GolfSpy_BOS

Steward Golf Q Follow – Official MGS Forum Review by PMookie
My Game and a little about me
 
I live in West Monroe, LA, which is in the Northeast part of the state, 4 ½ hours North of New Orleans, 3 ½ North of Baton Rouge, and I’m only about 45 miles from the Arkansas line, 55 from Mississippi.  I’m 53 years old, and I’ve been playing since I was little. I learned to play at Pat’s Par 3 in Ypsilanti, MI, now called Miles of Golf. My Dad was a high school golf coach, and my first official tournament was the Ann Arbor Junior Open in the summer of 1982, finishing third. I play to a 4.7 GHIN as I type this, but my lowest ever score is just 74.
 As far as testing the Stewart Q, I’m going to be testing it on the course I play all the time, and I will perform some tests in my backyard as we have a pretty good slope that I wouldn’t find on local courses. One thing I’m really happy to learn is that my greens fees will be going from $48 per round to just $20 per round because I’ll be walking! BONUS!!!
I’ve watched a few video reviews of the Q Follow on YouTube, and read some reviews on various sites online. There only a few issues I’ve seen with the device and one was posted here on by someone who also posted the same issue over on WRX, and it’s an issue with the handle coming apart from the cart. I’ve also seen it mentioned that there are some who had carts that simply couldn’t go straight (others had corrected the issue themselves), and some “jumpy carts”, so we’ll see. For something that costs $2,700, I don’t foresee many problems, but that’s why we’re testing isn’t it?
 So, that’s about it for me for now. I really look forward to getting the cart and getting it out in the backyard, and on the course. Thank you, MGS and Stewart, for the opportunity to be a tester! I greatly appreciate it, and I look forward to y’all’s questions all along the way.








Stewart Q Follow- Official MGS Forum Review by PMookie
First Impressions:
From the moment the Q Follow arrived at my door I was impressed! The box had a great look to it with the big “Q” on the side, the styrofoam that encased the Follow had the Stewart logo on it, and there was a BUNCH of information in the box to guide a user! Really nice. Once I got the Follow out of the box and was able to look it over, I really didn’t want to get the thing dirty! I’m big on how rims/tires look on cars… I don’t like huge ones, but I like them to look “muscular”, different. Well, the Follow has just that, and add the red accent behind the wheels?! Wow! Next were the carbon accents, the finish of the body, all of it black… Man! Such a great looking cart! I took a bunch of pics and added them in my “unboxing” so you can see them there. Add to all of this the CART BAG that showed-up a few days later and I was completely taken-aback! I even mention in one of my videos that it’s an impressive looking machine! 
As far as getting the Q Follow on the course the first time, and getting it underway, I found it to be VERY easy to learn the controls and to get used to them. I had not “practiced” at all at home before I took it out of my vehicle and began to guide it across the parking lot to the driving range before my round, so I was a little nervous, but there was no reason to be. Easy-breezy. I used the arrows on the remote to guide it at first, but once I got on the first hole I engaged “follow mode” and was highly impressed! It worked just as I’d hoped it would by staying right behind me. It really did feel like I had my own personal caddie! So many people at the course stopped to take a look because I’m the only person that plays there that has a remote controlled cart. I had a number of people ask me about it, I could hear folks say, “Look at that,” and even had a college kid tell me how cool it was. Overall, all things included, I was quite impressed. 





5 out of 5 stars!
 
Aesthetics: 
I mentioned a lot in the first impressions paragraph above about the aesthetics, so I won’t belabor the point too much, but I found this to be a beautiful machine, and the carbon accents do add a degree of refinement to it for sure. Are they worth an additional $300? Nope, but they sure look good! I’m going to take a minute here to talk about the bag, even though it isn’t being reviewed… Aestheically, it’s gorgeous. It has some of the same carbon looking accents, the red coloring on it really pops especially since it’s “shiny”, and the Stewart logo on the ball area looks awesome! Really cool!

5 out of 5 stars!
 
The Numbers:
This didn’t really apply to our review so I’m giving a perfect score anyway…
5 out of 5 stars!
 
On-The-Course:
The Q Follow performed better than I expected on-course. Follow mode was fantastic and I ended-up using it about 80% of the time the last two rounds I played using it. The MAIN feature of this cart is the follow mode, and I wouldn’t want any other remote control cart if it didn’t have this same ability! Really, it’s that good! I was able to trust it to follow me up-and-down hills, mounds, across “bridges”, and even up to the teeboxes and it never wavered, fell over, or had any issue keeping-up. There was only ONE time it had difficulty and I showed that in a video. The issue, I believe, was that my bag just didn’t weigh enough to keep the cart tilted forward so it got “caught” on a steep incline. The instructions for the Q Follow to have one’s bag weigh around 31 pounds (not sure how many “stones” that is for those across the pond, HA!) and I would say that would be one piece of advice I would “follow” (ha!) for anyone that gets one of these. Weight of one’s bag DOES make a difference in performance, not just going up hills, but in the general on-course performance it’s smoother and not as “jerky”. 

5 out of 5 stars!
 
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
Well, one thing I have not mentioned until this point was that when my Q Follow was taken outside for the first time to try and practice, I started to “unfold” it and the right “fender” or “wing” fell right off. It was broken… Wow. A $3,100 machine and the carbon wing was already an issue. It turns out that the piece is not carbon at all, just plastic finished to look like carbon, and the two connections are VERY flimsy, thin pieces that can break easily. It was a complete bummer, and I was pretty upset. A positive about having something broken? I was able to test the customer service right away! I emailed them and had a response within an hour or two that new ones were on their way. The new pieces arrived just two days later, but no instructions were in the box. The wings are not “snap-on”, they are “screw-in”, so I had NO idea how to replace the wing. I email again, and I get the response within hours. Stewart sent me two wings, and I was glad they did because it turned-out the left wing was broken as well! Ugh. Not a good look, again, for SUCH an expensive machine. I got both wings on after a little difficulty, but I would definitely suggest that Stewart design those parts to be a little thicker, and able to take a beating. The Q Follow is going to be folded, and unfolded many times over years I would hope, and flimsy plastic isn’t going to cut it long-term. I was not impressed by how cheap the wings were, and I’m glad I didn’t have to pay the excessive fees to replace them. On that note, all of the accessories are over-priced in my estimation. We didn’t get anything that wasn’t made of plastic or rubber, so for someone to pay $40 for a phone holder is a bit much for a $.10 piece of rubber. I guess they figure one is spending three-grand so money isn’t an issue… Maybe, I just think it’s excessive.


2 out of 5 stars!
 
Play it or Trade it:
There is NO doubt it’s a PLAY IT! 100%, no questions asked. It’s a great machine, and I REALLY enjoy it! I still need to calibrate the thing so it stops drifting left, but it has been awesome to go to the course and walk 9 again once-a-week. The Q Follow REALLY makes the rounds more enjoyable. I can stay in-tune with my round, but not have to PUSH or CARRY my bag. I can hit the “follow mode” button, put the remote on my rear pocket, and just walk. It’s fantastic. I thoroughly enjoy it!
5 out of 5 stars!
 
Conclusion:
The Q Follow is a great looking remote control cart that does everything Stewart says it does, and it does it with flying colors! It’s simple and intuitive to use, the follow mode is amazing, it really is like having one’s own caddie, and outside of some manufacturing shortcuts, it’s something I think anyone would enjoy having! If one can afford it, I say “go for it”!
 
FINAL SCORE: 27/30
Literally, the only issue I had was with the wings and the lack of quality in their construction, but everything else about the Q Follow was top-notch and lived-up to its billing. 

 

Greetings Spies.  My name is Bill and I reside in southwest Montana. I'm ecstatic and honored to have been selected among the thousands of who applied to test the Stewart Q Follow Electric Caddie.  A HUGE THANK YOU to the folks at Stewart Golf and MyGolfSpy for providing this great testing opportunity!!  I find these forum-based product reviews to be very informative and meaningful.  Marketing claims are "put to the test" by fellow amateur players with no strings attached.  I have used these reviews as part of my recent equipment changes and will do my best to provide you all with a meaningful review of the Stewart Q Follow Caddie.

Please check out my introduction/bio here.  
So as many of you may know, through our discussions on the forum, my preferred mode of travel on the course is walking. 
18th hole at Wine Valley during this years PNW Spy Meet-up.

Unless the course does not allow walking, I rarely opt for an electric/gas cart. To be brutally honest, I just don't like bouncing around, getting in/out and traversing the fairway.  Further, many courses limit where power carts can go (i.e. 90 degree rule, off fairways altogether, and green approach areas).  I prefer the cadence that walking affords - allowing me to think about the upcoming shot (or blowing off steam from the previous shot 😊). If I want to stay in the shade of a tree line as the group makes its way down the fairway, or just mosey along enjoying the sights, I have that option. Plus, it's great exercise and helps keep me stay loose - especially on colder days. I recently upgraded from a Sun Mountain Speed Cart to a Caddy-Tek EZ-V8 (which I did an unofficial review on here). 
I've seen some of the various electric walking carts on courses and always was interested in them. At 62 years of age, I'm still in pretty good shape but will admit that some course terrain is beginning to tax the legs and lungs a wee bit.  Having a multi-mode, powered push cart seems like a great option. So when I saw the opportunity to test the Stewart Q Follow Caddie, I was really excited. From what I've read, this looks to be an industry leader in lightweight, compact design, and follow/tracker technology.
A few questions that immediately come to my mind and are of interest include;
battery life and how much it drops off (or not) during a round or even 27 holes recharging time stability on side hills ability to power through heavy rough and uneven terrain do I have to switch out of follow mode when walking onto the greens and tees? how easy is it to drive/steer using the remote? and, ultimately for me, will having the powered functionality offer a seamless transition from my many years using a simple push-cart? If you have any specific questions or things you would like myself and other testers to investigate, please reach out to us and we'll do our best to cover them in our reviews. 
 
Final Review - Stewart Q Follow Golf Trolley
 First Impressions (4 of 5 stars)
Once again, I want to open this review with a HUGE Thank You to both Stewart Golf and MGS for providing us the opportunity to test/review the Stewart Q Follow Caddie.  I don't mind repeating myself in saying that these forum product reviews are of more value to me than most all other reviews I read.  In fact, now when I consider buying new golf products, I always check to see if a forum, Hit Squad, or both have been done when whittling down information leading to a buy or move on decision.
My initial impression of this product was very well engineered and excellent build craftsmanship.  The shipping box was heavy duty and packing protection top notch. The packing arrangement makes for easy removal and, perhaps as important, easy to repack (I had the opportunity to test this out with our move to AZ).  Help instructions are in the right places - isn't that so often overlooked these days. My shipment had definitely seen some rough handling, and gave the protective packaging a serious test.


Upon getting the cart out and unfolded, I was quite impressed by its look - which I would describe as quite modern, stylish, and sleek.  The "black carbon" version we received has some nice accents (wheel fenders) that give it just the right amount of "pop".


Little details like pressed-fit, sealed wheel bearings, and cooling fins on the drive motor, are not features one would see on low end products.

The key technology of the Stewart Q Follow is the Bluetooth follow mode. With that function selected, the cart is seeking the handheld pendant. When I first trialed this in the yard, it was without a bag on the cart, and I found the cart quite erratic.  At first, I thought it was due to not holding the pendant still (as in clipped to my belt) but, after getting the clubs aboard, the cart became quite steady.  It still makes some jerky direction changes but nothing excessive.  The bottom-line is that the follow technology works as advertised.  Soon into my third round, I began not really thinking about the cart too much and just felt confident my clubs would be within arm's reach when I got to my ball.
Personally, I found trying to hook the pendant onto my belt or pants/shorts pocket each time I selected "follow" a pain.  Upon arriving at the ball, you can stay within the "no follow" zone, and it won't attempt to move to you.  But, on a several occasions, I would just get outside that range while setting up for the shot and the cart you suddenly swivel and move towards me. What worked best for me was simply carrying the pendant in my hand as I walked to my ball, then place it on my bag, take the shot, pick up the pendant and start walking.  My testing showed the carts steering to be nearly identical whether on my belt or in my hand.  I even swung the pendant around while watching and the carts steering was hardly affected at all.
 
Aesthetics (5 of 5 stars)
I really like the look of the cart. As I mentioned above, it has a very modern look with just enough bling in the right places. The light grey rubber handle inserts and bag strap, the exposed carbon fiber basket-weave fenders, grey wheel rims, and red inner wheel covers blend really well. Overall, it is quite compact folded up and not as large as one might think a "battery powered" cart would be.  

The battery nest fits perfect and simply blends into the cart base for a streamline look.


The Numbers (4 of 5 stars)
Unlike the accuracy of a range finder or carry distance for clubs, this category for a bag cart is a bit challenging.  But, I will touch on a key thing that can definitely effect "one's numbers (scoring)" and that is fatigue.  I've used non-motorized golf push carts for the better part of 45 years and while their designs have evolved to make them more compact and feature rich, they still require manual labor.  As we get older, that effort becomes more and more noticeable.  On courses with significant elevation and slope changes, I've really started to notice that my stamina wanes as the holes roll along.  Add in some heat index and that just makes manual carts feel heavier with each passing yard.
The rounds I have played using the Stewart Q Follow Caddie have significantly reduced the level of fatigue I feel as compared to my manual push cart. I cannot yet equate better scoring with the Stewart Q but it stands to reason that being less fatigued over the course of a round will more likely than not help ones scoring.

On The Course (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Stewart Q Follow worked better than I expected in both manual drive and follow modes. I say better than expected because I had visions of looking back for my clubs only to see them some distance back and off-track. I used the follow mode about 90% of the time and it always kept up with me.  With the exception of it finding a pothole as it left the cart path and falling over, it never had an issue.

The first course I tested on had a really good mix of terrain. The carts paths are mostly gravel and some not so smooth.  There were plenty of bumps and lumps which did tend to knock the steering off course a bit, but the tracking technology did a very good job of making corrections.  It did get a bit jumpy at times when this happened, but nothing all that drastic. 
While the cart does well going up hills, going down steep hills isn't so good - particularly if you walk at normal pace.  What I found worked was to just walk slow and kind of guide it along close behind. On a few grades, I noted the brakes having to engage to slow travel and skid the wheels. Of course the instructions suggest using manual steering and use of the handle in these situations, but what fun is that? 🙂.
The course also had plenty of side hills and I purposely walk up the slopes and in a zig-zag manner to see how the tracking worked.  It did a good job making steering adjustments but definitely was working the two wheel motors pretty hard.  Still, I was quite impressed with its ability to keep up.

The Good, the Bad, and the In-between (3.5 of 5 stars)
The "good" points are:
The cart is very compact folded up which will really help those driving cars with limited trunk space. It is very easy to unfold and refold once you get the sequence down. Battery life is as advertised. We received the 36 hole battery and, following each of my 18 hole rounds, the app showed close to 60% remaining. The battery app is easy to use and provides status whether connected to the cart or charging cords. The quick dis-engage design of the rear wheels, for full manual mode, is very easy.  Removing and replacing the battery is easy and the recharge time for it and the remote pendant as described in the user manual. The cart adjusts well to the players walking pace.  I found this really helpful when slowing down and "helping" the cart through odd terrain.  This even works on moderate downhill grades. Switching to manual/pendant steering is easy and one quickly gets the feel for how much left and right arrow is needed to make course adjustments. The cart had very ample torque and climbing power.  I took it up a few quite steep inclines and it had no problem.  The two "wheelie wheels" do a great job at keeping the cart from tipping over backwards.  The "bad" points are:
The handle is a bit on the flimsy side.  On several holes with moderate contours around the greens and tees, I dis-engaged the rear wheels from the motor and pushed the cart.  I found the amount of flexing in the handle a little concerning.  When using my current cart, I sometimes will give it a pretty hefty shove going over curbs. I would be concerned about this handle holding up under similar situations. To be fair, maybe it will sustain way more flexure and stress than I think... but it just made me nervous. Storage is pretty much non-existent. I found myself really missing the mesh cargo net bag, storage tray, and zippered storage pocket on my current Caddy-Tek cart. For me, this was a big negative that affected scoring. The "In-between" points are:
The cart folded is a bit heavy and I could see this maybe being an issue for older folks (even more so for women) lifting in/out of car trunks. It seems the "glide stop" mode should be the default.  The carts stops quite abruptly if this mode is not on, and I should think most users will want this on... so why not make it the default? The cart does work fine with lighter than optimum weight bags, but the tradeoff is that the cart tends to pop wheelies a bit more when starting off and when following up steeper inclines. Play it or Trade it? (4 of 5 stars)
To be brutally honest, I'm on the fence on this one.  I walked one of my (new to me) courses today using my cart and was taking note of all the uneven surface changes I went through moving from greens to tees.  Most of the cart paths stand several inches higher than the ground and I could see myself having to do quite a bit of "helping" the Stewart Q cart through this - whether in follow or manual steering.  Staying on the concrete paths would be a solution but there are a good many more direct/shorter paths through packed gravel that the walking folks use. I need to get a few rounds in with it on the courses here to make this final decision.  I do think it will help reduce fatigue, especially on hot days, and that is a BIG incentive. While my Caddy-Tek cart is quite light and easy to push, I still feel it towards the end of rounds.  I'm definitely going to put the Stewart Q through more paces and testing here and see how it works out.
One factor I'm interested in is battery life and and adverse effects of use and storage in hot climates - like Arizona hot in summer months. They recommend charging at near room temps, which is fine and doable, but what about use and storage in a garage that's near 100F?
I'm quite sure I would not have spent the MSRP for this cart.  I had previously looked at battery powered, manual steer units and opted not to invest the $700 to $1000 for some of those. I do think the build quality and technology are excellent, and the follow mode a really helpful feature, but the price seems a bit high IMO.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the Stewart Q Follow Caddie is the real deal and does what it was designed to do.  With the exceptions noted above and two key design aspects (weak handle and virtually no storage), the cart manual and follow steering modes work very well. It works well over moderately uneven terrain; gravel paths, over tree roots, and low curbs (say up to an inch).  Straight out of the box, the cart is assembled and, with the help of fantastic instructions, requires only a few base and handle movements to be ready to load your bag and head off to the tee.  After the round is done, the fold and store sequence is very easy and surprisingly compact.  It is a little on the heavy side and could be an issue for some lifting into and out of deep trunks. 
The ability to quickly disengage both the rear wheels is great in the event of either the cart or pendant batteries running out, a system malfunction, or forgetting to bring the pendant with you (which I nearly did 😬 ). With the wheels disengaged, the cart feels very much like any other push cart.  It rolls along fine but keep in mind the weight of the battery will require expending a few more calories.  It's also worth noting that the handle is no where near as rigid as most carts and tends to twist/flex a bit if pushing forward over curbs, cart paths, etc.  There are other reviews on this product where handles breaking have happened - so just something to consider and remember when using.
It seems to work well with various golf bags.  I used my Sun Mountain Four 5 kickstand bag and it had no issues.  Stewart Golf does recommend using a bit heavier bags to minimize "wheelies" during drive motor starts, but I did not find that an issue.  While perhaps not optimum, it's nice to know the cart can be used with a pretty wide range of bags.
The $2699 to $3099 MSRP (depending on options) is pretty high as compared to other battery powered, manual pendant steer carts.  Because I'm not real familiar with the competing products, I won't try and justify the cost of this product except to say I think the Stewart Q Follow is a top-shelf product with respect to engineering and build quality.  
I think the bottom-line is that if you really love to walk but are finding doing so with a manual push cart too taxing, and you want a high end, quality built cart with state-of-art follow mode feature, the Stewart Q Follow should definitely be on your list.  I must say that the follow mode is quite cool.  Simply walking from shot to shot with "Stewey" tagging along and having your clubs there when you get to the ball could be habit forming.
Thank you for reading this review.  Be sure to check out the "comments" section with the many posts we testers made chronicling our experiences using this product.  Also, check in periodically as myself and the other testers will be adding more findings in the comments section as we get more experience using the product.  
Final Score (25 out of 30 stars)
 

October 2022- Final Review!
Intro
Hey MGS, my name is Andrew and I am from Cleveland, OH. I can’t say enough how appreciative I am that I was selected to test the Stewart Q Follow Electric Caddie. A big thanks to both Stewart Golf and MGS for this amazing opportunity. I am an avid walker and initially started out by carrying my bag about 3 years ago. In the Fall of 2019, I received my current push cart, the Caddytek 3 wheel, so far it has been good, it holds everything I need within an arm’s reach and is very dependable. 
I play at a small semi-private course that averages about 4-5 miles of walking per round. The course itself is quite difficult playing about ~6,700 yards with a slope of 140 from the 1 up tees. I play about 50 rounds a year and I am ~9 handicap. 
Please see the comment section for my full intro!
Final Review
I will admit I have put my Q follow through just about everything possible: I have played a full round during the a steady rain, up/down hills, through thick and wet rough, and lastly through an area of brush that was just cut down a few weeks ago. Time and time again the Q follow showed its durability by being up to the task.
 
 
 
First Impression 5/5 
The Q follow came packaged well, definitely sturdy enough to handle today’s shipping and delivery. The Q follow was much smaller than I anticipated for an electric caddie. It folded up compactly, but I’ll admit I did have to use the instruction manual to figure out how to correctly open and close the caddie. It was a fun experience taking it out for the first time at home that night, I was using the remote and also follow mode to take it not only up and down my driveway but even on the sidewalk throughout the neighborhood. I’m sure my neighbors looked twice when they saw a cart following me down the street.


 
 
 
 
 
Aesthetics 5/5 
The Q follow has a simple design, outside of seeing it move you might not be able to tell it’s much different than other caddies. I will say the fenders which have a carbon fiber looking appearance help to add a bit of flare and style. I also find it nice that Stewart kept the logo small on the cart, they didn’t place it somewhere largely in plain sight for advertising purposes.

 
The Numbers 5/5
It is hard to objectively quantify this portion of the testing because it’s a cart. I will say for using a personal exertion scale after using my Caddytek and the Q follow, from 0-10, where 0= sitting on the couch and 10= running a marathon I would say using the Caddytek I would be at a 6-7/10 at the end of rounds, and physically I would feel very spent. Playing back to back days really took a toll on my body. With the Q follow I am at a 3-4/10 and back to back days are very doable. I do find I have more energy at the end of rounds and I am able to keep up my distance with big shots on the last 3 hole stretch. 
The Good, Bad, and In Between 3.5/5
Good- The Q follow does exactly what it is advertised to do. Follow mode works fantastically for open areas. The remote has good accuracy and control. The battery life is as advertised if not better. I’ve used it back to back days for 36 holes and still had more than 20% left. The cart is also extremely easy to steer around the greens and hazards, I have no worries about manually adjusting it for proper positioning in these areas. The app for battery life also seems to be spot on which is a major plus for on course use and charging.

 
 
 
The In Between- This is more personal for me, I don’t like the fact that it requires a bigger staff or cart bag. I understand it needs extra weight to create stability and these bags help to provide that. However, swapping out my bag every time I go to the range is a bit of a pain and the bigger bags take away from me trying to be simplistic. I also wish they designed the remote a bit differently, if the easiest way to use follow mode is with the remote clipping to your belt or back pocket, I think it would be easier if it had side triggers for the stop button on one side and the follow mode on the other side. It would allow you to engage and disengage a bit easier. The last thing is course dependent, a wide open course would allow you to use the follow mode quite frequently versus a course that is tighter with bridges and hazards like mine you may find at times you have to use the remote feature more than the follow mode to protect the cart.

The Bad- The plastic handle. It feels too flimsy and easy to break for something that can run upwards of $2,500 to $3,000. In Stewarts defense, if the cart is used the right way as the directions state, you can easily manipulate the cart and maneuver it without putting any stress through the handle. You aren’t able to put any torque through the handle to pull or lift the cart sideways like a typical pull cart. I also think I may be the only one in the group but I did have the cart fall on its side on the course during my first session, and no harm was done at all to the handle. The design still requires some adjustments to keep up with its competitors. 
Play it or Trade it 5/5- In no way shape or form am I getting rid of the Q follow. It’s a fantastic Follow cart, It’s helped me have more energy at the ends of my rounds, so much that I’ve been able to get a workout in or go for family walks/hikes after playing golf. It will also help me save money during the hot summer days when playing on the second day of a back to back when I may want to take a cart. It also fits perfectly into my car trunk with my staff bag!

TLDR- The Q follow by Stewart is a premium electric caddie with a follow feature. If you’re tired of using a pull cart and don’t want to use a cart the Q follow is the electric caddie/cart for you. It can handle all the terrain and be used rain or shine. It does have some negatives such as the price- ~$2,500-3k, and the handle feels a bit frail. Overall the Q follow is a great product for anyone in the market for an electric caddie let alone a follow cart. The Q follow has turned into one of the hottest talking points at the course over the last few weeks!

Final Score 23.5/25
 
 
 

MyGolfSpy Official Review
Stewart Q Follow By sirchunksalot
Here's a link to my pre-testing review:
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/45-stewart-q-follow-electric-caddie/?do=findComment&comment=10325
 
Stewart Q Follow Final Review
It’s been a fun walk these past few weeks testing the Stewart Q Follow. I’ve had a great time putting this trolley through its paces on the course and around the house. As someone who just started walking, I can say it brings a special enjoyment to the game being able to walk the course and soak in all it has to offer instead of zipping along in a cart. Thank you Stewart Golf and MyGolfSpy for allowing me to be a tester of such a fine product.
First Impressions 5/5 stars
Pulling the Stewart out of the box, I was immediately impressed with how good it looks. It was folded up compactly and felt sturdy. Opening it up was a breeze, push a couple of buttons and it was ready to go. I’m ashamed to admit this, but closing it back up the first time took a minute because I didn’t see the button on the bottom of the handle you have to push to fold it back up.

My first experience navigating it was just pure fun. I placed my bag on it and ran it through my yard and the neighbors yard. The remote fit nicely in my hand and it didn’t take long for me to get the hang of controlling it.
Aesthetics 5/5 stars
This is one good looking golf cart. It has a minimalistic design that is still able to draw the attention of onlookers on the course.  

The carbon looking fenders contrast nicely against the matte black color of the rest of the Stewart. There is also a section of carbon below the handle near where it folds sporting a “Q” logo. They also added a nice touch to the button on the frame of the handle by adding the British flag to it.


It's well designed to fold compactly and fits well into the trunk of my VW Jetta along with my bag, leaving room to spare for my work boots, golf shoes, golf balls, and any extras I choose to have in there.

The Numbers 3.5/5 Stars
This is going to be an unorthodox portion of this review and I would like to give @GolfSpy_BOS the credit for coming up with the idea for this part. The push/electric cart isn’t a typical forum review where we can give hard data on how a club improves your game.
I was able to play a round with @Tom the Golf Nut and compare the Stewart to the MotoCaddy. We had a race down one fairway where the MotoCaddy took home the prize due to its quick acceleration. At its top end, the Stewart was able to keep a respectable pace but couldn’t catch up.

Also during that round, I noticed smoother, quieter turning and better downhill braking from the MotoCaddy.
Comparing the Stewart to my push cart, I noticed a drastic increase to my stamina during and after my rounds. It was really evident after the round with Tom where I woke up at 3:30, drove 157 miles, walked a hilly course, and drove back home. I still had energy and was not passing out when I walked through the door at home. On a typical work day where I wake up at the same time I’m usually fighting to stay awake on the 25 mile drive home.
I also saw better scoring and play on all but one round during the testing period. I blame myself for that outlier, I lost focus and my game suffered from my mental lapse.
Rounds are more enjoyable being able to take in the sights and sound of the course compared to rushing along in a cart. Maneuvering the trolley let me focus on something other than my game and kept me from dwelling on bad shots.
On the Course 5 of 5 Stars
The Stewart did everything you would ask for during a round. It carried my clubs and kept them secure, even in some less than desirable places. I took it up hills, down hills, into the woods, and through a gully on my course where it had no business being without incident. It did turn over on me once on a steep side hill, scuffing the handle, but it’s not designed for those and was totally the fault of the driver.
I love follow mode and think it’s the defining characteristic of the cart. It allowed me to simply stroll along the fairway with both hands free and let me take the opportunity to drink water and film without having to worry about manning the remote.
The Q Follow also garnered quite a bit of attention from fellow golfers. I received a lot of comments and some questions that allowed to talk both about the cart and the forum. I’m also sure there’s a post out there somewhere on social media with a video because one guy asked me to navigate over toward him.
The Good, The Bad, and the In Between 3/5 stars
Good:
Setup of the cart is simple, you push a button and lift the front wheels, set it on the ground and maneuver the bag holder into place, and push another button to lift the handle assembly. After that, you just place your bag on the trolley, secure it, and turn the cart and remote on.
I can’t say enough how much I love follow mode. There’s something nice about clipping the remote in your belt and walking along with the cart behind you. It frees up your mind and lets you simply enjoy the walk.
The Stewart is easy to charge, the battery snaps loose and you pick it up, insert the charging cable into the color coded ports, and you’re good to go.

Speaking of charging, the 36 hole battery is lives up to its name. I’ve played mostly nine hole rounds and seen a loss of about 22% after each round.
Bad:
I would be remiss not to bring up the handle design, I think it’s a weak point in the trolley and could snap if the cart fell over. It flexes when manually turning the cart and I use caution when I turn it by hand. I know there’s a lot that goes into engineering a product like this, but I would like to see some reinforcement in the handle in future models.

20220926_165321.mp4 Downhill braking is a little weak. I tried to stop the Stewart while hitting a shot on a downhill lie at Tom’s course and it kept going at a moderately fast clip. It took a few tries to get it to slowly roll so it wouldn’t run away from me. I’ve also seen it roll back down hills when I’ve attempted to stop it to pick a club from my bag.
There have been times when follow mode loses connection. I’ll be walking down the fairway and won’t hear the sound of the motors and look back to see the Q Follow sitting in place. I had that happen three consecutive times on one hole and had to walk back to it and engage follow mode again.
The In Between:
Since they’re not officially a part of the review, I thought I'd say thank you to Stewart Golf for including some extras to add to the enjoyment of this testing. The bag, phone holder, umbrella tube, and ball holder are all great products and add to the utility of the Q Follow.


I stated early on that this is a heavy product, but when I compared it with the MotoCaddy they were similar in weight.
It’s a bit more expensive than its competitors ($3100 with 36 hole battery), but follow mode is a pretty unique feature that allows you to focus on the walk instead of keeping your attention on the cart.
Play It or Trade It 5/5 stars
I truly believe the Q Follow has added it my enjoyment of walking and leaves me less exhausted after my rounds. It’s fun to control and have behind me when I want to free my hands up on the course. As fall golf has arrived, I’ll be spending most of my time with it on the course.
TLDR
The Stewart is a quality and fun product that can make your walk less tiring. It’s easy to control and follow mode is a great feature that you don’t see in some of the other popular electric carts. It performs well on the course and can take on some of the toughest terrain.
It’s not without issues, losing connectivity with the remote during follow was my biggest peeve.
It’s a premium product with a fairly premium price, but if you’re looking for an electric trolley it's one I would recommend looking at.
Final Score 26.5/30 stars
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by xOldBenKenobiX
Introduction – May 31, 2022
First and foremost a huge thank you to Edel and MyGolfSpy for another awesome testing opportunity.

My name is Elson, and I am golf addict, I have been playing golf for about 12 years now, born and raised in Brazil, I honestly don’t play and practice as much as I would like to. I have been calling Southeast Michigan home for the past 15 years, and really enjoy the many courses that our area and the Northwest Ohio area have to offer. My wife has accepted that she loses me for a few months during the summer. I am a high handicapper, and my numbers will vary from the high teens to the mid-20s depending on how often I can play.

I will be testing the Edel SMS wedges, my specs are as it follows:
Ø  48, 54 and 60 degrees
Ø  Standard Loft/Lie + ¼ inch length
Ø  T Grind
Ø  Standard 2g weights on the edges and 8g on the center
Ø  Shafted with a KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 - R 115g with a standard size Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip
Currently I do not have a suitable testing area at home for wedge practice and testing, nor I own a Sim/Shot tracer equipment, however I do have a few golf courses nearby with good range/short game are to practice at. Also, there is a new X Golf location down the street from me to where I can go and test with a full Sim and test spin rates.
Overall, I want to test these wedges with my regular game, and see how they perform, or how can I make them perform.
The main measure of testing here is if they can help me save strokes, more greens in regulation and such. As any new clubs I expect these to be different than what I am used to play with and to see some good differences with the spin rates and shot shapes. Edel is one of the companies to which I have never held one of their clubs before, just saw pictures and videos and I think it will be awesome to play with it.
I am very excited for this testing as my wedges are the oldest clubs in my bag right now and were never fit for my game. My short game is also a weak part of my game and one that I would love to see improve. With that being said, I cannot express how excited I am about testing these wedges.
Final Review - July 25, 2022
First Impressions  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My first impression of those was that they are very well made, from the clubs I tested during my fitting to the clubs I receive, the craftsmanship on those is simply great, I love the looks of the clubs.

I love the looks at address and really enjoyed the overall looks of the clubs.

The head looks very compact at address, and with a very nice look at address. The full-face grooves are great, allowing for mishits to still be struck within the groves, hence the mishits were not so punishing to me.
Edel claims that this wedge can be up to 44% more accurate, I can say that personally I did see an improvement with my shots, not up to 44%, but I was able to keep more balls in the green, and get it closer to the flag overall, despite not experimenting with moving the weight around I do still think that the moveable weights are a great advantage for better players who can shape the ball flight one way or another, and who want to have that set as a default shot shape with the weights.

 
Unfortunately, at my current skill level, I do not shape the call at demand and honestly prefer to have my ball flight as straight as possible.
Aesthetics  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I was fit for the T grind across the board, the tripe sole design allows for some versatility when using the wedge. These feature the traditional pear shape from address.
The logo is not too distracting when looking at the bottom of the club as well the T grind information, I think if wanted the bottom of the club would be a prefect canvas to add some lovely personal touches, I did not get these wedges customized, but I can see a lot of potential with the available customization.

As I mentioned before, I do like the overall looks of this wedge, I think the overall package was well put together, these are not flashy, but very noticeable when sitting in the bag.

Comparing these with other wedges of similar price, I think that these wedges are spot on with their looks, maybe not as a such refined looks as a Vokey, but they do look good on their own way.
These wedges sound good, they are not too loud and give a feeling of softness when they are hit, when swinging through the rough and grass in general, these sounded soft and not distracting, very pleasing, even swinging from the sand did not yield any loud or displeasing sound.
My mishits still ended up with some good overall results, knowing my game, other clubs where I know the mishits would generate a very bad result, severe miss, and such, with these, the misses where not as bad, and in general I got the ball closer to my intended target.
My worse hit with this clubs was a bad chunked toe hit, that pretty much caused the ball to go sideways, however this one was on my swing not the club, as for the best, I did get a lovely high shot over the trees into the green after putting my tee shot on the rough in front of the next tee box, this shot went exactly how I had pictured in my mind, and it felt really good to be able to hit that shot with the confidence that I would pull it off, especially because I know that I hit a lot more bad shots than good ones.
As for the normal mishits, hitting it thin would get me a longer shot than I wished for, but nonetheless close to my intended line.
With my chunky shots, I did experience the normal last of distance, but still following my intended line.
With the mishits and non-square to the face shots, I did see some side traction, but not as bad as my old wedges.
The Numbers⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I did not had a chance to take these wedges to a sim and test out the numbers, however as for real life play, I did notice that my shot dispersion was a little better, I did notice that on the shorter shots 100 yards and less, where I usually struggle a lot, I did indeed have better results and have hit more greens or with the misses, I got it closer to the green.
As for my distances if hitting the wedges with a full shot these are the numbers I have averaged.
For my 48 degrees, I was hitting between 95 to 105 yards.
For the 54 degrees, I was hitting between 75 and 85 yards.
As for the 60 degrees, I was hitting between 55 and 65 yards.
The trajectory of my shots was a mid to high flight.
As I previously mentioned the mishits were not as punishing as my older wedges, especially as these ones had been fitted to my game.
Dead center hits were very pleasant and yield good shots, with the toe and heel shots, indeed the shots would go right and left of the target, not as far offline as I would hit with my old wedges, I noticed that when I try to recreate the same shots with both the old and new wedges, the Edel wedges gave me a much closer proximity to the the hole as well as to the green.
Shooting similar wedges on the range I took 10 shots with each wedge and its comparable old wedge that I had in the bag, the shots were post warm up, and I was feeling loose enough for all of them.
Wedge
Shot distance
Hole average Distance
Edel 48
30 Yards Chip shots
32 feet
Vokey 48
30 Yards Chip shots
41 feet
Edel 54
20 Yards Chip shots
25 feet
Vokey 52
20 Yards Chip shots
29 feet
Edel 60
15 Yards Chip shots
12 feet
Vokey 58
15 Yards Chip shots
21 feet
That is quite a noticeable difference with the distance, especially with the shorter shots, I had a couple of the 15 Yard chips where I nearly holed them out.
As for the full shots on the range, unfortunately I had to do more of a visual evaluation as I could not walk down the range and measure each individual shot from its landing spot compared to the target line.
Due to having a steep angle of attack, I naturally hit shots to the right.
Mind you, most of my misses are to the right, and once again after warming up and with a good rest break between sets, I hit 10 balls with each wedge.
Again, this was the hardest part to estimate during the test.
Wedge
Shot Distance
Estimated deviation to the target line
Edel 48
100 Yards full shot
15 Yards
Vokey 48
100 Yards full shot
30 Yards
Edel 54
75 Yards full shot
10 Yards
Vokey 52
75 Yards full shot
25 Yards
Edel 60
60 Yards full shot
10 Yards
Vokey 58
60 Yards full shot
15 Yards
I wish I have had the chance to take these to a Sim and gotten numbers that way, but between the bad knees, sprained wrists and ankles, the past few weeks have made my outings much harder.
I did prefer to spend the limited time I had in real golf conditions, and oh boy did they deliver during that play.
On the Course⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have noticed that on my course play, I have used the 60 degrees wedge a lot more than the 48 and 54, as for my last round, I found myself trying to fit usage of the wedges, maybe a little too much, looking at the opportunities had and the distances I knew I could hit the wedges comfortably, I hit some shots that I knew I did not have the distance with a wedge, so on the next shot I would have a chance to hit a different wedge.
If I was approaching a green and the distance left was between 110 and 125 yards, I would still hit the 48 degrees wedge, so I would have a chance to hit the 60 degrees for my next shot, that is because I wanted to hit as many shots as I could with these, and I honestly contemplated, yet I did not, play the shorter par 4s with wedges only, I might do that in a future round as my home course of Taylor Meadows, have a lovely stretch from the 8th to the 10th hole that are shorter yet challenging with water in play on all 3 holes.
8 playing downhill 309 yards
9 playing downhill with water to the right the entire way 281 yards
And the 10 with a new Pond guarding the front left of the green is the shortest at only 256 yards.
The only area that I truly had an issue was with Sand traps, both during my range sessions and the actual course play, I had a real hard time getting out of them, but I cannot fault the wedge, that is my game and the flaws I have with it.
I hoped that the new wedges would be a magic bullet, but that was not realistic.
Where I play most of the bunkers are of heavy compact sand with a very low sand dept, these are the type of bunkers that only really have 3 inches of sand than it is the hard soil below.
I noticed that despite missing the green from the sand, either long or very short, the wedge glided through the sand with no issues, despite most of the times me taking a steep swing that really dug into the sand.
I felt confident every time I had the wedges on my hands and that is one of the best characteristic of these.

 

 
I quite honestly really loved playing these wedges and cannot really say any bad things about it, maybe because these were such an improvement from my old mix and match set of vokeys.
These have impacted my game in a positive way, these had bee
n optimized to give me the best spin rate and flight.

I had never had an Edel product on my hands, and I got to say, I am impressed with the over engineering of these clubs, the fact that you can move the weight around and adjust the ball flight is the type of thing that I would expect from a driver, not really from an wedge, but to have the option is one of those tools that is a great one to have on your bag.
I would love to see more of the moveable weight technology, I love to see where Edel will take those and what it becomes of it, that technology being integrated to their new SMS irons shows Edel’s commitment to the technology.
The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The good, these wedges are awesome, and the technology behind them is very impressive.
The bad, and my bad on these, I feel that even though I am not a very tall person, the wedges feel short, the 35 inches for the 60 degree, the 35..25 for the 54 and 35.5 for the 48th, have me squatting down a little more than what I feel comfortable with, but that is something I can get addressed later and have an inch added to each one of them.
Play it or Trade it? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
These are a play it for me, these wedges have improved my game, and indeed it has been a such short time and I think a few more rounds of play will help me get even more accustomed to these wedges, but I do like what I have experienced so far.
The main measure of success for me with these wedges is confidence, I have gained confidence on hitting different shots around the green and know that I can pull of those shots.
I think that everyday golfers like myself benefit from these wedges, as they show a great deal of forgiveness and playability.
I think as I use these and get more comfortable with them, my short game will improve.
Conclusion
Edel has brought forward a great set of wedges, the technology behind these is impressive, the fact that one can customize your shot shapes with the moveable weights is a big plus.
The exceptional forgiveness and workability of these jump out at you as an advantage with these.
As my personal experience, again the word here is confidence, these felt very good on my hands and did improve me game, I have hit a lot more of good shots than I did bad shots with these wedges than my old ones.
Final Score 29 out of 30 Stars
 

 

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by scooterhd2
Full introduction can be found in the comments section.
Intro
Hello MGS, my name is Kevin. I've only really gotten into golf in the last 3 years or so, but have worked my way down to a 5 handicap. I play 30 rounds a year and practice several times a week. I am a bit of an equipment and instruction junkie. My biggest weakness right now is inside 100 yards. My slightly OTT move leads to some thin strikes and partial shots have been a score killer for me. Around the greens my wedge game is functional but rarely great. I'm hoping a properly fit set of Edel SMS wedges can fine tune by game, provide some more consistency and ultimately give me more confidence. That's going to be a recipe for lower scores. 
 
Results of my fitting at Club Champion:
50: C Grind, 54: V Grind, 58: T Grind. Weights at 6h, 10c, 8t. 
 

 
Final Review - July 25, 2022
 
First Impressions - 4/5 Stars

My order was quick to ship. Communication from Edel was great. The box the wedges come in is absolutely top notch. And the packaging and materials exceed my expectations. I do find it concerning that between our group the packaging was not consistent though. I seemed to receive all of the stickers and info cards, while others did not. I was also a bit disappointed that there was not a tool included. 3 wedges retail for over $600, so not to include a tool seems trivial to me. Especially when the marketing behind the club is that it has moveable weights. I also find it odd that there is no mention in the ordering process of paint fills. There appears to be a red model and a black model, and although the ferrule choice is given, there's no mention that the wedges may be painted differently based on that choice. Or perhaps that the paint fill for stamps would be applied everywhere. Regardless, that's an oversight in my opinion. It didn't affect me, as my wedges were exactly what I imagined, but I could see how others could run into a problem there. In all fairness, if I was ordering after a fitting and with no knowledge of other order, I'd give 5 stars, but consistency is key. 
 

 
At the end of the day, you cant help but smile once you have these unboxed. The shafts labels are well aligned, the grips are straight, the weights are in the right spot, and my lengths were spot on. A great build that is just waiting to be put through the paces. 


 
Aesthetics, Sound and Feel - 4/5 Stars

I believe Edel has made massive strides in the aesthetics department from previous wedge releases. The SMS wedges are absolute quality. The shape is refined, sort of a mix between a classic Vokey/Cleveland type wedge and a Hi Toe which are all widely popular offerings. Full face grooves seem to be all the rage right now, but Edel has been at it for years and they do it properly by my judgment. Enough groove length for the benefit, while still trying to maintain a somewhat traditional look. The graphics are more subdued, with just the company name on the badge and other branding on the hosel. There may have been a time when the weight ports were an eye sore, and I can’t say that I am the biggest fan of the look, but its become common place with PXG and even Callaway having a similar appearance. And obviously these are integral to the technology and design of the wedge. I also appreciate the milled grind sole and the extra design element on the ferrule.If you believe in the performance and quality of your product enough to charge top dollar, then it has to look the part and Edel has certainly done an outstanding job here. 

My one wish, is that Edel offered a raw finish (or black or brushed steel). I get why manufacturers don’t. Part of it is sales volume, the other is in making a specially weighted head to reach specs without the additional 4 or 6 grams of weight that nickel plating and chrome adds. But it seems you could make use of the weight ports to easily add back the weight. For me, and I admit that my eyes are sensitive and I am playing in the absolute extremes of sunlight in Arizona in July; but the finish, while incredibly durable and incredibly beautiful in hand, is so glaring behind the ball. 

I’ll have to say I was probably most impressed with the sound and feel of the SMS wedges. The faces are forged with 1025 which is naturally a bit softer then then 8620 used by most wedge manufacturers. Full shots and the head feels heavy but delivers a soft blow. I use a hard ProV1x and out the middle it’s like a marshmallow. Dull sound. Very similar to my Srixon 785 PW (forged from 1020), which makes the transition to wedge very nice. That feeling is addicting when the strike feels like you hit a tennis ball and you know its a great shot just from the feel of impact.

 
The Numbers - 5/5 Stars

My fitting at Club Champion started with a light warm up with my 50* Cleveland RXT4 as my fitter looked over by bag, my swing, and launch conditions. After 20 shots, he asked my what I thought my yardage with that club was, and I said "113 yards." He brought up the averages and I was averaging 113 yards, which made me happy, but it was soon explained to me that these numbers were not optimal. 
It didn't take long to get the Edel SMS weighted properly in the SW and moving back to the 50 degree GW, my final set ended up averaging 118 yards with a slightly slower swing speed. Extra 5 yards. I gained 4 yards with the 54 degree as well, with the same or more spin. 
Gaining yards with my wedges were the last thing I was looking to do, but it was purely an outcome of finding the right weight that kept the club path consistent, and kept the face square. Instant increase in distance and better dispersion. And every swing felt like it was coming out of the middle. 
This transferred to the range as well, and on the course, where I was consistently hitting wedges 5 yards further with ease, with the potential to hit 10 yard farther if attempting to hit a lower draw. 
In a separate indoor Trackman session 1 week ago, I nearly replicated my fitting numbers. This time finding the Edels to be 6 or 7 yards longer with no real detriment to launch conditions or flight. 
 

 
On Course - 5/5 Stars

I love on course testing. Looks don't matter, brands don't matter, numbers don't matter. Everything is results based, and that's really where the Edel SMS wedges shined in my opinion. 
I shot my first ever under par round over 18 holes, albeit on a executive course that I skipped around on tee boxes to ensure that I could tee off with a wedge in hand on every hole. I only carried the 3 Edel wedges and a putter. Average hole length come to 110 yards, and I was in the zone. This was the first time playing on a course with the new wedges, and it was beyond an amazing honeymoon period. It's hard to ignore instant success the first time the clubs are in the bag. There's definitely something here.

 
The results did not really stop from there. My handicap has not moved much over the last few months, so there isn't any quantifiable evidence (my cap dropped from 4.8 to 4.6 while testing), but I just feel like I have much better control over full wedge shots. Distance and trajectory control is more predictable, and I feel the Edel SMS wedges are more workable then my Clevelands and especially my TM Hi Toes. It has really been beneficial to be able to add or take off 5 yards by changing the flight. It's tough to explain, but when the weighting feels right, there's a better feel for the clubhead and face, and for me that makes it much easier to hit high fades and lower flighted draws on command. I feel like I can slow the swing down and get more out of it.      
I 
 
 
Besides one really difficult course, I've been very happy with my scoring with the Edels in the bag. I'm usually a 78-82 player with a low anti-cap, and I've been comfortable within that margin every time out while shooting better on several rounds at executive courses. And for me, this is not peak season and conditions can be more difficult in the summer, so I am excited to see what the Fall and Winter will look like. 
I can say that my putts per round has dropped 1.3 putts over the 8 rounds with Edels versus the 8 previous rounds. Could be coincidental. I also put a new putter in the bag. But I feel like I haven't even been putting that well, and that my hole proximity is better. 

 
The Good, The Bad, The Inbetween - 4/5 Stars

 
I find it a bit odd that Edel does not have a weight kit available. As is, the SMS wedges are going to be best for people looking to get professionally fit for them. That seems to play into the niche golfer that is already familiar with the brand and is going into a fitting already expecting a purchase but just dialing in specs. I’m not sure how big of a draw that is. I think they audience becomes a bit more limited, whereas the weight kit could open it up to the tinkerer that wants to experiment with over 100 combinations of head weights. I will say, the fitting component was extremely successful for me and I would highly recommend that route for anyone that is truly interested.
 
Play it or Trade it? - 4/5 Stars

This is a bit difficult to grade, but I have to give high marks because the 50c and 54v are staying in the bag. I’ve never felt so confident from 120-90 yards. There’s something to the weighting where the club just feels in position, and I finally feel like I am throwing darts and not just spraying balls. I feel like my approach play on fuller shots has been as good as it has ever been. The 54v has also been a revelation around the greens. Played off the back foot, this has quickly become a go to club for lower flighted pitches and chips. And in bunkers with adequate sand, it has performed admirably.  
The same can be said about the 58t on full shots and in the bunker, but in all honesty there's just too much bounce on touch shots around the green for my liking. Again, I have a shallow attack angle, I play on firm tight lies, and I’m hitting onto fast greens, so I prefer being able to pick the ball with LW. Could a different grind fit me better? Possibly. Would bending a 60 degree stronger to lower the bounce help? Possibly. But right now I just have more confidence with a much lower bounce option than Edel provides. That being said, I’m definitely keeping the 58t. I could see it being useful depending on course conditions or on my travels. 


 
Final Score -  26/30 Stars
There's something to the Edel SMS wedges. It can be hard to pinpoint exactly. By Edel's own admission the moveable weights don't have much influence on the COG. So every change to the ball flight with different weight settings is purely brought on by the users feel. Snake oil? Marketing hype? I cycle through alot of clubs, especially wedges, and these just feel right. Above all, I feel in full control of the club. And naturally, when there's that connectedness and confidence, I've seen better dispersion and distance in my fitting, in subsequent monitor sessions, and on the course. 
Again, there's something here, and there's not currently another wedge like it. I'd have to say, if you are in the market for new wedges and are planning to get fit, then I would recommend atleast considering the Edel SMS wedges. Get them in hand. There are really a unique product. If you get the grinds right, they are as good as anything out there. 

This has been an absolute whirlwind of a summer for me, and at the center of this golf season has been the LAB B.2 Putter testing. I’ve tested it on practice greens, links courses, woodland courses, private courses, municipal courses, and the famous Punchbowl 36 hole putting course at Bandon Dunes in Oregon, though I’m not using any data points from the Punchbowl as the accuracy deteriorated rapidly coinciding with my above average alcohol intake. I’m very excited to go through the numbers along with the more subjective items. If I were to put a thesis on the testing, I would say the marketing phrase LAB uses, “The club face just wants to return to square,” is absolutely spot on. With no further ado, the review:
 
First Impressions 5/5 - I’ll start here by explaining what I meant by the club head just wanting to return to square. Whether you have a blade type swing or a mallet type swing, the lie angle balance allows the club face to come back to square throughout your swing. Simply, to quote the great Hermione Grainger, “It’s magic.” I felt like on the Perfect Putter training aid practice session and initial on course practice I couldn’t hit the ball offline from my mark. I use the TP5 Pix ball when putting as I want the instant feedback you get when you start rolling the ball and can see you hit it straight on your line. This helps me understand how my putt reading is doing that day. If I roll it straight and true and I miss high or low, I can immediately take that into my next putt.

There is something to be said about starting a putt out online, rolling off the face at a perfect launch angle, and finding the bottom of the cup. The feel out of the center of the club face (more on that later) is the perfect blend of soft and hot. Some blades suffer from being soft but dead inside like my high school principal and current putter in the bag just before this test (foreshadowing?), the Cleveland Huntington Beach series blade. Other putters like my old Taylormade TP blade suffer from the opposite problem where they’re too hot with very little feel, similar to my college girlfriend. The B.2 was an unbelievably perfect blend of the two amounting to what I would trademark “Hot with the Feels.”
Aesthetics 3/5 - Right out of the box, this putter has maybe the most attractive finish of any golf club I’ve ever tested. It oozes a premium vibe in how flat the light bounces off the different angles with an almost raw feel to the finish. For the initial unboxing ceremony alone, I would give the aesthetics 5/5 stars, but things changed over time with the finish. I’ll get back to this in a later section describing some of the downsides of the putter, because much like myself, the more time in the sun and on the course the putter spent, the more haggard he looked.

That’s sadly where the initial jaw dropping concluded. A few things stand out but none more than the center shafted club head. My caddie at Bandon Dunes saw the club and asked if I had made it at home. This may very well be the future of putting as you’ll see in the Numbers section, but this is a very much divergent look to a standard blade. This is obviously the technology that enables the ‘lie angle balance,’ but other putters achieve the same thing and achieve a look that is a more classical blade. I think Edel does an amazing job with this. Though I can’t speak for those, the design of the B.2 achieves it’s purpose. The look going directly into the center of the putter just takes some getting used to.

Something else that takes some getting used to is the grip. I have the B.2 with the LAB Golf Press 1.L grip. I used to mimic Jordan Spieth and press my grip forward before stroking my putt, but I realized I wasn’t doing myself any favors as I was not maintaining a proper launch off the putter face. This subtle grip design has the shaft coming out of the grip at a forward angle that is very noticeable. You get used to it, but looking straight down at the putter for the first few times throws you off just a little. Much like my parents small, ugly dog, I love it now, but it’s not going to draw you in just looking at it.

Numbers 5/5 - On to the only thing that truly matters when using golf clubs. My friend put it best when watching me putt with the B.2 when he said, “Never take that club out of your bag.” I will say, my old Cleveland putter started playing it’s best golf right when it heard I was going to be testing a new club as all old clubs are wont to do. I got graduation goggles the two rounds before this test started. Then, after a week or two of testing, I played my first few rounds with the B.2, and it did not disappoint. Below are just two rounds with the B.2 on my Strokes Gained 18Birdies app:

The crazy thing about those two rounds is that they were at Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes golf course. It’s hard to explain just how different it is putting at a links course, but I shot a 77 and a 78 at those course respectively, and I WORKED the hell out of the putter. Bandon Dunes resort is true links golf and I putt from 20+ yards off the green constantly. I’m not at all a Texas wedge guy, but you have to play that way at a links course like those. When I talked to the CEO, he was concerned my test wouldn’t go well with the B.2 at Bandon because the greens are very complex with multiple types of grass and some extreme undulation. I’d like to express that the putter gave me confidence and feel to the point where I killed it on that trip with my putter making 30+ footers multiple rounds.
The pièce de rèsistance for the B.2 during testing was my all time low putting round of 26 putts on 18 holes at the course where I play my golf league. Granted, my chipping game was on fire that day, but I didn’t miss a putt from inside 10 feet all day. My handicap is plummeting for better or for worse as the lower the handicap, the less likely I win money week-over-week!
On-course 5/5 - Not to ‘feed a fed horse,’ (#petaapprovedphrase) but the B.2 truly did not disappoint on the course. I won’t spend much more time here as we’ve really gone deep on my love affair with the putter out on the course. The last piece I’ll dd here with the On-course rating is the same message my dad gave me going into high school: “Confidence is king.” Looking down at my ball, aligned perfectly to my read, and ready to put a swing on it, I’ve never felt more confident that I can launch the ball consistently and on-line.

The Good, the Bad, and the In-between 3/5 -
Good: We’ve gone on about a lot of this, but the highlights include the numbers, feel during a centered ball strike, flat plane, look over the ball, and square face during the stroke. Enough said here and above!
Bad: The club isn’t perfect, by any means. I’d say the biggest concerns don’t impact the club itself, though, and are really just aesthetic. Like I mentioned before, the club gets pretty dinged up VERY easily. There are already a lot of scratches on the finish. I admit, I often times will put the club head cover in the bag at the start of the round, but you really can’t do this with the B.2 if you want it to look like it did day 1. It’s definitely the least durable putter I’ve ever owned.

In-Between: You have to understand that if you are playing a blade, you are going to lose forgiveness on off-center hits. The same can be said of the B.2, but I do think it has a level of forgiveness better than other blades I’ve played. That said, you gotta hit the center of the club face.
I’d also like to call out the weight of the club feels light to me. I think there seems to be a dilemma you sometimes get when manufacturers weigh the cost benefit of weight vs. feel. The lighter clubs in my experience have way more feel than the heavier clubs, but vice versa, I’ve had good experience with heavier clubs being easier to lag putt. I think it’s an in-betweener for me here.
Play It or Trade It? 5/5 - The numbers, my friends, and my handicap as of late don’t lie, this is a ‘play it’ all the way to the bank. I have a hard time seeing myself getting rid of the B.2 at this point. I have been too consistent and had too good of a time with it.

Conclusion - Well since I’ve been sitting here pontificating about a 3lb piece of metal for 1,000 words, I think I can sum up the putter pretty easily. It’s not the best looking putter in the industry by any means, but the LAB B.2 putter has an incredible blend of “Hot with the Feels.” It’s given me not only more consistency round-by-round, but it’s also given me my best putting round ever with 26 putts. I'd like to thank LAB Golf for being so generous in this test. You've made a promoter out of me, that's for damn sure!
 
Full Intro Here: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/42-lab-b2-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9006

RevKev Intro:
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/41-lab-mezz1-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9089
L.A.B.  Mezz.1 putter review
First Impressions 
While many OEMs are starting to offer some sort of online fitting component none are as confident about their methods as L.A.B. golf.  There’s a drop down on the home page of the website for fitting and a neat instructional video on how to make a short, 10 second video, of a putting stroke plus a couple of measurements that would be needed to complete a remote fitting. The process, viewing the instructional video, making the fitting video, taking the measurements and sending it all in, took about 5 minutes.  The promised response of “within 48 hours” was easily met.  
I have been fit for putter before, live, and I will say that my fitter arrived at very similar specs through virtual fitting to the live one that cost me $150.  Very impressive!  
I ended up with a Mezz.1 putter, 70 degree lie angle, 32.5”, black Accra graphite (low torque) shaft, press II 1.5” grip.  I opted for a dot on the top of the head as my alignment aid, other choices included a line or no alignment aid what so ever.

The wait for delivery was excruciating but also within the promised time frame. I must say that when I opened the box and first saw my putter I was stunned.  I have been gaming an EVNRoll ER 5 which is a beautiful club. I was only familiar with the Direct Force putter from the L.A.B. line which quite frankly is pretty ugly to my eye.  

What stunned me about the Mezz.1 was how compact and how beautiful it looked.  Honestly, I think it looks like it belongs in a museum of modern art.  It’s the most beautiful golf club that I have ever seen.  The guys that I play with can’t keep their hands off the thing.  One of the pros at my club hit one putt with it and said, “This thing putts all by itself. It’s gorgeous.” 
So now it’s time to test Lie Angle Balance out and see if it does what L.A.B. golf claims.  
Aesthetics 5 for 5



 
To me the putter looks like a small brick with a piece taken out.  At first, I was taken aback by the inability to scoop the ball up but then I quickly realized that this is because that “feature” makes it more difficult to square the putter at impact.  It’s a putter, not a ball picker. If ever I get to the point that I can’t bend over to pick up my ball, I can have some sort of implement that picks it up. That’s not what the putter is for, it’s there to roll the ball into the hole.
There are tons of screws on the sole of the Mezz.1, none are noticeable when addressing the ball or really ever unless you want to look at its sole.  (Picture) When you unbox the club there is a disclaimer that tells you not to mess with any of these.  The club is already balanced, any sort of adjustment might and probably will mess with that. 

I’m not a huge feel guy in that I don’t need my equipment to feel or sound a certain way.  If it performs, I will get used to it.  But this putter feels solid.  Even off centered hits feel solid to the point that it is difficult to say that this one or that one was off center.  If it were an iron or driver, that would be an issue, but with a putter?  So long as the ball rolls the same, who cares.  And the ball does roll the same, seemingly across the face.
Solid, the Mezz.1 feels and sounds solid to me.  I love holing putts with it because they feel like: holed putts from days of yore, when I was young.
The Numbers 4 of 5

Just prior to delivery we received another unexpected gift, a phone call from L.A.B. golf founder and CEO, Sam Hahn.  Accordingly, this is the point where it is appropriate to thank both he and the MGS crew for entrusting us with this test.  
I know that it is fashionable to bash OEMs and to believe that their claims are nothing more than marketing scams.  However, in the golf industry, at least, my experience has been that most if not all OEMs care about the quality of the product that they produce and also how that product helps golfers enjoy the game.  
L.A.B. golf is about revolutionizing the art of putting by making it easier and more effective.  Think science of putting instead.  According to their story: “At some point in their life, every golfer has thought, “I suck at putting.” For many golfers, it’s a permanent feeling. And it’s just not true. Every day we show golfers that they’re better putters than they think. They just need better science on their side. And that’s what L.A.B. Golf is bringing to the golf world.”
In our initial conversation Sam asked me to call when I was ready to hit the practice green for the first time.  I literally called him on my way to my club.  He suggested some drills to try and off I went.  Full disclosure I’m a visual learner.  I understood what he meant by one handed putting but not thumbs off.  Fortunately, when I got home, I found a video of the drills which helped.

 


The first thing that I noticed on the practice green was that the ball goes where you aim it with this putter and that I had issues with my aim.  No doubt this was because I was doing things with my putting stroke to mitigate against issues I was having with my putting.  I’m a reasonably good player, mid single digit handicap.  At 65 my hands are not nearly as steady as they used to be.  Over the past couple of years, I’ve become susceptible to flipping the club face while putting making it difficult to control my speed.  At my level a stroke here or there turns a 4 handicap into a 6 in no time.
At first every single putt that I hit went right.  While frustrating it was actually a good sign because it meant that I wasn’t flipping the club.  The low torque and lie angle balance kept the club face square throughout the stroke and that took some getting used to.  Some one-handed putts and having one of the pros check my alignment got me going.  In fact, I did so well one handed, knocking in 5 10 footers in a row, that I thought about adopting that method permanently.  
It's long been my contention that amateurs miss more putts because they are miss hit than for any other factor.  I don’t have the data to prove that, but I do know from experience that mishits usually come up short and are far more subject to being knocked off line by imperfections in the green. The Mezz.1 all put eliminates that possibility.  It is extremely forgiving.  In fact, I see as I’m completing this review that L.A.B. golf has released a Mezz.1 max which they are billing as being more forgiving.  I can’t imagine why as the Mezz.1 is forgiving enough.
On-Course (4 of 5)

Testing a putter on the course is extremely difficult.  IMO general data like that from Shotscope or ARCOSS is unreliable.  Most of the rounds that recreational golfers play include givemees.  A click of the watch is far easier than facing a tricky 4 footer for par.  
On the course the Mezz.1 performed well.  I certainly had better distance control, especially as the time of my test wore on.  I holed any number of putts from 15-3 feet with some money on the line, more than enough to keep me happy.  
The only area of concern remains from off the green.  I’ve yet to find the right technique to use it from there.  I play in Florida and chipping into the grain can be tricky.  For now, I’ve switched to my hybrid from off the green but will continue to work the putter to see if I can’t refine that stroke.

In regards to getting some tangible data for this review I resorted to a MGS most wanted type of test.  I hit 100’s of putts from 3,10 and 30 feet, measuring the results.  For normal expectations I used data from the Tom Fielding Golf School for a scratch golfer.
From 3 feet I made 96 out of 100 putts or 96 %.  That’s better than the 94 % listed for a scratch golfer.  I was very pleased at this performance but do keep in mind that these were flat putts on two very good putting greens.
From 10 feet I made 32 out of 100 and more importantly did not leave a single putt outside of 2 feet.  Perhaps most exciting for me was the fact that most of my misses were long. This supports my earlier statement that the Mezz.1 is extremely forgiving.  
From 30 feet I was far more concerned about dispersion and proximity to the hole than makes.  I only made 4 of the 100 putts that I hit from that distance, but I also only had 8 of 100 putts that finished outside of the proverbial 3 foot circle.  In for real play, I would have holed most of those 8 as several where only just outside that 96 percent circle.  Only 2 were outside my 50/50 distance of 7 feet.  

          
 
My tendency has always been to leave lag putts short.  With the Mezz.1 I’ve been getting close to 60 percent of my lag putts past the hole!
The Good, the bad, the inbetween (4/5)
This one is simple, I love the putter’s look, love its feel, solid, remember, and love its sound.  Thus far I like its performance for all areas with the exception of from off the green.  I suspect that my former putter had a bit more loft which helped from off the green.  

Play it or Trade it? (5/5)

As you can see by the picture above the Mezz.1 is in my bag to stay.  For me that’s no small thing as my last 2 putters were in my bag for 10 years and 5 years respectively.  I do not change putters lightly.  
The Mezz.1 eliminates some of the issues that I’ve had over the past, miss hits and flipping the toe end of the putter over.  It’s put putting back in my hands, eyes and mind’s eye.
Conclusion
Going back to the beginning, I handed my Mezz.1 to one of the teaching pros at my club.  He took one stroke with it and said, “that thing putts all by itself.”  Then he asked, “What’s its price point?” I think that the way I have it set up my putter would retail for $549.  He said, “For a putter?  No way!”  But after some conversation it was because of the way he thinks about putters and putting.  For him and for many golfers from the top of the game down, putters are expendable, have a bunch in the closet and go with the “hot” hand.
L.A.B. golf is trying to change that way of thought.  At price points from $350 to $750 their putters are like drivers, my Stealth for example, retails for $549.  If you are properly fit and have a putter that works for rather than against, there is no reason why it shouldn’t stay in the bag for 5 plus years.  Looking at it that way, while recognizing that you will use it 30-40 times each round, a putter like this one is well worth the cost for anyone who is serious about playing his or her best golf.


The look is beyond cool, so cool that I can’t keep it out of other people’s hands once they see it.  The feel is solid, you strike a putt on your intended line, and it seems as if it must go in.  The numbers that I assembled were impressive.  A very high percentage of short putts holed a nice percentage of 10 footers with no troubling attempts out of 100 and a tremendous dispersion pattern from 30 feet.  
As I’m writing I’m anxious to get out to the course again, stroke a putt, have that solid feel and hear the sound of the ball dropping to the bottom of the cup.
 
Final Score 27/30 stars

 

L.A.B. Putter Mezz.1 - Official MGS Forum Review by @Dragon3 Intro:    
 
Grading 
First Impressions (5/5) 
It’s all in the presentation or in this case the delivery. And first impressions can definitely set the tone and in some cases be a deal breaker. My putter was treated like a fine piece of China with all the bubble wrap and specified name on the plastic bag. Definitely don’t want anything to come damaged until it reaches its final destination. #untorqueyourself is their patent and truly the basis of simplifying the process. We’ll see if L.A.B. (lie angle balance) does what’s intended. Time will definitely tell...
 


 
The photo taken with my current Odyssey was taken for comparison purposes, as they're both 32” in length.
 

 
While the press II 1.5°Grip came recommended it is a bit more than I expected. I’m still adjusting to the grip’s firmness and bulkiness in size.
 

 
 
Another view
 

 
Aesthetics (3/5)
 
Looks 
The L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 is touted as one of the most aesthetically pleasing to date. Admittedly, it takes some getting used to. I suppose it resembles most putters, as far as mid-mallet shapes – a sleek, small, black, fang-style putter. I appreciate technology and maybe I’m more old school. 
The MEZZ.1 is center-shafted with a black ACCRA X L.A.B. golf shaft. 
The L.A.B. Golf logo on the back of the mallet resembles a clove in cards 
Flipping over the putter it features eight weights on the bottom with another two on the sides of the clubhead. 

 
I selected a line marking. L.A.B. allows for customization of this putter with a dot or nothing. There are also further customization options with different grips. 

It should be noted, as this review was being finalized and going to “press” so to speak, the putter has since been upgraded to include some new colors. My rating is however based on what was currently available at the time. My possible rating may have been a 4. 
Sound & Feel 
That combination of materials equates to a fantastic feel, noticeably. It is a delicate combination of softness with a satisfying jolt off the face. However, the feeling wasn’t as soft for me. 
If you’re unprepared, the ball just tends to roll right off the face. So, definitely take that under consideration. There is this faint sound encountered at alignment. I barely noticed any sound therefore, I can only assume that the alignment functioned, as intended. 
Grip Selection: 
Another part of the feel of the club is in the choice of grip that is placed on it. The grip that came recommended for the Mezz.1, was the Press II 1.5. The grip was described as smaller than other L.A.B. putter grip models, is a bit tapered, and features a flat top. The grip was actually bulkier and still requires some acclimation to gain that expected comfort level to gain consistent putting strokes. While simple by design, the logo and lettering appeared too large in scope and generally subtleness, less overt in nature for my personalized taste.
Overall softness is neutral and sound negligible. 
The Numbers (4/5) 
Accuracy 
I was able to gain a consistent repeatable stroke performance with repeatable steps within my living area, putting mat set up, outdoor area, before feeling comfortable to hit practice putting areas at the course. As anything, patience is required. 
Distance Control
Obtaining distance control was based on length of putting strokes and slopes of hills. Initially posed some challenges prior to some control. Maybe due to overcompensating and/or just overall familiarity. 
Stability of Stroke 
Alignment and consistency of strokes was obtained upon many routine practicing shots. It stayed square throughout the stroke, as noted on their site. Very little required. It stayed square as mentioned on their site.
Forgiveness 
For stability, ”the midsection of the putter is fully CNC machined from 303 stainless” that improves feel. The body of the MEZZ.1 is fully CNC milled from a billet of 6061 aircraft aluminum to improve forgiveness.” 
Playability 
Comfort was the word that L.A.B. emphasizes in all facets. So to master this area, you really have to feel it so to speak in order to achieve it. In some instances but not in every. 
On-Course (4/5) 
Performance 
L.A.B. Golf has always had one central idea for their putters, and that’s the idea of lie angle balance (that’s where the name L.A.B. comes from). “Lie angle balance” defined by the company is the putter’s ability to stay square to the path during the putting stroke without any adjustment from your hands. This goes beyond what many of us know as the standard face-balanced style of putters. This putter, like the other L.A.B. Golf models remove torque, or the putter head’s tendency to twist, from the equation. That leads to a more consistent, repeatable stroke. 
For testing, I used executive courses for my practicing area. I used different putting holes and varying lengths. Speed and distance control came after familiarizing with the set up. And I always tended to putt on my intended line. 
I was able to make the putts with the MEZZ.1 both from long range or short distances. It resulted in true distance control and translated into successful putts on the greens. 
On a downhill, the ball appeared to roll right off the face. So, definitely take that under consideration. There is this faint sound. If you see that metal part on top, I think a lot of the sound is coming from there. But here is what I found a bit strange, and I need to work on this a lot...The sound seems more pronounced the more off-center you hit it. And when aligned, it seems like a faint sound. 
The Good, the bad, the in between (4/5) 
Notably, the online fitting process was seamless and pretty simple.. And the Order was placed rather promptly. Shipping was easy to track once received via UPS. Packed well.
 
I submitted a video based on guidelines provided. Upon submission, I received a automatic generated email that I should hear back within 24-48 hours. I did hear back within a day in which I liaised with my assigned consumer sales rep. I did have to submit another video for accuracy of capture. And then upon, I was given suggestions to hone in on appropriate specs. My specs were shaft length 32” and 69°. The length selected was the same as my current one and based on comfort. All my inquiries were addressed. Based upon the responses, I was able to make my choice. If I had specific particulars, I probably could have had more customization. Being a bit unfamiliar, I went in with no prior expectations. Each rep has his own personality. Philip was very accommodating and supportive throughout the process. 
Upon receipt of my putter, I received a call from the CEO, as an introduction which was unexpected. Personable touches are definitely noteworthy and go a long way for the future. 
Play it or Trade it? (3/5) 
Please note, I was not in the market for a new putter per se.  And must admit putting is not my biggest problem area.  I’ll still probably play it, unless I find something more aesthetically appealing.  And yet I still navigate to my Odyssey WH #5. If I allow for more time, it may grow on me. 
Align, consistency, repeatable will factor heavily in my decision to still play it. 
Conclusion 
I witnessed some minor improvements during the round. The Mezz.1 can require some patience and practice to get the most out of it, even though putting isn’t my biggest problem area. If you’re willing to give it the time and attention it needs to help your putting improve, you are surely going to see more putts fall. There’s a consistent feel and roll that can be obtained, resulting in accuracy on the greens. 
Putting made easy is their mantra. 
This putter makes the case that it “works for you, not against you.” By locating the shaft bore in a specific proximity to the putter’s center of gravity, it removes the way a golfer has to manipulate the head to square the face. Ten weights (eight on the bottom, two on the sides) allow the company to perfectly match a player’s weight, setup and lie angle specifications. And though personally, I’m not in love with the look, the putterhead is fully CNC machined from aircraft aluminum and stainless steel for a familiar, almost traditional, sound and feel. 
Check out this quick video: MEZZ.1 Putter - L.A.B Gol
Final Score (23/30 stars)
 

TL;DR, full introduction here…
 
First Impressions 5/5
From the beginning, this test was different than others I’ve participated in.  We were told to avoid contacting the company directly or else you’re subject to disqualification.  L.A.B. had requested the contrary, so imagine my surprise when I was on the 17th hole of my home course after missing a 6 footer for birdie and I had an unknown caller from Oregon.  It was Sam Hahn.  Hi Steve, this is Sam…we had several more exchanges since then and there was nothing off limits for discussion as long as we were discussing the putters.
So how did I choose the MEZZ.1?  I thought all heads were pretty interesting and quite honestly, I would have been happy with any if we were voluntold which ones to select.  I liked the MEZZ.1 simply because I wanted a mallet that was not too large.
What I’ve learned during this process is that it requires an open mind.  The technology we see on the social media ads are designed to break our preconceived notions about putting.  How many of us miss putts because we miss the center of the face?  Count me in on that group, especially on longer putts.  Ever hit one off of the heel and say GD?  I do…well, I did.
Now I can…the focused mass simply makes misses better.  This technology has been attempted previously with other manufacturers and the side effects were dead faces.  Miss the toe or heel, sure, but you better smash it.  Not with L.A.B….You can miss them with your normal stroke without hammering putts and you reach your intended target.
So continuing with looks…
Aesthetics 5/5
 
I do not care much for hard and square lines on a putter; my preferences are a softer and subdued style so this is certainly in stark contrast to what I’ve always preferred.  Here’s the thing, there’s no growth in your comfort zone so get out and try something different.  I was apprehensive about signing up for this test based solely upon looks…I decided that I could continue to operate under the same level of comfort OR I could try something new and innovative and see if it could help me improve.  I am glad I did.
 
My first impression video offered looks and sound which immediately pleased me.  I would attribute a part of this to the LA Golf shaft as a contributing factor.  As the sum of its parts, this feels solid ALL ACROSS THE FACE.  Misses feel solid and that tells me this technology is legit.  Which putter helps you miss the ball better…Sound is feel and it feels good.
Bottom line…they made tech look cool
The Numbers (5 out of 5 stars)
 
I only had 3, 3-putts during this entire testing period throughout 11 rounds of golf.
Learning how to play this appropriately so that it would complement my game was the most difficult part of the process.  If this were me hitting putts at a local shop on their carpet, I may have hit a few and said nah, I’m good.  It took time to sort my mind out and understand where this putter begins the upstroke beyond the base of my arc.  I’ve always played my putters off my left toe and purposefully caught the ball in that moment.  With the forward press built into the club, I had to move the ball back and realize that this is the optimal setup position.  It was not easy, especially considering that I did not like the Press Grip.  It was too large for me and after a few rounds despite successful putting, I swapped it out for a Winn pistol.  I respect the sum of all parts and how this product works in spite of its design however, I felt like I could get more out of this club.  After making the switch, I was making more putts within the 5-15’ range.  At the moment I feel unstoppable and get frustrated when I miss from this range.  I feel the head better.  I've had most success when I set the ball up just off the center of the face towards the toe.  It suits my eye, feels wonderful and I try to catch the ball where the center grey part meets the black portion of the toe.
On-Course (5 out of 5 stars)
 
I played 11 rounds of golf (18 and 9 hole rounds) and only had 3, 3 putts.  2 of those came during one 9 hole round where I was just lost and had no touch.  While I often feel strong about my putting, this only made me stronger.  I felt phenomenally confident on my 5-15’ putts where I could give them a shot yet still leave them in a makable range.  My scoring average this year prior to testing was in the low 80’s and my index was 6.3 to begin the year.  I was able to get that down to a 5.1 during my 9th round with this putter.  That works for me.
The Good, the bad, the in-between (5 out of 5 stars)
“Hey Steve, here’s my cell.  Please call me and text me throughout the process if you have any questions regarding the MEZZ or L.A.B. In general.”  Now I am paraphrasing however this is the essence of what we (I) dealt with and experienced.  Sam gets it.  This is the good stuff, the humility and genuine concern for the golfer’s experience.  Sam Hahn was accessible and sought feedback on our testing.  Not much else to say…we spoke more via text however the two phone calls we had were 14 and 8 minutes respectively.  That’s a lot of time to talk shop without much filler.
 
Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)
I said from the beginning, if this putter was better than my Cameron, I would sell my Cameron.  I am selling my Cameron.
A perfect score?  Seriously Steve?…without pause, I say absolutely yes…I am remarkably better with this putter and that’s the entire point.  Accessible CEO, quality product, better results.
In sum...
Different is good.  Try something truly different that is engineered to make your misses better; it worked for me.

Nippon Modus³ Tour 115 shaft Official MyGolfSpy review by Steve Davies (DStar) - 14th June 2022
 
Here's a link to my original introduction: 
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/34-nippon-modus-115-iron-shafts/?do=findComment&comment=7900
Introduction:
Firstly, a huge thanks to MSG and Nippon for giving me the opportunity to test and review the Modus³ Tour shafts.
I’m 48, happily married with 2 amazing girls and I live in a lovely little town called Malvern in the heart of England. It’s a town made famous by its water, Morgan Motors and The Hills, 13 miles of stunning countryside. 
I’m a CNC programmer by trade so have a keen eye for quality and finish which I shall be running the shafts under.
I’m now playing off 12 after starting on 24 last year so my game is coming on well but inconsistency is my main problem. I’m practising as much as I can and would love to get to single figures by the end of this year - that’s my goal. 
I’m quite a physical player, high swing speed and like to attack the pin - maybe I should play the percentages more but I just can’t help it!
First Impressions: 5 out of 5
Unboxing golf shafts is not going to be the most exciting thing in the world. We see shafts every time we play so there’s nothing ‘new’ about a chrome tube. 
That said, I was a little excited as I’ve only had used shafts in the past as I have only bought used irons off eBay. 
As part of my pack I also received a nice Nippon goody bag with a couple of tee shirts, caps and ball marker which bumped the score to a solid 5! 


 
Aesthetics: 5 out of 5
As I am a manufacturing engineer by trade, machining high quality components to very tight tolerances, I have a very keen eye for quality. Access to some very accurate measuring equipment helped in checking the physical quality. 
Initial measuring of the shafts found that they were very accurately produced, weight - length & tip diameter all very accurate.
The Nippon Modus³ shafts did not disappoint in this area. 
The finish and quality of the shafts is excellent. Weight, length and tip diameter were all exceptionally consistent. There were no sharp edges, poor graphics or damage to the shafts. 

The bright red logos were all in perfect alignment from the tip of the shaft. Nice, clear printing on the butt end showed the specifics for each individual shaft including length, batch number and manufacturing date.

 
The numbers: 4.5 out of 5
The main aim of the test is to see how these shafts perform against the claims of the manufacturer and to see if the performance claims are true or just marketing gumph.
Nippon say:
“A fusion of flexible control and powerful straight-line performance made possible by a decade of commitment”
“The predictable medium trajectory and mid-low spin results in performance that closely matches your intentions, encourages confident shots and maximises the potential of both you and your club”
My current Dymanic Gold S300 are, from what I have read, a low launch - low spin shaft.
I have only used these so cannot comment whether, or not, that is true. I know, from testing on the GC2, that I have a bunch of figures as a start point and we will see how the figures for the Nippon Modus³ compare.
I know all manufacturers have different takes on spin, launch etc and there is no industry standard to work from so it cannot be a direct comparison. 
What I was looking for was a higher launch, more spin and tighter dispersion.
Here are the figures from my testing: 
 

 
From my data it shows that the launch is slightly higher on the short irons and carry is slightly down on the old shafts but the spin is quite a bit higher. The ball speed is much more consistent across the new shafts too. 
The flight of the ball does seem to start a little lower but peak height seems higher and the ball is definitely stopping quicker on the greens which leads me to believe that there is a steeper angle of attack.
I’m not too familiar with how to extrapolate all of the data from the GC2 but dispersion was also much tighter.
Although I was looking for a higher launch, the fact that these do launch lower but come in steeper is a real game changer for me as I have been struggling to hold the greens which had altered how I was playing.
I find I’m now much more confident in attacking pins as I have more faith that the ball will hold.
The slight drop in distance is, I believe, down to the extra spin and is something I have no issues with. 

Out on the course: 5 out of 5
 
On the course I can only report good things about the shafts. My scoring has been better and my confidence higher since I’ve started to get used to the new shafts. 
It may be, in part, due to going to a shaft with an X-flex which may suit my swing better but these work! 
The reduced weight (approx 12g per club), compared to my old shafts, has made a real difference in my ability to know where the clubhead is during my swing and I feel I’m getting to the ball better, the doubt has gone and I feel I can be more attacking in my shot choice. 
I’ve even been able to shape - at will - a few shots which is something I’ve never felt I could do with the S300.
The ability to hold the ball on the green has made a massive difference to my game. We’ve got fast, hard greens at my course (running about 10 at the moment and they’ll get faster as summer progresses) so being able to go for the green is fantastic.
Here’s a downhill/down wind, 190y 6 iron:

Not a chance of doing this with my old setup!!
 
The good, the bad and the indifferent: 5 out of 5
As you may be able to tell, I don’t have anything bad to say about the Nippon Modus³ Tour 115 shafts. 
They look great, perform really well and have made a big difference to my game.
If I was to be picky I could say that the launch is lower than expected but the end result is something I was looking for, hence the 0.5 point reduction on the numbers score.


Play it or trade it: 5 out of 5
These shafts are staying in the bag for sure, the improvement in my game has been nothing short of huge and I now have confidence to go for the pin and my playing partners have commented on how much better I am hitting the ball. 
If you're looking for a new steel shaft to give more spin and confidence I would highly recommend giving the Nippon Modus³ Tour a try.
 
Final score: 29.5 out of 30
 
Conclusion: 
It's been a bit of an eye opener for me as I'd never been fitted or really tried anything other that the clubs I've purchased off eBay based on my own assumptions of what I thought I needed. I can now see the benefit of trying different shafts and, going forward, I will be looking at fitting the rest of my bag properly.
I'll be trying the Nippon wedge shafts as soon as possible as I love the feel of the iron shafts and think it could be advantageous to have that feeling through all of my irons, especially the scoring clubs. 
 
I’d like to say a massive thanks to MyGolfSpy & Nippon for being able to test and review these new shafts. 
These opportunities are really fantastic for us average golfers and shows why MGS is such a valuable and reliable resource for us all. 
 
 
 

Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 – Official MGS Forum Review by Tim Root

As most of us on this forum are, I am an avid golfer, always looking for ways to improve my game.  In my Golf Lifetime, equipment manufacturing companies have done a tremendous job convincing me that if I play this ball like my favorite PGA Professional, or that driver like the winner of last week’s tournament, or buy this training device as endorsed by the “world’s greatest” teacher… all I have to do is show up to the course loaded with equipment (though not as previously loaded with cash) to shoot below par.  And to a certain extent, there is a lot of merit in finding the right piece of equipment to fit my game – but I won’t find it by watching tv commercials or looking at what the pro’s play… I will find it – as Ben Hogan would say… “in the dirt” (not to say I haven’t taken the bait more times than I care to admit). 

As far as equipment is concerned, probably the last thing on my list for potential game improvement was the shaft… and more specifically, iron shafts.  Driver heads, iron sets, putters, wedges, balls, even grips are more likely to garner my excitement than an iron shaft.  Not to mention tees promising 4 more yards 😉.
 
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
So when I saw that MyGolfSpy was looking for participants to test iron shafts, my first impulse was to pass on this one… hoping the next opportunity to test would be a sexy piece of golf equipment to put in my bag and marvel at how amazing it looks… while searching for my ball in the woods.  Now, “common sense” and “my golf game” don’t often collide in the same sentence – but in reconsidering this opportunity, I started to research iron shafts, and how important they are to maximize performance in what I consider to be the single largest opportunity for improvement in my game… approach. 
I spent the last 8 months playing T200 irons fitted with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Graphite shafts and honestly never felt I synced with them.  The club swung very monochrome when I was used to a full color palate.  I couldn’t feel the head, contact felt “clacky”, and even balls that seemed to fly on the intended target path and distance weren’t at all satisfying.  Initially I blamed the “game improvement” T200 completely for this.  Even though the T200’s are forged, they do have that pesky plate on the back, and it was hard not to overcome my mental thought of them having “plastic” as part of the DNA.
But the reality is – while that true forged head feel I had grown accustomed to with my old Mizuno MP-33’s and not quite so old MP-68’s was not as evident with the T200s – the bland feel was more to do with the shafts, not the heads.  I didn’t know this until I had these Modus3 Tour 115’s installed in the T200’s. 
The N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 shafts actually seemed to address several of the concerns I have with my “gamer” shafts.
From the Nipponshaft.com website:

 

Trajectory control?  Spin Control?  Directly transmit power to clubhead and ball?  Lighter weight… but not too light described as a “golden spec”?  Yes, Please!!  I threw my name in the hat, and as good fortune would have it… I was chosen to be a tester.
First Impressions: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
 
AESTHETICS:



They look great installed, don’t they?
These shafts look sleek, hot and fast.  The red graphics across the chrome silver shaft remind me of the Deltawing Racer from years back.

Again, it is hard to understand or convey how a shaft’s looks make me more confident over a shot… but that box is checked with these Tour 115’s. 
Aesthetics: 5 out of 5 Stars
 
DATA:
Statistical analysis is a conundrum for me.  To my own detriment most likely, I put a lot more weight in “feel” and on the course results than I do into data analysis.  I am only just starting to gain understanding on launch monitor data and what it means beyond carry distances.  Though other testers will have better data and analysis than I have, I will offer a few data points from my Mevo+Pro (caveat – the LM data below is based on short range into net shots – total of 30 feet from LM to net).  
I recorded these samples just a few days apart using the same 7 iron head, first with the graphite shaft, and then with the new Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 shaft for comparison purposes. 

 
Shot Patterns from Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Shafts:


 
Compared to the N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 Shafts


Aside from the obvious (I’m old and out of shape, similar to my mental acuity, my swing is weak and slow), a few things jump out at me – even not fully understanding what the LM Data is telling me.
Consistently (though poor) swing between shafts – evidenced by fairly tight variances in swing speed, smash factor, club path, face path and face to target.  Eliminating some of the concerns I had about swinging better or worse from one day to the next. Carry distance was essentially the same between the shafts – which in itself could be included in point #1, but with point #3, I believe it deserves it’s own bullet. Height is about 7 yards lower in flight on average, Flight Time is the same, even with the lower ball flight. If I didn’t mention it before, the stability and consistency I was “feeling” with the Modus Tour 115 shafts is evident in the dispersion pattern in the samples above.  This is the confidence builder stat for me. Data that I’m not sure how to decipher: AoA was increased in Modus3 sample, which may have resulted in a lower Dynamic Loft (and lower ball flight).  Also, spin was a bit lower with the Modus shaft.  I should also mention, that the results from the LM data are extremely indicative of the results I have seen across all my irons with the Nippon shafts in range sessions and on the course. This may be anecdotal, but when I changed to the Tour 115’s my scoring average started improving.  In the 20 rounds I have played with the Tour 115’s, my average score has dropped by 2.15 strokes and my handicap reflects the improvement as well:

Statistics: 5 out of 5 Stars
 
ON THE COURSE:

Because I’m a feel and results player (whether that is good or bad is up for debate), equipment satisfaction is derived from my swing feeling like it has life.  Knowing where my club head is throughout my swing, feeling it kick through the ball, being consistently in my expected flight window, going the distances I expect, and reacting on the ground the way I want it to.  With my iron shots, I’m looking for a boring flight (meaning not a pop-up, but more of a frozen rope), holds its line when struck correctly, hits the green with a hop and stop.  I struggled with my previous shafts on all those aspects.  The graphite shafts felt like a board through my swing – no “action”, with high trajectory shots that were inconsistent distances (both short and long) and line, and rolled out on the green.
However, the moment I installed the Modus3 Tour 115’s on the T200’s, all that changed.
Though the club feels noticeably heavier, that isn’t a detriment… if anything, I prefer the weighty feel.  I can feel the club head throughout my swing and can feel the shaft working for me as it loads for impact, kicking through the ball.  The trajectory is low and boring hitting my window, the distances are consistent and my shots seem to be holding their line better, probably due to a better trajectory and spin profile… which also gives me the ground reaction of “hop and stop” I want to see.  How much of that is confidence in the shaft to make a good swing, and how much is actual performance of the shaft… don’t know… don’t care…   RESULTS are king.
Course Performance: 5 out of 5 Stars
 
TAKE AWAY:
I fully admit I was predisposed to liking these shafts.  Being disgruntled with my pre-Modus3 setup, I was looking for a change.  But I wasn’t expecting that change to come solely in the form of a shaft.  And I certainly wasn’t expecting to LOVE my T200’s the way I do right now.  Granted, they aren’t butter like a Mizuno Blade, but with a better shaft fit for me – they provide every bit of feedback on my swing I need to execute good golf shots.  These Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 shafts are ALIVE, and brought those T200 heads back to life too.  What more can I ask?

As irony would have it, I recently received the long ago ordered Mizuno Pro 221’s, so I will try to contrast and compare as much as possible in post-review comments (though two totally different heads makes it very subjective).  However, I can say it is VERY difficult to put down these T200’s … even with those shiny new blades looking at me (which is a HUGE statement for a tinkerer like me).  One thing I want to better understand is where the 115g weight fits with my swing compared to the 105g that I have in the Mizunos.  I really enjoy the extra weight compared to the graphite shafts previously installed in my T200’s, but will I get better performance from shaving off 10g?  With a slower swing speed such as mine, maybe… but if it means giving up the ‘action’ and ‘feel’ I am experiencing in these 115’s… the benefits would need to be pretty significant for me to consider it.
Take Away: 5 out of 5 Stars
 
PLAY OR TRADE:
My comments above have given a pretty clear indication on this, but let me double down…  these shafts are staying in my Gamers (T200’s) – without a doubt.  In fact, when I am ready for my next new set of irons (being a member of the Club Ho’s Anonymous thread… that could come sooner than later) I will be purchasing heads only, as I have the shaft that works for my game right now.   
Play it or Trade It: 5 out of 5 Stars
 
CONCLUSION:
The Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 Shafts meet or exceed every expectation I had for them. 
Compared to my previously installed Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Graphite shafts, the Tour 115’s offer a better weight profile for my swing; lower trajectory for better control with no loss of distance; tighter dispersion on both distance and direction; and gives me the ability to feel my clubhead throughout the swing.  The Tour 115 shafts excel in stability through impact, and gives me confidence to make swings for shaping my shots when needed.  Where my previous shafts seemed to be a one trick pony, I rate the Tour 115’s as a team of stallions in my bag.
My shot making, and as a result my scoring, has improved since installing these shafts.  I would recommend these shafts to anyone looking to upgrade their irons.
Final Score: 29.5 out of 30 Stars

In case you haven't seen it, here is my intro for this...
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/34-nippon-modus-115-iron-shafts/?do=findComment&comment=8092
Early Impressions.
These shafts are clean and simple but exude class. To me they look like they mean business.




I can't tell you what it was like to build them, my club pro did the hard work for me but what a beautiful job he did!!



I can definitely feel the added weight compared to the old shafts but they do feel stable. I will add more once I have used them in anger.... But if the play as good as they look I will be in heaven 😍😍🥰
First Impressions 5 out of 5 stars
Aesthetics
I could wax lyrical about the looks of these but I think my comments in my first impressions say enough. In short I like these a lot!!.
Aesthetics 5 out of 5 stars
Data and on the course performance
Well, I had grand plans of firing up Arccos and being able to down load a pile data here for you all but life and the weather has gotten in the way.

But what I can give you are some snippets to whet your appetites.
These shafts launch high. I hit them along side my gamers with the AMT White shafts and there was a definite difference. 
Here is my T100s wedge with the AMTs...
And here is the Cobra Wedge with the Modus shaft...
The two strikes felt the same yet the Modus just flies so much higher!! Even the 4 iron gets up and goes...
That leads nicely into distance. I was using these irons last year with the KBS C-Taper Lites and I was getting Ok distance. I was surprised that I lost no distance when I changed to the T100s, even though the T100s are higher lofted and more of a players iron. My average for a 9 iron was 120 metres or 131 yards. So when I came to a shot last weekend of 137 metres (149 yards) I decided to give the 9 iron a go just because I didn't want to go long. Boy was I surprised when I hit the ball 6 inches past the hole!! The same thing happened with my 7 iron, average of 140 metres (153 Yards) and I hit it 154 metres (168 yards) on the fly. These shafts for me have unleashed the true potential of the Cobra heads. I am at least a club longer with all of my irons and yet they still stop with the extra height.
Spin wise I have been getting a lot of spin on the greens but we are officially in winter so the greens are soft too. I do worry that, with the extra height, these could spin up too much into a stiff breeze and just kill the distance gains.
The other side affect of the shafts is that my ball flight is straighter. I had to adjust on the course and not aim for as much draw. I think this comes from where these shafts kick but I'm not complaining!!
Data 5 out of 5 stars
On the Course 5 out of 5 stars
Takeaway
These shafts are heavy but this makes them stable for me, they launch like missiles but have the distance to go with it and the spin seems to be controlled. But (and it's a big but) these are not for every one. I have a rhythmic swing with just enough speed to warrant stiff shafts and I think if I had a little less speed these shafts would not be a good fit.
 
If you are a person who needs light shafts, struggles with hitting the ball too high or has elbow or wrist injuries then I don't think these shafts are for you. Try them for sure but I think the 105s might be a better fit. 
So for me these are great shafts over all but maybe just a touch too heavy and launch just a touch too high for our windy conditions.
Takeaway 4 out of 5 stars.
Play or Trade
Well this is where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. Am I going to race out and throw these shafts in my T100s?
After reading the rest of this review you would think its an emphatic yes.... but you would be wrong.

I think the combination of the stunning T100S heads and these shafts would launch the ball so high and create so much spin that they would be almost unplayable for me. Also I found swinging the extra weight in all of them to be tiring and I was have been feeling it at the end of rounds. So that leaves me with a conundrum, I like these shafts a lot but, for me, they need to be in power heads for them to truly work and that's not where I want my game to be. So they will be in my back up set and I may pull them out during the winter from time to time but they will not be replacing my current gamers. You could say that I am keeping them but really just to be admired from a distance and pulled out when I'm feeling brave

Play Or Trade 2 and a half stars out of 5
Conclusion.
Nippon have done a fantastic job with these shafts and they fit into the range perfectly. In the right hands they will be absolute weapons. I recommend trying these during a fitting for sure but don't expect miracles. For me they are really good but not the best fit which is why they are staying on the sidelines.
Final Score  26.5 out of 30 Stars.
Thank you again to Nippon and MGS for allowing me to put these shafts to the test and thank you to my fellow spies for reading my thoughts. I hope it helps you with your search for the set of clubs you have been dreaming of...
Cheers, John 

Edel SMS Wedges – Official MGS Forum Review by edingc
Introduction - May 28, 2022
A full introduction can be found in the comments section.

A big thank you to Edel and MyGolfSpy for another outstanding testing opportunity.
My name is Cody and, if you ask my wife, I am obsessed with golf. I practice or play almost every day when the weather permits. Living in West Michigan is a golfer’s dream with many beautiful courses and practice facilities. My handicap hovers in the upper-mid single digits with my distance being the strength of my game. My length means I hit a number of full and partial wedges throughout my rounds.
I will be testing the Edel SMS wedges with the following specifications, per my fitting at Club Champion:
50 degrees, 54 degrees, 58 degrees Standard Loft/Length/Lie V Grind Weight in Toe Nippon Modus3 Wedge 125 I have access to a short game area, a practice range and my indoor garage bay equipped with a FlightScope Mevo+ launch monitor and Titleist RCT golf balls. My plan is to put the Edels through their paces on course, on the practice area and in my garage bay. Specifically, a few areas I am most concerned about are turf interaction, ball flight/shape and wet weather performance. 
Final Review - July 25, 2022
Crazy how fast time flies when you're having fun! We received our clubs over a month ago (full unboxing post here), and I've had a blast with the Edels on both the course and practice range. I was able to get the wedges out for 10 18-hole rounds, eight 9-hole rounds, a scramble and at least 15 trips to the range/practice area. I even played an entire nine holes with nothing but the wedges and my putter.
First Impressions - 4/5 Stars



The quality of the Edel wedges is evident by the fit and finish of the packaging and the clubs themselves. From the securely-packed, suitcase-style shipping box to the hand-turned ferrules, the bespokeness of the SMS wedges is obvious.
Edel promotes the weight system as a means to ensure the best possible fit for an individual’s swing type. The weight positions allow them to fit for any type of swing, shallow to steep. Edel claims a combined 44 percent increase in accuracy in distance and lateral dispersion.
I am very impressed by the Edel experience. Chris Koske, Edel’s Chief Marketing Officer, helped schedule my fitting and took my order via email. That was a very nice touch. It made me feel like they cared about their customers more so than a larger OEM might.
I’m removing a star from this area for two reasons:
There were some differences in what each tester received inside their shipment. I received a card detailing how to self-fit the wedges but some of the other testers did not. I did not receive stickers. Some of the other testers did. It seems odd to me at this price point to not include a tool to change the weights alongside the self-fitting card. Aesthetics, Sound and Feel - 5/5 Stars


This is a very subjective area of the review. To my eyes the SMS wedges are some of the most beautiful wedges available. While the milled sole is not unique to Edel, the combination of the sole, modern branding, custom ferrules and a chrome finish makes for a stunning golf club. 

I prefer the look of the slightly rounded leading edge. It makes me confident I won’t lay sod over the ball if I catch it heavy. The matte face sets itself against the polished hosel and back. The squared off, almost full face grooves are unique and act as a nice alignment aid as well.
The wedges are minimalist enough as to not draw attention. You really start to appreciate the whole package once the details like the sole milling and the diamond texture on the face reveal themselves.

After an adjustment period, the Edel wedges feel great. As a Japanese 1025 carbon steel forging, they have a very soft feeling when hit on or around the sweet spot. There is still plenty of feedback, and I can readily tell my strike location, however.
I play a firmer golf ball (Snell MTB-X), but impact with the SMS wedges produce a nice solid thwack sound. Only when moving to range rocks could I describe some shots as producing a harsh clicking sound and feel.
The Numbers - 4/5 Stars


The heaviest weight has been in the toe throughout my testing per my fitting. The weight placement has resulted in consistent impact and shots. I haven’t wanted to move it around.

My left-to-right dispersion is predictable. I used to be capable of big left misses even with a wedge in my hand. My left miss has almost completely disappeared. I most often miss the ball to the right now, which is a much better miss in most circumstances.

I hit the SMS wedges very consistent distances that fit my gapping. They have a nice high flight for me with a stock full swing. However, these wedges seem to love partial swings. I’ve made an effort to hit partial shots more often as a means to combat wind. On full swings into the breeze I’ve noticed I can get too much spin which results in a ballooning and short shot.
The weight in the toe does make a noticeable difference. I can feel the face wanting to stay open longer through the swing. I have had some struggles with full swing wedges staying too open. This results in the right/short miss I mentioned above.
Make no mistake, these wedges are still a solid forging and do punish balls that miss the center by too much.
On Course - 5/5 Stars


The Edels made an immediate impact on the golf course. I quickly felt comfortable with the wedges on partial shots around greens. The toe weight helped my short game because it became so effortless to hit high, soft shots. I never had that kind of short game shot in my repertoire before bagging the Edels.

The V grind is the perfect choice for my swing and course conditions. I can tell there is a lot more trailing edge bounce on the V grind than on other wedges I’ve used in the past. It is a wonderful grind for the softer conditions I usually play on. On firmer lies, the trailing edge bounce glides along the ground giving me a ton of confidence.
Wet weather performance has been more than adequate for my needs. I still seem to be getting plenty of spin even when the clubface and ball are both wet with morning dew.
I am not as comfortable with full swings as I was with my previous wedges. That has required a small strategy change on course to hit more partial wedges. I'm still practicing at getting better in that area.

ShotScope confirms an improvement in my short game since putting the Edels in the bag. Over the past 15 rounds I’ve gained 0.04 strokes in my short game over a scratch golfer. Those 15 rounds include a mix of rounds with the Edels and my previous wedges. Over my past 10 rounds with Edels only, I’ve gained 0.62 strokes in my short game over a scratch golfer. That’s a big improvement!
The Good, The Bad, The In Between - 4/5 Stars


Don’t overlook the endless grind/loft combinations. Edel offers all four grinds in every loft. Add on the weights and there is endless customization. For me, finding the right grind/weight combination made a big difference.
I do think the Edels are not wedges you would want to buy off the rack without a good fitting. It is also concerning to me that each of our authorized fitters seemed to approach the fittings in different ways.
Play it or Trade it? - 5/5 Stars


The Edels are in the bag. Period. Combined with a lesson taken a day before receiving the clubs, I’ve played some of the best golf of my life this summer. As of this writing my unofficial handicap has dropped from around nine at the start of the testing to below six. My improved short game caused a lot of that improvement.

While the Edels are priced above their major OEM competitors (and much more than some smaller brands), there is a lot of value in the fitting options. I have no doubt the multitude of loft, weight and grind combinations could fit every type of golfer.
Conclusion

Edel’s swing match weighting system is a unique feature not found on other wedges. The Edel SMS wedges lived up to the marketing hype during my review period. They have helped me drop two strokes from my handicap since putting them in the bag.
The seemingly endless combinations of loft, weight location and grinds mean a golfer can expect to get a wedge tailored especially to their swing. I would consider the Edel SMS wedges to be a must try for anyone who is looking into a new set of wedges, especially if one can locate an authorized Edel fitter near them.
Final Score - 27/30 Stars

Nippon Modus 115 Iron Shafts – Official MGS Forum -- Review by Syks7 (Jonathan Gilliam)
 
Intro
Hi everyone, I’m really excited to be part of this test.  I’m a 39 year old architect in Southern California and am currently a 11.4 handicap. There’s been a lot of other tests I’ve wanted to take part in a lot of tests since I joined the forum, but this one is actually the best fit to my game and level of knowledge.  I’ve started building my own clubs so it gives me some flexibility with testing that should be pretty handy.  

More intro, my equipment, and testing plan
 
Early impressions (5/5)
Unboxing Those of you that have bought shafts know that it's a pretty no frills unboxing that involves a non-descript box of golf club length with the shafts you order bundled up amidst butcher paper and rubber banded together.  This is no different, though I will say this is the first I've encountered each shaft being in an individual plastic sleeve.  It's a nice touch to keep them from gathering dust or scratches along the way.
 
Build wise they look and feel like premium iron shafts.  All of them penciled in within 1.3 Gm of 117g with some slightly lighter and some slightly lower.  Lengths were cut within 1/16"  of the stated length.  There was also a nice stamp stating Flex, Length, batch number?, serial code, build date, and build location.  It's helpful to keep organized when building organization and in a spot that will be covered by the grip eventually.   Link to more build info & Images



 
 
 
 
First Swings I put the the shafts in play immediately and my first swings were at the range the day before a men’s club tournament.  It did not take long for me to get acquainted or comfortable with them.  I found that they fit my tempo quite well (moderate) and that I did not have any trouble feeling where the head was.  They were very easy to load and consistently produced a baby fade (when I was striking well) for me and did not produce any head scratching results short of producing a lot, lot of rollout on partially thin shots.  On well struck shots they produced a nice mid high penetrating flight that stalled out and landed softly.  I did not have trouble holding greens.  
From 210 w/ the 4I.  Pretty soft landing.

 
Aesthetics (5/5)
In my initial impression I mention how clean the shafts were looks wise when I first got them.  That opinion hasn’t changed after a month and half of testing.  The graphics are really simple and sharp without being distracting if you install graphics up like I did.  They’re also not so huge that you’d still see them if you installed graphics down.  Beyond that, they might be a bit too polished when they show up (borderline Mirror) but that fades with use so it’s a non issue and I have no reason to deduct any points.

 
The Numbers (5/5)
The numbers for me were pretty good with a few caveats.  These shafts are in the same weight class category, flex, and same moderate tempo range as the shafts I’m fitted into.  I played the crap out of them (4 weeks 108 holes and boatloads of range time) I can confidently say that I have hit more golf balls this month than I ever have before.  Now onto the numbers which I’d class as all positive.
I did tend to shoot lower with Modus in the bag, but towards the end I played around and I shot lowest with a mix in the bag (including a new personal best).  Swing speed was well within the same range as my gamers Dispersion stayed very close but saw a bit more right variation in the pattern Carry distances were so similar to my gamers that I played a couple 9s with alternating clubs.  PW,8,6,4 in one and 9,7,5 in another – a bit weird the first 9 and unnoticeable the second. (other than the head) I played one 9 hole shootout with only irons in the bag between my gamers and the Modus and the difference over 9 holes was a single stroke.  +3 for my gamers vs. +4.  The trajectory of the modus is slightly different.  It’s more penetrating but the launch monitor disproved my observation that apex and launch were lower.  There was minor variations in both and descent angles were also very similar.     Spin numbers were slightly lower with Modus but only down couple hundred RPM in the long irons and even less in the short irons. No deductions here.  Directly compared to the shafts I’ve been fitted to there was nothing I would class as a large variation or anything bad.  They were immediately playable for me.


 
On the Course (4.5/5)
On the course the Modus 115’s performed very well.   The stability of the shaft regardless of swing tended to help me out on longer approach shots where I can have a bad habit of overswinging or transitioning like a madman to try and ‘get’ it there.  With my gamers that kind of heavy transition either ends with a nasty block fade or a cannon pull.  With the Modus 115s those kind of mishits were not as pronounced.  The head was delivered squarely more or less to where I expected and I wasn’t spraying the ball into oblivion on mishits.  The other thing that I really liked on course was that I felt like I had a variation in the trajectory I could hit all the way up to 7 Iron.  Depending on how high or low I hit on the face I could get it to hit and check up on the green or I could get it to run like crazy down the fairway on an approach.  The only thing I didn’t like as much was the distance on mishit.  For me the mishits tended to be a little hot and like to run.  I overcooked more than a few greens even landing well short of the green.  Its obviously my issue but vs. my gamers which still check up on mishits it’s worth a half point deduction.
(So happy to have her out with me that I can forgive stepping on my birdie line)

The Good, the Bad, the in between (4.5/5)
The bad
As mentioned in on course performance the only middling issue I would have is that my mishits with them tended to run and run like hell.  Something that was not the case when I had my gamer shafts in the heads that currently are attached to the Modus.  It’s not a huge issue but it’s the only head scratcher for me with these shafts.  The in between
 
The weight class.  I like this weight and I am used to it from playing similar shafts, but some might find it too heavy and it may exacerbate elbow issues that you have.  I will note that the slight difference in kick combined with weight did cause an old elbow twinge from when I first transitioned to steel shafts to resurface for a couple days.  The good
  The weight class again.  It’s not so light that it doesn’t feel stable or lack feel but also not so heavy that it feels like you’re swinging a sledge.  They are very easy for me to load without feeling whippy and heavily lend themselves to the tempo of my swing.  (Most of my acceleration happens at the bottom and my transition isn’t where the shaft initially loads).  These shafts are responsile for one of a big lightbulb moment for me with my swing when I realized that a ¾ speed towel drill strike was getting out almost as far as my full swings.  Contact>Raw speed.  The smoother my swing got the better the Modus 115s did for me. Despite the shaft doing better when you swung smooth it didn’t get out of sorts when I couldn’t stop myself from trying to step on it and swinging too hard or transitioning aggressively.   The result of those swings wasn’t good, but it also wasn’t bad.   I didn’t generate very many pull hooks or banana slices playing them.  Something definitely not true of my gamers. Ease of use.  I could adjust the trajectory pretty easily and get different types of shots out of the shaft without much effort. More Swing Videos
Play it or Trade it (4.5 / 5)
I’m keeping these though I haven’t settled on a final bag yet.  For now I’m going mixed bag with 4/5 in Modus and 6/PW in the TT Elevate Tours I’ve been playing.  I’ve played it a couple times that way and it’s akin to mixed heads – more stable and forgiving at the top end and more workable at the bottom end.  The runout on mishits is a concern for me but in the end a straight-ish ball rolling over the green is much preferable to a hard pull into the trees.  I’ve already been hitting more greens with the 4 and 5 iron attached to the Modus shafts than I was before.  
That said I’m still going to be testing for the foreseeable future to settle on whether to fully migrate to the Modus 115s.  I’ll be tinkering, starting with trying a couple modus shafts out in my PW & 9 to see whether or not they perform better than the gamers in the 639 cb heads.  I’ll keep updating as I do.
 
Conclusion 
I was genuinely curious to test them in comparison to my gamers.  The descriptions said they’d be similar, but I didn’t expect for them to be so immediately playable for me.  I’ve played with a lot of other shafts that are moderate tempo mid/mid’s and I hadn’t encountered one that I got along with as well as the Modus 115s aside from the TT Elevate tours.  They don’t disappoint, are very stable, and provide good results for me both when I’m swinging well and when my swing is not at its best.  With that in mind I think that Nippon has a very strong product on their hands that could even managed to stand out amidst the rest of it’s stellar lineup.      
Final Score (28.5 / 30)

 

How we doing y’all?!  Welcome to B.Boston’s official Rapsodo MLM review!  I am super excited about this one as I had literally commented to another member on instagram that if I had $1,000 to spend on golf equipment I would buy a personal launch monitor and get some lessons, then I saw that MGS was looking for testers for exactly that!  
No review would be started correctly without thanking both Rapsodo and MGS for offering up this launch monitor for review.  And thank you to the mods for selecting me.  It is always a humbling experience to be chosen to do a review and I know we have high expectations of our reviewers here.  Thank you, thank you, thank you! 
Who is this B.Boston guy anyway?
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about me!  My name is Bryan, and I am from Bellingham, MA.  Based on my user name you might see that I identify with Boston as my “home” city.  I grew up about 40 minutes outside the city, went to school just outside the city, and have lived within those 40 minutes for my entire life.  If you don’t know me already, or heck even if you do based on my Cobra Connect posts last year you’d probably expect me to be your Dunkin’ and Sam Adams drinking cousin from Boston sports guy with a wicked accent and Tom Brady posters all over the place.  While some of that is true… my accent is apparently disappointing.
Obligatory family photo from our recent vacation:

I’ve been golfing since as long as I can remember, getting my first set and going to the executive par 3 near me from when I was about 7 years old, but I got much more serious about it (read: tried to eliminate my slice) as I got into college.  Now 34 years old and a happily married father of three I would say I am borderline obsessed with the game and I have an ultimate goal of reaching “scratch” status for my handicap.  I am currently a 5.8 based on my Arccos stats.  Strength of my game is putting and I’m really hopeful that I can dial in my approach and long game with the help of the Rapsodo MLM and Coaching.
State of my game:
Just for reference here is a current view of some Arccos data:




My gapping is pretty good and I really just need to work on consistency.  My worst stats come from Approach and Short Game shots.  I need to get better in my proximity to the hole on approaches, and get closer for an easy one putt if I don’t hit the green.
Here’s a recent swing clip.  This should be useful representative of a starting point for me before any changes or developments from the coaching aspect of this review:
My signature shows my current WITB, but in case you’re reading this on mobile and can’t see I’m playing here are the details:
Driver: Callaway Epic Max LS Fairway:  Cobra Speedzone 5-wood Hybrid:  Titleist TSi3 20* Irons:  Cobra Forged Tec (5-GW) Wedges:  Cobra MIM Black (52, 56, 60) Putter:  Evnroll ER2B Ball:  Titleist Pro V1x Tech:  Precision Pro NX9 Slope, Arccos Caddie I’m a tech nerd at heart so I’m always interested in ways to utilize technology to enhance my game.  I have been loving Arccos and its strokes gained information as it has been insightful in many cases and damn eye opening in others.  I’ll record my swing at the range and on the course to see if there’s anything I notice off on a particular day, and can not wait to pair it with a powerful tool in the Rapsodo MLM to get an even better understanding of my game.  
What will I be looking at in this test, and what am I hoping to get out of it?
I will primarily be using this device outside at the driving range, and hopefully getting some actual on-course data as well.  I know that from both last year’s forum testing and the most wanted articles that the Rapsodo MLM is top of its class and very comparable to professional grade units for good quality strikes.  I know all of these units can suffer on strikes that are at opposite ends of the bell curve, so I don’t expect perfection, but I will do my best to test out the accuracy claims.  I want to see what the Rapsodo shows as my carry gapping versus my Arccos stats total yardage.  Also to see if I am getting good ball speed gaps, peak heights, etc. to make sure that everything is looking in line.
However, the thing I’m most excited to take part in is the coaching feature as I have only ever had one golf lesson and while I would love to have a coach and consistently see them, it’s difficult for me to know which day I’ll be able to shoot to the range on lunch and scheduling something after work is challenging, and if I’m booking time on the weekend for golf, I’d much rather it be time playing on the course and enjoying the game.  I really feel that the coaching feature will help me maximize my range sessions by getting feedback and things to work on for the next bucket of balls.    
I’m also going to try and have some fun, and highlight some of the cool features for you all.  There will be a long drive contest and hopefully some other videos along the way.
Much more to come with the unboxing and review!  Please sound off in the comment section with anything else you’re hoping to see from my review or any of the other testers.  As much as this review is about my experience, I want to make sure the forums are learning everything they possibly want to about them to aid in future purchase decisions.
Make sure to give this thread a follow so you don’t miss out!
Initial Impressions! (September 10th Update):
I’ve had three range sessions in the books now with the Rapsodo MLM and have had an opportunity to try everything out except the coaching feature, so I’ll be adding more details about that later on.

Rapsodo claims that the MLM sets up in under 30 seconds and I have to agree.  The iPhone and iPad apps are super responsive to start a practice or game session and just as slick in reviewing rounds once the session has been uploaded.  Every time that I powered the unit on it connected quickly to my phone and I was able to get a session going without any issues.  Even swapping to the iPad to test went smoothly.  I had no issue going through my session after getting home, looking at swing videos, and viewing detailed data.  I had even forgotten to switch clubs at one point and that was easy in the app too.  I can’t stress enough how simple the app made it to get setup and start hitting shots.  This is important to me because I don’t want to be thinking about the set up and capture of swings to get the data to the point that I’m not thinking you know… about my golf swing and hitting the shots I want to hit.  
Here’s my typical range setup:

The iPad version of the app allows for more data to be shown and I think it looks cooler.

Side Note:  On the first day I did have to improvise as the MLM needs to generally be level with the ground you are hitting on, so I used a flipped over small bucket as the ground behind the mat I was on sloped down and away.  I have since used it slightly below the level of the ball (maybe 4 or 5 inches) and it seemed to work just fine.  But it was still level, which I think is more important.

Rapsodo highlights several features when talking about the MLM:
Shot Tracer
GPS Shot Map
Video Playback
Club Gapping
Interactive Games/Sharing
Shot Library
NET(Indoor/Outdoor)
Smart Club Recognition
They also highlight that accuracy matters, and so far the MLM seems to have done really well on good/average strikes.  Poor strikes have been less consistent, but yeah, it’s a poor strike and likely out of the focal range of the unit’s radar.  I’m not going to fuss that the unit was unable to show my topped drive was 30 yards before it hit the ground instead of a 42 yard carry (I mean if I were to have had a shot like that…. Which I NEVER do!).  
So far the clunkiest part of the app experience has been exporting swing videos to the camera roll.  For such a smooth app for everything else it takes way too many clicks, and too much time to do.
So what does this accuracy get you?  Here are the metrics the Rapsodo MLM captures:
Distance (Carry for irons, user selectable Carry or Carry + Roll for woods)
Ball Speed immediately after impact
Club Speed immediately prior to impact
Smash Factor for strike efficiency
Launch Angle
Launch Direction
So far, it seems to be a pretty accurate launch monitor, particularly with well struck balls.  I’ve had a few data issues with pull-hooks, my guess is because the ball gets lost behind my club or body and the reading gets messed up.  I can forgive that miss as I realize these are not perfect commercial sized radar units.  It’s also disappointing that there is no spin, but I read a rumor that they are working on that, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.  My club and ball speed numbers are right inline with what I saw earlier this year on a trackman and were well within my expectations.



(Very cool to have the visual satellite overlay view, but I’m not convinced the scaling is quite right.  More research needed.)
Not too shabby for the asking price right?  But wait, there’s more!
There are two main subscriptions offered with the MLM for golfers.  Basic (AKA Free), and Premium ($99 annually)..  There is also a Coach Connect subscription, but that is teaching professionals and is out of scope on this review.  With the Basic subscription you only get cloud storage for your last 100 shots included.  The premium subscription includes more:
Cloud storage for 10,000 shots
Slow motion swing replays at 4 speeds
Shot Apex data on your swings
Access to online golf lesions through the Coach Connect platform
I need some more time to think about it, but I don’t think we’re getting enough as consumers at the Free level.  100 shots isn’t even 10 good shots with each club in my bag, so the club gapping is much less appealing.  Heck, that’s not even two full buckets at the range.  I really think that something like 250 or 300 shots should be included, or I should be able to use my iPhone or iPad’s internal memory.  It is super portable with the included carry case, so it really would be a shame to not be able to see more than 2 range sessions of history since I can see myself always having it there available to use.

As for the upgraded features you do get with the premium, I DO enjoy the peak height indicator on the shot replays.  It’s not always easy to tell due to the angle of the camera and it is something that I do like to see.  The ability to play your swings in several levels of slow motion is neat, but I think the app needs to use a higher FPS on the camera’s phone to really take advantage of it.  Slow motion videos from the native iPhone app are much better.  I need to do a comparison there on the downswing as well as some more testing to show what I mean.
I should be getting into the online golf lessons soon, and will update here after I get to try that out.  Until then, it’s off to the range for some more hone my skills with the Rapsodo MLM in tow!
 
Final Scores! (November 23rd Update):
Looks & Feel (10 out of 10 points) 
The Rapsodo MLM is very well built and feels like a tank.  It feels very dense and solid, not hollow.  I like that feeling as it feels more high quality even if a lighter unit may be just as good.  It strikes a good balance with some softer feeling rubberized plastic.  Also the buttons and flap that you open for the phone/tablet stand have a satisfying smooth feeling to them. 
The case is a good standard feeling rangefinder style zip case.  With that storage for between uses and the high quality feeling unit itself I have no doubts that unit will hold up long term.
 
Setup (13 out of 15 points)
As I touched on in my initial impressions, the Rapsodo MLM and Rapsodo app could not be easier to set up and get going. Turn it on, place it down, open the app, select practice or the mode you want, set location and heading, verify you’re in your box and the ball is in its box, and Go.  Demos in the app are very good at showing you what to do step-by-step if it’s your first time setting it up.  
The unit charges fast enough through standard USB connections and I don’t doubt I can get through 2 or more range sessions on a charge, but I usually just charge it after a practice session anyway.  
Upon swinging the replay shows all your relevant data (more is shown on the iPad, and I prefer that view).  The data is all useful information for your shots and can help track your progress.  I find the ball speed to be the most useful (with driver at least) as a way of determining how solidly I’m hitting the ball.
While I won’t say any of it is useless, the least useful metric to me is the shot shape.  I’ve had several shots that were over or under curved, likely due to the device not capturing spin.  However, I don’t recall it being wildly off, but enough that I consider the tracer more of an estimate than a calculated or tracked overlay.
 
Accuracy (13 out of 15 points)
As far as accuracy is concerned I want to note that I used the Rapsodo MLM exclusively at the driving range outdoors..  I have no indoor or outdoor net experience so this is all based on Outdoor mode with range balls. 
I think the unit overall does a really good job on well struck shots.  Considering the condition of the range balls I was using I was expecting some variance, even if the data is normalized.  One area I did see some strange results was on shots that started more left and maybe got part of the ball flight lost behind me while swinging.  I also had several shots where the tracer did not start at the ball, and I am not sure if that means the numbers are good or not.  
Here is a chart of my Arrcos Smart Distance versus Rapsodo Lifetime Stats (Driver and woods are set to Carry+Roll setting in the app):
 

So now, let's take a look at the story here by club grouping:
Wedges (52*, 56*, and 60*) No surprise here.  At the range I hit my 52, 56, and 60 to some specific targets and on-course I end up with many different length shots.  The Rapsodo distances feel very accurate to the targets I am usually shooting at with them Irons (including PW and GW) These feel really accurate in aggregate as well.  Considering I don’t get much roll through the 9 iron I am happy to see they match my Arccos on-course performance.  It makes sense to me that I would see some gaps in the longer irons as Rapsodo does not account for roll on these shots.  If anything, the quality of ball I’m hitting may start to impact carry figures for the 6 and 5 irons by 3-5 yards. Hybrid Ok so this is the only one that I really don’t agree with.  It’s also one of the clubs I hit the least during practice, so it could be a sample size thing with a few bad shots pulling the numbers down.  I think I only have a dozen or so shots with it in the Rapsodo data, but once again when we account for roll, this may only be 5-8 yards off on carry.  Maybe it rolls a lot more for me than I’m thinking? 5-wood This looks pretty good to me.  At this point the range I practice at does back uphill, so it’s easier to gauge how close to the targets your landing and estimate total carry distance.  Also I don’t tee this club up at the range and my Arccos data would include tee shots which in theory would allow for some additional distance. Driver This one is tough for me to gauge.  I don’t like seeing a 20 yard gap here, but I have a hard time believing the range balls are not partially to blame here.  The last few sessions out I could see the ball traveling shorter overall distances even though the Rapsodo unit was showing a lot of the same swing speeds.  It also had my efficiency at about 1.42 so maybe with my gamer balls that number would be a little higher.  Or maybe it is because I was practicing a lot with the Epic Max LS as it was the newest club in my bag, and I was trying different shafts, and had a bunch of poor shots in the data.  I will note that I saw my biggest “Hmmmm” moments when looking at the Rapsodo readouts with the driver, particularly if my start line got pulled to the left at all.  But, more on that later… I’m docking a couple points here because the accuracy of the shot tracer and shot direction/path is just OK.  With no ability to edit for the landing point  it looks awkward if you’re not hitting on a flat surface and without spin measurements it’s only ever going to be a guess anyway, but overall the yardages seem solid in aggregate even if some individual shots are off.  I actually had purposely not looked at the summary stats until writing this section so I was pleasantly surprised to see the figures matching up and making sense.    
see here the tracer isn't starting at impact, or even within the range of the "hit zone" on this one.  I had more than a few shots like this:
 
 
On-Course (25 out of 30 points)
At the range getting ready to play is pretty simple.  Open the app, move the icon over the spot to where you’re hitting, and set your heading.  Then all you have to do is line up your unit and make sure the hitting area is within the box on the screen.  I can’t say that it interfered with my normal practice routine at all.  I could make my swing, watch the flight, and then turn around in time to see the some/all of the replay and see the numbers.  It worked out well because I could see if the MLM picked up the shot shape and get a gauge as to if I felt it was a good shot or not.  I didn’t really get along well with the “Smart Club Recognition” but it was simple to select the right one, or even edit post practice if I forgot  (I usually work through my bag with all even or odd clubs so it’s pretty clear when I changed based on the numbers.  
Compared to my old way of playing at the range I didn’t really change much.  I normally will use my rangefinder to get the distances to flags or markers and go from there.  One thing I did do differently with the MLM is set up in line with the middle of the range which has a 100 yard marker.  Then I would try to hit all my balls over that flag to get the distance as I was warming up, which was great with the unit for tracking accuracy and distance, then get to my target practice in the second part of my practice. 
However, I did run into some issues/limitations with the MLM while out on the range.  The unit does not like high contrast situations.  At one of my practice sessions it was hot and humid, and I was able to hit in a covered bay to keep myself, and the MLM a little cooler.  However the MLM failed to capture probably close to 25-30% of swings that session as the ball was starting in the shade and jumping out into a bright clear sunny day.  The unit was unable to track this so it must be using both its radar and your mobile phone to track and lost the ball from transition from shade to sun.
The unit also did not seem to like my Hybrid very much, missing a noticeable amount of shots with that club, including several that were just straight, medium trajectory, boring shots.  I still can’t quite figure out why, but it was enough to notice the trend.  
While I can’t say I play better or worse since including this in my practice, my range sessions or definitely more enjoyable.  It’s also fun to use the long-drive feature as @Lacassem and I did.  I recorded that with the intent of creating a video to share with everyone, but it was windy and the audio came out like absolute trash… and my competitor was trash that day too. 😉 
 
Miscellaneous (7 out of 10 points)
Speaking of the long drive/closest to the pin built in challenges…. They need to work on the UI for that a bit.  So I’m deducting 2 points.  First,  the results are not saved in your shots or sessions.  When Mark and I completed the long drive challenge we wouldn’t have been able to back and see the totals for each round had I not set up a screen record.  It is not saved in your session, and you cannot review the swings after.  On top of that, there is barely a final page or summary screen at the end.  I’d love to see Longest from each round and longest overall or something with the averages… something more than just our names in first and second and then once the page clears it’s gone forever.  Although that’s probably how Mark wanted it since it was a clean sweep for me.  *Side note: maybe next time you show up for a long drive competition don’t be wearing work boots.*
Nothing really much to mention otherwise.  Shipping was quick.  We were all hoping to get to try out the coaching feature, but were not able to get access to coaches during the testing period (-2 points) despite our mod’s best efforts (thanks Jamie!).  But we did get a full year of premium from Rapsodo (+1 point).  I may investigate the coaching feature in the Spring, or maybe over the winter if I find some indoor practice time, but with the prices varying wildly from coach to coach I may be better off getting in front of an actual coach the old-fashioned way, face-to-face, so they can see my particular inconsistencies IRL and not just a selection of my best and worst swings. 
Rapsodo INSIGHTS.  This has some real potential and now that I’ve seen what it is I feel like I can’t un-see the gap that was there before.  Insights in a new AI driven addition to the MLM app that gives you feedback (sort of like strokes-gained) on your practice sessions as a whole.  It takes the MLM from being a “toy” to being a real “tool” that can be used for improvement in my opinion.  Data like left/right misses and distance compared to other golfers of varying skill levels should help you focus your practice much like strokes gained analysis will point out your on-course weaknesses.  I’m excited about this addition and look forward to seeing more added to it for even better practice sessions.  
Here are some of the summary screens you get with Insights, it really does take the MLM to the next level:



 
Play it or Trade it? (15 out of 20 points)
This is a tough question for me to answer.  So I’m going to break it down into a few parts for the unit and the subscription.  I think that the unit is great, and see no reason to not continue using it.  Despite a few challenges with the technology working great my numbers are pretty spot on in aggregate and I think it’s one of the best personal launch monitors out there for its cost.
When we factor in the annual subscription things get a little less clean for me.  I think $99 per year is a bit much for cloud storage and some expanded analysis.  I also feel that the base level does not include enough storage for the asking price of the unit.  
Regarding coaching (which is not factored into the score here as I did not test it, but as an aside) the prices vary significantly from instructor to instructor, which you’d see just the same if you were looking at different coaches at a few places near you, but Rapsodo does a good job of having the coaches offer both standalone, lesson packs, or unlimited monthly offerings.  It also looks to have limited slots for coaches which is good, because it gives me the sense that the coaches will have the correct amount of time to dedicate to each student.
The most natural competitor I can think of to the Rapsodo MLM and other personal launch monitors using this base plus subscription model would be Arccos’s shot tracking system or Shot Scope.  I think both the PLM and On-Course data gathering are both means to the same end of improvement for golfers.  If we take a look at this as a three year investment the MLM will cost you around $800,  While 3 years of Arccos is going to run about half of that.  
Now I know they are not the same tools, but if someone came to me asking which one they should get FIRST, my answer would be Arccos or Shotscope.  I feel that the on-course data and strokes gained analysis is going to be money better spent for golfers.  However, if you’re like me and already have on-course shot tracking, well, then the Rapsodo MLM is a powerful tool that can partner with your on-course data to help measure improvements during practice.  I hope that in the next few years costs can come down, but the Rapsodo MLM is not high priced compared to some of the other units that it is competing against considering the accuracy of the results. 
 
Conclusion (TL;DR):
Rapsodo has an absolute hit with the MLM unit and slick operating iPhone/iPad app.  It works well in most conditions, and if you know where it doesn’t work well you can generally avoid setting it up that way.  I’m not sure there is a more accurate unit available in its price bracket, and while I’d like to see either a reduced annual subscription fee, or more features for the base plan, I can see that Rapsodo is putting the money into R&D as the new INSIGHTS platform is a welcome addition to post-practice analysis.
Overall, I like it, but I don’t love it.  However I think it will be a very useful tool for my future practice sessions and I’m excited to see if I can improve my game a little bit from the insights analysis and my on-course tracking during normal rounds.  Insights is a massive release for analyzing your practice sessions and I also feel that many of my issues with it can be address via software updates.  I am confident that the folks over at Rapsodo are working hard to stay ahead of the competition with constant improvement and updates.
 
B. Boston’s Final Score: 83!

 

How we doing y’all?!  Welcome to B.Boston’s official Rapsodo MLM review!  I am super excited about this one as I had literally commented to another member on instagram that if I had $1,000 to spend on golf equipment I would buy a personal launch monitor and get some lessons, then I saw that MGS was looking for testers for exactly that!  
No review would be started correctly without thanking both Rapsodo and MGS for offering up this launch monitor for review.  And thank you to the mods for selecting me.  It is always a humbling experience to be chosen to do a review and I know we have high expectations of our reviewers here.  Thank you, thank you, thank you! 
Who is this B.Boston guy anyway?
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about me!  My name is Bryan, and I am from Bellingham, MA.  Based on my user name you might see that I identify with Boston as my “home” city.  I grew up about 40 minutes outside the city, went to school just outside the city, and have lived within those 40 minutes for my entire life.  If you don’t know me already, or heck even if you do based on my Cobra Connect posts last year you’d probably expect me to be your Dunkin’ and Sam Adams drinking cousin from Boston sports guy with a wicked accent and Tom Brady posters all over the place.  While some of that is true… my accent is apparently disappointing.
Obligatory family photo from our recent vacation:

I’ve been golfing since as long as I can remember, getting my first set and going to the executive par 3 near me from when I was about 7 years old, but I got much more serious about it (read: tried to eliminate my slice) as I got into college.  Now 34 years old and a happily married father of three I would say I am borderline obsessed with the game and I have an ultimate goal of reaching “scratch” status for my handicap.  I am currently a 5.8 based on my Arccos stats.  Strength of my game is putting and I’m really hopeful that I can dial in my approach and long game with the help of the Rapsodo MLM and Coaching.
State of my game:
Just for reference here is a current view of some Arccos data:




My gapping is pretty good and I really just need to work on consistency.  My worst stats come from Approach and Short Game shots.  I need to get better in my proximity to the hole on approaches, and get closer for an easy one putt if I don’t hit the green.
Here’s a recent swing clip.  This should be useful representative of a starting point for me before any changes or developments from the coaching aspect of this review:
My signature shows my current WITB, but in case you’re reading this on mobile and can’t see I’m playing here are the details:
Driver: Callaway Epic Max LS Fairway:  Cobra Speedzone 5-wood Hybrid:  Titleist TSi3 20* Irons:  Cobra Forged Tec (5-GW) Wedges:  Cobra MIM Black (52, 56, 60) Putter:  Evnroll ER2B Ball:  Titleist Pro V1x Tech:  Precision Pro NX9 Slope, Arccos Caddie I’m a tech nerd at heart so I’m always interested in ways to utilize technology to enhance my game.  I have been loving Arccos and its strokes gained information as it has been insightful in many cases and damn eye opening in others.  I’ll record my swing at the range and on the course to see if there’s anything I notice off on a particular day, and can not wait to pair it with a powerful tool in the Rapsodo MLM to get an even better understanding of my game.  
What will I be looking at in this test, and what am I hoping to get out of it?
I will primarily be using this device outside at the driving range, and hopefully getting some actual on-course data as well.  I know that from both last year’s forum testing and the most wanted articles that the Rapsodo MLM is top of its class and very comparable to professional grade units for good quality strikes.  I know all of these units can suffer on strikes that are at opposite ends of the bell curve, so I don’t expect perfection, but I will do my best to test out the accuracy claims.  I want to see what the Rapsodo shows as my carry gapping versus my Arccos stats total yardage.  Also to see if I am getting good ball speed gaps, peak heights, etc. to make sure that everything is looking in line.
However, the thing I’m most excited to take part in is the coaching feature as I have only ever had one golf lesson and while I would love to have a coach and consistently see them, it’s difficult for me to know which day I’ll be able to shoot to the range on lunch and scheduling something after work is challenging, and if I’m booking time on the weekend for golf, I’d much rather it be time playing on the course and enjoying the game.  I really feel that the coaching feature will help me maximize my range sessions by getting feedback and things to work on for the next bucket of balls.    
I’m also going to try and have some fun, and highlight some of the cool features for you all.  There will be a long drive contest and hopefully some other videos along the way.
Much more to come with the unboxing and review!  Please sound off in the comment section with anything else you’re hoping to see from my review or any of the other testers.  As much as this review is about my experience, I want to make sure the forums are learning everything they possibly want to about them to aid in future purchase decisions.
Make sure to give this thread a follow so you don’t miss out!
Initial Impressions! (September 10th Update):
I’ve had three range sessions in the books now with the Rapsodo MLM and have had an opportunity to try everything out except the coaching feature, so I’ll be adding more details about that later on.

Rapsodo claims that the MLM sets up in under 30 seconds and I have to agree.  The iPhone and iPad apps are super responsive to start a practice or game session and just as slick in reviewing rounds once the session has been uploaded.  Every time that I powered the unit on it connected quickly to my phone and I was able to get a session going without any issues.  Even swapping to the iPad to test went smoothly.  I had no issue going through my session after getting home, looking at swing videos, and viewing detailed data.  I had even forgotten to switch clubs at one point and that was easy in the app too.  I can’t stress enough how simple the app made it to get setup and start hitting shots.  This is important to me because I don’t want to be thinking about the set up and capture of swings to get the data to the point that I’m not thinking you know… about my golf swing and hitting the shots I want to hit.  
Here’s my typical range setup:

The iPad version of the app allows for more data to be shown and I think it looks cooler.

Side Note:  On the first day I did have to improvise as the MLM needs to generally be level with the ground you are hitting on, so I used a flipped over small bucket as the ground behind the mat I was on sloped down and away.  I have since used it slightly below the level of the ball (maybe 4 or 5 inches) and it seemed to work just fine.  But it was still level, which I think is more important.

Rapsodo highlights several features when talking about the MLM:
Shot Tracer
GPS Shot Map
Video Playback
Club Gapping
Interactive Games/Sharing
Shot Library
NET(Indoor/Outdoor)
Smart Club Recognition
They also highlight that accuracy matters, and so far the MLM seems to have done really well on good/average strikes.  Poor strikes have been less consistent, but yeah, it’s a poor strike and likely out of the focal range of the unit’s radar.  I’m not going to fuss that the unit was unable to show my topped drive was 30 yards before it hit the ground instead of a 42 yard carry (I mean if I were to have had a shot like that…. Which I NEVER do!).  
So far the clunkiest part of the app experience has been exporting swing videos to the camera roll.  For such a smooth app for everything else it takes way too many clicks, and too much time to do.
So what does this accuracy get you?  Here are the metrics the Rapsodo MLM captures:
Distance (Carry for irons, user selectable Carry or Carry + Roll for woods)
Ball Speed immediately after impact
Club Speed immediately prior to impact
Smash Factor for strike efficiency
Launch Angle
Launch Direction
So far, it seems to be a pretty accurate launch monitor, particularly with well struck balls.  I’ve had a few data issues with pull-hooks, my guess is because the ball gets lost behind my club or body and the reading gets messed up.  I can forgive that miss as I realize these are not perfect commercial sized radar units.  It’s also disappointing that there is no spin, but I read a rumor that they are working on that, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.  My club and ball speed numbers are right inline with what I saw earlier this year on a trackman and were well within my expectations.



(Very cool to have the visual satellite overlay view, but I’m not convinced the scaling is quite right.  More research needed.)
Not too shabby for the asking price right?  But wait, there’s more!
There are two main subscriptions offered with the MLM for golfers.  Basic (AKA Free), and Premium ($99 annually)..  There is also a Coach Connect subscription, but that is teaching professionals and is out of scope on this review.  With the Basic subscription you only get cloud storage for your last 100 shots included.  The premium subscription includes more:
Cloud storage for 10,000 shots
Slow motion swing replays at 4 speeds
Shot Apex data on your swings
Access to online golf lesions through the Coach Connect platform
I need some more time to think about it, but I don’t think we’re getting enough as consumers at the Free level.  100 shots isn’t even 10 good shots with each club in my bag, so the club gapping is much less appealing.  Heck, that’s not even two full buckets at the range.  I really think that something like 250 or 300 shots should be included, or I should be able to use my iPhone or iPad’s internal memory.  It is super portable with the included carry case, so it really would be a shame to not be able to see more than 2 range sessions of history since I can see myself always having it there available to use.

As for the upgraded features you do get with the premium, I DO enjoy the peak height indicator on the shot replays.  It’s not always easy to tell due to the angle of the camera and it is something that I do like to see.  The ability to play your swings in several levels of slow motion is neat, but I think the app needs to use a higher FPS on the camera’s phone to really take advantage of it.  Slow motion videos from the native iPhone app are much better.  I need to do a comparison there on the downswing as well as some more testing to show what I mean.
I should be getting into the online golf lessons soon, and will update here after I get to try that out.  Until then, it’s off to the range for some more hone my skills with the Rapsodo MLM in tow!
 
Final Scores! (November 23rd Update):
Looks & Feel (10 out of 10 points) 
The Rapsodo MLM is very well built and feels like a tank.  It feels very dense and solid, not hollow.  I like that feeling as it feels more high quality even if a lighter unit may be just as good.  It strikes a good balance with some softer feeling rubberized plastic.  Also the buttons and flap that you open for the phone/tablet stand have a satisfying smooth feeling to them. 
The case is a good standard feeling rangefinder style zip case.  With that storage for between uses and the high quality feeling unit itself I have no doubts that unit will hold up long term.
 
Setup (13 out of 15 points)
As I touched on in my initial impressions, the Rapsodo MLM and Rapsodo app could not be easier to set up and get going. Turn it on, place it down, open the app, select practice or the mode you want, set location and heading, verify you’re in your box and the ball is in its box, and Go.  Demos in the app are very good at showing you what to do step-by-step if it’s your first time setting it up.  
The unit charges fast enough through standard USB connections and I don’t doubt I can get through 2 or more range sessions on a charge, but I usually just charge it after a practice session anyway.  
Upon swinging the replay shows all your relevant data (more is shown on the iPad, and I prefer that view).  The data is all useful information for your shots and can help track your progress.  I find the ball speed to be the most useful (with driver at least) as a way of determining how solidly I’m hitting the ball.
While I won’t say any of it is useless, the least useful metric to me is the shot shape.  I’ve had several shots that were over or under curved, likely due to the device not capturing spin.  However, I don’t recall it being wildly off, but enough that I consider the tracer more of an estimate than a calculated or tracked overlay.
 
Accuracy (13 out of 15 points)
As far as accuracy is concerned I want to note that I used the Rapsodo MLM exclusively at the driving range outdoors..  I have no indoor or outdoor net experience so this is all based on Outdoor mode with range balls. 
I think the unit overall does a really good job on well struck shots.  Considering the condition of the range balls I was using I was expecting some variance, even if the data is normalized.  One area I did see some strange results was on shots that started more left and maybe got part of the ball flight lost behind me while swinging.  I also had several shots where the tracer did not start at the ball, and I am not sure if that means the numbers are good or not.  
Here is a chart of my Arrcos Smart Distance versus Rapsodo Lifetime Stats (Driver and woods are set to Carry+Roll setting in the app):
 

So now, let's take a look at the story here by club grouping:
Wedges (52*, 56*, and 60*) No surprise here.  At the range I hit my 52, 56, and 60 to some specific targets and on-course I end up with many different length shots.  The Rapsodo distances feel very accurate to the targets I am usually shooting at with them Irons (including PW and GW) These feel really accurate in aggregate as well.  Considering I don’t get much roll through the 9 iron I am happy to see they match my Arccos on-course performance.  It makes sense to me that I would see some gaps in the longer irons as Rapsodo does not account for roll on these shots.  If anything, the quality of ball I’m hitting may start to impact carry figures for the 6 and 5 irons by 3-5 yards. Hybrid Ok so this is the only one that I really don’t agree with.  It’s also one of the clubs I hit the least during practice, so it could be a sample size thing with a few bad shots pulling the numbers down.  I think I only have a dozen or so shots with it in the Rapsodo data, but once again when we account for roll, this may only be 5-8 yards off on carry.  Maybe it rolls a lot more for me than I’m thinking? 5-wood This looks pretty good to me.  At this point the range I practice at does back uphill, so it’s easier to gauge how close to the targets your landing and estimate total carry distance.  Also I don’t tee this club up at the range and my Arccos data would include tee shots which in theory would allow for some additional distance. Driver This one is tough for me to gauge.  I don’t like seeing a 20 yard gap here, but I have a hard time believing the range balls are not partially to blame here.  The last few sessions out I could see the ball traveling shorter overall distances even though the Rapsodo unit was showing a lot of the same swing speeds.  It also had my efficiency at about 1.42 so maybe with my gamer balls that number would be a little higher.  Or maybe it is because I was practicing a lot with the Epic Max LS as it was the newest club in my bag, and I was trying different shafts, and had a bunch of poor shots in the data.  I will note that I saw my biggest “Hmmmm” moments when looking at the Rapsodo readouts with the driver, particularly if my start line got pulled to the left at all.  But, more on that later… I’m docking a couple points here because the accuracy of the shot tracer and shot direction/path is just OK.  With no ability to edit for the landing point  it looks awkward if you’re not hitting on a flat surface and without spin measurements it’s only ever going to be a guess anyway, but overall the yardages seem solid in aggregate even if some individual shots are off.  I actually had purposely not looked at the summary stats until writing this section so I was pleasantly surprised to see the figures matching up and making sense.    
see here the tracer isn't starting at impact, or even within the range of the "hit zone" on this one.  I had more than a few shots like this:
 
 
On-Course (25 out of 30 points)
At the range getting ready to play is pretty simple.  Open the app, move the icon over the spot to where you’re hitting, and set your heading.  Then all you have to do is line up your unit and make sure the hitting area is within the box on the screen.  I can’t say that it interfered with my normal practice routine at all.  I could make my swing, watch the flight, and then turn around in time to see the some/all of the replay and see the numbers.  It worked out well because I could see if the MLM picked up the shot shape and get a gauge as to if I felt it was a good shot or not.  I didn’t really get along well with the “Smart Club Recognition” but it was simple to select the right one, or even edit post practice if I forgot  (I usually work through my bag with all even or odd clubs so it’s pretty clear when I changed based on the numbers.  
Compared to my old way of playing at the range I didn’t really change much.  I normally will use my rangefinder to get the distances to flags or markers and go from there.  One thing I did do differently with the MLM is set up in line with the middle of the range which has a 100 yard marker.  Then I would try to hit all my balls over that flag to get the distance as I was warming up, which was great with the unit for tracking accuracy and distance, then get to my target practice in the second part of my practice. 
However, I did run into some issues/limitations with the MLM while out on the range.  The unit does not like high contrast situations.  At one of my practice sessions it was hot and humid, and I was able to hit in a covered bay to keep myself, and the MLM a little cooler.  However the MLM failed to capture probably close to 25-30% of swings that session as the ball was starting in the shade and jumping out into a bright clear sunny day.  The unit was unable to track this so it must be using both its radar and your mobile phone to track and lost the ball from transition from shade to sun.
The unit also did not seem to like my Hybrid very much, missing a noticeable amount of shots with that club, including several that were just straight, medium trajectory, boring shots.  I still can’t quite figure out why, but it was enough to notice the trend.  
While I can’t say I play better or worse since including this in my practice, my range sessions or definitely more enjoyable.  It’s also fun to use the long-drive feature as @Lacassem and I did.  I recorded that with the intent of creating a video to share with everyone, but it was windy and the audio came out like absolute trash… and my competitor was trash that day too. 😉 
 
Miscellaneous (7 out of 10 points)
Speaking of the long drive/closest to the pin built in challenges…. They need to work on the UI for that a bit.  So I’m deducting 2 points.  First,  the results are not saved in your shots or sessions.  When Mark and I completed the long drive challenge we wouldn’t have been able to back and see the totals for each round had I not set up a screen record.  It is not saved in your session, and you cannot review the swings after.  On top of that, there is barely a final page or summary screen at the end.  I’d love to see Longest from each round and longest overall or something with the averages… something more than just our names in first and second and then once the page clears it’s gone forever.  Although that’s probably how Mark wanted it since it was a clean sweep for me.  *Side note: maybe next time you show up for a long drive competition don’t be wearing work boots.*
Nothing really much to mention otherwise.  Shipping was quick.  We were all hoping to get to try out the coaching feature, but were not able to get access to coaches during the testing period (-2 points) despite our mod’s best efforts (thanks Jamie!).  But we did get a full year of premium from Rapsodo (+1 point).  I may investigate the coaching feature in the Spring, or maybe over the winter if I find some indoor practice time, but with the prices varying wildly from coach to coach I may be better off getting in front of an actual coach the old-fashioned way, face-to-face, so they can see my particular inconsistencies IRL and not just a selection of my best and worst swings. 
Rapsodo INSIGHTS.  This has some real potential and now that I’ve seen what it is I feel like I can’t un-see the gap that was there before.  Insights in a new AI driven addition to the MLM app that gives you feedback (sort of like strokes-gained) on your practice sessions as a whole.  It takes the MLM from being a “toy” to being a real “tool” that can be used for improvement in my opinion.  Data like left/right misses and distance compared to other golfers of varying skill levels should help you focus your practice much like strokes gained analysis will point out your on-course weaknesses.  I’m excited about this addition and look forward to seeing more added to it for even better practice sessions.  
Here are some of the summary screens you get with Insights, it really does take the MLM to the next level:



 
Play it or Trade it? (15 out of 20 points)
This is a tough question for me to answer.  So I’m going to break it down into a few parts for the unit and the subscription.  I think that the unit is great, and see no reason to not continue using it.  Despite a few challenges with the technology working great my numbers are pretty spot on in aggregate and I think it’s one of the best personal launch monitors out there for its cost.
When we factor in the annual subscription things get a little less clean for me.  I think $99 per year is a bit much for cloud storage and some expanded analysis.  I also feel that the base level does not include enough storage for the asking price of the unit.  
Regarding coaching (which is not factored into the score here as I did not test it, but as an aside) the prices vary significantly from instructor to instructor, which you’d see just the same if you were looking at different coaches at a few places near you, but Rapsodo does a good job of having the coaches offer both standalone, lesson packs, or unlimited monthly offerings.  It also looks to have limited slots for coaches which is good, because it gives me the sense that the coaches will have the correct amount of time to dedicate to each student.
The most natural competitor I can think of to the Rapsodo MLM and other personal launch monitors using this base plus subscription model would be Arccos’s shot tracking system or Shot Scope.  I think both the PLM and On-Course data gathering are both means to the same end of improvement for golfers.  If we take a look at this as a three year investment the MLM will cost you around $800,  While 3 years of Arccos is going to run about half of that.  
Now I know they are not the same tools, but if someone came to me asking which one they should get FIRST, my answer would be Arccos or Shotscope.  I feel that the on-course data and strokes gained analysis is going to be money better spent for golfers.  However, if you’re like me and already have on-course shot tracking, well, then the Rapsodo MLM is a powerful tool that can partner with your on-course data to help measure improvements during practice.  I hope that in the next few years costs can come down, but the Rapsodo MLM is not high priced compared to some of the other units that it is competing against considering the accuracy of the results. 
 
Conclusion (TL;DR):
Rapsodo has an absolute hit with the MLM unit and slick operating iPhone/iPad app.  It works well in most conditions, and if you know where it doesn’t work well you can generally avoid setting it up that way.  I’m not sure there is a more accurate unit available in its price bracket, and while I’d like to see either a reduced annual subscription fee, or more features for the base plan, I can see that Rapsodo is putting the money into R&D as the new INSIGHTS platform is a welcome addition to post-practice analysis.
Overall, I like it, but I don’t love it.  However I think it will be a very useful tool for my future practice sessions and I’m excited to see if I can improve my game a little bit from the insights analysis and my on-course tracking during normal rounds.  Insights is a massive release for analyzing your practice sessions and I also feel that many of my issues with it can be address via software updates.  I am confident that the folks over at Rapsodo are working hard to stay ahead of the competition with constant improvement and updates.
 
B. Boston’s Final Score: 83!

 

How we doing y’all?!  Welcome to B.Boston’s official Rapsodo MLM review!  I am super excited about this one as I had literally commented to another member on instagram that if I had $1,000 to spend on golf equipment I would buy a personal launch monitor and get some lessons, then I saw that MGS was looking for testers for exactly that!  
No review would be started correctly without thanking both Rapsodo and MGS for offering up this launch monitor for review.  And thank you to the mods for selecting me.  It is always a humbling experience to be chosen to do a review and I know we have high expectations of our reviewers here.  Thank you, thank you, thank you! 
Who is this B.Boston guy anyway?
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk a little bit about me!  My name is Bryan, and I am from Bellingham, MA.  Based on my user name you might see that I identify with Boston as my “home” city.  I grew up about 40 minutes outside the city, went to school just outside the city, and have lived within those 40 minutes for my entire life.  If you don’t know me already, or heck even if you do based on my Cobra Connect posts last year you’d probably expect me to be your Dunkin’ and Sam Adams drinking cousin from Boston sports guy with a wicked accent and Tom Brady posters all over the place.  While some of that is true… my accent is apparently disappointing.
Obligatory family photo from our recent vacation:

I’ve been golfing since as long as I can remember, getting my first set and going to the executive par 3 near me from when I was about 7 years old, but I got much more serious about it (read: tried to eliminate my slice) as I got into college.  Now 34 years old and a happily married father of three I would say I am borderline obsessed with the game and I have an ultimate goal of reaching “scratch” status for my handicap.  I am currently a 5.8 based on my Arccos stats.  Strength of my game is putting and I’m really hopeful that I can dial in my approach and long game with the help of the Rapsodo MLM and Coaching.
State of my game:
Just for reference here is a current view of some Arccos data:




My gapping is pretty good and I really just need to work on consistency.  My worst stats come from Approach and Short Game shots.  I need to get better in my proximity to the hole on approaches, and get closer for an easy one putt if I don’t hit the green.
Here’s a recent swing clip.  This should be useful representative of a starting point for me before any changes or developments from the coaching aspect of this review:
My signature shows my current WITB, but in case you’re reading this on mobile and can’t see I’m playing here are the details:
Driver: Callaway Epic Max LS Fairway:  Cobra Speedzone 5-wood Hybrid:  Titleist TSi3 20* Irons:  Cobra Forged Tec (5-GW) Wedges:  Cobra MIM Black (52, 56, 60) Putter:  Evnroll ER2B Ball:  Titleist Pro V1x Tech:  Precision Pro NX9 Slope, Arccos Caddie I’m a tech nerd at heart so I’m always interested in ways to utilize technology to enhance my game.  I have been loving Arccos and its strokes gained information as it has been insightful in many cases and damn eye opening in others.  I’ll record my swing at the range and on the course to see if there’s anything I notice off on a particular day, and can not wait to pair it with a powerful tool in the Rapsodo MLM to get an even better understanding of my game.  
What will I be looking at in this test, and what am I hoping to get out of it?
I will primarily be using this device outside at the driving range, and hopefully getting some actual on-course data as well.  I know that from both last year’s forum testing and the most wanted articles that the Rapsodo MLM is top of its class and very comparable to professional grade units for good quality strikes.  I know all of these units can suffer on strikes that are at opposite ends of the bell curve, so I don’t expect perfection, but I will do my best to test out the accuracy claims.  I want to see what the Rapsodo shows as my carry gapping versus my Arccos stats total yardage.  Also to see if I am getting good ball speed gaps, peak heights, etc. to make sure that everything is looking in line.
However, the thing I’m most excited to take part in is the coaching feature as I have only ever had one golf lesson and while I would love to have a coach and consistently see them, it’s difficult for me to know which day I’ll be able to shoot to the range on lunch and scheduling something after work is challenging, and if I’m booking time on the weekend for golf, I’d much rather it be time playing on the course and enjoying the game.  I really feel that the coaching feature will help me maximize my range sessions by getting feedback and things to work on for the next bucket of balls.    
I’m also going to try and have some fun, and highlight some of the cool features for you all.  There will be a long drive contest and hopefully some other videos along the way.
Much more to come with the unboxing and review!  Please sound off in the comment section with anything else you’re hoping to see from my review or any of the other testers.  As much as this review is about my experience, I want to make sure the forums are learning everything they possibly want to about them to aid in future purchase decisions.
Make sure to give this thread a follow so you don’t miss out!
Initial Impressions! (September 10th Update):
I’ve had three range sessions in the books now with the Rapsodo MLM and have had an opportunity to try everything out except the coaching feature, so I’ll be adding more details about that later on.

Rapsodo claims that the MLM sets up in under 30 seconds and I have to agree.  The iPhone and iPad apps are super responsive to start a practice or game session and just as slick in reviewing rounds once the session has been uploaded.  Every time that I powered the unit on it connected quickly to my phone and I was able to get a session going without any issues.  Even swapping to the iPad to test went smoothly.  I had no issue going through my session after getting home, looking at swing videos, and viewing detailed data.  I had even forgotten to switch clubs at one point and that was easy in the app too.  I can’t stress enough how simple the app made it to get setup and start hitting shots.  This is important to me because I don’t want to be thinking about the set up and capture of swings to get the data to the point that I’m not thinking you know… about my golf swing and hitting the shots I want to hit.  
Here’s my typical range setup:

The iPad version of the app allows for more data to be shown and I think it looks cooler.

Side Note:  On the first day I did have to improvise as the MLM needs to generally be level with the ground you are hitting on, so I used a flipped over small bucket as the ground behind the mat I was on sloped down and away.  I have since used it slightly below the level of the ball (maybe 4 or 5 inches) and it seemed to work just fine.  But it was still level, which I think is more important.

Rapsodo highlights several features when talking about the MLM:
Shot Tracer
GPS Shot Map
Video Playback
Club Gapping
Interactive Games/Sharing
Shot Library
NET(Indoor/Outdoor)
Smart Club Recognition
They also highlight that accuracy matters, and so far the MLM seems to have done really well on good/average strikes.  Poor strikes have been less consistent, but yeah, it’s a poor strike and likely out of the focal range of the unit’s radar.  I’m not going to fuss that the unit was unable to show my topped drive was 30 yards before it hit the ground instead of a 42 yard carry (I mean if I were to have had a shot like that…. Which I NEVER do!).  
So far the clunkiest part of the app experience has been exporting swing videos to the camera roll.  For such a smooth app for everything else it takes way too many clicks, and too much time to do.
So what does this accuracy get you?  Here are the metrics the Rapsodo MLM captures:
Distance (Carry for irons, user selectable Carry or Carry + Roll for woods)
Ball Speed immediately after impact
Club Speed immediately prior to impact
Smash Factor for strike efficiency
Launch Angle
Launch Direction
So far, it seems to be a pretty accurate launch monitor, particularly with well struck balls.  I’ve had a few data issues with pull-hooks, my guess is because the ball gets lost behind my club or body and the reading gets messed up.  I can forgive that miss as I realize these are not perfect commercial sized radar units.  It’s also disappointing that there is no spin, but I read a rumor that they are working on that, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.  My club and ball speed numbers are right inline with what I saw earlier this year on a trackman and were well within my expectations.



(Very cool to have the visual satellite overlay view, but I’m not convinced the scaling is quite right.  More research needed.)
Not too shabby for the asking price right?  But wait, there’s more!
There are two main subscriptions offered with the MLM for golfers.  Basic (AKA Free), and Premium ($99 annually)..  There is also a Coach Connect subscription, but that is teaching professionals and is out of scope on this review.  With the Basic subscription you only get cloud storage for your last 100 shots included.  The premium subscription includes more:
Cloud storage for 10,000 shots
Slow motion swing replays at 4 speeds
Shot Apex data on your swings
Access to online golf lesions through the Coach Connect platform
I need some more time to think about it, but I don’t think we’re getting enough as consumers at the Free level.  100 shots isn’t even 10 good shots with each club in my bag, so the club gapping is much less appealing.  Heck, that’s not even two full buckets at the range.  I really think that something like 250 or 300 shots should be included, or I should be able to use my iPhone or iPad’s internal memory.  It is super portable with the included carry case, so it really would be a shame to not be able to see more than 2 range sessions of history since I can see myself always having it there available to use.

As for the upgraded features you do get with the premium, I DO enjoy the peak height indicator on the shot replays.  It’s not always easy to tell due to the angle of the camera and it is something that I do like to see.  The ability to play your swings in several levels of slow motion is neat, but I think the app needs to use a higher FPS on the camera’s phone to really take advantage of it.  Slow motion videos from the native iPhone app are much better.  I need to do a comparison there on the downswing as well as some more testing to show what I mean.
I should be getting into the online golf lessons soon, and will update here after I get to try that out.  Until then, it’s off to the range for some more hone my skills with the Rapsodo MLM in tow!
 
Final Scores! (November 23rd Update):
Looks & Feel (10 out of 10 points) 
The Rapsodo MLM is very well built and feels like a tank.  It feels very dense and solid, not hollow.  I like that feeling as it feels more high quality even if a lighter unit may be just as good.  It strikes a good balance with some softer feeling rubberized plastic.  Also the buttons and flap that you open for the phone/tablet stand have a satisfying smooth feeling to them. 
The case is a good standard feeling rangefinder style zip case.  With that storage for between uses and the high quality feeling unit itself I have no doubts that unit will hold up long term.
 
Setup (13 out of 15 points)
As I touched on in my initial impressions, the Rapsodo MLM and Rapsodo app could not be easier to set up and get going. Turn it on, place it down, open the app, select practice or the mode you want, set location and heading, verify you’re in your box and the ball is in its box, and Go.  Demos in the app are very good at showing you what to do step-by-step if it’s your first time setting it up.  
The unit charges fast enough through standard USB connections and I don’t doubt I can get through 2 or more range sessions on a charge, but I usually just charge it after a practice session anyway.  
Upon swinging the replay shows all your relevant data (more is shown on the iPad, and I prefer that view).  The data is all useful information for your shots and can help track your progress.  I find the ball speed to be the most useful (with driver at least) as a way of determining how solidly I’m hitting the ball.
While I won’t say any of it is useless, the least useful metric to me is the shot shape.  I’ve had several shots that were over or under curved, likely due to the device not capturing spin.  However, I don’t recall it being wildly off, but enough that I consider the tracer more of an estimate than a calculated or tracked overlay.
 
Accuracy (13 out of 15 points)
As far as accuracy is concerned I want to note that I used the Rapsodo MLM exclusively at the driving range outdoors..  I have no indoor or outdoor net experience so this is all based on Outdoor mode with range balls. 
I think the unit overall does a really good job on well struck shots.  Considering the condition of the range balls I was using I was expecting some variance, even if the data is normalized.  One area I did see some strange results was on shots that started more left and maybe got part of the ball flight lost behind me while swinging.  I also had several shots where the tracer did not start at the ball, and I am not sure if that means the numbers are good or not.  
Here is a chart of my Arrcos Smart Distance versus Rapsodo Lifetime Stats (Driver and woods are set to Carry+Roll setting in the app):
 

So now, let's take a look at the story here by club grouping:
Wedges (52*, 56*, and 60*) No surprise here.  At the range I hit my 52, 56, and 60 to some specific targets and on-course I end up with many different length shots.  The Rapsodo distances feel very accurate to the targets I am usually shooting at with them Irons (including PW and GW) These feel really accurate in aggregate as well.  Considering I don’t get much roll through the 9 iron I am happy to see they match my Arccos on-course performance.  It makes sense to me that I would see some gaps in the longer irons as Rapsodo does not account for roll on these shots.  If anything, the quality of ball I’m hitting may start to impact carry figures for the 6 and 5 irons by 3-5 yards. Hybrid Ok so this is the only one that I really don’t agree with.  It’s also one of the clubs I hit the least during practice, so it could be a sample size thing with a few bad shots pulling the numbers down.  I think I only have a dozen or so shots with it in the Rapsodo data, but once again when we account for roll, this may only be 5-8 yards off on carry.  Maybe it rolls a lot more for me than I’m thinking? 5-wood This looks pretty good to me.  At this point the range I practice at does back uphill, so it’s easier to gauge how close to the targets your landing and estimate total carry distance.  Also I don’t tee this club up at the range and my Arccos data would include tee shots which in theory would allow for some additional distance. Driver This one is tough for me to gauge.  I don’t like seeing a 20 yard gap here, but I have a hard time believing the range balls are not partially to blame here.  The last few sessions out I could see the ball traveling shorter overall distances even though the Rapsodo unit was showing a lot of the same swing speeds.  It also had my efficiency at about 1.42 so maybe with my gamer balls that number would be a little higher.  Or maybe it is because I was practicing a lot with the Epic Max LS as it was the newest club in my bag, and I was trying different shafts, and had a bunch of poor shots in the data.  I will note that I saw my biggest “Hmmmm” moments when looking at the Rapsodo readouts with the driver, particularly if my start line got pulled to the left at all.  But, more on that later… I’m docking a couple points here because the accuracy of the shot tracer and shot direction/path is just OK.  With no ability to edit for the landing point  it looks awkward if you’re not hitting on a flat surface and without spin measurements it’s only ever going to be a guess anyway, but overall the yardages seem solid in aggregate even if some individual shots are off.  I actually had purposely not looked at the summary stats until writing this section so I was pleasantly surprised to see the figures matching up and making sense.    
see here the tracer isn't starting at impact, or even within the range of the "hit zone" on this one.  I had more than a few shots like this:
 
 
On-Course (25 out of 30 points)
At the range getting ready to play is pretty simple.  Open the app, move the icon over the spot to where you’re hitting, and set your heading.  Then all you have to do is line up your unit and make sure the hitting area is within the box on the screen.  I can’t say that it interfered with my normal practice routine at all.  I could make my swing, watch the flight, and then turn around in time to see the some/all of the replay and see the numbers.  It worked out well because I could see if the MLM picked up the shot shape and get a gauge as to if I felt it was a good shot or not.  I didn’t really get along well with the “Smart Club Recognition” but it was simple to select the right one, or even edit post practice if I forgot  (I usually work through my bag with all even or odd clubs so it’s pretty clear when I changed based on the numbers.  
Compared to my old way of playing at the range I didn’t really change much.  I normally will use my rangefinder to get the distances to flags or markers and go from there.  One thing I did do differently with the MLM is set up in line with the middle of the range which has a 100 yard marker.  Then I would try to hit all my balls over that flag to get the distance as I was warming up, which was great with the unit for tracking accuracy and distance, then get to my target practice in the second part of my practice. 
However, I did run into some issues/limitations with the MLM while out on the range.  The unit does not like high contrast situations.  At one of my practice sessions it was hot and humid, and I was able to hit in a covered bay to keep myself, and the MLM a little cooler.  However the MLM failed to capture probably close to 25-30% of swings that session as the ball was starting in the shade and jumping out into a bright clear sunny day.  The unit was unable to track this so it must be using both its radar and your mobile phone to track and lost the ball from transition from shade to sun.
The unit also did not seem to like my Hybrid very much, missing a noticeable amount of shots with that club, including several that were just straight, medium trajectory, boring shots.  I still can’t quite figure out why, but it was enough to notice the trend.  
While I can’t say I play better or worse since including this in my practice, my range sessions or definitely more enjoyable.  It’s also fun to use the long-drive feature as @Lacassem and I did.  I recorded that with the intent of creating a video to share with everyone, but it was windy and the audio came out like absolute trash… and my competitor was trash that day too. 😉 
 
Miscellaneous (7 out of 10 points)
Speaking of the long drive/closest to the pin built in challenges…. They need to work on the UI for that a bit.  So I’m deducting 2 points.  First,  the results are not saved in your shots or sessions.  When Mark and I completed the long drive challenge we wouldn’t have been able to back and see the totals for each round had I not set up a screen record.  It is not saved in your session, and you cannot review the swings after.  On top of that, there is barely a final page or summary screen at the end.  I’d love to see Longest from each round and longest overall or something with the averages… something more than just our names in first and second and then once the page clears it’s gone forever.  Although that’s probably how Mark wanted it since it was a clean sweep for me.  *Side note: maybe next time you show up for a long drive competition don’t be wearing work boots.*
Nothing really much to mention otherwise.  Shipping was quick.  We were all hoping to get to try out the coaching feature, but were not able to get access to coaches during the testing period (-2 points) despite our mod’s best efforts (thanks Jamie!).  But we did get a full year of premium from Rapsodo (+1 point).  I may investigate the coaching feature in the Spring, or maybe over the winter if I find some indoor practice time, but with the prices varying wildly from coach to coach I may be better off getting in front of an actual coach the old-fashioned way, face-to-face, so they can see my particular inconsistencies IRL and not just a selection of my best and worst swings. 
Rapsodo INSIGHTS.  This has some real potential and now that I’ve seen what it is I feel like I can’t un-see the gap that was there before.  Insights in a new AI driven addition to the MLM app that gives you feedback (sort of like strokes-gained) on your practice sessions as a whole.  It takes the MLM from being a “toy” to being a real “tool” that can be used for improvement in my opinion.  Data like left/right misses and distance compared to other golfers of varying skill levels should help you focus your practice much like strokes gained analysis will point out your on-course weaknesses.  I’m excited about this addition and look forward to seeing more added to it for even better practice sessions.  
Here are some of the summary screens you get with Insights, it really does take the MLM to the next level:



 
Play it or Trade it? (15 out of 20 points)
This is a tough question for me to answer.  So I’m going to break it down into a few parts for the unit and the subscription.  I think that the unit is great, and see no reason to not continue using it.  Despite a few challenges with the technology working great my numbers are pretty spot on in aggregate and I think it’s one of the best personal launch monitors out there for its cost.
When we factor in the annual subscription things get a little less clean for me.  I think $99 per year is a bit much for cloud storage and some expanded analysis.  I also feel that the base level does not include enough storage for the asking price of the unit.  
Regarding coaching (which is not factored into the score here as I did not test it, but as an aside) the prices vary significantly from instructor to instructor, which you’d see just the same if you were looking at different coaches at a few places near you, but Rapsodo does a good job of having the coaches offer both standalone, lesson packs, or unlimited monthly offerings.  It also looks to have limited slots for coaches which is good, because it gives me the sense that the coaches will have the correct amount of time to dedicate to each student.
The most natural competitor I can think of to the Rapsodo MLM and other personal launch monitors using this base plus subscription model would be Arccos’s shot tracking system or Shot Scope.  I think both the PLM and On-Course data gathering are both means to the same end of improvement for golfers.  If we take a look at this as a three year investment the MLM will cost you around $800,  While 3 years of Arccos is going to run about half of that.  
Now I know they are not the same tools, but if someone came to me asking which one they should get FIRST, my answer would be Arccos or Shotscope.  I feel that the on-course data and strokes gained analysis is going to be money better spent for golfers.  However, if you’re like me and already have on-course shot tracking, well, then the Rapsodo MLM is a powerful tool that can partner with your on-course data to help measure improvements during practice.  I hope that in the next few years costs can come down, but the Rapsodo MLM is not high priced compared to some of the other units that it is competing against considering the accuracy of the results. 
 
Conclusion (TL;DR):
Rapsodo has an absolute hit with the MLM unit and slick operating iPhone/iPad app.  It works well in most conditions, and if you know where it doesn’t work well you can generally avoid setting it up that way.  I’m not sure there is a more accurate unit available in its price bracket, and while I’d like to see either a reduced annual subscription fee, or more features for the base plan, I can see that Rapsodo is putting the money into R&D as the new INSIGHTS platform is a welcome addition to post-practice analysis.
Overall, I like it, but I don’t love it.  However I think it will be a very useful tool for my future practice sessions and I’m excited to see if I can improve my game a little bit from the insights analysis and my on-course tracking during normal rounds.  Insights is a massive release for analyzing your practice sessions and I also feel that many of my issues with it can be address via software updates.  I am confident that the folks over at Rapsodo are working hard to stay ahead of the competition with constant improvement and updates.
 
B. Boston’s Final Score: 83!

 

I finally got an opportunity to play a “proper” round with the GS today. Full disclosure - I was struggling with a loss in distance with driver before I received the GS, so my initial experience with it may be a result of that. Hopefully after a few more rounds with it I’ll get some of my distance back.
 
First impressions: I am still fading the ball as much as I do with my current gamer. It is currently on the stock setting. Maybe I need to tweak it for more of a draw bias.
Sound is good. A muted thwack that is not too loud, but it lets me know when I have made solid contact. I was expecting the shaft (R flex) to be a bit whippy, but it’s not.
Look and feel are great. 
 
That’s all for now. I need to play a few more rounds with it at least before I post my full review with grades. But it’s a good start. 
 

11/11 Veterans Day
I played another round at Willowick to give the driver a good workout. Still using the stock settings I am fading a bit too much still, and not getting my usual distance. I am going to set it to more of a draw bias and try a few rounds before I complete my review.
 
 

 
Okay - I just made a slight adjustment to the “Draw Zone” in their diagram. About half way between the FL and CL settings. Admittedly I was a bit apprehensive about fiddling with the settings, but it wasn’t particularly difficult after all. I have a 9 hole round on Sunday, so I’ll only have a few shots with driver. But I’ll try to get to the range on Saturday to test the new settings.


New position #1 is FL/CL.

New position #2 is CL. Middle of the “Draw Zone”.

PXG 0811X Gen 1 on the left, next to the GS. The PXG head looks bigger in this photo, but they are approximately the same size. I thought I preferred the matte finish, but the glossy finish is growing on me.
Intro
I am really excited about my opportunity to review the Honma T // World GS driver. It was initially announced that these reviews would begin in June, but due to several unforeseen circumstances the club just arrived today 10/29. So, since I am a bit late to the party I will get right to it.
·         I am absolutely a casual golfer. That does not mean that I don’t take my game seriously, because I do. But I don’t have a group of golf buddies and I don’t play in tournaments. So pretty much all of my rounds can be considered “casual”. Though I do maintain a handicap that I am trying hard to improve.
·         My handicap is 25 currently. It has been up and down this year, and though my game is improving I have not seen a drop in my handicap – yet.
·         I have a slow swing speed. As a senior golfer I understand my limitations.
·         My typical ball flight is a fade. I sometimes stray into slice territory. But not often. And I almost never hit the ball left, unless I am aiming that way and my typical fade straightens out for some reason.
·         Strengths of my game – I have a decent short game and my putting has really improved lately. I also tend to stay in the fairway. Not a lot of errant shots. Weaknesses – very short hitter. My driver goes anywhere from 185 to about 215. Maybe a bit longer on a really good day. 7 iron about 125ish.
·         My current gamer is a Gen 1 PXG 0811X 12° with a Project X Evenflow Blue R shaft. Why I bought it? PXG was offering a great deal on the “legacy” drivers. I was not fit. Just static stats.
·         My #1 priority with driver is to hit the ball in the fairway as far as I can. Since I am a short knocker I cannot also be wild or else I am really screwed.
·         I don’t have the consistency or driver length to be too aggressive with my drives. So I tend to be a bit conservative.
·         I rarely hit par 5s in 2.
·         I am most often hitting a 4 or 5 hybrid into par 4s, if I had a decent drive.
 
First Impressions
I am coming into this testing cold – with no preconceived notions about Honma. I can’t even say I recall seeing anyone gaming their drivers locally. I chose the 11.5° since they didn’t have a 12° option. I also selected the R flex shaft which is what I currently have. If an A flex had been an option I might have selected it. But it appears that the R flex is softer than I expected, so it could effectively perform like an A flex shaft for me. We’ll see. I have never been formally fit. I have only used online fitting tools for my height and arm length. And that has seemed to work so far.
Put plainly – if I can hit the ball longer and straighter than I do with my current driver, it stays in the bag. I don’t hate my current gamer, but I am starting to get less distance with it and I am kind of itching to see what’s out there. With my fade, I have learned to adjust and hit the ball in the fairway 75% of the time based on my Grint stats. But I know I am losing distance due to my fade and the amount of spin I put on the ball. If the Honma is the draw biased club they say it is I should see some better ball flight. That and the fact that the shaft is ½” longer than my current shaft, so I hopefully will gain a bit of distance.
Provide some brief comments on how you plan to test. How much time you spent practicing, launch monitor (if applicable), on-course rounds, and special experiments will give readers an idea of the scope of work you put into this review.
My testing will be based on comparison to my current driver. Unfortunately I don’t have a launch monitor or access to one for this testing. That is on my Christmas list though. I intend to do some A/B testing on the range with the two drivers and play as many rounds as possible with it on my usual courses so that I can do some direct comparison. With the time change coming up I will probably have to limit my testing to the weekends.
 
Final Review
12/12/2021 - Note: I am taking a mulligan on my original review and updating my answers. The driving yips I seemed to be suffering from appear to be over and I was able to get back to hitting solid shots today.
Looks (8 out of 10 points)
Describe the following:
●      General Shape - The shape is fine. It appears larger than my regular gamer though it is not. Probably because it has a slightly mor elongated shape. They are about the same size
●      Graphics – The sole graphics look way better in person than in the pictures. I thought the photos made it look kind of cheap. But in person, with the contrasting matte and glossy grey/black treatments and the red accents, it actually looks pretty nice.
●      How does the overall look come together? – I tend to like a matte finish, but I really like the glossy crown more than I expected. Especially with the subtle alignment markings near the face and rear of the crown.
●      How does the appearance compare to other drivers in the same category? – It is in between the “too busy” look of some of the Callaway drivers and the minimalist looks like on my PXG.
●      Other unique details (i.e. alignment aids, coloring, swing blur, etc.) – As I mentioned, I do like the alignment aids. The center line mark in the front and the subtle red striping on the back seem to promote an inside-to-out swing arc. The glossy crown is not the distraction I thought it would be. And the finish appears to be pretty durable. So It will look good for quite a while.
 
Sound & Feel (8 out of 10 points)
Describe how the driver sounds and feels
●      Does it sound: loud, quiet, harsh, or smooth? – The sound is neither quiet or harsh. It has an appealing “thwack” especially when struck on the sweet spot. 
●      Does it feel soft, crisp, dull, clunky (feel free to use your own imaginative phrases)? – The feel is a bit soft and whippy for me. But after some initial struggles I have adjusted to it.
●      Does it feel consistent across the face, or are mis-hits noticeably pronounced? – I paid a heavy price on mishits with this driver. To the point where I shanked or sliced way more balls than I am accustomed to. Over the last few outings it has gotten better, but I am not quite there where I can say it is as consistent as my current gamer.
●      Compare to your best/worst feel and sound experiences? – The sound is fine to me, and initially it felt a bit too whippy, but I have begun hitting the ball well with it and the lighter feel of the shaft is no longer an issue.
●      Does it impact your mental game? - My earlier assessment was yes, it did affect my mental game since I was having trouble getting off the tee. In my most recent round that was not an issue and I was hitting the ball as well with the GS as with my PXG gamer.
Basic Characteristics (17 out of 20 points)
Before hitting the course, get some range time in so you’ve got a feel for what’s to come.  This section should be used to identify the basic characteristics that most players will notice.   If you are able to get time on a launch monitor, this would be the section to include numbers from it.
Describe the following compared to your current gamer:
●        Trajectory – When I hit it well I get a higher trajectory than I am used to, which is what I want.
●        Workability – N/A. I did not have enough control of my shots during this review to try to work on different shot shapes. It’s straight or fade. Just like with my regular gamer.
●        Accuracy – Similar to my current gamer. I have a fade that requires me to aim left of target to get the desired result. 
●        Distance – When I was able to hit it well I got similar distances to my regular driver. I am starting to hit it as far as my gamer. 
●        Forgiveness – Initially I did not think it was forgiving at all. Since adjusting it to the CL setting it is forgiving enough for me.
●        Adjustability – Adjustability is one of its pluses. I had to make two adjustments to try to make it more draw biased. And although I really don’t like to tinker with settings it really was easy to make the adjustments. However, The first adjustment from Standard to FL/CL only seemed to make it harder for me to hit the ball. But since making the second adjustment to CL I am now able to hit MY shots again. 
●        Pressure – A week ago I was terrified to stand over the ball with this driver because I had no idea where the ball would go. Today 12/12 it was like I was using my regular gamer. Pressure? Little to none. Certainly no more than usual.
●      What factors were you pleased with? – As mentioned above, I liked the sound and the look of this club. On the occasions that I did hit a solid shot it sounded great. Looking down at it at address I really like it even though it took me quite a while to become comfortable enough with it. It is a very durable club. I beat it up quite a bit with my mishits, but it does not appear any worse for wear. The sole still looks practically brand new.
●      What factors did you find lacking? – The unique hosel design was a bit of a struggle for me to find the right setting. I had pretty much given up on being able to game this driver but I gave it one more shot with the hosel adjustment and that seemed to do the trick. They need to provide better instructions for tweaking the head. I was reluctant to mess with it but I am glad I did. The soft shaft is not as bad as I initially thought it was. But I would probably want to go with a slightly stiffer "regular" shaft. I am partial to UST Mamiya shafts and all of the regular versions I have tried were stiffer than the Honma shaft. 
On-Course / LM Performance (21 out of 30 points)
It took me several rounds before I was able to really feel confident with this club. If I continue to hit the ball the way I have been lately I would say the On Course number would go up. But given the small sample size I can't give it stellar marks yet.
Final Performance Comments:
●      Overall, how did it perform? – I have had sort of a "Jekyll and Hyde" experience with this driver. I went from wanting to banish it from my bag forever to now wanting to see if it will really displace my PXG gamer. Though I still have my reservations I did see signs that it could perform well for me given time.
●      How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of Honma? – Since I had no real exposure to Honma before this I came in cold, with no assumptions. If anything, the lack of any exposure to it made me think that maybe it is not a brand that a casual golfer would gravitate toward. Though I won't be ditching my favorite brands in favor of them any time soon I can say that Honma is now on my radar at least. If I continue to like what I am seeing I would consider looking at some of their other clubs in the future.
●      What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? – I can’t say there is anything that I would change about this driver.
 
Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)
       I really want to like this driver. It looks great and though I don’t like to tinker with adjustments I do not have a problem with their non-rotating hosel. The headcover is good looking and something you would expect for a $500 driver, though I would still swap it out. I do like the grip and wouldn’t change it. The delivery issues which delayed this for several months didn’t help, and I wonder if I would have had better luck with it if I had more time to try to bond with it. Basically, I think it probably is worth the asking price as compared to other drivers in that price range.   
Play it or Trade it? (15 out of 20 points)
Undecided. As I mentioned above I finally had a breakthrough with it and started hitting the ball well. Assuming that continues it will certainly give my current game a challenge. I liked what I saw the last time out with it.  
Conclusion
I came into this process excited about maybe finding a new gamer that would straighten out my fade a bit and give me a few more yards off the tee. While I haven't achieved either of those things yet there are some positives I have seen so far. This was a really interesting review, because I was ready to give up on it and then found my "A Ha" setting that completely changed my mind about it. This experience has changed my attitude about adjustable drivers completely. If you're okay with tweaking a bit, a quality driver will probably have a setting that works for you. It would seem that the Honma T//World GS is designed for someone like myself. I just need time to bond with it now.
Final Score: (77 out of 100 points)
Post Review
12/7 - I was going to wait a little while before making another adjustment, since I already submitted my review. But I decided to go ahead and change the hosel setting from FL/CL to CL. Hopefully I can get out to the range some time this week and see if it makes any difference.
12/9 - I took it out to the range to try to fix my driver swing, along with my regular gamer. Though I hit both a bit better I still have a ways to go. However, I was much improved with the GS since changing to the CL setting. Less of a fade. I have another round coming up this Sunday. So I’ll try it again.
12/12 - My Eureka round proved that I can successfully play a round with this driver. I finally really enjoyed hitting with it today and now I have a real dilemma on my hands. (In a good way.) Initially I wanted to go back to my regular gamer, but after today I am not sure. More research to do. My final score bumped from 62 to 77.
12/23 - I was able to get a good workout with the GS and I was finding fairways all day. Still fading  and not hitting it as far as I would like, but I am pleased with my results otherwise. 

20211009_101817.mp4 20211009_101817.mp4  
 

 
My Driver has arrived.  Stay tuned in the coming weeks to see how I feel the Honma T//World GS stacks up!
 
 

 
Hello, I am Jackie an avid golfer from Minneapolis presently playing to a 4.7 HI. I have been playing golf for an exceptionally long time but was not that serious about how I played until the last 15 years or so. Now, I play every chance I get.  Nothing beats getting outside, enjoying mother nature, and shooting my lowest score ever.  I am an LPGA Amateur’s member and I love competing in Minnesota Golf Association events.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
 
The strength of my game has been my driving the past couple of years. 200 plus yards with a very high percentage of drives between the trees. I have learned to play smart golf as I age which has helped me lower my handicap a bit. My putting has been my biggest weakness and I have been working on it in addition to my short game 40 yards and in. Fixing these two are going to be a key to getting to that coveted 0.0 HI. I have also worked with a golf coach and fitness trainer to work on the mental and physical aspects of my game as both need attention and they will help me play solid golf for years to come.
 
I used to hit a medium height soft fade, which put my usual miss to the right.   However, I have recently been able to hit a soft draw which has been wonderful but also has made it harder to hit the fade. My swing tempo is what you would consider medium or average. Slowing down my back swing is key to hitting the ball consistently. My driver swing speed hovers around 85-88 MPH and being an AARP member, I don't believe it will be going up
 
My current driver I the PXG Gen 3 If I crunch it on a warm day I can get it out to 250.  It has an Adilla NV Stiff shaft that allows me to put a little extra torque on the driver.  My main goal with a driver is to get it out there 200 plus yards between the trees.  In the heat of the summer when I am swinging well and the balls are flying it is more like 220 plus between the trees with a good angle to the pin.  If I do that then I can get it on or close in two on most holes and shorter par 5’s.  Out of 4 par 5’s on my home course there is only one I can get on in a somewhat regular bases with a great drive and a good 4 or 7 wood.  2 of the other 3 once in a blue moon and the last not yet (close a couple of times).  On par shorter 4’s I am usually using a 9 iron or less to the green and on longer par 4’s that can go up to and including my trusty 7wood which I carry 155 yards.
 
 


 
My first impressions of the Honma T\\World GS is it is a good looking and lightweight club.  Honma states it has :
KEEL DESIGN & WEIGHT
Shaped with a raised keel towards the heel to promote draw-biased flight and increase MOI.
ans
FLIP SLOT
TW//GS driver features Flip Slot technology to maximize face flexure and reduce spin for more speed and additional forgiveness.
After a good hour on the driving range I can say the Honma T//World GS is much easier to draw than my present driver and the distance seems to come much easier.  I was afraid I could not hit the lighter shaft well but that was not the case.
 
 

20211009_101817.mp4

 
 
I tested this driver in the number one way that it matters, in my bag on the course.  I tested in my league, in tournaments and on fun days out with my friends.  I have never touched a Honma club before so it was a put up or shut up test so to speak.
 
Looks (10 out of 10 points) 
The Honma T\\World GS has an appealing shape, crisp look  with just enough graphic highlights on the shiny black head as to not get distracting.  The alignment aid is simple and stands out enough to be effective.  Most drivers have a similar shape and black is fine for me.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The video is there you can hear the perfectly centered hit on the driver and it is music to my ears.  You can hear the difference when you miss the center and that is what I like.  On this perfectly centered hit and others like it I felt nothing  Which lets me know it is getting out there.  I was able to feel my misses which lets me know I am straying.  All drivers sound a little different which is ok to me but not all drivers have a good feel.  The stiff shaft was correct for me which I am sure helped me to like how the club felt.
 
Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points)
 
The Honma T\\World GS hits the ball with my usual medium to high ball flight.  I was able to work the ball left and right in addition to keeping it down a bit to get it out of the wind.
I would describe this driver as easy distance, the drive in the video was a perfectly placed 230 yard drive and I did not have to swing crazy to get it.  I was able to hit the ball where I wanted with general ease.  The one downside to the driver is if I really try to step on it it is very easy to pull hook it. 2 points off for my inability to step on it
 
The club is easily adjustable and it should have enough adjustability for most golfers and too much for many.  😉   I had no problem using the Honma T\\World GS to compete in fall tournaments and I just had to learn not to overswing.  
 
On-Course / LM Performance (28 out of 30 points)
 
After a couple of range sessions I used the Honma T\\World GS exclusively for over a month and this driver performs as I expect it to.  For me it hits it long, accurate and consistent.  After the first week I was confident I could hit the shots I need to.  I figured if Justin Rose was playing Honma they had to be ok and now I can say for sure the Honma T\\World GS is a very good Driver.  The lightweight shaft and driver is not built for 100+ MPH swing speeds.  It is for those of us below 90 MPH who need to get the most out of a drive as we can.  I woud describe the Honma T\\World GS as easy distance.  I do not have to struggle to hit a drive 210 - 230 yards.  I put a good swing on it and it just goes.  2 points off for my inability to step on it
 
I think lighter crowns and shafts are here to stay and they have a huge market with the aging golfer.  I can't say the Honma T\\World GS lowered my handicap but it did not hurt it either.
 
Miscellaneous (10 out of 10 points)
Here's where the Honma T\\World GS really earned its keep in my bag and it was a total surprise.  I started hitting my fairway woods better.  To hit the Honma well I had to swing smoothly and this carried forward to my fairway woods as well.
 
 
Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20 points)
I will definitely play the Honma T\\World GS to some degree and it will take some testing and going back and forth between the Honma and my PXG.  I may put together a lighter shaft for my PXG and a heavier for the Honma to see if that clears things up a bit.  I hit them both very well so this is a very good problem to have.  2 points off for my inability to step on it.
If your swing speed is less than 90 MPH and is only going down, this may be the driver for you!
 
Conclusion
The Honma T\\World GS is a wonderful driver for those with less than a 90 MPH swing speed.  I say it has easy distance and should be perfect for the aging golfer or a golfer with a bad back.  If you like to put a bunch of extra torque on the club to get extra distance,  that can get you in trouble with this club.    If you are looking for 200 -230 down the middle without over swinging, I would give it a shot.
 
Final Score: (94 out of 100 points)

20211003_111607.mp4 20211009_094201.mp4

Hey all! So just an update, I think at this point only two people for this test have received their driver, @GolferChick and myself (somehow I was actually the first, receiving it on July 14th), so hopefully should start seeing stuff posted from the others soon. 
Because of this, I can't/won't talk to much about the driver as I don't want to inadvertently influence any of the other reviewers. What I will say is that when I actually had it in hand, it looked even better than the pictures that were posted for the review sign-up!
Please, allow me to take this time to introduce myself a little bit, and give you (probably) more detail then you need to know about me and my game 🙂 I was born in 1980.......ok, that is too far back, and waaaaaay more then you are interested in. I started golfing when I was 10 (that was when you were allowed on the course back then), and would golf occasionally with my dad. I really didn't get too into it back then, as I was always embarrassed when we would go to the course, and get paired up with another twosome. So it was kinda off and on until I was 20 and in the Air Force in Japan, this is where I met a fellow Airman who was big into golf, and started playing a lot, like a lot - a lot. Since then it has been at least a fairly regular part of my life, playing regular rounds, best ball tournaments, on Unit intramural golf teams, etc. Over the last 4-5 years though, it started to really slow down, to really only maybe 3-4 times a year (seems when I got to my last duty station, less and less people were playing, and i didn't really meet any others golfing). Well, last year I retired (right when Covid hit, geez thanks for that timing) and I decided that I wanted to golf again, even if that means just 9 holes after work (now an Army Civilian). So now I am at the course/range generally at least 3 days of the week, plus over the last few weeks have started taking lessons to try and get my game back to where it used to be (or at least close). I used to be a lower to mid-80s golfer, and now am more of an upper 80s lower 90s golfer. My swing speed before lessons was in upper-90 MPH, now in the lower 100 MPH range.
I am hitting my driver better, but still struggle with some things. First, contact.....my misses on the face are generally more towards the toe, or low on the face. My bad swing is when I forget to extend down the target line at/after impact, and instead have a more in-out-back in (arcing) downswing. This, along with my wrists getting through too quickly because of the arcing swing, leads to my usual miss, a low duck hook into Brenda's back yard (Alex Etches on YouTube anyone???).
I have been an analyst my entire career, so I really like numbers, looking at data, etc. So for this test I will be using my Mevo launch monitor, as well as my arccos sensors to assist in gathering data for comparison to my current gamer (Cobra Speedzone Extreme, with an Aldila Rouge Elite Green R-flex shaft). I also really like to tinker, so changing/trying out various shafts, playing with the loft adjustments, etc is really just tons of fun (I think that used to be my nickname) for me.
I look forward to going through this process (obviously already been in the midst of it for almost a month now), and answering any questions I can about the product. If you have questions, fire away!
UPDATE: 30 Aug 2021
Hmmm, apparently I can just keep adding to this instead up adding comments.....okalidokali then
I have kept working on my swing, and am fairly happy with where it is right now. Most recent "change" is really just shortening my swing a little, using my shoulder touching my chin as my trigger to stop my backswing and start the downswing. Otherwise, it seemed like most of my issues were with overswinging which completely destroyed my timing, balance, etc. 
Well, the reviews are further delayed, right now Honma may not be able to get the other testers drivers out until mid-September 😞 Sooooo, in the meantime I will continue to add to this reivew/post. 
Here is the arrival of my driver:

 
 

 
Who's who? Ok, not hard to tell the Taylormades....
 
 
 

 
Well, I better stop there....don't want the moderators getting mad at me for posting images too soon. I will get a video of my swing soon (hopefully in slo-mo).
 
 
Honma T//World GS Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by DechamBRO
Hi all!!! Just want to say thank you so much to Mygolfspy.com and Honma for making this review happen, and choosing me as one of the reviewers! As an analyst and tinkerer, I love getting to try out new things, analyze data, compare, etc. So, I love an experience like this.
Currently I am about a bogey a hole golfer (but hey, I totally took like 3 lessons), so shooting upper 80s to lower 90s. All my clubs, including driver, have become much more consistent over the course of this review.  
I really hadn’t heard much if anything about Honma really prior to this. I believe I had seen the name before, in MGS and other blogs/forums talking about Japanese golf manufacturers… but that is about it.
For testing I will be taking the driver out to the range, and playing rounds with it. I have a Mevo personal launch monitor, so I plan on getting some actual data to post as well. To earn a spot in my bag, it needs to perform better than my current gamers (Mizuno ST200, and Cobra Speedzone). That isn’t necessarily distance, but if it gives me more confidence at address, and if it is more consistent (basically forgiving when my swing gets sloppy), then it will earn a spot.
Looks (9 out of 10 points)
 
The club is gorgeous. Absolutely well made. It has a great blend to me of modern as well as classic (no weird square or triangle head that will take some getting used to, if ever at all). Compared to allot of the modern drivers, the color blend of red and black is subtle, and classy. No weird neon colors or Sasquatch yellow here. Really, everything looks top of the line, nothing stands out to distract you, everything just subtle and gorgeous.
 
So, why the decrease of one point? Well, they may have done too well. By that, I mean that this is a 460cc club head, and yet, when I stand over it, it looks smaller than my Cobra Speedzone and Mizuno ST-200. The others, behind the ball, give me great confidence. The Honma; however, with the more compact appearance, doesn’t make me feel like I can just swing away like the others…. feels/looks like there is less room for error.
 
Now, I believe this is a personal preference item, as I know that there are quite a few who prefer the compact classic look…. but hey, I am the one doing the review 😊
 
 
 
Sound & Feel (6 out of 10 points)
This, unfortunately, for me was perhaps the biggest downside of this driver. Personally, I did not like either. First, the feel.... The club's weight, swing weight/balance all felt great, so no issues there. The shaft felt whippier to me than any of my other stiff flex shafts, this could be because of the lower kick point for higher ball flight, or that the shaft is 55 grams (I am used to around 65), or a combination of the two. 
 
Then the feel off the face....it felt harder/more solid than what I am used to with the drivers that I have used.... which makes it difficult to describe. I don't want to say that it felt bad necessarily, but that it definitely felt harder at impact. My Cobra Speedzone Extreme and my buddies Ping G410 felt considerably softer at impact as well as.... I dunno.... more springy of the face as well (yeah, I'm gonna go with that).
 
Finally, the sound, which they say at least affects your perception of feel (much like smell affects taste). This was much louder than my Cobra, Mizuno, or my friend's Ping....much higher pitch as well. enough so that my son, and even a stranger danger at the range commented on. In my son’s words, it sounds like when two empty glass coke bottles cling together. It is definitely noticeable, I even hit one at an open range (not covered) that left my right ear ringing…. like it actually hurt. The Cobra almost sounded silent after hitting the Honma. 
 
With all of that, I really did not like the overall feel and sound of the Honma, which really brought its grade down for me. 
 
Taste (?? out of 10 points)
 
Now for taste…. wait, I don’t see that on the scorecard……hmmmm, must be an oversight by the MGS moderators. Ah well, “Das Schmeckt Gut!”
 
 
 
Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points)
 
Hey, this is where I get to talk about stuff like adjustability! This feature, to be honest, I initially struggled with. Why? Well because it is different than literally everything else out there. You get a torque wrench (c’mon, we are all used to that), but also a little sleeve thing that goes over the wrench, and turns freely around the wrench, so that you can turn the washer, and therefore set it to where you want it before re-tightening.
 
 
 
Now, it took me a minute to learn, that really, the easiest way to do this is to simply loosen it a little bit, then use the sleeve to adjust, then retighten the screw. After I learned this, it was much easier then trying to use them both together.
 
 
 
The issue I have, is that (as you can see from the instructions), you can make adjustments +- .5 degrees, and this adjusts the face angle (F.A.) as well…. but on the club, itself, there are no hash marks. So, while you have 360 degrees available to adjust the club, on the club itself you have no reference points……so here’s to hoping…. Hence, the loss of 1 point here.
On Course/LM Performance (20 out of 30 points)
 
 
 
 
So, as you can see above, when it comes to the basic numbers, the Honma stacks up well against everything else. The Honma averaged 244 yards, as did the hodgepodge (Cobra, TaylorMade M1/M2, Mizuno ST200) ….to some degree this comes to the basic limits on driver (COR, mass, etc.).
 
My issue with the Honma, came down to the fact that it is more draw biased. As a player whose typical miss it to the left (the dreaded low duck hook), the Honma made it worse. Even lowering the loft, and therefore opening the face, my miss hits were even more left.
 
 
 
Did I gain speed? Yeah, looks that way. But, again, if I lose it all left out of bounds, in the woods, etc. Have I really gained anything?
 
When my swing was great though, man, this thing flew. It really does have a high, long ball flight, with a little draw when hit with a nice slight in to out swing path…. but again, for me, I really had to focus up. If I did this, it was great…. but again, I REALLY HAD TO FOCUS, there was no simply swinging away for me. It simply isn’t a good club for someone who typically misses left, or very very left.
 
 
Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)
So…. this is tough. Two others still haven’t received their clubs….and Honma seems to have to some degree ghosted the MGS staff…. I understand COVID has caused issues….and then Honma was robbed (seriously, they lost a TON of product) …. but two of the testers literally received a golf club box from Honma with nothing but the headcover and wrench……I don’t think I have ever seen that before.
 
Speaking of the headcover, it is a really good quality…. like nice and thick for the padding underneath the leather…. again, nothing less than top quality on this product.
 
Technology wise, it has some stuff, and lacks some others (much like many other clubs on the market). speedpocket thing under the face, yes. Adjustable hosel, yes. Carbon fiber crown, no. Rear weight, yes. Face tech that helps keep ball speed on mishits, yes. I would compare the tech very closely with the Mizuno ST200, except that the weight is set for a draw bias, as opposed to straight back.
 
 
Oooooohhhhhhhh, look……. plastic!
 
Play It or Trade It (15 out of 20 points)
Is this going in my bag……. no. As I have pointed out, while it is a great high-quality club, it just isn’t a better option for my swing than my Cobra or my Mizuno. The main reason for this is that I don’t have the confidence I do standing over it as I do with the others (it looks smaller, therefore appears less forgiving, and you can’t mess with someone’s confidence like that), the sound is just too much for me to deal with, and the weighting makes my standard miss worse (as opposed to someone who generally hits a fade or a slice). So, this won’t be in my bag. It will; however, go in my 15-year-old son’s bag. He is just learning, and works well for him. He needs the help getting the ball more airborne, and definitely needs help with losing the ball to the right. Yet it gives him the same feeling/swing weight as his current gamer, the Wilson Staff D100. So, it won’t go in my bag, but it will stay in the family 😊
 
Conclusion
This really is a top-quality, well-made club. It is, though, made for a specific golfer. If you struggle with not getting enough height on your shot, and lose them to the right, then this club is definitely worth a shot. Honma might not be a well-known name in the US, but if you are the golfer I mentioned, and see one in store, go ahead and add it to the pile of others you are testing, you might be surprised.
 
Final Score (76 out of 100 points)

INTRO
It is an honor to be a part of testing this driver, thank you MGS and Sub70. I plan to test this driver against three other drivers I have. I will be testing the driver on the course, at Golftec (GCQuad/Foresight), and on the range with my Rapsodo MLM so I will have some good data and video. I will try to be as consistent as possible with balls and shafts. About me, I am married with two 10 month old puppies and an avid golfer. Also, "Hi. I am a hockey player, but I am here to play golf" Happy Gilmore...I played D-1 college hockey and did not take golf seriously until about 6 years ago. I have had some success since I started playing tournaments (qualified for the USGA Mid-Am in 2017 and 2021). Photos of me and the family below! 

Here is my golf info intro with some bolded items to get the short and sweet: 
I am a tournament golfer so I practice/play during the season most days. Even if it’s just rolling a few putts on the Perfect Practice Mat or swinging the Orange Whip. I am kind of a golf geek and enjoy the process. My forte is hitting it far and putting well. Handicap is +2.5. Swing tempo is 3.4:1 (data from Zepp) and Driver swing speed is 115+ MPH. My natural ball flight is right to left, but I can play shots both directions. Typical miss that would cause problems is left. My current gamer is the original Taylormade M1 with a Mitsubishi Tensie Pro Orange 70TX. I went back to this club this year after going through a plethora of Taylormade drivers (3 Sims, 2 M5s) that kept breaking. The M1 also performed very well in the MGS winner's test, which made me go back! I love the looks of the M1 driver. I was not fit for this driver. With driver in hand ball flight is the priority, but the look of the clubface is really important to me as well. Some drivers set up looking like they closed and I do not like that! I do not like taking chances with aggressive lines, unless I know I can hit it past all of the trouble. I mostly “play conservative, but cocky” (Dr. Bob Rotella quote). I am going for par 5’s in 2 as much as possible and not many that I can't reach. The statistics show that the closer you are the better and I rarely lay up to a specific yardage. Into par 4s a wedge is my typical club. First Impressions
Coming out of the box it was fun: Business card, tees, hand written note, and stickers along with the wrench and weights. Club looks really clean. Headcover is not the best, needs to be broken in or a little bigger. The OEM States and I AGREE "849 Pro Driver continues Sub 70's aesthetic of clean, classic lines, dark colors, and performance driven shapes". The 450cc 849 Pro provides the higher level ball striker a good soft sound: "sound of the driver has been optimized as well, so as not to draw looks at impact, but only after people have seen where the ball has landed." I chose the lowest launch/spin shaft available without an upcharge, Project X HAZRDUS Smoke 6.5 with the stock Lamkin Crossline 360 to fit a profile close to my Gamer. Sub 70 fits my notions that it is a better players direct to consumer priced option. The lower price point with a touch of good business (card and extras) was nice! This club will earn a spot in my bag if it performs better (distance and dispersion are important to me off of the tee). I will be testing with Rapsodo MLM, Golftec (foresight/GCQuad), driving range, and on course. It will be fun to test the most extreme settings for fade and draw bias! 


Info on the driver: 
https://www.golfsub70.com/sub-70-849-pro-driver.html
Video of my initial impressions: 
https://youtu.be/8V6PoH1hAOY
 
Final Review
Looks (8 out of 10 points) 
I subtracted 1 point here because of the head cover (it is not the best) and the stock settings of the club face look a little closed as shown above. I think Sub70 hit the mark on looks and the "less is more” moto that they live by. The general shape is your classic pear head with a little bit of an extended back. The graphics are perfect and very clean and neat much like a Titleist driver. The look comes together perfectly and I love the appearance compared to some drivers that have too much going on with coloring/alignment aids/etc. The 849 Pro Driver continues Sub 70's aesthetic of clean, classic lines, dark colors, and performance driven shapes. 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
I would say the sound/feel is perfect (check the MLM videos attached). The sound and feel are my favorite parts of this driver. The sound is a comfortable sound that sounds like a nice low frequency dull thwack. The feel is consistent across the face on pronounced miss-hits without any noticeable dings/dongs/thwacks. Compared to my M1 Gamer the sound and feel are better. This driver is along the lines of the Sim2 sound which is great. The sound of the driver is optimal, so mentally I know it will not draw looks from other players at impact. 
Basic Characteristics (17 out of 20 points)
 -1 because the driver spun more than my gamer. -1 because the stock setting looks a little closed to my eye. -1 because it is finicky to change out the small weights. Of note the driver’s stock swing weight was D5.8 and when I added the 10G weight to the toe the driver swing weight went to E0.1

 The trajectory is higher than my gamer, but still good (in the recommended range based on trackman recommendations). The club is very workable and has numerous settings to fine tune with the different weights. There was not a noticeable difference in accuracy from the two clubs. I did move more weight to the toe and was hitting the Sub70 Pro, “like a pro”. Total distance was good, but a little shorter than my gamer because it spun more. Hard to tell if that is more of a shaft thing, but that is my guess. Forgiveness was as expected and I was pleasantly surprised by the feel still being solid on low hits. This driver is adjustable. Changing out the weights on the club is not as easy as your standard weights that slide because you will have to carry the other weights in a pouch.  No problem with keeping the driver in play when I lofted down. With the stock settings, the club sat a little closed for my eye. I was pleased with the accuracy, the mishit’s feel, and the distance was good. The extra weights to find a good combo for swing weight and mishits is awesome. The one factor that is lacking is the club at its stock settings looks a little closed.
On-Course / LM Performance (27 out of 30 points)
I subtracted 3 points because the club was shorter, spun more, and it did not have a noticeable improvement.
The club performs well in all circumstances. I hit it well in the Monthly Rapsodo long drive contest where there are no mulligans. Three straight shots and they all count. (ignore the Launch direction on the Sub70, lining up the MLM is tough) 
 
I would rank this club right up there with the best of the best. I would rank it ahead of these clubs I have hit: TMade Sim2 (not a fan of the thing on the back of the club and it spins more than my current gamer), Ping G425 (do not like the grooves on top of the club), the PXG 0211 (not adjustable enough). My gamer, the TMade M1 works for me (shaft probably plays in to this too). I rank the clubs that I have hit this past year in the following order Gamer, Callaway Epic, Sub70, PXG 0211, Sim2, and Ping G425.
 This product changed my impression in a good way. As I eluded to in my intro, they did a couple extra things when the club was delivered like tees, stickers, notes so that was nice. The price point for the driver is great. Golfers can get the upgraded shaft and pay a similar price to the other guy’s stock driver shafts. I had an issue with the driver and their customer service is great!
 The features I would change are the head cover (it is a little snug) and the look of the club at address (looked closed compared to the M1). The feature I really like about the driver is the adjustability. I think you could really get dialed in without having to put lead tape on the driver. There are numerous combos to get the correct swing weight, loft, and feel with the removable weights. I did not notice a noticeable improvement in scores with the driver

Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)
I subtracted a couple points here because I had an issue with the driver epoxy. In the video attached. I think the issue is probably a 1 in 20,000. They did add couple extra things when the club was delivered like tees, stickers, notes so that was nice. The price point for the driver is great. Golfers can get the upgraded shaft and pay a similar price to the other guy’s stock driver shafts. I had an issue with the driver and their customer service is great!  
Play it or Trade it? (17 out of 20 points)
I am going to trade it. My Gamer, the M1, gave me my best year of golf in 2021. The Sub70 Pro has a great asking price, great customer service, and is a beautiful looking/sounding club. I would like to get some data with my Gamer Shaft (Tensie pro orange) in order to compare apples to apples. The 70 gram 6.5 low launch HZRDUS Smoke is a close shaft but it is not the same. This club is for a serious golfer looking to fine tune their feel.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 849 Pro Driver has clean, classic lines, dark colors, and a nice pear shapes. The 450cc driver is smaller and allows a higher level ball striker maximum adjustability…The driver’s carbon head has up to 20 grams of weight adjustability in the heel, toe, and rear section of the head. I liked the look of the club better when I lofted down which opened the club face. I think you have an affordable, great looking/sounding driver that is workable in both directions. If they offer a shaft you love, I think this club can find a spot in your bag, just find a better head cover.
Final Score: (87 out of 100 points)
 
 
 
 
IMG-1601.mp4
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

The Review 15th November 2021
 
Sub 70 849 Pro Driver – Official MGS Forum Review by Peaksy68
Intro
I’m testing a 10.5˚ Sub70 849 Pro with a Project X Evenflow Riptide 65gm 6.0 shaft, chosen from the list of stock options available.
Thanks to MyGolfSpy and Sub70.  I’m really excited to have been one of the first (if not the first) to play a Sub70 849 Pro in Australia
 
I've been playing for nearly 30 years, 20 of those seriously. The vast majority of my golf is in formal competitions, which is normal for golf in Australia. Only competition rounds are allowed for handicapping, and every competition round is entered into the Golf Australia handicap site.
On course, (and off) I love a bit of banter, and try to enjoy myself, while still trying to score the best I can. I spent the first half of my golf “career” just turning up and playing, never practicing at all.
My oldest daughter started playing when she was about 6, and started attending weekly junior clinics with the club pro when she was about 10. While these were on, I filled in time with some practice, and my handicap dropped from 10-12 down to 6 in 4 months. Amazing to see what a bit of practice can do.
I love the constant challenge that golf offers, and both the competitive and social aspect of the game.  While I enjoy the occasional scramble or 4BBB, I love the fact that what I score on the course is usually entirely up to me, be it good or bad.
 
My Game
My handicap is currently 6.8, based mainly around a solid game off the tee, solid fairway woods and a competent chipping and putting game.  Covid has had an impact on both my ability to play and practice. Taken with major works at my club closing the practice green and severely limiting other short game practice I’m reasonably happy with where my game is at.  To be realistic the last year I’ve been more focussed on golf as an escape from the daily grind of being a healthcare worker during a pandemic.
My current driver is a Ping G400 SFT, which I was fitted into. I was fitted into an Aldila Xtorsion shaft, and is longer than any driver I have previously played. Perhaps the Xtorsion being counterbalanced has allowed this.  I have been implementing some changes to my swing over the few months preceding this test, mainly to do with set up and alignment. This has resulted in significantly more misses left, and a more pronounced left to right ball flight.
 
My swing is reasonably short, with limited hand/wrist action after a series of injuries to my left wrist. I can incorporate more wrist cock, but it becomes too painful so I just avoid looking at my abbreviated swing as much as possible.  After surgery for a frozen right shoulder, I’ve had to rely on a full shoulder turn and staying attached to get club head speed.  Any over swing causes a significant chicken wing of my right arm, resulting in my bad miss, a very ugly block cut.
I’m in no way long off the tee, but not short either.
The biggest strength of my game is attitude. I never quit, and I'm more interested in the score I write down than how I did it.  I hit around 2/3 of fairways, with most misses slight and on the good side.
 
 
 
 
First Impressions
 
Having never seen a Sub70 club in the flesh, I was a little unsure what to expect.  On removing it from the packaging, I was immediately impressed.  The Sub70 849 Pro is a very good-looking driver.  Nothing too fancy or flashy, but in no way boring.  The finish is blemish free.
 

 
At address it looks great, the carbon fibre crown looks classy and modern, but still understated.
 

 
The number of loft/face angle and weight combinations available is perhaps a little overwhelming. I would love to see some information included that details what different weights would usually do to ball flight in different positions. 
 
 
My aim at the onset of test the Sub70 849 Pro is to determine whether it’s performance for me is good enough to warrant replacing my current driver.  I’ll be using data from Shotscope to make the comparison as accurate as possible.  Overall driving stats are probably most important for me, definitely not just distance.  My course has extreme rough not far off most fairways so keeping the ball in play is imperative.
 
I decided to give MyGolfSpy forum readers an inside look at the Sub70 849 Pro in more ways than one.
 

 
My initial plan to get the driver settings optimized was to utilize my club’s range using their Toptracer setup, but a combination of worn range balls, technical issues with Toptracer and lack of appropriate tee heights moved my setting up on course.
 
After really struggling initially, I gripped down about an inch and got much better contact and results. I subsequently cut the shaft down about ½ an inch.
 
Final Review
Looks (10 out of 10 points)
 
I really like the look of this driver. I’d probably describe it as sleek and modern, but with classic lines.  The head pairs well with the Project X Evenflow Riptide Shaft. As a disclaimer, unless the looks were so distracting to influence my swing, I’m not too fussed with appearances.  Happily, the Sub70 849 Pro actually looks good, and I like the clean lines at address.
 
Sound & Feel (10 out of 10 points)
 
The sound is great, and very well suited to my ear. Solid clank, pretty much Goldilocks. Not too loud, not too metallic and definitely not high pitched.
 
The feedback I get from the head is perhaps better than any other driver I have played. I can tell almost exactly where the ball has come off the face, even before seeing the ball flight.
 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
 
As discussed earlier, I was planning to dial in my settings using Toptracer at my club’s range, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible.
I played a couple of rounds playing with a couple of loft settings and putting a 6 gram weight in the heel, replacing the 3 gram weight.  After shortening the shaft I settled on one notch higher loft and standard weight configuration.
 
I started the testing hitting with a low to medium ball flight. I’ve increased my tee height, and ball flight is now more in the mid range.  The different shaft took a bit of adjusting to, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with it.
 
The ball flight is very penetrating, and seems to bore through the wind very well. Given that I play most of my golf in 10-25mph wind, that’s a real bonus.
Good swings result in an extremely straight ball flight, with solid distance. Heel or toe contact does see a drop in distance, but nothing too significant and the ball has stayed in play. All of my very poor drives have been the result of very poor swings!
As I get more comfortable with the driver I’m taking slightly more aggressive lines, and have been taking driver on holes I often take 3 or 5 wood to avoid trouble at driver distance.
 
On-Course Performance (24 out of 30 points)
 
The more I’ve played the 849 Pro, the more it’s growing on me.
 
 
This was a well struck drive, 240 yards into the wind, dead centre.
 
 
 
The penetrating ball flight really impresses me, as does the feedback it gives. The Shotscope Data shows a performance average drop of 4 yards from my Ping G400 SFT. This includes most of my set-up period, and most of my play has been of unseasonably wet fairways.  I’m looking forward to playing it when the fairways are in their usual very firm and fast condition. I fully expect the stats to improve as I get more used to the club .and conditions improve. The Sub70 849 Pro is listed as a 2 wood on my Shotscope.
 

 
 
A couple of highlights of the testing have been driving the green on par 4’s. The first was with an audience of old guys who let me play through. I think they thought I was better than I really am.
 

 
During my last round of testing I drove the shortened par 4 10th at my club.  Slightly uphill and into the wind. The slopes short of the green mean the window for hitting the green is only about 5 yards wide, and I thought I was a real chance of a hole in 1, finished 8 feet past the hole after missing the pin by a few inches.
 

 
 
 
Miscellaneous (4 out of 10 points)
Probably the biggest negative (and only significant one) is the headcover.  It looks great, but is very difficult to get on
 
 
 
 It is even tougher to get on when its warm, the rolled in outer material really sticks to the club head.
 

 
As someone who is a little visually challenged, I’d love to see the weights more clearly marked. It’s almost impossible to see the labelling with the naked eye.
 Some more information regarding what different weight will do to spin and launch would be very useful in helping to dial in the settings.
 
Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points) 
I’m planning on keeping the Sub70 849 Pro in the bag. The penetrating ball flight is very well suited to the windy conditions I usually play in, and the feedback is great. I'm looking forward to a long relationship, I think we can be good friends.

 
Conclusion
I’d encourage anyone who is a reasonable ball striker to strongly consider the Sub70 849 Pro.  Even without taking price into consideration, this is a very good driver. When price is factored in it becomes an extremely attractive proposition, particularly if you are able to get fitted or demo it.  The outstanding feedback, adjustability and shaft options really make it really worth a look.  Give one of the little guys a chance.
 
Final Score: (80 out of 100 points)
 
 

INTRO
I’m incredibly excited to be a part of testing this driver, so thank you MGS and Sub70. I believe this test has been mine to be selected for since I spoke it into existence all those months ago 😝. 
My name is Taylor Wyatt, I reside in a suburb of Portland, OR and have a beautiful wife and two kids (6&3). I have become golf obsessed over the last few years and have almost fully converted my baseball swing to a decent golf swing. I played baseball at a DII level and started golfing to scratch that “I need to hit something” itch about 5 years ago. I am a recreational golfer who just likes to have fun and love the ability to compete against myself on the course. I float at an 8-9 Hcp but am improving, last year I was at a 12-15 with some generous scoring 😉. I got lessons this year for the first time ever and I think the lower scores are coming. I prefer to play with buddies abs just have a good time, not take anything too serious on the course, and be thankful for the few hours we get to escape the realities of daily life.  I haven’t delved into the competitive world yet as I really don’t have the time to commit with my current life. I would like to but also need my game to get a little more consistent too. 
I plan to test this driver against my current gamer with my Rapsodo MLM and will able to get several rounds in with it for the important on course testing. I may be able to test it against some other stock drivers at my local DSG with their recently remodeled hitting bay complete with a Trackman.  
My current driver is my attempt at a longer driver, it’s a 47” cobra speedzone extreme, with evenflow black shaft in a 6.0. I really have been in a groove with the driver this summer and the longer shaft has really helped straighten out my ball, plus the added speed helps with the distance 😜
My swing speed on my little radar is 105-113 but much lower with the MLM, I honestly don’t care as long as I hit the middle of the face and the ball goes where I’m pointed I’m happy. On the course my average drive is in the 240-275 range. With recently being a bit longer due to more confidence in my mechanics to swing “harder.”
My swing feel is a slower take away with a smooth transition, with the focus on making sure impact is solid and in the middle. This has led to better results from my early days of grip it and rip it mentality that lead to a huge slice.
My miss now is a blocked out cut where as I play a 5 yard fade on almost all my shots. I learned to hit the low draw on demand though but it’s with a 3/4 swing. 
I like to play aggressive but I’m learning to play smarter, lay up to the right spots, and only take on risk with needed. This has helped me lower my scores significantly and usually leaves the driver in the bag more often, which I actually don’t mind. 
For me I don’t play tournaments and so distance to me isn’t as important as position. I’m looking for the driver to be long enough with a smooth swing, but also stable when I want to go after one. My current driver is good with the former, but I have mastered to latter quite yet.  
Let’s see if Sub 70 can find yet another spot in my bag!
 
 

 

 



 
First Impressions
First off the club came 2 weeks sooner than expected! Good on Sub 70 for that! Considering the wait for many other tests, this was a pleasant surprise and it came the week of my end of summer golf weekend!
The club didn’t come in the classic sub 70 black box, but still it was well protected. 
If you’ve ever bought a Sub 70 club before you know it’s all class! This was the same, hand written note, bag of tees, stickers, business card, nice bag with the wrench and weights. Nice premium head cover, lined and padded. 
The club looks premium as well. Per usual their pictures don’t do the club any justice. The black out look is a favorite of mine. The carbon crown reminds me of a Callaway style, although with no alignment aid. The sole has the look of the PXG 0811 X with the 3 weight ports. There are plenty of different weights available to allow for flight optimization. The adjustable sleeve also has a significant amount of adjustment available with up to 2* in each direction and 12 adjustment settings total. I chose a 9* head with the Evenflow Riptide shaft in a 6.5, I had the club built at the longest available length at 46”. It’s still an inch short than mine current gamer but I’m excited to try the stiffer shaft as I believe it will allow me to be more aggressive with my swing than I currently can with the softer flex in my current gamer. 
Overall I’m super impressed with the aesthetic of the club, but I’m not surprised. I’ve learned with Sub 70 not to expect anything less than premium despite their prices.











 
Final Review
 
Looks (9 out of 10 points) 
Describe the following:
General Shape- Pear shape, looks like a classic shape more so than the more elongated heads that are becoming more commonplace in today’s driver market.  Sub 70 says this is a 450cc head designed for the better player.  I’m not sure I qualify, but I like the smaller head. 
Graphics-In a word, minimal.  There is nothing on the crown, although I would prefer an alignment aid.  On the sole there is a black on black Sub 7o logo stamped in the middle and the 849 pro graphic script barely visible. It's all very subtle and very nondescript.
Overall it seems a little underwhelming and simple.  Nothing flashy here, but also it would be nice to have some boldness to the club.  Overall it’s consistent with the Sub 70 brand, no frills just quality clubs. If you’re looking for the splash a sizzle you’re not going to find it here. I feel like this is similar to the Titelist driver’s of old or even Srixon and PXG more recently, but when you compare this to a Cobra, Callaway, or Taylormade, the lack of details/visible tech, it leaves you second guessing if it's as good as those other driver’s.  
Sound & Feel (8 out of 10 points)
The sound is a nice muted pops.  No high pitch or loud pop, it's more of a dull muted sound that reminds me of the Taylormade drivers.  Compared to my current Cobra Speedzone it’s a much more pleasant sound. Feel wise, it's absolutely pure when you get it out of the middle.  I doc’d some points here due to the poor feel when you miss the center strike.  In the center it feels like the ball jumps off the face.  The heel and toe misses, not so much.  The advantage is you know when you have a miss hit. 

 
Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)
Before hitting the course, get some range time in so you’ve got a feel for what’s to come.  This section should be used to identify the basic characteristics that most players will notice.   If you are able to get time on a launch monitor, this would be the section to include numbers from it.
Range testing was shaky at first but after getting a feel for it I was happy with the performance.  I was gaming a Cobra Speed Zone extreme at a 9* loft with the Evenflow black shaft.  The Sub 70 is at a 9* head with the Evenflow Riptide shaft.  Compared to my cobra I saw a much lower lunch, but with an increase in ball speed on the centered strikes. My misses were not as forgiving as with the Cobra, but I felt I was gaining in distance without having to swing as hard.  Once I got in a good groove I could really see the performance show through.  The drawback is that my current gamer I feel I can consistently drive it straight with very limited deviatied, the Sub 70 the misses are greater, but the gains are also greater. 
 
Describe the following compared to your current gamer:
Trajectory – lower than my gamer, but I like that lower flight
Workability – Easy to work both ways, more draw biased than I thought.  I had to play with the sleeve setting to get the face to look more opened at address and take away the left bias. 
Accuracy – Like I said at first the ball was going more left than I was expecting, but a little tinkering and adjustment to the swing straightened it right out!
Distance – Great when you pure it.  
Forgiveness – Not great, if you’re need forgiveness, look elsewhere
Adjustability – Yes, with the three sole weight and the loft sleeve it's a fitters/tinkers dream!
Pressure – I think so, but I would say that’s more on the player than the club
What factors were you pleased with? I loved the ball speed, the deeper face and immediate feedback off the face
What factors did you find lacking? I really do miss the alignment mare on the crown.
Here are the finally numbers of comparing my current gamer to the Sub 70. These are averages over several range sessions over a one month period. 

 
Cobra Speedzone Xtreme (Pars & Stripes)
Distance (Carry) 253.3
Swing Speed 105.3
Ball speed 145.4
Launch angle 17.58
Ball flight/shot shape: predominantly a high fade 
Sub 70 849 Pro
Distance (Carry) 259.1
Swing Speed 106.1
Ball speed 150
Launch angle 14.35
Ball flight/shot shape: lower and straighter/less curve
All testing was done using Srixon range balls and in wet/damp 50’s average temp. I was using a Rapsodo MLM for data capture.
 
On-Course / LM Performance (25 out of 30 points)
 
I was able to play four rounds with this club on a recent trip.  It ended up replacing my Cobra after the first 9.  I was very happy with the distance I was getting with it and the misses weren’t as bad as on the range session’s leading up to the trip.  I felt I could really attack the ball and the club was super stable and fast!  I was able to shape shots for each hole and feel confident that the club could pull it off.  I was driving it about 10 yards longer than the Cobra on holes where I would hit two drives to compare.  I was a little skeptical that Sub 70 could compete in the woods space… I play their irons and putter so I know they con compete in that space but with the on course testing I feel you could play all their clubs and be on the same level as any other brand. 
Final Performance Comments:
Overall, how did it perform? As well, of not better than I could have asked. 
How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of Sub 70? Just keeps furthering my high opinion of them
What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? More details and slightly more forgiveness across the face
What feature do you really like, and would most like to see continued or evolved in future models? The weights in the sole, feels like there could be more there. 
Did it help improve your scores? I shot about the same, but that was more a result of my putting and approach than my driving. 
 
Miscellaneous (10 out of 10 points)
Nice head cover, simple and high quality leather with soft inner lining.  The Taylormade sleeve is nice to be able to grab a different shaft built with a common adapter. And as always the personalized card, branded tees and  ball marker that is standard with anything from Sub 70.  They do the little things well. 
Play it or Trade it? (15 out of 20 points)
For now it’s play it! I have picked up some different shafts to play with to see if I can get better performance over the Riptide. I also have sold the Cobra as I am sold on the lower trajectory and most likely lower spinning head.  I have picked up a Sim 2 head to test out with the Sub 70 so it’s not completely cemented in the bag, but that’s more because I got a deal and I am a club ho.  For now it will be the gamer unless I see something big for the Sim this winter. 
 
Conclusion
Don’t sleep on the DTC brands here.  This generic looking club packs a punch to keep up with the heavy hitters.  With more adjustability than most other OEM’s current offerings and the ball speed off the face to match, the Sub 70 849 pro shouldn’t be overlooked, especially for those on a budget. 
Final Score: (83 out of 100 points)
 
 

Sub70 845 Pro – Official MGS Forum Review by Shapotomous
Intro
I am thankful to be chosen for testing and looking forward to see how this driver compares to my custom weighted G410+ with an Accra shaft upgrade (especially in the spin #’s and its impact on distance & accuracy).  I’ve been playing over 50 years (still waiting for my first HIO by the way) and currently around a 5 handicap.  I’ve been getting out about twice per week – a 9 hole league and as many as I can get in on a weekend evening.  I moved to the G410 from a G10 in late 2019.  I liked the G10 so much I stuck with Ping & experimented with a couple shafts, loft / lie adjustments and head weights to settle on the current version of the gamer. 
With a warm weather comfortable swing speed about 105, usually carrying about 240 and pretty straight, the driver doesn’t get me in much trouble and I consider it a strength of my game on the courses & tees I usually play.  A small draw or fade will be prevalent for the round depending how my back feels and I play it rather than trying to fight it.  Keeping it in play at about 250 yds is my #1 priority, I don’t swing at 100% to gain an extra 15 yards at the expense of accuracy.  I am stubbornly ignoring the oft quoted length statistics so that I stay out of the trees at 275!  I don’t mind aiming over a hazard or a few trees if I know the carry number is below my normal 240.  A few years ago some disk issues in my lower back had robbed me of some distance and playing time.  Thankfully through stretching and light workouts and equipment advances I’ve been able to turn the clock back about 10 years in how it feels and got back that distance.
 My miss is an infrequent over the top pull.  I think it generally shows up if my top half gets ahead of my bottom half.  It doesn’t play favorites and can happen on occasion with woods, hybrids or irons (maybe even the putter  😱 ).
If a par 5 is about 500 I can usually get on in two if my drive gets a little friendly roll to it.  Usually a 7i thru pw will get me onto the par 4’s on the courses & tees I play.  At times some young punk will drag me to the back tees and the 5 & 6 irons &  hybrids get used quite a bit more on the par 4’s.
I have a small synthetic putting green in the backyard but ironically putting can be a weakness if I don’t play a lot.  For me green reading breaks and speed have to be ‘played’ rather than ‘practiced’ in the backyard.  The practice green is fast and flat so it’s good for dialing in a consistent stroke but not developing touch so I get too mechanical.  This backyard green has turned 45 – 65 yard wedges shots into a strength as thousands of balls have been hit to it so those distances are in my DNA now.
 I couldn't find an assistant but after a few times with bad camera aim, I have this one from tonights testing...
 
First Impressions
Some of the marketing for this head indicates it is on the lower spin side of the spectrum.  This intrigued me as I have been considering a LST version of the G410 that has been my gamer for the past two seasons and I noticed in some launch monitor sessions my spin numbers can get up to 3000 and I believe rob me of some distance.  The various weights that are provided with the driver allow the flexibility to tweak the performance and really appealed to the ‘experimenter’ side of my golf personality.  The adjustable loft / lie settings the adapter provides seem to be standard with the industry now.
The first look at the club when opening up the box I believe shows care & quality.  Foam spacers that hold the shaft keep the club in place in the box.  The sticker on the head with the weight (201.6g) tells me each head gets specific attention in this detail.  The selections I made when choosing the set up were delivered accurately.  I used the Get Fit button on the website and went with the recommendations after filling out the info, standard length & grip and stiff shaft.  I picked the Hazrdous Smoke 60g, 6.0 shaft to go with a 9* driver head.  A few Sub70 stickers, tees, the CEO business card and a thank you card completed the package and are a nice touch.  It comes with extra varied sole weights which for a tinkerer like me is fantastic!  I had to buy a weight kit off the bay for the G410+.  Between the weights and the loft adjustments I believe I can tune this club pretty well to feel good to me.
 
The reference point for me testing this driver will be how it performs compared to the G410+ I am gaming.  I hit my driver as accurately as any other club in the bag so the 849 Pro will need to match its accuracy and provide some added distance maybe through a little lower spin rate.  The feel is also important.  I don’t have to ‘work’ to swing the current driver it matches my natural swing very well with the weight and loft set up tweaks I made.  I would like to see how much adjustment would be needed to my swing to get the same or better performance from the 849 Pro.  There are various head weights to try out and three different spots to put them so there are many options to dial it in.
Head Comparison Pic’s…


 Extra Weights!! 
 
Testing will consist of sessions hitting balls on the ‘range’ which in this case will actually be on the course at the best driving hole using Snell MTB-X balls.  I will hit a couple shots then alternate drivers to make sure I don’t have a warm up or getting tired bias to the results.  I will also take it out to a couple holes that require a fade or draw and see if I can work the ball with the same success rate as the gamer.  Of course I will then use the 849 Pro during rounds to see how it performs under scoring pressure.  I will use my mevo during these sessions to check ballspeed and height and maybe spin.  I can measure yardage with a range finder at the location of the balls.  Finally I will also book a trackman session to get some spin numbers since there are claims is this has been engineered for lower spin.
Final Review
 
Looks 8 out of 10 points)
The look of the club is understated with its all black coloring.  Being a traditionalist, I prefer this to the various colors you can get on other manufacturers.  The only alternate to black that I would consider is if someone came up with a design that mimics the persimmon grain pattern of my youth!   The shape and size are comparable to some other drivers and I like the rounded look from the face to back of the club.  It doesn’t look too oval shaped or elongated in either he toe to heel or face to back directions.  The standard 9* loft setting has to my eye a slightly closed look to it when sitting on the sole, however the spec data says its 0.5* open.  I experimented while testing and settled on two clicks lower in loft which seemed to move the face away from the slightly closed look.  The Hazrdous Smoke shaft also has a darker plain, color to it which matches the all black head to complete the understated look.
Standard setting pic...slightly closed look to my eye?  

 
Real Nice Look - Nothing Flashy - Weighting settled at toe & center ports used, heel port empty.

 
 
Sound & Feel 9 out of 10 points)
Sweet spot hits have a nice solid feel and are similar to a flushed shot with a blade iron where you don’t feel the ball pushing back on the clubhead at all.  Those sweet spot hits have a nice muted click, not a loud thwack or any kind of a ringing sound.  It has the better sound of a wooden spoon on a metal pot rather than a metal spoon if that makes sense.  In comparison it is quieter than the G410.  While trying out different weight combinations and finally leaving the heel spot empty did not change the sound at all.
The ball jumps off the clubface and the ball flight on those hits gets out there quickly and laser-like rather than a high rounded ball flight.  Mis-hits can certainly be felt in comparison to a sweet spot hit for immediate feedback.  My miss tends to be a toe hit or thin hit and I could tell by the slight twist feel where on the face impact occurred before confirming it with the ball mark.  The overall club weight and the swingweight feel to the club are right in my wheelhouse.  Out of the box it was within 1g of my gamer and within ½ a swingweight so it has a very familiar feel.  I had nothing new to get used to in the weight department. 
Basic Characteristics 18 out of 20 points)
I spent some ‘range’ and Mevo time dialing in the adjustability with loft and head weights before using it on the course.  I had gone through the same process with the gamer but in that case had to buy the extra varied weights off eBay.  It is a great feature Sub70 supplies them with the club.  It came with the 12g in the center and a 3g in the toe and heel along with extra 6g, 8g & 10g weights.  I settled on a 12g in the toe and 6g in the center slot with nothing in the heel.  I went with 2 clicks lower in loft mostly to get away from the slightly closed face look at the standard setting. 
Actual range time was used just to get a feel for swinging the club since range balls where I go  are not good indicators of ball flight performance.  So I went to the course a few evenings with some real balls (Snell MTB-X) and used the best driving hole on the course for testing.  Wide open and a slight uphill landing area so overall distance isn’t skewed by a long roll out from hitting something hard on the ground. 
 
On-Course / LM Performance 27 out of 30 points
In the overall performance category it did not disappoint.  My reference point of comparison is the G410+ driver and the tee ball is a strength of my game.  I consistently get comments from new playing partners about the distance (I’m no Bryson but relative to my age & size I seem to exceed first impressions!) and fairways hit with the driver.  The 849 Pro ball flight, distance and dispersion numbers on the course and on the launch monitors I used were very comparable to the G410.  In addition to the numbers game, I can say I have the same workable feel for this club as I do the G410.  If I need to favor a fade or draw I am able to get that ball flight with as much success with either driver.   
I had about the same success rate hitting it on the screws and squaring up the face.  I wondered if the shaft difference between the clubs (Hazrdous S in the Sub70 vs the Accra M5 in the Ping) would result in a performance impact but I did not notice anything in either distance or dispersion.  The Sub70 felt a little whippier but the clubhead did not lag and stay open. 
Mishits had about the same effect to them between the clubs I was comparing.  The mishit with the biggest impact for me is a ball hit low on the face, it ends up with higher spin rate and shorter carry by about 20 yards.  This effect is the same for both the 849 Pro and the G410 low mishits.  The slight toe mishit also performed about the same between clubs, a more pronounced draw with only a slight impact to overall distance.  I have a habit of checking the face impact spot after each shot and could consistently tell by feel what the ball mark would then confirm. 
Trackman Session Data
                 Club Spd    Ball Spd    Face Ang.   Launch Ang.    Carry    Dyn. Loft    Spin Rate    Height
                 Mph           Mph           Deg           Deg                 Yds       Deg              Rpm          Ft
                                    
849 Pro    15 shots                                
Average        101.1        150            6.4             12.9               247.8       14.6            2617           92
Consistency    1           1.4              1.7              0.8                 3.8          0.8             260            9
                                    
G410    13 shots                                
Average        100.6       148.2         4.7             12.3               240.5      14.2            2877           89
Consistency    1.3         2.2            2.3              1.5                 7.9           1.5             287            13 
The Spin Factor:
I was especially interested in spin numbers since the promotional material indicates this is on the low spin end of the spectrum.  I used a trackman session to compare to the G410+ and the 849 Pro did come in about 260 rpm’s lower on average for sweet spot hits and slight toe hits.  Low on the face hits ended up with about the same spin rate between the two clubs.  It would be interesting to test if spin data changed based on using different weights in the three different ports.  Maybe that will be a winter time trackman session experiment.  It would be a good excuse for a couple Jan & Feb indoor sessions to help keep the swing loose through the winter!
 Miscellaneous 8 out of 10 points
The careful packing, extra items pictured above and the individual head weight data label on the club indicate attention to detail  to me.  I also love the varied weights that come with it to help customize the performance of the club.  I always asked for opinions on the looks of the club and the only negative comment was from a TM fanboy saying it was missing some blue color to it…but he is admittedly biased.  Maybe to appeal to a larger audience some color could be in the next iteration.  I had a few people hit it through the round and all liked the sound & feel of a good hit.  These were players from a wide range of ability from 5 handicap through about 25.
 One issue I noticed is the headcover is not easily put on the club.  The opening is too tight vs. the size of the driver head.  Especially if the club is damp from dew.  A little wider opening with a gather at the midpoint like other headcover designs would help.  I put the headcover on after each use and it was very frustrating so my 1970’s Eastern European Olympic judge mentality came out and I deducted 2 points. I will HAVE to get an aftermarket cover.
 Play it or Trade it? 19 out of 20 points
To score this category I am simply looking at the features / performance / price point in comparison to the current driver market mfg's which get most of the attention….the Ping’s, TM’s, Callaway’s, Cobra’s & Titleist’s.  Having a Ping G410+ I was able to do a direct comparison to the Sub70 849 Pro and found there is no real difference in performance between to the two for me.  The Sub70 price point being at $300 for the version I tested is below the other brands giving it the advantage.  There are quite a few upcharge shaft selections available if someone has a favorite model they are trying to get and again even with the price adder it is still a bargain compared to the other manufacturers. 
I will be PLAYING the 849 Pro going forward and waiting for the MGS aftermarket head cover to get back in stock!! 
Conclusion
To summarize, I found the Sub70 849 Pro driver to be a quality product equal in performance to my G410+.  I used launch monitor data, course performance, feel, looks and sound parameters for the comparison.  When looking at the price of the Sub70 compared to other manufacturers that is where the real advantage is realized.  At $300 for the version I tested it is a bargain compared to the other major manufacturers with no drop off in performance for my game.  There was no drop off in distance or dispersion and I may even get a little more out of it with some more adjustable weight experimentation over the winter.  I don’t swap clubs very often so I can see myself playing this one for the next 5 years or so.
Final Score: 91 out of 100 points