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Tour Issue vs. Retail


ChiefTingle

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The difference is whatever the difference is. If it's a "Tour Issue" club with a wide-open face angle then it will play like any club with a wide open face angle. If it's a "Tour Issue" driver with 6.5 degrees of loft and an ultra-stiff shaft then it will play like any club would with such a low loft and stiff shaft. If the club fits your body and your swing it'll work well for you. If not, it won't. That's true whether it has the special magic mark stamped on it or not.

People buy "Tour Issue" clubs for the same reason people buy any other club. They've got the money in their pocket and buying it gives them a warm feeling inside. No different than buying some specially-imported "Japanese Domestic Market" club or paying someone $750 for a beautifully custom made, hand-finished putter. You're spending extra for something the next guy don't have and/or you really, really, really want to own something with those particular specs and you can't get it elsewhere, cheaper.

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As a newer player the likelihood that tour issue gear will fit your swing is very slim. Thats not a knock on you at all the fact is most people really have no business playing tour issue gear. (I know blasphemy on WRX) Save your money for range/course time and maybe a lesson or two. Work on developing a repeatable swing and go to a professional and get fit.

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Buy tour issue drivers because a retail head will never give good results if you want to hit driver off the deck.

Titleist 913D3 9.5* Speeder TS 6.3x
Adams Peanut V1 16* MRC JavlnFX 95x
Mizuno Fli Hi 3i (PX 6.5) and 4i (KBS X)
Mizuno MP-59 5-PW PX 6.5
Ping M/B Wedges 52*/56*/60*
Ping Isopur Anser 2i w/ Superstroke 3.0

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[quote name='golfingATL' timestamp='1377010103' post='7712178']
Buy tour issue drivers because a retail head will never give good results if you want to hit driver off the deck.
[/quote]

Please tell me you are being facetious. I can't think of a time a beginning player let alone and the average player should ever even think about hitting driver of the deck. Even if you do hit driver off the deck you do it once in a blue moon. He should be getting fit for a driver for tee shots which he will be hitting multiple times every round not for the shot on the rarest of occassions.

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[quote name='PhilsFanDrew' timestamp='1377004960' post='7711608']
As a newer player the likelihood that tour issue gear will fit your swing is very slim. Thats not a knock on you at all the fact is most people really have no business playing tour issue gear. (I know blasphemy on WRX) Save your money for range/course time and maybe a lesson or two. Work on developing a repeatable swing and go to a professional and get fit.
[/quote]agreed

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I never thought there would be much difference between tour issue and retail equipment, until I hit my R11 8* dot head. It's a much better fit for me than my retail R11 head, but I swing in the 115 mph range and fight a hook. For the stronger or high spin player, tour equipment will probably perform better at least in driver heads. I'm not sure if there is much difference between retail and tour issue irons though?

IMO, there must be some benefit to using tour equipment or the equipment companies wouldn't bother making it. Why have several different versions of the same driver is there is nothing to gain?

On a side note, I also have a t-serial R9 3 wood, but never found it to be anything special. It's shorter than both my retail R7tp and mp 650 3 woods.

TM M1 (2016) Tour Issue 9.5* Kuro Kage XD 60TX
TM M1 15* Diamana B 80X
TM M1 Tour Issue 19* Diamana B 80X 
Mizuno MP-53 4-PW DG X100
Titleist Vokey SM7 50, 56, 60 DG S400
Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2

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Some tour issue stuff is made differently then the retail counterparts, like different size heads, or wedge grinds etc. Other tour issue stuff is custom built for specific people, like clubs with specific lofts, face angles, and swingweight. Can't really lump it all into the same group.

10/10 on the swag meter. I'd definitely want to stop and check out your stuff if you told me it's tour issue on the first tee. Better hit em straight though.

Or... could just be trolling and in that case you're doing a great job :haha:

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[quote name='PhilsFanDrew' timestamp='1377016036' post='7712908']
[quote name='golfingATL' timestamp='1377010103' post='7712178']
Buy tour issue drivers because a retail head will never give good results if you want to hit driver off the deck.
[/quote]

Please tell me you are being facetious. I can't think of a time a beginning player let alone and the average player should ever even think about hitting driver of the deck. Even if you do hit driver off the deck you do it once in a blue moon. He should be getting fit for a driver for tee shots which he will be hitting multiple times every round not for the shot on the rarest of occassions.
[/quote]

Wait you didn't get fit for driver off the deck?


(Sorry I couldn't resist...yes, I was kidding)

Titleist 913D3 9.5* Speeder TS 6.3x
Adams Peanut V1 16* MRC JavlnFX 95x
Mizuno Fli Hi 3i (PX 6.5) and 4i (KBS X)
Mizuno MP-59 5-PW PX 6.5
Ping M/B Wedges 52*/56*/60*
Ping Isopur Anser 2i w/ Superstroke 3.0

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[quote name='Llortamaisey' timestamp='1377048872' post='7716314']
[quote name='esketores' timestamp='1377016717' post='7712988']
Waste of money for 90+% of all golfers.
Marketing and hype.
[/quote]

Which company markets tour issue stuff? I thought they gave tour issue stuff away.
[/quote]

The only companies I can think of are Taylormade (R1 V2) and Callaway (Tour Authentic Line). Also, I remember reading somewhere that there is no difference between retail and tour issue Titleist clubs, but I have not verified that.

You can see the differences between my R11's. The dot head sits more open in the neutral setting and appears smaller as well. Based on the ball flight, it is also lower spinning. I used to lurk on BSG for years and never bought into the hype, until I hit my T-serial R11 next to my retail R11.

TM M1 (2016) Tour Issue 9.5* Kuro Kage XD 60TX
TM M1 15* Diamana B 80X
TM M1 Tour Issue 19* Diamana B 80X 
Mizuno MP-53 4-PW DG X100
Titleist Vokey SM7 50, 56, 60 DG S400
Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2

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for me the point in getting anything tour issue is the fact you know exactly what you are getting... a retail 8.5* head vs a Tour issue 9.3* head open 2 degrees... etc...

My retail 8.5* 913 D3 certainly sits open at A1 but is the 8.5 actual loft or the loft with the openess of the head taken in...

  • Titleist TSR3 9* Ventus Black 6X
  • Taylormade Sim2 15* Tensei White 80TX
  • TM Stealth 2 Iron or Ping i59 3 iron Project X 7.0
  • Artisan MB 4-9 Project X 7.0
  • Artisan 46*, 50* Project X 6.5
  • Artisan  55*, 60* S400
  • Artisan BlueBonnet Carbon 0217
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My real world testing says otherwise, especially since I paid less than retail for the head (new in the plastic) and shaft...

TM M1 (2016) Tour Issue 9.5* Kuro Kage XD 60TX
TM M1 15* Diamana B 80X
TM M1 Tour Issue 19* Diamana B 80X 
Mizuno MP-53 4-PW DG X100
Titleist Vokey SM7 50, 56, 60 DG S400
Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2

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PGA Professional is all you need to know. Tour issue? Would you rather have, say, a driver built for X pro or a driver the pro has built for you? Two of us got to hit the young assistant pros 'tour issue'/made for driver one day. I'm not the longest, but I put it in the fairway. I looked like a beginner or someone who thought every hole was a severe dogleg right. We all had some laughs and learned something too.

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On the other hand, if there were a Tour player who drives the ball about 210 yards and hits a lot of push-fades off the toe into the trees with the occasional topped or dead-pulled shot just to keep things interesting...

Then I'd be all over a "Tour Issue" driver built for that guy. Or girls. Or old lady, as the case may be.

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I'm amazed at how many people in this thread think that [b]all[/b] tour equipment is identical to the retail counterpart. Has anyone posting in this thread besides myself actually used tour equipment before? I think what bothers me, is that people can't even consider the possibility that there are significant differences (head shape, size, center of gravity, loft, spin rates, etc...) between the two. Look at the conforming club lists and all of the variations of the "same" club.

Now, I'm sure there are lots of examples of tour and retail equipment being exactly the same. I also think that only a small percentage of golfers (Stronger/higher spin players) would likely benefit from using a tour issued driver head. I've struggled for years with finding a retail driver that works for me. I tend to hit them too high with too much spin, which costs me distance (especially into the wind). But what do you expect when your "typical" driver is aimed at someone with 90mph clubhead speed that needs more launch and spin? Though, with all of the shaft and fitting options available these days, I think it is much easier to find the right combination that will work for the stronger player.

Anyway, I realize that people are going to believe what they want, but I'm just trying to offer a different opinion based on my experiences and not what I've read on a forum.

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TM M1 (2016) Tour Issue 9.5* Kuro Kage XD 60TX
TM M1 15* Diamana B 80X
TM M1 Tour Issue 19* Diamana B 80X 
Mizuno MP-53 4-PW DG X100
Titleist Vokey SM7 50, 56, 60 DG S400
Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2

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The only good reason to hit tour issue clubs is so you can put "Tour Issue" in your signature. Thus giving you an advantage for the internet chat board bragging. But my personal feelings on the matter are, unless the tour issued club was built for you and your specs, then you are throwing away money. In other words, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

**Driver:** TaylorMade SIM Max 9° **|** Ventus Black 7 Velocore **3wd:** Titleist TS2 15° (C1) **|** Diamana D+ LTD 70 **Hybrid:** Callaway Apex 18° **|** AD-DI 95 **Irons:** Mizuno MP 18 Fli Hi 4 iron **|** AD-DI 95**/** JPX 919 Forged 5-PW **|** Recoil 95 **Wedges:** Vokey SM8 raw 50°F (Handground S), 54°S, 58°M (Handground A) **|** DG Black Onyx **Putters:** Byron Morgan DH 89 WITB: https://forums.golfwrx.com/discussion/1505670/goirish17s-witb-updated-end-of-page-2#latest

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