Nike Sasquatch Tour with real Diamana -Post Honeymoon Update

[miro]

Well this is by no means comprehensive but here are some early thoughts.

You may have noticed me looking around for a nike Sasquatch Tour last week. Turns out that Kwantfm had a 9.5 degree (along with most of the rest of a fully stocked pro shop in his back room :) ) fitted with a Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana Blue Board Ion Plated (ok so not exactly sure what the real name is) in 85 gram weight. For you avid Tour watchers this is the preferred shaft of Woods, Singh etc etc and retails for a cool $595 even through Ben.

Now T had obviously used this club for about 5 mintues as it appears brand spanking new. So grabbed it from hi and went straight to the range for a test run.

Initial thoughts -remembering this club had "performed" in a launch monitor for me but had perhaps hit the ball a bit low with a bit much spin.

1. For a 460 cc head its not that big looking -Nike painted the rear trailing edge silver which actually does make the club head look smaller -very tricky.

2. The head sets up nice and square -perfect for me.

3. The Diamana is one sexy shaft in real life -very platinumee colour.

4. Sound is quieter than say a Cobra but louder than my 510TP but probably is quieter than most current drivers.

Now to how it hit the ball. Higher than my TP on a ever increasing trajectory. Now this had me worried as I thought maybe it was going up to a peak and falling from the sky but with range balls on a rainy evening it seemed to go ok.

So I took it out for a game on the weekend. The results -a couple of solid pulls, I suspect due to a slightly heavier shaft and the desire to belt the crap out of a "new driver". Got the ego back under control and hit some monstrous drives. Really quite surprised by the distance -so much so that I am not gong to mention how far they went (there was a trailing wind). Beuatiful ball flight. Hit a couple that weren't perfect -didn't seem to make any difference.

So in summary, go buy one. It seems loooooong and forgiving -I am not sure what else you would want in a driver (other than it was made by Titleist).

The Diamana is a great feeling shaft -not boardy, not whippy, just right for me.

[BrisVegas]

Excellent! Glad it worked out for you. Nice to see some launch monitor numbers translate to a driver that works on the course.

Hope you have very long honeymoon!

[Jono]

Excellent! Glad it worked out for you. Nice to see some launch monitor numbers translate to a driver that works on the course.

Hope you have very long honeymoon!

Funny that ... I was just about to say "please report after the honeymoon period". :lol:

Good review, Miro. I tried the Nike SQ Tour with Prolaunch (thanks to Pinglauncher) at the range some time ago, and I thought the sound and feel was excellent. Very solid. However, it went way too high for me probably because of the shaft and also the shallowish face (which I am not used to in a driver). It was about 5 to 10 meters shorter than my Cobra.

IMO, it looks every bit of its 460 cc's ... That's the idea behind the Sasquatch (Bigfoot), isn't it? Shallowish face with a large foot print?

If you get a chance, would you be able to do a side by side comparison with your 510TP? Hit 3 shots with the SQ, then 3 shots with 510 (and continue to alternate), and see if there are significant differences in ball flight and distance (and shot dispersion). If you can test both into and downwind, that would be even better.

[miro]

Jono,

The SQ max is as you describe -shallowish face with a large footprint. However, the SQ Tour has a deep face and is a much more "traditionally" shaped driver.

When I get the chance I will hit it side by side with the 510TP however after 1 round I have no doubt the SQ is dare I say much longer. Unfortunately I am away for the next 2 weekends so no golf for a while.

The other factor you may have wondered about is shaft length with most new drivers being 45 inch. Not so with this club -T reckons 44.25 inch but it is exactly the same as the 510tp which I thought was 44.5 inch.

[kwantfm]

Miro,

Glad it worked out for you and that the driver has found a good home.

T

[McMw]

apart from the Blue Board Ion description - is this the same spec Diamana in the R5 TP drivers??? same weight @ 83g...

[miro]

Mau,

I don't know the answer to that question. I do know that the Nike SQ Max comes with a Diamana labeled shaft that is not the same as the "real" diamana much like the Titty Speeder shaft or the TM Fuji shafts. I note the R5TP diamana is painted in the TM colour scheme which hints it may not be the real mccoy but I honestly don;t know.

[kwantfm]

The R5 TP is a real honest to goodness Diamana 83 unlike the Diamana for Sasquatch shaft.

[Jarro]

T,

.. any regrets about selling it now that you've heard it's new owner is bombing it ;)

[miro]

Jarro,

T may now be the biggest club collector I know -he won't even notice its missing.

I am very interested to have another game with it and see if those 3 or 4 "bombs" can be repeated or were merely some sort of freak alien intervention. But also that those 2 or 3 pulls were just getting used to it not a permenant issue with the club. So the jury is still not 100% convinced but the early evidence is looking pretty damning.

[3oneday]

I am very interested to have another game with it and see if those 3 or 4 "bombs" can be repeated or were merely some sort of freak alien intervention. at least with the biggest footprint in golf, you should be able to maim more ants in one go ;)


:lol:

[Ducky]

Where are you hearing this, Miro?

I would agree the labelling is different but is there proof of a performance difference?

[McMw]

Where are you hearing this, Miro?
I would agree the labelling is different but is there proof of a performance difference?

it's no secret...

the fujikura shafts they put in the TM drivers are crap...same too those fuji shafts in the ignites...

even in the titleist range - if it mentions titleist anyway on the shafts, they're not as good as the real thing...

that's why I'm skeptical about the SQs with "Diamana-Labelled" shafts...it's not the real Diamana - which retails at almost USD300...(last time I looked)...

[Ducky]

I'm not referring to the Fujikuras, as I know their OEM versions are crap. I am interested as to whether or not it is the same deal for the Diamanas. I should probably do some reasearch.

[kwantfm]

Diamana for Sasquatch are a cheap shaft... but feel okay compared to many OEM shafts. There is the occasional Diamana 83 Blue Board put in Nikes from the factory. They have a totally different paint scheme to the OEM shaft. These are generally pretty rare and fetch high prices on our favourite auction site. There is a massive difference in feel between Diamana for Sasquatch and Diamana Blue Board... you just have to try one. I have owned three different Blue Boards and they are my favourite shaft at the moment.

The club I sold to Miro has one of the rarer forms of Diamana. This is the ion plated Blue Board with flowerband. You can get them on another US board for USD 320 pre shipping. The rarest Diamana is the matte blue which Tiger used to use. These are incredibly expensive given that the only difference is the paint job.

Taylor Made's TP clubs use real Diamana and Fujikura shafts. I've owned a lot of TP clubs and the shafts are a huge step up from the normal MAS shafts used in their non TP clubs.

[kwantfm]

Jarro,

There is always seller's remorse... I really, really loved that club. You may remember the superb review I gave it when I first got it.

The biggest regret I have is selling the 9.5* 510 TP Tour... although I'm about to fix that by getting a 10.5* 510 TP Tour. The retail 10.5* 510 TP is also making me very happy.

Cheers,
T

[Ducky]

Okay, so how much should I be seeking for the SQ Diamana pull out? If anything?

[nudgee]

Hmmm Matte Blue Diamana - just like this one :smt002

[Jarro]

Jarro,

There is always seller's remorse... I really, really loved that club. You may remember the superb review I gave it when I first got it.

The biggest regret I have is selling the 9.5* 510 TP Tour... although I'm about to fix that by getting a 10.5* 510 TP Tour. The retail 10.5* 510 TP is also making me very happy.

Cheers,
T

mate, have you got one lined up already ? .... or are you just looking ?

[3oneday]

mate, have you got one lined up already ? .... or are you just looking ?he has one...

[miro]

as I mentioned T is his own golf shop at the moment -better you ask what he doesn't have. :)

[miro]

Okay, so how much should I be seeking for the SQ Diamana pull out? If anything?

Ducky,

I think the answer is virtually nothing if it is the Nike Diamana. Have you ever seen anything decent paid for a TM Fuji or a Titty Speeder?

[perci]

Ducky,

I think the answer is virtually nothing if it is the Nike Diamana. Have you ever seen anything decent paid for a TM Fuji or a Titty Speeder?

The Diamana in the SQ tour is a Blueboard 83 and does not have any reference to nike on it.

[miro]

Perci,

I believe, though I am not certain, that Ducky is talking about the Diamana which comes standard with the SQ Max not the SQ Tour which in Australia comes standard with an NV.

[Speirsy11]

Ducky,

I think the answer is virtually nothing if it is the Nike Diamana. Have you ever seen anything decent paid for a TM Fuji or a Titty Speeder?

The TM Fuji shafts are exactly the same as the standard Fuji, just painted differently. The Titleist "speeder" is not a 757, not even close.......Yo ucan get decent returns on TP shafts, nothing for Titleist speeders

[Ducky]

I have a Nike SQ Tour that was imported from the states.

It is the design of the Diamana Blue Board but has 'Sasquatch' written on it.

[Speirsy11]

I have a Nike SQ Tour that was imported from the states.

It is the design of the Diamana Blue Board but has 'Sasquatch' written on it.

Thats the same shaft as in the SQ Max. Not the same as the Blue Board at all......Lower kick, softer tip, much higher spin rate, etc.....

[Ducky]

So should I just keep it and use it as a pimp cane?

[3oneday]

It is the design of the Diamana Blue Board but has 'Sasquatch' written on it.
even over there I thought the Diamana was the Blue Board but had different markings (and characteristics), not the xt markings but one indicating a 4" parallel tip.

It definitely didn't have the Sasquatch name on it though.

Better post a pic duckman to clear it up.

Pete

[Ducky]

Okay, here is a picture.

http://images6.theimagehosting.com/diamana_shaft.jpg

For those of you who are blind.

"Sasquatch. Diamana by Mitsubishi Rayon. Exclusively for Nike Golf."

[McMw]

that's the same shaft on the retail SQs around here - not the same as the real thing...


btw, why did u get a MAX???

[Ducky]

I didn't, I got the SQ Tour.

[Jarro]

looks like you've been shafted Duckman :(

[miro]

Duckman,

Here is what mine looks like -the first 2 photos -very sexy indeed.

Apparently the Ion Plate with Flowerband (the one I have) is a Japan only finish which goes for a few more $ given its relative scarcity. The matt blue finish which is Tour only for which you pay DOUBLE the price -crazy!

The third photo shows the Diamana range -top is the Diamana made for TM TP's, the next is the matt blue Tour, next is the standard, and at the bottom is the Japan only Ion plated flowerband.

[kwantfm]

The Matte Purple is even rarer than the Matte Blue!

[Pinglauncher]

Okay, here is a picture.

http://images6.theimagehosting.com/diamana_shaft.jpg

For those of you who are blind.

"Sasquatch. Diamana by Mitsubishi Rayon. Exclusively for Nike Golf."

Ducky, if it is a stiff and you are considering selling I would be interested. I am looking for some options to put into a Nike Ignite.

[Ducky]

I have seen what the retail Diamanas look like, I am just wondering how the OEM version compares.

Pinglauncher, I will be selling it. Obviously, once I can clarify exactly what it is.

[McMw]

sell it to someone who doesn't know - tat's ur best bet i reckon!!!

[Ducky]

I'm not going to pull a dodgey on someone. I just want to know what I am dealing with here, so far it's all speculation.

[3oneday]

Duck, it's a Diamana for Nike stock shaft, which come standard in a max. How it got into your Tour is anyones guess.

No different to the REAX from Fuji for TM, or the MAS for TM, or the RCH for Cally, it's a stock shaft. It's either OK, or it's crap. But it's not a diamana.

Pete

[Ducky]

Okay, I will have to follow this up with the seller.

Here (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=003&item=130000819165&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1) is the auction, which claims "Your driver features a DIAMANA (Mitsubishi Rayon) graphite shaft and the club is right handed."

If the Nike SQ Diamana doesn't come in the SQ Tour, I better check the serial to make sure it isn't a counterfeit.

I have posted on Golf WRX for clarification on the shaft.

What makes this a problem is that the shaft has already been replaced, so its not like I can get this sent back and replaced.

[Pinglauncher]

Okay, I will have to follow this up with the seller.

Here (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=003&item=130000819165&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1) is the auction, which claims "Your driver features a DIAMANA (Mitsubishi Rayon) graphite shaft and the club is right handed."

If the Nike SQ Diamana doesn't come in the SQ Tour, I better check the serial to make sure it isn't a counterfeit.

I have posted on Golf WRX for clarification on the shaft.

What makes this a problem is that the shaft has already been replaced, so its not like I can get this sent back and replaced.

Ducky, to me it looks like a normal SQ Max head in the picture which would account for the stock shaft. Your WITB however looks like a SQ Tour head. If you are not confused I certainly am.

[Pinglauncher]

It also seems odd they are selling the SQ Max and the TOUR version for the same price.

[Ducky]

Well, their price is inflated enough that they would be making a significant profit on the SQ Max and a small profit on the SQ Tour. Either they have replaced the SQ Tour shafts with SQ Max shafts to save on cost, or they are dishing out counterfeit clubs.

Regardless, if I find out that no SQ Tour versions come with the Nike SQ Diamana shafts, I will become quite a problem for them.

I am waiting on clarification from Nike representatives on Golf WRX.

[McMw]

just had a quick look at the ed watts cat, the Tour comes with either ProLaunch or NV shafts as stock...

[enelrojo]

There are 2 different Nike Sasquatch Diamanas, a 63 in the Max, and an 83 in the Tour.

The SQ Max has a Nike Sasquatch Diamana weighing 62 grams in stiff, that is based on the real Diamana 63. It is not the same as a real Diamana, but it is a very good OEM shaft.

The SQ Tour "stock" factory shaft is a Nike Sasquatch Diamana 83, weighing 78 grams in stiff. It is tightly based on a real Diamana 83, and shares the same specs as the real Diamana 83. My understanding is that it primarily has a longer tip section, and is therefore a bit softer. It is, however, an outstanding OEM shaft.

Don't confuse the two shafts.

[enelrojo]

Check this Nike website for an explanation. http://www.nike.com/nikegolf//flash_reg.jhtml

[Ducky]

Thanks mate. Someone on the Golf WRX website had also suggested that the tip was a little softer.

Welcome to OzGolf, by the way.

Edit: It appears that 'someone' on Golf WRX was you, lol.

[miro]

Duckman,

No reason to have a go at the seller in my opinion. You got a Diamana shaft as shown in the photo. A bit of pre-reading would have shown you that it is a "made for Nike" version not a real one.

[3oneday]

Fair enough, but I wonder who put it in there ?? It seems that Nike didn't !!

[miro]

Yep don't disagree with you Pete. However, a further bit of pre-reading would have revealed the Nike Diamana with Tour head was not a "stock" option and may then have lead to that question being asked.

[Ducky]

However, a further bit of pre-reading would have revealed the Nike Diamana with Tour head was not a "stock" option and may then have lead to that question being asked.
I don't agree, as the image pictured is the SQ Max not the SQ Tour. Regardless, I have been told that Nike can (and will) install the Sasquatch Diamana shaft into the SQ Tour head.

Obviously, I don't really mind performance wise as I have had the UST Proforce V2 installed, but it is rather disappointing that the resale value is going to be less than originally anticipated.

[3oneday]

it is rather disappointing that the resale value is going to be less than originally anticipated.it is Nike ;)

Really though, the problem with selling the SQ with the real diamana on ebay is that the average punter will say "who cares, they both say Daimana". This is, in my opinion, what affects resale... that they have two shafts that say the same thing.

Pete

[miro]

I thought I might provide an update on the SQ Tour with real Diamana after 3 rounds of use.

Firstly The Good
1. The Ion Plate Diamana is one sexy looking shaft.
2. I have hit some absolutely monstrous drives with this club.
3. I love the fact that this driver sits square.

Now the Bad
1. Every third drive I pull with this club -I suspect this is due to the shaft weight being higher than I am used to.
2. Every third drive I push with this club -I suspect this is due to the shaft weight being higher than I am used to.

Now for a guy who rates himself with driver in hand this is not a great outcome so the SQ Tour is OUT OF THE BAG.

So anyone want a great deal on a very lightly used SQ Tour with real Diamana?

[Jarro]

Duckman should be keen on this ;)

[Jono]

Now the Bad
1. Every third drive I pull with this club -I suspect this is due to the shaft weight being higher than I am used to.
2. Every third drive I push with this club -I suspect this is due to the shaft weight being higher than I am used to.



You mean you only hit 33% of the fairways with this driver? :shock: :lol:

I thought the higher shaft weight would ADD accuracy and perhaps take away some distance, not the other way around ... Are you trying to swing too hard with the heavier shaft?

[miro]

Jono,

I just think the extra weight means I get a bit "stuck" with this club which leads to either a pull or a compensatory block. You get one out of the middle though and it goes for miles.

And maybe third third third -i.e. 1 in 3 fairways hit is a bit harsh -its probably more like 1 in 2.

BUT standing on the 18th tee at Camden Lakeside the other day currently at 2 under par and then pulling (another) drive into the middle of the lake on the left was the final straw.

[Ducky]

Duckman should be keen on this ;)
Why? I already have an SQ Tour with a fitted shaft. Only you could take ho-ing to this level.

[jaster]

I think he means you could get a "real" Diamana shaft just like Tiger uses more so than just another SQ :)

[Ducky]

But I don't want the Diamana, I had a UST Proforce V2 fitted as soon as I purchased it. All of these details are wasted on Jarro.

:p

[Jarro]

can't blame you for not wanting an inferior club Duckman


:p

[Ducky]

I didn't know the discussion had switched to Taylormade?

;)

[3oneday]

I didn't know the discussion had switched to Taylormade?

;)hmmm, R7 460 TP :shock:

[Jarro]

hmmm, R7 460 TP :shock:

bad luck Ho-man, they don't do 'em with "A" flex shafts :p

[3oneday]

bad luck Ho-man, they don't do 'em with "A" flex shafts :pthey do with S though ;) found one later last night ;)

I'll send you a pic Monday :p