Besides creating some awesome one of a kind putters like his Meister Absolute Crafting series (MAC) he is busy as ever with modifications of putters from all different types of brands.  Back in the November update I showed his modification of customer Craig's Hiro Matusmoto and original Private Stock "2. You can see those putters here. Craig was so happy with those putters he decided to send a couple more in for refinishing and modifications. Craig forwarded me a Yamada Kendo and an 85029 Copper series putter. Both putters were in great condition and the copper finish was actually quite nice but Craig asked me to come up with some mods and new finishes for the two heads. Here is what they looked like when I first received them:

After getting a brief idea from Craig on what he envisioned I sent the putters to Gold's and gave them instructions to overhaul both putters. Here are the finished products!

First the 85029 Copper series which I had Next Generation Premium Zone Milling done. This enhanced the feel and improved the forward roll. I then had them add a sight line and engrave CRAIG in the bumper toe. We upped the weight with some good looking sole weights which I chose to match the finish and a G mark in the toe. The finish I decided on was Soft Black which gave the putter a very classy mysterious look.  Here are some finished images:

For the Kendo. I had originally wanted a alignment dot to help indicate a square face at impact but the drill bit was too long to machine the dot under the neck under the neck on the heel so sadly we had to scratch that.

Still without the dot we were still able to radically change the head. Again Next Generation Premium Zone Milling, Craig's initials on the toe, Orbit around G weights in the sole and an all new color scheme on Tour Teflon black turned out like this:

I'm very happy with the way these putters turned out and we are having them shafted up for Craig now who hasn't even seen these yet himself! As always Gold's Factory work is top notch and unmatched quality wise. Because they make all the parts ie machine even the weights, the sky is the limit for what can be done.

Check out more of Master Sasaya's Choice Magazine features over the last few months below!

Sandwiched between the release of the Limited 388 driver and Ryoma's new D-1 Maxima the S-Yard XV has been somewhat lost in the mix.  Thats a shame because its up there with the best of them.   We first laid eyes on these back in Feb and were actually more excited about this release than the 388.  After more than 10 rounds, launch monitor sessions, and different shafts i'm feeling comfortable enough to review it.

currently in the bag... I'm using many different drivers, the XV with Crazy Boron in stiff flex is one of them.  I started off with the stock shaft it was stiffer than the 388's stock by about 5 cpms.  Then the Crazy Black Tour 65 in stiff was next,  perfect for a stronger player just not me, my fades grew and I had a very hard time staying straight or getting it to turn over.  Tatsuro our club tester was uber consistent with the crazy, long and straight even on the most windy of days.  After the Crazy the DI-6 in stiff was installed and worked wonderfully.  It was a temporary shaft installed while I waited for more Borons to arrive.  The DI-6 is a superb shaft in this head.  And now the Crazy Boron,  now this is a shaft you can feel yet it doesn't spray the ball everywhere like other shafts that you can feel.  Many TSG'ers are now playing the Boron,  it seems to fit a wider range of golfers than other crazy shafts.  Read on to see the rest of the review...

The XV reminds me of the 388 in many ways. The XV is really only 16% larger.  It feels similar with some of the same characteristics so if you enjoy the T388 chances are you will like this one a little more or maybe little less.  We found the same boring mid trajectory between the two and it's low spin  carried over into this bigger head as well.  It has a high CG compared to many 450cc heads and like the 388 shares the internal rib feature for the transfer of energy. You can tell they weren't designed far apart from each other and that Mr. Kobayashi the man behind S-Yards rebirth was the designer.

Ok so how did the LM numbers turn out?  XV flies a little higher with more carry and less roll than the 388.   The XV also flies even straighter than the already laser straight 388,  we are talking by small differences here. The overall longest "freak" shot would occasionally creep out of either head which makes you want to hit it more.  I found myself tee'ing the ball normally and that worked just fine and I think both clubs have very unique face shapes as seen below,  It's great to see different things every now and then.  XV - Overall you gain forgiveness and a different sensation at impact.

I think we can all agree that Mr. Kobayashi coming to S-Yard has really turned things around.  Mr K is the master at making drivers that are uniquely modern yet classic,  Player yet forgiving.  What we are noticing is that his drivers are better than most at keeping the ball in the short grass.  When talking about distance It's up there,  not the longest against the Ryoma Maxima or Crazy 435 but I'd gladly shed a few of those yards for what the XV has given me.  A unique driving experience that leaves me coming back for more.

I think visually the matte crown is looks fantastic.  The XV has a square face,  some say that it looks a hair closed but thats probably the curvature of the face.  What I found out about different shafts working differently in different heads was revealing as well.  The 388 & XV react and play the same to each other when it comes to shaft changes.  Often different hosel depths or hosel distances from head make the same shaft in 2 heads play differently.  I experienced this with the Ryoma Maxima during all our testing.  The Boron played a touch softer in it than it did in the SYARD drivers.

So is this driver in my bag?  Sometimes,  just as much as the Maxima, 388, and GS Mono get play.  Its one of the best current model clubs available today.  Thanks for Reading!

Another set of awesome MP-64's from Mizuno's Yoro Craft arrived this weekend. Twilight finished with matching MP R12 Wedges for Chin. Beautiful mysterious look with no paintfill.

Specs:

Mizuno MP-64 4-PW
Twilight Finish
64-ANAME608
Remove Grain Flow Forged
own name: CHIN
No paintfill for logos, numbers, name
Increase FP 0.5mm (less offset)
W Sole Grind
Nippon V90 Stiff
Iomic Sticky 1.8 Red
0.5" LONGER D3

Mizuno MP R12 52 56 60 (3 Wedges)
Twilight Finish
R12-DNAME610
Remove Grain Flow Forged
own name: CHIN
No paintfill for logos, numbers, name
Increase FP 0.5mm (less offset)
Nippon V90 Stiff
Iomic Sticky 1.8 Red
0.5" LONGER D3/D4

Chin decided like most customers to go for less offset:

The almost straight neck looks amazing.

He also opted for NS Pro V90's and Superman red and blue Iomic grips.

Three awesome MP R12 Wedges to match in the same Twilight with no paintfill look!  Yoro Craft is essentially tour service irons created from scratch specifically for each customer. This is the same service top Mizuno pros get. It amazes me how golfers are always willing to pay huge amounts for so called "tour issue" equipment that were meant for someone else when they can get their own "tour issue" set. Check out some of the other sets here. And we have a thread in the forum dedicated to discussing the Yoro sets here. Feel free to email us anytime for a quote!

Two and a half years ago when we first introduced Ryoma Golf's D-1 driver here at Tourspecgolf, we honestly didn't know what to expect. We had seen the accolades it had received in Japan as a superior distance driver with unparalleled forgiveness but it was at a price point that we really thought would scare of many potential buyers. Fast forward to today and the Ryoma D-1 became TSG's best selling driver ever with steady and unmatched sales through 2011 and 2012. While there is certainly no such thing as a driver that performs for every single person, the Ryoma D-1 certainly comes close.

Towards the end of 2012, we began hearing rumors that Ryoma was working on a successor to the D-1 driver. We could not help but wonder how anyone could improve on the D-1. Many customers proclaimed it as the holy grail, longer than any driver they had ever hit with unmatched ease of use. Nevertheless, we quietly waited with unwavering excitement and growing expectations.

We found out a few months ago Ryoma had developed a new D-1 Maxima driver and confirmed its existence when we saw a pre production model at the Japan Golf Fair in February. Ryoma eventually announced a late April release initially in the domestic Japanese market where it has gained a cult like status.

While creating the Maxima, Ryoma decided to create some basic points as a premise for its design and truth be told, these points are all pretty obvious and what we would like in every driver. The Maxima would not only produce big carry or not only produce big run, but an optimal amount of both for maximum driving distance. Every player is different and distance will vary for every player so the Maxima works to improve every golfers game by minimizing left and right ball movement as well as eliminating ballooning of shots by reducing back spin and side spin. Noting that many drivers today reach too high an apex in their ball flight causing the ball to drop rapidly with too much back spin and no run, Ryoma focused on optimal spin for carry and a trajectory apex which would allow a powerful descent angle resulting in great run. Ryoma also understood that with different specs and different shafts, the proportion of carry and run will of course be different with every player but this could be overlooked by making a head that simply produces as much initial ball speeds as possible for every individual player.

So Ryoma focused on the designing a head that would provide as much optimal performance no matter what the shaft and player type. This certainly sounds impossible as we very well know that there is no such thing as a single club that matches every type of player and swing. But the truth is in all my years of testing clubs, recommending clubs to customers and getting feedback from customers, I have never seen any other driver work for such a wide range of golfers like the way the original D-1 did. Obviously there are some players it did not match at all, but that goes for every driver ever made. The bottom line was and is, that Ryoma's matching rate is higher than any other driver we have ever sold at TSG.

One of the reasons for Ryoma's success is its ability to eliminate mistakes. Sure the measure of a great driver is how far it can hit the ball and the Ryoma D-1 and now the Ryoma Maxima hit it as long if not longer than any driver out there. But the measure of a LEGENDARY driver is one that not only hits it further than everyone else, but one that makes you a better golfer. Golf is about consistency and reducing mistakes. Some of us make more mistakes than others (nobody not even pros are perfect) and no matter what our playing level is, we strive for more consistency equaling better scores and more enjoyment of the difficult game of golf. What good is a driver if it hits it super long but can't stay straight, or if you miss that sweet spot it drops 50% in distance. You don't necessarily want the driver that hits it super long but right into the woods or left into the lake. You want it super long and in the fairway and still super long when you are not striking the ball well or are missing the sweet spot. This is where the original D-1 excelled and now has been improved upon by the new Maxima.

So what makes the Maxima special and how has it changed from the original D-1? Lets take a look at some of its technologies followed by some comparisons and my impressions.

We have the return of the MONOCOQUE body with the new Maxima with some slight tweaks over the original D-1. For those of you who need a refresher, Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's exterior to creates a high strength unibody or frame. This technique is also used in aircraft design. More than 90% of the D-1's body walls are only 0.35mm thick which by industry standards is pretty much nearly half the thickness of most drivers on the market today. As far as I know there is still no driver in golf that features walls all around the driver body that are this thin. There has been a lot of discussion on body design and whether a driver body should be rigid or more flexible. Ryoma decided to design the Maxima body with more elasticity especially in the crown and sole sections which they respectively call the spring crown and spring sole. Once again they use what they call DSI or Deep Strong Impact which features a huge 60g power booster weight at the back of the head but this time balanced with a 12g weight at the leading edge of the face which they call a low spin control unit.

When the golf ball strikes the face of the Maxima, the inertial energy from the impact is repelled by the inertial energy from the power booster causing both the spring crown and spring sole to flex. This creates what Ryoma calls the worlds thinnest Spring Body driver head which in turn creates more trampoline effect not only from the face of the driver but the entire head as in compresses and then shoots the ball out with increased initial ball speeds even on off center hits. You can see this illustrated in the image above.

There is also a graph that shows the spring head in action. Its hard to edit and convert into English like I have done with most of the graphics here so I will simply explain it. The X axis shows time in seconds (fractions of a second) and the duration during impact of the ball on the face.  The red plot is the the energy spring action of the spring crown and the blue plot is the energy spring action of the spring sole.  The red arrows spanning left to right is the impact time of the ball on the face of the Maxima. You can see that after the ball impacts the face, the red and blue plots being to rise indicating the compressing of the spring body and the increase in energy.  At just under 5/10,000th of a second the spring crown and sole peak and release shooting the ball off the face. The purple shaded area is the spring back affect of the head as the plots on the graph drop down indicating the head de-compressing and releasing back to its original shape and actually beyond its original shape even after the ball has left the face.

The spring body actually absorbs the energy from the ball allowing to "stick" to the face during impact longer than other drivers. What this allows is for more energy to be transferred back to the ball and then that trampoline effect. Ryoma measures this Impact Time by using a super high speed camera capable of capturing a whopping 250,000 frames per second!  The chart above shows the Maxima's impact time to be 5.4/10,000th of a second versus 3 other unnamed drivers.  I can only assume since the Maxima is conforming that this number is close or right at the maximum CT or Characteristic Time used by the USGA to measure the amount of time a golf ball stays in contact with the driver face (CT as I have explained before is a component of COR). Higher CT means that the face is more elastic and has more of that trampoline effect.  Also in the image above you can see how the same ball compresses more on the Ryoma and the thermal images showing more energy transferred back into the all thanks to the longer time it hangs on the face.

Another one of the changes in the Maxima from the original D-1 besides the new spin control unit, and spring body is the use of a newly designed variable thickness face. The design of the face features a thicker elliptical center braced by ribs or arms extending vertically and horizontally. The thickness and length of these bars extend uniformly in an attempt to duplicate maximum rebound not only in the center of the face but all around it.  The actually rigidity of the face also varies and Ryoma provides the range of its face stiffness in gigapascals which is the measurement for measuring the stiffness of any material.  I don't know any other brand that provides the GPa numbers for their driver faces but I thought it was cool to know on the low end of the Maxima face measures Y'M 100GPa and the high end Y'M 138GPa.  The new Ti face is hot forged as a cup allowing for those arms to bend evenly and repel the energy back into the monocoque spring body.  By creating an even flex through the face, there is less twisting on off center hits keeping ball speeds as high as possible. Thanks to the Power Booster, spring body, and new face, the Maxima has a sweet spot almost 1.5 times  the area of the previous D-1 model! In the image above they measured how much of the face area could still produce at least 1.4 smash factor and in comparison with another "latest" driver on the market, the area of the Maxima that was able to provide at least 1.4 smash factor was almost 3 times more than the unnamed driver!

So how do these features translate into performance? Ryoma has put together some data and a visual on how this larger sweet area translates into less distance lost on off center hits. The image above is pretty self explanatory. It shows the Maxima once again compared to another unamed (top brand name) driver using a robot swing tester striking the face at different points.

Ryoma as always tested their new driver with pros and amateurs alike through out Japan before launching the driver. The data above is pretty self explanatory and shows that players see gains using the Maxima no matter what player level they are or what swing speed they have. Increased initial ball speeds, quite a bit less back spin, a huge decrease in side spin all equal not only more distance but also a much tighter shot patter due to straighter all around ball flight. The Maxima even shows an improvement thanks to all its new design features over the original D-1.

When I first received the Maxima I went straight to the driving range, bringing along 5 other drivers including the original D-1 which has been my gamer for almost 2 years. I warmed up with the D-1, then proceeded to hit the other 4 drivers I brought (I will not name them to save face though some of you probably know what they are) and finally hit the Maxima Type D 10.5* with STOCK Regular flex last.  My first drive with the Type D was longer than all the other drivers including the original D-1 which is shafted with an aftermarket Crazy (all the other drivers are also using aftermarket shafts). I looked at the Maxima and said to myself "yup this is the one... hello new gamer!". I proceeded to hit the Maxima more, noting the better feel compared to the original D-1 thanks to the variable thickness face and spring body. I also noted the stronger trajectory and more run. The original D-1 launched high for me, especially the Special Tuning but this 10.5* is perfect. Yesterday I had a round in heavy rain with the Maxima and it was a terrible golf day with my gloves and grips drenched in rain. My clubs would twist in my hands causing very poor shots and a very poor score but the Maxima held its own, even with slippery conditions forcing me to miss the center on quite a few drives, the ball always stayed straight and even in the heavy rain still carried a respectable distance AND even ran a bit on the waterlogged fairways.  This was like a torture test and the Ryoma kept the round interesting and the ball in play.

I know that many TSG readers and customers already own the original D-1 and are probably wondering what some of the differences are. I already spoke about several of the new features which the D-1 did not have like the spin control unit, the spring body and the variable thickness cup face so I decided to take a few basic photos today of the Maxima and D-1 side by side.

The Maxima on the left looks to have a bigger face. Its not a lot larger but it looks a lot larger due to the difference in shape. While it is not quite as high as the D-1 it is still on the deep side but it appears to be a little longer heel to toe which widens that sweet spot.

Again the Maxima on the left, the shape is a tad different and longer front to back. With the power booster weight in the back this makes the CG even longer than before. In fact Ryoma boasts that it is in fact the longest CG distance in golf.  This long CG length also equals a huge gravity angle which means the head rotates square very quickly to promote a straight to draw ball by helping to square up the head at impact. For the general audience, this type of design is probably a good thing as it reduces slicing which in turn increases overall distance. While a huge gravity angle is not for everyone - say strong aggressive players who hook the ball, getting the right shaft can certainly minimize this though it probably only affected a very small number of people.

From the side view, you not only see the more aerodynamic shape of the Maxima but you also see that the neck/hosel length has changed. I believe this has a big impact on the performance of the head and I'm surprised Ryoma does not really mention it. With the longer and higher hosel of the original D-1, the tip of the shaft is further away from the sole of the driver. This actually softens up shafts and makes the tip more flexible. By making the neck on the Maxima shorter, it reduces the distance of the tip of the shaft from the sole, increasing stability, control and reducing spin caused by a tip too soft. This is a welcome change for players who fear the left side.

The Maxima like the D-1 is available as head only and shafted and in three different models, the Type D, G and V.  Unlike the D-1 where the Premia had a different face material, the D G and V all have the same material this time around. The design of each head is EXACTLY the same. According to Ryoma, the feel and forgiveness and distance should be identical however as complete stock clubs, the differences are in shafts, finished length and face angles and head finish.

Type D: Mirror Chrome, Crystal Black Crown - 9.5* 0.5* Closed, 10.5 11.5* 1.0* Closed
Type G: Gold IP, Crystal Black Crown - 9.5* 0.5* Closed, 10.5 11.5* 1.0* Closed
Type V: Black IP, Crystal Black Crown - All lofts feature square face angles

All three models are priced differently due to the different finishes.  If a customer cannot decide which model to get in its stock form, the Type D is the all around perfomer and suits probably the widest range of average golfers. The Type G is the long driver model at 46.5"  and is the priciest of the 3 models thanks to a more premium high modulus stock shaft and the gold IP finish. The Type V comes with the heaviest and stiffest stock shafts and a square face angle for the better player and athlete golfer.

The Maxima drivers can be purchased as heads only with weights varying from 189g to 200/201g thanks to the ability now to change a small weight in the back of he head under the power booster. Ryoma added the weight adjustability to avoid hot melting/foaming/gelling of the head to increase weight and which in turn could dull/muffle the feel of the head. The Maxima is very hot feeling at impact and they want to keep it this way, because of this they made the back weight adjustable to compensate for the need for heavier weight.

Lofts available and stock shaft flexes available with those lofts;
Type D: 9.5 (6 Stiff, 5 Stiff) 10.5 (5 Stiff, SR, R) 11.5 (R, R2) 45.25"
Type G: 9.5 (S) 105 (SR, R) 11.5 (R2) 46.5"
Type V: 8.5 9.5 (65S, 55SR) 10.5 (65S, 55SR, 55R) - 8.5* is a special order with stock shaft

So to recap the key differences/improvements over the original D-1 is that the Maxima has the new spin control unit at the front of the head to help reduce back spin. The Maxima now has a spring body and a multibeam variable forged cup face which has a sweet spot 1.5* the original D-1. The Maxima is more stream lined and produces better feel and sound. The Maxima improves launch and carry and run all equaling more distance than the D-1.

Now the bottom line which you probably already know from reading this very long blog. When Ryoma announced they were going to release a successor to the D-1, we all wondered how on earth the D-1 could be improved on. Well Ryoma did just that with the Maxima which improves on the original D-1 in every single way and most importantly in overall performance.  Could this be the hottest driver of 2013? Very likely. If you own a original D-1 should you get the Maxima? If you want more distance and even more forgiveness it would be silly not to at least consider it though I am pretty sure many will "upgrade".

After taking so much time to prepare this blog, I still need to get the listings in the pro shop so people can check out. In the mean time you can already pre order the Maxima for a June shipping by contacting me as instructed in this forum post on pre ordering.

The Ryoma Maxima can also be ordered directly from the pro shop now for the Mid June shipping time!

Ryoma has told me that they will have stock in this June batch for TSG but going forward as demand increases we could see shortages equaling wait times. Because of this I suggest those who must have the Maxima order asap to avoid disappointment!

In the mean time check out Ryoma's promotional video!

With S-Yard coming out with many new Endo forged players drivers a lot of customers have been asking what Mr. Kobayashi has in terms of players irons...  We know that a new advanced muscle could be in the works as well as a new semi game improvement iron called the XV Forged.   So what would an S-Yard fan  looking for a players CB choose?   The GT Type S  of course.  It's forged by Endo of S20C with heavy perimeter weighting and a nice compact appearance from above,  I mean what else is there to ask for?  I've been able to put these into play for a short period and they are soft and considerably forgiving for it's size.

This is an iron that pictures don't do justice.  In hand it's simply stunning with a brushed satin finish except for the chrome back face with bead blast accents.  When standing above all you see is lovely satin from neck to face.  In regards to it's size it's pretty compact.  Smaller than mid sized thats for sure.  This is a tried and true design for Mr. Kobayashi and you can see his DNA everywhere.  If you like what your seeing we have more pictures from all angles after you click "Read More" below...

A few weeks back I posted imagery of the new X-Drive 709 450cc driver,  We received a few inquiries from customers on the fence between the two heads so I've decided to make a post sharing what a players may notice if they had the two side by side.

We've been testing both of these drivers for over a month now and can say comfortably that these perform in all areas from feel to spin as well as  forgiveness, and trajectory.  You can't go wrong with either one,  both equals so it really only depends on what's most important to you.  If it's setup and look go with the 430,  if you need confidence the 450 is an obvious choice.  They are both almost equally forgiving it just depends on where your misses are.

It's obvious they are both closely related and this includes it's shape from most angles, it would be hard to tell the two apart if they weren't side by side.  In the image above It shows how the 450 on the right has an elongated appearance most apparent from this angle.  The 450 extends back further not only heel side like the red lines show but also toe side making for a more rounded look.

When it comes to performance the first major difference is shot shape, the larger head was easier to draw while the smaller easier to fade.  This is because the 430 has neutral internal weighting to promote a straight ball flight while the 450cc has a small draw bias within.  The trajectory in the 450 should be a little higher than the 430 on paper but we didn't notice a big difference in the real.  I'll also note that both drivers were built to the same loft, swing weight, length, and featured the new Graphite Design Tour AD GT-7 in Stiff flex.  Click Read More to continue the comparison...

If you look closely you can see that the toe to heel length is longer on the 450 located on the right side and this caters to players that miss in those areas while the 430 on the left has a deeper face which is geared toward misses high and low of center which is often caused by an improper Tee height,  The deeper face also aids in keeping the trajectory lower.  I think this is the main benefit of owning the 450 over 430.

Both drivers are square,  both setup near perfect, If I could change anything I think I would want the 430cc to be a bit more pear shaped,  they are both so similar I think TS could have just built 1 driver at 440cc instead.   Both perform and feel superb so  it's really a hard decision to make if you had to choose between the two.  Remember that both the new TourStage 709 drivers are adjustable.  The lie angle can be adjusted from 58* to 60* which has been a request from many players seeking a flatter lie but keep in mind in doing this the face angle also changes.

Above the images show just how similar they are.  Both heads look fantastic from above In this regard if I had to choose based on top down appearance the 430cc seems more powerfully proportionate. It isn't exactly pear shaped but its still beautiful to look down at.  Both of these drivers along with all the recently released TourStage Gear is can be accessed by "clicking here".

S-Yard drivers have been a hot topic at Tourspecgolf since we re-introduced the brand back in December and wrote about how respected Japanese golf club design guru Kenji Kobayashi was now heading up the company. His first official release as the CEO of S-Yard was of course the very popular T.388 forged driver. Last week I introduced the new XV Forged driver also designed by Mr. Kobayashi and a lot of customers and forum members started asking me how the XV fit into the S-Yard line and how does it compare to the already legendary T.388?

I thought I would take the opportunity to make a comparison between S-Yard's 3 most current models, the newest XV, the T.388 from December and last years XT driver. Of the 3 drivers, the XT may very well be the least known from S-Yard. It was designed by Mr. Kobayashi BUT while he was still the chief designer and President of Endo Manufacturing. The XT wields all of Endo's top materials and manufacturing processes. It is available in two flavors, the XT and the XT Hi-Cor. The 8 piece forged XT features a two piece face which is designed to increase ball speeds by transferring the maximum possible energy at impact. The XT Hi-Cor model is a 7 piece head and the only difference is the face which is a single piece forged face made thinner and hotter thus non conforming and with more spring effect closer to 0.88 COR and 270CT.  On Friday night, our sales rep from S-Yard, Min gave me a call to let me know there would be an S-Yard demo day, about 15 minutes from my house at Honda Golf Center. So on Saturday I headed over with the intention of comparing the XV and T.388.

I met Min at Honda Golf Center which has 150 mats with auto tee up and is 250 yards to the back net. Min had all of S-Yard's latest clubs on hand for patrons of the driving range to demo at the range. I decided to have Min hit the clubs for me as his swing and playing level are a good match for both the T.388 and XV. The only problem was that he carries the ball around 270-280, hitting halfway up the net so we did not get to assess the run. However we hit plenty of balls to be able to get sound and feel impressions as well as ball flight and tee height and forgiveness.

While I believe an amateur is the best at judging a club's forgiveness, having Min hit the balls consistently was very helpful in understanding the trajectory of each driver as well as the sound at impact.  With the deep face of the new XV, Min had to constantly change the tee height between both the XV and shallower T.388, teeing higher for the XV and lower for the T.388.  Watching Min hit both drivers as I evaluated their trajectory was a pleasure to do. I have seen way too many drivers in past years with the high launch design hit high arching bombs in the air intended for max carry.  The T.388 and XV are a breath of fresh air. Both launch very powerfully and climb with authority and have absolutely no ballooning whatsoever. Very penetrating trajectories. One would think though with the lower trajectory that the drivers would not carry as much but they do and more. Min pulled out the GT Type S driver which has a lower and deeper CG which is designed to produce a launch with more carry, yet the T.388 and XV carried more even though the ball flight was lower. As Min and I discussed, this is due to the shallow and short CG and overall design of the heads which creates lower spin.

I had wanted to shoot video and photos at the range but with the hitting area covered by a roof the difference in lighting caused severe exposure issues as the mats were much darker when facing outwards towards the range. I tried capturing the flight of the XV with my iPhone5 and you can briefly see the ball flight after impact though the tail end is too hard to see - I suggest switching the videos to HD for viewing (Min hits it too far and too fast!).

In the next video, I have Min hit the XV followed by the T.388 and we comment in between shot on feel, trajectory and spin (sorry if the sound is not so clear - it is just an iPhone). As you can imagine, with all S-Yard drivers being forged at Endo from Endo's best titanium, they all feel pretty good and soft. None of that high pitched metallic "tink" sounds for S-Yard drivers.  Min notes that the XV feels more light off the face which he explains as being a bit more crisp. The ball seems to leave the face faster most likely due to a larger more flexible face area. The T.388 on the other hand he describes as more spongy at impact, as if it absorbs the ball and shoots it back out. Trajectory wise, the XV is a tad higher but not by much. Both are considered low to mid trajectory drivers, the type of ball flight that will not lose out to the wind. While the Center of Gravity distances are similar, the XV and its higher back head allow the player to tee the ball higher and strike the ball higher on the face. The T.388 and its low tee, is best with a level blow minimizing spin, and maximizing carry and run.

Min admittedly said the sweet spot for the T.388 is smaller, but what do you expect from a 388cc head. I told him that many customers who have gotten the T.388 have been pleasantly surprised by its forgiveness. Min was very happy to hear this and exclaimed that if this was the case, they would find the XV even more forgiving thanks to the bigger face and sweet spot. So we went away from the hitting session with the following: both lower launchers with penetrating trajectories. The XV a tad higher trajectory. Both soft feel but slightly different with the T.388 having a thicker more spongy feel and the XV more crisp and light at impact. After the session I decided to borrow a bunch of drivers and took home 3 XV's and some T.388's as well so I could o a physical comparison with XT which is in my bag now.

My first image above shows the face height of each driver. Please note this is not exact, it is only to give an idea of how they compare. I measured the face height from the sole leading edge to the top line of the face. As I've mentioned already, the height of the face dictates how a player will tee the ball. Mr. Kobayashi thinks this is one of the factors in how players will choose between the XV and T.388. Those who prefer a low tee height and hit the ball with a level blow will prefer the T.388 while those who tee it higher will like the XV. The XT is kind of in between but with the design of the XT, it is more of a driver that catches the ball on the upswing for max carry thanks to its shallow back design which you will see later.

When I shot photos of the drivers at address the XV really surprised me. At 450cc it is 16% larger than the compact T.388 but at address it is not much bigger - at least to the naked eye. The XV really hides its 450cc well thanks to its high back design.  Both use matte black finishes but they are slightly different. The XV is a deeper black while the T.388 is almost an off black. The XT next to these 2 really shows what an advantage the matte black has when it comes to reflections and light. The shiny and metallic pearl finish of the XT reflects and mirrors everything.  While the 460cc XT is obviously larger, its not huge by any means considering it is setting up next to two pear shaped compact heads. All 3 heads in the photo above are 10.5* heads and the XV and T.388 really show their true loft/specs. The XT and its closed face is probably more than 10.5* real spec which is not surprising considering its different target audience.

Looking from the side view, its interesting to note that the T.388 is in fact the most shallow head though it is not as long back as the XT. The XV is very tall here and this design is what keeps the 450cc head looking and performing like a 400cc head while still maintaining its forgiveness. The green dots illustrate approximate position of the CG point depth wise.  In this day and age where most drivers feature CG along the lines of the XT its amazing to see Mr. Kobayashi's concept of having a CG point right up and closer to the face. Today I took all three drivers to the driving range here in the community to see how forgiving they would be head to head for an average golfer like myself. I had hit the T.388 before and found it very forgiving especially for its size but now to have it side by side with the XV and  the very easy to hit XT... While typically a pear shaped compact head like the XV and T.388 aren't aimed at giving average golfers confidence, I quite like the look at address and the way the ball frames the head.

I for one like to tee the ball high so the T.388 was a bit adjustment for me. I think many make the mistake of teeing it too high and then dismissing it after one short range session which is certainly not enough to truly see any club's potential. The XV which I have been testing for a week now played well with my usual tee height and was simply a pleasure to hit. It is quite forgiving and in all directions thanks to the larger face. The T.388 is surprisingly forgiving towards the toe and heel but you can't miss really low or high since the face is not tall. The XV is strong in all directions for miss hits thanks to its double flange face design matched on a bigger face. Hitting it high on the face which usually results in a high shot or ballooning drive for me still created a strong trajectory.  I should note that both stock shafts are very stable, I go into each shaft in each respective blog post that I made on each driver but the bottom line is, if you don't want to spend extra on any upgrade shaft, you probably don't have to unless you swing too fast or too slow for the shafts intended range.

So why choose the T.388?

- You love small heads and this is the smallest of the bunch volume (but not by much at address)
- You like to tee the ball lower
- You want the lowest launch and lowest spin
- You prefer stability and control
- You like a more spongy kind of feel
- Your course is dry and hard which will allow the T.388 produce the most run
- Your course is softer and you need max carry PLUS all the run you can get

So why choose the XV?

- You want a traditional shaped head
- You like the idea of 450cc that does not look like 450cc
- You want a low trajectory with low spin
- You like a deep face
- You like to tee the ball up higher
- You prefer more balance of control and forgiveness
- You prefer a slightly more crisp feel
- Your course is dry and hard which will allow the XV produce the most run
- Your course is softer and you need max carry PLUS all the run you can get

So why choose the XT?

- You are an average golfer who needs lots of forgiveness
- You slice the ball/have trouble squaring the face
- You need help getting the ball in the air/you need high launch
- You are a slower swinger
- You like the having the option of a Hi Cor/Non Conforming driver
- You feel more confident with a larger head

All three drivers are current in the S-Yard lineup and have their intended audience with some overlap of course. The T.388 is a very specialized head that has shocked many by its unexpected ease of use. The XV is perhaps he most well rounded. It gives the performance of the XV but with a slightly higher launch and more forgiveness perhaps with a tad more spin and a bit less control. Both of these are aimed at better players but improving mid cappers can play these surprisingly well especially if low launch and low spin is what they need.  All three drivers are premium quality you would expect from a  brand like S-Yard and produced at Endo. All in all it was a fun day checking out the new drivers side by side. I have a round tomorrow at Hirakawa country club and will take all 3 drivers with me to use in different situations. If you need help choosing you can always contact us for recommendations and a fitting.

PS. One of the most fun parts of the day was also parking my plasma blue STi next to Min's Silver LanEvo 6 Tommi Makinen Edition.  Of course we also test drove each others cars before heading home. (^_^)

Another great looking head has arrived to TSG.  This time it's got me more excited than usual because of something as small as the face material used.  In this case it's Cold Forged Japanese DAT55G which is in my opinion one of the best.  I'm a big fan of VL Ti which is a technology Endo uses for high end drivers but I see Japan made DAT55G as it's equal.  So why wouldn't more companies use it?  For a couple of reasons that make a lot of sense and the first is price.  It's expensive and the next is how hard it is to get.  It's made in Japan and not a commonly used material for golf club manufacturing.

Who else has used DAT55?  Crazy and J-Beam off the top of my head and we know how people absolutely love those woods,  then there is the still current but ever popular GT-460 aka Crazy CRZ 460 still to this day the most loved Crazy driver by the average player.  The feel of DAT55G is something else,  It's very soft yet not as hollow feeling as one would expect.  It's the true meaning of metallic sponge.

Ok Enough with the materials,  the new GT Mono Forged Driver features a more shallow face than the GT-450,  It's designed to promote stable launch and low spin.  All three lofts have a square face angle 9.5, 10.5 and 12* lofts which is very different as one would expect a closed face on the higher lofts.  You can find these available in the TSG ProShop and for more pictures please click "Read More" below...

A couple of weeks ago the all new S-Yard BOLD Wedge began shipping to TSG customers,  In the last week first reactions have been coming in with an overwhelmingly positive response.  The most common response has been about the amount of spin it produces, some customers are saying it spins more than any non conforming wedge they have ever hit.  I've had the Bold in rotation for a bit over two weeks now and am very comfortable sharing my own opinion along with the opinions of some of our members.

If you haven't heard yet, Kenji Kobayashi former president of ENDO and the man who designed every Epon golf club since their inception has taken charge as President of S-Yard Golf.  For those who don't know who Mr. K is,  he is one of the greatest golf club designers.  This is quite exciting as his roster of past designs is unrivaled from driver to irons and putters.  In this blog post we will take a closer look at the performance of his most favorite design yet.  The S-Yard Bold Wedge.

Click Read More to check out the review & high res imagery...

- "It spins the ball like crazy", " Is this thing legal!?", "this is the most versital wedge i've gamed to date for any type of shot from flops to bunkers to chips."

The Bold does spin like crazy.  Many people are reporting that they have to adjust for more distance because the bold holds balls to the green.  What we have noticed here at TSG is that not only does the ball spin like heck but that it also doesn't shred the cover off the ball.  Previously many I knew thought the Yururi Raw Gekku had the most spin,  it was known for chewing on balls too.  This bold can produce the same amount or arguably even more spin while not shredding covers nearly as much.

We had 4 golfers play the Bold for 9 holes while 2 of us have had 3 full rounds of play + range time.  We even had a female test them then purchase them for a rebuild with graphite on the spot.  The spin is that impressive.

In for testing was the 52, 56, & 60* lofts,  from the pic above you see next to no offset in this 60* with less loft you will see a slight increase in offset,  nothing big and it's there to help the player hit it straighter the further out they are.  From the looks of it above the milling design  also does a great job in framing the ball acting as a target.

Our members are also praising the S-Yard Bold's dynamic sole grind.  The bounce plays less than stated and it has a pretty narrow sole.  Yamaha incorporates something similar with a higher bounce more narrow sole making it not as scary for the usual low bounce golfer to get used to.  Off tight to proper lie we found it performed extremely well.   In the rough it took a short getting used to period and for bunker shots it really depends on the type of sand, dense sand was much easier than dry fluffy sand which also shows that the bounce plays back seat to the sole design.

The Bold removes weight from the sole and places 3 tungsten weights opposite on the back face.  This is considered radical alterations to wedge design.  We have seen some brands tinker with it but not take it this far.  Because Mr. Kobayashi did this he was able to create the COG location of 21.5mm.  For a wedge he believes this is the sweet spot that has never been done before by anyone else.

It also features an extremely well thought out face milling pattern  it's the most intricate we have seen to date also even more spin was created by decreasing the pitch of the score lines as well.

The finish is really something else i'd describe it as more of a stain applied on S20C.  It really just keeps the glare off the club bringing out the pure soft feel of Endo's S20C.  It will wear and rust over time so keep them oiled or not...  I'm glad they didn't make this plated actually.  I do think it would look great plated and TSG may do that aftermarket but I think the darker finish really hides a couple of thicker areas on this wedge extremely well.

In the future we plan to put a bunch of brand new wedges on the LM,  we weren't able to do that this time around with a Launch Monitor that could produce accurate results from a higher lofted wedge.  Each person who hit the new Bold wedge really couldn't think of another club that spun the balls like these.   The biggest adjustment made was having to hit chips, pitch shots etc..  a little longer because the ball would choke up so quickly.  This is a good problem to have and is easily cured by awareness and time.  If you are interested in the newly released 2013 Bold wedge click here for the official product listing in the TSG ProShop.

Kenji Kobayashi, Chief Designer and CEO of S-Yard golf continues to follow his passion for designing beautiful golf clubs that perform as good as they look. Following the successful releases of the T.388 Driver and the Bold Wedge, S-Yard has released Mr. Kobayashi's latest driver, the XV. Mr. Kobayashi realized as great as the T.388 is, with 388cc head and shallow face (meaning low teeing of the ball) is not for everyone. So with that in mind he sought to create a driver that would be sold side by side with the T.388 and encompass the same premium quality and design with top notch performance as its smaller sibling.  The XV, a premium Endo forged 450cc driver was released this week to huge fanfare in Japan, especially among those who clamored for a premium Kobayashi design but were not confident enough to play the T.388. I was lucky enough to be one of the first to get the new XV driver so today I will share my initial impressions on the clubs design and performance here on the blog.

For those who do not know Mr. Kobayashi, back in 1993 S-yard produced the world's first all forged Titanium driver called the T.301 which they produced at the Endo factory.  The T.301 was designed by Kenji Kobayashi, who not only went on to become the president of Endo manufacturing, the worlds largest and highest quality forging house, but also one of the most respected and revered figures in the Japanese golf industry over the last 20 years. Mr. Kobayashi's designs, and knowledge of golf club manufacturing as well as the creation of the T.301 Forged driver led many in the industry to refer to him as the "father of forged  Titanium drivers".

In 2001 he officially became the president of Endo manufacturing where he also took over the reigns of Endo's private brand Epon Golf. Many golf enthusiasts will be familiar with many of his Epon designs including the Technica and Technity series, as well as more recently the AF line all the way up to the ZERO driver and Z:EN putter as well as his influence on many top global golf brands which produced their clubs at Endo under the design eye of Mr. Kobayashi.  Fast forward to the summer of 2011. Mr. Kobayashi decided it was time to retire as the president of Endo and open up some free time to enjoy the recreational side of golf after 40 yeas of being involved in the business side of golf. His retirement did not last long as S-Yard came calling as they knew Mr. Kobayashi would be the man to lead their brand back to and beyond the same lofty heights of success it had before. Early 2012, Mr. Kobayashi became the president of S-Yard in charge of the direction of the company as well as golf club design and earlier this year he began his dream lineup by releasing the T.388 driver and Bold wedge.

As many of you have probably read, Mr. Kobayashi is not your typical CEO of a golf company. He spends more time in his personal workshop dreaming up ideas and designs and them creating molds of each club with his very own hands. Back in February, when we were at the S-Yard headquarters in Ginza, Mr. Kobayashi had already established the design for the XV and was demonstrating how he finalizes the shape of each head. In the showroom next to his workshop, there is one single spot light installed in the center of the room where Mr. Kobayashi places each head as if at address and then rotates the club while walking it 360 degrees under the light to see how the club appears at ever possible angle and simulating the sun in different positions in the day. He explains that how a club appears at address plays a huge factor in how a player will hit that club. He wants all his designs to give a golfer confidence at address and a clear view of how the head lines up with the ball. "How well one can hit the ball is very much influenced even before a golfer swings" he says.

One of the most exciting things about working at TSG is when new clubs for testing arrive at my door. When the XV arrived today I ripped off the plastic with no hesitation, like a kid on Christmas day. It is very obvious even at first glance that this head is a compact design even though its 450cc large. The T.388 was a much smaller head, with a shallower face meaning a lower tee up height for a penetrating drive that won't lose distance even on a super windy day. Another thing I liked right away was the lack of words or stampings on the head. Simply "XV Forged Titanium" Mr. Kobayashi carried over the performance characteristics of the T.388 into the XV which is the same but at the same time different.  At 450cc it is 16% larger in overall size than the T.388, this allows for the XV to have a much deeper face. One of the adjustments many golfers getting the T.388 had to make was teeing the ball lower. That is not the case with the XV. The deep face and allows for the CG to be placed high and short in the XV which like the T.388 create a low spin and strong launch.  Due to the depth of the XV face, the CG position is quite a bit higher in distance from the sole compared to the T.388.  The beautifully shaped XV face also provides a larger hitting area which technically should translate into a larger sweet spot which would be amazing considering how surprisingly forgiving the T.388 already is.

Many larger driver heads today feature not only lower center of gravity points but also a longer center of gravity distance from the center line of the hosel.  This length coupled with usually a deep CG in the head create a large gravity angle causing a driver head to rotate quickly square at impact. For a slicer or average golfer this is a good thing, but for better players or stronger swingers, it can cause pulls or hooks. The XV and its short and shallow CG prevents over rotation of the head and reduces those shots left. Mr. Kobayashi believes the distance is optimal for squaring the driver head at impact for the most stable direction. As you can see from the image above, the CG point is not only higher on the face but also a tad towards the toe to allow for a higher tee up and more control.

The XV has a very high back crown which is what allows the center of gravity to be placed so high.  The variable thickness (internal ribs like the T.388) forged cup face has flanges that expand the full length of the face from heel to toe that overlap the chemically milled crown and chemically milled sole.  This is part of S-Yard's active head design that is also used in the T.388. with the upper portion of the crown being much higher it creates a more rigid and strong body which in turn allows the face to transfer and repel maximum energy at impact.  In the case of the XV the flanges have been slightly shortened to even further increase energy deflection.  The feel is typical Endo with a wonderful soft but crisp impact that it seems like many premium golf club lovers want.  This feel and sound is very much the result of not only the materials (ie everyone thinks being forged is all it takes to feel good) but also the active body design and variable cup face.

The XV uses the matte black crown as opposed to gradient and reflective metallic looking crowns which reflect light different depending on the angle of the sun. A shiny and reflective crown changes the appearance and the shape of the head and creates a lack of consistency at address. The matte black finish clearly shows the contours and shape of the head and allows you to frame the ball up perfectly no matter what the conditions are. I find the head size perfect at address. It has the appearance of a head closer to 410cc due to the traditional shape, however its obvious the face area is larger. The deeper face as I mentioned also allows for players to more confidently tee up higher.

For the XV, Mr. Kobayashi called on Fujikura to provide a stock shaft that would fit his requirements. He personally hand picked a prototype Rombax in the 60g range to pair with the XV.  Unlike the Tour AD in the T.388, this Rombax has lower torque in order to handle the larger head and reduce twisting and unwanted excess flex creating more consistent impact. The kickpoint is mid to high to keep in line with the stronger trajectory the XV provides. As many know, the Tour AD in the T.388 is a superb shaft and very stable and quite true to flex. The Rombax in the XV is also quite true to flex and thankfully the lower torque does not appear to have taken away any of the feel.  Under 100mph is definitely a Stiff/Regular while the stiff could probably handle 105+ mph swings fine (If you check out S-Yard's facebook page you can see Mr. Kobayashi hitting a prototype of the XV and his swing speed is about 110mph - pretty good for 65 years old!).

The weather was not great today with strong winds and light rain. I tried a 10.5* XV in the SR flex and initial impressions were very good. While the T.388 took me several sessions and a few weeks to dial in thanks to the change in size and smaller face, the XV I tee'ed up to my usual height and just swung away. Even in the wind the trajectory was nice and strong with not even a hint of ballooning. The feel of the driver is superb and the larger face seems more forgiving.  Like the T.388 run out is amazing even though it was damp, I was still able to get very good run. It has only been a day with the driver but I am already won over by its looks and design. The aerodynamic head and the cool gradient to mirror chrome finish on the sole look awesome. Performance is very promising and as an average golfer the truth is I can use all the forgiveness I can get. Many people say only pros or better golfers can give proper feedback on clubs but I don't believe it. I think an average golfer due to an inconsistent swing can really tell how good and forgiving a driver really is. A better player will always hit the same spot and be super consistent. It is the inconsistency of an average golfer that many golf clubs are designed to try and overcome and the XV does a reasonably surprising job of it considering its compact design. Lets face if if a driver is not forgiving I will certainly know after 10 shots where maybe only half strike dead center in the sweet spot. Next week is Golden Week holidays here in Japan and I have a few rounds scheduled at home courses where I can truly give the XV a run.

So with two awesome drivers available from S-yard, how is one to choose which one is right for them? I will be doing a comparison post of both drivers side by side in the coming weeks but for now, those who love small heads and don't mind teeing up lower and striking the ball with a level blow will want the T.388. Players who want some more forgiveness and like to tee it higher, and feel confident with a slightly larger head will go for the XV. You can always own both! Look for the XV in the pro shop for order soon!

Miura Giken Japan's 2000 series irons have always been considered the most balanced of all Miura models. While the compact 1000 series squarely aimed at the single digit player and athlete golfer, and the Passing Point series allowing the average and weekend golfer to play forgiving Miura irons, the 2000 series sits right in between in fact overlapping both target audiences. By being the best all around series in the Miura line, it also takes the title of being the most popular line. The new CB-2007 encompasses all of the previous 2000 series model strengths and takes it to a new design level. We've seen the 2000 series advance technically away from the simple traditionalist designs to heads focused on CG placement, flowing and symmetrical shapes across the sets to increased MOI and a focus on bringing all around play to a a new meaning.

Miura sent over their new CB-2007 for me to check out and I have to say it follows in the footsteps of the new CB-1007 cavity back and MB5000WC wedge in that it is very good looking. It has all the usual Miura stampings which are probably more words than the iron needs on the back face but this is something we have all probably gotten used to.  If they could have only moved W.D.D. Accurate Forged to the neck and not put "Fast & Strong", the iron would be even more visually appealing but oh well, I've given up on lecturing JDM brands about cluttering their iron heads with too much stampings.  The first thing one notices is of course the, almost like hooks in the back of the cavity. This is what Miura dubs the new W-Power bridge. In Japan, W is commonly used for DOUBLE  in case you didn't figure it out. The two hooks or swooshes or bridges as Miura calls them, total 7 extra grams in weight and not only bring the CG  tad higher in the head but also create a variable thickness face which enhances feel and supposedly creates a larger sweet spot. 

The CB-2007 is not ultra compact but its not bit either. Miura is great at hiding the size of an iron through its individual physical aspects. Even in the Passing Point irons, Miura does the same visual cues that act almost as optical illusions in making one thing the iron is small. The same thing applies here as the supposedly bordering on small to mid sized head looks mall thanks to a thin top line and narrow sole. The narrow sole features a W sole grind (yes double) which has aggressive leading edge relief and trailing edge relief. Courses in Japan are very lush and soft so the W sole grind helps with versatility. Golf is all year round here and courses can dry up and harden in the winter where the narrower sole comes into play making this an all year round sole.

The face of the iron is longer heel  to toe but the straight top line slightly squarer and taller toe give it very good balance and again the appearance of a more advanced iron.  One thing Miura has down is finish. They tend to always go the route of a satin finish which I personally like much better than chrome.  The face is sandblasted which gives it a bit of a "glitter" but this is to add additional friction to create spin.  The head is actually a tad larger than the previous generation CB-2006 with the exception of the hosel being  a tad shorter which tightens up control. But truthfully any difference in size would probably not be noticeable to the naked eye since it is 1 or 2 mm here and there.

Looking at the CB-2006 at address, you really get a sense of how thin the top line is. The finish, the shape of the face and neck including very slight actually give the CB-2007 a pleasing and balanced look. As you can see it is not a big head in anyway though you can see the longer blade length. I only received the CB-2007 as heads and have just a couple of days with them before I send them off to Tourspecgolfer to be shafted up for testing in Vegas.  So these are only my impressions of the the iron visually and design wise.  I like what I see and I think that Miura really has improved a lot in the design aspect of their clubs lately and are catching up with the times. The W-Power Bridge is a nice touch and the overall design balance of the CB-2007 will make it appealing to better players who would like a tad more forgiveness as well as improving golfers who want a forged cavity back to take their game to the next level. The new Miura Giken CB-2007 is shipping now and available in our pro shop!