Jump to content
TESTERS WANTED! ×

A Different Kind of Club Review


Tony Covey MGS

Recommended Posts

  • SPY VIP

A Different Kind of Review

 

Over the past couple of years many of you have become familiar with, and hopefully have come to apreciate our ULTIMATE Review System. I am personally very proud of that system, and remain committed to not only continuing with that system, but also growing and improving it. We believe that our data-driven, multi-golfer tests are among the very best (I'd say THE BEST, but I'm faking some modesty) you'll find anywhere. We will continue to publish ULTIMATE Reviews. In fact, the goal is to publish more this year than ever before. That system is not going away.

 

But...

 

As you might suspect, those reviews take a tremendous amount of time. In addition to the time it takes to actually test the clubs, it takes a tremendous amount of time to import the data (we're working with aboutGolf to make the system more efficient), create the dynamic charts, take the pictures, and actually write the review itself. Granted...I save a lot of time on the last part by leaving the ocassional word out, and misspelling a few dozen others, but the whole of it takes a butt-load of time. And all of that assumes that you can get 5 or 6 guys in to test, and that everybody stays healthy enough to get through most of the testing. Within the last year we've had two back injuries (one so serious it required disk surgery, and we're now into month 2 of a 6+ month recovery), a torn meniscus, severe tendonitis, and another surgery the details of which have totally escaped me. Point is, pulling all this testing together isn't without its obstalces.

 

These aren't complaints...it's just an explanation of the challenges we face. From my perspective, the only thing I don't like about the current review process is that it limits how much of the equipment we can put in front of you. The process itself is a blast. That said... The issue for some in the industry is that our equipment requirements are higher than most (imagine trying to find even a half-way decent to fit 6 very different golfers), and our equipment demands themselves can be prohibitive. While it is our expectation that every company we work with will be able to provide enough gear for the ocassional ULTIMATE Review, we have no desire to limit ourselves, or our readers to only that equipment which we can review completely (ULTIMATELY).

 

In short, we want to put more equipment in front of you. When we review a driver, for example, we want to make sure that we can at least tell you a little something valuable about the matching fairway woods and hybrids - even if we don't plan on putting them through our normal testing process.

 

The Solution

We've had a great deal of internal discussion about how to solve the problem of getting more equipment in front of our readers without compromising the review system we've spent so much time building. While perhaps it's not the perfect solution, what we've come up with is a different kind of review. The short of it is, instead of 6 testers, there will be only 1 (me). There will be no interactive charts, however; I will publish the same data you've grown accustomed to seeing. I will share my thoughts on those numbers, and give you an idea how the compare to the other clubs we've tested.

 

The Subjective portion will follow a similar format to that used in our standard review system, however; this time around it's going to be one guy's (mine) opinion.

 

There will be no score, just the afore mentioned data, and a few of my thoughts. These new reviews will not be as comprehensive, but I'm hoping the more casual nature of these forum-only reviews will lend themselves to a more conversational, and occasionally humorous appraoch to club reviews.

 

To reiterate; MyGolfSpy's ULTIMATE Review System is not going away. It's role will not be diminished. In fact, that system will remain a fundamental part of what we do here, and we expect that this year will feature more ULTIMATE Reviews than ever before. The new club reviews that will begin showing up in the forum soon, will simply allow us to put even more equipment in front of you, and provide us a means to work with companies who may not always be able to supply the equipment we need to fully test.

 

We want to do more than simply post pictures and regurgitate press-releases. We want to provide data-driven, quality reviews on a scaled-down level. We believe the new format will allow us to do just that.

MyGolfSpy is only major golf site that refuses advertising from large golf companies. With your support we can keep it that way. Donate Today
 


Subscribe to the MyGolfSpy Newsletter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • SPY VIP

Awesome to hear it T. Any chance we can get a scoop of the clubs in the pipeline for these sort of reviews?

 

What I can give you is a best guess. We're still working with our contacts at the various OEMs to see what makes the most sense. Things don't always work exactly how we'd like. Ideally when the new lineups become available we'd get one of everything built to my specs. We'd sort through them and see what makes the most sense for our readers and our testers. I'd love to expand our testing pool from 5 or 6 to say 20 or 25, but we don't have the time or budget to do that. Given that limitation, I'd like to be able to focus our ULTIMATE Reviews on those products which I believe have a chance of being well received by our testers. That's not to say I have the slightest desire to water things down, and only give glowing reviews, but if I get something in that I believe has almost no chance to go over well on a subjective level (big-ass-bulky Super Game Improvement Irons for example) I'd like to save that stuff for the forum. Of course, I expect there will also be occasions when something I assume will be a forum one-off will surprise me. When that happens, the plan is to get enough samples to fully test.

 

As a general rule most drivers and mid-low HC cavity back irons will still get Ultimate Reviews. Fairway Woods and Hybrids will be a mix of both. GI and Super GI irons, and perhaps even blades will more often than not be found here (though all of the above will find their way to the main site from time to time). Most wedges will also still be Ultimates (I may do something in the forum for those as well). Putters will be a good mix. The guys have done a very solid job building a review system around clubs for which most of what people care about is entirely subjective. I tend to favor the odd-ball stuff, and most of that will likely be a better fit here as well.

 

Now that I've run off at the mouth for 2 paragraphs, I'll actually answer the question you asked.

 

The (highly probable) Pipeline (in no particular order):

Cobra AMP Irons

Cobra AMP Hybrid

Cobra AMP Fairway

Nike VR_S Fairway*

Nike VR_S Hybrid*

Bridgestone J40 330 Driver (awaiting sample)

Mizuno JPX-800 HD Irons*

MIzuno MP-69 Irons

Mizuno JPX-800 Wedges

Nike Method Drone Belly Putter

Nike Method Concept Putter*

 

*Possible Ultimate/Blog Review

 

And while I'm at it...here's the current ULTIMATE REVIEW! Pipeline:

 

Mizuno MP-R12 Wedges (testing complete)

TourEdge XCG5 Driver (in Testing)

Callaway RAZR XF Irons (in Testing)

Callaway RAZR FIT Driver (in Testing)

Nike VR_S Driver (In Testing)

PING I20 Driver (Awaiting Samples)

PING I20 Irons (Awaiting Samples)

Cobra AMP Driver (Awaiting additional samples)

Callaway Forged Wedges (Awaiting samples)

 

 

 

MyGolfSpy is only major golf site that refuses advertising from large golf companies. With your support we can keep it that way. Donate Today
 


Subscribe to the MyGolfSpy Newsletter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't wait to see all the mini reviews rolling in!

 

I notice still no Taylormade stuff in there. Any updates on if you will get a chance to review their lineup?

 

I'd also love to put in a request for the Ernest Sports ES-12. Not sure if it's even possible, but the product really intrigues me and I'd love to hear more about it.

Driver: :taylormade-small: SLDR w/ Fujikura Ventus Black

3w: :taylormade-small:'16 M2 hl w/ Diamana D+ 82

5w: :cleveland-small: Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Yellow

Hybrid: :cleveland-small: 22 deg. Launcher HB w/ HZRDUS Black

Irons: :cleveland-small: 5i - gap Launcher CBX w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Wedges: :cleveland-small: 54 CBX & 58 Zipcore w/ Nippon Modus 3 125

Putter: :odyssey-small: Red 7s

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • SPY VIP

Can't wait to see all the mini reviews rolling in!

 

I notice still no Taylormade stuff in there. Any updates on if you will get a chance to review their lineup?

 

I'd also love to put in a request for the Ernest Sports ES-12. Not sure if it's even possible, but the product really intrigues me and I'd love to hear more about it.

 

Still talking...or at least trying to talk to TaylorMade about getting the 2012 lineup. Cautiously optimistic.

MyGolfSpy is only major golf site that refuses advertising from large golf companies. With your support we can keep it that way. Donate Today
 


Subscribe to the MyGolfSpy Newsletter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I'm sure this isn't high on your list, but I'm still very intrigued with the newest PowerBilt Air Force One AirFoil...I now own about every driver you've tested...have a much leaner bank account, but hey, what's money, if not to spend....Anyway, any chance of an update on the driver you held in such high esteem last year? I still find that driver as one of the longest in my collection.

Doc

Ping45

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am the pure nut of the group, I want to see the MP-69 review. I want to see a lot more blade reviews come across the ULTIMATE Review section. I play blades and wrote up a massive review on the blades I tested when landing in my W/S FG62 Iron set. Would be great to see feedback on various blades from the more average swing speed players/

 

I think it might be hard for some people reading a review from me as I am a high swing speed players that can produce a lot of spin. I wrote a review on my driver and MB irons but I think some readers have a hard time getting valuable information out of a guy that will swing 115+ on drivers and plays a 7 iron to 180 on a stock swing because they just don't relate to those distances and spin numbers.

 

Anyways, would be good to see some more butter knives reviewed thanks for the reviews thus far.

Callaway Epic Max 12.0 (-1/N) @ 44.50" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-7 Stiff

Callaway Epic Speed 18.0* @ 42.75" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-8 Stiff

Callaway Mavrik Pro 23.0* @ 40.00" w/ Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 95 HYB Stiff

Sub-70 639 Combo (5-P) w/ Nippon Modus 3 125 Stiff, Standard Length, Weak Lofts (27-47, 4* gaps)

Callaway MD5 Raw 51-11 S-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 55-13 X-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 59-11 S-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Callaway MD5 Raw 63-09 C-Grind w/ Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Golf Swing & Putting -- Bruce Rearick (Burnt Edges Consulting)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • SPY VIP

I am the pure nut of the group, I want to see the MP-69 review. I want to see a lot more blade reviews come across the ULTIMATE Review section. I play blades and wrote up a massive review on the blades I tested when landing in my W/S FG62 Iron set. Would be great to see feedback on various blades from the more average swing speed players/

 

I think it might be hard for some people reading a review from me as I am a high swing speed players that can produce a lot of spin. I wrote a review on my driver and MB irons but I think some readers have a hard time getting valuable information out of a guy that will swing 115+ on drivers and plays a 7 iron to 180 on a stock swing because they just don't relate to those distances and spin numbers.

 

Anyways, would be good to see some more butter knives reviewed thanks for the reviews thus far.

 

Funny you should mention it...

 

We don't want to ignore blades entirely. While we probably won't do an Ultimate Review of any blades again (unless we find something like the MB2s that are more forgiving than most), we are definitely going to post pics, and do these smaller forum reviews.

 

An MP-69 review will be posted before too long.

MyGolfSpy is only major golf site that refuses advertising from large golf companies. With your support we can keep it that way. Donate Today
 


Subscribe to the MyGolfSpy Newsletter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 1 year later...

Funny you should mention it...

 

We don't want to ignore blades entirely. While we probably won't do an Ultimate Review of any blades again (unless we find something like the MB2s that are more forgiving than most), we are definitely going to post pics, and do these smaller forum reviews.

 

An MP-69 review will be posted before too long.

 

 

I'm with JMiller, I'd like to see more blades get some reviews. I've been playing the Cobra Pro mb's for the last 4 seasons and I'd love to see Cobra's New Amp blades and Nike's, Mizuno's , along with Titleist's and some others if possible. If you need someone like Jmiller, myself or other blade players to help I'd be happy to lend a hand. The beginning of this season was just too hectic to throw my hat in the ring on some of the reviews you were looking for forum members to help, but now things have gotten a little better on the home front and I can start getting involved again like the early days when i first signed up here.

The Bag:

Right handed

Cobra King FLYZ+ 10.5* w/ Aldila Rogue 125 R 44.5"

Tour Issued TM M2 10.5 w/ Mitsubishi Tensi CK Pro Blue 60S

Tour Issued TM M2 15* w/ GD Tour AD 7S 43"

TM R7 17.5 HFS w/ Tour AD 7S Stiff 42"

Cobra S3 Pro's 4-pw w/ Aldila RIP Tours SLT 115 Reg. 5i 38.5"

Titleist Vokey Proto's

52*,54*,58* all TTDG S-400

TM TP5 X

Scotty Cameron SSS Tiffany 009 350 34.5" or Bettinardi BB1 DASS Proto

GHIN # 5144472

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

These reviews are important. They are why I found this site. I bought my i20 driver based on the ultimate review here, and I have people ask me what it is every time I play with someone new. I bought it precisely because of the was you described it, as more of a players club, and workable. And it's everything described.

 

Without these reviews who knows what I would have got. Probably a 910, which I suppose would have been ok as now adays, it's hard to go wrong, but still, I got exactly what I needed.

 

So, keep it up...

 

Ciao

 

:titleist-small: TSr2 on tensi blue stiff

:cobra-small: Speedzone 3-wood on Tensi blue S

:callaway-logo-1: Epic Max 5 and 7 woods on HZRDUS  Reg flex

:callaway-logo-1: Paradym 9 wood on HZRDUS reg flex

:taylormade-small: P770 / P790 combo set on Ventus R-6 shafts 6-AW

:mizuno-small:  T22 Denim Copper 54°, 58° on Kinetic X Trajectory 

:EVNROLL: ER3 or,

:edel-golf-1: E.A.S. #4   (“Fang” or “Adele”)
 

:titelist-small: ProV1x, or, Maxfli Tour X

:callaway-small: .Org 14 cart bag

Adidas Tour 360 , or Sketcher shoes

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...
  • 2 months later...

Just wanted to say thanks to the reviewers who spend their time testing and reviewing and to MyGolfSpy for the initiation of this, bringing all the data together,and finally bringing all this information together so we, the golf fanatics have a good read to enjoy. It definitely makes for interesting reading and thoughts about potential purchases.

What's in my Mizuno BR-D2 bag

OFFICIAL TESTER FOR THE PING i500 CLUBS.

Currently playing Ping i500 w/ Alta CB graphite shafts 

  :mizuno-small: MP 25 - fitted w/ Project X shafts - stiff

  :titelist-small: 60  / 56  :mizuno-small: 52

  :titelist-small: 910 D2 driver - 9.5 degree -fitted13   F 3 wood 13.5 deg   :nike-small: CPR 3 hybrid

:nike-small: Method mallet

Dexterity:

I shoot left-handed so no one can ask me "Hey, can I try that club?" 

Twitter @GolfingHat      Instagram  @Mizunostixgolfnut

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Great to hear. Would love to see testing done in low, mid and high handicappers with each new club. As well as seeing the experts providing consistent data. Great stuff though!

Charleston, SC

HDCP 13.0

  • Driver: :taylormade-small:  M6 9* with 65g Stiff Mitsubishi Tensei Red shaft
  • 3 wood: :ping-small:  G425 stiff shaft
  • 5 wood: :taylormade-small: Stealth 2 stiff shaft
  • 4-gw irons:  :mizuno-small: JPX 921 Hot Metal w/ X-stiff KBS 130gr shafts (soft stepped)
  • Wedges: :taylormade-small: MG3 52, 56, 60 
  • Putter: 34" Scotty Cameron 12.5
  • Ball: :titelist-small: ProV-1x
  • Tracked By: :Arccos:

MGS Tester '20 - :ping-small: G710 Iron Review

MGS Tester '19 - :918457628_PrecisionPro:Precision Pro NX9 HD Pro laser rangefinder

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...