What clubs in the last 15 years qualify as "unicorns"?

[TollBros]

The 2016m2 could be a unicorn if it was structurally sound. The 2016m1/m2 models failed at high speeds quickly.

 

I've caved maybe 20 heads over time including m1 heads of both sizes. Never had a single issue with the 8.5 M2 2016 heads though. I'm not sure if the tour heads differ in construction or not but it wouldn't surprise me.

[Jarlaxle]

I'm sure not all (or maybe even many) will agree but I would throw my Mizuno JPX 900 driver in the ring though primarily because of the "real deal" Fujikara Speeder Evolution II shafts that came stock in them. They were an absolute steal, still convinced Mizuno discontinued them so quickly because the margins on them were terrible.

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

I go with the 510TP. It was $600 when other drivers were considered way overpriced at $299 and it still sold. I was on staff with Taylormade when it came out and I had four of them sitting in my locker and one in my bag.

 

Clubs cost the same for a long time and then rapidly got more expensive right around that time.

 

The unicorn shaft happened at the same time with the Speeder 757. Nobody thought about charging more than $50 for a shaft and then the Speeder came out at $300 and nobody could believe it.

 

I think that a unicorn is something the carves out a new segment and that segment lasts. For putters is was Cameron because nobody thought about charging $300 for a putter and it's now the norm. For shafts it was the Speeder for the same reason as the Camerons. The 510TP wasn't the first of the ultra high end driver but it really got the wheels rolling. Mizuno had a really expensive driver in the 90's but the 510TP introduced us to both a high end head and an exotic shaft in the same package.

[baudi]

----brag modus on---

 

Beyond the timeline of this thread. Palmer came out out with a gripless driver in 1996.

It was about 4 times more expensive then other drivers.

This thing was sub zero cool- and still is.

 

It came with a special glove, a very good red bigbutt shaft (which looked like AJ Tech but was not) and a special tube to store the club in.

Now that was exclusive. I had it in my bag for a couple of weeks and liked it a lot.

I should find one. After i found the real Unicorn: Ashton E3.

 

---brag modus off---

[Rosco1216]

The 2016m2 could be a unicorn if it was structurally sound. The 2016m1/m2 models failed at high speeds quickly.

 

I've caved maybe 20 heads over time including m1 heads of both sizes. Never had a single issue with the 8.5 M2 2016 heads though. I'm not sure if the tour heads differ in construction or not but it wouldn't surprise me.

Both my 2016 heads were tour heads as well.

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

----brag modus on---

 

Beyond the timeline of this thread. Palmer came out out with a gripless driver in 1996.

It was about 4 times more expensive then other drivers.

This thing was sub zero cool- and still is.

 

It came with a special glove, a very good red bigbutt shaft (which looked like AJ Tech but was not) and a special tube to store the club in.

Now that was exclusive. I had it in my bag for a couple of weeks and liked it a lot.

I should find one. After i found the real Unicorn: Ashton E3.

 

---brag modus off---

 

I remember those and I remember the PHD irons too but they weren't nearly as mainstream as the 510TP. Sure they were expensive but it was much more of a boutique item and you've always been able to find something crazy expensive that wasn't widely available.

[jonn443]

I think some people in here don't know the significance of a "unicorn"... Similar problem with people who don't understand what a sleeper is and say the Vsteel, Stage 2, and 07 Burner TP are sleepers...lol.

 

That said, unicorn...

 

Superquad 282, Superfast TP Long Hosel, BTY, TaylorMade Y-Cutters, HiBore 2 Wood, Muira Forged Nike Blades, Rors 006 Putter, Nike MM Protos, and Ping Rapture 13*.

 

*The Vsteel is NOT a unicorn... You can find about 30 of them on eBay right now.

[bundyloco]

Wasn't there a rare version of Taylormade 300 irons? Tour or TP version maybe?

[Nard_S]

Wasn't there a rare version of Taylormade 300 irons? Tour or TP version maybe?

 

Tom Lehman used them. Less offset, boxier toe. Miura made. Nice club.

[KRW59]

Wasn't there a rare version of Taylormade 300 irons? Tour or TP version maybe?

 

Tom Lehman used them. Less offset, boxier toe. Miura made. Nice club.

 

The R7 TP " Goosen " irons also fit into this niche. But I preferred these...

JDM R7 Forged

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

Wasn't there a rare version of Taylormade 300 irons? Tour or TP version maybe?

 

Tom Lehman used them. Less offset, boxier toe. Miura made. Nice club.

 

They were the opposite, more offset.

[jar59]

If the 15 year rule is relaxed, you can find a unicorn in the Ginty. The Ginty was a great club for bad lies and the gap between fairway woods and long irons.

 

Another unicorn was the first Ping 5 wood. It was a laminated wood and it consistently out hit 3 woods and drivers for players that faded the ball. It was extremely solid and easy to hit and also filled the gap between the usual fairway woods and long irons.

[santasquatcha]

Thought of another. Sldr mini Driver. Long hosel in 10.5 loft. Uber rare. Like did not make many. I owned and cracked 2 of these heads. Bought a 3rd and it was cracked (used) when I got it. Place refunded me no issues. But I’ve nevwr seen another for sale. Great Driver replacement at that loft.

 

Not unicorn by any means, but along the same note of the SLDR... the TM aeroburner mini Driver 12*. I have the 14* and it’s way more forgiving than it should be.

[Chuck905]

My unicorn are the Mizuno 900 Tour irons. Had success with them for a full season and had lead me to my current set; MP18 blades.

 

Just so easy to hit.

[dpark]

Adams Redlines: 5050, 4060, 3070

 

I still play the 5050, nothing can kick it out of the bag. Have not found a fairway wood that outperforms it (for me).

[EaglesGolf99]

Adams Redlines: 5050, 4060, 3070

 

I still play the 5050, nothing can kick it out of the bag. Have not found a fairway wood that outperforms it (for me).

 

Don't forget the 4555 and 2080!

 

I gamed the 3070 and 4555.

 

The 3070 is a Top 5 All Time Great! In the likes of the conversation with Titleist's 970, Taylor Made's V-Steel, Tour Edge's CB1/CB2, etc.

[Valtiel]

From a technology perspective, the Cobra King LTD. Although it ultimately didn't work best for me, nothing has been made before or since that has such a low center of gravity as well as a high MOI.

 

A few drivers have been able to get the COG down to the neutral axis but none have had anywhere near the forgiveness level the Cobra achieved.

 

For Cobra it was kind of a "how do we improve from here? " club.

I have two definitions:

 

Something that combines two characteristics that are almost impossible to see together ie low spin and high MOI (King LTD driver)

 

Something that remains great, even while release after release after release tries to get you to replace it (G25 fairways)

Here are WRX, Unicorns are ALWAYS rare stock, hence the name. They aren't qualities, but rather actual clubs or equipment. Most of them have to do with Robopti, before the grand split.

 

Some examples are the HiBore 2 wood, and the Aldila Cinnamon. Not sure why people are suggesting items that are commercially available...

 

Agreed with these. If you can find a dozen or more on eBay right now then they ain't unicorns.

 

I'll add to the list:

 

- Titleist 906f3

- Rifle 7.5/8.0 shafts

[GolfyGolfy]

Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Fairway 16.5°

 

Callaway Apex Hybrid 16° 1H

 

Callaway FT-5 LCG Driver 10.5°

Are those first two really real?

[Honman]

Adams Redlines: 5050, 4060, 3070

 

I still play the 5050, nothing can kick it out of the bag. Have not found a fairway wood that outperforms it (for me).

I had a 4060 with a Matrix 8m2 that just performed. I can't remember why I switched. Probably more forgiveness. But I loved this club.

[VNutz]

Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Fairway 16.5°

 

Callaway Apex Hybrid 16° 1H

 

Callaway FT-5 LCG Driver 10.5°

Are those first two really real?

 

Stenson had the SZ 16.5 in his bag for a bit. When my sz cracked this spring I asked about it with the CS rep, and they knew nothing of it. Probably very few out there, and legit tour only.

[EaglesGolf99]

Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Fairway 16.5°

 

Callaway Apex Hybrid 16° 1H

 

Callaway FT-5 LCG Driver 10.5°

Are those first two really real?

 

Do a little digging ...

 

ONE is available right now!!

[EaglesGolf99]

Callaway Rogue Sub Zero Fairway 16.5°

 

Callaway Apex Hybrid 16° 1H

 

Callaway FT-5 LCG Driver 10.5°

Are those first two really real?

 

Stenson had the SZ 16.5 in his bag for a bit. When my sz cracked this spring I asked about it with the CS rep, and they knew nothing of it. Probably very few out there, and legit tour only.

 

I have SHOWN them, in person, to Callaway Associates, and they look at me like, "What's that?"

[Nard_S]

Wasn't there a rare version of Taylormade 300 irons? Tour or TP version maybe?

 

Tom Lehman used them. Less offset, boxier toe. Miura made. Nice club.

 

They were the opposite, more offset.

 

2mm or .078" is less offset than most MB or players' CB are made to. The norm is 2.5 to 3mm. Really doubt 300's were specified with less for retail.

[Duffer222]

A unicorn is something magical that is never/rarely seen, so I'd agree on the Adams BTY's and CMB's.

 

I feel like the BTY’s were way more common than another Adam’s fairway which also,IMO, blew the BTY’s away.

 

The Adam’s 3446 - Clamshell. By far the best fairway I’ve ever owned. And most who were lucky enough to get one, felt the same way.

 

A lot of reasons why I can’t see any AP2’s being considered in the “unicorn” category. Millions made and just a meh feel for a “forged” club (where really only the face was forged)

[Duffer222]

I'll play.

R510tp. Still to this day the best driver ever

R7 hfs 3 wood (tour issue). Simply awesome.

Sonartec md hybrid. Like a 2 iron, but cheating.

Cleveland 588, original shape. 58 degree tour grind tour zip groove (tour issue). Best wedge I've ever owned. By some margin.

Adams cmb. What everyone else said.

 

I had the r7 TP 3 wood ALE (alternate leading edge) which was a tour issue head and more rare than the HFS, and it was a flat out bomber. Not sure what happened to it, but going to have to check the golf room just in case.

[NPVWhiz]

I think it's hard to call something a unicorn if there are a herd of them on Ebay. But I would offer a few examples of true unicorns from about that time-frame.

 

The r510 DF. Underlined loft, Titanium on the toe. (Along with its bretheren, the r540 tour with the underlined loft and no TP on the toe, and the r580 XD TP).

The 200 Tour TM "Eagle" 17 degree smooth top fairway. Runner up to the orange head TM 15 degree tour raylor and the 13 degree orange head Tour Spoon.

The Japan market satin 300 Tour Taylormade irons, along with the Japan market Firesole Forged version of the x300FCI.

The Graphite Design YS-10, although this one may pre-date the 15 year cutoff, as it resided in a TM 300 Tour head that I had at one point.

The Silver Sonartec SS-07 bullet firing, gopher-head severing, low trajectory fairway wood for the perfectly endowed. Swing, that is.

How about a set of Callaway X-14 Pro Series irons, 2-PW with tour id bands and taper hosels (as evidenced by the taper s400 sensicores that came in them)?

 

 

Stuff that's just gathering dust in my basement.

 

 

[kylemd]

Tour Issue ( ?) Sonartec 1.5. 14.5 degrees loft not the 15 deg. Still the best three wood ive ever used. So easy to elevate. I can barely hit other clubs but these are crazy easy to elevate.

 

Adams MB2 and the original Button back Pro black MB. Really forgiving for a blade.

 

 

 

 

[Need4spd]

MP-64’s?

 

I have a set in beautiful condition that I’m close to putting on the BST. I love them but I just don’t see myself playing them. #shamelessplug

[green.tea]

Nike Dymo 380

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

I think it's hard to call something a unicorn if there are a herd of them on Ebay. But I would offer a few examples of true unicorns from about that time-frame.

 

The r510 DF. Underlined loft, Titanium on the toe. (Along with its bretheren, the r540 tour with the underlined loft and no TP on the toe, and the r580 XD TP).

The 200 Tour TM "Eagle" 17 degree smooth top fairway. Runner up to the orange head TM 15 degree tour raylor and the 13 degree orange head Tour Spoon.

The Japan market satin 300 Tour Taylormade irons, along with the Japan market Firesole Forged version of the x300FCI.

The Graphite Design YS-10, although this one may pre-date the 15 year cutoff, as it resided in a TM 300 Tour head that I had at one point.

The Silver Sonartec SS-07 bullet firing, gopher-head severing, low trajectory fairway wood for the perfectly endowed. Swing, that is.

How about a set of Callaway X-14 Pro Series irons, 2-PW with tour id bands and taper hosels (as evidenced by the taper s400 sensicores that came in them)?

 

 

Stuff that's just gathering dust in my basement.

 

The Tour Smoothie is one I forgot about. Great FW.