Yururi/A-Grind/ or Masda

[Kingcat990]

The time has come. I'm split on the 3 above. Looking for some weigh-in's.

 

Yururi Flat Back Raw- really like the look, but hesitant on the raw finish. One also read reports of these producing quite a bit of spin and chewing the covers off of golf balls.

 

A-Grind CMB- love everything about these. The finish, the constant face progression, the whole design in general. But have heard reports of a very firm feeling on A grind irons.

 

Masda Proto MB- I have heard nothing but amazing things about them. A forum member or 2 would tell me to buy these and never consider anything else. I'm only hesitant on the super long hosel. I'd have to try several shafts. Not sure its worth the headache.

 

 

Thanks for any and all inputs. I'd game any of the 3 right now. Just looking for an honest nudge. Not concerned with resale at all on these. They will be permanent gamers.

 

Thanks guys

[idrive]

IMO if you're a good ball striker the Mazda's are the way to go. Need a little forgiveness then the A-grinds The flatbacks are as good as

any but also very demanding. You'll have to pay a little extra attention to them unless you don't mind a little rust. They'll also show a lot

more wear.

 

They're all quite good.

[RLL33]

The A-Grinds are the only ones you have the wrong impression of. They' have a very soft, very fine feel. The closest I've ever felt to the original Miura Baby Blades.

 

The rest of what you've described is dead on. Yururis are grave diggers. Masdas are xlent too.

 

If you can hit the A-Grinds and Masdas, I think you'll know your choice.

 

G'luck.

[Bigmean]

So a grinds have a similar feel to baby blades?

 

[kingarthur]

Buchi? Very good irons as well. The yururi are high spin in raw finish.

[Kingcat990]

Thanks for the opinions. So RLL, you had great results from the A-Grinds? Could you speak more on that? I'm really interested.

 

I would totally do the Buchi's if the global edition was available. The VS are more of a cavity.

[bladehunter]

I secretly want a raw set of flatbacks ...so im biased....

[wmblake2000]

I think the a grind, including the r1's are really interesting - I am going to hopefully try them next week and if I do I'll give my feedback.

 

I have the Buchi vs200 and they are really nice but they aren't blades, don't have that smack solid feel.

[Kingcat990]

I think the a grind, including the r1's are really interesting - I am going to hopefully try them next week and if I do I'll give my feedback.

 

I have the Buchi vs200 and they are really nice but they aren't blades, don't have that smack solid feel.

 

Where at can you hit them? I can't find a place in south OC that has even heard the name.

[wmblake2000]

I have a friend who has a set....

[Kingcat990]

I have a friend who has a set....

 

I'm looking forward to your review Blake. I'd game the R1 or the CMB.

[widow-maker]

I've hit the Yururi and A-Grinds and really didn't fall in love with either one. I'm playing the Buchi Vs and it has a really solid feel to it. I guess it's a cross between a MB and a CB but there's really no cavity to it, just the weight is more centered behind the ball. To me they're blade sized with better feel. But, to each their own.

 

The new club that I'd really like to get my hands on to try are the Yonex N1-MB's. They look sweet and I'm dying to see how they feel. Expensive experiment considering I like what I have. Wish there were more places to hit Japanese clubs in the US.

[Kingcat990]

I've hit the Yururi and A-Grinds and really didn't fall in love with either one. I'm playing the Buchi Vs and it has a really solid feel to it. I guess it's a cross between a MB and a CB but there's really no cavity to it, just the weight is more centered behind the ball. To me they're blade sized with better feel. But, to each their own.

 

The new club that I'd really like to get my hands on to try are the Yonex N1-MB's. They look sweet and I'm dying to see how they feel. Expensive experiment considering I like what I have. Wish there were more places to hit Japanese clubs in the US.

 

I love the look and finish of the Yonex, but that "graphite pocket" is concerning to me. They aren't all that expensive considering you can get them with modus shafts most places. The graphite pocket just takes away from a true blade. That's the only thing I don't like about them. I mean, the ONLY thing I don't like about them. Love the Yonex driver I have.

[RLL33]

KingCat -- Yeah, I've been playing the R1's pretty much since they came out. I know feel is a personal thing, but something about what Ako is doing with his design work -- he works directly with a lot of pro's on the Japanese tour -- just absolutely clicks for me.

 

I actually have a great many of his clubs including the original R1 CB's (which are, by far, the longest CB irons I've ever hit for some reason), his drivers -- the 440 and the Y-Proto -- the DST fw's, the hybrids, and the CMB Driving iron. And all of them -- and I mean ALL -- seem to have exactly what I'm looking for in terms of feel AND performance. As I said, I know we're all on the endless quest for the perfect clubs, and count me in on that as I've certainly done my share of ho'ing over the years, but I can honestly say Ako comes the closest for me with his A-Grind's across the board.

 

Getting back to the R1's... They're definitely on the small side, which is why I mentioned the Miura Baby Blades, and even though I go to the R1 CB's every now and then when my swing goes off, I always come back to these blades. They're just so precise. Yes, they're soft, but the click when you pure one just makes the ball jump into the zone. I stood there and watched a 6-iron rise into the sun last week on my home course thinking it might have been the best iron shot I've ever hit in my life. Nice baby draw with a high penetrating trajectory that hit an elevated green and held it. The R1's also have something of a draw bias built into the design, which suits me as well. I'm a smooth swing player, slow and regular tempo, and I like to work the ball. And these baby's define workable for my swing without giving up distance. And I don't feel punished by off-center hits. Ball does the same thing, just doesn't fly quite as far.

 

Don't know what else I can say, except that I also love the look of them and the fact that nobody's ever heard of them before. (I like to watch and see how long I go in a round before somebody asks me if they can take a hit though -- it's usually on the back 9...)

 

Feel free to ask me anything if I can be of any help. I know they're next to impossible to demo anywhere... Here's a few pics as well:

 

 

 

 

 

[RLL33]

PS. Forgot to say I haven't had the chance to hit the CMB blades, although the driving iron has the most wonderful soft feel. I note that they're bent 1-degree stronger than the R1's. Other than that, I don't know how they differ. And yes, I'd love to find out.

[kaaayelll]

R, can you speak to differences in playability between the R1, Crazy MB, and maybe Vega VM-01. They're all from the same Kyoei open model (unless I'm really missing something) and should differ pretty much only as a result of grind, lofts, and offset. Much thanks.

[wmblake2000]

Haha. This is tourspec west. I am chuck4golf there.

 

RLL your blades had custom finish on them? They look GREAT.

[RLL33]

K -- very similar to the Crazy MB, that's the only other one I'm still tempted by when I see it, but I think the R1 has a slightly higher toe. Not positive which, but one of them does. I haven't hit that Vega.

 

And yeah, hi, Chuck, the finish is TSG Works Smoked Copper. I did hit the R1's before re-finishing though, and my love for the feel was part of why I decided to go for the copper look.

[FyteOn]

I did not find the Yururi irons to be as amazing as their wedges. Wanted to love them but did not. But damn they look good!

[kaaayelll]

Thanks, R.

 

I'm still puzzled why I didn't get along swimmingly with the Yururis.

[RLL33]

I'm with you, k. I tried Yururi's several times over the years because I'm always attracted to the look -- wedges, Flatbacks, you name it. But they never get along with my swing or my game somehow. Always find myself digging massive divots off of strikes that feel very harsh and heavy. And they shred soft covered balls, which makes me think it's not just me.

[wmblake2000]

A lot of guys really like the Miura baby blades. How do the guys who have played a lot of JDM blades compare them to the BB?

 

Like RLL I like the road less taken but sometimes a club is renowned because it's special.

[tsupo]

gamed them all... aced the yururis bec they wore so quickly and spun like a politican.

also for my steep decent into the ball they acutally set off a sysmic tremor one day bec I went so deep into the earth.

 

tried the a-grind protos ... ive still got the heads unsahfted , never got around to re shating them suggest modus 105 ish nice , light smooth soft feel bec those heads are quite firm, like tourstage. tells you exactly where u hit the ball!

 

the r1 I got the 7 iron to try out and the differcne in offset is pretty pronounced , the r1 have none. the protos have just the smallest amount.

I can tell. I ended up going the honmas instead of the agrinds and I actually want the R1 cavities over the blades, but instead,chose the miura 1008s , unfoirtunatly they just arnt my look, I love tiny small compact heads. the r1 cb just look outrageous.

 

again the r1 are on t he firmer side , they didn't relalty feel great with TT monaccos, played well but lost a lot of feel. I think u need a soft head for monaccos

 

the masdas are the best all round feel, soft but a dense soft. I ve got 3 sets with all different shafts ,even wit h the modus 120x ( my links irons) they are still superb impact wise.

they launch low and they grip and bite. the extra long hosel definitely makes the ball play a fade bias and a lower fade bias.

the dead flat sole is the perfect antidote for hard pan fairways or tight cropped buffalo grass, u just don't dig at all..

 

of them all if I had to ace the rest and keep one id prob say id keep t he masdas with NS stx just bec of the versatility they offer. they can be a almost like an epon af tour for ease of play but u can do what ever u like with them with way less offset.

 

ahhhhhhhh or the ones wit the 2g18s.......... hmmm tough choice.

[Kingcat990]

The replies have been awesome guys. I really appreciate the insight. I guess I'll go ahead and take the Yururis off. I have a steep descent into the ball but I don't take many divots. I get a bit wristy and pull my head. Weird swing.

 

So I'd say its between the A Grinds and the Masda's. Love the looks of both. The SoCal turf varies too much to consider interactions with. Kay has already sent me a grip of photos with the Masda's. Any way to see the A-Grinds frame up a ball?

 

Again. Thanks guys. This decision has been a long time coming. Finally have the funds set aside after paying everything else off.

[wmblake2000]

Exciting. I am also down to agrind vs Miura baby blades. If you and I both get agrinds then the three of us (RLL) should play together (we are all so cal guys). 3 guys with agrinds in the same group in US would probably be some kind of record!

[RLL33]

<<Any way to see the A-Grinds frame up a ball? >>

I'll take a pic today at address and get it up here.

[wmblake2000]

I had the chance to hit the A Grind R1 blades today.

 

The key thing for me, the starting point, is the sole grind. Thin with a decent leading edge bevel is my preference. Perfect. I am never happy unless the sole is thin - these are as thin as my Macgregors, which are also perfect.

 

They looked great in the bag. Simple and elegant. Some JDM can look too cute, but not these. I prefer the look of my Mac 8 iron at address, but preferred the A Grind 6 iron, which is a thing of beauty, to the Mac. They have a little thinner topline than the Macs. I would love to see the head up against the baby blades, but I found them to look just right at address, neither big nor small.

 

Impact was superlative. A solid, crisp feel. More solid than soft, in my reckoning, which is my preference. A thin ball felt thin, but traveled well enough. Solid hits had great trajectory and carried very well. A well stuck shot was rewarded in every way - feel, sound, ball flight were all great.

 

My friend has a set of Mitsubishi OT graphite shafts on his. I have recently come to think I prefer steel shafts to the graphite shafts I have used over the past 10 yrs, as they feel more alive. Even so, this rig felt very crisp.

 

In short, I left as excited about a club as one is allowed to feel.

[JDLA]

I would have to say A grinds. however yururi gekka wedges all the way. point and shoot my friends.

[bladehunter]

Those R1 s are gorgeous . I hadn't seen those raw before. They remind me of my blank Kyoei blades that I should have never sold.

[kaaayelll]

The ones you're seeing above on this page are a smoked copper refinish.