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The new Ryoma F Fairway woods arrived this week for testing. We received a 15* F3 and and a 18* F5, both with stock shafts. Initial visual impressions are that the f3 is huge. At address it is like a mini driver and it inspires can't miss confidence. For some athlete golfers however it may be too large. I will be first doing a comparison between the Ryoma F3 and the reigning champion of fairway woods the PRGR Egg Spoon. I am sure many Spoon owners want to know if their club can be dethroned and many others who are looking for the ultimate in distance and ease of use would like to see the differences between the two. Stay tuned for the comparison and club testing soon!

On a personal note, the weather has been crazy here in Japan, yesterday nearly 19C and today a very cold 8C. The temperatures have been up and down which is perfect for giving me a cold. My brother happens to be arriving in Japan tomorrow for a short visit from Toronto and we'll be heading to Yokohama to spend the weekend at the Motorcycle and Hot Road Show (my brother's hobby). I will be out of contact for a while but have packed up all my camera gear for some hardcore photo sessions of Yokohama and interesting machines at the show. Will report back next week when I return!

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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Our featured customer today is Rob Harrand who is also know as Mjr. D on the TSG Forum. Rob was kind enough to write up his own introduction and save me the work so without further delay here's one of our favorite customers, Rob Harrand!

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First of all, I’d just like to say thanks to Tario, Chris and everyone who contributes to making TourSpecGolf a fantastic business, website and forum.  It’s definitely one of a kind... full of great people (and hopefully golfers!)

My name is Rob Harrand.  I was born in a city called Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  Yes, Regina is pronounced the way it shouldn’t be. Ha!  I’m the youngest in a family of six.  I have three older sisters but unfortunately no brothers and no one is a golfer :(

BASEBALL

Baseball was my first love growing up.  Instead of dragging around a bag full of sticks on the course, pretending I was Jack Nicklaus, I spent my youth firing baseball’s into fences, pretending I was Nolan Ryan.

By the time I was 11, it became apparent that I had a gift.  I was able to fire a baseball faster than most adults.  Pitching in the Major Leagues was my dream and getting the attention of scouts that early in life, was definitely encouraging... perhaps my dream could one day turn into a reality!

I grew up with a very natural, fluid, effortless delivery but by the time I turned 14, it was already beginning to disappear.  As it is in Golf... Baseball and more specifically, pitching, is an industry full of contrasting theories and opinions when it comes to the “mechanics” of the pitching motion.  I had no idea at the time, but all the instruction and coaching I was receiving as a teenager would end up seriously impeding my development and progress later.

Too many “experts” began attempting to (unnecessarily) change the natural mechanics of my delivery (similar to what Tiger Woods is going through right now) and what that did was not only waste valuable time, it caused me to become far too aware of my “mechanics” (paralysis by analysis) and stymied my fastball velocity.  In pitching, velocity is what gets you further, faster, than anything else.

When I turned 17, I dedicated myself to pitching more so than ever before.  I had to do something to get myself back on track.  I rented an old Bingo hall and transformed it into my own personal pitching center.  I was able to find a local pitcher who had experience playing down in the US... I worked with him diligently for two years as we attempted to get me somewhat back to my natural pitching mechanics.

Through thousand of long winter hours doing mechanical drills, throwing, video analyses, strength training, etc... come summer of 1999, I was able to get drafted in the 42nd round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  42nd round isn’t great, especially since I was able to throw 90+ MPH at the time, but coming from a place with a three month baseball season and very limited exposure... it wasn’t bad.

I didn’t sign with the Dodgers, as I got a letter in the mail from San Diego State University, a Div.1 college.  They were interested in having me go to school there as a pitcher on their baseball team.  What was very strange about this letter compared to others I received was that is was signed “Rusty Filter” - Pitching Coach - SDSU Aztecs.

My dad owns a business in Regina called “Aztec Industries”.  Strange coincidence but not nearly to the degree that one of his main products is something called an Aztec “Rust Filter”.  Long story short, I had booked a trip to pay a visit to a Jr. College in Santa Barbara, CA on a particular weekend in July, 1999...  ironically, this was the only weekend of the whole summer that the head coach of the SDSU Aztecs - Jim Dietz, was going to be in San Diego.  Again, long story short, my parents and I met with him and he offered me a full scholarship on the spot.  Pretty cool!

I headed down to San Diego, California at age 19 to become a pitcher for the SDSU Aztecs.  It was a very difficult transition (coming from some place named Regina, Saskatchewan to a hotbed of the baseball world in California).  I stuck it out and although I definitely didn’t reach my potential (mainly because I was still so caught up in “mechanics”)... three years later I was drafted in the 9th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.

I signed with the Phillies,  got a pretty nice signing bonus, treated myself to a car that I always wanted and headed to Batavia, NY to pitch for the summer.  I ended up doing well enough to be invited to the Philly’s post-season “Instructional League”, in Florida -  A league dedicated to developing “prospects.”

It was there, that would alter the next two years of my life.

I woke up one morning and for the first time in my life, it hurt my shoulder to throw a baseball.  Several cortisone shots, ice, running, rotator cuff workouts, sprints, stretching,  medication, and many worrying hours, later... I was no better.  I had a chronic muscle impingement in my shoulder that would not go away.  As a result,  I was released by the Phillies in the early summer of 2004.  It was a very difficult time as everything I geared up for since I was 11 years old (to one day pitch in the major leagues)... vanished into thin air.

I flew home to Regina, took a year away from baseball, went back to college and played on the college basketball team.

From 2005 to 2006 I spent a lot of time in the weight room.  Although the time away from baseball was good for me, I decided to pitch for a local team that summer and lone and behold, my arm didn’t hurt anymore!  Best of all, I started throwing a few miles per hour faster than I ever had in my life, so I decided I had to give baseball one more shot.  Unfortunately though, later on that same season, I hurt my shoulder again.  Shortly after, I flew down to LA to have a minor shoulder surgery (debridement) then headed to Tempe Arizona to rehab.

GOLF

It was in Arizona that I fell in love with Golf and not long after... I discovered TourSpecGolf... the rest is history!  My first order was an Epon Technity 9.5 with a Roddio Pentacross X flex shaft... along with a smorgasbord of wedges!  I fell in love with J-spec right then and there.

I spent a lot of my downtime in Arizona golfing (and eating).  Baseball was still my focus but golf became my hobby.

I finished my rehab in time to join the Ottawa Rapids Professional baseball team (CanAm League) in the spring of 2008.  However, when I flew up there and got back into the routine of professional baseball, I found out my personal desire for the game was no longer there. After a long talk with my family, I decided it was time to hang it up.

Since then I’ve spent the last 2 1/2 years focusing on my golf game and developing a website dedicated to helping pitchers of all ages reach their potential.  It’s called “Reality Pitching” - www.realitypitching.com.  It’s a one of a kind pitching website that I’ll be launching very shortly.

Golf is now my passion.  I fully intend to play it as long as I live and become as good as i’m capable of.  I actually went to Mesquite, Nevada this past March with a long time friend and former Milwaukee Brewer’s pitcher, Eric Thomas, to compete in a Long Drive Qualifier.  It was a great time and I plan on continuing to compete in it.

For those of you who asked... my swing speed with a 50” long drive club has been measured as fast as 150mph.

What's in the Bag

Right now i’m about a 10 handicap and I play Epon 302’s with Matrix Program 130 shafts as well as Miura Mb-5003’s, Nippon Super Peening Blues and Mizuno Mp-37’s with KBS Tours.  My Driver of choice is the Crazy FX-435 with the Crazy Black 50 XX.  My fairway wood is the RC 14* BBD Tour VS with a Crazy Black FW XX.  My hybrid is a Tourstage X-UT with a Crazy Utility X.  My wedges are custom Gold’s Factory’s with DG spinners.  I also recently just ordered the 2011 RC hybrid, a Sky Dream Jump type bite wedge and 2011 Onoff Forged irons.  I’ve gone through a ton of different equipment over the years (just like all of you guys, i’m sure) and my current setup is definitely my favorite!  I think the golf industry is starting to consistently make some really great stuff and no better place to buy it from than TourSpecGolf... helpful and honest a staff as you could ever hope for!

Thanks Tario, for giving me the opportunity to be featured on your blog.  I look forward to every single update you have.

Best of luck with your golf games, guys!

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Check out Rob's Reality Pitching Website Promo Video which features Rob in action in all 3 sports!

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 typically very hot in the summer in Japan but temperatures have hit record highs far earlier this year with mid 30's daily at the end of June which is rare. This has made it very hard for golf, or for anything for that matter including work. (^_^) My home office is located on the second floor and today, temperatures hit 36.9C  (98F) before I caved in and turned on the AC (yes as you can see on the clock that's almost 6pm!!). Add in the terrible humidity and it feels like 45C. Central air conditioning is not the norm in Japan unlike back in Canada where we'd have the AC running in the whole house even on a 26C day.

Japan has been on a severe energy saving binge as well following the disasters in March and constant promotions are made to cut back on energy and electricity usage. Some offices in the Tokyo area have set a 32C ceiling before being able to turn on their coolers - I do not know how they can work...  Incentives and targets have been promoted to motivate people to try and cut back 15% energy usage from previous months. This seems more and more impossible as it just gets hotter and hotter.  I went out to walk my dog at 6am this morning  because the heat is just too terrible for him any later in the day and it was already nearing 28C plus the humidity. I ran into one of my neighbors who was heading out for a round of golf today. One things for sure, there are many open tee times and green fees are on the downward swing to promote golfers to come out. With the weeks outlook calling only for sun and heat... I'm actually praying for some rain!

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 I've actually had a new Dance with Dragon 60* forged wedge here for the last couple of months. The new DWD wedge is made by one of Japan's true grinding masters, Masahiro Tomaru of Grind Studio. When I first received the wedge for testing I noticed that the 60* had a very high 10* bounce. I thought it would be interesting to try this "lob" wedge out as a sand wedge.

Just to give some background on Tomaru-san, he was an aspiring pro golfer and from 18 years of age to 22 he worked hard at trying to pass the pro test (as Q-school is called in Japan) to become a professional golfer on tour.  Tomaru-san came to the realization that making the tour was to high a mountain to climb so he instead joined Dunlop (Sri Sports as we know it today) in the golf sales department hoping to expand his golf background. As Sri grew, Tomaru-san wanted to move into golf club design, where his real passion lay however, Dunlop had no vacancies there so he left at age 25 and went to Fourteen Golf.  At Fourteen, Tomaru-san spent 11 years fine tuning his skills as a club designer and craftsman. He was responsible for most of Fourteen's irons designs as well as credit as the creator of the MT-28 wedge. In case you didn't notice, MT = Masahiro Tomaru.

Tomaru-san decided to leave Fourteen to start his own company called Grind Studio. At first he also lent a hand at designing wedges for other top Japanese brands including the still sought after Royal Collection DB Forged wedge (Double Bounce). This wedge has a cult following for its tour like grind and shape and was made in very few numbers, each hand ground by Tomaru-san and stamped with a small "T" on the toe face. Tomaru-san went on to focus on his Grind Studio brand and as a one man brand personally hand made every GS wedge and iron to spec. GS has a huge cult following in Japan as well as heavy top amateur usage as well as some pros on the Japan tour. Because of this, Tomaru-san spends more than 60% of the year grinding for pros and top amateurs only, so getting his services for a custom wedge is quite rare. Dance with Dragoj however wanted one of the best so they had Tomaru-san create and grind their newest wedge.

There are two finishes available, a satin and raw black, as well as 4 lofts. Lofts are marked on the sole and by a "fleur de lis" mark to indicate loft (the 60* above has 4 x fleur de lis). I received the raw black model and as you can see the finish will wear especially since I used the 60 in the sand. You can see the black finish rub off and the wedge does require minor maintenance like keeping moisture off and being wiped dry after shots. The wedge itself has a wonderful shape to it and Tomaru-san always does a great job on the grind and the neck and top line. It sets up wonderfully at address and opens up easily thanks to a lot of heel and trailing edge relief.

The top line is rather sharp and straight and the higher toe allows for more control and workability. The sole itself has a blunt and slightly rounded leading edge. The trailing edge allows for very clean exit from any turf and as you can see from the image below there is quite a bit of heel relief. With an open face, this wedge still points easily at the target.

Depending on who you are and how you look at it, a 60* wedge can be a very versatile club. There are players who rely on it as a complimentary club, for the occasional flop shot or as they are usually called lob shot, and then there are those who rely on it for everything including bunker play. Looking at the DWD 60*, its certainly a good looking club that sets up well. The back face may be busy for some especially on the 60 which has those 4 x fleur de lis marks that indicate the 60*.  I think they could have dropped these for a cleaner design especially since the loft is already marked on the sole. Feel wise the wedge is crisp and you can feel the ball compress on the face and spin off.  It is not mushy soft but soft enough and spin is on par with most conforming groove wedges. For bounce, many may think 10* is a bit high for chip shots and short approaches from the fairway but it really depends on the players type of swing and the course this wedge is used on. Most 60* wedges seem to have bounces that range between 4 and 8* to suit a variety of players.

Typically a 60* wedge used as a sand wedge might be considered for more advanced players however in the past few weeks I've learned to use the 60* out of the bunkers and it works. 10* of bounce is adequate for the soft sand conditions and still works on the lush fairways here in Japan.  Higher bounce can actually be more forgiving for average golfers especially ones who have a tendency to dig.  There are after all many 52* and even 50* Japanese model approach wedges that also have 10* of bounce.  For tight lies and hardpan it will be harder to keep the leading edge down to the ground due to the bounce so sweeping type players and more advance players may find the bounce too high especially if they play on those kind of courses with compacted soil.

Overall I've been happy with the wedge and it has been very versatile for me.  From 50-60 yards and in its pretty much the 60* unless I need to pitch and run.  I'm satisfied with the looks, feel and spin. The finish or lack thereof since it is raw does wear and some may not like the weathered look but I like it as it looks well "used".  Others can simply opt for the satin version.  Of course you can also go for the more traditional type of sand wedge lofts as a 56/10 and 58/10 are also available.  Everyone is different and there are so many possibilities when it comes to wedges and the setup each individual carries. The 60* worked for me even as a sand wedge but how about you?

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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New years is considered by most Japanese to be one of the most important annual festivals and has been celebrated for centuries with its own unique traditions. It's New Years eve here in Japan now and as with every year, my wife and I have spent the last few days cleaning the house or in other words cleansing it for the new year. Neighbors all around the community have pretty much taken the last few days of which is the norm as many businesses close from the 29th to the 4th so people can clean and spend time with their family celebrating the new year.

We'll soon be heading over to my wife's parents house to watch the Red and White singing festival (AKB48!!) and eat osechi. The osechi tradition started in the Heian Period (794-1185). Osechi are easily recognizable by their special boxes called jūbako, which resemble bentō boxes. Like bentō boxes, jūbako are often kept stacked before and after use. The dishes that make up osechi each have a special meaning celebrating the New Year. We'll also eat toshi-koshi soba noodles literally meaning "year-crossing soba" which is another tradition on New Years eve. So yes there is a lot of food involved which ends up getting eaten over a span of several days. I'm hoping I have time this afternoon before dinner to head over to Narita to the temple for some photos of the festivities.

As for 2010 and golf, while its been economically tough worldwide, the golf market trudged ahead as always in Japan and Japanese golfers continued to splurge big yen for the latest gear. This wasn't quite the case outside of Japan as the Japanese Yen reached 15 year highs against the US dollar causing a huge spike in pricing. JDM golf gear is already considered expensive as and the additional exchange premium made it unbearable for many overseas wanting to secure Japanese model clubs.  People always say Japan is suffering from tough economic times but all I ever see is people spending and spending and spending.

This year we saw drivers go from a high launch max carry design in 2009 to a more penetrating trajectory with low spin to maximize distance and control. Fairway woods got easier and easier to hit and launch many coming close in distance to drivers (many being PRGR's egg Spoon). It was also the year of lots of new conforming groove wedges which many recrational and amateur players got confused about when it came to the rules but when figured out decided to stick with non conforming grooves. However, in my opinion this was the year of the iron and shaft.

We saw some pretty great irons in the Japanese market this year including the Yamaha Inpres X V Forged Tour model that sold out in 2 weeks from launch and the Taylormade Burner TP iron early in the year.  For months the Burner TP was on back order in all of Japan until the new sales champion came along which was the Ping Anser Forged. The Anser took over the sold out trend for the next few months into the summer as Ping struggled to keep up with demand for this Japanese retail model. By fall a new sales champion was released in the awesome Endo forged Titleist VG3 iron which up to today still has a 4 week waiting list as it has turned out to be the hottest model of all.

2010 saw big growth for premium high grade carbon shafts like Crazy and Quadra. Even in tough times, people were willing to shell out for these high modulus carbon shafts as many realized that the shaft is the engine that drives the club. A great driver head can become pretty crappy with a bad shaft in it. An average driver head can become great with an awesome shaft in it. These high carbon shafts produced low spin, max control plus distance and superb performance thanks to their ability to minimize any loss energy and rounding in a shaft and maximizing return at impact without worrying about timing. I believe the shaft trend will continue in 2011.

On a personal note, 2010, with its strange but very good weather, saw me play the most rounds ever in a year. I've finally been able to take advantage of not only living on a golf course but also within an hour drive of over 25 top courses here in Chiba's golf mecca. Personally I have been satisfied with my games progression and I'm hitting the ball better than ever. Getting out and playing more frequently sure made a huge difference. Breaking 80 is my goal for 2011.

Finally on behalf of Tourspecgolf.com, I'd like to wish everyone a safe and happy new year; akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! あけましておめでとうございます。2011年もよろしくお願いします。 May 2011 bring you and your families good heath, a prosperous life and lots of good golf. I'll end my last post of 2011 with a poll to find out what you are looking at changing for 2011.

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

Didn't bring my camera today to Manna so had to use a simple point and shoot Casio Exilim. Another beautiful day in Chiba. Must be the warmest Christmas eve ever. It was a bit chilly in the morning as we tee'ed off before 7:30am but it warmed up quickly. My neighbor ended up booking the Manna course over the Gary Player course so we'll have to hit that next time as we are definitely going back to this 45 hole club.

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

It's finally cooling down a bit here in Japan. It was as most people know exceptionally hot this year and it has stayed warm so late in the year. It's hard to believe its almost December and temperatures are still getting as high as 18C during the day and only dropping as low as 10C at night. In other words golfing weather is still great!

Here in Japan's golfing market, several big manufacturers have started their winter launches leading up to the Japan Golf Fair in February (hopefully this is where the new Taylormade R11 will make its appearance). This includes Tourstage, Yamaha, PRGR and ONOFF which are launching full fledged new lineups. The product listings for the new Tourstage X Series are already up in the pro shop and the listings for both Yamaha limited tour models for 2011. Hard to believe but the V425 Tour Model driver is already back ordered BEFORE launch!! Every year this seems to be the case with the limited Yamaha stuff and we expect to see the 2011 tour model irons sell out before 2011 even gets here. The rest of the product listings for Yamaha as well as the new PRGR and ONOFF will be added this coming week. Other news includes Miura Giken's first metal wood release in several years, the new MG Hybrid which we have for sale as head only or custom built on request to customer specs.  We're looking forward to testing new clubs from all the manufacturers I just mentioned. Reviews and pictures will be posted here on the blog as always.

The summer say the Ping Anser Forged as the big demand iron, with many customers waiting 3-4 weeks to get their clubs. This fall, the king of swing is the new Titleist VG3 Forged which has been and still is in huge demand. Many customers are waiting for more than 4 weeks as Titleist cannot keep up with demand!  (though I think its well worth the wait as the VG3 may very well be one of the best irons released this year).  From what I see, and this is a personal observation, is that many of the top brands are having trouble keeping up with demand. One of the reasons for this, is a lot of the best equipment out there is all produced at the same factory, Endo. The best forged drivers in Japan including Epon, Tourstage, Yamaha, Callaway, PRGR and more are all produced at Endo and then throw in some of the hottest irons including Epon, all Yamaha forged irons, Titleist Forged irons, Callaway Forged irons, Fourteen, PRGR forged irons and more... and you can see Endo has quite a load on their hands. And this is quite a compliment for Endo as it shows most of the top brands know they are the forging house and club manufacturer of choice.

On a personal front, I've began nurturing two hobbies now... (though truthfully its more like 5 or 6 hobbies). The two main hobbies at least are golf of course and cameras as you've seen here on the blog. To be able to capture a moment in life or certain colors and atmosphere has become quite a joy for me. And as you can all imagine living in Japan the land of technology can only fuel BOTH my hobbies.  A distant third in my hobby countdown is computers (which was once number one from me back in my competitive overclocking days).  Japan is a pretty good place for that as well. Then again if I was truthful about my hobbies, number 1 would in fact be food. For those of you who know Japan, it is a haven for fine dining and tasty foods. :)

While I've been shooting a lot with my new Sony a33 and been very happy with the pictures. I've yet to really utilize the video capabilities of the camera. While obviously no camera, which has a first priority of taking still images, can match a dedicated video camera, the a33 certainly has some nice features. Thanks to its pellicle mirror the a33 and a55 can autofocus continuously and quickly while shooting video. No other video DSLR can even come close to matching it's speed during video taking. This can be great for high action video and sports. The new Sony's are also of course full HD.

This morning while going for a walk with my wife and our dog Saku, I decided to quickly give the video capabilities a try. Saku was playing for and looking for his ball in a pile of leaves from a Japanese maple tree. I shot the video in fully automatic mode though I would love to shoot manually and control aperture and exposure and of course utilizing more depth of field but I do fully expect that to be much more difficult. I uploaded the video to Vimeo which you can see below (those colorful high cut New Balance shoes are my wife's). I'm impressed with the colors for my first try but the sound is terrible with the built in mic. I actually removed the audio because the wind noise was so bad, an external add on mic would do a much better job.  Now all I have to do is learn how to actually take good video and encode it properly for the best quality.

Life is busy here at Tourspecgolf.com, but busy is good and as long as I can keep golfing and taking pictures through the winter I think I'll be happy.

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

Earlier this year I introduced Tour-G Grips and they've been pretty popular. Just to recap the concept behind Tour-G, it is a premium Acrylate-Butadiene Rubber grip, made in Japan, which utilizes a synthetic polymer for premium grip and control. The key feature and concept of the new Tour G grip is its use of MCT or Multi Compression Technology. Tour G created a grip that is supposed to work for different players by varying the firmness of the grip depending on the players swing speed and swing style. They believe that a player with a fast and aggressive 110mph swing should not be using the same grip as a  slower 85mph swinger. By altering the way the grip reacts to the swing, a player can take full advantage of the shaft and head performance as after all, the grip is what connects the players hands to the club.

In order to create a comfortable grip with premium traction and control for different style player, Tour G has divided their grip into 3 section just like a shaft. The Butt of the grip, the mid section, and the tip of the grip. Varying the hardness or compression of the tip section of the grip without increasing or decreasing the grips diameter, creates a smoother or more stable swing depending on the player.

Tour-G has released a couple of videos showing their concept. While the videos are in Japanese you get a sense of the differences between the models simply by viewing the part where they clamp each different model grip in a vice and you see how the grip sags or flexes. This demonstrates each models rigidity and hardness.

The grips are of course available in the pro shop and can also now be special ordered from Tourspecgolf.com in all white or all orange.

The first movie shows some of the technology as well as comments by Dinesh Chand (in Japanese). Dinesh speaks about how good the Tour-G feels and how a grip that does not twist or slip is obviously the most important factor in making a good grip.  Dinesh talks about how the Tour-G does not lose traction in the wet and rain and how it helped him succeed on tour by providing grip matching his swing.

[See post to watch Flash video]

The second movie is actual testing by Mark Kannai also in Japanese. Mark talks about Tour G and it's flex control performance and how its the first grip in the world that varies hardness and compression through the grip's different sections.  He goes through the different models pointing out the soft tip area of the Tour G 30 which allows slower swingers to feel the shaft more and allow for more movement of the shaft helping with swing speed. He then tests the Tour G 70 and while holding just the grip in his hands, he notes that by twisting the grip you can feel it's stiffer than the 30 by 1.5 to 2 times at least.  He then puts the Tour G 70 on the exact same XXIO driver he just used for the 30 and explains it gives a obviously different more stable feel. The swing comes under more control and direction. The last model the Tour G 50 is the balanced model of the lineup with a similar hardness through the entire grip. Mark explains it's the most "natural" feeling grip on the driver and the balance of feel and control.

[See post to watch Flash video]

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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I finally got some time to whip together a post on my testing for the forged cavity back shootout. Part 1 feature a focus on each irons design an aesthetics while part 2 here will talk about performance aspects of each iron. As I mentioned in part 1, organizing and actually doing this shootout was much more difficult logistically that I had imagined. Being able to organize all the demos within the same window proved to be impossible from all the different manufacturers. I'm going to have to re-think the way I do shootout style testing by either going with smaller groups and numbers of clubs or stick to one by one reviews and one on one comparisons.

Due to the excruciatingly long time it's taken to get this test done (I know people have waited and I am sorry taking so long!) I've decided to throw some models I've received in the past few weeks into this performance test along with the first batch of irons rather than doing a second test that will also most likely take too long to do. Many of these irons deserve their own individual reviews as well which I will do down the road but for now, their performance aspects will be presented here. These irons include the TM Burner Forged, R9 Forged, Titleist VG3Forged, Royal Collection Tour VS Forged, Tourstage X-Blade GR Forged and the PRGR egg Forged (which I actually already reviewed here).

When it comes to testing irons, general opinions and views can be made on each irons design and looks as well as performance. It certainly can be hard giving accurate feedback on an iron I sometimes only get to test for a few days. As we all know, sometimes switching to a new iron can take several sessions just to get used to. I try and test irons for several days straight when I have them otherwise its just not enough time to make a fair assessment. I spend at least a day staring at each iron and taking photos.  I examine the irons design based on the manufacturers listed features and specs (if you read all the specs and product descriptions in the pro shop, I actually write all of those, translating from Japanese which is how I learn about all the products). I then spend at least a day at the range hitting the iron(s) off the tee and off the mats. Personally I don't like driving ranges. If you want to work on your swing that's all fine but I feel hitting a nice forged iron on hard practice mat (there are rarely any grass ranges in Japan, at least for the public)  is not nearly the same as hitting it on a lush fairway. However, range sessions are a must, all I have to do is pay for balls and I can stay there all day.

Living on a golf course also makes it convenient for me to bring lots of test clubs right on the course to test out which I usually do the day after the range. This is my favorite kind of testing, real world testing. Here you can see how different head and sole designs really work. Uneven lies, rough, lush fairway, hitting off the tee into the wind, real hazards like trees and bunkers and water. The club attendants and staff sometimes think I'm weird heading out on the course with 5 different 7 irons.

While I am obviously not a professional golfer, I am an enthusiast like all of you. I represent the average consumer who wants the best cutting edge clubs. Every year I am lucky enough to hit almost every club released by all the big manufacturers so I hope that has given me some sort of measure to properly evaluate many of today's designs and clubs.  However in the end, when I think about it, evaluating certain aspects of golf clubs is very very subjective. These are my opinions and my findings that may differ from the next player. Measurements like feel and forgiveness are very hard to quantify and will vary from person to person. What feels soft to one player may not for the next.  Some players believe that to a certain extent even forgiveness in a club is based on the players mindset and of course skill level. A club that is considered as forgiving by a skilled and confident low handicapper can very likely be not forgiving for a once a month average golfer.

In the end these are my findings and my subjective opinion. I hope people can use this as a reference for deciding about a certain iron but keep in mind there is no clear winner. Every player is different. We all have different swings and different levels. It's all about finding the right set of irons that suits your game and play and personal taste.  All the irons I have tested are of very good quality and performance. Are some better than the other? For me yes, which is why at the end of the test I'll let you know what my personal favorites are (which I actually bought already). I've broken up the ratings as follows along with written feedback on each iron:

FEEL: This is of course feel at impact. Many factors affect feel. People always talk about who forged that iron, what material is it made of etc etc... however where it is forged and what material it is is really only one factor on how an iron will feel. The actual design of the club head as well as the grind will also affect a clubs feel. The right shaft also affects feel of a club. All the irons here are forged and feel pretty good. Some are more firm and some are more soft. This rating is very subjective but I'll try my best to convey what I feel.  Each individual will have their own perception of soft and what they like. I know some players who prefer a more "firm" soft with feedback rather than a "mushy" soft.

TRAJECTORY: Irons today feature many designs and technical features that push the center of gravity lower and lower in heads. However all irons have different CG positions which will affect the actual trajectory of the ball. Besides rating the trajectory as high mid or low, I'll try my best in the description to describe the actual ball flight.

SPIN: This is a very difficult rating for me. I work out of my house so I don't have a launch monitor or any high tech gear to measure spin.  I have to go by eye and base my rating on the irons performance ie what it does when it lands. This is probably why you see the smallest variance between all the irons in the spin category. That coupled with the fact that most of the irons feature new grooves while a few feature old grooves make it unfair when comparing the spin as the older models will out spin the new ones. That said, many average golfer models are based on distance performance which actually produce less spin on purpose for more carry and total distance.

DISTANCE: Distance is one of the quantitative measures I can actually give, either using flags at the driving range or GPS at Kiminomori GC.  Distance is effected by trajectory and spin created by each design in each iron and of course ultimately by the loft of each iron. The tested irons are all 7 irons however, they range from 28.5* to 34* so there will obviously be a difference in distance. So keep this in mind when looking at the distance rating. An iron with more distance does not necessarily mean its a better iron unless you are a player specifically looking for a distance iron.  Then you're more likely to choose the strong lofted model over the weak lofts.

FORGIVENESS: As an average golfer I feel I can judge how forgiving an iron is based on its design and ability to minimize distance lost on off center hits because I do in fact have off center hits.  My forgiveness rating is not only based on minimal distance loss but how easy a club is to hit in different lies including uneven lies and thick rough as well as the design of the club ie lots of leading and trailing edge forgiveness, a pocket cavity, a wider sole etc. Again many features can affect forgiveness.

TARGET PLAYER: The target player rating is really a handicap range where I think those players could have no problems playing each specific iron with success. Some irons are aimed at better players while some are aimed at more improving players. Its also true that a mid to higher handicap player or someone who shoots in the 90's could play an iron aimed at the 15 capper if he or she is a great ball striker.  Typically, the larger the head, the more offset it has, and the more distance it gives gears the iron towards the mid to higher handicapper. In this case I made the range 0 - 20 as typically that is what a forged CB targets.

In my descriptions I will also classify each iron as manual or automatic. Manual meaning workability left and right with a certain level of control. Automatic meaning point at the target and swing for a straight and high shot.

Okay let's get started with the ratings. Click Read More to continue with the irons!

NIKE 2010 MACHSPEED FORGED...

First up we've got the Nike Machspeed Forged iron. This advanced 2 piece cavity features a soft S20C forged body and a laser welded SUP10 asroll face. As we know most manufacturers don't publicly announce where their irons are forged/manufactured but as I noted in my Machspeed Forged review a few months ago, this head shouts out Endo.  It's made in Thailand where Endo has a forging plant and the design is very much Endo like with a laser welded asroll face to a forged body. I also take into consideration Nike and Endo's prior relationships and the fact this is Nike's most expensive mainstream iron (Endo produced irons typically hold a higher premium).

While the design and looks are hit and miss with many, cavity logos and colors aside, the Machspeed Forged is a great looking head shape wise. It is very balanced with great lines and the neck flows into the head very smoothly.  It has a nice sharp toe and a rather thin top line. All these adds up to a very nice looking setup at address.

This iron is automatic, the pocket cavity and sole grind with trailing edge heel and toe relief make it pretty forgiving. Trajectory is on the higher side which results in good carry and distance. The spin is average which is pretty much what I say about most new irons with new grooves.  Aim the Nike at the pin and swing away and expect it to go straight with a nice mid to high launch. The feel is of course affected by the pocket cavity. Pocket cavities are love and hate, people love them for their added forgiveness but some hate them for their supposed click at impact.  This really depends on the player. I find newer designs today are able to suppress the clickiness of the face thanks to altering the pocket cavities depth and design. As you can see from my feel rating, feel is average because of the pocket and most likely the SUP10 asroll face.

The Nike's pocket and automatic nature make this a great iron for the improving player and even 10 handicapper wanting an easy to play iron with some extra distance. I'd put its main focus audience around 15 and up with average golfers really appreciating this iron the most.

EPON 2010 AF-502 FORGED...

Next up we have the Epon Forged AF-502 cavity back. The AF-502 is another iron that uses a super soft S20C Endo forged body matched with a precision laser welded asroll super spring face... sounds familiar.  Epon takes it a step further but creating a hollow body cavity and filling it with what they call an alpha gel made for shock absorption and anti vibration.

The Epon AF-502 is a great looking iron. Heck all Epon irons look top quality and scream design and performance. The AF-502 is by no means the smallest head nor is it the biggest. It probably sits somewhere in the middle probably leaning more towards mid sized than compact. This attibutes as well to its forgiveness, thanks to the hollow pocket cavity and leading edge relief the iron borders on automatic but is still reasonably workable for the better player who can command a draw and fade.  The AF-502 is a well rounded iron, its not the longest, doesn't launch the highest but it gets the job done.

One area of contention since the AF-502 has come out has been the feel.  Vibration dampening types of technology are very hit and miss in irons. For some people it's a great feature and helps suppress unwanted vibrations but for the very picky player who wants feedback, the AF-502 may feel as if it doesn't give enough feedback. Miss hits can feel the same as pure strikes and I've gotten comments from some people that the iron lacks feel or is too muted. This kind of feel is very difficult to rate and judge. For me the feel was a little bit too muted.

As for an audience, performance wise and playability wise the AF-502 suits a very wide range of players. It's forgiving enough for the double digit and improving player but also appealing to the single digit player who wants a more forgiving iron.

MIZUNO 2010 JPX AD FORGED...

Mizuno's 2010 JPX AD Forged is a bit of a departure from the E500 and E600 which were pretty good forged irons for the average and improving golfer.  The E500 and E600 was even embraced by those with handicaps between 10 - 15 who wanted to play a very good feeling and forgiving Mizuno forged iron (E500 was made by Endo I might add). The reason why I say its a bit of a departure is that the new JPX AD Forged suddenly became bigger in size, with a thicker top line and more chunky appearance at address.  The CG is placed low with a tungsten weight sole which results in a higher launch and more distance.

The low CG, bigger head and sweet area coupled with a rounded sole make this iron rather forgiving. Feel is reasonably good and soft and the automatic JPX AD will be very attractive for those players 15 - 25 handicap wanting to play a forged iron. While I liked the feel and forgiveness of the iron, the chunkier size at address was something I didn't like so much.  However who can argue with an iron that goes high and straight with an easy swing.

HONMA 2010 BERES MG700 FORGED-F....

In the past Honma only saved a forged model for the pro line, the Beres 9 series. This year they announced the new 2010 MG700 Forged-F. What that model name means is yes, only the face is forged (by Endo) and the body is in fact SUS630.  The MG700 is designed for the average golfer and it packs technology to make it perform in the forgiveness and distance categories. Loft is strong at 28.5* which makes it very good distance wise and the tungsten weights in the sole and pocket cavity make for forgiving high launch that carries for distance.

This iron is automatic and golfers who are into premium models will appreciate the workmanship and design as well as high grade carbon ARMRQ shaft which also contributes to the iron's distance.  I felt this was the firmest iron of the bunch feel wise. A lot probably has a lot do with it's use of a stainless body and the iron's pocket design. There is a more obvious click on impact with the MG700. However these design aspecs are what make this a very high MOI and forgiving iron. The MG700's key point is not feel but performance and ease of use which will be very much appreciated by players 15-25 handicap.

YAMAHA 2010 INPRES X V FORGED...

In the last 3 years, Yamaha has done very well in the Japanese market with the V Forged line. The 2010 Inpres X V Forged is 1 piece forged cavity made from S20C steel at Endo.  This is one of the best looking irons I've tested this year, the back cavity impressive looking and the head shape with sharper toe, thinner topline and sole with a bit of offset is very balanced. Even more balanced is the irons performance. It's no coincidence that a 1 piece forged iron from S20C get's very high ratings for feel. No pocket cavity, no extra tungsten forged into the head. The V Forged is very pure also thanks to the slightly higher CG position creating a thicker sweet spot for that buttery feel.

The most surprising thing about the V Forged? It's distance and forgiveness. Because there is a more compact and harder to hit limited Tour Model of the V Forged, the standard V forged we have here was made just a bit more forgiving and with stronger lofts (25* 5 iron). The standard V Forged is played even by top Yamaha pro Toru Taniguchi on the JPGA tour. His reasoning for playing the iron is simple, awesome feel in a forgiving yet workable iron. The V Forged has really great leading and trailing edge relief but other than that doesn't have any fancy pocket cavities or ultra low CG thanks to weighting. It's almost hard to explain why its so forgiving.  It is classified by most publications as a manual iron and meant for the under 10 handicapper but I truly believe this iron can be played by a 15 handicapper and even a good ball striker all the way up to a 20.  Truly great feel and performance from a great looking iron.

PING 2010 ANSER FORGED...

One of the hottest releases of the year is the new 2010 Ping Anser Forged.  The Anser Forged targets the low handicapper but in reality is somewhere between compact and mid sized and has been a popular choice of even the average golfer. It has one of my favorite finishes on an iron, that pearl milky satin that the burner forged also has. Appearance wise it's a pretty good looking iron and very Ping like when it comes to head shape.  To maintain a more traditional look ping does use a ferrule for the Anser Forged which gives the illusion of a longer neck compared to those Ping models with no ferrule. This allows the neck to flow into the head especially with the shorter irons where there is less offset. The long irons though seem to have more offset than most people would have preferred but this was Ping's design at making the longer irons easier to hit.

The machined grooves do give a  bit more bite than some of the irons here and the tungsten sole really help get the ball in the air with a nice and low CG placement. Distance is average which is fine as the Anser Forged's main focus is not distance performance. When it comes to feel, once again we have an iron which utilizes some sort of sound control or vibration suppression technology via Ping's CTP or custom tuning port. This along with Ping's choice of a form forged 8620 carbon steel head has rendered many mixed opinions on the Anser's feel. Yes it's softer than pretty much most of Ping's iron offerings but it doesn't quite compare to the pure feel of a S20C forged CB in my opinion. Still the Anser Forged has good looks, is unmistakably Ping, nice forgiveness and overall performance and has custom fitting options that pretty much most other manufacturers CANNOT match.

A manual iron with hints of automatic performance, dubbed by Ping for the athlete and better golfer but easily played by the mid and improving golfer.

ONOFF 2009 PLUS FORGED...

ONOFF releases a new forged iron every 2 years so we have the 2009 ONOFF Plus Forged here. The ONOFF Plus forged is another iron I really like the looks of. It's clean and simple design, matched with a thin top line and less offset make it a very eye pleasing iron to look at. Hit it and you'll be even more pleased. This is the same iron Top Japanese Pro Shingo Katayama (one of the winningest ever on the Japanese Tour with 26 wins) plays and we all know Shingo is the biggest believer in forgiving golf clubs. He even plays his ONOFF Plus with graphite shafts.

The S25C forged ONOFF Plus has very pure feel. Like the V Forged there is a bit more meat behind the sweet spot thanks to the way the back cavity is designed.  However the ONOFF launches higher and spins more thanks to non conforming grooves and a tungsten weighted sole. This is a manual iron targeting the single digit player but with enough forgiveness for the mid capper ie 10 - 15.  This is not a distance iron nor is it meant to be. It's for the player who wants great feel in a clean looking workable iron.  We're about a month away from the announcment of a new 2011 ONOFF Plus forged so this model has already ceased production. Those who own this iron are pretty lucky though I do look forward to how ONOFF plans to top this model.

TOURSTAGE 2010 X-BLADE 703 FORGED...

The Endo forged S20C Tourstage X-Blade 703 is probably the most players oriented cavity back in this test. It's the most compact, has the least offset and the sharpest lines.  It's a manual iron made for the good ball striker and better player.  The 703 is borderline too advanced for this test of forgiving forged cavity backs (as I mentioned in part 1 I wanted irons that appeal to also average golfers) but does provide some forgiveness with very nice toe and heel relief in the grind. The X-Blade 703 is not an ultra compact and is in fact bigger than the X-blade 701 and 701G by a touch. A smaller head means a smaller sweet spot but this 1 piece cavity won't disappoint when it comes to feel. Tourstage designs are known to be soft yet provide firm feedback however pure strikes on the 703 definitely lead to a buttery feel.

I wouldn't suggest this iron to a player with an average score of more than 85 unless they were a very good ball striker.  Better players will appreciate not only the feel but stability and control.  Draw and fade as well as controlled lower trajectory shots by picking the ball just below the CG point are all within the X-Blade 703's capabilities.  It has even more workability than the V Forged which is probably second in this aspect.

XXIO 2009 FORGED

XXIO from Sri Sports has long been one of the best selling average golfer brands in Japan. XXIO knows that average golfers also have the desire to play a forged iron. This is the 2009 XXIO forged the 2nd generation of XXIO Forged.  The XXIO Forged is another iron that utilizes a  S25C forged body and alternate material face, in this case a thin walled forged chrome vanadium face. At address the XXIO has the largest face of all the irons in the test here and did that equal a bit sweet spot? I think so. The deep pocket cavity and tungsten weights in the sole equal a low CG placement making the XXIO very easy to lauch the ball in the air.  This iron is forgiving and and produces very good distance thanks to the high launch and great carry.

The feel does have a bit of a click to it thanks to the deep pocket however the click is rather subtle. Like the MG700 players may gain close to a full club in distance by going to the XXIO. This is truly for the average golfer who wants a forged feel and great distance performance and ease of use.

TAYLORMADE 2009 BURNER FORGED...

The Taylormade Burner Forged from 2009  has always been my favorite looking Taylormade iron.  It's muscular looks, and high tech appearance matched with a milky satin finish is certainly a looker. This groove conforming S25C forged iron is a favorite of many Taylormade fans outside of Japan who want a one of a kind forged TM iron.  The Burner Forged along with the R9 Forged were not part of Part 1's Aesthetics and design writeup as they didn't show up in time but you can see comparison pics I took here: Taylormade R9 Forged and Burner Forged Comparison. For an iron that targets mid handicappers the offset is very acceptable and comparable to irons like the V Forged. It sets up well and has a forgiving grind.

Feel is on the softer side as there is no pocket cavity. The weighting of the iron is pushed towards the toe and heel of the head though launch is more mid trajectory. Interestingly, though this iron is aimed at the mid capper and improving golfer, lofts are on the weaker side. The Burner Forged is not made for distance performance but rather provides feel and control but in an automatic package.  This is a swing away iron with some workability built into it. Average golfers will like the Bassara shaft option and even lower handicappers can appreciate this iron for its feel and control plus added forgiveness. Forgiveness comes in the form of a more rounded sole with leading edge relief as well as a cavity that is rather deep.  This has been a favorite of customers at TSG and we're waiting to see if they will produce a 2011 model.

TAYLORMADE 2010 R9 FORGED...

When the 2010 R9 Forged was first announced and I got to see it at the Japan Golf Fair, I had a hard time visualizing where it fit in with TM Japan's iron lineup. This iron would make 4 forged irons in the TM line, the muscleback TP, the R9 TP, R9 Forged and Burner Forged.  Taylormade called the R9 Forged a low handicapper athlete model but specs wise and size wise there was not much to distinguish itself from the Burner Forged. Also made of S25C but with an undercut cavity in the long and mid irosn, the R9 Forged has similar lofts and offset, top line and width.  The R9 Forged as seen in the comparison pics in the link I noted above actually has a longer face than the Burner Forged.

So what does this equal in performance and playbility? Not much difference from the Burner Forged. It features a rather forgiving leading edge and trailing edge as well as a pocket cavity. The cavity does affect the feel making with a subtle click bringing its feel ranking lower than the Burner Forged.  Distance wise they are on par with the Burner Forged, both sporting 33* lofts for the 7 iron but with the R9 Forged launching slightly higher thanks to the pocket. Now here's something interesting, I did not find the R9 as forgiving as the Burner Forged. I could not pure the R9 as consistently and I found the Burner Forged simply easier to hit all around. So perhaps the R9 Forged truly does sit between the R9 TP Forged pro model and the Burner Forged average model as the 10 handicap and better athlete model.

TITLEIST 2010 VG3 FORGED...

The Endo forged S20C Titleist VG3 iron was hyped all summer and for very good reason. Apparently it was well worth the hype as the VG3 was sold out on launch in September then back ordered for over a month till October. This iron looks superb at address, it has a wonderful finish, great neck lines and face profile and the offset is very acceptable. The VG3 has been classified as a distance iron but with great feel and stability. The VG3 has a 5 iron loft of 24*  and a 7 iron loft of 30*. Matched with a low CG thanks to variable tungsten weighting in the sole (the position of the tungsten changes depending on the iron number) and a pocket cavity this iron launches easily high and far.

The pocket of the VG3 is not deep so the click associated with a pocket cavity is barely noticeable if even noticeable at all.  I gave it a really good feel rating as the feel was very pure.  The VG3 targets the low and mid capper but can easily be played by an average golfer 15 - 20 handicap. It is forgiving enough and provides enough distance also for the slower swinger. Faster swingers and better players will easily gain a club over their current irons without losing stability and feel.  Honestly this iron deserves its own review which I have planned to do after this shootout post. It's an all around great iron and even though I felt it was automatic, I had some level of control over the ball left and right as well.

ROYAL COLLECTION 2010 BBD'S TOUR VS FORGED...

The RC Tour VS is from Royal Collections BBD's line aimed at the better golfer. This 2010 Endo forged S20C model has the weakest lofts of all the irons in the test and is more compact than pretty much every iron in this test except maybe the X-Blade 703.  Even as an athlete model in a small size, the Tour VS has many forgiving aspects including a cut away V sole with toe and heel relief as well as a small pocket cavity.  Like the VG3 the pocket is very close to the back face making it negligible in feel but still bringing that added forgiveness.

The trajectory of the Tour VS was mid high for me and was surprisingly rather easy to hit considering its aimed at the single digit player. The feel is very pure and I could not notice a click of any kind on impact. The v sole is great and I believe the sole grind really contributed to making more pure contact with the ball. Players 10 handicap and lower will love this iron for it feel and manual control. It's very stable and I could hit a nice soft draw with the 7 iron every time.  I also noticed that I could stop the ball with this iron easier hence a slightly higher spin rating. Again I believe it's the irons ability to make pure contact thanks to its design, creating optimal spin. I have to say I like this iron and I can't wait to write up a full review on it.

TOURSTAGE 2010 X-BLADE GR FORGED...

The Tourstage  2010 X-Blade GR Forged was just released this month. This S25C iron is a departure from the 7 series X-Blades and even a change from the previous generation GR Forged. The new GR Forged features more offset, a longer more shallow face with a thicker top line. Seeing the GR Forged made me think that we're never going to see another ViQ Forged as this is most likely the replacement. With the iron's larger size comes a good amount of forgiveness. Easy swings bring high trajectory shots carrying a good distance. The iron is pretty good feeling even on miss hits. The grind features leading and trailing edge relief.

For the average golfer this is a pretty good forged iron choice, and may be as good feelng as they get for a 20 handicapper. Mid cappers and better golfers may consider other irons as the size of this iron along with its offset may be a turn off for the more experience player. I'd classify the the new GR Forged as an automatic iron best suited for 15-20 handicappers.

PRGR 2010 EGG FORGED...

PRGR's egg line has been very hot since its introduction just over 2 years ago. The previous egg irons have mostly been aimed at the average and senior golfer looking for a hybrid like iron for max distance and forgiveness. This summer PRGR decided to release a new egg Forged iron.  Pro Gear has designed the Egg Forged with the experienced golfer in mind. They note that it targets senior golfers who have been playing for years and are now looking for more forgiveness and distance yet still want to play a forged iron.

The body of the Egg Forged is soft premium Endo Forged S20C steel then laser welded with a specially designed variable thickness high strength SAP10 face. The face creates high ball speeds thanks to it's thicker center and sweet spot area matched with thinner outer face which creates the slingshot effect like many drivers today.  The wedges in the egg set are all 1 piece S20C forgings for bite and feel.  Feel is surprisingly pretty good and matched with less offset and a dark nickel finish setup pretty darn good even for an iron with a thick sole.

The egg Forged is without a doubt automatic. Being a hybrid style iron, its the most versatile of all the irons tested here. It also has the strongest lofts. I could hit the egg Forged longer and straighter than every iron in this test and its not surprising considering its design and loft.  The egg Forged could be played by anyone from a 10 to 25 handicap and especially those wanting more distance.  Even though the soles get narrower as the irons get shorter, it's like having 6 or 7 hybrids in your bag at once.  I swing 90mph and can hit the 7 iron over 160y... 'nuf said.

Conclusions...

One thing I didn't touch on much in this test is shaft selection. I am always a big proponent of choosing the right shaft for each unique player however since this test featured all but two irons using the NS Pro 950GH steel shaft, it turned out to be a constant I didn't really bring up. Only the Honma and the PRGR, the two most distance oriented irons used graphite shafts and they probably are best suited with graphite.

There were so many great irons in this test. There really are no winners or losers. Every iron here is capable of performing for a player it matches. And that's the key, choosing the right iron that suits you. If you're a senior player who has lost swing speed and needs distance, the egg  and VG3 are great options for you. If you're an better player on the verge of breaking the 80 mark, the X-Blade 703 and Tour VS are ready to take you there.  How about an improving golfer ready to take it to the next level? The V Forged, ONOFF Plus, Ping Anser could all work. There are just so many choices.

So what did I choose? As a quickly improving golfer who doesn't swing so fast I ended up choosing two sets irons. When I first did part one of this test back in the summer I immediately went out and bought the 2010 Yamaha V Forged and have not regretted it at all. I got the set with Tour A-75 EV color graphite shafts and could not be more happy. The irons have been a pleasure to play all summer with wonderful feel and accuracy like I've never experienced in my bag before. I did not lose much distance going from my average golfer model XXIO and ONOFF Red but I gained better scores by hitting it closer to the pin.  The knock on the Yamaha's is that a new model will be coming out towards years end. Yamaha releases models quickly though they really don't have to as their Inpres X clubs are always so good every year.

The Titleist VG3 Forged appealed to me when I first saw it in pictures. After seeing it and trying it in real life I did not hesitate to order a set. The VG3 may be the most well rounded iron in this test, looks, feel, trajectory, distance, forgiveness and stability, it's no wonder the iron has been flying off the shelves here in Japan.

One third iron I'm very tempted to play is the egg Forged but I can only play so many irons at once.

In the end though, I'm lucky to be able to try all these irons. I know its not easy for customers to buy irons they don't know much about or can't see which is why I always ask them to contact me directly if they need recommendations or any help regarding any of these irons.  Many of the irons here are also available with custom specs directly from the manufacturer as well so you can get the shaft you want with the specs you want.

Going forward with reviews, I am going to try and make each individual review more detailed including even more pics and some video too starting with the VG3 iron in coming weeks. Thanks for reading.

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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October 12th: Update added below.

Hot news from Quadra Composite Techno! They are releasing all new white Fire Express Prototype shafts that produced a strong penetrating trajectory for the fast swinger and quick tempo. This shaft is made for stability and to take the left side (hook/pulls) out of play.  The torque is lower than the standard Fire Express but the shaft still gives great feedback and feel thanks to the 80t high grade carbon.

The original Fire Express is still one of the best performing low spin shafts in Japan and easily one of our best sellers. This new Prototype will appeal to the even faster and harder hitter. Like the original FE, they will be available in 65 and 75 models.

Also being released are white Fire Express Prototype iron shafts! I've asked Quadra to confirm the materials of the shaft but I'm guessing 50t carbon  which like Crazy would make them the highest grade graphite iron shafts in the golf world today. The iron shafts will be available in 118g stiff flex and 120g x flex shafts. Steel like accuracy but graphite like feel and kick with consistent and predictable timing and impact. Check out the shafts in the pro shop here!

Update: I spoke to Quadra Composite Techno yesterday to ask them what kind of differences were there with the prototype and the standard model besides the torque numbers and rigidity distribution. Technology wise, the new prototypes feature an additional wrap of 70t carbon on top of the full length 80t carbon to reinforce the butt area. This stiffens up the butt over the standard model and provides a lot more stability especially for those with aggressive transitions and lots of wrist lag. The Prototype is made to provide similar big distance as the standard shaft but with more control for the hard hitter.

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

As many of you may have read, the Taylormade Japan Burner Forged and R9 Forged were supposed to be part of my forged cavity shootout however they demos never came in time from Taylormade for the initial test. Because of the delay I had broken the test into 2 groups, with the Burner Forged and R9 Forged being part of the 2nd group to be reviewed in September. However on Friday, a box appeared at my doorstep from TM with both demo irons ready for testing. My initial thoughts were to simply test the irons in September with the second group and report the results then but after taking a few photos of them this weekend I decided to make this post first with a basic comparison of the two irons since I have gotten so many requests and questions about how the two fit into TM's lineup and their differences.

The good looking Burner Forged...

The Burner Forged has in fact been out for nearly a year and this is the second time I've had the chance to spend time with the demo iron.The soft S25C Burner Forged features USGA approved V Grooves and a very slick silver satin finish.  The new Burner Forged is a modern looking iron doesn't have some of the flashy colors of TM Burner irons of past which is a good thing as its clean design is very eye catching. This is a solid iron with NO pocket cavity. Taylormade launched this iron late last year as an iron for the better player wanting forgiveness and something a little larger than a compact cavity as there is some offset and the top line is not thin by any means. The Burner Forged is soft and forgiving and simply looks great.

(All pictures have the Burner Forged on the left and the R9 Forged on the right.)

R9 Forged: For those who can't play the R9 TP Forged

The USGA conforming R9 Forged was released in May of this year and just like the Burner Forged it is also aimed at the better player wanting forgiveness and more ease of use in a forged iron. Unlike the all S25C body and face of the Burner Forged, the R9 Forged features a 2 piece design in the 3 to 7 irons featuring a 17-4 stainless steel body and a soft S25C forged face. The 2 piece irons use a pocket cavity for added forgiveness and ease of use while the 8 to PW  and AW and SW are 1 piece S25C forged heads with no pocket cavity.  While the Burner Forged features that cool pearl silver satin finish, the R9 Forged is a combination of chrome and satin.

Similar Target - Similar size and dimensions...

At initial glance, both irons look very close in physical size. They are both in between compact and mid sized irons. Face progression specs actually say that the R9 Forged has a touch less offset but the difference is small and it's hard to see with the naked eye. The R9 Forged in fact has a slightly thicker top line but again the difference is very hard to spot. The R9 top line has two finishes actually which give the illusion of a thinner top line than it actually has. At address, the R9 Forged seems a touch more straight and boxy while the Burner Forged is a bit more rounded.

While both heads are very close in heel to toe length, the Burner forged actually has a smaller hitting area on the face and its scorelines are shorter from heel to toe. From the face profile view (R9 Forged on the top and Burner Forged on the bottom) you can also see the slightly boxier toe and straighter top line of the R9 Forged compared to the Burner Forged but again the differences in shape are very subtle. The height of the irons at the toe and heel are almost the same and both have the same number of score lines. The Burner Forged has a more rounded leading edge while the R9 Forged is straighter. Aesthetically they use the same ferrule and both have Taylormade embossed on the hosel, in black on the R9 Forged and with no paint fill on the Burner Forged. Both irons have serial numbers laser etched on the hosels above the TM logo.

The R9 Forged and Burner Forged have rather different soles when it comes to grind and appearance. The Burner Forged has the rounder sole with leading edge relief and cut away grind on the toe and heel to prevent digging of the toe and heel which can cause slices and hooks. The R9 Forged actually appears a touch more narrow but that could be an illusion from the leading edge and trailing edge relief which you can see in the picture.  Both grinds work for each iron and contribute to each model making pure contact in various lies.

Both great mid capper mid sized forged irons...

You can see in the picture above the pocket cavity of the R9 Forged and the solid and deep cavity of the Burner Forged.  Because of the cavity design, the Burner Forged may have the slightly more pure feel at least when compared up to the 7 iron in the R9 Forged set which has a subtle click due to the pocket cavity. The 8 iron and up are more solid feeling and just as pure as the Burner Forged.  I like both irons and the way they look. As a mid-capper striving to improve, both these irons suit me performance and appearance wise. They are not too small yet also not too big and set up nicely. Both are easy to hit straight and even workable for me with a slight fade or draw (both irons were shafted with 950GH Stiff). Players in the 80-90 range will appreciate these irons for their forged feel and size yet ease of use and performance.

I really like the R9 Forged but as I've said before, I love the Burner Forged and still think they're the best looking TM iron out there. Maybe the best all around balanced performer 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.

 EMAIL

First of all I wanted to apologize for the amount of time its taken to do this one particular blog post. Reviewing such a large number of clubs at one time has proven much more difficult than I anticipated. It's not that it was hard for me to hit the clubs or even study them as I love testing clubs and writing reviews on the blog. The hard part was the logistics of putting this whole test together. Just arranging for each brand to send me their clubs within a window which I could have all the clubs side by side proved impossible.  In no way am I blaming the brands for not being able to do this review in a timely manner, on the contrary, I am very grateful for all the demos they always send me when I ask for them so I'm not complaining.

Taylormade Japan decided to regroup my Burner Forged and R9 Forged demos along with the new Supermax clubs they will be sending me later this month. As many of you know I was waiting for those two clubs to round out the contenders in this test. In the end I've decided to go ahead with the test since a lot of people including myself are waiting, but now in two groups which may end up easier to do.  The tests will go as follows with each group's tests broken up into two parts, 1. design and aesthetics and 2. feel and performance. Group 1 will begin with this post and Group 2 sometime in September (pray it does not take as long as this one did!) before the release of most of those models in group 2.

Group 1:
Epon Forged AF-502
Nike Japan Machspeed Forged
Mizuno JPX AD Forged
Honma MG700 Forged
Yamaha Inpres X V Forged
Ping Anser Forged
ONOFF Plus Forged
Tourstage X-Blade 703 Forged
Sri Sports XXIO Forged

Group 2:
Taylormade Japan Burner Forged
Taylormade Japan R9 Forged
Titleist VG3 Forged
Tourstage GR Forged
Fourteen TC-550 Forged
Callaway New Legacy Forged
PRGR GN502 Tour Forged
Sky Dream Jump CF-I Tour Forged

A few things to note before I begin the shootout and this is something I always stress in all my reviews. Reviewing golf clubs is very subjective. I try my best to give an unbiased opinion on all the clubs though I may subconsciously lean towards irons that suit my personal tastes and skill level.  What I present is my opinion based on my knowledge of testing and studying golf clubs in the Japanese market which may differ from the next person's opinion. Having different opinions is not a problem at all though. We are all different golfers, with different swings and different tastes and perceptions.

At the end of the test I will definitely choose a set of irons out of all these contenders to be my new gamers. This set will not be declared the "winner" as when it comes to golf clubs, it's almost impossible to choose one single standout club for the general golfing public. The fact is, if there was one "Best" club, wouldn't everyone be playing it? The set I choose at the end of test will be the best set FOR ME.  I'm doing this shootout so that everyone reading it can find enough information and see enough examples of these irons to choose the best irons for their game. It doesn't matter how good an iron is or how soft it is if it doesn't match he players ability. If a player cannot strike the iron well it won't feel good no matter what.

Also please keep in mind I am not a professional photographer. I do however like taking pictures and I try my best to take the prettiest pictures possible and images that reflect the actual clubs. Please excuse any inconsistencies in picture taking and dirty club faces as sometimes I took pics after hitting them at the range and others were taken before being hit (I realized this after I sent the demos back).

Well enough blabbering lets get on with the review!

Click Read More to continue with GTI's Forged Cavity Shootout Part 1!

None of the models I requested  in this test are small compact irons aimed at the athlete/pro golfer and most are probably mid sized or between mid and small size thus appealing to a large range of golfers. I did this intentionally as pro spec irons are only playable by a very small handful of golfers while mid level cavity backs can be played by single digit golfers wanting forgiveness all the way up to improving average golfers who want a challenge. In other words the irons here appeal to the broadest audience with many offering something for everyone.

I'm going to begin with this first post looking at the design of each iron and it's aesthetics. Let's face it if an iron doesn't look good you're probably not going to want to buy it or play it while a hot looking iron gets a lot more attention. Many of us put a lot of emphasis on offset and top line which have an impact on our visual perception at address.

The first part of the each club we will look at is the back cavity of each iron. This part of the iron is the part we never see really as its hidden at address and when we swing the club, nevertheless, it plays an important factor design wise and when influencing our purchasing decisions.

Pictures are worth a thousand words but I'll give my commentary and feedback on each aesthetic aspect and some design points but for the first part of this review I won't really delve into how these design aspects affect performance which is something I will do in Part 2.

Technology sure plays a big part in today's club designs. Of the 9 irons above, only 2 irons are true 1 piece forged irons while all the rest are multi piece designs some integrating non traditional materials for a so called "forged" iron.  The S25C Tourstage X-Blade 703 Forged and the S20C Yamaha Inpres X V Forged are very good looking 1 piece forged irons that look very cutting edge, muscular and ready for business.  The 703, V Forged and ONOFF Plus forged are the only 3 irons that don't feature some sort of undercut cavity vibration type technology behind the face. I'll get into materials more during the performance and feel tests as that is what they impact.

The XXIO Forged, Honma MG700 Forged, Mizuno JPX AD Forged and Nike Machspeed Forged all feature a pocket style cavity and at least two different materials. The Epon Forged AF-502 and Ping Anser Forged both feature vibration dampening in the form of alpha gel in a hollow pocket for the Epon and Ping's CTP or custom tuning port for the Anser Forged.

Looks are very personal but I find the ONOFF the cleanest looking and the Yamaha the best looking with its double "fang" like cavity. I actually really like the flat finish of the Ping Anser, it's pretty much no reflective and has a white satin look to it.

Four of the irons, the ONOFF, Honma, Mizuno and Ping feature a tungsten weight sole to lower CG and increase launch.

The XXIO Forged has the largest pocket cavity and it shows as the cavity looks bulky however this could equate to major forgiveness as the XXIO is also the biggest all around head. The Mizuno is a bit plain looking and it's the longest head from heel to toe.  The Nike looks the most mechanical and a touch boxy from the cavity view but I actually prefer it's looks over say the Honma.  Epon's workmanship is top notch as always and the AF-502 looks expensive and while I prefer a satin look, its combination satin and mirror chrome do work.

The X-Blade 703 is the smallest overall head.

The design of these back cavities will play a part in how the iron sounds and impact and even ultimately how its feel is perceived.

The face is a part of the iron we we do see more at address and it's shape plays a part in no only how the iron looks but performs. A higher sharper toe gives the illusion of an iron that resembles a wedge allowing for more shotmaking and control. This is one of the reasons pros and lower handicappers like boxier sharper lines in their irons. I drew in some red lines to reference some of the key lines in each iron.

The width of the face as well as the sweet spot/CG placement on the face has a direct impact on how easy an iron is to play and how forgiving it is.  The Mizuno JPX AD has the widest face area and one of the lowest sweet spots thanks to that tungsten sole and pocket cavity that push the CG very low in the head. The smallest face area goes to the X-Blade 703 Forged which is not surprising as this is the model in the test that borders most closely to a pro model (in fact it is in play by several top Tourstage pros in Japan).

The largest face again goes to the XXIO Forged which has very curved lines aimed to build confidence for the average golfer wanting to play a forged iron. The taller overall face even at the heel portion provides forgiveness for balls hit high in deeper rough.

The straightest topline goes to the V Forged and the sharpest toe surprisingly to the Nike Machspeed Forged which has a very sharp looking face. The tallest toe is a toss up between the Anser Forged and the V Forged.

Another aspect we notice from the front view is the length of the hosel in an iron. The ONOFF Plus narrowly has the longest neck over the Yamaha and Mizuno while the Honma has the shortest stubbiest hosel by a long margin. A longer neck provides flow at address however if the insertion depth is not deep it disconnects the shaft from the head. A shorter hosel which we are beginning to see in certain wedge and iron designs recently is said to increase MOI and closer join the shaft to the head for stability.

It's a tough call as to which face shape wins out however my personal preference says I really like the Nike's face shape.

All these heads have some amount of offset, they are after all geared towards wider ranges of players and the amount of offset in these irons will help different levels of players square the head to the ball by allowing more time for the head to rotate and meet the ball. I actually find it difficult visually to distinguish between the amount of offset in the bulk of the irons here. None of them have a straight straight neck with the appearance of no offset but at the same time none of them have HUGE offset. (it could be my picture taking)

The Mizuno JPX easily has the thickest top line by a long shot. It is approximately 1.5 - 2 times more thick than the V Forged right below it which probably has one of the thinnest top lines.

The Ping and the Honma follow the JPX with the next thickest top lines and all the other models fall closely in line after these two. The V Forged, X-Blade 703 and the Machspeed Forged have the 3 thinnest top lines followed closely by the ONOFF Forged and surprisingly XXIO. The Epon is middle of the road.

Here at address you can really see the difference in the longer neck of the ONOFF versus the short neck of the Honma.

The X-Blade 703 and ONOFF look very appealing to me in the address position. I also like the irons that use a plain all black ferrule making for a clean visual appearance.

None of the irons in the test have a particularly wide sole. Luckily the Mizuno's sole is not proportional to its thick top line or it may as well be in the game improvement category. If I had to say one sole was the widest it would be the Honma. A wide sole is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact irons like the PRGR EGG and Maruman Shuttle are popular because their soles are wide as hybrids which prevent digging and hitting fat shots. However in this mid to better player range we see an acceptable amount of sole width enough to function well in tight lies or harder surfaces but not too narrow to suffer in plush conditions.

The most forgiving looking leading edge goes to the AF-502 which features an obviously blunt leading edge but rather flat sole from leading to trailing edge. The ONOFF on the other hand has a more rounded sole from leading to trailing edge allowing it to hit more consistent shots.

I should have noted above in the face profiles that the roundest leading edge, that is from the toe to heel which also add forgiveness are the Yamaha, Ping and Honma.  These grinds like blunt leading edges, trailing edge relief, rounded or cambered soles all help a player make more pure contact resulting in better feel. So when players automatically look at materials or whether an iron is forged or cast, there is much more to an irons design that will affect its feel. And then on top of that we need to take the shaft into account.

From the sole angle here you can see how wide the tungsten is on the irons that feature weighting.  The Honma places the weight at the heel and toe of the sole while the Ping, Mizuno and ONOFF actually use tungsten as part of the back sole.

The X-Blade which is considered the closest to a pro model actually has quite a forgiving grind with a lot of trailing edge relief as well as heel relief that prevents the heel from going into the ground causing a pull.

So there you have a brief look at design and aesthetics.   Visual judgement is much more subjective. As individuals, readers can look at the images and basic info and decide which one suits their visual tastes. Looks wise for me I really like the Yamaha, Tourstage and ONOFF.  I wonder how much weight a buyer puts on looks versus performance/feel? I know its definitely part of the equation.

In Part 2 where I measure feel and performance I will come right out and say this iron goes higher than that one, or this iron is softer than that one, or this iron is more forgiving than that one.  Remember also that I will be testing a second group of irons in coming weeks. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that they can all arrive here in a timely manner!

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.