Posted March 24, 20231 yr comment_282000 Family came and the golf game (as well as the gym) got put on the shelf for the last 5 years. I no longer have the swing or the strength to play my favorite monster builds, a heavily weighted jBeam Bullet or 435 on my custom Seven Dreamers. I really need to build something with a normal swingweight instead of F0, lol. I've moved up a tee box and am bouncing drives into bunkers that I used to fly over from the tips so my goal is to find as much extra distance as possible with my new gramps like swing speed (probably 95mph range) If any of the other OG's remembers me, I still play a hard draw with misses to the left. So I need something that isn't draw biased like the majority of JDM drivers. I've narrowed my interest to 4 heads so far, the jBeam KZ-5 (because I love jBeam heads), the Jigen eRook II, the Geotech GT 9, and Progress BB6. As far as the shaft, I also need something lighter so was thinking something in the 50-60g range. I'm very interested in trying the Loop or Zinger shafts but was also recommended to try the Vanquish. Looking forward to any input and thanks! Edited March 25, 20231 yr by chiromikey edited to add the Progress BB6
March 24, 20231 yr comment_282004 Long time no see. Do you still have the Tourstage T fairway? The Vanquish looks good, and maybe a Diamana GT too.
March 24, 20231 yr Author comment_282005 Hey buddy! I actually have two of them! After I cracked the face on my original 435 I bought back-ups for all my favorites! I’ll have a look at the Diamana, thanks!
March 24, 20231 yr comment_282006 7 minutes ago, chiromikey said: Hey buddy! I actually have two of them! After I cracked the face on my original 435 I bought back-ups for all my favorites! I’ll have a look at the Diamana, thanks! I have an older jBEAM driver on it's way from Japan (fingers crossed). I never got along with the OG 435, but liked the 435r, 535 and zy-11.
March 24, 20231 yr Author comment_282007 17 minutes ago, Ian-500 said: I have an older jBEAM driver on its way from Japan (fingers crossed). I never got along with the OG 435, but liked the 435r, 535 and zy-11. I didn’t fall in love with the 435 until I stuffed the head. After that the feel and sound matched the performance and I was head over heels. Looking forward to hearing about your next jBeam!
March 24, 20231 yr comment_282008 16 minutes ago, chiromikey said: I didn’t fall in love with the 435 until I stuffed the head. After that the feel and sound matched the performance and I was head over heels. Looking forward to hearing about your next jBeam! When it turns up I'll do a what's in the back update 🙂
March 25, 20231 yr comment_282012 Well.... B cho oHisahi buri desu. My head's are STILL beam 435 for exactly what u want. But they are. Very low launching so those bunkers. U mention will be. In play. Astro tour v2 is. Right. Up ur alley. Changebale. Weights thing. Is a 🔨. The astro v3 is very pear shaped and. One. Of. My all time best heads to work the ball. As much as the new stuff comes. Out. I ognor. Just as. Quick it' aint better.. just get a head shape u like nothing new is. Going any further than what I t was. Since. 2011. Still can't think of a better. High launch shaft than the diamama ilima. Just put one back in this week . Gien up trying other shafts diamama for. Me. Cover s all bases. The diamama X 2017 in 60s. Or 50x will make. U smile. I'll think about others. Oh labo tataki green. Brings rain. IF. U can find one anywhere. Ventus. I tried and almost washed. My hands. After it. Gd pt6 series...proper shaft. Good. Price. I'll keep thinking...,
March 25, 20231 yr Author comment_282013 Hmmm....so maybe take some weight out of one of my 435s and reshaft it to something in the 50-60g area with a higher launch? You think my new geriatric swing speed could still make that head work? I'm not trying to work the ball anymore, at least not yet...just need something straight and as long as possible. I'm not a fan of hitting 5 and 6 irons into greens that used to take 8 or 9 irons.
March 25, 20231 yr comment_282015 I agree with Sup, find a head you like and maybe a shaft that works, try some newer stuff and you’ll eventually realise there is nothing that’s going to make you a better player. I’m still playing an Epon AF102 head with an original crazy longest heard shaft, can’t find anything better, maybe it’s just familiarity. but I keep looking…….
March 25, 20231 yr Author comment_282020 I know it’s not the equipment that will make me a better player or get me back to a scratch handicap but I don’t have the time to devote to get back there. I also know that I simply don’t have the strength anymore to swing a XX shaft or produce enough swing speed to make a low loft and low spinning head like the 435 or Bullet work for me. So I’m looking for new equipment to fit my game, not fix it. Edited March 25, 20231 yr by chiromikey
March 25, 20231 yr comment_282022 I’m in the exact same spot Mikey. I swing 98-102, down from 110-112 with age. Strong draw and my miss is to the left. I’ve played AAA and Loop and before then Diamana X 70. I just bought a Baldo 438H 9.5 and yesterday bought a Vanquish 5x for it. It was that or a Tensei 50x but I think that the Vanquish will be a bit more active and better for me. Will try a 44.5-44.75” build to have speed from the lower weight and control by not going 45.5”.
March 25, 20231 yr Author comment_282025 30 minutes ago, bngolfer said: I’m in the exact same spot Mikey. I swing 98-102, down from 110-112 with age. Strong draw and my miss is to the left. I’ve played AAA and Loop and before then Diamana X 70. I just bought a Baldo 438H 9.5 and yesterday bought a Vanquish 5x for it. It was that or a Tensei 50x but I think that the Vanquish will be a bit more active and better for me. Will try a 44.5-44.75” build to have speed from the lower weight and control by not going 45.5”. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the Vanquish!
March 25, 20231 yr comment_282026 5 minutes ago, chiromikey said: Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the Vanquish! We have a foot of snow and -6 so might take a while..
March 25, 20231 yr Author comment_282027 1 hour ago, bngolfer said: We have a foot of snow and -6 so might take a while.. I guess I may end up letting you know then lol
March 25, 20231 yr comment_282028 😁 I like the numbers and will probably get an orange Tensei 1K and perhaps one of the Diamanas in 50x to try different shafts and see what the do for me. Liggter weight is likely the way to go for us oldies and weakies though.
March 29, 20231 yr comment_282052 yea Mikey , id think that idea will work for ur swing , after all , its been been cut on that head, im still playing my jbeams @ 9.5* with a diamana stinger 70x, a 71s stinger proto, and diamana blue 73s for home links and yes really they are all prob too low launch for most tracks for sure , but for when i play them they are irreplacable dont get as much distance as a few yrs back but they are hard to miss a fairway with , the head jsut looks so ......... welcoming , ive been playing them for gorr knows how long now and they just suit, i think u rem how many drivers i used to have, well now im down to about maybe 20 ish and most are same head shape with diff shafts for diff conds / courses. 3 jbeam 435s - stinger 70s 71 proto s blue 73s 4 astro tour v3- quadra tp-x 70s , diamana X 70x , diamana ilima 70s, 2 astro tour v2 - diamana fubuki aplha 70s, graph design PT 6x syard v t388- diamana X 70s epon 101, A-jappa, callaway erc3 , onoff type s , very simiar shaped heads 3 kamui tp 07s - 7 dreamers, diamana stinger proto 71x , diamana X 60x ( cud be my best driver) 2 prgr eggs, labo spec tataki blue 70s , diamana alislei 83s somehow i manage to play them all over a year but i dont play comp here so i bag 2 drivers per round and hit SO many drives , for me its worth it and the thing is when i DO play comps the 435s are pretty clsoe to the first one grabbed and if its windy there aint nothing else i go for, maybe the egg 7 9* that head is still prob my fave looking head just putting a new diamaa n ilima in it , the 83s aliislei had become a tough t ask master................. Ive tried a few new drivers, tm sim 2, ping g425 ( ,i actually liked that head shape but oh my god the sound of it !!!!!!!!!! ) , mizuno somethin or other but none of them outperformed if at all matched what i have and for whats supposed to be 10+ yrs of innovation design and materials + price.......... whats the point? yea if i cud ever get over that hideous thud of the ping i cud game that, eps as it offers a differnt trianalge back MASSSIVE head shape inert head shape i dont have. but that wud mean putting one of my better shafts in that nad thats NOT ever gonna happen! you know waht when i think aboiut it the EPON 101 , is a tough head to beat as a day in out all rounder ..............................., Edited March 29, 20231 yr by supo
March 29, 20231 yr Author comment_282055 23 hours ago, Ian-500 said: 9 hours ago, supo said: yea Mikey , id think that idea will work for ur swing , after all , its been been cut on that head, im still playing my jbeams @ 9.5* with a diamana stinger 70x, a 71s stinger proto, and diamana blue 73s for home links and yes really they are all prob too low launch for most tracks for sure , but for when i play them they are irreplacable dont get as much distance as a few yrs back but they are hard to miss a fairway with , the head jsut looks so ......... welcoming , ive been playing them for gorr knows how long now and they just suit, i think u rem how many drivers i used to have, well now im down to about maybe 20 ish and most are same head shape with diff shafts for diff conds / courses. 3 jbeam 435s - stinger 70s 71 proto s blue 73s 4 astro tour v3- quadra tp-x 70s , diamana X 70x , diamana ilima 70s, 2 astro tour v2 - diamana fubuki aplha 70s, graph design PT 6x syard v t388- diamana X 70s epon 101, A-jappa, callaway erc3 , onoff type s , very simiar shaped heads 3 kamui tp 07s - 7 dreamers, diamana stinger proto 71x , diamana X 60x ( cud be my best driver) 2 prgr eggs, labo spec tataki blue 70s , diamana alislei 83s somehow i manage to play them all over a year but i dont play comp here so i bag 2 drivers per round and hit SO many drives , for me its worth it and the thing is when i DO play comps the 435s are pretty clsoe to the first one grabbed and if its windy there aint nothing else i go for, maybe the egg 7 9* that head is still prob my fave looking head just putting a new diamaa n ilima in it , the 83s aliislei had become a tough t ask master................. Ive tried a few new drivers, tm sim 2, ping g425 ( ,i actually liked that head shape but oh my god the sound of it !!!!!!!!!! ) , mizuno somethin or other but none of them outperformed if at all matched what i have and for whats supposed to be 10+ yrs of innovation design and materials + price.......... whats the point? yea if i cud ever get over that hideous thud of the ping i cud game that, eps as it offers a differnt trianalge back MASSSIVE head shape inert head shape i dont have. but that wud mean putting one of my better shafts in that nad thats NOT ever gonna happen! you know waht when i think aboiut it the EPON 101 , is a tough head to beat as a day in out all rounder ..............................., love it Stew, thanks!! I’m going to move my Seven Dreamers out of the Bullet and into one of my 435s with some weight removed and see how that goes. For s**ts and giggles I’ve been thinking about building a non conforming driver to get me excited about getting back into not only playing but the silly game club hoeing. Anything stand out to you in those heads?
April 7, 20231 yr comment_282091 Totally related ... New Jbeam ZY-Max + a Syncagraphite Zinger Have been with one for a month or two and brings back the plesure of competing with younger beings ...
April 8, 20231 yr comment_282093 Dooood . I just. Sold. A Hi cor. Driver a week ago. Rc 9* beast. Im waiting. On the 11* to move,it's.pending . If that don't go I'll give. U a heads. Up. Id. Opt. For a 7d. In a 10- 11* kamui head
April 10, 20231 yr Author comment_282109 I had a jBeam 435 Black and this old fav, the Crazy labeled version. I removed the stuffing from it, pulled the Seven Dreamers out of the Bullet, and reshafted it into the Crazy. I put the extra heavy weight in the toe and super light weight in the heel to promote a straighter/higher ball flight. It still swingweighted at E6 lol but felt a ton lighter. I’ll have to get used to the stock hollow sound but as always it’s a beast. Nice arching draw with tons of roll. Definitely gained control as well as 30+ yards over the Bullet. This head just sets up so nicely and familiar. I still want to build something new just to get my juices flowing but this combo just can’t be beat for me.
April 10, 20231 yr Author comment_282110 On 4/7/2023 at 5:23 AM, mauvanilla said: Totally related ... New Jbeam ZY-Max + a Syncagraphite Zinger Have been with one for a month or two and brings back the plesure of competing with younger beings ... I rediscovered my tried and true love but I still think I’m going to build something with this shaft.
April 10, 20231 yr comment_282112 Its funny how theres always the one that makes u feel at home. no matter how many i build, the Beam 435/stinger 70x . @. 9.5* combo ive had for 10 ish years is Still the club i love to take out the most , prob bec it was the club i used in comps here when i was swinging it harder and did damn well with in general. That thing won me a whole bunch of emperors heads more pfthen than not in nassau back i n the heady days , i dont game it alot these days but when i do i remember its nuances instantly , its got a small but heavy draw tendency i guess ebc of the weight allignment i put in i cant remember now but i have confidence to aim it mid right and wont loose it there . Ive even tried to replicate it with a black beam, 70s s stinger, same specs but its just not quite the same. for sure the black beamer SHUD be better sutied now but i dunno...... also , have conicindentally hit my 2 longest ever drives with it as well so its got a VERY special place. Edited April 10, 20231 yr by supo
April 10, 20231 yr Author comment_282113 I didn’t think there were any actual specific differences were between the black and the regular but I seem to hit the regular one better. Is the face material different? Ironically, mine are all 9.5° as well. I’ve won several long drive contests with the 435 as well as member tourneys and local events. I’ve hit some drives just as long with others like the Ryoma V-Spec but not as consistently. Maybe I should buy just another one of these for that Stinger shaft…? Edited April 10, 20231 yr by chiromikey
April 10, 20231 yr comment_282114 cant fault that , expect LOW and piercing , that stigner shaft is like a knuckle ball if u dont generate enough oomph. im at 46.8mps these days and im just at the level to feel it................, sort of ignite
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