Stiffest shaft you've ever seen/played

When browsing this site I always see the "low launch low spin shaft threads" that always seem to irritate people (including myself). So it got me to thinking about what really is out there for the 95% of WRXer's that swing 140mph and carry the ball 360 lol. So I guess the main question is for club makers: what is the stiffest shaft you've ever dealt with? And, if you ever hit it, what did it feel like?

Stiffest iron shafts were a set of Jay Haas' fool-around clubs - Autralian Blades with the muscle ground off and replaced by an equivalent amount of lead tape up high on the back of the club. Shafts were Rifles which I measured at between 7.8 and 8.2. They played like a training club of some kind, and maybe that's what they were - I never talked to Haas about them. You could get reasonable launch if you got your body way out in front and then let them follow. No distance or feel whatsoever for my wimpy 90 mph 5i.

Stiffest driver I've hit was one I built for my eldest, who really does swing at 120+. Matrix Woven LT XX tipped an inch. Freq at 45"/D2 was 300 on the button, but it played much stiffer - that was one of Matrix less successful early experiments with low-spin. I could get decent launch if I teed it up about 4", but no spin at all. It was really too stout for the kid, too, although he could hit a penetrating low runner with it and had several roll out past 380, measured with a laser.

Highest freq was a stock Nunchuk, which freqed at 305 but played much looser - like a smooth Stiff.

Back in the days of Balata I found a V10 Ti Taylormade Japan Tour issue 3 wood that had a Callaway RCH36 X Strong tour issue shaft tipped to fit the head.

Not sure if anyone remembers the Japanese bubble shaft but it was the stock shaft in that head. I bought it after it had been reshafted, story goes that it had snapped as the trainee pro grabbed whatever shaft was lying around trimmed it to fit and glued it up.

I remember having it tested and it was measured as being the equivelant to a Rifle/Brunswick FCM of 13.0!

It felt like an axe handle but I could hit it a good 240m (265 yards)

Still got it somewhere it cost me $300 of my savings as a kid in the mid 90s

FCM 13.0 is incredible

[quote name='Tyler Harris' timestamp='1326374144' post='4070513']
When browsing this site I always see the "low launch low spin shaft threads" that always seem to irritate people (including myself). So it got me to thinking about what really is out there for the 95% of WRXer's that swing 140mph and carry the ball 360 lol. So I guess the main question is for club makers: what is the stiffest shaft you've ever dealt with? And, if you ever hit it, what did it feel like?
[/quote]

I never measured it, but one of the guys I used to know was on and off the then Nike Tour/Buy.com Tour. He gave me a Great Big Bertha that had been shafted with some prototype Innovative (remember the UFO?) shaft. It was the stiffest thing I or anybody who'd swung it every felt. Absolutely no loading what so ever.

This guy really wasn't a long hitter, I just think he didn't want the shaft active at all.

[quote name='Tyler Harris' timestamp='1326377831' post='4070679']
FCM 13.0 is incredible
[/quote]

Yep! It is stupidly stiff!

I think it was tipped about 4 inches, the shaft was originally in a Great Big Bertha which was a bore through playing 45 inches. The three wood that wound up with that shaft in it was 42 inches and the BBGM would be at least an inch.

It was a pretty stout extra stiff to begin with!

I'm not 120+ guy, but I know someone that plays on the mini tours and he had Axivcore shaft (red or green- cant rremember) that was XX stiff and tipped a half inch. That was the stiffest shaft I've ever swung.

My XX TP7HD tipped 1" was a nice stiff shaft but still oddly smooth to me. That was until last Friday when it cracked in half under my hands after hitting a ball. Same thing happened with a RIP in earl y August and Aldila sent a shaft out ASAP. This was a tour only version R11 graphics and no warranty replacement.

Dynamic Gold Tour X7

Its not impressive stiff to @gqjeffy, but for me, and old "fart" of an R flex player its 10 times overdone at least. Typical i hit it on the toe, so my wrists DO remember....its not made for human golfers so production is discontinued.
(not to many aliens on earth playing Golf :-)

Ive got one set left, waiting for someone who needs X100 flex, but 1 to 1.5 over length, so i know he will show up, but i dont think i will find someone in my area who fit this shaft strait in at std length , since its FCM 7.5 and made to handle 105 mph with a 6 iron

Stiffest i've ever gamed was an x stiff tipped an inch in a 905r. Those titleist heads were a bore through hosel, so you weren't supposed to tip the shaft as much because the bore hosel made it play stiffer. Nothin crazy but it was definitely xx stiff. Got it shafted without knowing that, and it actually worked out fine. Believe it or not I got rid of it because it was an absolute moonballer.

I take a good rip at it around 112-115 and honestly....

Graffaloy Prolaunch Red X - which is on the firmer side of the flex charts.

I had it in a 9* PING G10 and I can honestly say, I only ever hit that driver good once.

I was talking on the phone with my cell phone provider before I got to the course and I was trying to fix a BIG mess, I ended up being on the phone until the 3rd hole and I was so mad, I ripped at one at it went forever. Smooth 325 up hill. The other 200 drives...not even close. lol

Shaft was a beast.

Alot of LD guys use 3 or 4X shafts tipped. Back about 8-10 years ago some were using 5X & 6X shafts. A couple of guys even had 0* drivers ( this was before we had to use USGA rules for tee height.) Cut an iron shaft about 3 inches below the grip, stick the steel shaft in the ground, stick a tee in the grip hole--instant high launch!

Two Penleys. 1st is a Ultron 45inch XXX stiff now tipped 1 inch, 1.7 degree torque. 2nd is Nash Factor R&D Stealth made for Jason Zuback. No idea what flex it is, could be XXXX stiff, need to get it measured. Brian Nash was on the Cobra Long Drive team with Zuback. 140MPH swing speeds.

Normal Penleys played stout back in the day.

[quote name='Howard Jones' timestamp='1326389130' post='4071739']
Dynamic Gold Tour X7

Its not impressive stiff to @gqjeffy, but for me, and old "fart" of an R flex player its 10 times overdone at least. Typical i hit it on the toe, so my wrists DO remember....its not made for human golfers so production is discontinued.
(not to many aliens on earth playing Golf :-)

Ive got one set left, waiting for someone who needs X100 flex, but 1 to 1.5 over length, so i know he will show up, but i dont think i will find someone in my area who fit this shaft strait in at std length , since its FCM 7.5 and made to handle 105 mph with a 6 iron
[/quote]

These are great shafts and do not even feel to stiff to me LOL. Actually hardstepped a set and they r nice too with no loss of distance. My buddy plays them 2x hardstepped. Ya DG discontinued them because not many people playing them. For me they have been the best shaft I have ever hit. My DG dealer told me that on the launch monitor with the TX Monacos he's getting almost exact same numbers as the x7's. He actually thinks they r the x7 replacements after testing them.

Just like Tbomb, a prolaunch red X, but this was tipped 1.5".

Funny Backstory, I was given this shaft by a buddy who was getting rid of all his extras as his wife was mad that he had so much golf "crap" lying around. He said it was stiff, I didn't even bother looking at it as I didn't really need it and in the closet it went. I decided one day to pull it out and throw it in an old head of mine for fun. I always played my driver 44.5" in X flex at the time, and since this was a "stiff" shaft, I had the brilliant idea to tip it 1.5".

Went out to the range and couldn't figure out why it felt so bad,. I examined it and sure enough it was an X tipped 1.5", damn thing was like swinging rebar.

[quote name='mylo' timestamp='1326399861' post='4072845']
Just like Tbomb, a prolaunch red X, but this was tipped 1.5".

Funny Backstory, I was given this shaft by a buddy who was getting rid of all his extras as his wife was mad that he had so much golf "crap" lying around. He said it was stiff, I didn't even bother looking at it as I didn't really need it and in the closet it went. I decided one day to pull it out and throw it in an old head of mine for fun. I always played my driver 44.5" in X flex at the time, and since this was a "stiff" shaft, I had the brilliant idea to tip it 1.5".

Went out to the range and couldn't figure out why it felt so bad,. I examined it and sure enough it was an X tipped 1.5", damn thing was like swinging rebar.

[/quote]

This was my experience as well, when it first came out. My ss was not what it is now, nor was my sense of practicality. Had it in a Cleveland Hi-Bore XL Tour 8.5, and was all over the globe with 75% of shots. The other 25% were monstrous, however.

[quote name='Howard Jones' timestamp='1326389130' post='4071739']
Dynamic Gold Tour X7

Its not impressive stiff to @gqjeffy, but for me, and old "fart" of an R flex player its 10 times overdone at least. Typical i hit it on the toe, so my wrists DO remember....its not made for human golfers so production is discontinued.
(not to many aliens on earth playing Golf :-)

Ive got one set left, waiting for someone who needs X100 flex, but 1 to 1.5 over length, so i know he will show up, but i dont think i will find someone in my area who fit this shaft strait in at std length , since its FCM 7.5 and made to handle 105 mph with a 6 iron
[/quote]
Btw, Id like to take a moment to thank you for the shaft chart that you guys made. Easily one of my most visited threads ever!

Two shafts come to mind for me, and I'm much more "mortal" than some of you. One day when I wasn't swinging well, the Devo 7 05 was absolutely rebar. Couldn't get it to flex.

The one I'm really thinking of is the Cleveland Fuji Fit-On Red X flex shaft in an older XL Tour. That thing was absolute rebar!

Stiffest iron shafts I've ever played were a set of True Temper Black Gold "Reg" flex installed in a set of Bridgestone GC Mids. I should've known when all of my gorilla friends hit these irons and just loved they way the felt. Played with them for summer, always felt too stiff for me, took them in to get the freqencied out and they were in the mid-range X-flex on the charts.

[quote name='pdaero' timestamp='1326403122' post='4073185']
Two shafts come to mind for me, and I'm much more "mortal" than some of you. One day when I wasn't swinging well, the Devo 7 05 was absolutely rebar. Couldn't get it to flex.

The one I'm really thinking of is the Cleveland Fuji Fit-On Red X flex shaft in an older XL Tour. That thing was absolute rebar!
[/quote]
I love my DEVO! I play the 6 06 and it's great, It just got kicked out of the bag though lol

My friends PX 7.0 iron shafts are like a solid steel bar to me,just feel horrible and he has a 1 inch tipped Grafalloy Blue X in a 44 inch driver with 7.5* which he hits high but just worm burners for me.

[quote name='vman' timestamp='1326406017' post='4073415']
My friends PX 7.0 iron shafts are like a solid steel bar to me,just feel horrible and he has a 1 inch tipped Grafalloy Blue X in a 44 inch driver with 7.5* which he hits high but just worm burners for me.
[/quote]

That's insane - what a beast. A Blue X TIPPED 1"? Wow. A Stiff uncut alone almost flexed to a normal X. I always wondered why my friend who played a 905S with a Blue Stiff didn't have X - it was bore-thru and was essentially X.

[quote name='tbomb' timestamp='1326395410' post='4072377']
I take a good rip at it around 112-115 and honestly....

Graffaloy Prolaunch Red X - which is on the firmer side of the flex charts.

I had it in a 9* PING G10 and I can honestly say, I only ever hit that driver good once.

I was talking on the phone with my cell phone provider before I got to the course and I was trying to fix a BIG mess, I ended up being on the phone until the 3rd hole and I was so mad, I ripped at one at it went forever. Smooth 325 up hill. The other 200 drives...not even close. lol

Shaft was a beast.
[/quote]

+1. Nothing but low fades with a Grafalloy Prolaunch Red X in a 909D2.

The title of this thread need to be a skit for Saturday Night Live....

A guy that I golf with has a Project x 6.5 tipped 1 inch. He plays it in a Fit tour driver. He handed it to me to swing,but I declined. I could not hit that if I tried,and had someone else s swing.

[quote name='gqjeff' timestamp='1326386662' post='4071497']
My XX TP7HD tipped 1" was a nice stiff shaft but still oddly smooth to me. That was until last Friday when it cracked in half under my hands after hitting a ball. Same thing happened with a RIP in earl y August and Aldila sent a shaft out ASAP. This was a tour only version R11 graphics and no warranty replacement.
[/quote]


I had that happen with a ProtoPype that I really liked. I glued another broken shaft in it to make a 59 1/2" driver. After getting tired of that (didn't take long, but when I could hit a ball with it, the ball LEFT), I cut the extra length off, and tried it with the reinforced grip area. I actually liked it better, and played it for a good while, until I found a shaft that I liked better.

Might be worth a try before you pull it, if you haven't already.

[quote name='Tyler Harris' timestamp='1326405307' post='4073361']
[quote name='pdaero' timestamp='1326403122' post='4073185']
Two shafts come to mind for me, and I'm much more "mortal" than some of you. One day when I wasn't swinging well, the Devo 7 05 was absolutely rebar. Couldn't get it to flex.

The one I'm really thinking of is the Cleveland Fuji Fit-On Red X flex shaft in an older XL Tour. That thing was absolute rebar!
[/quote]
I love my DEVO! I play the 6 06 and it's great, It just got kicked out of the bag though lol
[/quote]


Have you sold the Devo 6 6 yet? I'd be interested in trying it.

Proforce Gold 85 XX tipped 1" in a 975D. The thing felt like it was a telephone pole.

HOF HD LD shaft. BEASTLY!!
[attachment=980555:309662_2053526133350_1100452451_31866358_800554185_n.jpg]

I was helping a LD competitor that went to regional qualifiers in Arizona late last year build this up to an Alpha C830 6.5º head. Very fun building LD clubs.

The two stiffest ones for me were a Whiteboard 73 Xstiff in a FT-9 Tour neutral and a RIP Alpha Xstiff in a 9064LS.

Both were low launching son of a guns with some of the longest "misses" that I've ever hit. No feel for me and soon sold.