PRGR has put out some great irons in the past like wonderfully forged 900MD and 500bl athlete models, and while their GN502 line has moved to capture a large share of the average golfer market, they haven't had a stand out forged iron for the athlete golfer in a while. This February, PRGR or Pro Gear, the golf division of Yokohama Rubber is putting not one but two awesome looking forged irons for the better golfer. Along with the top model GN502 Tour Forged iron, PRGR is releasing a limited edition (1000 sets for all of Japan) TR500 Forged Iron.

One of a kind cavity/muscle...

The new TR500 Forged is focused on feel and performance and is made from premium S20C steel and forged at Endo. While PRGR talks about the TR500 using the term Muscle Back, it is in fact like a hybrid cavity that sets up like a blade. The Cavity features a thicker mid section and an intricately milled double bar section in the back that increases feel and stability. This one very unique looking cavity back. When I first saw the pictures I was unsure how it would turn out but seeing the new TR500 Forged in person the iron is definitely very cool. The thinnest areas are the pockets towards the toe and heel keeping most of the meat or the muscle as PRGR refers to it, in the middle with the thickest area being behind the lower portion of the iron.

Higher boxier toe...

PRGR decided on a boxier or sharper toe that seems to be preferred by better players. As for the size of the head, when PRGR first announced both the GN502 Tour and TR500 Forged, I wasn't sure how they fit with each other especially when the GN502 Tour was the athelete/pro model. Now that I have the iron in person, I can see that the TR500 is more like a compact CB like the AF-901 or X-Blade 701G in size. The size of the head is more in  However, PRGR kept the offset at a minimal and use a thin top line and sole which gives it blade like characteristics.

Minimal offset...

With these design choices, the TR500 turns out to be a very good choice of iron for those low handicappers that prefer little offset and thin top line but would not mind some additional forgiveness in a slightly above compact sized head. The TR500 Forged  sets up very nicely at address with with its straight top line and straight neck. The grooves are of course USGA conforming for 2010 as most new athlete models are. They finish is typical Endo with an NiCr plating and satin face, top line, body and neck and a beads blasted inner cavity. Once again I repeat, this iron looks great.

Forgiving grind...

More evidence of the TR500 Forged's forgiveness is the sole of the iron which features a slightly rounded leading edge with relief and additional trailing edge relief. This makes the iron very versatile in semi rough to rough and well suited for Japan's lush fairways.

Crisp yet soft feel...

So how does this iron feel? The TR500 Forged produces a crisp yet soft feel which those who use the similarly S20C Forged Yamaha irons may be familiar with. The feel is very pure in the meat of the cavity and with the face being wider you do get some feedback on miss hits especially towards the toe. I tried this iron at the grass range and even with the harder winter grounds, it glides well through the turf making very pure contact. A good ball striking mid handicapper could play these irons with great success even though the primary audience is the low handicapper.  The CG placement on the iron flows throw the set at the exact same height which is 20mm height. What this means as lofts increase is that the CG point in fact moves in the iron higher as the irons get shorter resulting in more controlled and more spin with shorter irons.

The standard set is 4-PW unlike the typical 5-PW you see in most sets in Japan these days. Because the TR500 Forged is limited to only 1000 sets, there are only 2 shaft choices, Dynamic Gold S200 or PRGR Spec Steel II M-43 100g shaft.  The PRGR Steel shaft is for those wanting something slightly lighter weight and swing smoothly between 95 and 105mph. Harder hitters 100mph and above would most likely opt for the heavier S200 shaft for stability. This is definitely an iron for the better player who wants pure feel and control.

Ready to sell out...

Like the 2010 Yamaha Tour Model Irons which sold out even before release. The TR500 Forged is already generating a lot of buzz and MUST be pre-ordered in order to avoid disappointment. We've already been told by our PRGR Rep that most retailers will be even lucky to get ONE set. We are trying our best to arrange for 3-5 sets of this iron.  Official launch is end of this month.  Please contact us if you are interested in a set.

It was another beautiful day in Japan for pictures!

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