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There has been a lot of hype for the new Ryoma F fairway woods. It has the reputation of its driver counterpart the Ryoma D-1 to live up  to. The D-1 Driver as everyone knows is probably one of the most forgiving drivers to ever come out of Japan. It was easily Tourspecgolf's most popular driver of 2011. So when Ryoma announced a fairway wood that would perform like the driver, people jumped at it right away. So after more than a month of testing, does the Ryoma F deserve all the attention its been getting?

As I had noted before the fairway woods looked better than I had originally expected. I was not the biggest fan of the look of the driver though its performance far out weighs its aesthetics.  The fairway wood is on the larger side at 220cc for the F2 to 140cc for the F9.  If you want to see a physical comparison, I did one earlier with the egg Spoon here. All of the D-1 F heads are spec'ed to have square face angles. Like the driver it appears to have a slightly closed face which many have said is an illusion caused but the slight onset/face forward and the way the sole sits. Even if the face is closed, its not by much and for many average golfers who will consider the Ryoma F, a tad closed may not be a bad thing. At address, the head does make the ball look small and could pass for a 350cc compact driver. For some the head may seem to big but for others, its size may inspire a can't miss image.  At first I did think the head was too large however I quickly got used to it.

The F2, F3 and F5 models all fall right below 0.83 COR and share the same all titanium monocoque (unibody) construction as Ryoma's D-1 Drivers. Ryoma is able to fit a 60g Power Booster weight on the back of all the FW models.  Not only that but they also add an additional 60g weight on the front sole called the Spin Control Unit. Considering the 13* weighs 209g, and uses 120g worth of weights, it means the 0.4mm walled body is a mere 89g in weight! Ryoma then plasma welds on their premium forged TDW face for maximum ball speeds and feel.  The F7 and f9 shorter woods have a similar design except use a maraging face and stainless steel body.

Thanks to that 60g backweight, the sweet spot of the Ryoma  fairway woods is huge. So huge that Ryoma claims there is very little difference in direction and distance on off center hits vs shots off the center of the club.  In order to counter the huge weight in the back which in a smaller fairway wood head would push the CG too far back and low, Ryoma uses that Spin Control Unit I mentioned earlier, another 60g right below the leading edge of the head. Ryoma says this weight drastically reduces spin and creates a strong and powerful trajectory that will not lose out to the wind. I certainly liked the trajectory and for me it was more of a mid ball flight.

Ryoma has designed the CG Point of their fairway woods to match the ball exactly at impact whereas on some deeper fairway woods the CG point on the face is in fact higher than the point of impact.  The face of the Ryoma's are considered shallow but not super shallow. They are shallow enough that make hitting off the deck and launching the ball rather easy. I had no problems teeing off with the Ryoma and I felt more confident doing so than with the ultra shallow egg Spoon. The egg Spoon which for me has always been the longest fairway wood, was coming short of the Ryoma by 10-15 yards on average. I also had a TRC FW and ONOFF Fairway Arms Plus as well as a Geotech GT SP and none of them could touch the Ryoma in distance. The testers I have here came with the stock Ryoma shaft. Its a good shaft but a bit on the soft side and the higher torque numbers especially in the softer flexes really do benefit the smoother swinger. I found that if I got aggressive with it, and I do have an aggressive transition and down swing, and if I released early, the soft shaft would cause me to go a bit left.  Even so, thanks to the very forgiving nature of the head, I was still out hitting the egg. It made me think if I had put my preferred Crazy Black FW80 I would gain more control and even more distance.

When it comes to sound and feel, at first the Ryoma F reminded me very much of the first generation egg Spoon with that hollow thwock. Its not nearly as loud but the pitch is similar thanks to the heads size and all Titanium construction.  It's rather solid feeling and while it did not feel hot off the face, it IS hot off the face. There were several times I did not feel like I hit it right on the screws and the ball just kept going, much further than I expected and pretty straight. Much of the results I got are thanks to Ryoma's huge forgiveness and near 0.83 COR. Considering how much smaller a fairway wood face is than a driver face makes this number quite staggering as many fairway woods on the market feature COR of around 0.70 to 0.75.

At the end of the day not everyone will like the looks of the Ryoma F. Not everyone will like its huge head size. Some people might get turned off by the sound. Others the price. But in the end you have to love the Ryoma F for what it is, and that is stupid easy to hit fairway wood that can probably rival your driver for distance AND forgiveness.

The stock shaft is a good fit for those who are smoother swingers, especially the softer flexes. The stiffer flexes do add some control thanks to lower torque and heavier weights. Many golfers will opt for an upgrade shaft and the Ryoma F is available with any shaft in Japan though more than 75% have gone out with Crazy shafts since they seem to be such good fits with Ryoma heads. If you need help with your selections as always just contact us. If you'd like to go ahead and get the stock shafted model, it can be found in the pro shop.

I took a quick video of the sound at impact. As you can hear its not terribly loud but its not that great sounding either. I also had my egg Spoon and TRC FW on hand and also an egg i+ utility so I thought I would throw that in as well.

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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Since the Titleist VG3 irons were announced earlier this summer and since their release at the end of August, I've talked about the iron many times on the blog as its performance has been a hot topic here in Japan. Two months later, nothing has changed as it is  still the most in demand iron in Japan surpassing the summer's big seller the Ping Anser Forged.

All Around Performer...

I have to admit after demoing the VG3 iron for a couple of weeks, that it lives up to the hype. Most publications in Japan including Golf Digest, Golf Today, Waggle and others have given the VG3 stellar reviews and all around top ratings.  Looks, design, feel and performance all are top notch. After completing my iron shootout, I immediately contacted our Titleist rep asking for a set of irons for myself and was very disappointed to find out that October's allotment of VG3 irons has been sold out all across Japan!  The next batch is available in November. This must be the first time I haven't been able to get an iron I want and honestly it makes me want them even more!  The funny thing is I always tell everyone to pre-order and I didn't even do so myself... duh?!? Luckily my bag contains the Yamaha V Forged iron to hold me over while I wait.

Carefully thought out...

There are so many things that make the VG3 a wonderful iron that could satisfy any golfer. The VG3 would be my first Titleist iron ever as in the past I never really considered the brand. In Japan, it has always had the reputation of being an athlete level club especially the drivers and irons. Titleist USA worked together with Titleist Japan in their first ever joint venture to design the VG3 clubs for the Japanese market. They did not rush their efforts and took over a year just tinkering with design and testing, making sure it would satisfy not only the athlete golfer but also Japan's largest segment of golfers the average golfer (like myself).  For those who missed it this video shows some of the history behind the first VG3 club the VG3 driver, which all of the testing was actually done in the US (video is in Japanese though there are parts in English from Dan Stone, VP of Club R&D).

Variable sole weighting...

One of the key features on the VG3 iron is the variable weighting on the sole. VG3 stands for variable gravity design. On the driver there were 3 varying gravity design models varying between the 9 10 and 11* lofts. On the irons its the same 3 tier design with the long irons featuring dual tungsten weighting embedded in both the toe and heel in the sole of iron while the mid irons feature a single tungsten weight in the center of the sole.  The 3rd variable gravity design is the short irons where there is no tungsten at all.  This variable gravity design alters the trajectory by changing the CG on each iron. The dual tungsten on the long irons increases forgiveness and MOI while dropping the CG low for big carry and distance ball. The mid irons with a single tungsten weight allow for a higher ball to attack the green from a distance. The short irons with no weights have a higher CG point lowering the trajectory for a stable controlled shot and that touch around the greens.

Great looks and design...

Another aspect of the VG3 which stands out a lot is of course the irons looks. Not only the beautiful design and back cavity but the way the iron sets up. For a strong lofted iron the offset is considered less however where the design aspect actually takes place is the way Titleist shaped the heads. The long irons feature a very straight and sharp top line designed to create an image of going straight when lining up with the ball. The mid irons have a slightly curved topline and head shape for more workability and ball movement and the short irons are curved more like a wedge for control and pin point ball movement. You'll see more of this in the videos I post below.

Feel and ease of use...

The strongest points of the VG3 are probably feel from the Endo forged S20C head and ease of use thanks to what Titleist calls a pre-worn sole or a sole already designed to produce more clean impact thanks to its ability to move through the turf. So the VG3 excels in looks, design, feel, distance and ease of use. The one thing I wonder is how better players will adjust to the stronger lofts and more point and shoot nature of the VG3 Forged. The mid and short irons are certainly workable but the lofts are strong and will still provide more distance than some better players are used to. For example the PW is 44*, and this alone will force some players to alter their wedge lineup as those who carry a 52* may find the gap of 8* too large.

Update: Larger address picture. Offset amount is just right... beautiful flow from neck to head.

Custom Options...

Those who have purchased the VG3 Iron from us have all been different levels of golfers, from average golfers to single digit players and slower swingers to fast heavy steel players. Luckily Titleist offers custom orders for the VG3 including lie and length changes as well as custom shafts like PX, KBS Tour, DG, DG HL, DG SL, and even lighter weight steel like NS Pro 750GH Wraptech.  Some of the better players have told me that heavier shafts have brought the ball flight down for them and were happy in moving from the AP2 to the VG3 even with the stronger lofts of the VG3.  So like everyone else I have to wait for my set. If you want one I'd recommend ordering soon and waiting. After all good things come to those who wait!

Titleist Promo Videos...

In the mean time I've got 3 promo videos from Titleist Japan for the VG3 Forged. They are of course in Japanese but I'm sure you'll enjoy them anyway. They touch base on a lot of the points I noted and you get to see Titleist Japan Pro Nobuo Serizawa hit the irons. He's the guy who helped design the driver and the irons and is a top pro on the Japan Senior tour (and of course was a top pro on the JPGA men's tour as well).

Titleist VG3 Iron Part 1: Feel

Titleist VG3 Iron Part 2: Weighting and trajectory

Titleist VG3 Iron Part 3: Topline and performance

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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Well its official. You had to figure this would happen sooner or later. The current Egg Spoon which has been out for over two years and half years and dominating  fairway wood performance in Japan is finally going to be updated with a new PX-03 Spoon announced by Pro Gear yesterday.  The new Spoon has been redesigned and is really scooped out in the back this time, and I mean really scooped out, and even longer from face to back with a lower center of gravity and more MOI than the first generation Spoon. PRGR has decided to not only change the design but also the materials of the Spoon.

Where the first generation featured a stainless steel sole plate matched with titanium face and body, the new Spoon will have a SUS630 body matched with maraging ES230 face. I wonder how the maraging face will alter the sound and feel.  The new Spoon boasts lower spin and a larger sweet spot. Will it live up to the 1st generation Spoon's performance? We shall see when it gets released on August 28th of this year.

The new Spoon will have a wider range of shafts available with M-35 all the way up to M-46 this time around (the 1st gen only had M-43 as the stiffest flex).  For an extra 75.00 the PRGR stock shaft can be switched for a Fubuki 65 stiff or 75 stiff.  The new Spoon will only be available in 15 and 17* as they have scrapped the 13*. There will also be Spoon FW's 5 7 and 9 woods featuring a SUS630 body and face with tungsten sole.

PRGR will also be releasing all new EGG FORGED Irons which is very interesting. A hybrid style forged iron? I can't wait to try the demo. There will also be new R35 and R45 chippers as well as a new center shaft silver blade putter.  The biggest news is definitely the new EGG Spoon and if it can top the current model which is still the longest and one of the easiest fairway woods I have ever hit we may as well get ready for another 2 and half year reign as Japan distance champion of the fairway woods.Of course there is no guaranteeing that a newer model will out perform the previous model especially in the case of the EGG Spoon where they have completely changed the materials which is what made the first generation Spoon the champion that it is. 2 months is a long time to wait to find out....

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

Kamui Works sent me their all new TEIOO Mid Air iron to dem0 and give feedback on. This is a hybrid performance iron made for the average golfer wanting the ultimate in forgiveness and distance. With lofts 2-3* stronger than most average golfer models (22* 5 iron) and an ultra low center of gravity, players can gain more than a whole club distance by using the TEIOO.  You are an average to slower swinger but want to hit your 5 iron 185 yards? Sure, the TEIOO can reach those distances with the strong loft and longer recommended club length (38.5" 5 iron).  The high COR Maraging face is very thin producing ultra high ball speeds for lots of carry. The long irons feature a hybrid style head which progresses to a more traditional iron style head from the mid to short irons.

This iron is in fact a departure from Kamui clubs as TSG customers know them. We've given the thumbs up to both their 456 Silver and 420 drivers as well as their Asiri Fairway wood, all of which are hand made to custom specs. The new TEIOO iron doesn't offer the same custom specs as the woods since it is a maraging steel iron that cannot be altered much from its original design and specs. This will appeal to a different crowd unlike the woods which have attracted scratch golfers to average golfers looking for great feel and performance made specifically to the customers specs.

Click on Read More to see our review and more pictures...

Not Quite an EGG but similar concept...

The Kamui TEIOO does look very much like a utility iron and has taken a page out of the design book of PRGR and its EGG iron, especially in the longer irons. The wider sole really appeals to the average golfer who hits fat shots and digs a lot, unable to make pure contact and losing distance. While not as wide as a the EGG iron, the TEIOO has a wider sole than the typical driving utility iron and features trailing edge relief for versatility in most lies.  The head is shallow, featuring a longer heel to toe face, typically how average golfers miss (towards the heel or toe). The shallow face and wide sole allow the TEIOO to place the CG very low in this hollow head maraging iron. This coupled with the strong lofts, and longer lengths create a maximum carry ball with lot of forgiveness.

Surprisingly sets up well...

The black cavity or lack there of as the the TEIOO is a hollow head iron unlike the scooped out EGG, actually gives the illusion of a regular iron when looking at the silver topline. The offset is not extreme as one might think for an iron touted as max forgiveness and distance. The 7 iron you see on the left is actually reasonably pleasing to the eye. The heads keep the same design with the sole becoming progressively narrower all the way down to the pitching wedge. The TEIOO has 3 wedges, a 45* A wedge, 48* A/S wedge and a 56* Sand wedge which no longer have the hollow head but instead an undercut cavity design. Three wedges are definitely needed to fill the gap as the PW is an ultra strong 40* but i wonder why they did not make the A/S a 50* to make a more balanced gap between the A and S wedge.

Muted Feel but good anti vibration...

So how does the TEIOO feel and perform? As I always note in every review, feel is very subjective and many factors can affect feel including the material of the club, the design, the grind, the shaft, and the player's ability to hit it pure.  Typically Maraging steel has a hot lively feel to it since it is made thinner than stainless or forged carbon steel. It is an alternative to a titanium face on an iron and creates similar type of feel and performance. My initial concern was that the hollow design of this head might feel quite dead like some hollow design heads can feel these days. I would have to say feel wise, the TEIOO is quite neutral/muted. It is not by any means hard feeling but feed back is masked by the hollow head of the iron. For some people this can be a good thing as even mis hits do not feel harsh in any way. I should note that the demos I had were shafted with specially made Fujikura double kick graphite shafts specifically made for Kamui. Graphite aids irons in absorbing vibrations and the stock shaft certainly played a part here.

Easy to launch, easy to hit long...

So how does the iron perform? Slower swingers and senior players will appreciate the TEIOO with stock shaft as it is rather light and very easy to swing. The shallow face makes it very easy to hit the sweetspot and sent a high trajectory ball with a lot of carry. Strong lofts is very common these days in Japan but most strong loft sets have a 24* 5 iron whereas the Kamui has a 22* 5 iron.  I hit my 2008 ONOFF 5 iron around 165 and my current XXIO 5 iron around 170-175. I can hit the TEIOO 5 iron nearly 190y thanks to the 2* stronger loft and 0.5" longer shaft (38.5" for the  5 iron but i should note the other irons are standard length ie 6 iron 37.5", 7 iron 37" etc). The ball jumps off the maraging face with a lot of authority and carries quite high. Choosing the right shaft, ie weight and kick wise will affect the trajectory somewhat but this iron is made to go high. The wide sole definitely adds to its forgiveness. It is harder to dig this club due to it's width and this allows even steeper swingers better contact. This iron still performs on mis hits thanks to the hollow head design which creates high MOI.

Looks are mixed but undoubtedly performs...

So whats the  bottom line? The Kamui TEIOO for many may not be a very good looking iron, but for many average golfers the looks will be secondary to its forgiving distance performance.  Without a doubt this iron targets the player wanting a max forgiveness max distance iron, especially the slower swinger or the player who does not play well with more traditional irons. While the stock shaft had acceptable feel and control, I found the graphics too busy. Luckily the TEIOO are available as heads only or custom built with any shaft you please.  Look for the irons to be in  our pro shop 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

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

We thought the ViQ had left us...

Earlier this year when Tourstage announced 5 new X-Blade models in a one time release including newly designed and forgiving X-Blade GR models, many of us in the golf industry thought it signaled the end of the ViQ line. The largest segment of golfers in Japan is comprised of the "average golfer" or as players in the West call it the mid to high handicapper. The ViQ line has long been a mainstay at the top of the sales charts for the average golfer battling perennial rival XXIO.

However in the last few years of ViQ models, we saw more tweaking of models rather than new innovation and the ViQ line's popularity waned a bit as companies like ONOFF, Fourteen, PRGR and of course American brands like Taylormade and Callaway ate into the ViQ's average golfer market share with new designs and awesome performing clubs. Tourstage was quiet since its most previous ViQ launch back in early 2008 but it turns out they were in fact taking the time to completey revamp the lineup with a visual, technology, and design overhaul.

But it is back with a new look and purpose...

So I received the new ViQ iron which looks nothing like the 2008 model. This is a very flashy iron and Tourstage boasts a lot of performance from all the new featueres it has put into this design.  With the X-Blade GR C-1 and P-1 comfortably satisfying most mid handicap players in Japan, it looks to me as if the ViQ has shifted its focus toward the high handicapper head in the average golfer group. The 2010 ViQ is designed as an automatic iron for maximum forgiveness and maximum distance.  I don't mind high tech looks but I find the new ViQ a bit too shiney and a bit too busy for my eye. Let's see if this high tech pays off where it really counts, feel, performance and forgiveness.

Inverted co-- .... no it's Super Turbo Rubber.

The 2010 ViQ utilizes several features to improve feel and forgiveness including a badge like emblem in the center of the cavity right by the sweet spot. I cannot help but be reminded of Taylormade's Inverted Cone at least visually from the outside. On the inside it is different as that badge covers Tourstage's Super Turbo Rubber which is meant to increase ball speeds at impact through its rebound characteristics and also improve feel but dampening impact. Feel is subjective and some people might like this and some might say it takes away too much feedback.  For the high handicapper its probably a good thing to minimize vibrations on miss hits and create any extra ball speed.

In front of the Super Turbo Ruber is a 1.85mm thick (or you could say thin) Hyper Maraging Steel face. There has been a huge shift in Japan when it comes to use of materials in average golfer irons and fairway woods from Titanium faces to Maraging steel faces.  Many manufacturers are finding that Maraging steel provides great feel and performance results. Maraging steel is supposedly stronger than Ti so it can be made thinner for a more explosive impact. Makes me wonder when it will show up in a driver. Many of the top average golfer ions in Japan, including models from ONOFF and PRGR all use maraging faces now and the feel is excellent.  The 2010 ViQ also feels very good or should I say feels like almost nothing when you pure the sweet spot. The Super Turbo Rubber is at work here.

Automatic distance at your calling...

The new ViQ places a lot of weight down low in the sole for a very low CG helped by two tungsten weights, one in the toe and one in the heel of the sole. Both these weights also have Super Turbo Rubber under them to again help enhance, or for some take away feeling. There is a an undercut cavity here which progresses higher towards the toe and towards the heel to widen the sweet spot on typical average golfer misses towards the toe and heel. Because the tungsten weights are so big the number indicating the iron is actually right in the middle of the sole. So with all the new design features and a wide sole, mid size top line and definite offset, is this an easy iron to hit? Yes it is. It sure fits the bill as an automatic iron. The low CG and strong lofts (24* 5 iron and 44* PW) provide some serious distance and is very easy to hit straight. The ViQ is not a shovel like some GI irons in the West but it is definitely larger than other mid sized irons and will give that higher handicapper enough confidence at address. It's size does make it easy to hit.

Another thing that made the demo I had so forgiving is that it is shafted with a Tourstage graphite.  Tourstage uses ultra light 55g mid kicking graphite which really help those slower swingers pick a a few miles per hour. The 5 iron weighs only 357g total weight. Thanks to the strong lofts the shots do not balloon but climb steadily reaching an apex and finishing with a rather soft landing especially in the short irons.

It does what it supposed to do...

So in conclusion, while I am not thrilled with the iron's overall look and I'm not a fan of too much offset and bigger head, the truth is, looks aside, the ViQ does what it is supposed to do. Be an easy iron to hit and give the higher handicapper the automatic performance they are looking for. Many traditionalists and better players may doubt the use of the Super Turbo Rubber (especially those who are always playing forged irons) but I think for the higher handicapper which this iron targets, the rubber works.  So if you haven't been playing golf long or are stuck shooting in the 90's and 100's or simply need irons that can go very far very easily, then the 2010 ViQ is your calling. If you are an improving player who already is a decent ball striker and looking to add control to your game as you break into the 80's and lower go read the X-Blade 703 review.

I've got the new ViQ Driver here as well and boy it looks.... interesting.  Before that though here are the rest of the new 2010 ViQ pics:

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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Repeat after me... I am a Golf Club Ho

Golf gear enthusiast is a nice way of saying "Golf Club Ho". A golf gear enthusiast is someone who loves golf gear so much they cannot overcome their need to change gear and try new products on a regular basis. I am one of those enthusiasts who has a hard time keeping to one set bag. Moving to Japan and testing and researching golf gear and the Japanese golf market made it even worse for me as I suddenly had access to all the best clubs in the world pretty much anytime I wanted.

Never ending revolving door but...

I've decided that if I could game a club longer than 2 months I would write a so called "Long Term Review" on it because two months for me is quite a feat. The last two months has been golf 3-4 times a week including course play and range practice. Through all this time, I've gone through 6 different drivers, 4 different wedge models, 4 different putters and 5 different Fairway woods.

ONOFF Iron with Roddio I-6

The only club that has been consistently in the bag through this time has been ONOFF Irons shafted with Roddio Pentacross I-6 graphite. (Though the PRGR Egg Spoon will soon hit 2 months but I already reviewed that earlier as it blew me away.) Only one other set of irons has stayed this long in my bag, the Epon AF-701 with Tour AD-65 Graphite lasted over a YEAR in my bag as nothing could knock it out.  I switched the Epon for the sake of switching and they were replaced by the PRGR GN502 irons which really could have lasted a long time in my bag if the ONOFF irons custom built by ONOFF hadn't suddely materialized in front of me.

Roddio Love them or hate them..

Roddio shafts have a love hate following. It seems for some people they either perform great or are a disaster. I had luck with a W5BA shaft in the past and had always wanted to play Roddio graphite especially being a big fan of carbon iron shafts so I took the chance to bag these irons.

I have not regretted my choice since. The ONOFF irons are a wonderful design and iron. The ONOFF iron features a MS225 Stainless steel body matched with a high maraging steel L Cup face. Maraging steel is strong and can be made very thin and in recent years have become a very popular choice of face for performance oriented irons because of feel and high ball speeds. The ONOFF iron is no exception as it has the pop off the face like the PRGR iron matched with the forgiveness and feel of the AF-701.

The Tungsten sole creates a very low center of gravity and the ball just launches into the air making this a very easy to hit iron for those who have problems getting the ball up. I personally love the feel. I do not sense any difference when it comes to soft feel between the ONOFF and AF-701 with Forged body and asroll face. Actually to be honest, even with a pocket style cavity the ONOFF doesn't have much of a click on impact which is something some players have noted about the Epon. Closing your eyes and puring a shot with the ONOFF could be mistaken for hitting a forged iron.

Just the right match...

Of course the shaft has a huge impact on feel and I can say I was pleasantly surprised with the Roddio. It may very well be one of the best irons shafts I have tried. (Fujikura is about to launch the Motore Speeder iron series shaft which also looks to be a challenger). The I-6 features Roddio's Pentacross weave and is very very stable. The shaft is more stout than Tour AD, Bassara, Axiv and Mach Line in a similar weight. The great thing about the Roddio is because they are installed by a certified Roddio installer they can be made to virtually any flex or feel. In the past I have seen may people complain that Roddio's are soft and in most cases it was because of improper installation.  Roddio's need to be tipped to meet proper flex and CPM, if done incorrectly, feel and performance is completely compromised. I'd have to say that ONOFF installed these Roddio shafts to have the accuracy of steel. They feel as stout if not more than my 850GH Steel but kick harder and launch further just like graphite should. It could very well be that because both irons and head are made by Daiwa Golf who owns both ONOFF and Roddio that these heads and shafts were meant to be a match.

As easy as they get for a mid sized cavity back...

Another reason why I am enjoying these irons is they are simply easy to hit. They are a mid sized iron and do have some offset but are in no way a game improvement iron yet provide game improvement like performance. The sole is very neutral which can suit a variety of swing types but has a blunted leading edge that helps prevent digging. This is very well suited for the softer courses in Japan and I have definitely noticed it on lush courses. Anyone wanting forgiveness can play these irons. From a high handicapper wanting to invest in a good set of irons while improving their game to mid and even low handicappers that want an awesome blend of performance, feel and forgiveness in a very good looking all around package. For now the ONOFF iron will stay in the bag as the iron of choice. They will go with me to Nouvelle Golf Club here in Oami tomorrow for another 18 enjoyable holes.

Even though the ONOFF are technically a 2008 model iron they are definitely up to date with technology and performance and on par with any 2009 model from any other brand. I expect a new 2010 model ONOFF iron to come out later this year following their 2 year trend of model releases.  For those still wanting the ONOFF iron it is available through TSG custom built by the ONOFF Tour Van with Roddio I-6, I-8 and I-10 graphite shafts. And for those athlete golfers who want to be like Shingo Katayama, the ONOFF Plus Forged are also available with custom Roddio shaft from the tour van. Just contact us for more details.

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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PRGR Golf or Pro Gear as it is known to many, is about to release the followup to their very popular hybrid iron set the EGG Irons from 2008. The EGG was a favorite of many average and senior golfers in Japan looking for distance and forgiveness in a very very easy to hit package. The EGG iron was essentially a complete set of over-sized hybrids all the way down to the wedges. The scooped out cavity and wide sole made every iron easy to hit. The shaft lengths featured a 38.5" 5 iron with a 23* loft which meant added distance overall.

One complaint from some players though was that the the heads were a bit too much on the large size, especially heel to toe where they were very long. The all new EGG II improves on the overall shape of the iron by decreasing its heel to toe length and increasing its sole width for the longer irons. This allows for the CG to be placed even further back creating perhaps the easiest to launch irons from any lie. The overall size of the 7 to Wedges has decreased in order to be more accurate.

The new EGG II also features a redesigned shaft which produces more feel and kick and especially benefits those having troubles keeping the ball straight by creating a shaft with a softer butt and stiffer tip improving the overall direction of the iron and creating a high missle like trajectory that does not balloon. The new EGG II will be released in Japan on August 25th so look for it in the TSG Pro Shop!

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.