In our last blog post we showed you the very limited 358 driver used by Shingo Katayama, now it’s the ONOFF Labo-Spec RB-247G irons and while Shingo doesn’t use these he plays the CB358 Forged Irons, these are still part of ONOFF”s special tour department called LABO.
This is the most forgiving Labo iron made that I can remember and while it’s not forged it’s body is soft cast with a high rebound maraging face, inner tungsten alloy and a resin inside that reduces vibration at impact all finished up in NiCR mirror & satin.
Designed to sit in between the ONOFF Red irons and the Black series I would categorize it as a club for the mid to pro player and someone who is seeking stable trajectory, very long distance and lots of forgiveness without sacrificing much at setup. Follow the Jump to Read On…
Let’s start with the top appearance this will give you a good idea of who it’s meant for, as you can see it’s got a nice sized top line, nothing too thick nor would I consider it thin, there is some offset and for most players this is a benefit but overall it’s still a club designed for ONOFF’s JPGA tour pros who want something more forgiving both Men and Women.
The cavity is unique it tapers and is deep, near its furthest point it thickens and as it gets closer to the face it narrows this places more mass in the back with a low and deep center of gravity that is further improved with two tungsten alloy weights deep in the sole on both the heel and toe end.
The leading edge grind is also very versitile, it’s setup for a player who desires a little relief in the leading edge or comes in steep and or plays in medium to firmer turf conditions.
The face itself is variable thickness as you can see on the right side of this image, this not only helps with feel but also forgiveness, the previous version was called the RB-247F and while the two look very similar the new “G” was revised with a lower + rounded and deeper cavity.
The shape of the face as seen below is more tear drop for a sense of confidence and more real estate on the low side.
I’ve hit a single #6 iron and was floored by how long, stable and forgiving it is and consider it easily one of the best mid size cast cavity backs on the market. Compared to one of TSG’s favorite irons the ONOFF Kuro Forged it’s similar in setup yet more toward the bigger end of mid sized, its for sure longer and more forgiving not as soft but still for those who are used to 2 piece structures this is one of the best feelers out there. One of the things I liked most was that this was not a high launching club it was actually pretty piercing and stable into the wind and accurate for sure.
Good news is TSG can have these custom built for you with just about any of the Labo Spec offerings and of course Roddio shafts. I’m not a mid sized iron kinda guy but these have me considering a second set that could over take my first set. Enjoy the rest of the pics and feel free to inquire with [email protected] if you have any questions.
Just bought my first set of OnOff irons – the RB247G with the Nippon NS Modus3 System3 Tour 125 Steel Shaft. Will post my review after I get a chance to play them. Excited to say the least!
TK