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ONOFF has always prided itself in creating well designed golf clubs that not only look good but make golf easier and more fun. The Fairway Wings has been their utility model over the last half decade and while in the past there was only one Wings model, for 2012 there are two. In 2011, in addition to its standard Fairway Wings model, we saw ONOFF release a limited edition Pro Spec Fairway Wings which was the choice utility of top ONOFF Pro Shingo Katayama. The club was a hit for not only better players but players of all levels. Because of this, 2012 now sees a Type-D or Red Fairway Wings model made for the average golfer as well as the new Type-S or Black Fairway Wings made for the better and athlete golfer. I was very excited to test these two new demos as over the last 4 years I have always at one time or another had at least one ONOFF Fairway Wings in my bag.

At first glance, the new Type-D and Type-S are not all that different from one another. A quick look at the specs show their head volumes are in fact very similar (the 21* D or Red is 120cc and the 21* S or Black is 122cc). Both feature multi level soles to minimize friction and increase versatility in various lies and both feature tungsten weighting to control CG placement, spin and trajectory. The Type-D Red has a V sole to help the average golfer from loosing too much speed at impact when the sole hits the ground. The V sole also brings the CG a tad lower for a easy strong launch.  The Type-S Black sole is rounded which increases its versatility in deep rough and uneven lies, maintaining stability and control.

Both Type-D and Type-S feature variable thickness faces for better feel, more forgiveness and higher ball speeds at impact.  What many will like about both models is that they are not very shallow faced like many modern clubs are these days. Lots of clubs are shallow in order to push the CG as low as possible and to make it easy to pick the ball off the fairway right in the center of the face but aren't always friendly for use off the tee. The Type-S Black is a tad deeper than the Type-D Red but both excel off the tee for longer par 3's or if you just need to be straight and in the fairway. The feel of both faces is quite crisp but soft, with the Type-S Black being a tad softer due to a thicker center and thicker face areas above and below the sweet spot. The Type-D Red is thick in the middle as well but the walls surrounding the sweet spot are thinner for more spring action benefiting the average swing speed player and golfer.

As I mentioned earlier, both head sizes are very similar in volume and the face depth is also very similar? So whats different besides the sole shape, face thickness and aesthetics? If you look at the clubs from the heel you can see that the while both taper to a shallower crown, the Type-S Black is shorter and more tall through the crown while the Type-D Red is flatter and overall shallower.  The shape of their heads alters the CG length and position with the Type-D producing a strong mid trajectory ball which is very stable and controlled for the better player and faster swinger thanks to its shorter CG. The Type-D Red has a longer CG producing a strong but higher launch helping average golfers with more distance through a higher trajectory and more carry.

At address we continue to see more differences. Carried over from the Pro Spec model, the Type-S Black has an iron like look at setup due to the two tone crown. It's longer ferrule and neck create more of a flow like an iron. The Type-S also features a 0* square face angle. The Type-D on the other hand sets up like a wood and features a 1.0* closed face on all lofts. Its hard to see the visual size difference but the the Type-S Red "appears" bigger due to its shallower crown.

It's not uncommon for an average golfer like myself to rely heavily on a utility. When the woods are not going well and you still need that distance on a second shot, or in a tough lie,  the right utility can have you go from saving par to making double bogey. Because of this, when I look at a utility, first and foremost it has to be easy to hit. It is after all the "rescue" club in your bag. I am happy to report that both Red and Black models of the Fairway Arms are pretty easy to hit even with their deeper faces.  Their soles are versatile allowing for good contact resulting in great distance. Another factor in making good contact is the length of the club. Both the Type-D Red and Type-S Black do NOT have a loft where the club length is over 40.00" and that is a good thing. The shorter length club allows for more control and consistency which in turn leads to better impact and more overall distance. I swung both clubs very confidently due to their length. For comparisons sake, my Royal Collection TRC 20* is 40.50" in length and the ONOFF Type-D Red 21* is 39.00", however I did not see much difference in distance as I was able to strike the ONOFF so well.  The ONOFF clubs also use maraging  faces but are a tad more high pitched at impact which I call crisp.  Maraging face feel is very good and you can easily tell when you pured it which is most of the time as the sweet spots are quite large.

The Type-S Red is available in 18 21 24 and 27* lofts with ONOFF's in house MP-512U graphite shaft. ONOFF's graphite shafts are typically very good and considered in Japan a step up on most OEM shafts thanks to Daiwa's expertise in carbon and graphite (see Roddio as well as Daiwa fishing rods).  Both the 24* and 27* are surprisingly useful and great for those average golfers who don't get along with their long-mid irons. In a strong lofted iron set, they replace the 5 and 6 iron very admirably.

Interestingly the Type-S Black which is a Labospec model aimed at the better player comes only in 21* 24* and 27*. It would have been great to see an 18* as well here. The Type-S is offered with a steel shaft only in its stock form, either the 850GH Regular or 950GH Stiff. This is kind of too bad as I can see many players wanting the Type-S with a graphite shaft. The good news is it can be custom ordered with Labospec high modulus shafts or Roddio shafts though there will be a reasonably long wait on those.

I liked both models very much but as a player who uses his utility off the tee and sometimes battles a hook with shorter clubs, the Type-S was my choice of the two. I also like the way it sets up with the two tone crown. I could play both as they both are easy to hit and with good distance but the closed face would only help me if I sliced. I wish however the Type-S also came with a stock graphite shaft as not everyone will fit an iron shafted utility into their set.  For the average golfer who needs more distance, ease of use and battles the left side, the ONOFF Type-D Red is a premier choice. Look for the new ONOFF Fairway Wings to be in the pro shop in coming days!

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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A box of 2012 ONOFF demos arrived yesterday and as I noted when I first saw them at the ONOFF Product Launch in Tokyo in October, they look amazing. Top notch designs and finish and I can't wait to test them out. As always the ONOFF clubs are divided into two lines, the Type-D or RED and the Type-S or Black. The Type-D is more suited for the average golfer looking for ease of use distance performance while the Type-S is for the better player, featuring smaller heads and square to open face angles and has always been a favorite line at TSG.  The only clubs that were not refreshed were the 2011 ONOFF Forged iron and the ONOFF S-Forged Wedges.

I'll be reviewing the new forged Type-S Driver as well as Type-S fairway wood and new Type-S Utility which was derived from the very popular but rare fairway wings Pro Spec model we saw this year for Shingo.  The driver is forged by Endo and features a variable thickness and ribbed cup ELF Titanium forged face. The Type-S fairway wood looks awesome, compact, pear shaped and deep faced. They are 1* OPEN and have a V shaoed sole with tungsten weighting and a variable thickness high maraging face. The new Type-S UT has a similar look to the Pro Spec with the face and neck merged as one continuous line and a recessed top line. Again the face is deep and features yet again a variable thickness high maraging face.

There is also a new ONOFF Iron which falls in the RED line. The last 3 generations have seen minor tweaks to design and to the unfamiliar with ONOFF clubs, could have all passed for the same model. The 2012 model has bee radically re-designed and visually it looks more aggressive than the past models. The iron features a 3 piece design with a very thin variable thickness high maraging cup face which feels very very good. An ultra heavy tungsten sole (78g in the 5 iron) is featured on the 4-9 iron creating very easy launch and higher MOI.

The Type-D RED line is made for ease of use which you can clearly see in each clubs design. The driver is bigger and shallower and features a 0.5* to 1.5* closed face (depending on the loft) to help battle the right side. The fairway woods are larger in head size and feature a closed face for the 3 and 5 woods and square faces for the 7 and 9 woods.  Unlike many ultra shallow FW's these days, the ONOFF RED still maintains a mid height face. The Tungsten in the V Sole is designed for easy launch and big carry. The RED Utility has a confidence building size and is not overly long in length for more consistent ball striking.

I only have about 5 days with the clubs so I a will be snapping pics and hitting all the models in the next few days. Tomorrow I am testing the Ryoma F vs the egg Spoon and will throw in the ONOFF fairway woods as well as I am sure they can hold their own. Be sure to check the TSG Pro Shop soon if you want to order.

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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ONOFF never fails to have one of the classiest setups at the Japan Golf Fair and this year was no different. It's never one of the largest exhibits nor does it feature fancy video screens and commercials or even show girls. However its definitely one of the most functional and stylish setups which is very much reflective of the company they are and the clubs they sell. Onoff along with GIII and Roddio has long been the golf wings of Daiwa Seiko Inc, which in the last couple of years has changed their name to Globeride. Globeride signifies a change to a more global outlook for all its group of companies and that very much includes ONOFF which is one of the few smaller yet mainstream Japanese brands with operations in both the US and Japan.

This years booth showcased ONOFF's new 2011 drivers, new ONOFF Forged Iron, new S-Forged with conforming grooves as well as a few clubs out of top ONOFF Pro Shingo Katayama's bag. We also saw the new GIII lines including their new premium and executive line the GIII Signature which sure looked very classy.  I already love both the ONOFF Forged iron and the new drivers especially the XI-S model. The irons like all previous forged ONOFF irons are ultra soft and made for the better player yet possess a lot of forgiveness thanks to tungsten in the sole and the feel is very much enhanced by its pyramid shaped cavity design. The XI-S is the square faced athlete model and while an athlete model again it sports a lot of forgiveness in its design including Gravity Control weighting which brings the CG back and deeper for easy launch and lower spin. The XI-S unlike some of the ONOFF Black models of the past also features a slightly more shallow back design. Best of all it feels wonderful thanks to a Wide Hyper Effect face made from forged ELF Titanium.

I think this is going to be a great year for ONOFF. They are a company that believes in quality over quantity and they do not flood the market with tons and tons of new models but instead concentrate on making a lineup of great looking and performing models worthy of a customers yen. This year they have a very well rounded lineup from drivers, to woods, to irons to wedges.  And to top it all off, all clubs are available through their Labo Spec department with Roddio and other upgrade shafts as well.

Chris of course put together one of his awesome videos showcasing ONOFF. Please watch it here.

Here also are some pictures of ONOFF from the 2011 Japan Golf Fair! Please click on the album to view!

ONOFF at the Japan Golf Fair 2011

55 Photos

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 just got back from the Tokyo Auto Salon 2011 at Makuhari Messe, a long 12 hour day of photo taking. I've got over 900 photos to sort through so I thought I'd do that over the weekend and instead do a quick review of the new ONOFF Forged Iron for 2011. While ONOFF refreshes their woods once a year, typically iron models are updated every 2 years with the Red model updated during even number years and the Plus model during odd number years. I was lucky enough (as always) to get the new ONOFF Forged Iron for 2011 back in late November for testing. I spent two weeks with the iron and will give some feedback in this post on what I thought.

RED or PLUS - Both forgiving...

ONOFF is a very popular average golfer brand in Japan. Their clubs always look good, feel good and perform, especially for ease of use. There has always been two lines, the ONOFF RED for average golfers and the ONOFF PLUS for the better golfer and athlete player. Even their PLUS line has always been know to be very forgiving. Starting with last years 2010 RED iron, ONOFF took forgiveness up another notch. They seem to have done another shift on the scale more towards forgiveness as the RED model went from a very good average golfer model and even mid capper model to a larger, more offset high handicapper model or dare I say it beginner iron.  This allowed ONOFF to release the PLUS version with a similar shift towards more forgiveness.

No PLUS - Just Forged

The 2009 ONOFF Plus Forged was a great iron and one of my personal favorites. It always got great comments for a simple look, thin top line and sole and while not compact still smallish and possessing awesome feel plus forgiveness. So how does the 2011 model stack up?  Interestingly as I talked about the shift towards forgiveness, I should also note that ONOFF for this new Forged model has dropped the PLUS moniker.

Less tungten in sole...

There are several design changes in the new model compared to the 2009, with conforming grooves being the most obvious. The 2011 model does possess a tungsten sole as did the 2009 model however the weighting is not as heavy, about 20g less. And while this would suggest that the CG has moved up higher in the head, the sole and cavity of the iron are in fact bigger/deeper (as you can see in the first picture above right) thanks to a tapered cavity keeping weight towards the bottom of the club. Overall the head appears larger than the 2009 model as well as what looks like a bit more offset.  ONOFF stresses that the key points of the new 2011 model are ease of use and soft feel.

Not really a small cavity back...

As I noted I am a very huge fan of the 2009 model so I had very high expectations for this iron. When I first received it, admittedly I was a bit turned off by its look and size. But this is a personal thing and probably because I got so used to the 2009 model.  Visually the face profile of the new 2011 model is pretty good, it has a sharp toe and a nice straight top blade. While there is more offset and the head appears larger, its not huge by any means however I'd say it leans more towards mid sized than compact sized, but still somewhere in between. The sole features a blunt leading edge and as you can see from the picture below, the tungsten is actually the back part of the sole.

Soft and easy...

So how does all this translate into performance? The 2011 ONOFF Forged is very soft at impact. There are many in Japan who thought that 2009 ONOFF Plus Forged was one of the softest irons of the last two years and the new 2011 model is just as soft. This is thanks to that triangle/pyramid like design you see in the cavity which increases the thickness of the sweet area. The tester I had came with 850GH Regular steel shafts (which are the standard steel R Flex shafts, stiff is 950GH). As a player who is still improving and a self professed average golfer, I had no problems hitting this iron. It is not difficult to play. ONOFF's boasted ease of use and forgiveness is certainly there as the forgiving sole and tungsten weight easily help pick the ball up and provide a mid to higher trajectory. It does not launch as high as the undercut RED irons but its easy to get the ball in the air. Besides feel and ease of use, the iron is relatively workable as I could hit a draw or fade.  Lofts are on the stronger side with a 25* 5 iron so for those better players used to playing more traditional lofts, this iron does provide good distance.

A forged option for the improving golfer...

So the bottom line is a nice iron, with good ease of use and great feel. Looks are subjective but I have to say, that low handicappers and better players may balk at the size and offset. However low handicappers and better players looking for forgiveness and distance should not rule this iron out.  On the other hand, mid cappers and fast improving golfers who are ready to move to a forged iron or simply want a softer feel without losing distance have another great choice along with the VG3, Machspeed Forged, XXIO Forged, GR Forged etc to choose from. Plus there is a graphite option for those who want something more lightweight and easy to swing.

ONOFF continues to produce clubs that are easy to use and that appeal to the largest segment of golfers in Japan. Look for the new irons in the TSG Pro Shop this weekend and as always here are a few more pictures I took.

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

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Our favorite time of year is rolling around and that's late February to Early March where TSG will be live with our annual coverage of the 2011 Tokyo Golf Fair.  The top Japanese golf equipment manufactures are beginning to leak info and images to us in hopes that we create the usual buzz around their soon to be released products.

An amazing new release by ONOFF has caught our eye this week,  the new 2011 ONOFF Forged Iron and it looks fantastic!  Made of soft forged carbon iron ONOFF has designed a player like cavity back with many of the forgiving attributes that a mid handicap geared iron has. Combine that with the size and shape of a lower handicap iron profile and you have a winner.

Have a look at the top line image above, ONOFF's approach was to produce a very forgiving iron that suites more players than just the pro level golfer.  The slight offset aid's in creating straighter shots and the slightly thicker top line than most players irons not only enhances feel and forgiveness but gives the golfer a sense of security from above.

A high density tungsten alloy weighting system has been implemented that features a variable weight pattern through the #3 thru #7 irons which not only makes it easier to get the ball in the air but also lends a helping hand to the overall forgiveness of the club.  Each iron is produced with a different design employing a tapered face & sole structure to achieve a soft hitting yet solid feel.

The set will be sold standard 5-PW but #3, #4, AW & SW are available separately and of course they meet the new groove rules.  Another new technology ONOFF is utilizing is an ultra high density SVF carbon shaft.  It's a new tech that produces a better feel and vibration dampening which incorporates tungsten powder in the four way multi-layered chip design that produces a heavier feel and better distance and direction.

The new 2011 ONOFF Forged irons will be in the pro shop for pre-sale soon for those who would like to get their hands on the first release before it's sold out. Expect live images soon on GolfToImpress.com!

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ONOFF has produced some very hot drivers over the years. Year in and year out they've always been known to produce drivers that are easy to hit and great for distance.  They recently announced their all new 2011 models so I asked that they send them over for me to check out.

Type D and Type S for 2011

In the past, ONOFF divided their models into a RED line and a PLUS line. The RED models were meant for the more average golfer and focused on an easy high launch and distance and forgiveness. The Plus line on the other hand had more of a focus on control and direction. Last year they began rebranding the models by also calling the Red the .XD model and the Plus the XP model. This year in their marketing they seem to have dropped the Red and Plus monikers at least in Japan. They now call the models the Type D which is the average golfer model and the Type S which is for the better player.

Sharing visual cues...

I had very limited time with both drivers as these loaners had to get back to ONOFF so I tried to spend a good day at the range with both.  As always, ONOFF drivers are very clean looking and and feature visual cues that have evolved across the models over the last few years. On first impressions, I noticed that even the Type S model (formerly Plus) seems to have gotten a shallower face than in the past (image at right), though the rest of its design is very "Plus" looking with clean looks, long hosel, and a 1 degree open face angle.

Wide Hyper Effect Face II

Like previous models, both the D and S use ONOFF's Wide Hyper Effect face though its been redesigned and given a "II" as the second generation. In order to expand high initial velocity area, the club face is divided into 6 different areas. The thickness of the center of the face is thickest and it is getting thinner to perimeter of the face. The face is thicker on the Type S matching well with faster swingers who want a softer feel at impact and the strength to repel stronger impact for higher ball speeds. The Type D has a thinner center area than the S which helps increase smash factor for slower more average swing speeds. Also carried over to both models is ONOFF's Power Sole Bridge, which adopts a power ribbed construction for the sole. This increases the rigidity of the body which lowers spin and optimizes energy transfer for distance.

ELF Titanium, Hmmmmm...

Now here is the interesting part. According to ONOFF, the Type S athlete model is made with a forged ELF Titanium face. Those who read the blog will know that this is a very common material used by Endo for Callaway and PRGR drivers made in Japan. ONOFF also notes that the Type S is made in Japan. The Type D on the other hand uses a pressed 6-4 Ti face. The body materials are also different with the Type S using more premium KS100 Ti for the ribbed body and Type D using 811Ti.  I'm pretty sure the Type S is made at Endo and the Type D most likely produced in China like past ONOFF drivers. Why they decided to do this, I still have to ask them but it sure makes the Type S far more attractive.

Type S > Average golfer?

Even though past ONOFF drivers were not made in Japan, they performed very well and were indeed some of the easiest drivers to hit and produced pretty awesome distance. Now that the Type S is made in Japan, the question is can an average golfer with an average low 90's swing speed hit the Type S? The answer is yes.  Both drivers are relatively easy to hit and the Type S is certainly playable by the average golfer as long as your bad shot is not a slice. Feel is different between the two drivers as you can imagine with the different materials. The Type S is softer feeling at impact and sound is more subtle while the Type D is more high pitched and both metallic sounding and feeling at impact.

One of the reasons the Type S has become easier to hit compared to previous generations, is it's shallower face and more shallow back head which has taken the CG further back and increased MOI. I actually preferred the Type S though specs would suggest I would be better off with the Type D. Does the manufacturing have something to do with it? Of course.  I won't try and pull anyone's leg by saying I don't care where a driver is made cause I do.  This doesn't mean that the Type D is not a good driver. It's just that the Type S is a better driver. There are other reasons that I like the Type S besides where its made and that's its softer feel,and that's its trajectory as well. The Type S has a more penetrating straight ball with low spin for good run. I've gone from a player who needed all the carry I could get to a player who now prefers a more stable mid trajectory ball that will run as long as it can. The Type S is that driver for me. As I've improved as a player I've actually gone from a player who battled a slice to one whose bad shot is now a pull thanks to swing adjustments.  The bottom line is I like the Type S looks, it's sound and feel and its trajectory and of course those are all very important factors in liking any club.

I've talked a lot about how I like the Type S but what about the Type D?  The Type D is very much like RED model drivers of the past. This D model tester I had also produces a higher ball with a draw bias. The driver itself is pretty good looking as well and features a closed face which becomes even more closed as the lofts get higher plus a weight more towards the heel giving that right to left bias. For the player who is not a fast swinger, battles a slice and needs a higher launch, the Type D is a great option and will certainly perform with a lot of ease of use and forgiveness. The Type D is still the driver for the majority of average golfers especially the higher handicapper ones who struggle with the driver.

Stable stock shaft...

ONOFF stock shafts are pretty good. They are afterall owned by Daiwa who also run premium shaft brand Roddio and are masters of carbon manufacturing thanks to their huge share of the fishing rod business in Japan. Some club makers here in Japan even go as far as saying ONOFF makes the best stock/oem shafts as they can rival aftermarket shafts. I don't know if I'd go that far, but as far a stock shaft goes, it's pretty good.  For me the ONOFF shafts have always had a good balance of feel, kick and control. Any hard hitter or super fast swinger should consider an upgrade shaft anyway and that goes for any brand but for those of us who are mortals and don't swing like the pros, the ONOFF stock shaft is a good choice.

Customization...

As always, ONOFF drivers are pretty customizable by Labospec, ONOFF Tour division. They can not only adjust face angle but also lie angle to a certain degree because ONOFF drivers typically use a proprietary hosel/socket which allows for these adjustments internally during the shaft install. Shaft options also include all Roddio shafts.

The ONOFF will be available in the pro shop this week so look for them on Tourspecgolf.com or contact us to customize one.

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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Globeride held a press conference today in Tokyo to introduce its all new 2011 ONOFF model lineup.  Two new will be released including the Type D and S, or Type Draw and Type Straight. A new ONOFF Plus Forged model will also be released that conforms to the new groove rules.

The Type D driver, or Red model is the average golfer model and features a 460cc head with draw weighting and a slightly closed face. The Type S, or Black model is the athlete model and features a 460cc head with square to slightly open face and neutral weighting for a more workable ball. Both models feature an all new 9 part face with 5 varying levels of thickness for an increased sweet spot and feel at impact with higher ball speeds.

The drivers will feature two new Labospec shafts in red and blue as upgrades in addition to the typical ONOFF Smooth Kick shafts. The Labospec shafts are heavier and more stable for the harder and faster swinger with the red being a low mid kick shaft and the red being a mid to high kick shaft. Labospec is the tuning custom division of ONOFF and these shafts are considered aftermarket grade high end shafts. (Remember that these shafts are all made by Daiwa who also make Roddio).

ONOFF will also be releasing a new athlete model small cavity back the ONOFF Plus Forged Iron which complies with 2010 groove rulings for professional play. The new ONOFF Plus features a soft forged body and tungsten sole. The cavity back has a small amount of offset and allows a player to easily get the ball in the air thanks to a low center of gravity. The ONOFF Plus Forged is designed for soft feel and great stability and control.

We're real big fans of ONOFF clubs and we hope to get some testers in soon!

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

Being able to try a lot of different clubs from a lot of different brands sure is a lot of fun but at the same it can make sticking with the right clubs in my bag difficult as there is just too much to choose from. One trend I do seem to find though is c0nsistently going back to certain brands that I know perform for me the way I like. ONOFF is one of those brands that always has a solid lineup of drivers, fairway woods and utilities and irons and wedges.  Their clubs always provide a balance of performance and ease of use as well as good looks and great design features.

At one time or another I've played all their clubs and earlier this summer while my Spoon was away being reshafted I pulled out my 2008 ONOFF Fairway Arms Plus 3 wood and it reminded me of how fun ONOFF clubs can be.  I thought I would give this years 2010 Fairway Arms Plus a go and see how it compared so I got a 5 wood for testing.

ONOFF Red and Plus

ONOFF clubs are broken into two "lines" the Red line and the Plus line. The Red line is made for the average golfer with a focus on ease of use, forgiveness and distance while the Plus line is for the better player wanting more control and accuracy along with added forgiveness and ease of use.

Click Read More to continue the ONOFF Fairway Arms Plus Review!

Strong lofts and open face...

The Fairway Arms Plus features stronger lofts (the 5 wood is a 17* and the 3 wood 14*) and a compact more traditional shaped head. All Plus models are 1* OPEN and mid to deeper faces. While I don't normally call myself a better player and usually classify myself as average, I like a compact FW as I seem to be able to concentrate better on striking the sweet spot and the 1* open face actually works for me as my bad shot with fairways and irons is a pull (hook if it gets really bad).

Versatile V Sole and balanced head....

Two of the key points for the Fairway Arms Plus is the V sole where the heel and toe side of the sole are at 15 degree angles meeting in the center. The back of the sole is also tapered off for trailing edge relief and in addition to the V sole the leading edges is nicely rounded rounded and blunt to create less friction. The V sole allows the club to excel in multiple lies and really help optimal impact right in the sweet spot.  The new sole also features a tungsten weight plate though smaller than last years model, this weight is placed right in the center of the sole which ONOFF says helps the balance of the head and creates control as well as optimal launch.

Variable Thickness High Maraging Face

The second key feature is the High Maraging face of the Fairway Arms Plus. This mid to deep face allows for control and is a feature really liked by better players. The face uses multiple thickness to create a slingshot like effect and create more solid feel with the center of the face being the thickest and the outer edges being the thinnest. Ball speeds are increased over the previous model thanks to this design.

Classic look at setup, penetrating trajectory...

I love how the ONOFF Plus sets up. It looks great at address, it's plain and simple and allows you to focus on striking the ball cleanly which the V Sole and design of the club really contribute to. Clean shots with the deep face are solid but crisp thanks to the maraging face and trajectory is penetrating which allow for more direction and control.  While all these characteristics, 1* open, the deep face, lower trajectory, smaller head, all point at a club for the better player, the Fairway Arms Plus is much more forgiving than one would expect.

Pretty good stock shaft...

As I mentioned before I battle a pull or pull hook with woods and irons and the flatter lie (57.5* for the 3 wood) and 1* open face of the ONOFF really allow me to hit a very straight ball or soft draw. One thing that also contributes to the clubs performance is the stock shaft. Unlike the Red line, the stock shaft for the Plus does not play soft but much more true to flex. It's a very stable shaft and very acceptable for a stock shaft. ONOFF shafts as well as Roddio shafts are all made by Daiwa (their parent company) which has had years of experience working with carbon and graphite.  This really shows with the stock shaft as it performs well and the mid-high kick plays a part in the clubs penetrating trajectory which I love. No ballooning shots, just straight controlled shots with a very strong trajectory. I like the feel and sound at impact, some may say its not as soft as some FW's but I find it soft enough and the crisp and higher pitched sound is comforting.

Forgiving Performance for different levels of players...

So in conclusion, while ONOFF's 2010 Fairway Arms has all the characteristics of a player's fairway wood, average golfers who want a smaller head and deeper face as well as more penetrating trajectory won't find this hard to hit. It's a good looking club both design wise and at address. Performance is top notch and while feel is subjective it is comparable to most top brands out there.  Athlete golfers will love this club, average golfers will ride this club to the next level.  The ONOFF Plus performs and makes golf fun.

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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(ONOFF Red XD. Driver)

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 not often that ONOFF produces a limited or player specific model of wedge.  Since coming to the USA ONOFF has done an excellent job of producing great drivers and woods.

Enter the new 100% made in Japan ONOFF S-Forged Wedge. The new S-Forged is made of Mild Forged S20C steel with an Ni-Cr plating. Rumor has it that Endo is producing these wedges and by looking at the material and finish its identical to what other brands use when manufactured by Endo.

The new S-Forged meets the new groove regulations and the 52 vs 58 do show some differences between the same wedge in different lofts. The 52* has a bounce of 6* where the 58* features 10 degree's of bounce. The offset is quite a bit less in the 58* than the 52*. The face finish is also a bit different where the 58* has very light detailed CNC milling, the last difference is the sole shape I would say the 52 is more of a round sole while the 58 is a multigrind.

These are limited edition wedges forged by Endo. They may be hard to get so we will let you know if they are back ordered and the expected wait time.

If your interested in purchasing these rare wedges visit TourSpecGolf.com Available with NS Pro 950GH Stiff or DG S200 shafts.

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Roddio Shaft Co. Just recently announced a new release coming December 1st to Japan. It's the second generation model of the popular Japanese Roddio Shaft, the new S series & M series shafts are designed to fit different player types. Lets have a look at who and what type of golfer they fit...

The S model Roddio shaft are specifically designed for the stronger player who plays their driver at 45" or less. Recently in Japan playing drivers at a longer length coupled with a specific design for shafts to be built at over 45.5 - 47" is a popular trend. The S Series is not of that philosophy it caters to the traditional length player. Versus the M series the S version has a stiffer tip to elicit strong play and promote tight dispersion and stability. It features a lower torque rating as well as Adaptive head speed by shaft flex + weight.

The New M model Roddio shaft was designed for golfers who enjoy playing a driver longer than 45 inches. They produced this shaft to work very well with smooth to average tempo's seeking ultimate distance in their drives. The shaft also puts more emphasis on helping the golfer square up the club head at the proper time, it also aids in suppressing unwanted back and side spin to help the player keep the results consistent. The torque is a bit higher than the S and the tip section while still stiff for today's high MOI drivers isn't as stiff as the S-Series.

Below we have the EI chart and the the various models laid out with full specs to better help you decide which fits your style of play and swing best, if you still don't know which shaft to consider feel free to Email a TSG fitting representative.

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ONOFF held an event at the KDX buidling in Tokyo for the media to preview some of their new clubs for 2010. As always they have their Red and Plus models, Red for the average golfer and Plus for the athlete golfer.

Two new drivers were on hand, the Red model dubbed the ONOFF XD. and the Plus model which was called the ONOFF XP. New fairway woods as well as utilities and a new ONOFF Red iron with tungsten weighted sole were also on display.

This will be a big year for ONOFF as Daiwa has made a big investment in pro golfer Shingo Katayama which has increased interest in ONOFF clubs and equipment. ONOFF is attempting to move into the higher equipment ranks a la Srixon and Tourstage and the signing of Katayama is the biggest name ever on their touring pro roster.

I'm looking forward to trying the new gear as they have always been solid performers.  We'll have them in the shop for pre order once we know the release dates.

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.