What makes the Ryoma D-1 so damn good? I must admit I hopped aboard this bandwagon a bit late, I sat on the sidelines and watched while others posted what looked to be unbelievable distance gains matched with complete face forgiveness. Was this hype? Could it be the infamous honeymoon period we know happens when you buy a new club? It was my turn to find out...
In a nut shell what makes this driver such a monster is it's 60 gram power booster weight in the back. Usually you see 10-15 grams in a driver, you heard me right 60g! It pulls the center of gravity so far back low and deep in the head that it increases energy transfer to significant levels for the ultimate slingshot effect.
On top of that Ryoma utilizes something called "DSI" it stands for Deep Strong Impact and it's basically a one piece unibody produced of forged titanium. It's a construction features a body that is only 0.35mm thick which is about half the thickness of current drivers on the market. Some brand's get their crowns that thin but not the entire head.
To keep stability and structural integrity Ryoma has stabalized the inner frame. If your the technical type and need charts with specific information and diagrams please "click here" to view this listing.
All this technology creates a mid launch low spin driver. It's Ryoma's opinion that mid launch with low spin creates the best angle of descent and the most run... plus in most cases the most stability and control.
On average people are gaining 10-15 yards, some even 20-30 yards and not in a sloppy whippy carry bomber kinda way but rather a controlled intentional and piercing trajectory that's very accurate. Sound to good to be true? Right tell me about it, that's why I had to review it for myself...
Distance: I swing around 100 mph+ with a higher ball flight than most and that's why I opted for the 9.5 V-Spec. I've hit what could be the longest drives of my life with this setup. Ryoma 9.5 V-Spec w/Muzzik BangVoo Preium S-260 cpm I usually average about 240ish now I have been in the 260+ range. It's what keeps me a float when playing with longer hitters. Longest driver I have ever hit.
Forgiveness: I'm totally gonna sound like a Ryoma fanboy now but it's forgiveness was phenomenal! My mishits are usually near the heel, it really didnt make much of a difference where as with other drivers that would create a big fade or slice this one sailed straight with a tiny fade at the end. Distance loss was minimal and I gotta attribute that to the 60g power booster it spreads that weight through the club head making the CG so deep and far back that it projects mass behind the entire face and impact zone. Most forgiving driver I have ever hit.
Feel: It's got a firm forged feel to it, I would definitely rank it in my top 5 best feeling drivers of all time. I'm sure it's not the best I've hit but it's pretty darn outstanding. I tend to gravitate to clubs like the Epon 460ZR, Kamui, and Crazy CRZ 460 when it comes to feel and I would put the Ryoma in that level of perfection at impact. Listen to the sound in the video review coming up.
Trajectory/Dispersion: This is where it shines, I can hit most 9.5's high by teeing the ball up but with the Ryoma V-Spec it was medium all day. I did get the ocassionally higher flight resulting in distance lost when hitting into the wind but with all variables like wind gone it was simply the perfect medium trajectory. The ball dispersion was nice and tight and much of that I can attribute to the Muziik shaft as I do know the stock Ryoma shaft flew high and wild for me. Very straight and very accurate was my result with a forward kick and lots of roll. I repeat lot's of roll with this one when combined with the proper model shaft. I'm always looking for a driver that provides the right trajectory on both windy and calm days.
Design: In the beginning I was honestly not a fan of its looks, but while in Japan I held a V-Spec and was surprised that the 60g power booster could not be seen from above. The black finish is highly durable, I've drop kicked this club a few times and where as other black drivers would scratch heavily this one didn't. I keep going back to the 60g power booster and the stabilized unibody frame support within it's forged titanium head. Something so obvious and overkill I'm surprised other golf club companies have not picked up on it.
All in all the Ryoma V-Spec has converted me, It sit's FIRMLY in my bag which is no easy feat as I have over a dozen of the hottest drivers with aftermarket shafts at my disposal. I highly suggest this head and I highly suggest the Muziik BangVoo Premium shaft as well. It's a triple axis 70T carbon shaft that is VERY PREDICTABLE in the sub 70 gram weight range.
Hi Tourspecgolfer,
Have been eyeing on this Ryoma and wondering what are your thoughts with V SPEC 9.5 w/ Crazy LY-01 Hot blk?
What could be the trajectory difference between the muzik premium and LY-01 HOT shaft?
You wrote that you gained lot of rolls, but what about the carry it-self? Did it lower your trajectory resulting in lot more run but simialr carry?
Thank you,
James
Thank you so much.
ly 01 hot black is very good. I got one with 8.5 ryoma. Not that hard to launch for a 8.5. Not sure the gain. I played 10games in 10 days. Too tired. Good roll and carry
The LY-01 Hot BLK is one of my favorite shaft’s It’s the highest launching Crazy Shaft they make for max carry. The muziik flies lower than the LY01 hot/blk and feels a bit better.
My carry was about the same as my total usual distance and the roll out was icing on the cake.
“Slingshot Effect”… That’s the perfect description that escaped me when I tried the Ryoma.
Also cracked up @ the end of the video review with Tatsuro-san’s comment about the headcover but, totally agree. LOL!
“a sloppy whippy carry bomber way”
What does this mean? Can you expound further please. I know some LD Pros (long distance pros) who use extremely heavy extremely stiff shafts and they smash those balls with all their might. There is no sloppiness to their swings or their clubs. What do you think would happen if an LD Pro used this head?
This has nothing to do with LD contests.
I’m Not sure what would happen if a LD guy used it, I don’t follow the circuit. I do know that LD guy’s use high kick point shafts to keep their flight lower also the target they land their ball in for it to count is much wider than most fairways. They also use shafts in the 50″ range.
I’m personally more interested in a round that includes 18 holes at a golf course.
What I mean’t was a wide dispersion by using a softer shaft that relies on timing to create the sole result of maximum carry. This was my strategy for more distance in the past and it worked, more carry with wider dispersion and a much higher trajectory.
The opposite of that would be a reliable and consistent shot that is medium trajectory with good roll so it’s long and set’s you up for success by keeping you in the fairway and that’s what this Ryoma w/Muziik combo is giving me.
Actually the LD championship’s “fairway” or landing area is only 45 meters wide, which isn’t so different from most golf public courses that have a normal fairway and some rough in between the treelines on both sides.
Jamie Sadlowski, the current champ uses a 48.25 USGA conforming max length shaft. It’s not that different.
I wonder what would happen if one of the LD guys did use it.
It is conforming, right, this head?
wow that is actually not so big. like 50 yards I think. Thanks for the correction. Yes it’s conforming.
48-50″ for me personally would be way too long.
@Tourspecgolfer:
Whatever the length of club is, up to the maximum allowed by regulations, if you can get your headspeed up as high as you can, the rest is whether you can control it go where you want it or not. Just look at Sadlowski – he can hit a 35 inch putter to 300 yards. Of course his actual driver shaft is XXX. And his backswing wraps around his body way beyond parallel to get all that centrifugal force.
I want to see the ugly head cover! LOL
Great, totally don’t have to explain that to me. I understand the pro’s and con’s of longer length. I’m just not interested in 50″ length, XXX shaft’s or long drive competitions.
Yes that’s what we do here! Thanks!
Agreed with your assessment regarding the feel of hitting a 460ZR. Wondering how does it compare in distance and forgiveness to a 460ZR (or even a 460ZR H-COR). Thanks.
What is the biggest difference between the 3 D1 drivers ?