Graphite Design Tour AD DI Clubs

[theadvocate_ivan]

Any info about these? Visited my clubfitter earlier but he was out and his assistant was the only one there.

[autronicdsm]

Nope, but I have seen driver head pics before and supposedly they have conforming and non-conforming versions. How much are they?

[Soloman1]

Uh, my counterfeit radar is blaring. I see no information anywhere, including Graphite Design site in Japan, that they produce, sell or license club heads. What's the name of the fitter you visited?

[3_Putt_Par]

Might be a knockoff, especially looking at the second picture. What's up with the fake screws on the back of the club? Looks pretty cheaply made.

 

That being said, sometimes shaft makers sometimes have heads custom made for them. I remember a demo day for Nippon Shafts that I tested iron shafts with Nippon Steel branded iron heads.

 

Personally, I would stay away from them, but that's me. I'd go back and ask the clubmaker more about them and where they were made, did he get them through Pro's Choice (only authorized US distributor for GD) and how much they are per club, since the only other place where I can see them on the web is a club fitter in Malaysia.

[theadvocate_ivan]

I doubt they are fake. My clubfitter used to work for the Asian Tour for the longest time so I could vouch for his credibility. No price as these are being tested. 2 kinds of head, the one on the pic is the deeper face while the other one looks more forgiving. There were also three 7 irons head and would be fitted with different shafts for testing. The clubs are owned by a Japanese.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

I found these two pages from the same site:

http://www.anserfrea...rad_lesson.html

http://www.anserfrea...d_lesson_1.html

 

These are stamped with the Tour AD logo, but appear to be practice clubs. They are also quite different from the clubs OP posted.

 

Like Soloman1 and 3_Putt_Par, I'm pretty skeptical. I suppose the chance that they are some sort of special edition does exist (e.g. a limited edition to celebrate 20 years in business or something), but nothing comes up on the internet.

[3_Putt_Par]

I pm'ed Graphite Design, since they are a sponsor and often chime in time to time about new products and info, so hopefully they can let us know if it's legit.

 

Obviously they exist and perhaps they are for demo purposes and select retail club makers. For sure don't doubt your clubfitter and his reputation, just perhaps jaded and naturally cynical in this internet age.

 

Hope the OP can hit them and let us know how they feel.

[Soloman1]

Hi NCM. Yes, those clubs in the links are special practice clubs made about 7-8 years ago that came with a shaft that was almost rubber. It was a way for "lesson pros" to keep the Graphite Design name in front of golfers. You could not buy the heads and it was only a 7-iron.

 

Sorry, but I'm 99.9% sure these heads are cheap heads with fake Tour AD logos. I'm in the US now until July, so one of you guys should call Graphite Design at the Kanagawa HQ and ask them about it. They'll tell you.

[theadvocate_ivan]

Came from my clubfitter a while ago and he told me they are indeed for testing. He will let me try the deeper faced driver once he gets the go signal. I will have more information by then.

[Graphite Design Sales]

Hi everyone,

 

These heads were manufactured by the Graphite Design S.E. Asia Distributor for the purpose of demonstrating/fitting of Graphite Design shafts. There is not a plan for these heads to be mass produced or offered for sale to the general public in the future.

[Bigmean]

There you go! Thanks for clearing it up, I am a big fan of GD shafts, keep up the good work!

[ashortgame]

I just got back from senior tour tournament in Malaysia. I was looking at a Royal Collection driver of one of the Singapore players and his caddy asked me if I had heard about the new AD driver as he knew a guy in Singapore who just got one and apparently it was the real biscuit. Long. I started to search for it online this morning (just got in) and came up with nothing until I happened across this thread.

Not being based in Singapore its going to be hard for me to find any more info. I am not playing the event this week in Indonesia but I will be playing the Fubon Senior Open in Taiwan from July 15, so I will catch up with the guys again and get some contact details of where this guy got the driver and share the details if anyone is interested.

[maslie]

Saw one for sale - Hi Cor ver. About Usd$600.

Body: Ti811.

Cup face SAT-2041.

460cc.

192 grm inc sleeve.

CT : 300.

FA 0= 0.5 closed.

Lie = 62deg.

[theadvocate_ivan]

I got more pictures of the club.

 

[ekinwang]

My club fitter in HK has the driver and I have tried it. Not sure about the orange theme but feels pretty decent.

 

For the price, there are better JDM offerings out there.

[jaymay82]

Looks like cheap Tourstage knockoffs.