TwoSolitudes
Swingin' for the fences
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2010
- Messages
- 1,511
- Reaction score
- 12
Remember the Niblick? Sure you do, there were about 100 pages of posts about what a great concept that club represents and how useful it is on both chips and full shots. For me it was the full shots on the Niblick that were the most amazing- and the most frustrating. Amazing because they were almost automatic in making high, long and deadly accurate shots. Frustrating, because Cleveland teased us with only 4 lofts, and then dropped them down to 3. If only someone would find a way to make a full set with that kind of design, imagine how it could impact your game!
Well, let me introduce you to… The i3000x Maruman Shuttle Irons.
Look familiar? It should. The deep cavity, the wide two-level sole, the shallow long ultra-forgiving face. When I first saw these I was sure Cleveland had made a Niblick set. According to the Maruman website these irons are "a new era iron for the average golfers desirous of hitting a ball comfortably on target". Well OK, not exactly US style marketing, but really, who isn't desirous of hitting a ball comfortably on target?
Metal heads
The Shuttle is made of no less than three types of metal. Plasma welded maraging 200 steel for the head, 'super strong' maraging steel 771 for the face and two tungsten inserts in the back of the sole. Very high tech, very high quality. Although the head still feels heavy, the Shuttles use lightweight graphite shafts making them much lighter than the Niblick. They obviously don’t look like a classic blade, or even a classic cavity back, but if you liked the Niblick and don’t mind the idea of a thicker sole and topline, these actually look pretty good.
Shuttle vs. Niblick. Less offset on the Shuttle.
So Lighter=More speed=More distance. Like a page out of Cleveland right?
Feels like a winner
But OK I hear you say, the Niblicks were great, but they didn’t feel great, especially the 37* so a 5 iron with this design is going to feel like a banging a crowbar on a rock right? Well actually… no.
With the light shaft giving you plenty of easy swing speed and the tungsten weights promoting a nice square impact, by the time the ball hits the maraging steel face the feel is smooth, the sound is a nice click and the ball jumps off the face as if it was titanium. The mix of materials works very well. The feel won’t be confused with a set of forged Mizuno’s, but it is really really nice. Off center hits don’t feel or sound bad either. You know where you missed, but you won’t need to put your hand in ice afterwards. There is just no comparison between this and other sets aimed at the mid-high handicapper. After using these for a while, clubs like the Burner SuperLaunches or HB3's feel almost harsh and cheap.
A quick word about the shaft. The WLT is a high kick point shaft. The flex plays softer than normal. It’s offered in R2 (waaaaay too soft) R (soft) SR (a standard US R flex) and S (which is more like a firm). If you normally play a true Stiff shaft then go straight to the custom shaft options as you won’t be happy with the stock. For me the 53 gram SR with 4.1 Tq was a great fit.
What about distance? Amazing!, but…..
Here is where it gets interesting. Forget 17 more yards. My average distance with these irons was 20 yards further than with my Pings across the set- and the Pings are great irons for me. Is it magic!? No. The answer is actually pretty simple and could be a hint at the future of irons in the US and Canada as well.
The shafts are a bit longer than standard (whatever standard means these days) but the lofts are strong. Very strong. The 5i comes in at 22* the 7i at 28* and the 9 at 36*. Wait, does that mean the PW is 41*? No, the PW is a very manageable 46*. So what is in place between the 9 and the PW?
Let me introduce you to…..
In a way this makes perfect sense. With the direction lofts and shaft lengths are going and the OEM’s desire to make everyone think they have the longest clubs in the business, it was either extra gap wedges or a new number that had to appear. Gap 2 or Gap 3 following 41*PWs sounds a bit silly, while a 10i actually fits in logically and obviously. What this really means in practice is that from 5i-10i the Shuttles all play one number higher than the number stamped on the head. Looking around the shop, Maruman is not the only brand doing this, as I saw 10i’s in PRGR, and other sets as well. The 10i has also shown up in Callaway and Titlest sets in the past as a kind of specialty wedge, so the tradition of the 10 is there- but its use as the 'new' 9 iron is different.
With that knowledge, the distances come back to reality. The Shuttles are still very long clubs, but comparing apples to apples with my Pings the Shuttles are actually only about 5 yards longer across the board. This is no small feat as the V2's have been described by many as some of the longest irons made and up to now that has been my experience as well. Trajectory was similar to the V2’s high but not out of control, lots of carry and a nice soft landing.
So strong lofts and longer shafts. They can’t be easy to hit can they? Actually, yes they can.
The Shuttles are without a doubt the easiest irons I have ever swung. Like most, my sweet spot with irons is usually the 7 iron. As I travel up towards the 5 and 4 my comfort level goes down and I start looking for hybrid alternatives. But with the shuttles I was able to crack off great effortless shots swing after swing with the 6i and even the 5i (and remember these are basically 4i and 5i lofts and lengths). The comparison here with the Niblick is a good one, standing over these you just know you will make a good shot, and even if you don’t, you know it will still be straight and pretty long. The metal used in the faces is pretty special stuff.
The Pings have a large forgiving Ti face with a small area which if you catch just right is like hitting the afterburners. This can occasionally get me in trouble with touch shots flying way over the target. But the faces on the Shuttles can be hit almost anywhere on that 771 steel face and still end up within 5 yards of the same distance every time. Nice.
Using these would make me think of taking hybrids out of my bag. That is something I never thought I would say. I found the performance of the 5i equal to that of my 5H and the performance of the 6i better than my 6H. Was I impressed? Definitely.
And as a Bonus
I started this with noting how much we liked the design of the Niblick and how great it was at a variety of shots as a chipper as well as a regular wedge. Well with the same kind of design throughout the Shuttle set, you end up with all the same advantages as with the Niblicks for those awkward shots. In my round testing these I tried to get myself in a few awkward places where I normally would be looking for a Niblick- bump and runs from the fringe, strange rough conditions, very tight lies, half shots over hazards etc etc and I am happy to say that the 9i and 10i do an admirable Niblick imitation. They are not as heavy which takes a moment to get used to, but the Shuttles offer the same kind of great control and confidence as the Niblicks in all kinds of conditions.
Further down, the set has an AW and SW as optional add ons. Like the rest of the set they have very wide soles but come with a slightly deeper face and a different silver finish on the sole- because, I guess, they expect a black finish would wear out with lots of sand shots. I am personally comfortable with this design and had no trouble using them from the sand, rough or full shots. But if you like a more traditional wedge with your set then these add-ons are not for you.
A and SW. Very wide sole, but more traditional shaped front face.
The uncomfortable matter of the bill
A high end Japanese brand using multi metal materials and a high tech design. If you are thinking these are not going to be cheap… you’re right. The Shuttle i3000x’s run for about 1300.00 a set here in Thailand and 1400.00-1500.00 in the US (when you can find them). As I noted earlier these are actually last year’s models so deals will likely be out there as the newer Shuttle i3000mx’s are available. However, the 2012 version moves away from the Niblicky design and doesn’t offer the same hot faces. I found the i3000x to be a far superior product.
So are they worth it?
Let me put it this way. I took three of my Niblicks, my full set of Cleveland Xli’s, my Callaway 6H and my Cleveland CG14 56* and traded them all in for a set of in-store 5-SW Shuttle i3000x demo’s. Between the trade in value, the demo discount and the tax back I will get as a non-resident I can just barely manage to justify the amount I paid. I will hang on to the Niblick 56* and my 5H for now, but I have a feeling these will both see mostly closet time.
I still love the Ping V2’s I have been playing, but they don’t offer the same level flexibility or confidence as the Shuttles. So the Pings move to the cottage as the vacation set to replace the Xli’s, while the Shuttles become my new gamers.
The Shuttle’s are not for everyone. If you are working the ball around with your irons then these will frustrate you as they are pure straight shooters. They are not traditional in any sense and if you care about being trendy or part of the crowd these won’t help. And if you are on a tight budget it’s probably best to just keep moving along.
But if you can find a deal and really want a set of irons you can swing away with and be confident in getting long, straight, high, great feeling shots, easy outs from tricky lies, and accurate chipper strikes- I don’t think you will find a better set of irons anywhere than the Shuttle i3000x’s.
Check out the details on the Maruman page
http://marumanglobal.com/site/golf/shuttle/shuttle_i3000x/index.html
Well, let me introduce you to… The i3000x Maruman Shuttle Irons.
Look familiar? It should. The deep cavity, the wide two-level sole, the shallow long ultra-forgiving face. When I first saw these I was sure Cleveland had made a Niblick set. According to the Maruman website these irons are "a new era iron for the average golfers desirous of hitting a ball comfortably on target". Well OK, not exactly US style marketing, but really, who isn't desirous of hitting a ball comfortably on target?
Metal heads
The Shuttle is made of no less than three types of metal. Plasma welded maraging 200 steel for the head, 'super strong' maraging steel 771 for the face and two tungsten inserts in the back of the sole. Very high tech, very high quality. Although the head still feels heavy, the Shuttles use lightweight graphite shafts making them much lighter than the Niblick. They obviously don’t look like a classic blade, or even a classic cavity back, but if you liked the Niblick and don’t mind the idea of a thicker sole and topline, these actually look pretty good.
Shuttle vs. Niblick. Less offset on the Shuttle.
So Lighter=More speed=More distance. Like a page out of Cleveland right?
Feels like a winner
But OK I hear you say, the Niblicks were great, but they didn’t feel great, especially the 37* so a 5 iron with this design is going to feel like a banging a crowbar on a rock right? Well actually… no.
With the light shaft giving you plenty of easy swing speed and the tungsten weights promoting a nice square impact, by the time the ball hits the maraging steel face the feel is smooth, the sound is a nice click and the ball jumps off the face as if it was titanium. The mix of materials works very well. The feel won’t be confused with a set of forged Mizuno’s, but it is really really nice. Off center hits don’t feel or sound bad either. You know where you missed, but you won’t need to put your hand in ice afterwards. There is just no comparison between this and other sets aimed at the mid-high handicapper. After using these for a while, clubs like the Burner SuperLaunches or HB3's feel almost harsh and cheap.
A quick word about the shaft. The WLT is a high kick point shaft. The flex plays softer than normal. It’s offered in R2 (waaaaay too soft) R (soft) SR (a standard US R flex) and S (which is more like a firm). If you normally play a true Stiff shaft then go straight to the custom shaft options as you won’t be happy with the stock. For me the 53 gram SR with 4.1 Tq was a great fit.
What about distance? Amazing!, but…..
Here is where it gets interesting. Forget 17 more yards. My average distance with these irons was 20 yards further than with my Pings across the set- and the Pings are great irons for me. Is it magic!? No. The answer is actually pretty simple and could be a hint at the future of irons in the US and Canada as well.
The shafts are a bit longer than standard (whatever standard means these days) but the lofts are strong. Very strong. The 5i comes in at 22* the 7i at 28* and the 9 at 36*. Wait, does that mean the PW is 41*? No, the PW is a very manageable 46*. So what is in place between the 9 and the PW?
Let me introduce you to…..
Spoiler
In a way this makes perfect sense. With the direction lofts and shaft lengths are going and the OEM’s desire to make everyone think they have the longest clubs in the business, it was either extra gap wedges or a new number that had to appear. Gap 2 or Gap 3 following 41*PWs sounds a bit silly, while a 10i actually fits in logically and obviously. What this really means in practice is that from 5i-10i the Shuttles all play one number higher than the number stamped on the head. Looking around the shop, Maruman is not the only brand doing this, as I saw 10i’s in PRGR, and other sets as well. The 10i has also shown up in Callaway and Titlest sets in the past as a kind of specialty wedge, so the tradition of the 10 is there- but its use as the 'new' 9 iron is different.
With that knowledge, the distances come back to reality. The Shuttles are still very long clubs, but comparing apples to apples with my Pings the Shuttles are actually only about 5 yards longer across the board. This is no small feat as the V2's have been described by many as some of the longest irons made and up to now that has been my experience as well. Trajectory was similar to the V2’s high but not out of control, lots of carry and a nice soft landing.
So strong lofts and longer shafts. They can’t be easy to hit can they? Actually, yes they can.
The Shuttles are without a doubt the easiest irons I have ever swung. Like most, my sweet spot with irons is usually the 7 iron. As I travel up towards the 5 and 4 my comfort level goes down and I start looking for hybrid alternatives. But with the shuttles I was able to crack off great effortless shots swing after swing with the 6i and even the 5i (and remember these are basically 4i and 5i lofts and lengths). The comparison here with the Niblick is a good one, standing over these you just know you will make a good shot, and even if you don’t, you know it will still be straight and pretty long. The metal used in the faces is pretty special stuff.
The Pings have a large forgiving Ti face with a small area which if you catch just right is like hitting the afterburners. This can occasionally get me in trouble with touch shots flying way over the target. But the faces on the Shuttles can be hit almost anywhere on that 771 steel face and still end up within 5 yards of the same distance every time. Nice.
Using these would make me think of taking hybrids out of my bag. That is something I never thought I would say. I found the performance of the 5i equal to that of my 5H and the performance of the 6i better than my 6H. Was I impressed? Definitely.
And as a Bonus
I started this with noting how much we liked the design of the Niblick and how great it was at a variety of shots as a chipper as well as a regular wedge. Well with the same kind of design throughout the Shuttle set, you end up with all the same advantages as with the Niblicks for those awkward shots. In my round testing these I tried to get myself in a few awkward places where I normally would be looking for a Niblick- bump and runs from the fringe, strange rough conditions, very tight lies, half shots over hazards etc etc and I am happy to say that the 9i and 10i do an admirable Niblick imitation. They are not as heavy which takes a moment to get used to, but the Shuttles offer the same kind of great control and confidence as the Niblicks in all kinds of conditions.
Further down, the set has an AW and SW as optional add ons. Like the rest of the set they have very wide soles but come with a slightly deeper face and a different silver finish on the sole- because, I guess, they expect a black finish would wear out with lots of sand shots. I am personally comfortable with this design and had no trouble using them from the sand, rough or full shots. But if you like a more traditional wedge with your set then these add-ons are not for you.
A and SW. Very wide sole, but more traditional shaped front face.
The uncomfortable matter of the bill
A high end Japanese brand using multi metal materials and a high tech design. If you are thinking these are not going to be cheap… you’re right. The Shuttle i3000x’s run for about 1300.00 a set here in Thailand and 1400.00-1500.00 in the US (when you can find them). As I noted earlier these are actually last year’s models so deals will likely be out there as the newer Shuttle i3000mx’s are available. However, the 2012 version moves away from the Niblicky design and doesn’t offer the same hot faces. I found the i3000x to be a far superior product.
So are they worth it?
Let me put it this way. I took three of my Niblicks, my full set of Cleveland Xli’s, my Callaway 6H and my Cleveland CG14 56* and traded them all in for a set of in-store 5-SW Shuttle i3000x demo’s. Between the trade in value, the demo discount and the tax back I will get as a non-resident I can just barely manage to justify the amount I paid. I will hang on to the Niblick 56* and my 5H for now, but I have a feeling these will both see mostly closet time.
I still love the Ping V2’s I have been playing, but they don’t offer the same level flexibility or confidence as the Shuttles. So the Pings move to the cottage as the vacation set to replace the Xli’s, while the Shuttles become my new gamers.
The Shuttle’s are not for everyone. If you are working the ball around with your irons then these will frustrate you as they are pure straight shooters. They are not traditional in any sense and if you care about being trendy or part of the crowd these won’t help. And if you are on a tight budget it’s probably best to just keep moving along.
But if you can find a deal and really want a set of irons you can swing away with and be confident in getting long, straight, high, great feeling shots, easy outs from tricky lies, and accurate chipper strikes- I don’t think you will find a better set of irons anywhere than the Shuttle i3000x’s.
Check out the details on the Maruman page
http://marumanglobal.com/site/golf/shuttle/shuttle_i3000x/index.html
