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Miura Giken Japan has introduced their first metal wood since the MD Precious Editions several years ago. This new model, the MG Hybrid is an all around versatile utility to replace 3 and 4 irons. It's a beautiful looking black IP finished head with some gold accents and two weights in the sole to increase MOI.

The Miura MG Hybrid...

The MG Hybrid is designed to have the accuracy of an iron but the ease of use of a wood. The MG Hybrid produces a more penetrating trajectory thanks to a deeper face (purposely designed the same height as a ball) and optimal CG placement. Miura decided that to create the optimal trajectory for different lies and conditions, the CG should not be placed too low like in many clubs today. This allows for more stability, direction and control.

The MG Hybrid features a stepped sole or what they call a circle cut sole. Because the sole is stepped, less friction with the ground is produced by only allowing the front portion of the sole to make contact. They've also designed the club so that at address, the MG Hybrid gives the illusion of a low offset iron. They've done this by utilizing a receding crown giving the appearance of a top line like an iron.

I received the 23* head today and first impressions are that it looks very easy to hit. I stuck a shaft in it (just in the hosel, not actually installed) to take some pictures and it does set up rather nicely and the finish is pretty good. I personally don't like the gold so much but that is subjective and I'm sure that there are those who will like it or won't care since its on the bottom sole. The face profile is interesting and almost rounded and as I mentioned the same height as a ball unlike many utilities and fairway woods today which are getting shallower and shallower.

Head only or custom built...

This SUS455 club is available as heads only and we can have the club built to your specs with any shaft. It features a 0.350" diameter hosel and is available in 20 and 23* lofts. I only have the head for some picture taking and visual impressions as this head is going to Tourspecgolfer for testing.

For a limited time only, we've got an introductory price of 189.00 for a head going in the TSG pro shop now. Here are more pictures I took today:

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

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So the Japan Golf Fair 2010 is officially over. There were some great previews at the show including the Ping Anser Forged Irons, the Taylormade Superdeep TP driver, the Titleist Japan VG3 Driver, Fourteen's MT-28 V5 Wedge and Mizuno's MP Craft Forged Putters were among some of the highlights.

We've got lots of pictures, videos and reports for you to check out. Here is a breakdown of where you can find everything:

All the pictures we took including, venue pics, clubs and girls of the show which total over 1200+ pics are in the gallery here:

http://www.tourspecgolf.com/gallery/main.php/v/GolfFair2010/

You can find brief reports on each manufacturer in the forum here:

http://www.tourspecgolf.com/forum/f80.html

And of course right here on the blog you'll find our High Definition videos of the show and hottest clubs as well as our more in depth reports on top products we saw.

2010 should be a great year for fans of Japanese golf and golf enthusiasts in general!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

Many people consider the wedge to be the most beautiful club in the bag. It's simple design and shape is not cluttered by technology and and over design like many high tech cavity backs and woods today.   I have learned to understand why so many athlete golfers long for the basic look blade and treat it as a thing of beauty. While a blade is beyond my skill level, I've taken that appreciation and applied it to wedges. I'm one of those people who look at a wedge and say that is one clean looking beautifully shaped wedge. Today I'm going to check two wedges that I think look beautiful.

Beautiful RC Shaped Designs

Royal Collection has long been under appreciated for making some of the best wedges in Japan. Simple designs and beautiful shapes made from forged steel with wonderful grinds as long been a strong point of RC. The 6150TG as well as the DB Forged were two of the best looking and performing wedges of the last few years but its too bad not so many people got a chance to appreciate and experience them.

Royal Collection kicked off the 2010 season with two new Japan forged wedges in their new Dual Bite line. With the new 2010 USGA groove rules in effect, RC looked at making a new wedge that would conform to the new rules but still provide amazing spin. They decided to create two models with two different design ideas that would create more bite on the ball.

2 Models = Dual, More Spin = Bite

Royal Collection's new Dual Bite line consists of a BK and CP model. Both wedges have the same rounded head shape which I do like very much coupled with a curved leading edge and M like multi grind sole. Both models feature a long straight neck and are forged in Japan from Premium S25C steel.

The BK Model...

So with the new groove rules sapping away spin from many new wedges today, RC decided to create other ways of generating spin. The first was with the BK model. The BK model features a black RAW face for additional bite. The rest of the wedge is nickel plated and satin except for the lower portion of the back face where the "RC" logo is which is chrome.  The black face frames the ball well but its main purpose is to create more friction and grab the ball more for spin. This black face will rust if left as is which will generate even more spin.

The CP Model...

The second model is the CP model which stands for Copper Plating. The CP model in fact uses a underplating made of thin copper which softens the wedge to create more grab and friction. The wedge is then finished in the same Nickel Chrome make as the BK including the face which is plated. A few years ago Yamaha did a test on the usage of softer forged metals to generage more spin and found that their black inpres X models forged from S10C steel out spun most of the competion. The CP model from RC follows a similar concept, while it is not S10C which is so soft it could lead to durability issues, the copper underplating has the same effect. We all love wedges for their soft feel and touch and the CP is meant to provide that along with added spin.

Spin and Feel...

These are without a doubt two very good looking wedges but how do they spin and feel? After taking pictures of these wedges I headed over to the local driving range along with RC's new SFDIII Driver and Fairway wood (which I will review in another post another time). I brought along with me a couple of other heavy spinning wedges to compare including Sky Dream Jump's Type Bite and DP-2010, both which are fitted with sharper grooves and fully milled faces. Size wise, the new RC Bite are not ultra compact like the Type Bite which were very similar to the RC 6150TG Forged, they are more along the lines of a TVD Vokey or the DP-2010 when it comes to size.

The great thing about the driving range near my house is that there is an approach practice area with bunkers and a green that you can approach from about 50 yards out on grass.  The first thing I noticed about the new Dual Bite's from RC was the nice grind. The rounded leading edge plus the multi grind M type sole which is actually rather wide at its widest point easily glides through the grass. The grind of a wedge is also a factor on the feel of a wedge as it can dictate what kind of contact you make with the ball. I'm glad to say I really like this grind.  Feel is superb on both the BK and CP Dual Bite models with the both having very similar feel. When it comes to spin, the raw face BK seemed to produce more spin as the ball stopped quicker than the CP model. Compared to my other wedges, they were not ball destroyers like the Sky Dream Jump wedges can be. Those wedges shred balls like no tomorrow. There is definitely a reduction in spin with the new grooves but for the average player or non pro it may not be as noticeable as we don't generate spin rates as high as the pros in the first place. Trajectory wise these wedges are pretty traditional, no fancy box cavity or tapered blades to raise CG for a lower trajectory. They hit high and land soft with the purpose of trying to stick it close to the pin. Bounce on the Dual Bite's are probably acceptable for most golfers at 48/7, 50/8,  52/9, 56/11, 58/11, 60/10.

A wedge to satisfy all tastes...

I'm really happy with both of these Dual Bite wedges and could bag either right now as gamers. For those looking for a conforming grooves wedge and wanting to choose between the two, the BK will probably spin more for you at the cost of higher maintenance with the raw face. The CP model may in fact be more soft and are definitely more durable but in my short time of testing, feel was very similar between the two. Both have an awesome shape and will suit a low handicapper even up to a mid and average golfer as these wedges border on automatic, yes they are that easy to use. I felt the same way when I gamed the 6150TG from RC last year. Even though they were compact heads meant for the athlete golfer I found them easier to use than most larger sized wedges on the market and that always seems to be the case with Royal Collection. Couple in the fact that they look real good, I'm believing that RC wedges will become more popular this year. Here's to beautiful wedges! Check them out here in the pro shop.

As always here are the pictures!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

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Testing sessions around Japan have begun for the prelaunch of the new Mizuno JPX AD line for 2010. Thanks to Nikkan Sports we were able to get a preview of the new clubs including the new JPX Maraging face irons, JPX Forged and JPX AD Driver.

Mizuno like many manufacturers have moved away from the titanium face to a maraging face on their GI irons which provide as hot feel and very good ball speeds. The JPX AD Maraging features a large pocket cavity and wide sole. This automatic iron is made for maximum forgiveness and distance.

The JPX Forged has always been a forged automatic model for the average golfer and the new JPX Forged are no different as they seem to sport an even thicker topline that previous models. Mizuno however has continued not to use a pocket cavity for the forged model to maintain the soft feel.

The new JPX AD Driver takes some getting used to looks wise but has a very forgiving package with a mid height face but shallow back design. It is 46.5" in length to produce maximum distance for those looking to go straight and long. We look forward to more in depth testing but for now here are the pictures!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

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So its been a month since the new 2010 Taylormade Japan Burner TP Iron was released and demand is still through the roof for this iron. Taylormade is having trouble keeping up with orders and they can't produce enough sets fast enough. After receiving demos for testing I can see why. I had initially reported a few weeks ago on how good the Burner TP Irons felt on impact and at this point my opinion remains the same. In my opinion this is definitely the best cast iron Taylormade has ever made looks wise and feel wise. Style wise it is nearly on par with two other Taylormade Japan top sales models, the original r7 Forged and the new Burner Forged.

Unlike the r7 Forged and Burner Forged, the Burner TP as we all know is cast but on pure hits it sure feels forged. The soft cast 17-4 Stainless Steel produces butter like feel in a small and compact head. The thin top line and minimal offset is sure to satisfy many a low handicapper. Average golfers or medium handicappers even will aspire to play this iron especially with the Tour AD Prototype Graphite which seems to make the Burner TP feel even more smooth.

The first batch of TP Irons sold out even before release through pre orders in Japan alone.  Since then, sets have been available periodically from TM with current availability being only NS Pro 950GH Regular. Every other shaft, including the 950GH Stiff, S200 and Prototype AD-75 Regular and Stiff are back ordered until sometime in February.  So those who have ordered or plan on ordering we thank you for your patience. If you prefer to check with us first on stock before ordering please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

In the meantime here are better pictures as I promised!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

ze-ku-shi-oh, say that quickly...

There are many people outside of Japan who have probably never heard of the brand XXIO (pronounced ze-ku-shi-oh, say that quickly...). However, those who are in Japan or know Japanese golf equipment, know that XXIO, a wing of Sri Sports/Dunlop has long been the number one selling average golfer brand in Japan. XXIO produces drivers, fairway woods, utilities and irons that have always been on the best selling charts for both men and women year in and year out. Their primary focus is the average golfer which also happens to be the largest segment of golfers in Japan. XXIO is also a leading brand on the JLPGA where many top Srixon lady pros are playing the XXIO brand.

XXIO is a performance brand based on cutting edge technology and materials. Designs are always well thought out to maximize performance and ease of use for the average golfer or mid to high handicapper.  After spending a week with the new XXIO clubs in the bag, I have to say XXIO continues to move in the right direction.

As a mid capper who shoots around 90 give or take a few shots (best round 88), I fit right smack dab in the middle of Japan's average golfer group. Even my swing speed and my distances are so average with a driver distance of 225y and a 7 iron distance of 150y (strong lofted average golfer irons). All my clubs are playable clubs for the average golfer especially my current irons the ONOFF 2008 Red irons. So the new XXIO 2010 irons are right up my alley and I was very excited to get a chance to test them.

The new 2010 XXIO iron is a mid sized cavity back and like the previous 2 generations features a pocket cavity. Many average golfer irons focus on forgiveness and distance and the XXIO 2010 is no different. However unlike the most common materials we see in mid sized CB's from Japan, like Titanium faces, ASRolled Steel, Stainless Steel and Maraging faces, the XXIO is a one of a kind using the same Super-TIX PLUS material found in its best selling drivers. XXIO drivers have always stood out for a soft feel and hot ball speeds thanks to the proprietary Super-TIX faces they use, a special titanium developed by Sri Sports. This years Z-TX driver also uses the Super TIX face and XXIO has decided to use this same face (albeit thicker) for the new 2010 iron matched with the soft SUS630 body.

It has a Power Dumbbell...

The new face coupled with a Power Dumbbell weighting system (yes they actually call it that) which is a 55g tungsten weight sole create XXIO's highest MOI iron ever and a 5% larger sweet spot that last years XXIO iron.  This design with all the weight in the sole create a high launch max carry iron. When I took the XXIO iron out for testing, I also had my 2008 ONOFF irons and Honma MG613 and R9 Max test irons with me. I love my ONOFF and believe that they are one of the easiest irons to hit with a very nice feeling Maraging face but my first shot with the XXIO Iron had me in a bit of shock. An effortless swing launched the ball in the air higher and further than my equivalent lofted ONOFF 7 Iron AND the feel was like butter. I usually do not say a non forged iron feels like butter but the Super TIX face felt awesome. I took several more swings to verify that I was not just fooled by that excited first swing and the iron was indeed so easy to hit and ever so straight!

70t in a stock shaft?

The feel of head and the direction can very well be attributed in part to the new MP600 shaft as well. XXIO graphite shafts contain several multilayered hoops made of different materials to create stability and performance. The new MP600 shaft features a loop of 70t carbon and one layer of Nanoalloy, minute metal particles towards the tip of the shaft. I've talked a lot about carbon grading lately on the blog and while most shafts are made of around 30t carbon all the way up to high end premium shafts like Crazy and Quadra that use full 80t carbon the highest grade of carbon used in golf shafts, to find 70t in an OEM shaft is amazing. The higher carbon grade reduces rounding and creates stability. Higher grade shafts return to their original shape much more quickly and consistently so a player does not have to worry about timing, the shaft will do the work itself. The extra Nanoalloy tip in the MP600 shaft creates even more stability and great energy transfer and recuces head twisting to help square the face at impact. Lower end shafts are made of rubber particles which are slow to regain their original shape while metal and glass particles like the Nanoalloy are just like high grade carbon and return to their shape quickly.

Max forgiveness and ease of use...

As my game improves I am happy to report that recently I have been able to work the ball a bit more and hit draw and fades on command. The XXIO is easy to draw as the shaft kicks hard and fast and soft draw or even power draw are attainable. A fade is doable but this iron mostly wants to go straight or soft draw. I have to say that this is one of the easiest to hit irons on the market now and it does it without looking overly large though the iron does have offset and a mid sized top line.  For most average golfers this is not a problem but for many lower handicappers who are on a search for more forgiving irons, the offset and topline  thickness may bother some. Forgiveness is superb on this iron thanks to the high MOI and pocket cavity. Shots hit low or towards the heel really do not loose much. Perhaps a few yards are lost towards the toe but nothing extreme. The shaft also does a great job at removing unwanted vibrations on mis hits. The most stand out features though are without a doubt the ease of use and feel. Most average golfers will be happy to hit their irons high, far and straight and the XXIO 2010 does that very well while feeling very good at impact.

Enjoy the game with XXIO 2010 irons...

I had gamed my 2008 ONOFF irons all year and had no intention of changing as they have helped me improve my game significantly over this past season. However, after hitting the new 2010 XXIO I'm afraid to say that the bug to change has bitten me and I am very well looking at these XXIO as my next set of irons. If you are like me and want to improve your game with an automatic iron that is unparalleled in ease of use, the XXIO is your choice. If you want something compact then you're looking in the wrong place. The XXIO is a high tech iron that will help many average golfers simply enjoy the game so much more.

XXIO 2010 Promo Video:

[See post to watch Flash video]

The new 2010 XXIO iron is available in BOTH Right and Left handed. The standard set is 5-PW with NS Pro 950GH High Launch shafts. The MP600 graphite is a well worth while 60g shaft upgrade and also has R2 (senior flex) and SR (stiff/regular) flexes. Be sure to check them out in our pro shop!

As always here are the pictures I took!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

Mizuno has long been a competitor in the average golfer market with their JPX line. They have just announced the release of their new JPX AD line for 2010 which will be released right before the Golf Fair here in Japan. The last two generations of JPX clubs, including the A25 series and E600 series have seen a less than enthusiastic reaction from consumers in my opinion. Because of this, Mizuno has overahauled the look of their JPX line and gone with a new approach. This approach is that a longer club will equal more distance.

The new JPX AD Driver is 46.5" long, the 3 wood is 43.5" long and the 20* utility is 42" long. Those who follow my opinion on the blog know that I agree that a longer club adds distance BUT only if the player can square up that longer club at impact. I have said it many times, a longer club is simply harder to hit consistently. Mizuno notes that for every extra inch in length there is an increase in swing speed of 1m/s.  I am unsure as to what to think of Mizuno's new JPX stategy especially as an average golfer who can hit a 44" driver staighter and further than a 46.5" driver on a consistent basis. And golf is all about consistency right?  I'd rather swing 40m/s and hit it dead center and flush then 42.5m/s and hit a glancing blow off the toe.

However, Mizuno of course makes awesome clubs and is perhaps Japan's most well known golf brand outside of Japan and for good reason. So I will give them the benefit of the doubt until I test the clubs myself.   At a recent test session, Mizuno had 134 average  golfers test the new driver and 85 of them or 63.4% of them all saw an obvious increase in distance.  Sounds promising especially if you are one of those players who have no problems squaring longer clubs and are looking for more distance.

The new JPX AD line will step back to the old JPX E310 series colors and feature a gold and black theme. The E310 series was a very solid line and if the JPX AD can perform up to its standards we have something exciting to look foward to.  Once I get a chance to test the new line you'll surely hear from me on the blog. Look for the new JPX AD pre order in the shop sometime this week!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

Yamaha has introduced a new series of test reports from respected independent tester Mark Kanai (who for some reason people always mistake me for, though I am not that tall nor swing that fast). Mark looks at all the current 2010 Yamaha drivers and tests each one with the most popular custom shafts available from Yamaha. He reports the clubs CPM and center flex numbers as well as launch monitor numbers and swing type recommendation. I'm going to post up some of his findings here so that readers can get a better idea of the models and shafts and which might fit them best. Do keep in mind though that numbers like CPM and flex can vary from different test beds and measuring techniques so please only use these as a guided reference.

The V201 Tour Model...

The first driver we'll look at today is the very limited and practically sold out/impossible to find V201 Tour Model. The V201 Tour is only available with the very good new Tour AD DI-6 shaft. The driver was tested in both lofts, 9 and 10*, both shafted with the only shaft available with this limited model the Tour AD Di-6 in Stiff flex. I'll be showing the results from the 9* testing.

Looks more like a 400cc driver at address...

The V201 Tour is 440cc and very traditionally shaped. It has a deeper face and a high back design. The face sits square at address and the weighting is neutral for workability. Mark actually noted that at address the head seems smaller than 440cc looking more like like 400cc. From testing the recommended swing speed for this head and shaft combo is 100mph to around 109mph. The DI-6 is a mid launching low spin shaft and is very stable and CPM'ed out at 257cpm and a 4.39kg center flex. Test show it suits both the swinger and hitter with no problems handling an aggressive swing. However aggressive swingers closer to 110mph beware as it is possible to overpower a lighter 60g range stiff flex.

Mid trajectory, low spin....

We all know that Yamaha drivers produce awesome distance and that shows in Mark's performance chart. Yamaha drivers starting with the 2009 RPM models began focusing on backspin and launch. Moving away from the high launch theory towards a more "optimal" launch and "optimal" spin design.  Still this combo of low spinning head and shaft produce backspin around 2177rpm. The mid launch and low spin produce great control and roll. Workability is ranked high in the test as the driver will fade and draw at will.  Just a note as well the 9* head was measured for real loft and it came out at... yes 9*. The driver is true to specs as expected since it is manufactured in Japan at a factory we all know (Exxx) with some of the tightest tolerances in golf.

DI-6 is balanced and stable...

Overall testing showed wonderful feel and sound from the driver. Hitting it towards the top of the face increased spin and launch but not excessively. Hitting it on the sweet spot produced the lowest spin and trajectory.  Mark also noted that the DI-6 was not as rigid as he had expected, it had some flex to it but was still very stable and could not be rated as "hard" as say thye 9003 series.  This is probably why he rated the shaft in between swinger and hitter rather than all on the hitter side like the 9003.  The less rigid but stable flex is also what contributes to the feel of the club as it is very responsive on load and unload.  He does warn as I mentioned above that the most aggressive swingers may overcome this shaft and be better off with the DI-6 tipped. (note that GD leaves tipping of their shafts up to the discretion of the installer/player and in most cases they are not tipped for retail installs).

Strong performing package...

So to cap  it off, the better player or athlete golfer swinging from 100-109mph and including the semi aggressive player can play this driver to the best of its ability. It will provide mid trajectory low spin balls with fade and draw at will and will set up like a compact pear shaped head. Feel will exhilerate as will distance performance. I guess that's why its so hard to get now in Japan! But if you'd like one we can certainly track one down from Yamaha.

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

Before leaving for Hawaii for a 9 day working holiday, I had a chance to spend a week with the new 2010 X-Drive 703 and 2010 ViQ drivers. Tourstage has long battled the likes of Srixon/XXIO, Taylormade and Yamaha for driver sales in Japan year in and year out.  People who know Tourstage can tell you that they make premium and top performing drivers for both the athlete golfer and average golfer in Japan. Early this month Tourstage or better know as Bridgestone in the West, released their most advanced X-Drive design ever as well as a completely redesigned ViQ driver.

The new X-Drive 703

The 2010 X-Drive 703 fits between the 701G and 701 drivers released earlier this year when it comes to control and target audience. For launch, the 703 fits between the GR and 701/701G with a mid to slightly high launch. Some golfers complained that for an athlete model the X-Drives released earlier this year like the 901, 701 and 701G had faces that were too shallow so the new 703 has a mid to deeper face. Like the earlier releases I just mentioned it features a square angle face for a workable ball and is neutral biased.

The Most Advanced X-Drive

The X-Drive 703 features a 7 piece hybrid body made from three types of premium forged Titanium, KS100 Ti, Ti-15-3-3-3 and a hot VL Titanium cup Face. The crown is an ultra thin 0.5mm which allows the weight to be placed lower in the head. The sweet area of the 703 is 10.6% larger than the 701 and the 703 also features a larger gravity angle allowing the head to rotate faster to square up quickly at impact. The 703 is still for the better player, while it is more forgiving than the 701, it also features a deeper back and pear shape as preferred by better players.

Solid Feel, Solid all around performance

So how does it feel and perform? It is definitely a very solid feeling driver aimed at players with a swing speed of 95mph or more.  The faster swing speeds are need to fully maximize the drivers performance and feel. Slower swingers would not benefit from the 703 and would probably do much better with a thinner faced high rebound face like the new ViQ. Feel is more solid than the models released earlier this year as the 703 with its Dual Arrow back face creates a thicker mid section compared to the 701/701G.  The 703 predominately hits a straight ball with above medium trajectory and low spin with run. It is workable with a fade and draw for more advanced players.

The 703 is a balanced driver that will give good distance and exceptional control which means more fairways hit. It is not meant to be a long distance driver as witnessed by its 45.25" length which comapred to many drivers on the market these days is not a long club. The stock shaft is a Tour AD B10-01w, a 65g low torque shaft. The standard upgrade shaft is the new Tour AD DI-6 which in fact has very similar specs to the stock shaft weight and torque wise but is a lower launcher and more rigid shaft. Smooth to semi agressive swingers can play the stock shaft but those with aggressive and very quick tempos who battle a hook should opt for the DI-6. The DI-6 lowers the trajectory a touch over the stock shaft even though both are mid kick. This driver can excel in the wind and is one the better player can hit a low ball with lots of roll with. This is one good looking driver and another winner for the Tourstage in the athlete golfer range.

The new ViQ Driver

On the other side of the spectrum is the new ViQ Driver for the average golfer. The ViQ has been completely redesigned with a new look, features and its target audience has been expanded from the average golfer all the way up to the beginner. Anyone wanting a driver with ease of use can consider the new ViQ.  The most obvious change is the appearance of the driver and this is where Tourstage focused on creating a visual impact on the average player.

Aligning your drives

For many average and beginner golfers, the hardest club to square up can be the driver. Tourstage has tried to increase ease of alignment both at address where most swing problems originate from all the way to impact with visual cues that help the player hit the ball square on the sweet spot at impact. This is what Tourstage calls its Impact Management System.  The visual aspects like the face and crown design are only part of the equation. Tourstage also has placed turbo rubber in three spots on the driver, the grip, the shaft and the head. The purpose of the turbo rubber in the grip is for feel and control while the turbo rubber lining the shaft is for performance and rebound. The turbo rubber under the back weight port is to minimize vibrations and increase MOI.

Target on Crown Helps...

The crown of the driver takes a bit of getting used to but in a sense works like a target and yes it does work as it's like an alignment aid on the putter, pretty soon you forget its there and you subconciously meet the ball in the center based on that hypnotizing looking crown. (^_^)

The ViQ head is long from face to back and shallow making it long from toe to heel. This is forgiving for the average golfer whose misses are typically towards the toe or heel. The deep center of gravity and slightly closed face produce a higher launching ball with draw tendancies. This will help those battling  slice and the right side. The face feels thinner and hotter than the 703 as is usually the case with average golfer drivers. There is more of a high pitched metallic kind of impact sound as the face meets the ball. For me I hit a high draw with this driver, not ballooning in anyway but still with some roll. Its 45.75" length is long for me but managable for most compared to the 46.5" drivers out there these days. Feel wise, the driver is actually pretty good as the shaft while probably on the soft side for some does the trick for most average swingers with some kick and rebound.  The face has some pop and the sound it makes lets the average golfer knows he has hit a good one.

Something for everyone...

So Bridgestone Tourstage has again released two pretty good high tech drivers for both the athlete and average golfer. There is some overlap too as the average golfer with a faster swing who is looking to step to the next level could play the X-Drive 703 as it is definitely forgiving enough. On the other hand the aging mid capper or player who simply does not play as much anymore could use the forgiveness and ease of use of the new ViQ.

Something for everyone as is always the case from Tourstage. Check out the new Tourstage 2010 Drivers in the Pro Shop.

Here are the pictures I took!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

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It's that time of year again where we start getting ready for the Japan Golf Fair! The 2010 event details are out and as always it's a 3 day get together from February 19th ti 21st at the Tokyo Big Sight. The fair is open to the public and admission is free.

As always TSG will be there to cover the event with pictures and videos of all the latest gear and neat golf related products.   The Golf Fair is typically the launching ground for lots of new products as we saw last year with the R9 from Taylormade and all the new X-Series clubs from Tourstage. Taylormade should have some new clubs in store for us again this year (don't they always? (^_^))

For those of you in Japan at the time definitely drop by the fair as there will be hitting bays from all the big manufacturers and a chance to try all the 2010 products. Drop us a note if you're coming by and we can always meet up!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

PRGR a subsidiary of Yokohama rubber and one of the most cutting edge golf companies in Japan has announced a slew of new products for the 2010 season.  Along with new balls, putters and chipper, some of the new products we will see in a February launch right before the golf show will be:

1. A new GN502Tour 440 Driver, featuring  a much shorter and shallower and higher center of gravity compared to the current 460cc GN502Tour, for a mid to low trajectory ball. This 440cc low spin driver features a deeper face and a more solid feel than other PRGR drivers in the GN502 lineup and is geared at the better to pro player.  The 440 will be available with new Motore Speeder VCX.1 series shafts as well as the Tour AD DI Series and Diamana 'ilima as upgrades.

2. A new GN502Tour model forged iron featuring super soft premium JIS S20C steel and less offset and a thinner topline than the current Tour Forged. The new Tour Forged will feature a consistent CG point accross the set and traditional lofts. Standard shafts will be PRGR's Spec Steel II shaft or DG S200.

3. A new TR500 forged iron will also be introduced. This looked like it could fill the gap between the Tour Forged and standard GN502 Iron however looking at the specs, it is right on par with the new GN502 Forged and apparently has even less offset. It is also forged with interesting CNC milled back created for feel.  The lofts are 1* stronger than the GN502Tour and are also available with Spec Steel II or DG S200. This is actually a replacement for the very popular is 500BL model which was a favorite of several pros in Japan.

4. A new TR Wedge that complies with the 2010 groove ruling will be released in two phases. The 50 56 and 60* lofts for this premium forged in Japan wedge  will be released in mid  December while a 52 and 58* comes out early next year. The wedge features a compact head and a m style grind for the better player who wants to focus on spin control. The TR Wedge will be available with Spec Steel II or DG S300 steel shafts.

It's interesting to note that both new forged irons and the forged TR Wedge ARE indeed forged/made in JAPAN!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

Our new Tourstage demos have come in and I started out by testing the new 2010 X-Blade 703 today. This premium Japan forged S25C cavity back fits right in between the X-Blade 701 series and X-Blade GR for size and target audience. The X-Blade 703 is slightly larger than the 701G making it fall between compact and mid sized cavity. It is designed to launch slightly higher than the 701G but lower than the GR C-1 Forged. So how does this iron look and feel in person? It was a beautiful day for pictures so lets find out!

Good looking 1 Piece Forging...

On first impression, the X-Blade  703 is a very good looking 1 piece forged CB.  The head shape is a very strong looking yet a clean design. I say this even though it has CNC'ed notches and lines in the back cavity which I find unique and different. It is quite stunning in person. It definitely falls between compact and mid sized when it comes to overall dimensions in every way.  The cavity is rather deep which pushes the CG lower  but not too low as the toe and heel portion of the cavity have less meat. Most of the meat of the cavity is centered and this produces a nice solid but soft feel. Typical Tourstage and I can say it reminds me of the feel of the 2007 ViQ Forged except in a smaller package.  Trajectory produced with this head design is an above mid trajectory. Not high like say the GR P-1 or ViQ  but a controllable mid to mid-high ball flight that many better players will prefer.

Sets up well at address...

At address this is a well balanced iron. There is some offset but not enough to look like a some mid sized irons that have obvious goose necks. Enough offset to be forgiving enough at squaring the ball. The topline at setup is still rather thin. It was very acceptable to my eye. The X-Blade 703 frames the ball well enough to give confidence at address but its not at all large looking. This look would suit a low handicapper just fine but also be no problem for the improving mid capper.

Feel AND Forgivness...

Feel and forgiveness are both very subjective measures. What feels good to one player may not necessarily to the next. However I am one to believe that a forgiving designed iron can play part in enhancing the feel of an iron. We all know that a blade is considered the purest feeling iron but, if you cannot pure the sweet spot it will feel like crap. Truth is a blade or players cavity while pure feeling is not the most forgiving club so they do not give much room if you are a less then good ball stiker. A forgiving design will allow even a less than adequate ball striker a better chance at getting a pure shot away and less distance lost when they don't hit the sweet spot.  The X-Blade's overall balanced design and wider forgiving sole with heel and toe relief really play a part in making the iron forgiving so that mid handicappers can reap the benefits of this soft forged 1 piece cavity by making good ball contact. I was very satisfied with how forgiving this iron is especially as a 7 series Tourstage iron.

Great overall balance...

When Tourstage first announced the X-Blade 703, I was unsure as to where it would fit in with the current lineup. Then the specs and pictures came out and I was surprised that they made it a solid cavity and branded it as more forgiving than the 701G with undercut cavity. Typcially irons with undercut cavities are perceived to be more forgiving than a solid 1 piece cavity. In this case however Tourstage did their R&D and the 703 is indeed more forgiving than the 701G thanks to its increased face size, offset, wider sole and forgiving sole grind. This iron was a pleasure to hit (I'm usually scared of X-Blades (^_^)) and I'm happy to say that it has enough feel and control for the low handicapper yet enough forgiveness and performance for the improving mid handicapper. This is one balanced iron with good looks to boot.

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.