Equipment
WRX Spotlight: Daiwa GIII Signature Driver
Product: Daiwa GIII Signature Driver
Pitch: From Daiwa: “Using their own GIII Neo Titanium Face allows GIII Signature Driver to achieve the Highest COR rating in their history. The new face combined with Double Power Trenches (Toe and Heel sides) create a “Double Repulsion Area”, an expanded sweet spot with more powerful spring effect and more forgiveness. DAIWA’s carbon technology fill the new SVF EX III shaft, creating a lightweight, strength, feel and maximum performance.”
Our take on the Daiwa GIII Signature Driver
Admittedly, this is a different kind of feature. We don’t expect many of our readers out there to bag this club, but when you see a beauty like this in the wild, you have to talk about it. This club is for the person that not only has everything but wants everything. This high-COR, Japan-inspired design and some amazing attention to detail that will perhaps get you to ignore the price tag.
Oh, and did we mention it’s made with real gold accents?
There’s an old saying attributed to American Financier J.P. Morgan: “If you have to ask, then you can’t afford it.” Most of us are in that boat. But if you view your driver as not only as an extra-hot performer but a symbol of status, look no further than the Daiwa GIII Signature. Features…
- Proprietary GIII neo-titanium face
- Super hot face with a COR of 0.875, which exceeds the USGA limit of 0.830
- Power Trenches for increased rebound effect
- Head shape inspired by an intricate, 12-layer kimono
- Intricate Edo Kuriko (traditional drinking glasses) etching on the sole and face
- Proprietary GIII shaft
- Envy of all your playing partners
In person, the face etching looks amazing and really stands out. Gold accents can be considered gaudy to some, so it’s really personal preference. Knowing it’s real gold and not simply colorized definitely helps in our eyes. The club is lighter weight overall and feels solid in your hands. We’d love to one day put its high-COR face through the paces on a FlightScope X3, but that’s for another day.
The Daiwa GIII Signature Driver is perhaps the ultimate form of club excess. Is it worth the $2,400 price tag? As the saying goes, “if you have to ask…”
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Equipment
Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron
As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)
What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!
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I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…
To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”
On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.
Here’s what he had to say:
You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?
MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.
And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.
When did it come back in the bag?
MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.
What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?
MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?
Do you remember how much you paid for it?
MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.
The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?
MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.
It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?
MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.
What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?
MT: Like high 170’s.
Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.
MT: Yeah. The butter knife.
Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons?
MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.
How far do you carry that?
MT: Like 235.
A good little wind club, I’m sure.
MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.
I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man.
MT: Absolutely.
To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click here.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/28/24): L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick putter with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft.
From the seller: (@hibcam): “L.A.B. GOLF Mezz.1 Max Broomstick- LA Golf Paige Spiranac Shaft- 44″/79.5. Brand new, never used brown leather cover. The head was professionally anodized from Orange to Blue (Orange looked bad with the Pink shaft so I had it changed). Only a few rounds on this combo. Please see last pic- slight ding on back corner. 8.5-10 condition. THE SHAFT COST $475/ THE PUTTER $625. $799 shipped in the US. ONLY $699 SHIPPED.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Equipment
Spotted: Tony Finau’s driver shaft change at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Tony Finau has always been known as one of the longest players on the PGA Tour, but he has recently been working on adding a little more distance. Last year, Finau averaged 118.3 mph club head speed and 178.08 mph ball speed, all while playing a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX driver shaft. This year, he has increased his club head speed to 123.93 mph and his ball speed to 183.32 mph.
However, Finau’s overall distance has decreased by two yards in that time. From a fitting perspective, something was amiss. We asked Tony about the shaft change at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open.
“[I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin. My driver’s been a little high spin for me over the last month or so, and so I just figured it was time to probably check out the equipment,” Finau said. “And it definitely showed me that I was using a shaft that’s maybe a little too tip-stiff for me, the way I load the club now. [I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin.”
Finau switched from the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX into the Diamana GT 70 TX. The newer Diamana GT has a slightly different profile than the D+ Limited with the stiffest handle section in the Diamana lineup. The mid sections between the two are similar stiffness but the tip is just slightly stiffer in the Diamana GT. Both shafts are within one gram of each other in the 70 TX. The torque rating on the GT is 0.1 higher than the D+Limited’s 2.7 measurement.
Mitsubishi lists the Diamana GT as a shaft between the mid-launching Diamana TB and the new low-launch Diamana WB shafts. For most players, it would be considered a mid/low launch and low-spin shaft option. Mitsubishi’s Xlink Tech Resin System makes sure the maximum carbon fiber content is there for smooth feel without reducing the strength of the shaft. MR70 carbon fiber is used for reinforcing the shaft and boron is used in the tip for its high strength and compression properties.
Finau is still using his trusty Ping G430 LST driver in 9 degrees and has the adjustable hosel set to -1 degree of loft (standard lie angle). Finau’s long-time favorite Lamkin UTX Green grip is installed. He definitely has a few extra wraps of tape under that grip as you can see the bulge down where the grip meets the shaft.
One final note: Per Ping’s PGA Tour rep Kenton Oates, Finau’s driver is also adjusted to play with an additional degree of loft to help dial in his desired launch.
We’ll see how he fares with the new setup this week in Houston!
- Check out the rest of our pictures from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
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Linc
Mar 30, 2019 at 10:10 am
They say this is the highest COR they have made while Wishon has got a driver close to 0.89 COR couple years ago. Have seen someone hit the older version G III before on Flightscope, did not really see any gain in ball speed.
JP
Mar 29, 2019 at 10:46 am
That would be a nice face milling pattern for a putter. The driver itself, not for me.
Jon
Mar 28, 2019 at 10:51 am
Finally a company with the balls to market a high COR driver. Now market one under a different brand name that would retail for under $300 and watch it fly off the shelves.
Ryan Michael
Mar 28, 2019 at 12:23 am
Thanos must have a golf scene in the upcoming Avengers Endgame!
Russ Dechambeauner
Mar 27, 2019 at 11:28 pm
Stop, I can onry get so erect.
Moses
Mar 28, 2019 at 8:20 am
The idea of the driver makes me ornery.
Mower
Mar 27, 2019 at 11:21 pm
I’m guessing all those Saudi rich kids are buying these.
BB
Mar 28, 2019 at 10:32 am
With their best bud Trump
doug
Mar 29, 2019 at 5:38 pm
Ah yeah..The Donald. The guy who put his own name on the 2018 Club C/ship-even though he didn’t play in the event.
Believe me, right now the USA has bigger issues that the price of a gold-etched big dog.
Brandon
Mar 27, 2019 at 10:40 pm
Lots of these JDM metal woods look like they were designed by the same lady who does the interior design on all the Persian palaces here in the Bay area.
dat
Mar 27, 2019 at 9:42 pm
Only $2,400? Pshhhh
Jamie
Mar 27, 2019 at 8:00 pm
Hollyweird prop for the insecure trust fund baby. No wonder the game is dying.