Graphite Iron Shafts

So for the previous 4 years to the last two years I played Recoil 110 graphite shafts. Dues to some swing changes and testing the KBS Tour V were the best shafts for my game, well in my two most important categories, distance variance and dispersion. However the harshness of the KBS has led an old friend (wrist pain) to pop back up and limited my enjoyment. A bunch of Blue Emu and 3 liquid advil before every round is no way to go through playing golf......

So this past weekend was our club championship, I played OK on Saturday, but my wrist was killing me late Saturday and was even worse Sunday morning. So I put the Srixon's with the recoil shafts back in the bag for Sunday. I played very well, even though the distance variance and dispersion were not as good. However since my wrist didn't hurt I finished quite a bit better than the day before. I wake up this morning, and yes there is a tad bit of pain, but it is sooooo much better.

So in short......is there anywhere that references the bend profiles and such so that I could find a graphite iron shaft that plays close to the KBS Tour V? I know the Recoils are lighter than the Tour V KBS, and maybe I should try the 125's but in my original testing the 110's were so much better for me. I want to purchase some 7 iron shafts and test, then some 4 iron shafts, then some PW shafts as I narrow it down each time.

I'm guessing you're playing the Tour V 120 x-stiff and the Recoil 110 are F5's?

Can you characterize any differences in feel you get between the Tour V set and the Recoil 110 Set?

In what way were the Recoil 110's better than the 125's when you tested them both out?

Have you spent any time working with various swing weights - particularly with the Recoil 110's? e.g. playing around with lead tape on the head to make sure you've got the best head weight for that particular shaft weight? To get the best results it really can be important to do that independently with each shaft option - and not rely on any swing weight values from a previous set.

> @driveandputtmachine said:

> I want to purchase some 7 iron shafts and test, then some 4 iron shafts, then some PW shafts as I narrow it down each time.

Unfortunately, this may be the only way to really nail down the best fit. It can be difficult making any recommendations until one can start to understand the specifics of why one particular shaft is performing better than another. How much is weight related? How much is total (shaft) static weight and how much is head weight? how much is the stiffness profile and the feel of the loading/unloading? I had to go through the same process not all that long ago. I think I still have several of those 6 and 7 irons hanging around the shop somewhere.

Here are my top options, although not all fit in the weight category:

Accra iCWT - various weights and tipping to create profiles and feel

Project X Catalyst 100g Constant weights

Fujikura Pro115

Project X Catalyst 100...might be the best shaft I’ve ever used. Great ball flight, very stable and consistent. Best balanced graphite shaft I have used and I switched for the same reason you are looking to. Wrist pain is gone for the most part with Golf

Catalyst may very well be a great shaft (I'll probably get one to test out when my shoulder heals) - but it's not going to be a good fit for someone who fits into and needs a 120 gm shaft (or even 110 gm). Weight always has to be the #1 consideration when selecting shafts.

> @Stuart_G said:

> I'm guessing you're playing the Tour V 120 x-stiff and the Recoil 110 are F5's?

>

> Can you characterize any differences in feel you get between the Tour V set and the Recoil 110 Set?

>

> In what way were the Recoil 110's better than the 125's when you tested them both out?

>

> Have you spent any time working with various swing weights - particularly with the Recoil 110's? e.g. playing around with lead tape on the head to make sure you've got the best head weight for that particular shaft weight? To get the best results it really can be important to do that independently with each shaft option - and not rely on any swing weight values from a previous set.

>

> > @driveandputtmachine said:

> > I want to purchase some 7 iron shafts and test, then some 4 iron shafts, then some PW shafts as I narrow it down each time.

>

> Unfortunately, this may be the only way to really nail down the best fit. It can be difficult making any recommendations until one can start to understand the specifics of why one particular shaft is performing better than another. How much is weight related? How much is total (shaft) static weight and how much is head weight? how much is the stiffness profile and the feel of the loading/unloading? I had to go through the same process not all that long ago. I think I still have several of those 6 and 7 irons hanging around the shop somewhere.

==

I am playing the X flex Tour V KBS, so yes 120grams. The Recoils are the 110 F5. I played around with lead tape on both sets to get them as good as possible. The other good fit I had in irons was the Nippon Pro 105 (which are in the 110 115 range.

My best weight range has been 110 to 120 gram raw shaft weights for me. I have tried weights below 100 grams and my timing always struggles when I get too light. I feel that the Recoils are much higher in flight and spin too much, I have always been a high spin player. So when the wind isn't blowing I am OK, but I have seen balls just get hammered hitting into the wind with the recoils vs. the KBS Tour, and my down wind performance with the recoils aren't great either.

I am looking for similar playing characteristics of the KBS Tour V in a graphite shaft. The weight I can adapt as long as it in the 110 to 120 range.

> @Stuart_G said:

> Catalyst may very well be a great shaft (I'll probably get one to test out when my shoulder heals) - but it's not going to be a good fit for someone who fits into and needs a 120 gm shaft (or even 110 gm). Weight always has to be the #1 consideration when selecting shafts.

>

>

I switched from 125 gram steel shafts and yes weight is top priority or balance of weight and feel. I’ve played all the heavier graphite’s in 125 range and this shaft plays heavier in my opinion. You can read through my review of the shaft that I added the link to if you want my background on shaft choices. It’s pretty detailed.

Are you using the retail Recoils, or the Recoil Protos? Your results make sense to me if you're using a retail version of the Recoil, I found them to hit the ball too high for me.

No mention of SteelFibers yet? I've got the SF 110s in my irons (right through SW, too). Can't say enough good things about them, especially where joint pain reduction/elimination is concerned.

I'd look into SFs if you haven't already. Plenty of different weights and flexes available.

Recoil proto 125 F5. Still will probably spin a tad more than the Tour V, but you might be surprised, very stable for a graphite shaft. I switched from the protos to the standard recoils this year in 95 F5 this year. Definitely notice a bit more kick with the standard, the protos are a bit lower torque. I played the Recoil 110 F5 for awhile, and I don't know why, they spun off the chart for me, whereas the 95s and 125s don't. For some reason, UST makes the 110s softer in the tip. Check out the Titleist shaft fitting guide.....

[https://titleist.com/fitting/golf-club-fitting/golf-shafts](https://www.titleist.com/fitting/golf-club-fitting/golf-shafts "https://titleist.com/fitting/golf-club-fitting/golf-shafts")

And don't be afraid of trying the 95 protos. Something about the way UST weights the shafts, they don't feel really that light to me, whereas something like a Steelfiber feels way too light in a 95 in my hands....

> @mogc60 said:

> > @Stuart_G said:

> > Catalyst may very well be a great shaft (I'll probably get one to test out when my shoulder heals) - but it's not going to be a good fit for someone who fits into and needs a 120 gm shaft (or even 110 gm). Weight always has to be the #1 consideration when selecting shafts.

> >

> >

>

> I switched from 125 gram steel shafts and yes weight is top priority or balance of weight and feel. I’ve played all the heavier graphite’s in 125 range and this shaft plays heavier in my opinion. You can read through my review of the shaft that I added the link to if you want my background on shaft choices. It’s pretty detailed.

I read through your review not long after you first posted it (even gave it a 'like' and asked a follup question). But even you admitted to having to make some adjustments to the lighter weight. Not everyone is able or even willing to make such adjustments. It's not always easy to stray away from one's natural tendencies for tempo and rhythm.

> @driveandputtmachine said:

> I am playing the X flex Tour V KBS, so yes 120grams. The Recoils are the 110 F5. I played around with lead tape on both sets to get them as good as possible. The other good fit I had in irons was the Nippon Pro 105 (which are in the 110 115 range.

>

> My best weight range has been 110 to 120 gram raw shaft weights for me. I have tried weights below 100 grams and my timing always struggles when I get too light. I feel that the Recoils are much higher in flight and spin too much, I have always been a high spin player. So when the wind isn't blowing I am OK, but I have seen balls just get hammered hitting into the wind with the recoils vs. the KBS Tour, and my down wind performance with the recoils aren't great either.

>

> I am looking for similar playing characteristics of the KBS Tour V in a graphite shaft. The weight I can adapt as long as it in the 110 to 120 range.

If there is some pattern there to help you go forward, I can't see it. It's not uncommon for either flex or weight to contribute to that high flight (higher dynamic loft being delivered) but if you didn't have the same high flight issue with the Nippon's then you're likely dealing with some less typical subjective response to the different shafts. Which unfortunately means just keep going with the trial and error testing. Only thing I can suggest is to see if you can find some correlation between what you are feeling with the different shafts (both in terms of weight feel and stiffness feel) and the results.

> @tobybear said:

> Here are my top options, although not all fit in the weight category:

> Accra iCWT - various weights and tipping to create profiles and feel

> Project X Catalyst 100g Constant weights

> Fujikura Pro115

Accra and Fjui I have to bore out from .355 to .370, which I prefer not to do, but if that is my only option then it is my only option. Afraid the Project X will be too light, but may give them a try.

> @driveandputtmachine said:

> > @tobybear said:

> > Here are my top options, although not all fit in the weight category:

> > Accra iCWT - various weights and tipping to create profiles and feel

> > Project X Catalyst 100g Constant weights

> > Fujikura Pro115

>

> Accra and Fjui I have to bore out from .355 to .370, which I prefer not to do, but if that is my only option then it is my only option. Afraid the Project X will be too light, but may give them a try.

With shafts of this weight, there is no issue tapering them down to fit without having to ream your iron heads.

Feel and SW and countless other items are truly subjective. I have hit the 95g recoil standards and my tempo just doesn't work consistently. The ball flight was good, as it was with the 125 recoil I tried(I did a bunch of 7 iron testing back then) but something felt off with the 125. At the time my spin had dropped and the 110's were great, and my ball flight was low. However in search of more consistency my ball flight has gotten higher and my spin has increased some too, but I am delivering the club more consistently now and my swing is repeatable. I have not tried the tour or non retail recoils, which may be the issue.

**The Tour-v performs the way I want it to in the wind, I just want a graphite shaft similar in profile, weight and balance. The graphite helps my left wrist soreness.**

Looks like I will go down the trial and error road. First up, SF 110 and catalyst for the 7 iron.

In general shaft weight doesn't bother me too much as long as it isn't a huge switch. I played heavy 130 gram rifles back in the day, but as I have leveled up in life (I have not gotten older) I am now a level 43 father/husband/engineer/golfer, I have discovered I don't want to work that hard with my irons. The 115 gram range has seemed to work very well for me,

> @driveandputtmachine said:

> > @tobybear said:

> > Here are my top options, although not all fit in the weight category:

> > Accra iCWT - various weights and tipping to create profiles and feel

> > Project X Catalyst 100g Constant weights

> > Fujikura Pro115

>

> Accra and Fjui I have to bore out from .355 to .370, which I prefer not to do, but if that is my only option then it is my only option. Afraid the Project X will be too light, but may give them a try.

It's actually pretty easy to taper the shafts yourself. Which reminds me, I have a video of me doing one, I need to post to Youtube.

> @KMeloney said:

> No mention of SteelFibers yet? I've got the SF 110s in my irons (right through SW, too). Can't say enough good things about them, especially where joint pain reduction/elimination is concerned.

>

> I'd look into SFs if you haven't already. Plenty of different weights and flexes available.

I can't speak to how the SF stack up to the KBS Tour V, but as a reference. I changed from the DG S300's into SF i95's, and found very similar characteristics other than weight. It was a very easy transition for me and much easier on my body as well.

> @gripandrip said:

> > @KMeloney said:

> > No mention of SteelFibers yet? I've got the SF 110s in my irons (right through SW, too). Can't say enough good things about them, especially where joint pain reduction/elimination is concerned.

> >

> > I'd look into SFs if you haven't already. Plenty of different weights and flexes available.

> I can't speak to how the SF stack up to the KBS Tour V, but as a reference. I changed from the DG S300's into SF i95's, and found very similar characteristics other than weight. It was a very easy transition for me and much easier on my body as well.

Yep. I went from the same DGs to the SF 110s, and the transition was smooth.

DG's and steelfibers are a fairly decent match for the stiff flex - but when you get to the x100's vs the SF x-stiffs, the SF's are actually tend to be a bit stiffer. Also generally will be stiffer than the KBS's (except maybe the c-tapers).

So where can I buy a Catalyst 100 6.5 for a 7 iron? Can't seem to find anywhere. I can find the steelfiber. Trying to decide between soft stepping a X and hard stepping a S in the 110.

> @driveandputtmachine said:

> I can find the steelfiber. Trying to decide between soft stepping a X and hard stepping a S in the 110.

You might want to consider both flexes. The x-stiff will be closer to the DG x100. Don't have the hard data but also likely have a more similar butt/mid stiffness to the KBS Tour V but a much stiffer tip (soft stepping might help there). The stiff will be closer (but still stiffer) than the Nippon x-stiff - so you likely don't even have to hard step it.

> @Stuart_G said:

> > @driveandputtmachine said:

> > I can find the steelfiber. Trying to decide between soft stepping a X and hard stepping a S in the 110.

>

> You might want to consider both flexes. The x-stiff will be closer to the DG x100. Don't have the hard data but also likely have a more similar butt/mid stiffness to the KBS Tour V but a much stiffer tip (soft stepping might help there). The stiff will be closer (but still stiffer) than the Nippon x-stiff - so you likely don't even have to hard step it.

>

>

So my F5 Recoils and the Tour V XS both I have soft stepped and had good results(except the spin on the recoils). Mainly because I very rarely go full at an iron. To goal is to hit it close, and maybe once a round to carry a bunker I may try and juice one. I may start with the 7 iron in S with the Steelfiber to see how that goes.

> @driveandputtmachine said:

> > @Stuart_G said:

> > > @driveandputtmachine said:

> > > I can find the steelfiber. Trying to decide between soft stepping a X and hard stepping a S in the 110.

> >

> > You might want to consider both flexes. The x-stiff will be closer to the DG x100. Don't have the hard data but also likely have a more similar butt/mid stiffness to the KBS Tour V but a much stiffer tip (soft stepping might help there). The stiff will be closer (but still stiffer) than the Nippon x-stiff - so you likely don't even have to hard step it.

> >

> >

> So my F5 Recoils and the Tour V XS both I have soft stepped and had good results(except the spin on the recoils). Mainly because I very rarely go full at an iron. To goal is to hit it close, and maybe once a round to carry a bunker I may try and juice one. I may start with the 7 iron in S with the Steelfiber to see how that goes.

>

Makes sense - but just realize that with the Steelfiber i110's - unless you play them over length, the balance of the shaft typically means needing to add 6-8 gm of tip weights (or lead tape) to get a "normal" swing weight. So with the added head weight, it will effectively be soft stepped before you actually do any real stepping. Considering your tendency to be fit into softer tipped shafts, that's probably going to be beneficial for you - but that's just a guess.

The steelfibers have some counterbalancing in them? Damn. I didn't remember that from my experiment 6 years ago.

I wouldn't call it counterbalancing - just a higher balance point than is typical. And it's mostly the i110's (maybe the i125's although can't say for sure, never built with them) , the i95's are much better and fairly close to 'normal'.

I'll agree on the Catalyst 100 6.5 for best graphite shaft I've ever used.

I played X100 then went down to Recoil 110 Prototype F5. Then dropped weight again to Catalyst 100 6.5. I can't explain it but the Recoil 110 felt lighter than the Catalyst 100. Might be the stiffness or balance of the weight. Great stability, smooth feel, perfect.

> @ObiwanForAll said:

> I'll agree on the Catalyst 100 6.5 for best graphite shaft I've ever used.

> I played X100 then went down to Recoil 110 Prototype F5. Then dropped weight again to Catalyst 100 6.5. I can't explain it but the Recoil 110 felt lighter than the Catalyst 100. Might be the stiffness or balance of the weight. Great stability, smooth feel, perfect.

Where can I find one to order to try in a 7 iron? Anyone have an idea?

In general, the heavier a graphite shaft gets, the more the balance point shifts away from the tip. That might seem counter-intuitive, but I guess it speaks to where they are able to add the weight. There is only so much they can put near the tip.

@driveandputtmachine - We would recommend OT Tour Iron! Available in 100S/X, 110S/X, and 120X with a .355 Taper Tip. https://www.mca-golf.com/products/ot%E2%84%A2-tour-irons-taper-tip

We are also getting ready to launch our MMT Taper Iron. Available in 105S/TX and 125TX with a .355 Taper Tip. http://www.mca-golf.com/products/mmt%E2%84%A2-taper-irons

DM us if you would like help finding an Authorized Dealer!

-Team MCA