the easiest to play most forgiving combos. Sound is really really good (more on the higher side). Distance is excellent. Head is really anti-hook, so you can really go after it. Launch can control with your swingplane. Stock shaft (high kp) is amazing (no need to change).

Best Driver "off the rack" I have ever played!

Cons: Not as workable as A-Grind. Also not workable as JBeam 435.

New Honmas:

Tried all new heads inclunding diff shafts: TW 727 430, TW 727 455s..

Look of the new heads is really really good!!

What should I say: No one of the head/shaft combos really impressed me. Distance was mmeehh. Dispersion with the 3 star shafts just ok, but not really good (tried weight classes from 40-60 g shafts).

The 430 is IMO the best head of the bunch: Most workable, most piercing trajectory. Harder face than all other 727 heads.

The other heads: No..

Hope that helps!

Edited by sundowner
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Great post mate.

You going to try any different shafts in the A Grind

Edited by Craig
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excellent feedback.

agree with you 100% on the a-grind and the egg.

wish there were more of these posts flying about.!

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As I have the Egg1, A-Grind, diff. JBeams and tried all new Honmas on a demo day:

A-Grind:

Pros: Best looking head in the market, Best at adress, On of the best workable heads. Got smashfactor over 1.5 with it.

Cons: Very hard face! Would only recommend for people over 102-105 mph. (.. I´m to slow..)

Neutral: Low launch / low spin head. Go one more in loft and install only 1 inch tip.

Egg-1:

First I had big problems to dial in, because of the very light head weight (190g). "Tuned" the combo with 7g leadtape (head) and a better (for my hands) grip with 8-10 g counterweight (so it ´s 319-320 g).

Now..

Pros: One of the easiest to play most forgiving combos. Sound is really really good (more on the higher side). Distance is excellent. Head is really anti-hook, so you can really go after it. Launch can control with your swingplane. Stock shaft (high kp) is amazing (no need to change).

Best Driver "off the rack" I have ever played!

Cons: Not as workable as A-Grind. Also not workable as JBeam 435.

New Honmas:

Tried all new heads inclunding diff shafts: TW 727 430, TW 727 455s..

Look of the new heads is really really good!!

What should I say: No one of the head/shaft combos really impressed me. Distance was mmeehh. Dispersion with the 3 star shafts just ok, but not really good (tried weight classes from 40-60 g shafts).

The 430 is IMO the best head of the bunch: Most workable, most piercing trajectory. Harder face than all other 727 heads.

The other heads: No..

Hope that helps!

How does one achieve a smash factor greater than 1.5?

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How does one achieve a smash factor greater than 1.5?

Measured it with PRGR Red Eye. (>1.5 only 2 times)

So in theory 1.5 should be max, if COR is 0.83. So.. maybe

- COR of the head is little over 0.83 (?)

- PRGR Red Eye measurement is not exaclty (?)

- In other forum people got with new high-end shafts similiar numbers (but I don´t understand the phyisic behind / relation to shafts....)

.. so..

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I can get a T.388 for a very good price should I go for it? Any real reason to get one or pass?

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