Grafalloy Tour Design ProLaunch Blue and Tour Design ProLaunch Red Shaft Review

Smart-Ply cross section

Grafalloy are sometimes unfairly branded as a 'blue-collar' shaft manufacturer. Having been at the top so long, they aren't seen as having the cachet of some of the more exotic shaft manufacters despite making top grade shafts. Their relentless success in Tour shafts counts is ample evidence of the standard of their products. Grafalloy are slightly unusual in that they have a network of authorised golf equipment retailers who offer shafts that would otherwise not be available to retail . This is their Tour Concept program. This essentially gives you access to Tour quality shafts. The Tour Concept versions of the ProLaunch Blue and ProLaunch Red differ from the standard versions by the addition of the Smart-Ply technology to the existing shafts.

Technical Specs

Feel

While it is unlikely that someone would mistake these for something silky smooth like a Diamana Blueboard or a Matrix Ozik, they are not harsh feeling at all and gives plenty of that all important feedback. Both shafts feel super stable without even a hint of of stoutness and play true to flex - no vanity flexes here. It might sounds a little odd and may be completely due to the fact that I know that these shafts have the Smart-Ply Technology but they really do feel like they stay completely round (or just more so than a normal shaft) even under high load. This stability means there is no vagueness at the top or at impact and the shafts load beautifully with the Red feeling tauter than the Blue. The Blue has slightly more movement at full load and at impact but that is to be expected due to its softer tip and lower kick point. The heavier 75 versions adds some extra weight for those looking for a little more solidity in their Driver shafts or to match the weight in their fairway woods but otherwise feels very similar to the 65 version.

Performance

Tour Design ProLaunch Blue

While there is definitely a high launch, it seems to be slightly lower than the standard ProLaunch Blue. Carry is all with this shaft as the ball flies very high but with a lot of distance as the ball soars rather than floats. The increased torsional stiffness produces great distance and excellent accuracy as the shot dispersion is very much at the mercy of your swing rather than in any inconsistency of the shaft. Spin levels are somewhere in the middle as the Blue is not a low spinning shaft but neither is it super high spin either.

Tour Design ProLaunch Red

Many shafts claim to be low launch but in reality, not many are. The Red is the real deal here. With an initial low launch, the Red produces a very penetrating ball flight that really does bore through the air. The Red is very stable at impact and gives a great sense of location throughout the swing and its dispersion if anything is even better than the Blue. Even at faster speeds, this is not a shaft that will balloon on you and it's easy to understand why so many Tour players have taken to it. The low spin characteristics can be seen by the way that drives appear unaffected by wind and by the prodigious amount of roll after landing. This combination makes the 75 version a devastating option for a middleweight fairway wood shaft.

Overall

The Micro-Mesh and Smart-Ply tech really do seem to work and does seem to make a difference, both in feel and in performance as both shafts offer high feel and great distance from two very different trajectories.

This combination of high launch with mid spin from the Tour Design ProLaunch Blue suggests that this shaft would suit a moderate speed swinger but the stability of the shaft means that it also suitable for those with faster swing speeds looking for more height and carry. For these people, the Blue should definitely be considered as it really does get the ball arcing into the blue (hmmm, I wonder if that is why it got its name) for maximum carry.

The Tour Design ProLaunch Red is a real option for those looking at an alternative to something like a Whiteboard and with its resistance to being turned over, it's only a little away from the mythical anti-left shaft. In fact the Nationwide Tour Manager for True Temper Sports stated that “ProLaunch Red has won more tournaments and enjoyed greater usage much faster than any other shaft in recent memory”.  People have realised that ultra low spin is no longer the be all and end all for woods. If the spin is too low, the ball will simply drop out of the sky and for faster swingers the Red offers a superb balance of launch angle and spin.

All in all, these Tour Design versions offer something extra for golfers looking for something special on a specific trajectory and are great options in an ever improving Grafalloy arsenal.

I am HUUUUUGE fan of the PL Blue. I do not change shafts very often but I def want to try these.

I use to love the ball flight with pro lites but they snapped like twigs. How much are the red 75 going to cost?

I use to love the ball flight with pro lites but they snapped like twigs. How much are the red 75 going to cost?

MSRP is $185 on both versions.

See www.tttourconcept.com for a dealer near you.

Special thanks to Martin and Golfwrx.com for taking the time to do the review!

TTS

They are great shafts. The Red especially is a must try for faster swingers as it really does fend off the left side when you go for it.

I use to love the ball flight with pro lites but they snapped like twigs. How much are the red 75 going to cost?

 

 

MSRP is $185 on both versions.

 

See www.tttourconcept.com for a dealer near you.

 

 

Special thanks to Martin and Golfwrx.com for taking the time to do the review!

 

TTS

I think it's going to be interesting to see if True Temper/Grafalloy can get a premium price for a shaft with the name ProLaunch in it, regardless of the upgrade in technology from the original version.

I wonder if it wouldn't have been a better idea for them to lose the PL name and just name it something else. I think most people still have a stigma that PL shafts just don't measure up to other premium shaft offerings.

Although I have to admit that the PL Red gave me good launch numbers, I just couldn't get over the feel. I know feel is a very subjective thing but I don't put any of the PL shafts in the class of Matrix, Diamana, etc. That said, I have a Grafalloy Epic in my G10 fairway wood and love it.

So, when you combine my distaste for the feel of the orginal PL series plus a MSRP of $185, I probably won't be looking at any of these new PL versions anytime soon.

I use to love the ball flight with pro lites but they snapped like twigs. How much are the red 75 going to cost?

 

 

MSRP is $185 on both versions.

 

See www.tttourconcept.com for a dealer near you.

 

 

Special thanks to Martin and Golfwrx.com for taking the time to do the review!

 

TTS

I think it's going to be interesting to see if True Temper/Grafalloy can get a premium price for a shaft with the name ProLaunch in it, regardless of the upgrade in technology from the original version.

 

I wonder if it wouldn't have been a better idea for them to lose the PL name and just name it something else. I think most people still have a stigma that PL shafts just don't measure up to other premium shaft offerings.

 

Although I have to admit that the PL Red gave me good launch numbers, I just couldn't get over the feel. I know feel is a very subjective thing but I don't put any of the PL shafts in the class of Matrix, Diamana, etc. That said, I have a Grafalloy Epic in my G10 fairway wood and love it.

 

So, when you combine my distaste for the feel of the orginal PL series plus a MSRP of $185, I probably won't be looking at any of these new PL versions anytime soon.

You need to remember that the Prolaunch Platinum has kind of changed the way many people view the PL brand and that the PL Red is getting big numbers on Tour. Now that it has the same tech as the premium grade Axis, it becomes more of a viable option in people's eyes. I'm not saying that it's going to be an easy sell but I do think that the increasing availability of launch monitors makes people focus more on actual performance rather than marketing and that is where the PL scores big.

I use to love the ball flight with pro lites but they snapped like twigs. How much are the red 75 going to cost?

 

 

MSRP is $185 on both versions.

 

See www.tttourconcept.com for a dealer near you.

 

 

Special thanks to Martin and Golfwrx.com for taking the time to do the review!

 

TTS

I think it's going to be interesting to see if True Temper/Grafalloy can get a premium price for a shaft with the name ProLaunch in it, regardless of the upgrade in technology from the original version.

 

I wonder if it wouldn't have been a better idea for them to lose the PL name and just name it something else. I think most people still have a stigma that PL shafts just don't measure up to other premium shaft offerings.

 

Although I have to admit that the PL Red gave me good launch numbers, I just couldn't get over the feel. I know feel is a very subjective thing but I don't put any of the PL shafts in the class of Matrix, Diamana, etc. That said, I have a Grafalloy Epic in my G10 fairway wood and love it.

 

So, when you combine my distaste for the feel of the orginal PL series plus a MSRP of $185, I probably won't be looking at any of these new PL versions anytime soon.

 

You need to remember that the Prolaunch Platinum has kind of changed the way many people view the PL brand and that the PL Red is getting big numbers on Tour. Now that it has the same tech as the premium grade Axis, it becomes more of a viable option in people's eyes. I'm not saying that it's going to be an easy sell but I do think that the increasing availability of launch monitors makes people focus more on actual performance rather than marketing and that is where the PL scores big.

Good points bloodredsun,

I'm sure the folks at TT/Grafalloy have given this much more thought than I ever will but given the public's desire (and especially this site) to try the latest and greatest when it comes to premium shafts, will the PL name scare away some?

Plus, the PL Platinum has a MSRP of less than $100, at least everywhere that I shop for shafts. So, will the new PL series get a lot of movement at a $185 price point?

:)

You make a valid argument and I will try to shed some light on your concerns.

Yes MSRP on the Tour Design shaft is $185. The MSRP on Axis is $350 and the MSRP on Platinum is $125. MSRP is "suggested retail price" which is different than minimum list price and those prices can be found through the Tour Concept dealers.

Secondly all Tour Concept products are made to "tour spec" meaning tighter tolerances, limited manufacturing runs, etc. Like all tour products they demand a premium price, some of it is positioning and some of it is added value. If smart-ply technology does improve the performance, does it not warrant a few extra bucks? Would you pay a little more at the car dealership for a V8 engine if they offered that updgrade from a 4 liter (gas consumption aside!)?

In the end Smart-ply technology is for real, it provides measurable results. Unfortunately, Grafalloy has been around for a long time and are a household name. We can't re-invent ourselves under new brands like some of our competition. We have too much equity in the Grafalloy brand.

TTS

You make a valid argument and I will try to shed some light on your concerns.

 

Yes MSRP on the Tour Design shaft is $185. The MSRP on Axis is $350 and the MSRP on Platinum is $125. MSRP is "suggested retail price" which is different than minimum list price and those prices can be found through the Tour Concept dealers.

 

Secondly all Tour Concept products are made to "tour spec" meaning tighter tolerances, limited manufacturing runs, etc. Like all tour products they demand a premium price, some of it is positioning and some of it is added value. If smart-ply technology does improve the performance, does it not warrant a few extra bucks? Would you pay a little more at the car dealership for a V8 engine if they offered that updgrade from a 4 liter (gas consumption aside!)?

 

In the end Smart-ply technology is for real, it provides measurable results. Unfortunately, Grafalloy has been around for a long time and are a household name. We can't re-invent ourselves under new brands like some of our competition. We have too much equity in the Grafalloy brand.

 

TTS

All valid points and thanks for the explanation.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, I was just curious why Grafalloy wouldn't try to brand this line of shafts with a completely different name. Grafalloy is certainly a well respected brand and I'm certainly not arguing with that. As I stated in my earlier post, I play the Epic in my fairway wood and think it's a wonderful product worthy of it's premium price.

But obviously Grafalloy is trying to capitalize on the ProLaunch name. The question is was that a smart choice? Would they have done better and created more buzz with this line of shafts if they decided to go with a new naming convention? Especially since it's at a price point where there is a lot of competition. Aldila and it's Voodoo product line are a similar comparison IMHO.

And since you used a car analogy, let me try to offer one of my own. If I'm looking for a car in the $35K price range, I have a ton of options. So, I may look first at auto makers such as Lexus, Acura, Infinity & BMW. I may not initially look at Saturn, Toyota or Pontiac. The reason is that Saturn, Toyota and Pontiac aren't usually considered in the same class as those other auto makers.

So, that's what may happen with the ProLaunch Tour Design line. Turns out to be a great product but buyers may look elsewhere because they don't associate ProLaunch and premium shaft in the same sentence.

Just a thought.