ULTIMATE REVIEW! – Royal Collection JP104 Driver

Ever heard of Royal Collection before?  Maybe you recall the name Sonartec…similar look huh. Whether you remember the name or not I think you will want to read our review of their newest driver the Royal Collection JP104.  It produced some of the most consistent results of any driver we’ve tested this far.

Royal Collection JP104 Driver

The Royal Collection name likely isn’t one that’s familiar with the majority of golfers; at least not golfers here in United States.  Those taking a closer look at Royal Collection’s drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids, however, will no doubt see similarities to the once popular Sonartec line of clubs.  The similarities are neither coincidental nor accidental.  It was Royal Collection’s patented technology that was licensed to Sonartec in 1999.  Toss in some weight in the sole plate, and a higher and deeper center of gravity, the Sonartec hybrid was nearly identical to the Royal Collection product.

Unfortunately, like many smaller companies before and since, Sonartec, despite the popularity of its hybrids, wasn’t able to survive.  Despite their absence from the new product marketplace, their hybrids remain extremely popular, which is in part why Royal Collection is trying to make inroads into the US Market.

Founded in 1992, Royal Collection has built a reputation in Japan for producing equipment for advanced players and tour-level professionals. Known best for the “driving cavity” (the horseshoe shaped cavity on the sole of their hybrids and woods), Royal Collection technology claimed several PGA European Tour victories in the late 90s, and Major Championships in early and mid 2000s.

Royal Collection sent us 3 different models for testing, and while we may feature the others at a later date, we chose to put the JP104 driver through our review process.  The JP104 is a 460cc driver with a lighter than average 195 gram head.  It features all titanium construction and a neutral face alignment.  The head itself is designed to launch high with comparatively low spin.  Though no stock shaft offering is listed, our sample came with a Royal Collection exclusive 60 gram Mitsubishi Diamana Fubuki.

Material Construction: 6-4 Titanium

How We Tested

The 6 golfers for whom we collected detailed performance data were asked to hit a series of shots on our 3Track Equipped simulators from aboutGolf.  As usual, testing was done at Tark’s Indoor Golf, a state of the art indoor golf facility located in Saratoga Springs, NY.  Detailed data for each and every shot for which we collected data is now viewable in the interactive portion of this review. This data serves as the foundation for our final performance score.  As a supplement to our 6 performance testers, a subset of additional golfers were given the opportunity to test the JP104 and provide feedback in our subjective categories (looks, feel, sound,  perceived distance, perceived accuracy, perceived forgiveness, and likelihood of purchase).  This information, which we also collected from our performance testers, is used as the foundation for our total subjective score.  Testing was done using a 10.5° driver in stiff flex.

PERFORMANCE SCORING

Distance

Based on the raw distance numbers our testers put up, I think it’s fair to say that the Royal Collection JP104 produced mixed results.  Dan (habitually our biggest hitter) produced among his best distance results for the season. The same can be said for regular tester Nick.  Other testers achieved roughly their season average for distance, while yours truly produced some of my lowest total distance numbers for the season.  If nothing else, this tells us that, just like any club, it’s important to be properly fit for the Royal Collection JP104.

One of the bigger marketing points for the JP104 is that it’s designed to produce a relatively high launch with comparatively little spin.  While this was roughly true for the guys who hit the club the best, not surprisingly the guys who tended to be shorter with the club produced less than ideal launch conditions.  In my case, my average launch angle was 11.96°, which is good, however; I also produced over 4800 RPMs of backspin, which isn’t so good.

MGS Distance Score: 92.17

Accuracy

At the risk of stating the painfully obvious; what our testing has consistently proven is that it’s much easier for a club to go far than it is for that same club to go straight.  With that in mind, it’s relatively easy to understand why so few drivers we test are able to achieve A-level scores for accuracy.  While the Royal Collection JP104 wasn’t able to cross the 90% accuracy barrier, what we did see was some of the most consistent results of any driver we’ve tested.

While Dan actually was the least accurate with an average miss of over 30 yards, the majority of our testers missed the center line by an average of 18 to 23 feet. While these numbers aren’t superb, they’re not dissimilar from those produced by the other clubs we’ve tested this season.

MGS Accuracy Score: 85.70

Consistency

We try and frame consistency similarly to what the OEMs call “forgiveness”.  While we do think our numbers provide a reasonable indication of performance on mishits, we also think our numbers serve as an indicator for a club’s potential performance.  We’ve all had days where something was just a bit off and the ball didn’t quite go where we wanted it to.  We can use consistency to give us an idea of how a club might perform if we were swinging just a bit better.

Using Dan as a specific example; while his accuracy numbers weren’t the best, his consistency score was actually the highest of all of our testers.  This suggests that with some minor adjustments, Dan could actually see much better results with the the club.  The same is true for Nick, Tim, and I; as we all posted consistency scores above 96.  With a consistency score of just under 91, Mark produced a comparatively high lowest overall score.

MGS Consistency Score: 95.92

Overall Performance

Our tests indicate that, for many golfers, the JP104 driver will meet distance expectations (although it appears some may lose distance compared to their current driver).  While certainly not the best we’ve ever seen, the accuracy numbers produced by the driver are well within our normal range, and don’t present any elevated level of concern.  Finally, we’re most impressed with the consistency score, which shows that from shot to shot, the JP104 produces some of the most consistent results of any driver we’ve tested thus far this season.

MGS OVERALL PERFORMANCE SCORE: 89.63

SUBJECTIVE SCORING

There’s an interesting phenomenon that GolfSpy X and I have discussed from time to time.  While Japanese wedges and irons almost always score exceptionally high across the board on our subjective surveys, woods from the same companies receive very pedestrian grades.  For the most part, my opinions are often inline with those of our testers.  My take on things is that when it comes to iron and wedge design, testers appreciate the clean lines of traditional designs.  When that same design practices is applied to woods, what amounts to a relatively classic design can look out of place, and even outdated when compared to those clubs with modern black PVD finishes, white crowned designs, or bold sole plate graphics.

While I don’t view the results as either fair or unfair, they do suggest that the traditional designs still employed by many Japanese OEMs may need to be updated if they’re going to appeal to the American golfer’s sense of what is esthetically pleasing.

Looks

We make it a point to stay out of the survey process and not share our own thoughts and opinions with our testers.  We know all too well what the impact of the power of suggestion can have on the integrity of the review process.  So with that said, I will admit that I personally don’t agree with some of our testers.  While there were several 8s awarded on the high end, I have hard time understanding the 5s and 6s we saw on the low end.

Most would agree that with the exception of the all black 910, and the triangular 907 D1, Titleist has produced some of the most highly regarded (visually speaking) drivers in recent memory.  When I put the JP104 side by side with my Titleist 905T in the address position, I find they look very similar with neither being more displeasing to the eye than the other.

Once again, I think it probably boils down to the lack of flashy sole graphics.  Clearly that’s the direction our market has taken, and thus far, Japanese companies like Fourteen and Royal Collection have chosen not to follow.  I can’t really fault them for that.

MGS Looks Score: 75.25

Feel

With regard to feel, I believe the JP104 to be the most unique of any driver we’ve tested this season. While only one of our testers necessarily thought that was a good thing (he rated it a 9), the majority provided low average ratings (7s) with a couple of 5s and 8s sprinkled in for good measure.

I’d describe the feel of the JP104 as extremely solid; like an aluminum baseball bat.  That’s a description that’s been used in the past for loud, popping drivers (think Nike Machspeed), but I find the the JP104 much more pleasing at impact.  While I don’t put it on quite the same level as the other superior feeling drivers we’ve tested (Adams 9064LS and Callaway RAZR Hawk are the two that come to my mind), I certainly don’t find it to be among the worst either.

MGS Feel Score: 73.46

Sound

Just as with feel, the JP104 produces one of the more distinct impact sounds in recent memory. The trend in recent years has been to move to what I’d describe as a metallic pop noise (the TaylorMade and Titleist sound).  Nike drivers remain distinctive for their loud bangs, but most are moving towards what is often described as simply a “pleasing” sound at impact.  While still very metallic, the RoyalCollection JP104 produces more of a high-pitched “ting” sound.

At first our testers seemed bewildered, and a bit put off my the noise.  However, after hitting half a dozen or so balls with the club, opinions began to change, and most found themselves actually starting to like it.  While ratings didn’t climb to the levels we’ve seen with our most popular clubs, out of the gate I thought things were going to be much worse.  In the end, while most of our testers didn’t love the sound, most didn’t hate it either.

MGS Sound Score: 75.25

Perceived Distance

What we have here is yet another example of why reviews without supporting data are sorely lacking.  Dan, who produced distance numbers worth of a 9 and certainly no less than 8, rated the club a 6.  Other testers, even those who produced very solid results with the club followed similar paths.  Only Nick rated the club as high as 9 in the distance category (a rating more or less supported by his actual results).  The remaining testers rated the distance in the 6s and 7s.  While that sort of rating is probably correct for me based on my actual results, the numbers also suggest that most of our testers simply got it wrong.

Tester Perceived Distance Score: 73.46

Perceived Accuracy

If nothing else, perceived accuracy scores are outstanding, non-data-supported, indicators of how much a tester likes a club.  We’ve learned that if a tester really likes a club, his expectations for his own performance actually diminish (he’ll often score what amounts to average accuracy more highly).  If he doesn’t love the club, he’ll increase his own expectations (rating average performance a bit lower).  Of course, the majority of buying decisions are not based on facts, but on opinions and visceral connections to golf equipment, so while we’re never excited to see our testers think less of a club than the numbers suggest they should, we certainly understand why it happens.

With respect to the JP104, the data suggests the majority of our testers should have rated the club an 8 or better, however, only two actually did.

Tester Perceived Accuracy Score:  71.67

Perceived Forgiveness

To be sure, the JP104 looks like more  of what we often refer to as a player’s drivers.  There’s no visible anti-slice technology, no sole plate or shaft adjustments to be had.  It’s very much all business. Whether or not this explains why it received relatively low forgiveness scores from our testers is hard to say.  While we saw scores as low as 4, and no higher than 8, it’s clear that the impressions of our testers diverge greatly from what our data actually suggests.

Tester Perceived Forgiveness Score: 68.08

Likelihood of Purchase

We’ve already shown that our testers rated the Royal Collection JP104 driver on the lower end of average for our other subjective categories.  As LOP almost always serves as a summary of all of the subjective data we collect, it’s not surprising that the data reflects a general lack of affinity for the club.  On the low end was a single 3, 6s and 7s were far and away the most common rating.  Though I probably hold more affection for this club than any of our testers, even I couldn’t bring myself to rate it above many of the other drivers we’ve tested this year.

Tester Likelihood of Purchase: 60.92

This is just one guys opinion, but I truly believe that subjective opinions are formed largely on the basis of of brand recognition and looks.  Even if a golfer has never owned a club from a particular manufacturer, simply knowing the name can go a long way.  In that respect, Royal Collection is at a distinct disadvantage in our surveys. With respect to looks; as I’ve said, while the clean lines and classic design of the JP104 may appeal to traditionalists, the look can appear a bit dated next to flashier designs by the likes of Cobra and TaylorMade.

To overcome these types of obstacles and to receive high ratings in our surveys, a club has to be nothing less than exceptional.  While I believe the JP104 deserved better than our testers gave it, I didn’t find it to be truly exceptional in any of our subjective categories.

TOTAL SUBJECTIVE SCORE: 72.11

CONCLUSION

While I’m never one to totally condone tossing the opinions of other golfers, with respect to Royal Collection’s JP104 driver the gap between actual performance and the opinions of our testers isn’t much less than the distance between Buenos Aires Argentina and Prudhoe Bay Alaska (sorry…just wanted to drop some geography on you); it’s far.  It’s hard for me to reconcile a performance score of that we could easily round up to A-Level with C-level subjective feedback.

Of course vast distinctions between perception and performance are all too common in the testing process, so when they occur, especially when they occur to the degree they have in this case, our recommendation is always to test the club for yourself (which admittedly won’t be easy with the JP104).

While we can certainly understand why the Royal Collection JP104 won’t appeal to everyone, we also can’t find any reason why it wouldn’t perform extremely well for those it does.

MGS TOTAL SCORE:  87.88

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