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Gauge Japan 2005 Blades etc


TourSpecGolfer

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Here are some pics of the 2005 release GD Japan muscle back irons

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Prototype M3+ - N version ( neck )

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No welding here, the neck goes all they way in :cool:

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M3-N ( non plus version in front )

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Hand made no name J.A.T style prototype awaiting paint fill

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2005 proto bags, ( actual models will have differences when released )

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Great photos! Those MB's look interesting with that milled look in the section on the back. Looks like they keep the Gauge offset with these as they had in the CB's. Do you know what their philosophy is on that? Great looking irons & putters. :cool:

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Great photos!  Those MB's look interesting with that milled look in the section on the back.  Looks like they keep the Gauge offset with these as they had in the CB's.  Do you know what their philosophy is on that?  Great looking irons & putters.  :cool:

Here is another pic of the MB Topline. on the left is the proto CB on the right proto MB.

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The offset is less than the CB's and I may get flamed for this answer but myself and many of the JPN manufacturers sorta think that the U.S high end niche buyer has no clue what they are looking for. Yes I am talking about the majority of TSG'rs and BSG'rs and for several reasons. If you take a look at what us club ho's want it makes no sense to play the majority of the stuff we buy, We are looking at the PGA tour players and mimicking their specs when in reality many of the pro's don't know much about their own equipment.

We all know technology on Irons is pretty much maxed out, its steel on a shaft basically and if you look at the amount of players on the JPGA using big offset thick top line irons its a tad bit shocking when compared to the U.S tour, I hear so many asking for 1-2 degree open faces, offset requests down to the point etc and often think to myself, do they really think it will improve their skills or ball striking, distance control etc. because there is a huge chance these type of specs will hurt your game more than anything unless your a good amateur or pro.

I don't know how we all got to the assumptions that no offset and a tiny top line is better and very often i hear members say things like " to much offset for me, I couldn't stand looking at it " or "The top line is too thick, I could never hit it". We are the only ones besides pro's who act this way. The club maniacs in Japan don't talk like that they just play what works best and I honestly doubt no offset and a tiny top line works best for the majority of our members here. On that note many of us don't even need stiff flex or low torque heavy shafts.

Everyone has a preference and thats great but if we look at precentages, it makes no sense to build an Iron that only scratch hcp's and better SHOULD be playing.

One big trend in Japan now is very forgiving blades like the Fourteens, MP33's, Gold's Factory, On OFF, PRGR and now the new GD MB's, they have a lower center of gravity and better sole design for the average golfer. The progression makes the long irons look similar to driving irons keeping the C.O.G lower getting the ball up easier ( not necessarily higher as many of us would think ) These blades offer something that has some give rather than take.

A club is a club, we still gotta make contact and get it in the hole and IMHO a vast majority of us are not absolutely clear about what we like.

I see that we all think no offset and a paper thin top line is cool because the pro's play them and that is not the best reason for a selection.

I am an average golfer, I learned an open face doesn't work well for my swing, I learned a tipped Reg flex that loads easy is what I should play, I learned 80g FW shafts improve my ball contact, I learned a 33" putter and 70 degree lie angle is best for me even if im 6ft tall, I learned a tiny grip helps me on faster greens, I learned 340 - 350g heads are best for making putts even if the stroke don't feel as clean as a 360 - 370g heads, I learned offset makes me more comfortable and a super thin top line makes me nervous and less confident.

I used to buy Tour Issue open face drivers with 70 - 90g S - X flex shafts tipped, No offset Irons with tiny top lines, wedges with a huge killed trailing edge etc etc and then I woke up and thought to myself why am I playing this stuff when its obvious I would do much better without the Tour/Pro spec equipment.

If you remain completely honest with yourself and select your clubs by they way they perform rather than how " PRO " they setup I think we would all save a few strokes and learn more about our swings at a faster rate.

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Cool pics Chris, just making the Ho's cry :wah: But pretty cool looking stuff everyone going to what the JAT putter and bags. :money:

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Guess i'm going to have to go with a GD MB/CB set. If only they'll make the MB's in black teflon  The MB's look similiar in shape to the mr23 blades and mizuno mp37's. The milling marks on the back of the iron look wierd...an all uniform look would've been cool.

I will be ordering a few with no milling marks and several in black teflon IF the samples look good that way.

I want that JAT!

It will be up on ebay with no reserve next week :spit:

Im not sure how different the G-Field Irons will be, they will be the same platform just a different look, logo, and price.

The release should be december 04.

The J.A.T style head has no name on it the sole says gauge design, yellow and white paintfill has been added with a mid size yellow Ion grip

and it looks amazing, very soft feel due to the mill marks, only a handfull are hand made the others will look exactly the same but done by machine. I will have more pics when I pay my HUGE tab to U.S customs and they release it to me :wah:

I also just put a Z-COM TW84 into my GAF1 5 wood and its a gem, not sure if its longer than the HK80 combo but it sure is straighter.

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I have to agree with Chris to a great extent. There's a lot of talk about tour grinds, toplines, tipping, bounce, flex, etc. To be perfectly frank, I'm not exactly sure what my preferred specs are for anything. Sure I know I prefer the look of blades but I want them to be forgiving. I play 34" putters but I'm thinking of trying 33". Sometimes a heavier head feels good and sometimes a lighter head feels good. I'm a decent 9 handicap with a good short game so I more or less know what works for me or what doesn't. Yet, I will buy clubs purely on looks and then try them out. I have never bought a Tour issue club only because I don't believe the premium is going to drop my handicap by a couple shots. I buy retail and if it works, great and if it doesn't, Ebay! When I ordered my custom Gold's Factory blades, I built them around the specs of my Tourstage X-Blade 4 iron and 8 iron because those felt best to me. So far, they're working out great but that isn't to say that a stock set wouldn't play just as nice.

To put things in perspective, the HK PGA was just held this week. Guy who won is a buddy of mine who used to be no.1 and then gave up playing pro. He's 39, plays with 3 year old clubs, doesn't practice or play much, and shot 10 under over 3 rounds to win by one.

Btw Chris, why didn't you tell me about that hand made JAT ??? :mad: :laugh:

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Chris,

The Gauge Design CBs that I purchased from you are sensational and have been the longest iron set in my bag!! But I must say - make sure you pm me when the GD MBs arrive because they are sweeeet - I am seriously thinking combo set!!

A Gauge Design Carry Bag will compliment the set nicely - do you know if there will be any available.

Thanks

Jamie

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Can we all make a deal that noone tries to PM Chris about that JAT.....That'll give all of us enough time to round up the $$$$ plus I want to see how deep some of the pockets here go.....I'm moving a lot of my stuff as we speak.

You guys don't stand a chance! :-) :love:

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WE SHALL SEE!!!!   :punch:

All yours! I've got my Tour Del Mar 3.5, 350g., 34.5", 3XB SSS...

He says all yours but behind the scenes hes asking..lol :laugh: :spit:

Yo Chris....  

Need $$$ specs on the MB's in the Teflon finish. Good by R7, Hello Gauge Design!!!!!!!  

God Bless  

Jer

It should be about 1200.00 shipped or a tad less, The teflon finish is up in the air but tottaly possible, I am not sure how the black would look with millings, What do you guys think? I could have several sets in black with milling about 2 weeks after release.

Were those 2005 Satin Finish GAS wedges in your fototime album? They look better than the black finish.

They are not an actual satin finish, not sure what they are really but the story behind it is the black ones are double baked which makes the finish way more durable but makes the forged head feel harder almost vokey like.

The satin looking finish will rust pretty quick yet a little vinigar and oil will take it right off, it feels much much softer than the black. Many GAS1's are on the JPGA tour now and getting great results, its a great design and gauge also has a satin Studio wedge that has a very cool head shape and grind, I will post pics of the proto later this week.

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That jat putter looks super sweet I might have to take a crack at it :laugh: . I do believe you are right Chris, I have a set of scratch cb's on order, I know I would benefit from extra offset, and thicker topline, but I pretty much knew what I wanted, and got to customize, which is a hue cool factor because I could have gotten a different set with pretty much the same specs. For me a heavier shaft with a stiff flex works perfect for me, I have tried graphite in my woods it just doesn't have the same crisp feeling and I need the added weight. When it comes to open faced clubs or clubs with too much offset or topline I think people don't know what they are talking about. I hear people say how the gd cb's or miz. mp-27 have too much offset... come on those seem pretty good to me. I personally will probably go with something with a bit more offset and topline,though I can't speak for others. When you say proto cb's are those the ones out already or new ones coming out?

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The offset is less than the CB's and I may get flamed for this answer but myself and many of the JPN manufacturers sorta think that the  U.S high end niche buyer has no clue what they are looking for. Yes I am talking about the majority of TSG'rs and BSG'rs and for several reasons. If you take a look at what us club ho's want it makes no sense to play the majority of the stuff we buy, We are looking at the PGA tour players and mimicking their specs when in reality many of the pro's don't know much about their own equipment.  

---------That was a great post Chris. It takes awhile for many of us to understand that and as you get older you begin to understand it out of necessity. You just don't feel like beating your head against the wall anymore. There are a few clubs that I have that I won't get rid of because even if I don't have time to practice as much as I like, I know I'll be able to go out and hit them fairly well. But, that doesn't keep me from trying everything else out that I can. :o You have been honest to the point where it could talk someone out of buying something. Thanks for that integrity. :cool:

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I have to agree with FAQ. When I read Chris's post I thought it was some amazingly honest stuff, even to the point of brutality. I learned I had to put my ego away :sad: and move to a driver with more loft and shaft closer to regular than stiff, and what happened was I hit the ball straighter more consistantly...ego always leads to status, buying stuff I don't need with money I don't have to impress people I don't like :-) . I like to think I've learned for when I replace my irons in the spring.. :money:

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