Saturday 12 July
So I got a new wedge today…replaced my 56 big bounce wedge and my 60 super low bounce wedge (14* and 4*or 3* respectively depending on which 60 I use) with a 58*/8*…it is a Tourstage forged x wedge, a Japanese/Asian distribution only brand that I wasn’t familiar with until moving over here…Tourstage is apparently the parent company of Bridgestone, specializes in forged clubs, and according to my Japanese friend whose tourstage irons I played a couple of times (great feel btw) is pretty highly revered in Japan…they even have their own shop in the Japanese section of town here with only Tourstage equipment…I looked around and their gear is pretty sweet…anyhow, it is last year’s model, reduced 40% so that it was the same price as a new vokey…the Japanese clubs aren’t cheap, but neither are any of the other clubs over here…anyway, none of that really matters, just a little FYI…the thing feels great! There is a difference between cast and forged wedges despite what Bob Vokey and the rest contend…it’s shafted with an S200 shaft…it was either that or a Nippon which is too light and wispy for my tastes, and I was a little concerned that it would still be too light…not a worry, in fact, the little extra flex in the shaft, and the slightly lighter weight contribute to head feel without having to raise the overall weight of the club via lead tape like I have on the rest of my wedges…on top of that I can feel that I load the club easier at ‘tweener swing lengths…half and three quarter swings will load the club and I can feel the head better, making for a smoother tempo and cleaner strikes…opening the face does very little to the height of the leading edge; it is ground with some heel relief, and supposedly exposes the trailing bounce for use in sand but keeps the leading edge low for fairway use…a little over my head, but it sets very nicely to the ball…pretty psyched about this club and am looking forward to playing my morning round with it tomorrow…a little worried too as I saw a couple of fw’s and a driver that would fit pretty nicely into the bag…:rollup:
Haven’t bought a new club in awhile and feel like a kid at Christmas…
Tuesday 15 July
So the results are in...I really like this club! The feel is forged, and the feedback is as well...I am hitting my wedge better than I have for a while mainly due to four hours of practice with it and adjusting to the resulting feedback received...it took some getting used to, and I still mentally flinch at impact in some positions expecting to be jarred by the bounce...it is there but as a brake after impact to keep from digging rather than a bump right before or at impact like I used to sometimes get...anyhow, took some getting used to, and the process isn't over,but it is a superior club...the grind makes the club much easier to use than my vokey, the spin is like any new wedge but still nice, and it just "fits"...now I have to get another one to replace my other vokey...