Mushrooms are delicious of course (like in this homemade cream of mushroom soup recipe), but they can also be incredibly healing. Reishi mushrooms are particularly special as they are one of the oldest mushrooms used medicinally and boast benefits ranging from longevity to cancer treatment. What Are Reishi Mushrooms? Reishi mushrooms are a group of...
Continue reading Reishi Mushroom Benefits for Immunity, Longevity & More...
If you want to hit the ball farther, you need to swing the club faster. That’s basic math.
But how do you swing the club faster, while still keeping your swing under control?
That, my friends, is the million dollar question. The folks at SuperSpeed Golf believe they have an answer.
A few weeks ago we ran a story on the how’s and why’s of SuperSpeed Golf. In a nutshell, it’s called Overspeed Training: you swing a shaft weighted to be 20% lighter than your standard drive, another that’s 10% lighter and a third that’s 5% heavier, each as hard as you can. SuperSpeed Golf says virtually everyone will pick up swing speed after the first try.
SuperSpeed Golf says its protocols can permanently rewire your neurological pathways to boost your swing speed and help you hit the ball a bit farther. They have the science to back it up and plenty of Tour players use it during their practice routine. But here at MyGolfSpy, we want to know what gains you – the avid golfer – can achieve by using SuperSpeed Golf.
We’re looking for eight of you — yep, eight – to test, review and keep a SuperSpeed Golf set in return for your commitment to use the set for the rest of your golf season and report on the results.
Additionally, SuperSpeed will also provide you with a Swing Speed Radar so you can track your progress as you go through the protocols.
This review opportunity is open to any avid golfer in the U.S. or Canada.
WIN! – The 1st Mizuno JPX 919 Set Available!
Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!
All of MyGolfSpy’s Community reviews require a serious commitment on the part of the reviewer. You will need to be motivated, detail oriented and savvy with online forums, so please make sure you read the following instructions carefully and apply in the proper place.
Our member reviews are published in our Community Forum (click here to check them out). Writing a thorough, detailed and honest review is a lot of work – you’ll be writing detailed reviews of your two-month-plus journey, as well as participating in the MyGolfSpy Community Forum itself to answer questions and discuss product performance with other golfers.
That means to be a potential reviewer you must be a registered member of the MyGolfSpy Community Forum, where you’ll find nearly 70,000 like-minded golfers from all over the world anxious to talk about golf equipment.
To apply to test, review and keep a SuperSpeed Golf set and a Swing Speed Radar, here’s what you have to do:
– First, please sign up for the MyGolfSpy Community Forum (click here to register).
– Second, apply ONLY in the Official SuperSpeed Golf Review Application thread in the MyGolfSpy Forum (click here).
We’ll be announcing our testers next week, so be sure to check the MyGolfSpy Community Forum to see if you’ve been selected.
Yesterday we lifted the curtain on Mizuno’s new JPX919 lineup. Styled to appeal to a modern, aggressive golfer, the JPX919 family offers three distinct models that can be mixed and matched to fill the performance needs of most any golfer. Insomuch as golf clubs can be so, the new JPX919 are sexy as hell. It’s okay to feel a little naughty looking through the pictures.
We’re certain Mizuno fans, and passionate golfers everywhere will be itching to get their hands on the new models. For one lucky golfer, we’re going to expedite that process in the best way possible.
We’re extremely excited to offer our readers the chance to win one of the first sets of Mizuno JPX919s available anywhere. We’re talking a full on win it before you can buy it situation, and we’re talking about a fully custom set of Mizuno JPX919 Irons.
You will get your JPX919 100% your way. It’s like Burger King if Burger King made some of the best-performing, best-feeling, and best-looking iron on the market today.
For your chance to win one of the first sets of Mizuno JPX919 Irons, here’s what you need to do.
That’s it. And now here’s that subscription form.
WIN! – The 1st Mizuno JPX 919 Set Available!
Enter MyGolfSpy’s Giveaway!
To learn more about the Mizuno JPX919, read our feature story on the new models, and visit the Mizuno Golf website.
Have you ever wondered why fluoride is in our water? I get a lot of questions from all of you on this subject and I’ve been meaning to write about it for a long time. Mellisa Gallico is here to share all about the dangers of fluoride and its hidden connection to a common problem:...
Continue reading 183: Fluoride: The Hidden Cause of Acne (& What to Do About It)...
Click here to read Easy Magnet Block Ball Drop Activity for Independent Play on Hands On As We Grow
Need a quick independent activity for your children? You’ll love this easy magnet block ball drop activity from Julie.
Some days my kids are stuck on me like glue.
In the laundry room? They’re there.
Sweeping under the rug? They’ve got to help.
Washing up the dishes? You guessed it.
My little helpers are right beside me!
While I love the help, sometimes I’ve just got to get things done without little hands in the mix.
Or try these amazing tips to keep baby busy in the kitchen.
We recently had one of those “stuck like glue” days, and I stumbled on this simple ball drop activity to keep my kids busy in the kitchen.
Next time you need a quick busy activity to occupy your children, I highly recommend this super easy independent play idea!
For your magnet block ball drop, you’ll need just a few materials to get your child started:
Since my children are smaller, I helped them get the ball drop started.
First, we set out a line of magnet blocks flat on the refrigerator.
After a while, my son experimented with placing blocks to form a 3D ball drop maze.
He had to try again quite a few times to make sure the maze was strong enough to hold the ball. After a few experiments, he discovered that a bottom support and side triangle support combined to create a super-strong structure.
Support your budding engineer with an idea to build towers without blocks!
To top off the fun, my children loved trying to catch the ball in a net below. This activity is a great solution for keeping big kids and small kids busy at the same time.
My older child dropped the ball, and baby sister loved chasing it if it escaped the net!
When you’re trying to entertain multiple kids, try these ideas for two (or more) kids under four.
Along with problem-solving, this simple activity also encourages fine motor skills, counting, and geometry.
I even added in a bit of reading practice by spelling out the word “drop” with our magnet letters! Sneaking in reading practice is so much fun, especially with games like these alphabet activities for preschoolers.
I’ll be pulling out this simple magnet block ball drop activity the next time I need to wash dishes for sure!
Interim Semester has become an integral part of the Singapore American School experience. For 41 years SAS students have ventured out seeking unique learning opportunities both, here in Singapore, and throughout Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.
On Thursday, September 6 there will be an information session on the Interim Semester program as well as an overview of the courses offered this year. We will meet in H301 at 7:00 p.m. and anticipate finishing the evening by 8:00 p.m.
The 2019 Interim Semester course information will be available online on the high school website beginning on September 12. Please take time to review the handbook with your son or daughter and note the offerings, course objectives, and sign up procedures.
I will never forget the feeling of digging up our first crop of sweet potatoes at our first home when we were finally able to have a good size garden. I had ordered 100 “slips” (baby sweet potato plants) to plant that year, but didn’t really know what I was doing and didn’t have high...
Continue reading Sweet Potato Vegetable Lasagna Recipe...
You can make a compelling case that the Srixon-Cleveland equipment lineup – from top to bottom – is as strong as any in the game. From one end of the bag to the other, Srixon-Cleveland offers a choice for everyone from a high handicapper looking for as much help as possible to the scratch looking for a sex-on-a-stick blade.
Srixon’s two-year-old 565 and 765 irons were both top performers in past MyGolfSpy Most Wanted testing and are favorites among MGS readers and staff. Despite their performance and popularity, the sand in the old hourglass has run out for both, and golf’s product calendar says it’s time for an update.
We shared our First Look at Srixon’s new Z 85 metal woods yesterday, an upgrade Srixon considers revolutionary compared to its previous models, When it comes to irons, however, the Srixon brand is traditionally more evolution than revolution. Incremental change is the phrase they use, and the new Z 585 and Z 785 irons sets, while not radically different than their high-performing predecessors, do bring a few interesting upgrades to the party that are sure to turn a few heads.
Whenever an OEM unveils an upgrade, it’s always fair to ask if it’s an improvement or if it’s just a change to satisfy the calendar and to sell something new. The cynics, of course, will say it’s nothing more than a marketing-fueled money grab. Generally speaking, however; companies on two-year product cycles view their new releases as part of a product continuum: each iteration featuring performance enhancements the OEM believes will provide golfers with an incrementally better stick.
Or, as Robert Browning once wrote, “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a Heaven for?”
The upgrades to the Z 585s and 785s are subtle and, in Srixon’s own words, incremental. The 585s have evolved into a bit of a category buster: they’re the most Game Improvement-y irons in Srixon’s lineup, but wouldn’t be out of place in the new Player’s Distance category. Comps include Mizuno’s JPX 900 Forged, Callaway’s Apex CF 16 (or whatever replaces it) and Titleist’s AP2.
The Z 785’s are Srixon’s next generation forged, cavity back player’s iron – a refinement of the popular Z 765. Comps include the Titleist 718 CB, Wilson Staff FG Tour V6 and Mizuno MP 18, among others.
“They’re two great feeling, great looking irons,” says Srixon Marketing Director Brian Schielke, not unexpectedly. “Compact, thin top line. The 585s are more about feel and distance, the 785s more about feel and control.”
And both, when Srixon’s updated Utility irons are added to the mix, can make for some unique combo sets.
The Z 585 was MyGolfSpy’s Most Wanted Game Improvement Iron for 2017 – it featured a forged 1020 carbon steel head with a high strength SUP10 steel face. Not for nothing, so does the new Z 585.
So where’s the beef?
It’s in the groove. Speed Groove, that is.
“Imagine the face of a big trampoline with spring around the outside,” says Schielke. “What we’ve done is milled out a little channel around the perimeter, making the face more flexible, so you get a little more ball speed.”
Face flexibility is the thing in distance irons, and every OEM has its own take on it. More face flex over a wider area of the clubface helps reduce distance loss on mishits and maximizes direct hits. Feel, however, can be a problem in this category (Urethane Microspheres, anyone?), so Srixon is trying to mitigate that with a black material covering the Speed Groove.
“Some distance irons are clicky,” says Schielke. “These have that soft material surrounding the high strength face, which absorbs a lot of the vibrations.”
The 3- through 7-irons feature a full Speed Groove that circles the entire cavity back, while the 8- and 9-irons have a sole groove only. The PW and SW have no groove.
The soft, black dampening material raised quite a stink a couple of months ago when we showed early pictures of the 585s from the USGA Conforming website. Quite frankly, those shots made the club look awful. In person, while they may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the 585s do appear a bit more refined – maybe not quite as clean as the 565, but beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the golfer. If you’re the type who spends time every day gazing at your clubs as they sit in the bag waiting for you to take them out to play, and a black outline just isn’t your thing, the look may put you off. On the course, if you’re looking at the back of the club while swinging, you’re doing it wrong.
Of greater import, do Speed Grooves work? Srixon’s own internal testing suggests there’s something there. Comparing 7-iron ball speeds with the JPX 900 Forged and the Titleist AP2, Srixon tells us – not surprisingly – the 585 out ball-sped the Mizuno by just over 1 MPH, and the Titleist by nearly 4 MPH. As always, consider the source.
After a few rounds and range sessions we can say when it comes to feel, the Speed Grooves perform as advertised: the 585s are an excellent feeling iron. Distance-wise, they’re certainly not lacking. MyGolfSpy will be running its own tests to compare against the rest of the field.
Srixon’s unique V.T. Sole has been adjusted just a wee bit for the 585, as well. It’s slightly wider compared to the 565 to improve turf interaction, an attribute at which the 565’s already excelled.
Cosmetically, Srixon didn’t do much at all to the Z 785, which is probably a good thing. The 765 was a pretty sweet looking iron, and its progeny is as well. The 785 is still forged from a single billet of 1020 carbon steel, but there are a couple of functional tweaks.
“There’s a little more material behind the ball to help feel,” says Zack Oakley, Srixon’s brand manager. “It’s right in the middle, and that’s where the better players are supposed to be striking it. It aids in workability so that you can move it around a little easier than before.”
That extra material adds a little oomph to the club, as well. Srixon says its staffers are picking up some yards with the 785s, while achieving a higher ball flight and a steeper landing angle.
In addition, shaping has been adjusted just a tad. It’s a wee bit more compact than the 765, with a slightly sharper topline. The V.T. sole has also been tweaked – with a little bit more leading-edge bounce.
“The Tour guys love it,” says Schielke. “They feel they can hit down as hard as they want, and it just cuts through the turf. And for people who do hit a fraction behind the ball, it maintains more speed through the turf. So rather than coming up short of the green, you’ll maybe make the front of the green on a mishit.”
Srixon is not coming out with a new blade at this time, and the 2016 Z 965 blade is not currently listed on Srixon’s website.
As we said earlier, Srixon is enthusiastically promoting the idea of combo sets with the new Zs. The 585 and 785 are pretty close in terms of face shape and size – the biggest differences are the sole width, the perimeter, and the back cavity design. Despite the black Speed Groove material on the 585s, the clubs don’t look mismatched in the same bag, and spec-wise, you could say they combine by design.
And if you want to jazz up your combo set, Srixon is updating – and expanding – it’s Utility iron.
Srixon’s Z U65 Utility irons are the number one utility iron on Tour, a ranking of which Srixon is justifiably proud.
“Most of our staffers have one or two in play,” says Schielke. “They’ll play a practice round or a regular round with someone who’s a non-staffer, and the next day that non-staffer will be in our Tour trailer asking us to build one for him.”
The U65 has been popular at retail, too, to the point where Srixon simply can’t keep them in stock.
Again, if it’s so good, why mess with a good thing?
Well, more options for your combo set, for one.
“We’ve designed both irons sets and the new Z U85 Utility irons for progressive sets,” says Oakley, “to make it easy to mix and match.” The U85s do carry a higher price tag – by $58 per stick – compared to the 585/785s, so more Utility irons means a higher price tag (depending on your Utility to Hybrid ratio). At $199, the Srixon’s are a full $50 less expensive than TaylorMade’s GAPR, and Callaway’s X Forged Utility.
The U85 features full hollow-body construction, with the same 1020 forged head and SUP10 high strength steel face as the 585 irons. Compared to the U65s, the U85s have a wider sole and a deeper Center of Gravity.
“Full hollow construction is the in thing now,” says Oakley. “It lets you bring the CG down to get the ball up, especially in the 2- and 3-irons, where getting the ball up is more important than anything.”
“You can do some things with the weighting that aren’t visible,” adds Schielke. “It looks like a blade but has the performance and forgiveness of a cavity back.”
To add to your combo set options, Srixon is offering the U85s in 2-iron through 6-iron. The U65s were available on 2, 3 and 4 only. For example, if you’re looking for distance and forgiveness, you could combine the 4, 5 and 6 U85 utilities with the 585s in 7-PW, or you could combine the 4 through 6 Utilities with the 785s for workability and forgiveness, or you could piece together a mixture of Utilities, 585s and 785s. Srixon is making a wide array of no upcharge shafts available, to make mixing and matching that much easier.
“We really don’t know how many utility irons we can sell,” admit Schielke. “That’s because we’ve sold through our inventory over the last two years. We’re trying to forecast better for this model.”
Might we see a full set of hollow-body irons from Srixon anytime soon? Schielke didn’t say yes, but then again, he didn’t say no, either.
“We’re definitely considering it.”
The Srixon Z 585 irons are in 3-iron through AW, and a 7-piece set sells for $999 in steel, $1,199 in graphite. The stock steel shaft is the Nippon Modus3 105; stock graphite is the Miyazaki Kuala. The Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 is the stock grip.
The Z 785 is also available in 3-iron through AW, with the same $999 price for a 7-piece set. The Nippon Modus3 120 is the stock shaft (there’s no stock graphite offering), with the same Tour Velvet 360 grip.
The Z U85 Utility will be available in 2- through 6-iron, with the UST Recoil 95 and the Tour Velvet stock. It will sell for $199.
Srixon is offering an aggressive list of no upcharge shaft options for the entire lineup, including Nippon’s Pro Modus3 and Pro 950 lines, the Dynamic Gold, Dynamic Gold Tour Issue, the DG 105 and DG 120 as well as the True Temper AMT Black and Tour White. KBS Tour, Tour 90, Tour V, Tour FLT, C-Taper, C-Taper, $-Taper and the 560 and 580 Junior Shafts are also no upcharge options, as are the Project X, Project X PXi, and Project X LZ. The Recoil 95, Recoil SMACWRAP and Steel Fiber 95’s are graphite options.
Just as aggressive is the no upcharge grip selection, which includes pretty much every grip Golf Pride, Lamkin and Winn offer.
You can preorder the new Z series irons at selected retailers and on Srixon’s website now and will be available at retail starting September 14th.
Click here to read Cute Leaf People Fall Craft for Kids on Hands On As We Grow
This time of year, as the leaves start to fall, it’s fun to create a cute leaf people fall craft for kids!
Getting outside, walking through nature, and noticing the changing colors of the trees is an activity that the whole family can do together.
While you’re on your nature walk, collect some great leaves. Then, use them in a funny, cute, and memorable craft that your family will want to do year after year.
Here’s more ways to use leaves in crafts this fall.
You’ll need just three items for this creative craft (affiliate links):
Go out on a nature hike.
With your kids, notice the colors of the leaves on the trees and on leaves that have fallen.
Collect leaves of different colors and sizes. Try to find leaves from a variety of trees. Kids can notice the shapes of leaves and the trees they come from as they walk and collect leaves.
Be sure to grab a lot of leaves so you can also do activities like these leaf rubbings.
Later, pull out a sheet of adhesive back googly eyes.
You can use non-adhesive googly eyes and glue to attach them to the leaves, but using the adhesive back type makes this activity super simple and great for all ages.
My two year old loved this activity and was able to easily pull the googly eyes from the plastic sheet and place them right on the leaves.
Try these Fall Activities for Toddlers!
Show your kids how to stick the eyes onto the leaves to create eyes.
With the marker, add facial features such as eyes, nose, mouth, ears, or hair.
While you craft, talk about the facial features to help younger ones with naming body parts. Preschool-aged children can discuss emotions and how facial features indicate a person’s emotions.
You’ll want to use dry, but not crumbly leaves for this activity. Leaves that have recently fallen from trees should work well.
If your leaves are wet from being outside, use a towel to dry them before sticking the googly eyes on them.
Working on these leaf people is a great way to incorporate fine motor skills into a fun and easy craft.
By pulling the googly eyes from its backing sheet, kids will develop and strengthen a pincer grasp while strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the hands.
These skills are needed for many tasks including pencil grasp and clothing fasteners.
Sticking the eyes onto the leaves work on eye-hand coordination skills that are necessary for written work and scissor use.
Try using this craft to develop fine motor skills in your little one!
This simple leaf garland is another fun way to develop fine motor skills.
My kids had SO much fun with this leaf people fall craft.
It was a great way to use colorful leaf collections in a craft that was perfect for all of my kids.
My two-year-old, four-year-old, seven-year-old, and nine-year-old all got into the leaf people making project. They couldn’t stop laughing as we created funny leaf people faces.
And that is it! With just a few materials, you can create a fun and memorable fall tradition that will bring on the laughs!
We eat a lot of salads at our house since it’s an easy way to get healthy greens into our diet. I’m really loving this roasted beet and arugula salad lately, especially since both are growing in our garden right now. If you’re afraid of beets, don’t be… when roasted they are sweet and tender...
Continue reading Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad...
Our season one registration numbers are brimming! Season one activities start on Monday, September 3 and conclude Friday, November 9. If you missed out on regular registration, the late registration period will be from September 10 to 14. All late registrations will incur a $50 administrative fee and class fees are not prorated.
If your child will be using the after-school activity bus service, please do not forget to register for this service with Yeap Transport. See details from Yeap Transport below. Tuesday, August 28 is the deadline for activity bus registration if you want your kindergarten to grade two child to ride the activity bus starting on September 3.
For years, my own health journey to finally getting a diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease came to a screeching halt because I couldn’t find a doctor in my area who understood thyroid disease and I couldn’t get a referral to a specialist unless I went through a doctor. I also couldn’t get lab tests without a...
Continue reading Lab Tests You Can Order From Home (Without A Doctor)...
Click here to read Colorful Water Play Experiment for Preschoolers on Hands On As We Grow
Mix up your next playtime with colorful water play experiment for preschoolers. Use Julie’s ideas, and add your own fun twists, too!
My preschooler loves water play! If your child enjoys pouring and mixing water, he’s sure to love this simple colorful water play experiment.
This play-based learning preschool activity teaches colors, fine motor skills, and lots of listening skills as well!
We were inspired by a simple water play idea and remixed it a bit. We wanted to add in some scientific thinking and hypothesizing for older children.
Our activity used just a few simple supplies that we usually keep stocked at home. To do this experiment, you’ll need:
I took out three sheets of white paper and colored little squares on each one with the markers.
On each paper, I drew different combinations of colors. I drew squares of blue + red on one page, blue + yellow on another, and red + yellow on the last one.
We set one empty bowl on top of each paper.
Next, my son helped me fill each empty spice jar with a bit of food coloring and water. I put just one color in each jar: red, blue, and yellow.
He had fun shaking up the jars to mix in the color!
I explained that today we were going to explore colors.
“Blue, red, and yellow are called primary colors. This means that with only these three colors we can make any other color in the world!”
Amazing, right?
We used the colored squares on each page to guide our experiment and mixing. I had him point to the colored square on the paper and choose the correct jar of colored water.
Before my son poured any water into the bowls, I asked him to make a hypothesis, or guess.
Which color will we create when we mixed up the three colors we had?
After you make your hypothesis, you could “record” it by adding a third colored square, your guess, to your paper.
We started by mixing blue + yellow. He guessed that we would create green!
I like to make sure I let him do the thinking so I said, “That’s a good hypothesis, let’s test it and see what happens!”
For our first mixture, he poured in yellow, and then blue. And it made…green!
He was so happy he got it right, and quickly wanted to move on to the next step of the experiment.
Keep experimenting with your preschooler to discover what dissolves in water!
The next two combinations he did not guess correctly.
Can I tell you a secret? I was actually glad he didn’t!
It gave us a chance to talk about the way a scientist thinks.
Scientists don’t get upset if they guess wrong. They learn, make a new hypothesis, and keep trying.
We still had a great time watching the new color appear!
If you’ve added your “guess” color to the paper, and you are wrong, make a new square with the actual color. It’s a great way to keep track of your experiments, and is super scientific!
Keep making science exciting with 30 oh-so-cool science experiments for preschoolers!
This simple colorful water play experiment was such an easy way to combine the scientific process, sensory water play, and color theory as well!
Keep exploring colors with a fun color sorting activity that uses sticky window clings.
If you have any type of autoimmune disease, today’s episode is just for you. I’m here with Andrea Wool who is a personal trainer, a nutritional therapy practitioner, and the founder and CEO of Autoimmune Strong, an online fitness program designed specifically for those of us living with autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, or chronic pain. This mom...
Continue reading 182: Why You Need to Exercise Differently If You Have Autoimmune Disease (& How) With Autoimmune Strong...
Here’s a truism for you to ponder on this fine Monday: in the game of Metal Wood Musical Chairs, there are only so many seats. And when the music stops, you better have a chair.
If you’re TaylorMade, Callaway, PING, Titleist or Cobra, your seats are already saved. You have Tour validation and you can advertise the bejeezus out of anything you sell. Challenger metal wood brands have to catch and claw for their seats. The Wilsons, Mizunos and Srixons of the world have to fight every day to try to grab that last chair and to get your attention.
With today’s release of its new Z 85 line of drivers, fairways and hybrids, Srixon is making a compelling case not only for a chair, but a seat at the head table. And they guaranty it.
“You have to take some risks, otherwise you’re not giving the consumer any compelling reason to switch from Callaway or TaylorMade,” said Zack Oakley, Srixon’s brand manager, at an equipment summit with MyGolfSpy staffers earlier this month. “Those guys have been at the top for so long, and they make a great product.”
Srixon’s Z 585 driver was, of course, MyGolfSpy’s Most Wanted for 2017, and its better-player focused sidekick, the Z 765, finished fifth overall. Both sold decently at retail, but Srixon is aiming higher this year, and is taking some bold steps to get your attention with its two new models, the Z 585 and Z 785.
“With these products, we have something that can stand up to, and even surpass, Callaway and TaylorMade in terms of performance,” says Oakley.
While Srixon’s new Z 85 iron lineup is evolutionary, Srixon firmly believes its new drivers are more of a revolutionary upgrade from its predecessors, featuring three key innovations: a new titanium cup face, a carbon fiber crown and the most upscale stock and no-upcharge shaft offerings the industry has seen to date.
Srixon is literally guaranteeing you’re going to like these new drivers.
Yes, that’s foreshadowing, but let’s start by taking a peak under the hood.
The new Z 585 and 785 drivers both have titanium cup faces. That alone isn’t revolutionary – the Z 65 series drivers had titanium cup faces, and so do other drivers. For this go round, Srixon is using a stronger and lighter titanium, called Ti51AF.
“It has a very high strength to weight ratio, and hasn’t been used in golf before,” says Brian Schielke, Srixon’s marketing manager. “It’s 8% stronger and 1% lighter than Ti 6-4, which we used before.”
What that means is the Z 85 cup faces are 10% thinner than the Z 65’s, and as we’ve all learned in Golf Physics 101 – lighter and thinner means hotter and longer. Srixon says the Z 85’s have thinner faces than TaylorMade’s M4, and a thinner perimeter than both M4 and the PING G400. Their own internal testing shows 2 to 3 MPH more ball speed than M3, M4, Rogue and G400. While you’re right to be skeptical of any OEM’s internal testing, we’ll share some data from two MyGolfSpy staffers in a bit that will make you go hmmm….
Ball speed, of course, wins on launch monitors and it makes Tour players pay attention. None of Srixon’s Tour staff gamed either of the Z 65 drivers, but the 85’s have most definitely made an impression.
“We have five already in play now, where we didn’t have any of the old ones in play,” says Schielke. “Keegan picked up ball speed over his M2, GMac picked up ball speed, so did Will McGirt. Ryan Fox, who just won the Irish Open, has one in play.”
Both drivers also feature a new carbon fiber crown. Again, not new to drivers, but it is new to Srixon.
“The crown is kind of dead weight,” says Oakley. “If you can make the crown lighter is lowers the Center of Gravity and pulls it back a bit farther, so you can have more perimeter weighting and more forgiveness.”
Srixon sources its carbon fiber from Mitsubishi chemical and, thanks to its Miyazaki shaft factory in Japan, is one of Mitsubishi’s largest customers. The carbon formula used in the Z 85’s helps not only heel-toe MOI, but also sound and feel. The Z 65 models, while solid performers, could sound a little clinky, which impacts feel. The Z 85’s, however, feature more of a muted sound and feel, as though the ball is staying on the face just a hair longer.
Both the Z 785 and Z 585 are 460cc and have similar head shapes. The 785 sets up neutral and delivers a more penetrating ball flight, while the 585 has a slight draw bias and a higher launch. One other key difference: the 785 has an adjustable hosel, while the 585 is non-adjustable.
“We expect the 785 to sell more and fit more golfers,” says Schielke. “If you’re a better player who likes to fine tune face angle, loft and lie, we have the 785. If you just want to hit it straight, high and far, there’s the 585.”
The 585 does have a slightly higher MOI, largely due to the fact it doesn’t have as much weight in the hosel.
Most every OEM has two driver offerings, and a growing trend has been for one to have maximum adjustability and the other to have little to none. TaylorMade’s M3/M4 and Mizuno’s GT/ST are prime examples. Srixon’s offering is sorta, kinda similar, although the Z 785 is nowhere near as adjustable as the others, and that’s intentional.
“We definitely considered moveable weights – there are pros and cons,” says Shielke. “Moveable weights are costly, and they do take the center of gravity away from the maximum performance area.”
“Moveable weights certainly help you fine tune,” adds Oakley. “For Tour guys who can notice a degree or two in ball flight or a little bit less or a little bit more spin, it probably means more. For the overall market and most golfers, though, you’re literally fine tuning with little bits and pieces.”
“M3 may have more options, but that means more worse options,” Schielke says. “Weight tracking systems are more of a marketing bullet point.”
Shafts, however, are not.
Remember the MyGolfSpy article on the shady world of stock driver shafts? Well, Srixon is giving made-for and watered-down a good swift kick in the you-know whats. The stock shaft for the Z 785 driver is a real deal, honest to goodness Handcrafted HZRDUS Black.
“We want to make sure we’re giving the most Tour authentic components out there,” says Oakley. “These are made at the Project X Lab in San Diego, where they make all the Tour parts.”
The Z 585 comes standard with the standard HZRDUS Red, but you can get the handcrafted version with the 585 if you want. In fact, Handcrafted Black, Yellow or Red are all available at no upcharge. Srixon is the only OEM offering the HZRDUS Handcrafted as stock.
And remember that foreshadowing alert from a few paragraphs ago? Well, Srixon is so sure you’re going to really dig its new drivers that it’s taking the unprecedented step (for an OEM) of offering you a 60-day money back performance guaranty.
“We understand that for woods, Srixon hasn’t been a big brand,” says Schielke. “There might be some apprehension to try it, so this lets you try it risk free.”
Now that’s testicular fortitude.
“We weren’t going to do it, and we wouldn’t have done it if the test results weren’t so good,” adds Schielke. “It shows we believe in it, and it’ll be a decent part of our marketing effort. We’re going to talk performance first – it goes farther than your current driver – and we’re so confident that we’ll back it up with this guaranty.”
So does it perform? MyGolfSpy’s two young guns – Sam Robinson and Harry Nodwell – put the Z 785 up against their gamers earlier this month to see. Both game PING G400’s – Sam the MAX and Harry the LST – both played college golf and both are bombers, with swing speeds in excess of 110 MPH.
When Sam tested his gamer, he was averaged 162 MPH ball speed and 290 yards. His first numbers with the Srixon were similar, but a slight loft adjustment got his ball speed up to 167 MPH. Sam’s spin and launch angle didn’t vary much, but he did gain nearly 10 yards of carry, with drives averaging around 303 yards.
Harry was a tougher fit. His PING was giving him 173 MPH ball speed and an average of 300 yards. Again, his first swings with the Srixon didn’t show much improvement until he put the same shaft in his Srixon as he had in the PING. His ball speed immediately jumped to 177 MPH with distance ranging from 312 to 318.
As with any metal woods launch, hybrids and fairways tend to get lost in the driver shuffle. If you’re in the market, however, you will want to put the new Srixons on your demo list.
The Z F85 fairways share much of the same DNA as the drivers, with a hot HT 1770 steel cup face and a carbon fiber crown in both the 3 and 3+ for more ball speed. There’s also an interesting twist to the cup face. Literally.
“TaylorMade has people talking about bulge and roll again,” says Schielke. “But we actually have three different bulge regions and two different roll values on the face. We’ve been doing this in clubs for a long time.”
That sure does sound like Twist Face, does it not?
The hybrids may wind up being the secret weapon in the Srixon arsenal. They H85 models are noticeably larger than the H65 models, as Srixon hopes to fit a wider group of golfer with a an easier to hit, easier to launch hybrid that’s not a hook-machine.
“These are a little bit bigger, but also significantly hotter,” says Schielke. “About 20 COR points hotter than our previous models, and actually hotter than Rogue.”
Hotter than Rogue? Without Jailbreak? What kind of voodoo is this?
“No voodoo,” says Schielke. “It’s pretty simple: a thinner, slightly bigger face means you can get a hotter face. It’s that big trampoline vs. small trampoline thing – you get more bounce.”
The Srixon Z 785 will retail for $499 and will be available in 9.5 and 10.5 degree models. The 785 features a fully adjustable hosel and, as stated earlier, the Project X HZRDUS Black 65 Handcrafted shaft is stock.
The Z 585 driver retails for $399 in 9.5 and 10.5 degree lofts. It’s nonadjustable and comes with the HZRDUS Red 65 shaft as stock.
The full complement of HZRDUS Handcrafted shafts are available as no upcharge options. The Even Flow Handcrafted Blue 65, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Blue and Orange, Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Black and the UST Mamiya Helium 4 are among the shafts available for a $100 upcharge.
The F 85 fairways will retail for $249 and come with the HZRDUS Red 65 stock. They’ll be available in 3+, 3 and 5.
The H 85 Hybrids will come stock with the HZRDUS Hybrid Black 85 and will be available in three lofts: 16-, 19- and 22-degrees.
Presale starts today on Srixon’s website and at selected retailers. The products will be in stores September 14th.
