15* Sonartec GS Tour Reivew: FINAL long term

[golfware]

final review for Sonartec testing

Hi all,

This is a long term review of my 15* Sonartec GS Tour w/ Red Ice stiff.

A little about myself: 6'-2", 172lb's, driver swingspeed 106 - 111 mph, handicap 11.7 (can't putt to save my life). Strengths: driving and ballstriking. Weaknesses: Putting, Bunker play. Normally play a slight draw when swinging well, slight fade when not swinging well.

I have now had the chance to hit this club many times at the range and on the course. I've also had the chance to struggle with some poor swings as well... as a result, have taken some lessons that dramatically improved my ballstriking... so, with that said...

Setup/Looks:

The GS Tour just sets up great. Square as a straight line, and easy to align. The all black head is a beauty, very clean and simple. I really like the overall head shape and it just sets up nice, clean & simple. For me, the stock shaft is a nice compliment to the black head.

Head/shaft combo performance:

Prior to taking some lessons, I was struggling a bit with it off the deck. My stance was way too wide, and as a result, I would sway quite a bit. Ended up hooking it off the deck, or topping it as well. I hit it great off the tee, at least, what I thought was great (a little cut), but I was hitting it off the heel. Really poor swing = poor results, regardless of the club.

Now, after taking the lessons... viola!! My goodness. Narrowed my stance a ton, and the results were night and day different. Had a chance to use it off the tee and off the deck quite a number of times the last couple of days playing TPC Canyons and Revere Golf Club - Lexington.

Off the tee: It was money. LONG and straight. This setup provided me with a mid-high ballflight that was very consistent time and again. I just had such confidence with it off the tee. I could miss off the heel, and small fade. I could miss off the toe, and a baby draw. The change in my setup really helped to tighten the dispersion of this great FW, and all of my clubs for that matter. Even when I wasn't swinging well, I could still get a reliable fade off the tee that would hit the fairways.

Off the deck: It shined. I eliminated the sway, and hit some superb second shots that left me in great scoring position. Came about 15 yards short of a 600 yard par 5 (TPC Canyons) hitting driver/3-wood. It was really impressive. I played Hiddenbrooke Golf Club (Vallejo, CA) and nearly made the par 5 finishing hole in two (ended up in front bunker). As I probably said in one of my original posts about the club, it is point and shoot off the deck. And it's been that way, especially since I eliminated my sway.

Out of the rough: It goes in there and gets the ball. I really haven't had to play it out of Oakmont-type rough, as I really don't play courses with that kind of rough... but normal rough was pretty simple to get out of if. The smaller head gave me confidence to swing easy, and the ball would pop out with a mid-level trajectory and run. It was great. On many of the dogleg par 4's that required a lay-up, the GS Tour was money. I had some opportunities to play it out of 3"-4" rough, and I was able to dig it out and get some roll.

Sound/feel: The club just sounds great as well. A lot metallic thwack that is pleasing to my ears. For me, very easy to hit the ball straight.

Forgiveness: For being a small head than say the new Burner FW, or G5/Rapture FW, it's surprising forgiving. Shots off the heel lost not too much distance, and provided a little cut. Shots off the toe would draw back to it's intended target, and I was pleasantly surprised with the distance that the toe shot would provide. I found the stock shaft loaded and unloaded pretty easy, and consistent. With that said, I had a serious swing flaw that I could really see when hitting it off the deck. Off the tee, the GS Tour really covered it up. But off the deck, my sway was causing me to really hook it because I was getting way too handsy. That's not this club's fault, nor any club's fault. Heck, I would have hooked a Ping Rapture 3FW w/ a X-flex, tipped 1". ha-ha-ha... my swing was that bad. But that's been fixed. Yes!!

Overall: I've liked the stock setup a lot, and have found that I think it's one of the best stock setups on the market. Now, other's may disagree and comment about "this or that" head with "this or that" particular upgrade shaft... but as far as talking stock OEM equipment to stock OEM equipment, I think the GS Tour is a real winner.

A good buddy tried mine, hit it dead straight off the tee, and decided to pick one up himself. It was that impressive for him.

Someday I may decide to re-shaft to an 80-gram fairway wood shaft (ala VS Proto 80, V2 86 gram, Diamana 83), but right now, it's so consistent for me, I know that I shouldn't touch it.

Heck, makes me wonder how good the Sonartec wedges are.. considering how good the Sonartec fairways are.

If you're in the market for a really good FW, and don't want the big headed FW's, give the GS Tour a try. I think you'll be very surprised as to how much you'll like it.