Been searching for a back up driver for some time now and I thought the Srixon Z785 was going to be it.... but after a while the sound and feel eventually got to me and I sold it.  Went back to the Modart MA-1D+R 8.5 for a bit but it just hits too high for me.  In hopes of ending this search,  I just picked up a used 9.5 Epon AF-153 head.  Hard to find one with decent weight... Finally found one at 198g which is still lighter than what I actually need and I may still send it in for a hot melt treatment. This actually is not my first AF-153.  I had one 3 to 4 years ago which I had paired it with a Fire Express Max WBQ 75 SX ...   It was the most consistent driver ever for me and to this day I regret letting it go !!!   A the time,  I switched to a Grandista RS-001 / Seven Dreamers combo which on the long run did not work out so well.  ( I also incurred some injury during that time too ) 

Anyway,  my current Ace is the Grandista RS-D / Diamond Speeder 5X combo.  It is long and it is consistent.    I just need a second driver for when I want to change it up a bit. Not sure why I was pursuing other drivers until now but I do know from past experience that the AF-153 will produce good results. It is one of my favorite drivers of all time.  As for the shaft this time around,  I am going to try the Fuji Atmos TS Black I have setting idle.  Hopefully it works out well.  

I know that AF-153 has been one of the most popular drivers from Epon to date other than perhaps the legendary AF-101.  Even after the AF-155 and AF-155i has released,  many people apparently stayed with the 153. 

I'll review the new combo once I build and have some time to play with it! 

Agree on the 153 being the most consistent driver. Found its way into my bag via the BST one day and it turned out to be the all-time fairway finder for me. Before I hurt my back, I was still throwing the JBeam Black in when I was feeling confident and like bombing them out there. But the 153 kept coming back. Fairways and greens... gotta start with fairways... 

Oddly, I tried a couple other Epon's, including the newer 155, but it wasn't quite as nice feeling, and the sound wasn't as absolutely sweet. They did something special with the 153.

Got my head today and built it with my Atmos shaft.   Took it out to the range for a quick test drive!! 

I had forgotten how forgiving this head was.   It's a real straight shooter and the feel and sound is sooo pleasing!  

Distance was not as long as the Grandista but the forgiveness makes up for it I think. 

Thoughts of swapping the shafts around are going through my mind again.  ?

 

 

 

 

 

So I ended up pulling out the Diamond Speeder from the Grandista and installed it in the AF153 ....  

I think this AF-153 / Diamond Speeder is a match I've been longing for!!  it is perfection.   Perhaps not as violently long for me compared to the RS-D / Diamond Speeder combo but it is definitely straighter and more forgiving.       

 

 

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. I wish I cud love EPN drivers, the only one that ever worked for me was ( IS) T the  af-101,, cud never gel with any other