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kwantfm
31st July 2005, 05:51 PM
I've just returned from a business trip to Asia and happened to spend a few minutes in a Japanese golf shop. This was quite an amazing experience. First off the amount of Japan only product is astounding. I saw a lot of PRGR, Royal Collection, Maruman gear. Also saw Callaway, Bridgestone, Nike and Taylor Made Japan only gear. Things like the Callaway X-18 driver, Nike DFI and Taylor Made R7 Max (fitted out with no less a shaft than the Graphite Design Tour AD I-65). There was a Bridgestone driver that I am not familiar with that had a Diamana 63-S ion-plated with flower band.

Finally I got to use their Bridgestone launch monitor which is a photographic system. The system is very advanced and even took high speed pictures at impact. Clubhead speed was measured in metres per second. My usual clubhead speed on this monitor was 48 m/s which equates to 108 mph. This is fairly similar to the previous launch monitor numbers I have seen. Spin rates for most of these drivers were too high. I was getting between 3500 and 4000 rpm for almost every driver. I won't give reviews as I really didn't hit too many shots and cannot give a fair assessment.

Pictures below. The impact picture was the first one I saw... just had to get a pic (sorry but I hit it a little low off the face). Enjoy!

Diamana
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3295/diamanaionflowerband7gx.jpg

Tour AD
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/8498/touradi658cu.jpg

Callaway X-18
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/401/callawayx1820tq.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3113/callawayx1812qr.jpg

Nike DFI
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9517/nikedfi11ll.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5743/nikedfi36bo.jpg

Bridgestone Launch Monitor
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1346/bridgestonelaunchmonitor7go.jpg

Impact Photo
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/4001/impact24nv.jpg

Demo Club Heaven!
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/8092/testclubs20wn.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6283/testclubs16ab.jpg

Too many clubs and too little time!

Cheers,
T
amanda
31st July 2005, 05:54 PM
So no purchases Terence? :wink:
kwantfm
31st July 2005, 05:55 PM
Bought some weights for the R7 :shock:
Pinglauncher
31st July 2005, 06:14 PM
Welcome back T :D

It must have been like letting a child loose in a lolly shop, and you only bought some additional weights :wink:
gazgolf1
31st July 2005, 06:25 PM
awesome stuff and great pics T. :shock:
Webster
31st July 2005, 06:36 PM
Terence,

Do you have any sort of feel for what the second hand market would be like over there? The Japanese tend to buy everything new, so interested if there were bargains to be had for the trade in stuff. Were they giving them away?
3oneday
31st July 2005, 07:18 PM
So, did anyone receive the text message "Pete, I can get you an X18 Callaway driver for 6,000,000 yen, do you want one ?" ...... no ???

Yeah, I'm still waiting too :P :P :P

Great pics T, I can't believe though

YOU BOUGHT WEIGHTS ????????????

goodness me, I'm off to bed now, need a lie down ....

:lol: :lol:
Pinglauncher
31st July 2005, 08:00 PM
So, did anyone receive the text message "Pete, I can get you an X18 Callaway driver for 6,000,000 yen, do you want one ?"  ...... no ???

Yeah, I'm still waiting too :P  :P  :P

Great pics T, I can't believe though

YOU BOUGHT WEIGHTS ????????????

goodness me, I'm off to bed now, need a lie down ....

:lol:  :lol:

Pete

You and I both know there must be something he is not telling us 8)
Jarro
31st July 2005, 08:15 PM
nice pic's T ... you're quite the lucky one aren't you 8)
Fishman Dan
31st July 2005, 09:50 PM
The spin rate of the drivers was too high?

Nothing to do with the thing hanging off the end of it?
McMw
31st July 2005, 09:57 PM
terence....wat did u think of the R7 max???

any love for the gold tinge on the sole??? :lol:
kwantfm
31st July 2005, 10:01 PM
Jack,

I've got no idea how the second hand market is over there... could be worth investigating! If you're interested I kept the card from the golf shop I went to and I can send you the details.

Pete,

Didn't take my mobile phone (and it wouldn't have worked in Japan anyway). The X-18 was 51,700 Yen... so about $550... you'd know how to get it cheaper anyway! Great feeling driver!

Ping,

Definitely only bought weights... truly.

Fishman,

My spin rate off the R7 is perfect and it is considered a low spin driver... my spin rate from most other drivers is likely to be too high.
Speirsy11
31st July 2005, 10:07 PM
The spin rate of the drivers was too high?

Nothing to do with the thing hanging off the end of it?

C'mon D, you know better then that....Always the arrow, never the Indian....... 8)
kwantfm
31st July 2005, 10:08 PM
Pete,

http://www.callawaygolf.jp/product/club/x18_driver/x18_driver.html

Now to take some Japanese lessons.

T
kwantfm
31st July 2005, 10:09 PM
Speirsy,

Think you would have liked the R7 Max + Graphite Design Tour AD...

T
kwantfm
31st July 2005, 10:11 PM
McMw,

Unfortunately I was in a bit of a rush. I didn't actually notice the gold tinge!

From address the R7 Max looked exactly the same as my R7 Tour so I thought it looked great. Wish I'd had a hit.

Cheers,
T
Speirsy11
31st July 2005, 10:31 PM
Speirsy,

Think you would have liked the R7 Max + Graphite Design Tour AD...

T

Those high-COR drivers and I don't really get along all that well.......Cracked faces come very quick when they are that thin.....

That shaft is sweet though.....
andylo
1st August 2005, 09:18 AM
OH I SPOT THE NEW RC SUPER CV fairway wood :cry:

God damn it... why don't you tell us you will goto japan :cry:
Jono
2nd August 2005, 12:48 PM
Speirsy,

Think you would have liked the R7 Max + Graphite Design Tour AD...

T

Those high-COR drivers and I don't really get along all that well.......Cracked faces come very quick when they are that thin.....

That shaft is sweet though.....

Haven't you just busted a TOUR head? :shock: Perhaps you should just swing slower ... :wink: