Beakbryce

Introduction Really thankful to MGS and Mizuno for this opportunity as a first time tester. I kind of thought that MGS eased one in to testing with a ball test, or maybe a bag or something. Nope, right into the deep end. I am a retired Marine. In the Marines I flew the RF4, the recce version of the F-4. I have a couple of hundred carrier landings, mostly on the USS Midway. After I retired from the Marines, I taught computer software and played golf. I worked at being a club pro, but ability and life change got in the way. My last 14 years of work was at the VA. First, I am 70. I’m pretty much a casual golfer, just enjoying retirement and living breathing golf. I have my own golf cart and animal headcovers, what can I say? I began playing golf in 1981. I play at least 150 rounds a year. I have played as many as 220 rounds. While there have been inevitable slumps, when I kept a handicap, I have generally been an 8 or less since 1983. I have never taped my swing, but it feels one plane. I can still get to 90 degrees on the backswing easily. Probably the only odd thing is I grip very tightly. I go wonky with a light grip and more hand action. I live in a golf course retirement community. 3 courses. However, I mostly play at Falcon Dunes, a military course at Luke AFB. It's just better, more visually interesting, has elevation changes on every shot, and above all, cheaper. I have been playing these courses for 20+ years. The primary test course will be Falcon Dunes. I will also play in the afternoon at one of the courses here in the community, circumstances permitting, as there are course closures this summer. My plan for testing is to get some yardage numbers using my Sky Caddie SX 400. Since this is a 3 club test, I will be able to report straight up if the Mizuno clubs beat my present clubs. Of course, numbers aren’t the only determining factor, so reports on feel and playability will be judgement issues. I have hit some Mizuno irons on club testing days here at my community and liked them. Ok, loved them. If I change irons, would test Mizuno and Titleist along with Callaway. My expectation for these clubs is basically the same for everyone testing clubs that are generations and years beyond what I already have, do they have the technology to be better? The golf nerd in my also wants to know if their adjustability function works. What would get me to change from my proven companions to these Mizuno clubs? Consistent length that is longer and straighter. C’mon man, what else is more important for woods and hybrids in your golf game? I’m pretty ambivalent about sound, feel, shot flight window, or anything else, if consistent length that is longer and straighter happens. Added new comments, expectations and fitting Addition: If you are following me on this thread then please go to page 6 for Initial thoughts, range testing, and first three actual play impressions Final Thoughts My main testing conclusion: QUESTION- does higher speeds work better with the Cortech chamber? Based on the other testers results I think it does. There is a physical limit for medium to slow swing speeds where less spin is a killer as the ball doesn’t have enough lift to stay in the air. This affected my results. I think Mizuno created exactly the club they wanted, low spin, shorter shaft for control, but it probably won’t work well for golfers with swing speeds less than 95 mph. Read on for the reasons for this final conclusion and other thoughts. First Impression Cortech chamber sounds cool. Internal technology to make the ball go straighter and longer. Mizuno indicates the ball will be boosted by the chamber to be faster and spin less. Who doesn’t want that? First Impression 20 out of 20 points. Aesthetics The clubs arrived well packed and undamaged. I wasn’t fond of the logo as it seemed to be an afterthought. The driver generally conforms to current driver shapes. I was off put by the front to back length. The 3 wood and 4 hybrid are beautiful looking and right sized. All 3 are fine looking shiny new clubs with no characteristic that makes them stand out in a crowd. I realize other testers liked the looks but I go back to the first time I saw a deep red putter and thought, “wow, that’s awesome”. I think Mizuno needs to find a color scheme that stands out in a crowd, where someone walking around a golf store would think, “I need to hit that thing”. What do you initially notice when looking at the Stealth driver? That red face. It’s just cool. I kept being asked about the sound. It is so unexceptional that I never noticed it. After a lot of prodding, I made sure to listen and to be truthful, it’s a dull thud. Which also may help explain why I received no feedback, no knowledge of where the ball was hitting on the face. Based on the above, I gave Aesthetics 8 out of 10. 1 point deducted for the logo and general sameness look and 1 point for sound. Looks are no better than or stand out enough from the other drivers and 3 woods on display when I browsed current offerings at my local PGA Superstore. Numbers The following pertains to the driver and 3 wood. Testing on a Trackman reported similar numbers to my current Callaway Epic clubs. Shots were low and very straight. Not much curve either way. Varying the club loft and lie to the extremes didn’t result in longer drives. They did add a draw for higher loft and a tiny fade for lower loft. Shots hit out on the extreme toe and heel away from the Cortach Chamber lost a lot of yardage. Based on the numbers I expected the Mizuno clubs to be the same as my Epics on the course. Based on these Numbers I gave it 9 out of 10 because it equaled my several generations older Epic clubs. On course play Reality struck when I took the clubs out to play. I never achieved the Trackman numbers. A lot of that was our fairways, which were soaked early morning rounds to keep them alive in 110 degree weather during the testing period. Importantly, the average distance for the driver and 3 wood was 10-15 yards shorter than my current Epic clubs. That difference held up on the day I hit both clubs from each tee and landing area as appropriate. While they are straighter than my Epic woods, statistically, fairways hit was the same. The extra club needed for second shots on par 4’s and third shots on par 5’s also didn’t necessarily affect scoring unless I played the longer tees on my course. Shorter drives from the longer tees resulted in balls landing and stopping quicker on the numerous up slopes in the landing area that my Epic normally carried. I initially felt there was a big sweet spot in the clubs conforming to the Cortech Chamber. I ended up not sure about that though as hits seemingly in the same spot on the face went anywhere from 195 yards or so to one 230+ yarder with no rhyme or reason for the difference. I think they chased the mantra of a low spin driver down the rabbit hole. I gave the clubs 15 out of 20 for On Course play. Recreational golf is all about pointing at your buddy’s drive while cruising past to your own ball farther up the fairway. Maybe you don’t score as well, but the beat down already happened in the fairway. Am I right? 3 points for distance and 2 points for the lack of feel. Miscellaneous: The good, bad, in between All three were adjustable which made the testing process fun. I question the decision to go with 45 inch driver shafts because length may suffer given all other things being equal when compared to other current clubs. I am not sure I buy into the theory that a ¾ to 1 inch shorter shaft automatically means the ball will be hit in the center of the clubface to make up yardage loss from a shorter shaft length. I am also not a fan of the adjustable hosel. There is a picture on the website that shows what each change makes to the clubhead lie and loft. While it is easily understood and is easy to change it, there is no literature that comes with the clubs, nor on their website that explains in plain English what change occurs when an other than stock setting is selected. How hard would it have been to provide an explanation that at the plus one setting, “the 9.5 degree driver is now 10.625 degrees and the face is 1.5 degrees closed”. They should have a caption that reads for those changes, “From your standard flight path, these changes should result in a higher ball flight that goes a little left” or whatever those changes actually accomplish. Additionally, changing a setting on the hosel rotates the shaft and the grip, so those players with a reminder rib would have to live with the reminder in the wrong spot and/or pay to regrip the club. I gave the Miscellaneous factor 17 out of 20. Plus 3 points for adjustability, minus 3 points for lack of explanation for said adjustability to the average golfer, minus 1 point for the problem with a rib grip, and 2 points for the shorter shaft. Play it or Trade it Back to my original question regarding lower spin, as it turns out, slower swing speed golfers do not want or need drastically lower spin. No lift to help keep the ball in the air. I entered the testing thinking that a straight up comparison with my current clubs would be won if the driver and 3 wood were longer regardless of feel or any other detractor. They are straight but not longer. 0 points for Play it or Trade it. Points for driver and 3 wood: 69 out of 100. 4 hybrid Maybe because this is closer to iron technology, this club is an absolute money club. I was not looking for all out distance, but rather a club that fit my yardage gap between my heaven wood and my 6 hybrid. I currently have a Big Bertha 19 (BB 19) 4 hybrid. It slots right in with the other clubs in my bag with a 180 yard flight that I can choke up and hit 170. The Mizuno slotted perfectly into those same yardages. It did that with a higher ball flight and a softer landing. This club is a pure joy to hit. It looks, visually, half the size of my BB19 although it isn’t. It forces a good swing. If a good swing is not made, there is a ton of feedback. While I am decidedly not a range rat, if I was, I would hit this a lot. The sound is pleasant. For all factors because this club did exactly what I wanted, looks and feels great, 20 points for Initial Impression, 10 points for Aesthetics, 10 points for Numbers, 20 points each for On Course play, Miscellaneous, and Play it or Trade it. Clean sweep, 100 points. Conclusion and other thoughts If I was going to get fit for a Mizuno club again, I would find a place that has the Mizuno 7 iron fitting tool that makes club and shaft recommendations based on your swing characteristics. If I was a new golfer without developed swing speed, or current golfers with lower swing speeds, I believe the Mizuno clubs would be something to at least try. The ability in a fitting to find a straight hit should be fairly easy as that is what the club wants to do. They are $100 cheaper than other premium drivers. I am just not sure how one would progress if the club is not giving any feedback for your swing. If one has a higher swing speed, then maybe the straight ball from this driver and/or 3 wood could help lower scores. It should be included in a fitting. I feel it is appropriate for experienced golfers to think of this test as a competition for the Mizuno clubs to be compared with what is out there available for sale now. While there were similar numbers on Trackman, these clubs never had the distance during actual play that my generations old Epics have. I think the lower spin and shorter shaft were deciding factors. The Mizuno’s were straighter albeit just barely. Given that the current golf theory is rip it and go find it you would think Mizuno would build to what is popular. In my case, the rip is charmingly age appropriate but still what I am looking to achieve. The Epics are straight enough and longer. Plus, the Callaway Epics are just more fun to hit as they feel great. I know before I look up where the ball is going. I like that. I think that is part of what makes golf great. I said at the beginning that I wasn’t concerned to much with feel if they were longer and straighter compared to the current bag. Because the driver and 3 wood aren’t longer than my current clubs, and lack feel, they won’t be finding a place in my bag. Offer to send clubs to another tester I offered to send the clubs to another tester as they were not going to stay in my bag. @Silver Fawkes is currently conducting an ongoing test. Please see: Here are some pictures of the clubs just before sending them.

As others suggested, I also use Dawn. I don't wear a glove. I have standard Callaway grips. BTW, if you try a Callaway grip and like it, you can buy them on Callaway pre-owned cheap. They charge $9.95 for shipping but if you buy a large number of grips it works out. I bought 40 last time as my wife also uses Callaway grips. Although I live in AZ, my hands don't generally sweat which is useful. Additionally, I lay the grips on a towel when I take clubs around the green. Not only saves grips, but makes the clubs uber visual so they don't get left behind.

Little more info. Since you have a 7 wood, you might want to go with 5,6,7 hybrid. My heavenwood and 4 hybrid have the same loft, but the heavenwood has a 5 wood length shaft and goes much higher and 10 yards longer than the 4 hybrid, which keeps my distance spacing right. My 6 hybrid has a longer than normal shaft as well which means I can either choke down on the 4 hybrid or gear up on the 6 hybrid for the distance gap between the two of them. That is one advantage with the older Big Bertha 19 hybrids, you can swap out the shaft and adjust loft to make a club for specific distances. My Vokeys are 50,54,58. I couldn't golf without my 58, so hoping you can get your 60 back in the bag. Testing different clubs should help your choices.

I am with you. Almost 71. I went in a slightly different direction with clubs and just want to pass this along. You might want to consider hybrids. I swapped out my mid irons for 4, 6, 7 hybrid and haven't looked back. I hit the 6 and 7 hybrid at least twice as high as I ever hit an iron but can still play them back in my stance and knock them down. I have 8-pw and 3 vokey wedges as my only irons. Fun times.

Callaway ever since I found the Callaway pre-owned site, so many years ago. Vokey wedges though. That being said, just bought a Sun Mountain bag. I had a Callaway ORG 14 that fell apart in 3 years. Faded, one of the internal metal stays wouldn't "stay" which made it sit lopsided, hard getting clubs in and out as the internal cloth was bunching. I did like that it had an internal zipper that allowed access to the bottom of the bag for those times something fell down there or when getting the stay back in position. Haven't had time to see if the Sun Mountain bag has same zipper. If not, will suggest in a review. I will try Titleist irons before my next iron purchase. Sometimes change is good.

Reviewed some things and building/speculating about things that might work. 1. PGA Tour remains as is with it's list of tournaments but NO designated events. Prize money provided by PIF to be enormous on an equal basis. Sponsors now responsible for charity only. 72 holes, CUTS, Fedex cup. 2. Appearance money to be given to those players deemed worthy of such except for LIV players for the length of whatever contract time they signed up for. The appearance money to be provided by PIF as a standard amount to each tournament for them to use as they see fit. After LIV contracts up, fair game for everyone. This would make guys like Matsuyama whole and reward staying with the tour. 3. After the PGA Tour season and Ryder/Presidents cup, ie, the silly season, a bonus season for the top 20 willing to play. 3-6 big money events. 2-3 day events so they aren't taxing. 4 man teams drafted by each of the top 20, different formats. An event with say 2 man alternate shot with the best score on each hole being the best ball of the 2 teams, another straight up 4 man best ball event, another 4 man scramble (imagine the scores 4 pros could manage in a scramble). All events to played as a foursome playing with your teammates. Maybe a Stableford scoring event. Stuff like that. Fun stuff with walk up music and general rowdiness. Could do things like pull someone out of the crowd at each green and have a chip off against a pro with instant prize money. Let's say when you walk in to the tournament you tell them what hole you are going to be by and you get a lottery ticket that each group can pick numbers out of a bowl and call out a number for the person to try the chip. Money for getting it on the green, even more money if closer than the pro. Fun times. There must be lots of marketing ideas out there to make the tournaments fun for everyone. Could televise the better or most interesting shots by the person picked. 4. The proposed tournaments in the fall for the golfers from DP World Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, 71-150 from the Pro Tour (assuming the cut for definitive safe to next year is the top 70 and ties), etc, to see who fits in where for the next year, could also be played during the same time period as now. Thoughts?

breaking news: China, enamored with the whole sportswashing theory, formed an investment fund and it's first offer was to buy the NY YANKEES. Stay tuned as MLB reacts to this formidable new threat.

Thoughts: First, can I just say this, Shark, your 15 minutes of fame are done. Bye-Bye. You are a bitter old man who broke the Tour. No one will want to have anything to do with you. If I was a sponsor of a "non designated event" between the US Open and The Open, I would use my exemptions to invite DJ, Brooks, Phil, and HV III. You know that tournament probably isn't getting the Sheffler, Rory, JT, Speith, Rahm group. If Monahan objects, I would tell him to bite me. I also expect the Tour rank and file may say enough is enough. The Monahan, Tiger, Rory cabal that changed the schedule, brought out big money tournaments for the very few, was proposing no cut 80 player fields with limited opportunity to get in are going to feel the wrath of the other half that have been getting short shrift. If I was them, I would band together, kick Monahan out, vote out the merger, let the chips fall where they will. We have already heard one player telling Rory to F*** off. I am curious how much money PIF will offer the top 20-30 pros on the Tour to get them to help get the approval of the rest of the players. No reason now not to take the money and run. What happens when the DOJ, the EU board, don't approve the merger because it creates a monopoly? I would expect at that time to see a lot more players defect to LIV because the Tour will be in total disarray. Are the LIV Europeans back in the Ryder Cup? I know Monahan is saying there will be a road back for LIV players to ask for reinstatement to the Tour but there will be sanctions of some kind. Don't believe it, LIV won, by the time the next season arrives, EVERYONE will be tired of the fight, they will be quietly reinstated somehow. Trust me on this.

1. Have you purchased any golf products based on MyGolfSpy reviews? (Please list which ones.) epic driver, 3-5-7 woods. Vokey wedges- 50-54-58. 2. How has MyGolfSpy changed the way you think about golf equipment? I really like reading about the tech in adjustable clubs. The more I have read, the better the tweaks to my woods and hybrids to really dial in what i want to see. On the other hand, all the ball testing, while excellent as a science, isn't as practical. I really believe that your take on low vs high compression is true due to my own testing with a driver, but distance wise with my swing speed, most premium balls go about the same distance off all other clubs. However, I play a lot of found balls and at my swing speeds, I haven't found that minor scuffing affects the ball at all. At 70, my clubs are more hand grenade range rather than precise sniper hits anyway. 3. Have these purchases lowered your scores? (List which products and how much they have lowered your scores.) You bet. Farther and straighter. The epic woods find the fairway more often and the Vokeys are good from 105 yards and in. Chipping better than ever. 4. How have these purchases helped you enjoy the game more? How? Again, can't argue with farther and straighter. Additionally, as I buy a year or two behind new releases, I have a lot of data when I go to Callaway pre-owned to make an informed decision on what my next clubs will be. Lets face it, the major golf magazines have hot lists etc, but there isn't enough differentiation among the products. It seems like all the major manufacturers get a gold rating for their premier clubs, which is probably true as a lot of clubs are good right now, but I need data representative of people that don't drive the ball at 180 mph. I would rather read what 4 or 5 guys say on MGS. The latest Paradigm iron test was an eye opener, as none of the golf magazines would ever say that center hits go 10-12 yards farther than even slightly off center hits. I realize that off center hits are killer bad, but 10-12 yards is a club difference. I know at least one of the major magazines has 30-40 people hitting a lot of clubs, but an in depth review by each of them for each club isn't to be found as far as I know.

You can also try callaway golf pre-owned site. Not exactly 50% off but a lot cheaper for last year or the year before models. Also occasional deals on older generation clubs.

Aeration holes are common in spring but are not considered ground under repair, so free relief is generally not allowed. But relief may be permitted if a Model Local Rule is in effect – check with your golf course before your round to know for sure. Everyone understands that golfers don’t necessarily want to play on greens and fairways that have just been aerated, but it’s important to keep in mind that the short-term disruption is significantly outweighed by the long-term benefits. For more on that, watch this video from the USGA Green Section. Since I would only play a course where the Model Local Rule for aeration holes would be in effect, I would take it out of the plug hole as ground under repair and chip with my 58. C'mon man!

I live in Goodyear AZ. Apparently, the only business we seem to be able to attract are large warehouses. We had a local course torn up so a warehouse and Pilot truck stop can be put in it's place. So although it isn't housing, losing golf courses to other uses is a thing.

Reading a lot of your posts and it is pretty clear you hit in the center a lot. That would make the distance usable. Great reviews and have fun with the clubs.

Giving putts is part of match play, and strategic in nature. Giving putts in stroke play is questionable. That being said, since I do neither, most of the time my group auto 2 putts as our greens aren't that good. We don't play for anything other than fun. Most people would say that that ruins your putting but I won the last putting contest I entered. I probably hit 50 putts a day on my birdie putting mat.

Kinda hard to figure the yardage if a dead center shot adds 12 yards and just a little off center results in the normal distance.

Revisiting this thread. My current clubs are looking long in the teeth. Nevertheless, everything is safe. That being said, really intrigued with the recent Paradigm iron test. Looking forward to the driver test. Maybe fairway woods and hybrids to come? However, I have determined I won't buy the first generation of any "new" club. Next years paradigms will be better and you know they are already designed and locked in for future orders by Callaway.

Thank you all for great reviews.

Looks like you have some answers. The courses you play- heavy rough, windy, favors lower running shots- go hybrid. Little rough, wind, need to get the ball up, go 5 wood. Personally, a smallish head 5 wood does the rough just as well as a hybrid. You can also learn to knock it down in the wind. But why choose one or the other? Have both and put one in the bag depending on the conditions and the course.

What do you do to hit from less than 95? Choke up, clock code, feel it? Just curious.

As thorough as it gets. You have a lot of data and good explanations. Thank you.

Gamed 50.54.58 for the last 12 years or so. Various Vokeys. The gap between my PW and 50, I just choke up on the PW. I am with several others here in that yardage gaps and how one copes with in between yardages determines the setup. This also depends on the ball you game. I have set yardages for chipping my wedges with a Pro V1. Lately, I have found more Pro V1X and they go 10 more yards than my set chipping stroke allows for. Screwing with my head. My point is you have to match your ball and the wedge set.

Play Pro V1 and 1x. The 1x is a good ball but inconsistent chipping around the greens for me. As for price, right now I have a shoe box full of found Pro V1 and 1X so they cost me nothing. If I had to buy balls, I would go with Vice Pro Plus. Slots right in to my game, ie, plays the same for me as Pro V. Have tried literally dozens of different balls that I find. My observations: TP5 and 5x just not long enough off my driver. Iron distances about the same. Not as straight. Bridgestone expensive balls like the B Rx etc. Have nothing against them other than I just wouldn't pay for them. Inexpensive Bridgestones, the E6 and E12 lack feel and require to much change in all aspects of my game to play. Callaway, and I am a Callaway guy, but they just aren't long enough off the driver. I hope this isn't psychological after reading all the bad press here about their balls and how soft balls don't go as far... Anyway, another player in the group likes them so give them to him. I kind of wish a Chrome X LS would appear under a bush so I could try it. Haven't found a lot of Maxfli, and I end up giving them away as they don't play well for me. Who knows why? I don't. They have a good rep in these forums. Srixon, generally like their balls but another regular golf 4some member loves them so he gets all the ones I find. Also all the Kirklands.

Adams is back. Never had one but the new lineup looks good. Looking forward to maybe a MGS test?

Is there anything not a little strange about golf? Everyone has a least a little bit of strange in their bag. If you feel you cover all the yardages you need to cover, what difference does it make what is in your bag? Go forth and score. Have fun. If I was a country and western song writer, could probably turn this question in to a hit record!

1st or 2nd tee time and this part of the year that is a 0600 or 0607 tee time. Doesn't matter. I like 30-45 minutes, mentioned by several others, which wasn't a choice so didn't vote. Get in some chipping and putting, 2 clubs to swing and stretch, and I am ready. We are all regulars so there is a little catching up to do and maybe a war story, then we are off. Don't need much as I play or swing on my mat every day.