Tourstage X-Drive

[K2_2]

The best info that I found before I bought my 460P was on a small blog website Inpakuto.com. I believe that its owner is a member on GolfWrx. I just did a google search for "Tourstage 460P" to get the links. Good info.

 

Maui, yes, Inpakuto is T/Gocchin's site and he does alot with Chris/TSG.

 

In looking over some links - nice break from work - I never found anything about the Quattro as a factory option in the 460P, so that may have been and aftermarket thing. I almost picked up a 460 Proto stamped head when I was in Japan and I'm kicking myself for passing on that.

[markheardjr]

I gamed a 405 X-Drive for about 18 months, tinkered with a 365 X-Drive Tour issued. Tiny head, so much power. I love the tourstage X-Drives. Would consider trying a 445 or a 430P if I get another voodoo to stick in it.

[wholejobs]

Hi Guys,

 

Recently picked up a Tourstage X drive driver... the 350CC 8* model. Sure its an older model but I much prefer the small heads.

Came with a bridgestone TXD 65 in X flex. (Anyone know who makes this shaft for Brisgestone?

What a great combo this is. Great feel from the head and super boring flight.

Couldn't be happier with this set up.

On the look out for an X Drive 3 wood as well.

 

Cheers

[mmercer13]

Hey guys, just wanted to update my review a little bit. I have 9 rounds under my belt with the driver and a couple of outside driving range sessions. When I last left you guys I was hitting a little fade, which for me is unheard of, I'm normally a straight hitter. So needless to say, the fade kind of puzzled me (and my dad for that matter). Now after getting my swing in to golf shape and getting rid of the rust I hit a reliable high draw with this driver. If you battle a hook, this driver is not for you. At set up I still think it looks open, maybe it's just me, but that is what I'm seeing. I love the shaft and at this time I'm going to keep it. I have also experimented with different tee heights. To my suprise my best results are with shorter tees. Definitely staying in the bag, as it's one of the few clubs I've owned where I can't wait to get to the course/driving range to hit it. If you have any ?????? just send them my way and I'll get back with you.

[corky]

Hi MM glad it's working out for you......I currently play a X-drive 435 and am seriously considering the 445 (i'm a bit of a TS junkie.... to say the least). But i'm in a dilema re. the shaft, currently playing with a red board Diamana. I know the stock shaft in the 445 is a Diamana (allegedly a Blackboard - JP Tour version) would you say it's low/med/high launching? ...... maybe I'm over analysing, I guess I can always replace it if it doesn't work for me.

 

Anyway thanks for your posts/feedback :lol:

[mmercer13]

Personally, I think it's high launching.

What are the characteristics of the Blackboard version supposed to be? Can you get any info on that particular shaft?

[corky]

can't remember where I read it but supposedly the Blackboard launches somewher between a blue and a white, ie low launching but not as low as a white......

[Brando5105]

I got a 405 HR (High Rally) model that I picked up for really cheap, and so far it is the longest and one of the easiest drivers I have ever hit. Maybe with a shaft upgrade and a re-finish it has a good possiblity of kicking my G10 out of the bag (will be tough tho)

[Falang_Golfer]

For the X-Drive series, are those weight ports on the sides? Can you change the weights?

[corky]

They are tungsten screws but I've never seen alternative weights offered by anyone, maybe ask the question on TSG (tourspecgolf). Someone on there may know more.

[pitbull808]

They are tungsten screws but I've never seen alternative weights offered by anyone, maybe ask the question on TSG (tourspecgolf). Someone on there may know more.

 

No...no screw are available to the public.

[FairwayFred]

I am playing a 325 Pro Series and I love it. I think its the best shaped driver ever made. I love smaller heads and these were some of the best ever. I have pretty much the whole collection:

 

XD 300 Pro Series

Z310

J310

XD 325 Pro Series

Z340

J340

J340 Prototype

XD2 340

XD 350 Pro Series

XD 350 Prototype II

XD 04C Prototype

XD 360 Prototype

XD2 365

04W-01 Prototype

Z375 Prototype

XD 380 Prototype

 

If you are looking for a smaller driver you cannot beat an older TourStage.

[jacksonlui]

mmercer13,

have you gone on a launch monitor and planning on reshafting to optimize that head for your swing?

i have had a lot of luck with this driver in a stock shaft. mine is a 10.5 and it feels awesome when struck.

i have an epon, although that is soft, this feels just as good but different. kind of how people equate an endo forging to a miura forging.

[wholejobs]

Recently tried out the 445 black driver with the Diamana Black tour shaft. Solid performance but not up there with my Mk 1 X drive 350 for feel and playability.

[jacksonlui]

i think the 445 would be more forgiving with the latest techology

[MMB1500]

I've been playing my Tourstage X-Drive 460 for a few months now and thought I would add some feedback on my experiences so far.

 

I moved to the x-drive from the 905R which I played for around two years. When swinging well the 905R was fantastic but I came to the realisation that I needed more forgiveness, hence the switch. My x-drive has a Fuji Rombax 6X07 in stiff.

 

Looks

 

Though this is very much subjective, the x-drive sets up beautifully at address. It does not look to large on bulbous and though not quite the pear shaped profile of the 905R, it's very pleasing and suits my eye.

 

Playability

 

I've found the x-drive to be very forgiving and, in truth, it takes a fairly bad swing to not get a half decent result out of this club. My bad shots tend to be towards the toe and even one out of the extreme they tend to fly well and probably only lose 30 yards or so. Compared with the 905R the x-drive is significantly more forgiving and the sweet shot a good deal larger. Shots struck out of the middle feel solid and sweet. I find the dispersion is also excellent and surprisingly tight.

 

In terms of playability, I tend not to shape too many of my drives (I'll take straight everytime!) though the set up of some holes at my course means this is a necessity. I find working the ball surprisingly easy with the x-drive, particularly hitting a draw. Not sure if the club has a slightly closed set up mind, though it looks fairly neutral to me.

 

Length

 

I won't claim this club is significantly longer than the 905R bit it consistently delivers very good length it can certainly hold its own in this department. I think the added distance I have picked up with this club (10-15 yards) has a lot more to do with the shaft and swing improvements, however it's by no means a short hitting club.

 

Overall this is a club that inspires confidence, delivers solid consistent performance and looks and feels great. I could not be happier with it and see it staying in the bag for some time to come.

 

I'll post further updates and pics soon.

[kiwidave]

Any have anything to say on a Z375. I'm assuming thats the cc head size as well which doesn't worry me.

[Parmaster]

Any have anything to say on a Z375. I'm assuming thats the cc head size as well which doesn't worry me.

 

I have one in my bag right now with a Rombax 7Z08.....it's around 375cc's, if anything maybe a tick smaller.

 

I get great launch numbers with it, the face is moderately deep and the shape is better than most out there, although there are some more pear shaped Tourstages that are a little more sexy in my opinion.....the 300 Pro Spec and 325 Pro Spec come to mind.

[Metalhead]

is the 435 head conforming?

[Backspin9]

Thought I'd chime in on this topic..... I'm a huge Tourstage fan and have an X-ST 15* with an 83g Blueboard and 2 X-UT hybrids with the stock Nippon utility shafts. Also play J33 CB irons with Nippon 1050GH. I'm a decent player, shoot mid-70's and have a SS around 105.

 

Last fall I got an X-Drive 460 10.5* with the stock TS 60g shaft in S flex. I did hit some nice drives with it (long) but really had a hard time getting the ball in the air. Very low trajectory, and I was very inconsistent with it. I tried 5 different shafts with mixed results. Fuji, AXIV, Redboard, and Xcon 5. The thing was long, but I found it hard to hit which is strange. Driving the ball was always one of the strong parts of my game. Finally gave up and sold it. I liked the club but it just didn't work out.

 

Out of curiousity, I picked up a new 2008 ViQ 460 model, 10.5* with a Diamana 63g Blueboard. I figured this might be for a higher handicap player and had some doubts, but those quickly went away. It does hit higher than the X-Drive, and doesn't feel quite as solid, but this thing is a cannon. Longer (for me) than the XD and SO easy to hit it's unbelievable. Very consistent, almost point and shoot. The Blueboard gives it a silky smooth feel and a mid-high trajectory. The 2008 ViQ 460 is slightly triangular in shape and featues a lot of new technology. It's a nice alternative to the XD and kept Tourstage as my driver of choice.

[ericchoi]

Well the awnser for the weight change is not possible. I am a X-drive 430p 9.5 tour ad m-65 stiff flex user. Because I live in South Korea there are plenty of chances to hit tourstage drivers. I bought this driver 5 months ago when x drive 445 was introduced. Let me just write down the models and the year that they were produced. X-drive 340 was way back i dont remember the exact year. then X-drive 405 came out around 05. X-drive 435 was 06. and New X-drive series that we are talking about came out 07. first 410 came out the first and followed by 430 430p 460 in the early 07. 460 GR came out in the mid 07 and followed by 460P limitied edition ( tour ad oem shaft for the 460p which was only in X flex ). 410,430,460 is a deep faced 410 a straight fligt and 430, 460 was straight and little draw flight. and the P models which is for Pair shape and draw bais. the 430p is 0.5~1 deg open and 460p is 1~2 deg open. I guess if your swing speed is fast enough and has a draw based flight fade bias is your choice.

The shaft choice was usually tourstage XD oem shafts and tour ad quattro tech 65 ( the GR version came with 55 ). But retails in Japan they have all the premium shafts available ( Diamana, Graphite design, Fujikura etc. have not seen Ozik). S.Korea tourstage importers brought tour ad quattro tech, tour ad pt, and tourstage XD oem shafts. Mostly 460 tour ad quattro tech was the main seller here. So I have tried the 460 Quattro tech 65 stiff and was not the ideal flight and feel for me. Then tried the 430p quattro tech 65 stiff but was a disater. The tip of the quattro tech was too stiff and could not go with the fade bias. So the best choice was a softer tip M-65 stiff and having good results. For the X-drive 445 lookers, the face is much harder tha the 07 X-drive series and comes with the diamana oem shaft. It's a good driver with the cool black head but people here are mostly going back to the 07 X-drive series. I guess thats why tourstage is making a black headed limitied editon GR head just to see how the market is going.

I used a titleist 905R 9.5 tour ad pt-6 stiff before and I still miss the titleist driver but I can say the tourstage is a much better driver made but not as easy as the 905R. I made a choice and sticking with the tourstage but I have to practice little more to keep it working.

Hope my reply has made a good awnser for the tourstage fans here in wrxgolf. Reply if you have more questions.

 

Eric

 

p.s. data for X-drive series 07

http://www.inpakuto.com/index.php/Post-Arc...cteristics.html

[MMB1500]

I'm thinking of swapping out the Rombax and putting a Fubuki in my X-Drive 460 GR. Any thoughts on this combo? I really think it could be a winner!

[corky]

Go ahead.... I'd be interested in your review....

[potatofu]

Waited over 20 days for my 430P head to come, put it into my favorite shaft... and it is my biggest purchase flop so far. And I only bought the head after having a pleasant experience at the range with an X-Drive 460.

 

Hit it on the range side by side with a regular Tour Burner and an r7 425, these 2 were out-driving and out-performing the 430p by a mile, baffling my playing partners. Noticed that the 430P set-up was an inch longer...assumed that was the problem and cut it down to match the other drivers. Now it's even worse! It feels like I am hitting a fake club...there is no consistent ballflight whatsoever.

 

I'm 90% sure that I have messed up the set-up by shortening it, or that the head cracked during international shipping. I have passed on the driver to a single handicapper just to make sure that it is the arrow this time around and not the indian.

 

The last resort is to replace my favorite shaft with something else and see what happens.

[jacksonlui]

the 430P has more of an open face and isn't as forgiving as the 460.

let me know if you still want that 460 10.5

[shuttle1]

The 460 and the 430P are two different, swing, heads. If you were hitting the 460 well the 430P would not be the correct head for you to use.

[potatofu]

Yep..I jumped on the 430P after reading the reviews over at inpakuto, they really didn't mention the 430p was a player's club, I only remember the 460P being the most fade biased of them all, the one to steer away from.

 

Good news is...I have added a good 30 yards to my driving distance using the r7 425. Trying to hit the 430p has made other drivers seem easier to use. My playing partners were surprised at the increase in distance and accuracy within just 1 week. It could be a blessing in disguise after all...

 

So I am relatively pleased to have gotten the 430p...albeit as a "training tool" at the moment...correct me if I'm wrong, but the shaft feels stiffer after I trimmed it down, so I might have actually made the set-up harder to use. I am quite confident that I can work the 430P with a suitable shaft, I have seen the distance it can produce when hit properly...I think it will produce looooong knuckle fades.

 

On a side note... I had the chance to hit an Epon AF 101 the other day. Not sure what to make of it, it definitely feels different than all the other drivers. I could almost feel the ball on the face...solid sounding driver.

[jacksonlui]

sounds like you should stick to the R7 425, it's still a solid driver.

it's tough choice between the xdrive and af101, i still don't know which to get rid off..but that's a good problem to have.

[jpsach22]

I recently got a 445 with the tour design shaft and I absolutely love it. I was hitting a R-5 TP. I'm hitting it with a lot more control, with an occaisionall bomb.

[JD3]

xdrive 430 best looking head ive ever seen PERIOD. setup w/ stock diamana black at stock length of 44.75" and youre looking at a dream machine. just a shame its not available in left handed, be in my bag right now if it were.

:beee: