Sticker Shock

[fixyurdivot 13,199]

Just heard back from Truespec... they have the G425 irons and drivers, and the new Srixon irons available .  Waiting to hear availability date for the Callaway Apex.  Plus, the pro shop here with the Recoil ES780/F3 can loan me the shaft and G410 head for the day.

[fixyurdivot 13,199]

What's this?  It looks like now that the G425's are available, the "custom specs" for G410's is no longer an option .  I was just on their site last week pricing out G410's with the Recoil ES780 shafts... now that custom spec tab is gone.  I need to call them about this.

 

[RickyBobby_PR 7,329]

40 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

What's this?  It looks like now that the G425's are available, the "custom specs" for G410's is no longer an option .  I was just on their site last week pricing out G410's with the Recoil ES780 shafts... now that custom spec tab is gone.  I need to call them about this.

 

This happens every year across most brands. They try to get rid of inventory and they don’t do custom and/or upgrade builds. You get stock shaft with stock grip and stock length/loft/lie
 

TaylorMade only has left handed sim drivers available and no customization options. 

[fixyurdivot 13,199]

1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

This happens every year across most brands. They try to get rid of inventory and they don’t do custom and/or upgrade builds. You get stock shaft with stock grip and stock length/loft/lie
 

TaylorMade only has left handed sim drivers available and no customization options. 

Well, dayuum... now I'm hoping the G425's do perform better.  Need to keep this little detail in the old archives.

[AlanSF 3]

  MY shaft story.  Wanted to replace my irons with 40g light weight shafts.  After a fitting at a BIG BOX STORE, they wanted $160 per shaft with grip.  Tried another BIG BOX STORE. $160 per shaft.  Next tried a local well known independent golf shop. $160 per shaft.  So.. I phoned the OEM customer service line and asked." If I mailed my clubs to you, how much to put in the shafts I wanted"--$75 per shaft plus postage.  Lastly I tried a small one man golf shop and he would charge $55 per shaft to send them to the OEM.  SOLD!  Never know what you can find if you shop around,

[Golfmanufaktur 29]

Callaway Apex Line should be available mid February. I just ordered a first set for a customer, who always wants the freshest and newest clubs without even demoing them and got that information from customer service.

Will most likely order a combo set for myself, since I get heads only from Callaway and have some brand new ACCRA iSteel shafts sitting at my shop waiting to be paired with new iron heads.

[fixyurdivot 13,199]

Yesterday I made the 2-1/2 drive back to Truespec in Scottsdale for the re-fit session using the GC2 system.  We did the entire fitting again but included several new iron heads and shafts - two of which (Recoil ES780/F3 and Alta CB Slate) I brought with me from a local pro shops PING cart.

Inside golfs version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, the anticipation and excitement builds while having a cup of fresh brew coffee.  Looking into the "build room", adorned with boxes of components from many of the brand names, along with the crafters busy putting orders together, gets the golf mojo going!  This is only a small part of their build department (but has the big window).

Here's what we tested in the shiny sticks.

My baseline data with my G410/AWT2.0 was very close to that from last month. I'm taking that as a good sign.  We immediately moved right to the Accra shaft which was the best performer last session and it repeated the good numbers.  We then tried the OTi (good, but not as good), the Recoil (close to my baseline), the Alta CB (lousy), and finally the MMT (wee bit better speed/distance than Accra but slightly more dispersion).  Erik went and grabbed the 60g MMT to see if that helped but it did not... got more dispersion.

So with the shafts down selected to the Accra and MMT 80R we tested these with the heads shown.  Sadly, the D7 Forged just did not produce for me.  I say this because, based on the "Most Wanted" and Official Tester results, I really expected this to shine.  We then moved to the Callaway DCB and it was worse (wasn't expecting that).  Then came the ZX5... and I hear from behind me "umm, Bill, I think your G410 just met its match".   Last, we tested the G425 and it and the ZX5 were really close - both 6-7 mph faster ball speed and 10 yards more carry than my current gamers.  We then switched both these heads onto the Accra and they produced nearly identical numbers; the Accra just slightly less dispersion.

I asked Kris his thoughts about the two heads and he said it really gets down to personal preference as they are both, based on data, a toss up.  He did say that he is very impressed with the Srixon forged products and that these "come from the same foundry that produces the Miura forged irons".  According to the Srixon website these are a forged cage and welded steel face assembled design.  I do like their look and they are a bit smaller overall size, particularly heel to toe.  Both look good at address to me.  The only thing I noticed about the ZX5 is they sound a bit clicky off the face.  Don't take that wrong - they feel really great when flushed but are a bit different sounding.  

  

I'm settled on the MMT 80R shafts.  They are less pricey, look WAY better to me, and perform equal for my swing.

I'm still on the fence about re-shafting my G410's or buying a new set of G425's or ZX5's.  The iron fitting part of this really opened my eyes to the differences shafts make.  Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical that there was that much difference, but these higher end shafts do make a difference.  Even the Recoil ES 780/F3 were a little better than my AWT 2.0 and I could probably get by with them simply to get the benefits of composite in my joints.  But, the MMT's offer a significant gain and at a competitive price. 

We also repeated my woods and nothing changed from the first fitting.  I did test the new G425MAX and SFT against my G410 using the KBS Tour TD50 and, neither offered appreciable distance or tighter dispersion - though the SFT worked best for me.

Last was the putter fitting and that the B61.... drumroll.... I've been gaming is not optimum.  No real surprise here as that putter was selected 35 years ago, in about 15 minutes time, using a pro shop voucher won in a company event.  It took just a couple of iterations with several heads and shafts to decide that the Evnroll ER5 Hatchback brought all the performance improvement Kris wanted to see to hand.  

Love to hear your thoughts on the two iron head finalists, the MMT shafts, and the putter.   I also want to say thanks to both @Shank Aaronand @Manimal26for their recommendations on some optional shafts to test against the Accra  

[THEZIPR23 5,943]

13 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Yesterday I made the 2-1/2 drive back to Truespec in Scottsdale for the re-fit session using the GC2 system.  We did the entire fitting again but included several new iron heads and shafts - two of which (Recoil ES780/F3 and Alta CB Slate) I brought with me from a local pro shops PING cart.

Inside golfs version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, the anticipation and excitement builds while having a cup of fresh brew coffee.  Looking into the "build room", adorned with boxes of components from many of the brand names, along with the crafters busy putting orders together, gets the golf mojo going!  This is only a small part of their build department (but has the big window).

Here's what we tested in the shiny sticks.

My baseline data with my G410/AWT2.0 was very close to that from last month. I'm taking that as a good sign.  We immediately moved right to the Accra shaft which was the best performer last session and it repeated the good numbers.  We then tried the OTi (good, but not as good), the Recoil (close to my baseline), the Alta CB (lousy), and finally the MMT (wee bit better speed/distance than Accra but slightly more dispersion).  Erik went and grabbed the 60g MMT to see if that helped but it did not... got more dispersion.

So with the shafts down selected to the Accra and MMT 80R we tested these with the heads shown.  Sadly, the D7 Forged just did not produce for me.  I say this because, based on the "Most Wanted" and Official Tester results, I really expected this to shine.  We then moved to the Callaway DCB and it was worse (wasn't expecting that).  Then came the ZX5... and I hear from behind me "umm, Bill, I think your G410 just met its match".   Last, we tested the G425 and it and the ZX5 were really close - both 6-7 mph faster ball speed and 10 yards more carry than my current gamers.  We then switched both these heads onto the Accra and they produced nearly identical numbers; the Accra just slightly less dispersion.

I asked Kris his thoughts about the two heads and he said it really gets down to personal preference as they are both, based on data, a toss up.  He did say that he is very impressed with the Srixon forged products and that these "come from the same foundry that produces the Miura forged irons".  According to the Srixon website these are a forged cage and welded steel face assembled design.  I do like their look and they are a bit smaller overall size, particularly heel to toe.  Both look good at address to me.  The only thing I noticed about the ZX5 is they sound a bit clicky off the face.  Don't take that wrong - they feel really great when flushed but are a bit different sounding.  

  

I'm settled on the MMT 80R shafts.  They are less pricey, look WAY better to me, and perform equal for my swing.

I'm still on the fence about re-shafting my G410's or buying a new set of G425's or ZX5's.  The iron fitting part of this really opened my eyes to the differences shafts make.  Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical that there was that much difference, but these higher end shafts do make a difference.  Even the Recoil ES 780/F3 were a little better than my AWT 2.0 and I could probably get by with them simply to get the benefits of composite in my joints.  But, the MMT's offer a significant gain and at a competitive price. 

We also repeated my woods and nothing changed from the first fitting.  I did test the new G425MAX and SFT against my G410 using the KBS Tour TD50 and, neither offered appreciable distance or tighter dispersion - though the SFT worked best for me.

Last was the putter fitting and that the B61.... drumroll.... I've been gaming is not optimum.  No real surprise here as that putter was selected 35 years ago, in about 15 minutes time, using a pro shop voucher won in a company event.  It took just a couple of iterations with several heads and shafts to decide that the Evnroll ER5 Hatchback brought all the performance improvement Kris wanted to see to hand.  

Love to hear your thoughts on the two iron head finalists, the MMT shafts, and the putter.   I also want to say thanks to both @Shank Aaronand @Manimal26for their recommendations on some optional shafts to test against the Accra  

Currently playing my second set of Srixon irons (585/785 combo & ZX7's), and while I haven't hit the ZX5's what I can tell you is that I have never owned a more consistent set of irons. They do exactly what I expect them to do and I can't ask for anything more than that. 

[fixyurdivot 13,199]

2 hours ago, THEZIPR23 said:

Currently playing my second set of Srixon irons (585/785 combo & ZX7's), and while I haven't hit the ZX5's what I can tell you is that I have never owned a more consistent set of irons. They do exactly what I expect them to do and I can't ask for anything more than that. 

How about the V-sole.  That's an interesting design and, on paper, makes sense.  I tend to be a scalper/picker and wonder if that offers more an advantage to diggers?  The ZX5's are the first in now a dozen or more heads that have me thinking hard.  What I'm wondering about is overall forgiveness.  The fitting session does not afford a sufficient amount of data to know how they perform on those "off days".

[Shapotomous 3,349]

I enjoyed the recap of the fitting session.  That sounds like a really fun day!

[THEZIPR23 5,943]

On 1/29/2021 at 3:52 PM, fixyurdivot said:

How about the V-sole.  That's an interesting design and, on paper, makes sense.  I tend to be a scalper/picker and wonder if that offers more an advantage to diggers?  The ZX5's are the first in now a dozen or more heads that have me thinking hard.  What I'm wondering about is overall forgiveness.  The fitting session does not afford a sufficient amount of data to know how they perform on those "off days".

Probably my favorite part. I am not a digger for the vast majority of my irons, I will get a little steep with my wedge however. 

The way they cut through the turf is perfect for me. I can't remember a time when they didn't interact they way I expected. 

As far as forgiveness goes, Low on the clubface does good, maybe 5 yard less carry and they retain spin. High on the clubface, for me produces a beautiful ball flight but they do spin more and thus don't carry as far. Horizontally across the face is very good! Still feel good but provide some feedback on strike and not a huge drop in carry. Overall they are fantastic. 

[TBT 3,767]

The Zx5’s are at the top of my list to hit this year, I hear nothing but goof things about Srixon irons and the always perform well in the MGS Most Wanted Testing.

I’ve also heard lots of good reviews on the MMT shafts


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[fixyurdivot 13,199]

So yesterday I made the drive from Yuma to Desert Palms Resort CC to test out the Srixon's on turf.  First off a shout out to Jason Benson from Srixon for the great help, tips, and discussion regarding my options!  Just a super nice guy and very informative. I was the first scheduled appointment and there was no one after me, so we worked for a full hour.  I put quite a dent in one of those gargantuan buckets you see in the tent .

We tested the ZX5 with the Recoil ES760/F3 shaft which is a stock upgrade in the ZX5 options.  I had been testing the ES780/F3 up to that point but honestly it did not feel that much different and performed well.  We then tried the Recoil 95 (stock option) and then the Steelfiber i70 - both of those just felt broomstick like and were not producing great numbers. 

So I went back to the ES760 and hit the heck out of it. Jason said watching me hit was boring (in a nice way). He also said I'm missing flushed strikes by less than a 1/4 inch; that I was hitting just a whisker behind the ball.  He said his comments weren't negative in anyway, ball flight was great, but just that I was giving up 5+ yards on average. We worked on me trying to change that and it's something I can now watch for and work on .

Srixon offers the MMT as an "exotic" upgrade but it's the MMT 65R - and unfortunately he did not have that shaft.  He's going to check with others on his team how this might work for me as an option to the Recoil ES760.  On paper, it would look to fit right between the MMT 80 and Recoil but lowering launching.  The MMT 65 is a taper tip vs. the MMT 80 which is parallel. I'm still not completely understanding how this tip design difference affects performance .

As for the v-sole turf interaction question, I found it a non issue.  As Jason explained, for the sweeper/scalper it has no downside and even a little advantage for those fat shots. For diggers, it provides even more help. This totally makes sense - just less surface area to react with the ground.  In a way, it's like having a players club sole area...but not...if that makes sense.  In any case, I had no problems making good contact and launching balls.

The ZX5's are the real deal.  IMO, the best iron yet that fits between the GI and P category club... that, based on lofts, isn't really a PD iron.  The look is small and compact at address, but not to the point that it has one who is used to playing GI's worrying about hit-ability.  My off center hits were not excessively punishing and I'd say really similar to the G425.

So now I'm in a big conundrum.   A part of me thinks staying with the G425 keeps me in the safe and comfort zone, the other part thinking go for it.... what to do??????

 

[RickyBobby_PR 7,329]

Sounds Ike zx5 is a winner in my book

[NRJyzr 852]

Late to the party, heck of a read.

I agree with RickyBobby, sounds like Srixon is The Win.  Which is easy for me to say, I'm not the one paying the CC bill.   LOL
 

[edingc 10,561]

20 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

I'm still not completely understanding how this tip design difference affects performance .

If you're super sensitive to feel, the taper tip shafts will all weigh the same or progress slightly heavier down the set, while the parallel shafts will get lighter as you move from long irons to short irons. This is because parallel shafts all start from the same exact blank and both tip and butt trimming is done, while with taper tip shafts are designed for individual clubs and only butt trimming is done.

Sounds like the ZX5s are the winner, to me at least.

[NRJyzr 852]

1 hour ago, edingc said:

If you're super sensitive to feel, the taper tip shafts will all weigh the same or progress slightly heavier down the set, while the parallel shafts will get lighter as you move from long irons to short irons. This is because parallel shafts all start from the same exact blank and both tip and butt trimming is done, while with taper tip shafts are designed for individual clubs and only butt trimming is done.

Sounds like the ZX5s are the winner, to me at least.

Not all tapered shafts are constant weight, there are some (and have been) shaft models where the tapered version of the shaft was the same as the parallel version with the tip swaged (steel) or sanded (graphite).

The Rifle shaft was a prime example.

Point being, you have to check the specs with shaft models to be sure what you're getting.  A .355 tip won't be enough by itself.

[edingc 10,561]

Just now, NRJyzr said:

Not all tapered shafts are constant weight, there are some (and have been) shaft models where the tapered version of the shaft was the same as the parallel version with the tip swaged (steel) or sanded (graphite).

The Rifle shaft was a prime example.

Point being, you have to check the specs with shaft models to be sure what you're getting.  A .355 tip won't be enough by itself.

Ah yes, good point. That's what I get for making sweeping generalized statements early in the morning.

[bens197 9,443]

Those ZX5’s are hella nice. Great thread to follow. 

[fixyurdivot 13,199]

On 2/8/2021 at 7:55 AM, bens197 said:

Those ZX5’s are hella nice. Great thread to follow. 

Yes, they really are.  So why am I having such a problem deciding between them and the G425's?  I'm 90% certain on the MMT shafts but simply on-the-fence about the irons. Perhaps I should use this latest news be my guide .