Latest Popular Drivers in Japan Market

Here it is a list of some of the more popular new drivers in Japan

TAYLORMADE

R1

One driver to rule them all! "One Driver that tunes any loft, any look and any flight"

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: TM1-113

Price: 58,000JPY (USD630)

Site: R1 driver

Gloire Reserve

The Premium driver of the series Gloire (only for Japan)

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: GL450 Reserve

Price: 89,250JPY (USD970)

Site: Gloire Reserve

RBZ Stage 2

The second version of the famous RBZ

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: TM360

Price: 50,000JPY (USD545)

Site: RBZ Stage 2

NIKE GOLF

VRS Covert

The first driver with cavity back technology 

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: Tour AD GT-6

Price: 67,000JPY (USD730)

Site: VRS Covert

CALLAWAY

XHOT

Driver for players searching ball speed and longer distance.

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: Tour AD GT-6

Price: 59,800JPY (USD650)

Site: XHOT

RAZR Fit Extreme

As XHOTfor ball speed and longer distance

Head volume: 440cc

Shaft: Diamana B60

Price: 69,800JPY (USD760)

Site: Razr fit Extreme

YAMAHA

InpresX RMX

The first adjustable driver of Yamaha

Head volume: 440cc

Shaft: -

Price: 40,600JPY (USD440) *Only the head

Site: Inpres X RMX

InpresX V203 Tourmodel

Only 5000 units made

Head volume: 430cc

Shaft: TourAD GT-6

Price: 87,900JPY (USD955) 

Site: Inpres X V203 Tourmodel

TOURSTAGE

X-Drive 709

The new of Tourstage with extreme impact technology

Head volume: 450cc

Shaft: TourAD GT-6

Price: 80,325JPY (USD875) 

Site: X Drive 709

TITLEIST

913 D3

More Speed. More Distance. More Performance

Head volume: 445cc

Shaft: TourAD GT-6

Price: 69.800JPY (USD760) 

Site: 913 D3

VG3

A Japan only driver

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: Fubuki 50/60

Price: 71.400JPY (USD775) 

Site: VG3

MIZUNO

MP Craft H4

From the YORO JAPAN crafted division

Head volume: 440cc

Shaft: Rombax Type X

Price: 76.545JPY (USD835) 

Site: MP Craft H4

JPX825

5-Piece Forged Titanium construction

Head volume: 450cc

Shaft: JPX MD200

Price: 59.535JPY (USD650) 

Site: JPX825

AKIRA

ADR Premium

Premium driver from ADR series

Head volume: 450cc

Shaft: Motore Speeder

Price: 80.325JPY (USD870) 

Site: ADR Premium

KATANA

Voltio Hi

The flagship of Katana Drivers

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: Tour AD

Price: 105.315JPY (USD1.150) 

Site: Voltio Hi

PING

G25

Adjustable loft +/- 1/2Grade

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: TFC360

Price: 37.800JPY (USD410) 

Site: G25

FOURTEEN

CT112

For long distance

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: MD350

Price: 43.200JPY (USD470) 

Site: CT112

PRGR

iD Nabla

A new born series of drivers

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: Nabla

Price: 75.600JPY (USD825) 

Site: iD Nabla

HONMA

Beres S-02

Straight & Smart

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: ARMR6

Price: 126.000JPY (USD1.375) 

Site: Beres S-02

Beres C-01

Control & Courage

Head volume: 460cc

Shaft: ARMR Q6

Price: 85.000JPY (USD925) 

Site: Beres C-01

Training Golf Swing Bat

There is a lot of material out there to help us improve our golf. Depending on what we want to work on we can find a lot of stuff that will increase our performance through some drills and training.

A training bat is a good item to work on the head speed and to avoid the "early release" that makes to lose all the power before hitting the ball, therefore obtaining low distances and a high ball and in the worse of the cases topping the ball.

Regarding the bat is more heavier than a golf club head, it is more difficult to release hands and it helps for the feeling of the swing, so our body will be gradually learning that feeling to make it as something more natural.

There are some types of training bats, some of them as the one below has a two-parts head. 

One part can move along the shaft and hit the static head at the end of the bat. This will help us to have more feeling of the impact moment, not only with the sensation of the weight but also for the sound it makes. 

This is a very effective drill so the brain receive simultaneous information and accelerates the learning process.

There are so many types of training bats, so you can check them and find the one which works better for you.

How a golf ball is made by Titleist

Video showing how Titleist makes their amazing golf balls.

Oakley Skull Collection

Oakley has an exclusive line of apparel and accessories in Japan, Skull Collection. Designs are with a stylish logo of a Skull over crossed bones.
Their Items are so popular and some of them are sold out ver quickly.

Oakley has launched the new line of bags and covers and they look cool.

Photos: Victoria Golf and Oakley Skull Collection

Mizuno's First Golf Ball for Europe

Mizuno's first ever golf ball for Europe will be the new MP-S recently introduced in Japan. 

The MP-S is the third generation of Mizuno's MP ball line - the previous models only being sold to the Japanese market.  Mizuno has been producing and perfecting it's golf ball technology  since 2005.

The MP-S is Mizuno’s multi-piece tour level ball, with a new ultra soft, tacky urethane cover for exceptional traction on short greenside shots.  A combination of large inner core and highly resilient inner cover result in high initial ball speeds – with 318 large, shallow dimples to produce a mid trajectory and stable, efficient ball flight.

Though the MP-S offers a distinctive balance of touch and control that will predominantly appeal to skilled players - any golfer dealing with firm, fast conditions will appreciate its ability to stick to the green.

“Mizuno launched balls into Japan in 2005 – with a plan to hold back from the western market until there was a construction that met the tour’s expectations.  What we liked about the MP-S is that it stops as quickly as it takes off.  We could tell from the first touch of the tacky cover, that it would be incredibly responsive around the greens.  The R&D team describe the cover as highly 'visco-elastic'.  In laymans terms it means it means it's soft, but returns to its original shape quickly.

"We've tested all the Mizuno balls since 2005 as the technology progressed.  It was critical we had something really special before we could introduce a ball to Europe.  We were unanimous that the MP-S- was that special ball.”  - Andy Kikidas, Tour Operations Manager. 

The MP -S- will be available in Europe from mid March.

Via  Tom Kawakita & Mizuno Golf Europe.

Ryo Ishikawa 300 yards with new XHOT fairway wood

Here we have a video from Callaway Golf Japan hitting the new XHOT Fairway Wood.

Ryo Ishikawa signed last month a multi-year contract with Callaway.

Callaway site shows more videos of new XHOT fairway wood testing with Spaniard long hitter Alvaro Quiros and Brendan Jones : 300ydsSpoon

Titleist Japan introduces Apparel

Titleist has launched a complete apparel line in their first Spring Collection. It is sold exclusively in Japan and it has 3 dedicated Areas depending the time when to wear:

Fitness: Apparel designed for training
Play: Apparel for round play
Gallery: Apparel designed for after playing and more stylish to wear outside of the course or practice places.

Actually I do not know the quality of the apparel, but I would assure it will be high end products. I hope they will have the fast success and can expand the apparel worldwide.

Japan Golf Fair 2013

Today begins the annual Golf Fair of Japan. The event is hold in the Tokyo Big Sight, the largest International Exhibition center of Tokyo.

Last year the Exhibition was visited for more than 51.000 persons, as the official site shows. The public who attended was divided into 3 categories:

Business: 17.646 visitors
Public: 33.230 visitors
Journalist: 714 visitors
TOTAL: 51.590 visitors

Here are some pictures of last year Fair.

Taylormade delivers Driver R1 through sky.

TaylorMade Golf partnered with Operation Game On to celebrate Military Appreciation Day on the PGA Tour with five combat-wounded veterans and TaylorMade Tour Staff professionals Dustin Johnson, Pat Perez, Casey Wittenberg, Retief Goosen and Sergio Garcia. TaylorMade is launching its new R1 driver - the company's most adjustable driver ever (168 settings) - with special edition hats, bags, headcovers and apparel at the PGA Tour's Northern Trust Open this week at Riviera Country Club.

TaylorMade has launched a free App to tune your driver. Here is the features as shown in the app store:

KEY FEATURES:

TUNE: Make it YOUR1 by tuning your R1 driver to achieve your desired shot shape

LOCATE: Find your nearest TaylorMade retailer to take your tuning to another level with a professional custom fitting session

REGISTER: Provide us with the unique details of your R1 driver and sign up to our email alerts

ABOUT: Learn more about our R1 driver and watch our R1 driver videos

HELP: You can also get help on how to adjust your Loft, Face Angle or Shot Shape weights easily by clicking the ? at anytime.

You can download the app from here:https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/r1-tu...

New Commercial of Cobra-Puma Golf: What is your Fly?

New commercial for the AMP Cell Driver with Rickie Fowler, Jesper Parnevik and Ian Poulter.

What's in the bag: Tiger Woods Farmers Open 2013

This is the setup of Tiger Woods for his 75th PGA Tour win at the Farmers Insurance Open

Driver:Nike VR Tour 8.5 (Graphite Design DI 6X)

Fairway Wood : Nike VR Pro Ltd Edition 3 Wood/ 15degrees & Nike SQII 5Wood/19degrees

Irons: Nike VR Pro Blade (3~PW)

Wedges: Nike VR Pro 56 degree and 60 degree

Putter: Nike Method 001

Ball: Nike ONE Tour D

Apparel: Nike Golf TW Collection

Footwear: Nike TW'13

Via Sandbox 8

Smash Factor

What is Smash factor?

The Smash factor is the ratio between ball speed and club head speed. 

Technically smash factor give us how centered and solid of our shot. this parameter is important to take into consideration, especially amateurs that try to swing to hard at the ball, but they lose control and can not get a solid or centered impact, hence obtaining a low smash factor.

Example: 

A club speed of 100mph and smash factor of 1,40 = ball speed of 140mph

However increasing the smash factor with a more controlled swing, lowering the club speed the result can turn into more ball speed therefore increase the distance.

Example:

A smash factor of 1,48 with lower club speed of 98mph generates a ball speed of 145mph.

Since 1mph ball speed gives 2 more yards of carry, 5mph of difference means 10 more yards to the shot.

There are a maximum obtainable smash factor assuming a dead-centered hit determined by 3 factors:

• Coefficient of restitution between club and ball (COR of 2 colliding objects is value representing the ratio of speed after and before the impact. USGA have limited this ratio for clubs and balls to a maximum of 0,83)
• Spin loft (angle between club face orientation and club head direction)
• Mass ratio between ball weight and club height

Here it is the equation for the maximum obtainable smash factor.So depending of the maximum ratios permuted by regulations (COR=0,83; Spin Loft= 8deg; mass ratio= ball mass 45g / driver head 212g) the maximum smash factor would be 1,494

What is a good smash factor?

Depends on the club and the ball type. For a driver with premium ball, an amateur would obtain 1,42. Tour pros should aim not less than 1,48 as minimum.

Here are some tables with data and observations with professional players.

All this information was extracted from Trackman. 

Swing trainer GST4

For a long time I have been not posting and updating this blog. I have been very busy increasing my knowledge in different fields and working and developing some projects.

Again I will continue the writing of this blog with new post which I hope they will be of interest.

This is a review of the gadget "Swing trainer GST4" made by the company Yupiteru

The device gives information of every shot for these parameters:

• Club's head speed
• Distance
• Ball Speed 
• Smash Factor (measures the ball speed divided by the club head speed, I will write a new post with this subject more detailed)

It comes with an in-ear metronome as well to allow you set the tempo for your swing (however i have not found it very useful) 

it has different functions as checking only your shots information, a train mode where you decide the club and the device chooses a distance to target, a history of your shots by day and club with the option of a graphic to check your progress and it has a slot for a Micro SD to save the data and move it to other device so It can be opened with spread sheet program. 

The "quality" of your shot can be checked by a 3 color LED (based in the Smash factor) to show you how precise you hit the ball.

Blue: Nice Shot

Yellow: Good Shot

Red: Miss Shot

It contains all the presets for all clubs and wedges face angle can be set-up to your needs for more accurate information. And here is where the device was not up to my expectations.

The device calculates different from real data. After shooting in a driving range I notice the distance shown and the one that was real (seen with my eyes) was different in a high proportion. For example, I hit my 3W, the device showed 275yds and I could check my ball was sliced and did not get either 200yds.

Even the LED color show me a "Nice shot". And this kind of different information from real to displayed makes the device useless so i can not trust the information even though it was made for offering information of your shots...

It is a good device if you are not expecting so much and just for fun and get some little idea how is your swing doing. However if you are looking something more professional and very accurate then you should check other options.

The device costs about 30,000JPY (about 330USD).