Golfing News & Blog Articles

Introducing the new 2021 A-GRIND BX-PROTO Driving Iron!  A-Grind has produced a beautiful players driving iron which is actually bendable in both loft and lie angle thanks to its soft forged S20C body.  This is a key feature of the BX-PROTO as it allows players to go as upright or flat as they need to make proper contact with the turf and ultimately the ball.

The face is made of high-strength SUS455 steel for more distance and combine that with the forgiveness of a hollow body and you have a serious contender in the driving iron segment.   The BX-PROTO also features a toe weight to increase MOI and center the sweet spot.

The BX-PROTO has a playeresque sole with both a leading and trailing edge grind that is not only attractive but very functional in preventing digging for steeper swings but also narrowing the effective sole width along with making the head easier to manipulate at address.  This is known as the double-cut sole which is often seen on players’ irons and not as often in driving irons.

At address, this is one of the very best-looking driving irons we have seen if you prefer minimal offset and a straightforward shape that doesn’t look funky and overly rounded.  The top line is cut diagonally to reduce the visual thickness of the topline.

The head is Finished in Black IP  and the standard weight is 4g with optional 2g stainless and  6g tungsten weights available for $20 each.  Available in 18/21/24/27* lofts and we offer head only or can install many high-end steel or carbon shafts.  Currently, Fujikura MCH has the best and most stable reviews for this segment based on customer feedback.

The JBEAM ZY-8 Driver!  Introducing the new ZY-8 by JBEAM, which is their newest flagship model for the better player.  When I say better player, I mean the characteristics cater to faster swing speeds that seek very low spin and a medium-high trajectory.

This is a 450cc driver that TourSpecGolf can handpick specific face angles and lofts.   For example, you may choose lofts anywhere between 9* to 11* even in increments of .25*.   We can also handpick face angles anywhere from square to the full 3* open, which many good players who try to avoid the dreaded hook will appreciate.

The ZY-8 has a traditional bonded hosel and features the tried and true JDM face material known as Forged DAT55G; this material and SP700 are becoming very rare; they are expensive, and stocks globally are dwindling.  In my opinion, it’s the best way to get amazing ball speeds,  no gimmicks needed,  simply the best face material that comes in HOT for faster ball speeds.

Other options from TourSpecGolf are hosel reaming,  face shaving to almost any C.O.R, and head foaming, which has been a popular option for players who enjoy that muted thwack dead feel.

Tourspecgolf is offering a variety of custom shafts and grips from Japan.  If you have any questions or need suggestions on specs, builds, and shaft options, please reach out to us.

Introducing the 2021 KYOEI CB Handmade Edition – KYOEI’s new flagship cavity back iron! Buttery soft with a beautiful shape that’s packed with solid performance.  The goal was to improve upon the original cavity back designs shape and make an easier hit iron with approximately the same dimensions as the KK / Proto CB.

100% Forged, Ground, and Finished at the KYOEI factory in Ichikawa, Japan, and designed using the KYOEI K1 mold instead of the KRC mold used on the previous KYOEI cavity back.   Why is this important?  No other golf factory in Japan can with their own forging press, original molds, and plating all under one roof.   Many of the popular JDM boutique brands have to outsource their work,  which really isn’t an issue. Still, there is a sense of pride in having everything done in one spot,  especially a place as historically significant to Japanese golf manufacturing as KYOEI.

Some of the more popular JDM brands not only outsource forging but also finishing and then use molds that are near-final weight for slight polishing and grinding adjustments; this is not the way KYOEI does it; the grinding is totally different as they are starting with much heavier heads which requires the grinders to work longer and harder with more skill to bring the product to its final shape.

The K1 mold also has a history as it was first created for the Spalding blacktop back in the day.  KYOEI has brought the original mold back to life, restoring it for its second coming.  The 2021 KYOEI CB and MB ( handmade version ) both use this same K1 mold.  That’s right, they used a blade mold to create a cavity back iron.

The face progression is along the lines of a muscle back, and if you look at the F.P numbers, there are almost no cavity irons on the market with as little offset.  The top line is perfect and inspires forgiveness with its 5.5mm thickness.  KYOEI has benchmarked many class-leading mass production irons and boutique JDM brands to create what they feel is a superior iron for the serious player who demands not only performance but also quality and history.

Introducing the all-new 2021 KYOEI MB!  A  new and original design handmade starting with a very heavy raw head.  When the KYOEI brand first launched their house label, they released two blades, the KK and the Prototype series, based on the KCM Mold.  The new 2021 MB is built upon a different mold known as the K1 and shows just how flexible these KYOEI original molds can be.

For those new to JDM gear, you are probably asking who or what is KYOEI. KYOEI is one of Japan’s original golf foundries.  They are also the only factory in Japan that can combine forging, grinding, and finishing all under one roof.  Many well-known grinders have also worked at the KYOEI factory to hone their craft.

KYOEI’s ultimate blade is made for forgiveness, feel and shape.  Forged of J.I.S (Japan industry standard) S25C in Himeji, Japan, the feel is sublime.  KYOEI also does a key secondary process known as “precision forging,” which takes the head after its initial 3 presses. After it has cooled, it then reheats to 900 degrees for a final pressing in a different forging machine and weight; this process is said to improve the grain structure for a feel that takes it to the next level.

With a very thin topline and nearly zero offset, the 2021 KYOEI MB is still forgiving as far as blades go.  The back face milled design keeps much of the weight focused low for a center of gravity that helps get the ball up faster.  The shallow face also aids in the forgiveness category as well.

KYOEI has mated their 5-cut sole to the new 2021 MB as it’s a game-changer when it comes to turf interaction, especially for blade players who often come into the ball steel.  The combination of the low CG,  5-cut sole, and a shape that kills really makes the 2021 KYOEI MB one of the best performing blades on the market.   Considering it’s manufactured at Japan’s original golf foundry 100% in-house, I’d say we have something exceptional here.

Baldo has been on an absolute tear recently with a consistent barrage of new products and updates.   Their growth in Japan, Korea, and SE Asia has been obvious, yet no attempt to enter the U.S market as of yet.  Today we are highlighting their newest wedge, the BALDO CORSA FORGED BOUNCE BACK WEDGE!

Forged of S20C, their new bounce-back wedge features precision machine cut grooves for the most spin possible just within the limits of conformity.  Baldo has also implemented micro-milling between each scoreline so that friction is further increased so that the ball is on the face longer, gaining and grabbing more spin as it launches upward.   The combo of machine-cut grooves and micro-milling gives you the most spin possible and enhanced wet ball, turf, face performance.

The new Corsa Bounce Back Wedge is also a very forgiving design; combined with the strong spin performance, it features a wide sole width that smoothly tapers off toward the trailing edge to give the player the ability to slightly open the face.  The trail edge relief is not as aggressive as, say, a Vokey or many others, so I would categorize this as a semi-players forgiving wedge.   The 50/52/56 feature an S-Grind sole that improves consistency on full swing approach shots, while the 56/68 are offered in a W grind sole to give more manipulation of the clubhead.

Now let’s move onto the back face as a lot is going on there.  That large bump located center of the backface Baldo calls the power shield.  It basically puts mass low and center for stability and feels.   Below the power shield, there is an undercut back, a small channel or cavity that improves the tolerance of miss-hits and helps with straighter, more accurate wedge shots.  Baldo has also extended the neck (long neck design) to further improve the CG locations based on the other dimensions in the clubhead.

My hitting impressions were very positive,  this wedge does not have the best shape, in my opinion, but that tradeoff has a list of rewards. First, it feels outstanding when you flush the ball in the center of the clubface; next, the grooves really zip the ball back; perhaps that why they gave it the name.  Finally, it forgives thanks to its wide sole, which puts it on the edge of a player’s wedge AND forgiving wedge.  Opening and closing the clubface are very possible with the W to grind, while the lower lofted S grind is extremely stable.  

The first time I saw Modart Golf was at their company unveiling at the 2014 Japan Golf Fair.  Lots of buzz around them as Suda-san is a well-known name on the J Tours with a reputation for being one of the most highly regarded iron and wedge grinders.  Finding new brands at the JGF fair is something I truly miss about attending the Japan golf show.

Having spent more than 10 years in the golf industry, Suda-san had long had a dream of making his own brand. He spent years honing his grinding and club design skills at Fourteen Golf, under the guidance of Grind Studio master and former top Fourteen grinders Masahiro Tomaru. When Tomaru-san left, Suda-san became the top grinder and focused on grinding Fourteen wedges for top Japanese pros on tour. Besides grinding for tour pros, Suda-san was also in charge of up-and-coming releases, including the trendy MT-28 V5 wedge in his portfolio.

Modern + Art – quality. The clubs all look amazing, from design to workmanship and finish. Modart clubs have a very premium aura to them. There are many small brands in Japan, and many of them cannot match this level of quality. Suda-san chose carefully not only design, materials but also in manufacturing.

Forged of S20C in Japan using the giant ENOMOTO press, the CBF is the new flagship iron for the Modart brand moving forward.  It features a cnc milled flat face and grooves for spin reliability and consistency.  100% Made in Japan.  That’s just the way we like our irons around here!

Wave Cavity – Yes, that is a good description of the appearance of this iron.  Suda-san uses the term wave to describe how the back cavity design becomes thicker with more weight to the heel side, which improves what is sometimes referred to as the  “capture of the ball” in Japan.  The sole has the appearance of less camber and is somewhat narrow; the CBF has minimal offset and a rounded shape + thick top line that together promote forgiveness and confidence.  One of the comments we have heard is that it feels amazing, and one can really feel the ball compress firmly while still feeling super soft.

Introducing the Docus Reloaded + Iron! While it looks like a blade, it really isn’t; the new Docus Reloaded+ is actually a 2 piece hollow structure design similar to what many large OEMs now offer for those who seek a sleek look yet also need more distance and forgiveness.

Its body is made of Forged S20C, while the face is stainless 455 steel; this is a popular material combo that adds more forgiveness and distance.  The SUS455 face is hotter with more rebound for higher ball speeds; it is also more forgiving as the sweet spot is expanded with a hollow body.  

It’s the Docus brand’s entry into the hollow body segment and is actually made at the same factory as many other larger OEMs.  So who is this really for?  Holding it in hand and cross-referencing with the specs, I would have to say it’s still a semi players club yet has many of the attributes a game improvement club may have.  The player, in a sense that it has a very minimal offset or as known in Japan, a higher FP (face progression),  the #9 has virtually no offset while the PW actually has onset.  The lofts are also jacked, with the PW coming in at 42*.  This is the main reason that the Reloaded+ is offered in a base set of 6-PW with an optional #5, whereas usually, 5-PW is the base offering.

Hitting impressions,  I could not hit the new Reloaded+ iron in an actual round of golf, but I was able to hit it off the grass at a range and in a swing cage.    It does not feel like a blade at all; I must keep going back to that as many of our clients may see it as a forgiving blade-style option.   Hollow body irons such as these or the many that have hit the market recently are really about forgiveness and distance; they lack workability, feel and compared to a classic muscle back design, they are less accurate.   The feel is noticeably hollow at impact yet still somewhat soft.  It’s hard to describe.  I would cross-shop these with The ONOFF Kuro Forged iron and some of PXG’s Taylormade’s new multi-piece hollow cavity designs.  While the focus lacks the TPU on the inside, it does feature an adjustable toe and heel weight, which helps dial in the specs.

The new Docus Reloaded+ iron is now shipping at TourSpecGolf, and you can purchase (here) 

I have been to every Japan Golf Fair since 2001, except for this year and the last due to Covid.  Back in the day, the JGF fair was held at Tokyo Big Site in Odaiba; over the years, the show became smaller, with fewer exhibitors eventually being relocated to a smaller venue at the Pacifico event center Yokohama.

Last year the JGF show was cancelled just a month before the scheduled event was held, but gladly, this year they went ahead with the golf show despite a greatly reduced exhibitor list and far fewer attendees.  At this moment, Japan is unfortunately not allowing American’s and many others into their country, and this has prevented us from taking part this year as an exhibitor for our brands as well as the press to cover the show.

It’s not all that bad, as if there was any year not to attend, it would be this one.  It was a tiny show, last month, I reviewed the site plan and exhibitor list and was surprised to see how small the event would be; I’m talking less than a dozen known brands on the list.  That aside I congratulate any brand that decided to put its products on display during this challenging time.   Shoutout to Fujikura, Dunlop Sports, NS Pro, Yonex, Ping, Crazy, Takumi, Callaway/Odyssey and Mizuno to name the most popular brands that were in attendance.  Both SEVEN and KYOEI had plans to have a booth but I was not able to get a special Visa to enter the country.  In hindsight, I’m glad we did not attend as it was the smallest show ever.

We hired a photographer to cover the show for a day and were surprised to see so few new releases and especially a lack of the exciting JDM Maniac brands we have known to love.  At the same time, outside of this show, our favorite brands are pumping out new and exciting products.

So here is what we are gonna do, same as last year TourSpecGolf will post the boatload of product coverage from the hottest JDM boutique brands.  I went ahead and ordered many of the newest products and will post them here on the blog and on social starting this week.  It’s the least we can do for the brands we support and have always stood by us.

The Baldo Corsa Forged Iron Black Knight Type DC Iron!  Earlier this week we announced the Type-MC iron from the new 2021 Corsa lineup.  Today we highlight their more forgiving semi-players iron the Type DC.

The differences are simple,  the Type DC has a deeper center of gravity,  much stronger lofts vs the MC, and finally slightly larger and wider dimensions all around.

The Type DC is still a one-piece S20C forged iron with minimal offset which is the same DNA as the smaller MC (muscle cavity) version.  Like the MC the DC has a milled face, grooves, and laser grooves to improve performance in wet or damp conditions.  Both models offer a fixed position tungsten screw in the toe which Baldo uses to move the CG  the slightest bit closer to the center.

This is the black knight version thanks to its beautiful dark finish.  This finish will wear but if you dry after use and give it a quick spray of oil every so often it begins to look fantastic with play.  The impact areas turn to a dull metal gray while the majority of the head maintains its black look.

Both the MC and DC are fantastic performers for their intended player segment.  The DC is suitable for high to low handicaps while the MC should cater well to mid to low handicaps.  Yes, professional Baldo staffers on the Asia tours use both.

2021 Yamaha Inpres UD+2 Driver is here! For the long time fanatics of the Yamaha golf club brand, you know that the “Inpres” name has been synonymous to Yamahas main line of golf clubs including the legendary “Inpres Tour” series.  These were highly sought after and limited production models that generated and nurtured many Yamaha Golf fanatics among JDM users. Fast forward to 2021, Yamaha’s athlete player’s line of clubs has now been transitioned off to their RMX line of clubs and the Inpres line now is dedicated to the distance oriented Game Improvement clubs with the UD+2 series. The 2021 UD+2 marks the 3rd generation of the highly popular and successful series geared towards experienced golfers looking to regain some of their lost distance, as well as players who just picked up the game of golf recently looking for ultimate forgiveness and playability. It is evident through the years of success and iterative refinement, the UD+2 series provide golfers with a great combination of distance, forgiveness and playability in an attractive overall design. 

The 2021 Inpres UD+2 driver designs around a theme of being able to hit your “best shot of the day” on every shot in your round!  What an exciting concept!  There are drivers out there that provides you ultimate distance once every 14 drives… which is great… but in reality you want to see those great shots more often and more consistently.    It seems obvious when you state it that way,  but many times as players, we become overly joyful about the one super distance drives in a round that you feel that nothing else matters.  As you gain experience in this game of golf, we learn to understand that repeatable and consistent results are far more important in this game.  But what if a club can help you achieve both?  

The 2021 Yamaha Inpres UD+2 driver features a new patented technology called “Speedbox”  which are small square grill like structure across the leading edge of the crown as well as the leading edge of the sole. The Speedbox structure creates a much rigid structure around the face, which in turn minimizes the energy loss by avoiding the impact energy to disperse as vibration to the rest of the body.   Impact energy is maintained and transitioned efficiently into maximum ball speed.  Yamaha claims an increase of +1.6 m/s (approx. 3.6 mph) of ball speed compared to their previous model.   This 460cc head also features a larger CG angle that makes it easier to square the face at impact.    MOI has also been increased from 4650 to 5020 which largely helps with producing straighter shots.   Following the tradition of Yamaha drivers of the past,  Yamaha Golf again collaborated with their in house Yamaha Acoustic R&D team to perfect the impact sound to have a clean metallic sound pleasing to the ears.     

The 2021 Inpres UD+2 driver is certainly worthy of the “Ultimate Distance” (UD) name designation.  The driver comes in a 9.5 deg and a 10.5 deg loft with a very light Fujikura Air Speeder shaft in R thru S flexes. If Ultimate Distance is your objective with your drives,  the 2021 Yamaha UD+2 driver should definitely be on your short list to consider. 

Specification

Introducing the Baldo Corsa Forged Black Knight Type MC Iron.  The new Baldo Corsa series has 2 models:  MC (muscle cavity) and DC (deep cavity) and Today we are talking about their new MC design.

This is a single-piece forged player’s cavity back with a lot of advanced features.  The new Corsa MC has big perimeter weighting surrounding the cavity while the inner area has a good-sized back face shield which adds a bit more stability to performance.

The offset is very minimal and measured in face progression.  The PW is at 4.5 FP,  keep in mind 5.5FP is pretty much zero offset.   The face is both CNCB milled while the added laser milling on the face helps with moisture on the face or ball.

Another interesting feature is the (FIXED) Tungsten screw on the sole to help with swing weight balance and the overall weight of the iron head.  The base set is sold 5-PW with an optional #4 and gap wedge.

Specification

Introducing the all new 2021 Yamaha Inpres UD+2 Irons!! The UD+2 series is now on its 3rd generation building upon the strong reputation since 2017 as one of the leading distance performance irons on the market.  The Inpres UD+2 irons are aimed at a wide range of players but specifically designed to deliver maximum distance. Typically with Super Game Improvement irons,  the lofts are very strong which sometimes introduces challenges with getting the ball to launch high enough.   No need to worry with the Inpres UD+2.   The extreme low CG design allows players of any skill level to easily launch the ball high in the sky.  

Perhaps the biggest technology enhancement with the 2021 UD+2 iron compared to the 2017 1st gen and  2019 2nd gen UD+2 irons is that the head is a one piece precision cast construction as opposed to the multi-piece construction. The one-piece construction is said to provide significantly improved feel off the face.   The 2021 Inpres UD+2 irons also feature an impressive ultra thin 1.9mm face that extends down to the ultra thin 1.5mm sole creating a cup face like construction to maximize the flex of the face area.  

The Speed Rib Face features 5 vertical ribs that are 0.3mm in thickness behind the face.   The effects of these speed ribs is that the face flexes in a uniform fashion to create a more directionally consistent flex that propels the ball straighter and higher at impact.   The results of these unique design is a ball that flies higher, longer and straighter.   The maximum COR area of the face is now 107% larger than the previous generation UD+2 irons. With the newly redesigned 2021 Inpres UD+2 irons,  you can now enjoy “Best shot of the day” on every shot of the round!! 

The 2021 Inpres UD+2 irons are available in a base set of 7-PW with #5, #6, AW, AS, SW available as options and can be had with Fujikura Air Speeder graphite shaft or Nippon Zelos 7 light weight steel shaft.  

Yamaha Inpres UD+2 Iron Specification

Introducing Astro Tour V501 Irons from Masters! Astro Tour V501 irons are made with forged S20C mild carbon steel featuring an undercut cavity back shape. The undercut cavity design allows further lowering of the CG as well as improving MOI and helps create softer feel at impact. Although the Astro Tour V501 irons are a forgiving under cavity back design, it is also designed to provide great workability and excellent turf interaction preferred by better players.   Another feature of the V501 irons are the addition of two 5g tungsten weight screws on the back which helps with lowering CG that helps with easier launch.  The Tungsten weight screws also helps with creating a larger sweet spot and a head that creates stronger impact.  Easy to launch, larger sweet spot and stronger impact are 3 of the most important design characteristic for optimal distance performance in irons.   The face features precision laser milling which creates consistent friction that works to  create consistent back spin on every shot.  At a micro level, the surface of the ball pushes in further into the face milling creating a very soft compressed sensation at impact. 

Astro Tour V501 irons have lofts that are modern with a 43 deg PW which seems to have become the norm for some one piece forged irons …  perhaps should be referred to as “semi-game improvement forged irons?”  Now that the multi-material irons are available in a more player’s category you need stronger lifts to keep up performance wise,  yet the one piece forged will still promise better feel over the multi-material counterparts. Offset is quite small with a face progression spec of 4.0mm for the 5 iron and 4.5mm for 6-AW.   Astro Tour V501 irons are offered with Fujikura 7 Axis graphite shafts as well as the popular NS 950GH and Dynamic Gold steel shafts.  

Astro Tour V501 Iron Specification

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The post Astro Tour V501 Irons appeared first on TourSpecGolf Golf Blog.

Following the great tradition of Astro Tour series clubs, we have here the Astro Tour F Titanium Fairway Wood. By utilizing a design to bevel off the toe side of the crown, Astro Tour was able to add 2 sole weights to create the lowest CG ever in their fairway wood lineup. The low CG allows easy launch and maximum forgiveness for players of all abilities. The head design also features a cup face construction made of 15-3-3-3 forged titanium for expanding the high ball speed area across the face for optimal distance performance. The body I made of precision forged 6-4 Titanium. The Astro Tour F head 207cc head with shallow profile and a larger foot print that inspires confidence for players.  Though the foot print is larger, the shape is traditional and beautiful to look at address.  The Astro Tour F Fairway wood are available in 3W+  which is 13.5 deg loft,  3W in 15 deg and 5W in 18 deg.   The larger sole weight in the front is a fixed weight of 20g and the rear weight is an adjustable weight with 5g being the default with 1.5g, 2.5g, 3.5g and 8g sold separately.   The Astro Tour F is a high quality fairway wood with high level of forgiveness and distance performance in a very attractive package. 

Astro Tour F Titanium Fairway Wood Specification

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For those looking to complete their wood set up with an Astro Tour Driver and Astro Tour F Fairway wood,  you absolutely need to consider the Astro Tour U!    The Astro Tour U adopts similar design method as the Astro Tour F where they have bevelled off the toe area of the crown to create discretionary weight to place an adjustable weight the sole for lowering the CG but also provides the option for players to optimize the swing weight of the club. The results are an easier to launch head that is highly forgiving and versatile from any type of lie on the golf course. The Astro Tour U heads are available in 18 deg , 21 deg, 24 deg and  27deg variations to provide a nice range of options to blend in with the rest of your clubs.

Introducing the all-new Astro Tour V IV Driver from Masters Golf.

Masters Golf was founded in 1979. For over 30 years, their brand philosophy has been built upon the pursuit of optimum distance performance for all golfers and the development of clubs designed for ultimate ease of use.  

Their Astro Tour V series drivers have been extremely popular among experienced amateur golfers due to the exceptional distance performance along with a traditional deep shape preferred by purists.   This 4th iteration Astro Tour V IV driver follows this fundamental design concept of its predecessors.  Though it has an R&A allowed max volume of 460cc, the appearance at the address looks much more compact due to the deep face / deep back design which also helps promote a very strong trajectory.   

The Astro Tour V IV driver also features a 14g stainless weight plate towards the back end of the sole which helps minimize energy transfer at impact.   CG angle is increased to help capture the ball for a stronger trajectory.   Because of the deep back a low placement of the stainless plate, this CG design promotes a higher launch with greater directional stability. 

Here we have the Miura Giken TB-ZERO blade, which is Miura Japan’s latest muscle back. Today, we have a particular version produced in limited numbers using a material process called fe 99.3% pure. Why would Miura Japan create a second version using a different technique? The simple answer is for a softer feel, as Miura’s are known to deliver firm feedback outside of the clubface center. This is what better players often want, yet Miura irons are known to fall short in softness outside of the face center mostly due to the design and the fact they use spin welded hosel’s they acquire from the foundry TADA mfg in Himeji. Spin welded hosels can be a somewhat controversial topic, yes they are inferior to a single-piece forging, but it’s virtually impossible to tell. There are a few other brands that use them; they cost less in design and in-mold production. I know some guys at Endo and Honma who can spot spin welded just looking at it, but 99.99% will never see the difference.

Oh, and before I forget, Miura’s lawyers want me to write that we are no longer an authorized dealer. There are many reasons I’m sure you guys would find surprising, and I won’t get into it. One thing has been clear, Miura Global doesn’t want the rest of the world to see or purchase the best and newest versions offered by Miura Giken Japan. Both are quality products made the same way, but to put it simply, many of the global products are dated, Japanese models. For example, the “new” MB-101 is the 2007 MB-5003 from Japan. The baby blade and 1957 blade, as they are known in the USA, are designs so old they have not been used for almost two decades in Japan. The TOUR wedge in Japan is made of FE99% standard while the global model is not, So one would only guess that the TB-Zero from Japan is Miura globals next blade model in a year or two, hopefully not ten years from now like some of the others. Feel free to cross-reference the release years (here)

Introducing the all-new KYOEI Tour Wedge.  Following the success of the KK Series and Prototype Series wedges, this new version Tour Wedge is now made of S15C Forged Carbon Steel.  It is made with a more compact mold, a new polishing technique is utilized and features a more traditional sole grind.  Also, the new Kurozome Tour Wedge is now offered in 50/54/58* lofts.  The Kyoei Kurozome Tour Wedge is a single-piece forging with no internal weighting. Pure and simple with a compact shape and design preferred by the better player.  It is 100% made and hand-ground in Japan.

The offset is extremely minimal reaching into onset on the 58*.  Special attention was given to the shape and sole design for optimal turf interaction in a variety of playing conditions.  All three lofts feature relief in both the heel and toe side sole with an extra cut away at the leading edge.  This sole grind provides a high degree of versatility whether you want to address the ball with a square face or opening the face for a flop shot.  KYOEI did their best to design this wedge to perform well for both diggers and sweepers. The Arakenma Kurozome finish promises the softest feel that a carbon steel wedge can offer.

Kyoei Tour Wedge Kurozame Specification

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Introducing the new GIII Iron 2020. Evolving maximum Distance. Improved High Repulsion techonology to push the ball speeds even faster. An innovative shafts design that increases swing speed and directional stability. A distance iron that produces an easy high ball flight that let’s you just aim at the pin. TSG will break down all those techonologies of this iron in this post.

The first thing we want break down is the face, This iron comes with Neo Titanium Face which realizes higher ball speeds. GIII’s proprietary Neo Titanium Face produces an unheard of 0.825COR in an iron. Large sweet spot and more ball speeds equal unrivaled distance from an iron.

It also comes with Full Core Groove Technology, The back of Neo Titanium face features an all-new Power Trench Design. The lower area of the toe and heel back face feature 3 curved grooves which help increase the sweet area of the iron. Distance loss is minimized on off-center hits.

Heavy sintered tungsten is placed in the sole towards the toe side to help promote a low and deep center of gravity and a higher moment of inertia. The weight helps stabilize the rotation of the head, allowing it to optimally square at impact. this heavy sintered tungsten creates straighter shots even on miss-hits.

GIII Iron 2020 also comes with GIII Neo Twin Cut Sole Technology which reduces the friction and resistance from the ground at impact. This maximizes swing speed and stabilizes impact for better distance and accuracy. Aim at the pin and swing away. Better impact equals better distance and better accuracy.

The new. Yamaha RMX 120 is made to be long distance with a high trajectory plus loads of forgiveness.

Made of a single piece chrome-molybdenum steel for more rebound and combined with a thinner face for increased distance. Yamaha has also intentionally designed the iron with a wide sole and low position weight mass.

While looking face on the toe peak high,  not sharp but it extends a good amount past the edge of the score lines.

The weight is positioned very low as you can see in this photo.

The cavity badge has an aluminum insert for vibration absorption.  Yamaha is known for sound tuning which is their science for making otherwise firmer materials feel soft and rewarding.

Fourteen TC-920 Forged Iron

An updated players’ club.  Golf swing mechanics and dynamics are undergoing a massive change given the new drivers and their new designs in CG and MOI. Reviewing these components and their designs, there is now a gap in the club specification in their center of gravity between compact players’ irons and woods. Fourteen TC-920 Forged Iron has been designed to bridge this gap and achieve closer CG Specification to modern-day drivers and is matched to achieve overall balance and delivery in the golf swing.

Longer CG distance.

Fourteen developed this iron with the underlying idea that a balanced progression among all 14 clubs is essential. With newer drivers that have increasingly longer CG distances, compact irons feel and play very differently, which can result in inconsistency in club delivery, trajectories and shot dispersion. While maintaining a compact head size, Fourteen TC-920 Forged Iron has a relatively longer CG distance, which is intended to bridge the gap between metal woods, resulting in better overall balance within the set of clubs.

Precise CG setting by club number.

By precisely altering the thickness of the cavity, the Fourteen TC-920 Forged Irons can achieve accurate CG specs as well as forgiveness that makes it easy to control distance and trajectory accurately with short and mid irons and to produce desired higher launch for longer irons.