Lightweight Golf Shafts for the Senior or Slower-Swing-Speed Golfer

I am writing this as an amateur review about my experiences in trying to find a good driver and shaft to try to gain some yardage as I have aged (now 65). I thought this might be useful to other members who are in my situation and can be overwhelmed (as I was) with the considerable information on drivers and shafts (torque, bend point, tip and butt stiffness, oh my!). I am not a trained club fitter, but a long time amateur golfer (age 9!).

First of all, a little history, in my younger years, my handicap was as low as a 5 (for 18), played competitively in school, but with work obligations, it had easily ballooned to 14. Never a long hitter, the strength of my game was always in the shorter shots. My driver swing speed was about 95 and driver yardage was about 230-240.

So, when I retired in 2010, my swing speed had slowed considerably to about 85 and my yardage was diminishing to about 200 to 210…plus I had developed a nasty habit of hitting the driver and other clubs on the heel (yeah, a few “hosel rockets” with the irons!).

After a few lessons, I got the big loop out of my swing due to trying to swing harder and get more yardage. Next, I went on a quest to try to get a driver and shaft that would provide the optimum yardage given my limitations.

After several sessions with a variety of drivers and club fitters(in 2011), the Ping K15 (12 degree loft) was by far the best driver I had ever used (tried at least 15 different drivers). I got a few more yards out of the TaylorMade Rocketballz but I could not get it to stop fading on me. The Ping K15 was much straighter and much more consistent (draw bias?).

After using the club with the stock shaft for a year, I decided to reshaft the club with a good lightweight premium driver shaft and see if that would help get more yardage for me. The Ping K15 stock shaft is the TFC149 and weighs 55 grams. Here are the regular flex shafts (except the Miyazaki C Kua 39S) that I bought to consider:

· X Caliber 5 (57 grams) – $50

· Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45 (44 grams) - $50

· Fujikura Blur Red 004 (48 grams) - $125

· Miyazaki B Asha 3R (46 grams) - $150

· Aldila Magnum 44 (44 grams) - $140

· Aerotech Claymore (48 grams) - $80

· Graphite Design G series (50 grams) - $119

· Miyazaki C. Kua 39S (47 grams) – $59 (used from Ebay)

· Miyazaki C. Kua 39R (45 grams) - $45 (used from Ebay)

· UST Mamiya MP4 (46 grams) - $59

I had considered some other light weight shafts but they were just too expensive for my experiment. Those were Project X PXV 39 ($275); UST Mamiya Attas series ($500+); Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara Ultralite series ($300). I would love to know any other member’s experiences with these more expensive lightweight shafts.

Some added notes: The X Caliber, Fujikura, Miyazaki (both), Aldila and Graphite Design shafts were “spined” before inserting the shafts into the K15 club heads. The Aerotech, Grafalloy ProLaunch 45, and UST Mamiya shafts were “pured” prior to insertion. Not sure it makes a difference but it is important you know what I had that done on each shaft. Also, in each case, I had the shaft cut to a non-standard K15 length (45 and ¼ ). My preference was to have a slightly shorter club (I am 5’ 9’) than the standard 45 and ¾ inch club, so each shaft was cut to the shorter length.

Initially, I went to a trained club fitter and he recommended the X Caliber shaft, so, it was the first shaft that I had put in the K15. It was not much different than the stock shaft, albeit a little stiffer than I liked. I decided to pull the XCaliber and see if I could handle a lighter shaft in the club head. At this point, I went on my own to research and purchase shafts and test them out. The GolfWorks catalog helped a great deal in the selection.

The Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45 was next and it has been a great shaft for the money. Besides the shaft, I put a 25 gram Golf Pride grip on the club. It had a great feel to it and I am still using this club. I was consistently in or near the center of the fairway with little ball movement (spin). I would definitely recommend it as a reasonable cost lightweight replacement for the stock shaft.

I bought another Ping K15 driver head and put a Fujikura Blur Red in it. A lot of golfers love the Fujikura shaft but I did not. It felt stiff and heavy despite only being 48 grams. I had the same light weight grip on the shaft as well. I sold this club and shaft.

After reading a review on the Miyazaki B Asha, I purchased the Regular 3 and replaced the stock shaft in another K15 driver. The light Golf Pride grip was used as well. Once in, this shaft felt very light and swung like a senior shaft. However, when I hit the ball, this shaft carried the ball the furthest. Yet, my “swing feel” continues to tell me that it is “whippy” and there are more erratic shots with this shaft (wider dispersion). I would recommend it but if I were to do it all over again, my swing might have been better matched to the B Asha 3 stiff flex (2 grams heavier though). As you will see, I did not completely give up on the Miyazaki shafts.

I read a number of very positive reviews on GolfWrx about the Aerotech Claymore (plus the club fitter highly recommended the Steelfiber iron shafts), so I purchased it and put that in a K15 head as well. This shaft reminded me of the XCaliber shaft but with a much smaller grip (has the same Tour Golf Pride 25 grip). My hands are just average size so be aware of that if you are interested in this shaft. It was a little more flexible and not as stiff at the bottom compared to the XCaliber. It was a nice shaft but too thin at the grip.

Aldila has been in the shafting business for a long time, so I saved some money and purchased their Magnum 44 light weight shaft. Unfortunately, I was only able to hit this shaft a few times because the installer failed to put a shim with the shaft. It soon snapped at the bottom. The few times I did hit the shaft, I had a very positive feel with it but I would mark its’ assessment as incomplete. I was unable to get another Aldila shaft to replace it, so I went to another fitter and he recommended the Graphite Design G series 40 shaft. I replaced the broken Aldila with the Graphite Design shaft. I was told by the fitter that the shaft was 40 grams but, in reality, it was 50 grams (according to Golfworks). After 3 rounds with it, this shaft did not produce the results I wanted. My drives were ok but the “feel” actually was “whippy” (despite its heavier weight) with a very narrow grip. My drives were less consistent as well.

In December, 2013, I decided to try a few more shafts in the Ping K15 to finalize my experiment. So, I saved some money and purchased another Aldila Magnum 44. Additionally, I saw 2 used lightweight Miyazaki shafts (C. Kua 39 Reg and Stiff) on Ebay as well as a new UST Mamiya MP4 on sale at Golfsmith. So, I took the leap and purchased them as well.

I purchased these used Miyazaki shafts because theyhad different international flex codes than the original B. Asha 3R at 4222 (I could not find a used B. Asha 3Stiff at 5433). The C. Kua39 regular I/F code was 5212 and the C Kua39 stiff was 6424. I liked the Miyazaki B. Asha 3R shaft but I did not want to spend another $150/$175 for just one new shaft. So, I found these 2 similar shafts for less money to see if any of them would be a better match for my swing than the B. Asha 3R.

I tried the Miyazaki C. Kua 39Stiff shaft that was already in a Cleveland Launcher xl270 and hit the ball very poorly. The shaft was way too stiff for my swing and I was consistently late resulting in a push or a slice. Of course, the Launcher head is less closed than the K15 but, despite the lightness of this shaft, it just felt too stiff for my swing. I did not even bother to put this in a K15 head.

Next, I put the Miyazaki C. Kua 39Regular into a K15 head and I was pleased with the results. It was not as “whippy” as the B. Asha 3R and my drives were very good and consistently straight. This Miyazaki also produced the longest drives of the shafts.

I really liked the UST Mamiya MP4 shaft as well. It had a good feel throughout the swing and the drives were good and narrow. This shaft’s drives did not seem to be quite as long as the Miyazaki shafts.

Finally, I was able to insert the Aldila Magnum 44 into a K15 head and it continued to have a good feel with good results. For its lightness, it was still stiff at the bottom (and the top) with a narrow dispersion on the drives. Not a lot of spin on the drives either.

As a final step in the experiment, I decided to take my 4 favorite shafts and K15 heads to a club fitter and see what a Launch Monitor would say about the drivers. In January 2014, my favorite K15 driver heads had the Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45, Mamiya MP4, Aldila Magnum 44 and Miyazaki C Kua 39R shafts in them.

Prior to the Launch Monitor readings, my lightweight shaft ratings and recommendations would be as follows:

1. Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45

2. Miyazaki C. Kua 39R

3. UST Mamiya MP4(tie)

3. Aldila Magnum 44(tie)

4. Aerotech Claymore

5. Miyazaki B. Asha 3R

6. Graphite Design G Series 40

7. XCaliber 5

8. Miyazaki C. Kua 39S

9. Fujikura Blur Red

Launch Monitor Readings (Average):

Shaft BallSpeed Carry Distance Backspin LaunchAngle

Grafalloy 125mph 203yds 3000rpm 11 degrees

Miyazaki39R 120 190 2800 12

UST MP4 118 185 2700 15

Aldila 44 120 190 2900 12

The club fitter helping with the Launch Monitor readings believed that the UST Mamiya shaft tip was stiffer (kick point) and impacted the length and dispersion of the shots. He stated that the Grafalloy Blue 45 was the best for my swing because of the higher tip flexibility in the shaft. He thought the Aldila (best shot dispersion!) was slightly better than the Miyazaki shaft. I found it interesting the Miyazaki readings did not reflect the perceived longer distances that I had experienced in actual play.

So, did I gain yardage? Not really….maybe a couple of yards but nothing real dramatic. However, the biggest surprise was the tighter dispersion that these shafts generally brought to my drives. I was muchmore consistently in the fairway with straighter drives. Needless to say, I was very pleased with that and, if nothing else, would recommend the purchase of one of these shafts for that result.

Interestly, the less expensive shaft (Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45) was the best match for my swing than the more premium shafts. Again, “more” is not necessarily “better”.

Another discovery in this experiment was the different performance and feel of all of these so-called “regular flex” shafts. There is no question that there is a definite need for some kind of standardization in the golf industry to properly designate a shaft as senior, regular, stiff, etc (maybe require the international flex code on each shaft?). As noted in many of my comments, there was too much variance in the flex of these similarly marked lightweight shafts.

I would appreciate your comments and additional experiences related to this review.

Thanks for taking the time to write this up! I'm sure many will find it useful. The ProLaunch Blue was and still is a great shaft for many swings.

A couple of comments. Ok a few. lol

1) First off, thanks so much for the very detailed review. Especially when it comes to the slower swinger, it’s extremely difficult to find decent data and lengthy reviews such as yours.

2) You mentioned you have around an 85mph swing. This seems to correlate with your avg carry distances in the chart above. I too have a slower swing, roughly 88-92 mph but this was only after some lessons last year. Prior to that I was around the 82-85 mph range. Have you thought about going to an A flex shaft? Reason I ask is, I find it sometimes difficult to load some aftermarket R flexes even at my 90mph swing speed. When I was at 82-85 I felt like I was on the cusp between A flex and R flex. Therefore I erred on the side of “softer” and would mostly play A flexes in my drivers.

3) Launch angle. I found it very odd that in the 4 shafts you tested on the LM that the one with the highest launch angle gave you the least amt of distance. Ball speed was lower so that seems to be the culprit I believe and not really the higher angle.

The other day I tested various drivers on a Foresight monitor and actually had my longest carry and overall distance with a Cobra ZL Encore 11.5* driver with the Motore Lite flex shaft. My launch angle was 17.5*. I came close to the same distance with my current gamer 12* G25 R flex stock shaft which gets me around 14-15* launch angle typically. I can play a 10.5* driver if I want more roll but my carry yardage is about 10 yds less with a 10.5* over a 12* head typically. I play most of my golf in the wet muck in OH so carry is usually key for me versus banking on more rollout.

4) As far as the various shafts you have tried, I can’t say that I have gamed any of them but I do a lot of in store testing. Here are some that I have gamed that might be worthwile to the slower swinger.

AXE6 R flex – I gamed this for most of last year, paired with an r11S 12* head. Very stable shaft. Not too loose, yet not too firm. Probably the closest I have felt to an original Diamana Blue Board. Nice mid-high launch shaft. Around 60g

RIP Phenom 50 R flex – I also tried this in the R11s head last year. I would say it was a little lower launching than the AXE6 was. So on dry days I would throw this in and had some of the longest drives I have ever hit. Tip on the Phenom seemed a little firmer than the AXE6. So I would say this is probably more along the lines of a Mid-Luanch shaft. Around 48g.

Diamana S+ R flex – I currently am playing this one in my G25. Feels like a heavier version of the Phenom for me. Very stable feeling. Tip feels somewhere in-between the AXE6 and Phenom. Mid-Launch

Miyazaki Kusala White 65g R flex – I played this in a K15 5w. I was duped. I loved my 5w with stock SR flex shaft and once I increased my swing speed a little wanted to firm up the shaft to gain a little more accuracy. So I found the Kusala for a song in a used bin and had it installed. I have swung many L flex clubs in the stores and the Kusala was whippier than any L flex. I probably lost 20 yds with this club as it did nothing but hit balloon balls. I recently found the Cleveland shaft chart for 2012 and now understand why. The Kusala white has the most tip flex out of any shaft they tested that year. Luckily I only had about $35 invested into the shaft and install fees.

Miyazaki C Kua 39g R flex and S flex – while I haven’t had a chance to play these shafts on the course, there is a store by me that has a Cleveland CG Black 3w with the S flex and a 5w with the R flex.
The R flex feels way too reminiscent of the Kusala white. Flexy flyer.
The S flex however in the 3w almost has a perfect feel to me. Stable but with a nice amount of tip kick at the very end of the swing. I currently am looking to find one of these for my K15 3w which has the stock S flex in it which feels a bit above my swing speed.

Stock TFC R flex. Since you started off with the stock TFC R flex shaft I figured I would throw my 2 cents in since I play mostly Ping woods. I actually feel like the TFC that was in the G15, G20 and K15 series’ are a little firmer than say the TFC R flex in my G25. The new version seems to have more kick than the older version. Perhaps this is the heavier head/adapter combination coming into play in the G25 vs the older driver heads. Also, when I play the stock TFC in my G25, it provides a higher flight than the S+ does. I could game the stock TFC though no problem in the G25.

Once again thanks for your testing results. I might just have too look up a PL Blue as my next shaft endeavor.

Thanks for sharing, you just gave yourself an interesting if expensive crash course in shaft bend profiles and shaft matching. As you discovered there are strong differences between the shafts, much more than the flex label.

If you are lucky perhaps Tom Wishon will post a couple of shaft profiles showing the differences between some of the shafts you tried.

Enjoy your new K15 Prolaunch Blue driver.

Thanks for posting. Some good info here.

I thought I would add a few things after the initial comments. The club fitter was stumped about the higher launch angle on the Matrix and less distance as well. He stated that it seemed to be due to the higher tip stiffness in that shaft. The club fitter stated that I might want to consider looking at the senior flex shafts....especially as I tired toward the end of the launch monitor testing (hit 10-12 drives per driver).

Thanks for your comments. Keep them coming!

Thanks so much for that phenomenal post. That is without a doubt one of the most detailed, practical yet scientific reviews I have ever read. I can totally identify with your quest to find that perfect lightweight shaft, and your love of the Ping K15 head. I share your obsession, and have similar characteristics(60, losing some distance, 7 handicap), 95 mph and dropping. I have owned some 150 drivers, including the K15 ( currently play the 3 wood with a callaway xhot shaft), have others in the mail. The past 2 days I have been looking at lightweight shafts on the net. Your review has made my hunt more clear now, and given me some ideas I hadn't considered. I was about to pick up a Miyazaki tomorrow, and will throw in a graffaloy blue ( I had a heavier one a few yrs back). If you get a chance try a cleveland monster driver with the stock fujikura fit on gold shaft with senior flex. I have talked 2 friends into these (12 degree senior) and although the model is 4-5 yrs old they have not changed to newer models despite trying many. I cannot improve my launch monitor numbers or actual playing results with any other driver so far (Monster draw 10.5 regular). I have been in numerous shops, have had at least 4 sales reps more or less guaranteeing they can put me in a longer club ((razr-fit, R1, cobra,etc), yet my monster is always straighter and longer (I am used to it). I have 6 of them with various shafts and lofts, but the stock ones cannot get kicked out . We'll see what this week brings.

[quote name='garywrice' timestamp='1389931308' post='8475891']
The club fitter was stumped about the higher launch angle on the Matrix and less distance as well. He stated that it seemed to be due to the higher tip stiffness in that shaft.
[/quote]

The Cleveland head you used it on is about 10 gms lighter than a standard driver head and the K15 (192 gm vs 202 gm). That lighter head weight will result in the shaft playing quite a bit stiffer than it would in a 'normal' weight head of the K15. Both the stiffer shaft feeling and lighter head weight can also potentially influence your swing to cause some changes that would effect club speed and launch either way.

Just from a purely objective evaluation and for a 'fair' test, you probably should have tried it in the K15 or at least tried to match head weight between the two with some lead tape. No, I'm not suggesting you go back and do that :-) - especially since you already found some other options that work very well for you.

However, still a very good write up and comparison. Thanks.

[quote name='hackerboy' timestamp='1389951176' post='8476555']
Thanks so much for that phenomenal post. That is without a doubt one of the most detailed, practical yet scientific reviews I have ever read. I can totally identify with your quest to find that perfect lightweight shaft, and your love of the Ping K15 head. I share your obsession, and have similar characteristics(60, losing some distance, 7 handicap), 95 mph and dropping. I have owned some 150 drivers, including the K15 ( currently play the 3 wood with a callaway xhot shaft), have others in the mail. The past 2 days I have been looking at lightweight shafts on the net. Your review has made my hunt more clear now, and given me some ideas I hadn't considered. I was about to pick up a Miyazaki tomorrow, and will throw in a graffaloy blue ( I had a heavier one a few yrs back). If you get a chance try a cleveland monster driver with the stock fujikura fit on gold shaft with senior flex. I have talked 2 friends into these (12 degree senior) and although the model is 4-5 yrs old they have not changed to newer models despite trying many. I cannot improve my launch monitor numbers or actual playing results with any other driver so far (Monster draw 10.5 regular). I have been in numerous shops, have had at least 4 sales reps more or less guaranteeing they can put me in a longer club ((razr-fit, R1, cobra,etc), yet my monster is always straighter and longer (I am used to it). I have 6 of them with various shafts and lofts, but the stock ones cannot get kicked out . We'll see what this week brings.
[/quote]

Hackerboy:

On the Cleveland Monster driver, any issues with how "noisy" this driver is? In reading a few reviews, there were some complaints about the sound (not the performance). Thanks again for your information.

Hi. They are somewhat noisy with a distinct sound. To me it's a powerful metal sound (if there is such a thing), and I am totally used to it. I hear frequent undeserved "nice hit"s from playing partners when I hit it anywhere near the large sweet spot due to a combination of the sound and the initial ball flight (although I respond "thanks, probably went 225- 230", since I know the reality of sound/launch vs end result at my club head speed unless it's a pure hit then 245-250). I play with a guy who has a 9.5 Ping k15 who talked me into one a year ago(10.5) but I was losing yards relative to the Monster. Nothing scientific though, and it's possible the extra height I'm getting from the 3 degrees closed Monster is negating some ping benefit. But the numerous launch monitors confirm how good these are for me relative to the latest technology. The R1 and SLDR were the most recent disappointments despite numerous shafts and every possible setting. Pick up one on the Bay and try it.

[quote name='hackerboy' timestamp='1390452619' post='8514327']
Hi. They are somewhat noisy with a distinct sound. To me it's a powerful metal sound (if there is such a thing), and I am totally used to it. I hear frequent undeserved "nice hit"s from playing partners when I hit it anywhere near the large sweet spot due to a combination of the sound and the initial ball flight (although I respond "thanks, probably went 225- 230", since I know the reality of sound/launch vs end result at my club head speed unless it's a pure hit then 245-250). I play with a guy who has a 9.5 Ping k15 who talked me into one a year ago(10.5) but I was losing yards relative to the Monster. Nothing scientific though, and it's possible the extra height I'm getting from the 3 degrees closed Monster is negating some ping benefit. But the numerous launch monitors confirm how good these are for me relative to the latest technology. The R1 and SLDR were the most recent disappointments despite numerous shafts and every possible setting. Pick up one on the Bay and try it.
[/quote]

The only ones on the bay are 10.5 with stiff or regular flex but I will keep looking. Do you have one of your spares for sale.? Given my stats, it sounds like I should get a 12 degree with senior flex. Thanks again for your input.

Hi. It's funny. I just picked up a 12 degree draw regular this week and played today at Kapalua Bay Course for the first time with it. I shot a very easy 76 with many nice drives for me. Noticeably higher ball flight with less of my usual depressing 10 yard cut at the end. Was definitely shorter with no run on several holes, but overall round a bit better than my 10.5. Light wind so 12 was nice today. Interesting club because although it was advertised in great shape (which it is) the shaft was not original. The graphics were facing down, and the fit on gold shaft said 55 grams (vs 50 for stock). One wouldn't notice unless you own other ones (and my friend was playing the exact same club and difference was obvious). It is also 3/4 inch shorter. Anyway, I am hanging on to this one. I have another 12 with an Aldila 75r shaft which I don't like which I would not recommend for you. I would suggest creating an Ebay alert for a Cleveland Monster 12 draw, and pick up a regular or senior one for under $70. If you don't like it I'll buy it from you for the same price, since I know I will be playing these indefinitely, or giving them to senior friends.

@GarywRice
I just noticed that I bought the k15 with g40 shaft off you on eBay. Small world.
When I bid I kinda wondered if you were the seller especially since you don't see too many k15 with non stick shafts.

[quote name='erock9174' timestamp='1390742680' post='8535281']
@GarywRice
I just noticed that I bought the k15 with g40 shaft off you on eBay. Small world.
When I bid I kinda wondered if you were the seller especially since you don't see too many k15 with non stick shafts.
[/quote]
Great.....I am about to put up the other K15 with the Aerotech Claymore shaft.....maybe some of the others too. I bought another Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45 shaft for a Ping K15 fairway wood and will see how that works. Also, I bought a Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue graphite iron shaft to experiment with it in a G15 7 iron. Really, I am waiting for the new Ping Karsten irons to come out to give them a try. Hope the Graphite Design works for you.....but do you like the G25? I tried it but was not a good fit for me.

Well played, sir!

Great write-up. Apart from the fact that at my advanced age, the typeface was a bit small, I enjoyed every word.

Just one question. Have you tried a G25 9.5*, set to "+" position to add a bit of loft and close the face (it would set more like a K head), with the stock SR shaft? The SR shaft weighs 48 grams, and seems to work pretty well; I play the R shaft in that configuration and really like it.

Also, the stock Bassara senior shaft in a Titleist 910 D2 has worked very well for some of my friends. That could be a possible ebay purchase as the 913 is not appreciably different for our swing speeds. I still play my 910 D2 on occasions and it performs very well.

Lastly. The ProLaunch Blue was a great shaft. I played a 75R in a TEE cb2 3-wood with great success for quite awhile.

[u][b]March 1, 2014 update[/b][/u]

For those interested, here is an update on this posting since January 16, 2014.

I have sold the Ping K15s with the Miyazaki C Kua and Graphite Design shafts to another buyer on ebay. Interestingly, the buyer stated that the Graphite Design and the Miyazaki shafts were cut longer than the 45 ¼ requested. Certainly, this could have contributed to the problem with certain shafts.

I will be keeping the drivers with the Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45, Miyazaki B Asha 3 and Aldila Magnum 44 to use. I continued to like the B Asha shaft but it felt too whippy when hitting on the range. So, I took it to a club fitter and, lo and behold, it measured 46”! So, I had him shorten it to 45”, replaced the K15 head from the UST Mamiya shaft and it has been a great driver for me. I have actually hit my drives a bit further than the Grafalloy (no Launch Monitor readings, but the Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45 is still a great inexpensive shaft). However, I would probably move the B Asha shaft up to #2 past the C. Kua and Magnum 44 shaft.

I will be selling the Ping K15 with the Aerotech Claymore shaft in it. A good shaft but the grip feels very small and it affects my confidence in the club. I still have the UST Mamiya MP4 shaft as well but will probably sell that as well.

Another lesson to learn is that different club fitters are definitely not as skilled as others. Let the buyer beware and check their credentials as best as you can.

Hi ..I would like to know wath do you think about the new Fujikura Fuel Lite 55 on the Cobra amp cell driver for a 84 mph swing speed like mine.I have a short swing but with a good release square at impact ,and I have no need for draw bias .please .thanks!

Thanks for the inquiry. Unfortunately, I have not had any experience with the Fujikura Fuel 60 shaft other than in a RBZ Stage 2 fairway wood. I used it for a couple of rounds and practice sessions and did not like it. It is a low launch, low spin shaft and most of my hits were low but with spin, so I sold the club. The experience in my K15 head was the Fujikura Blur Red and I did not like that either. Seemed too stiff and heavy in comparison to the other shafts I liked (Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45, Miyazaki B Asha 3R). Also, just picked up a UST Mamiya Tour SPX at 46 grams and the jury is still out on that one. Finally, I just picked up a Ping G20 and will be putting in a Grafalloy 45 in that one. Will put the 4 drivers on a Launch Monitor to see which is best for me. Stay tuned.

P.S. I have not had any experience with the Cobra Amp Cell. I have used the Cobra Baffler and the Cobra Amp Cell Offset....they are decent drivers but did not buy to play. A couple of my friends have Cobra Amp Cell and really like them.

Gary, any updates on how the G20 is working out?

I had a chance to hit a used G15 10.5* with Pro Launch 45R and at a swing speed around 91-92 it help up very nicely and did not feel whippy at all.
If I can get the local store to knock a few bucks off of it it might be worth a gamble on.

Then again I am hitting my SLDR 14* pretty well right now so I hate to make a change.

[center][b][u]Lightweight Driver Shaft Update/Fairway Wood Review[/u][/b][/center]


In January of 2014, I wrote and published a long article in GolfWrx about determining the best lightweight driver shaft for me with the Ping K15 driver head. My top 3 driver shafts (or the ones that I kept) were the Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45, the Miyazaki B Asha 3R and the Aldila Magnum 44. For the record, I have used the Grafalloy most of the time in my golf games and have been quite happy with the results. For an 85 mph swing, I regularly get about 200-210 yards on my drives with a fairly narrow dispersion and limited spin (slice!).

So, can the typical addicted golfer let this contentment continue? Of course not! So what do you do? You tinker with it!

I found one more lightweight shaft, a 46 gram UST Mamiya VTS SPX and had that installed in a 12 degree K15 head. Additionally, I had been itching to try a different head with the Grafalloy, so I purchased a used Ping G20 in 12 degrees and a used Grafalloy blue 45 shaft as well.

In, June, I went to my local golf shop to have a pro help me put 4 of these drivers to the Trackman test. Also, I thought it would be interesting to see them compared to the previous stats on my 2 top driver shafts (Grafalloy and Miyazaki).

The averaged Trackman results were as follows:

[b]Shaft/Head Spin Ball Speed Launch Angle Total Yards[/b]

[b]Miyazaki[/b][b] B Asha/K15 [/b]2893 120.3 12.2 203
[b]UST Mamiya VTS/K15 [/b]3048 120.8 10.6 202.4
[b]Grafalloy Blue 45/K15 [/b]3455 114.7 12.0 190.4
[b]Grafalloy Blue 45/G20 [/b]5076 119.9 12.2 187.1

The January 2014 comparable results:

[b]Grafalloy Blue/K15 [/b]3000 125 11 203
[b]Miyazaki[/b][b] B Asha/K15 [/b]2800 120 12 190
[b]Aldila Magnum 44/K15 [/b]2900 120 12 190

In looking at the results, here are some points that I pulled from the trackman stats:

* The Grafalloy consistently seems to have more spin than the other shafts tested.

* I had suspected in playing the Miyazaki that it was longer than the Grafalloy but
the January results did not bear that out. The pro that tested me stated that he
felt the Miyazaki was the better shaft for me, i.e., more yards and less spin.

* The K15 head is still the best driver for me.

* I will be hanging on to the Mamiya shaft and club as a backup.

* On a personal note, the pro said I need to improve my launch angle and angle of attack (seem to be hitting more on the downswing) in order to gain more yardage so, I will be working on that.


[center][b]Fairway Wood Review[/b][/center]

Also, as a part of this review (since the driver review would only take 30 minutes), I wanted to review some fairway woods. That seems to be the most inconsistent part of my game, so a review of some of the most recent technology should be helpful.

As I have aged (and even when I was younger), I could not hit a 3 wood very well. My favorite fairway club was an old persimmon head Citation Powerbilt 4 wood. Since that was disposed a long time ago, I have been scuffling around for another good fairway wood, preferably a 4 wood.

Currently, I have been shuffling back and forth between the Rocketballz 5 wood (19 degrees) and the Ping G15 draw 4 wood (17). I tried the Rocketballz HL 3 wood (17) without much success.

Here are the averaged results from the Trackman fitting:

[b]Club Spin Ball Speed Launch Angle Total Yds[/b]
Rocketballz 5 wood 3976 111.7 10.4 175.8
Ping G15 4 wood 3519 111.3 11.4 179.3
Callaway X2Hot 5wd 3582 114 13.4 187.4
Cobra BioCell, 3/4 at 16 * 3732 110.4 13.9 178.2
TM JetSpeed 4 wood 2835 110.3 13.9 184.2
Wilson D100 3 wood 4083 113.7 10.1 179.0
Nike Covert 2.0/3 wood 3695 112.1 12.3 180.3

Here are some points that I pulled from these trackman stats:

* The Callaway seemed to be the club for me. The pro agreed. It ranked #1 in total yards and ball speed and #3 in spin. This 5 wood outdistanced the other 3 and 4 woods in the test. I bought this club.

* The JetSpeed 4 wood was the next best club. #1 in low spin (by quite a bit!) and #2 in total yards.

Dang, great stuff Gary. I'm in your wheelhouse for speed and age. I have a strong transition and quick tempo.

Sorry I didn't see the January posts. Your testing info on the Callaway 5 wood being longer than the other 4 and 3 woods and TM 5 wood is good info beyond the generic statement I've read that the avg amateur should be carrying just one wood, often going with a 5 wood.

Even though I missed your earlier posts , am kicking myself a bit that I didn't give the K15 driver another demo try (less than half the price) when I recently went to a G25 in stock regular. I liked the K15 feel -in stiff- when I demoed a variety Ping drivers and shafts last April with a Ping fitter. However I try to avoid closed - looking heads though as they do things to my own head. Got a G20 stiff instead at that fitting, slightly better numbers than any other shaft- head combo, but on the course I was working too hard. I gave up on it and the pro in the store fitted me for a G25 in reg.

[b]BTW I love my G25 4 wood in stock reg-[u]from the first swing[/u]. [/b]This was after trying out other 16-17 degree clubs he past few years:

[b]Tour Edge Exotics[/b]: Trilogy , XGC4, XRail with stock reg shafts (but senior in Trilogy) and reshafted with Xcaliber SL regulars. In hindsight, the stock reg shaft in XRail was probably ok.

[b]Original RBZ 5 wood: [/b]I bought as new demo for a steal price (and a 7 wood) late in 2012. Hit well off mats but too much turf interaction action for me with 5w (and I preferred my hybrids over the 7w. So both went by- by on Craigsist promptly).

[b]Adams Tight Lies[/b] :16* (new version): Could not hit the reg in demo, big slces and low distance. Went with stiff and still found it too soft to control and too much spin. Tried reshafting with Fujikura Motore Reg and that was better but I found the head too small and actually went under the ball a few times in fluffier rough.

[b]KZG VC-F 17*[/b] : After my failed TL experiment, my fitter suggested I try the KZG with the Motore shaft I had recently bought for the short-term TL experiment. Just didn't like it and could not hit it consistently. (So he kindly took both back at a fair price.)

I demoed the G25 16.5 * last November while on holiday after a bad round with my new KZG combo. As I say I fell in love at first swing and it was seemless to course transition the next day.

Slight segue:
At the time I got the G25 4 wood I was using an R11s driver, refit with a UST Mamiya Tour Black stiff 68 g shaft. Was fitted for it last Fall due to my faster transition and later release and mostly was nailing it, and straight. (I had some difficulty early this Spring with it after a layoff from golf after an operation. Probably should have kept it anyway, even after I bought the G20 and G25 recently, but I don't like to keep spare cubs around now. "Dance with the one you brung" etc. )

[u]That shaft has a counterbalance component, same as the G25 shafts that are also made by UST. [/u]

So for me, it seems that I seem to have a slight pref for a counterbalance component.

[quote name='garywrice' timestamp='1403441199' post='9550327']
[center][b][u]Lightweight Driver Shaft Update/Fairway Wood Review[/u][/b][/center]
. . .
Here are the averaged results from the Trackman fitting:

[b]Club Spin Ball Speed Launch Angle Total Yds[/b]
Rocketballz 5 wood 3976 111.7 10.4 175.8
Ping G15 4 wood 3519 111.3 11.4 179.3
Callaway X2Hot 5wd 3582 114 13.4 187.4
Cobra BioCell, 3/4 at 16 * 3732 110.4 13.9 178.2
TM JetSpeed 4 wood 2835 110.3 13.9 184.2
Wilson D100 3 wood 4083 113.7 10.1 179.0
Nike Covert 2.0/3 wood 3695 112.1 12.3 180.3

Here are some points that I pulled from these trackman stats:

* The Callaway seemed to be the club for me. The pro agreed. It ranked #1 in total yards and ball speed and #3 in spin. This 5 wood outdistanced the other 3 and 4 woods in the test. I bought this club.

* The JetSpeed 4 wood was the next best club. #1 in low spin (by quite a bit!) and #2 in total yards.
[/quote]

Hi Garry,
May I have some questions regarding your fairway wood reviews on June 22nd:
a. Were you using the stock shaft on those woods? Did you keep them at stock length? and what flex were they?
b. Is your wood ranking still holding true for Callaway X2 Hot as no. 1 and Talormade Jetspeed as no. 2?

James, I am still using the Callaway x2 hot 5 wood. I liked it so much that I bought the 7 wood for shorter distances. If I put a good swing on it, it will go and is forgiving. Don't know about the Jetspeed as I have not used it. I expect it to be in my bag for a while.

I used the stock shafts at standard lengths. I use regular flex shafts and my swing speed is 85-87mph.

[quote name='garywrice' timestamp='1389896400' post='8472109']
[size=3][color=#000000]I am writing this as an amateur review about my experiences in trying to find a good driver and shaft to try to gain some yardage as I have aged (now 65). I thought this might be useful to other members who are in my situation and can be overwhelmed (as I was) with the considerable information on drivers and shafts (torque, bend point, tip and butt stiffness, oh my!). I am not a trained club fitter, but a long time amateur golfer (age 9!).[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]First of all, a little history, in my younger years, my handicap was as low as a 5 (for 18), played competitively in school, but with work obligations, it had easily ballooned to 14. Never a long hitter, the strength of my game was always in the shorter shots. My driver swing speed was about 95 and driver yardage was about 230-240.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]So, when I retired in 2010, my swing speed had slowed considerably to about 85 and my yardage was diminishing to about 200 to 210…plus I had developed a nasty habit of hitting the driver and other clubs on the heel (yeah, a few “hosel rockets” with the irons!). [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]After a few lessons, I got the big loop out of my swing due to trying to swing harder and get more yardage. Next, I went on a quest to try to get a driver and shaft that would provide the optimum yardage given my limitations.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]After several sessions with a variety of drivers and club fitters(in 2011), the Ping K15 (12 degree loft) was by far the best driver I had ever used (tried at least 15 different drivers). I got a few more yards out of the TaylorMade Rocketballz but I could not get it to stop fading on me. The Ping K15 was much straighter and much more consistent (draw bias?). [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]After using the club with the stock shaft for a year, I decided to reshaft the club with a good lightweight premium driver shaft and see if that would help get more yardage for me. The Ping K15 stock shaft is the TFC149 and weighs 55 grams. Here are the regular flex shafts (except the Miyazaki C Kua 39S) that I bought to consider:[/color][/size]
[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]X Caliber 5 (57 grams) – $50[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45 (44 grams) - $50[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]Fujikura Blur Red 004 (48 grams) - $125[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]Miyazaki B Asha 3R (46 grams) - $150[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]Aldila Magnum 44 (44 grams) - $140[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]Aerotech Claymore (48 grams) - $80[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]Graphite Design G series (50 grams) - $119[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]Miyazaki[/size][size=3] C. Kua 39S (47 grams) – $59 (used from Ebay)[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]Miyazaki[/size][size=3] C. Kua 39R (45 grams) - $45 (used from Ebay)[/size][/color]

[color=#000000][size=3]·[/size] [size=3]UST Mamiya MP4 (46 grams) - $59[/size][/color]

[size=3][color=#000000]I had considered some other light weight shafts but they were just too expensive for my experiment. Those were Project X PXV 39 ($275); UST Mamiya Attas series ($500+); Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara Ultralite series ($300). I would love to know any other member’s experiences with these more expensive lightweight shafts.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000][b]Some added notes:[/b] The X Caliber, Fujikura, Miyazaki (both), Aldila and Graphite Design shafts were “spined” before inserting the shafts into the K15 club heads. The Aerotech, Grafalloy ProLaunch 45, and UST Mamiya shafts were “pured” prior to insertion. Not sure it makes a difference but it is important you know what I had that done on each shaft. Also, in each case, I had the shaft cut to a non-standard K15 length (45 and ¼ ). My preference was to have a slightly shorter club (I am 5’ 9’) than the standard 45 and ¾ inch club, so each shaft was cut to the shorter length. [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]Initially, I went to a trained club fitter and he recommended the [b]X Caliber[/b] shaft, so, it was the first shaft that I had put in the K15. It was not much different than the stock shaft, albeit a little stiffer than I liked. I decided to pull the XCaliber and see if I could handle a lighter shaft in the club head. At this point, I went on my own to research and purchase shafts and test them out. The GolfWorks catalog helped a great deal in the selection.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]The [b]Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45[/b] was next and it has been a [b][u]great [/u][/b]shaft for the money. Besides the shaft, I put a 25 gram Golf Pride grip on the club. It had a great feel to it and I am still using this club. I was consistently in or near the center of the fairway with little ball movement (spin). I would [b]definitely[/b] recommend it as a reasonable cost lightweight replacement for the stock shaft. [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]I bought another Ping K15 driver head and put a [b]Fujikura Blur Red[/b] in it. A lot of golfers love the Fujikura shaft but I did not. It felt stiff and heavy despite only being 48 grams. I had the same light weight grip on the shaft as well. I sold this club and shaft.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]After reading a review on the [b]Miyazaki B Asha[/b], I purchased the Regular 3 and replaced the stock shaft in another K15 driver. The light Golf Pride grip was used as well. Once in, this shaft felt [b]very[/b] light and swung like a senior shaft. However, when I hit the ball, this shaft carried the ball the furthest. Yet, my “swing feel” continues to tell me that it is “whippy” and there are more erratic shots with this shaft (wider dispersion). I would recommend it but if I were to do it all over again, my swing might have been better matched to the B Asha 3 stiff flex (2 grams heavier though). As you will see, I did not completely give up on the Miyazaki shafts.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]I read a number of very positive reviews on GolfWrx about the [b]Aerotech Claymore[/b] (plus the club fitter highly recommended the Steelfiber iron shafts), so I purchased it and put that in a K15 head as well. This shaft reminded me of the XCaliber shaft but with a much smaller grip (has the same Tour Golf Pride 25 grip). My hands are just average size so be aware of that if you are interested in this shaft. It was a little more flexible and not as stiff at the bottom compared to the XCaliber. It was a nice shaft but too thin at the grip.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000][b]Aldila[/b] has been in the shafting business for a long time, so I saved some money and purchased their [b]Magnum 44[/b] light weight shaft. Unfortunately, I was only able to hit this shaft a few times because the installer failed to put a shim with the shaft. It soon snapped at the bottom. The few times I did hit the shaft, I had a very positive feel with it but I would mark its’ assessment as incomplete. I was unable to get another Aldila shaft to replace it, so I went to another fitter and he recommended the [b]Graphite Design G series 40[/b] shaft. I replaced the broken Aldila with the Graphite Design shaft. I was told by the fitter that the shaft was 40 grams but, in reality, it was 50 grams (according to Golfworks). After 3 rounds with it, this shaft did not produce the results I wanted. My drives were ok but the “feel” actually was “whippy” (despite its heavier weight) with a very narrow grip. My drives were less consistent as well. [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]In December, 2013, I decided to try a few more shafts in the Ping K15 to finalize my experiment. So, I saved some money and purchased another [b]Aldila Magnum 44.[/b] Additionally, I saw 2 used lightweight [b]Miyazaki[/b][b] shafts (C. Kua 39[/b] [b]Reg and[/b] [b]Stiff[/b]) on Ebay as well as a new [b]UST Mamiya MP4[/b] on sale at Golfsmith. So, I took the leap and purchased them as well.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]I purchased these [b]used [/b][b]Miyazaki[/b][b] shafts [/b]because theyhad different international flex codes than the original B. Asha 3R at 4222 (I could not find a used B. Asha 3Stiff at 5433). The C. Kua39 regular I/F code was 5212 and the C Kua39 stiff was 6424. I liked the Miyazaki B. Asha 3R shaft but I did not want to spend another $150/$175 for just one new shaft. So, I found these 2 similar shafts for less money to see if any of them would be a better match for my swing than the B. Asha 3R.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]I tried the [b]Miyazaki[/b][b] C. Kua 39Stiff[/b] shaft that was already in a Cleveland Launcher xl270 and hit the ball very poorly. The shaft was way too stiff for my swing and I was consistently late resulting in a push or a slice. Of course, the Launcher head is less closed than the K15 but, despite the lightness of this shaft, it just felt too stiff for my swing. I did not even bother to put this in a K15 head.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]Next, I put the [b]Miyazaki[/b][b] C. Kua 39Regular [/b]into a K15 head and I was pleased with the results. It was not as “whippy” as the B. Asha 3R and my drives were very good and consistently straight. This Miyazaki also produced the longest drives of the shafts.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]I really liked the [b]UST Mamiya MP4[/b] shaft as well. It had a good feel throughout the swing and the drives were good and narrow. This shaft’s drives did not seem to be quite as long as the Miyazaki shafts.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]Finally, I was able to insert the [b]Aldila Magnum 44[/b] into a K15 head and it continued to have a good feel with good results. For its lightness, it was still stiff at the bottom (and the top) with a narrow dispersion on the drives. Not a lot of spin on the drives either.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]As a [b]final step[/b] in the experiment, I decided to take [b]my 4 favorite shafts[/b] and K15 heads to a club fitter and see what a [b]Launch Monitor[/b] would say about the drivers. In January 2014, my favorite K15 driver heads had the Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45, Mamiya MP4, Aldila Magnum 44 and Miyazaki C Kua 39R shafts in them.[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000][b]Prior to the Launch Monitor readings, my lightweight shaft ratings and recommendations would be as follows:[/b][/color][/size]

[color=#000000][size=3]1.[/size] [/color][b][size=3][color=#000000]Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45 [/color][/size][/b]

[color=#000000][size=3]2.[/size] [/color][size=3][color=#000000][b]Miyazaki[/b][b] C. Kua 39R[/b][/color][/size]

[color=#000000][size=3]3.[/size] [/color][b][size=3][color=#000000]UST Mamiya MP4(tie)[/color][/size][/b]

[b][size=3][color=#000000]3. Aldila Magnum 44(tie)[/color][/size][/b]

[b][size=3][color=#000000]4. Aerotech Claymore[/color][/size][/b]

[size=3][color=#000000][b]5. [/b][b]Miyazaki[/b][b] B. Asha 3R[/b][/color][/size]

[b][size=3][color=#000000]6. Graphite Design G Series 40[/color][/size][/b]

[b][size=3][color=#000000]7. XCaliber 5[/color][/size][/b]

[size=3][color=#000000][b]8. [/b][b]Miyazaki[/b][b] C. Kua 39S[/b][/color][/size]

[b][size=3][color=#000000]9. Fujikura Blur Red[/color][/size][/b]

[size=3][color=#000000][b][u]Launch Monitor [/u][/b][b][u]Readings[/u][/b][b][u] (Average):[/u][/b][/color][/size]


[b][size=3][color=#000000]Shaft BallSpeed Carry Distance Backspin LaunchAngle[/color][/size][/b]

[size=3][color=#000000]Grafalloy 125mph 203yds 3000rpm 11 degrees[/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]Miyazaki39R 120 190 2800 12 [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]UST MP4 118 185 2700 15 [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]Aldila 44 120 190 2900 12 [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000]The club fitter helping with the Launch Monitor readings believed that the UST Mamiya shaft tip was stiffer (kick point) and impacted the length and dispersion of the shots. He stated that the Grafalloy Blue 45 was the best for my swing because of the higher tip flexibility in the shaft. He thought the Aldila (best shot dispersion!) was slightly better than the Miyazaki shaft. I found it interesting the Miyazaki readings did not reflect the perceived longer distances that I had experienced in actual play. [/color][/size]

[size=3][color=#000000][b]So, did I gain yardage?[/b] Not really….maybe a couple of yards but nothing real dramatic. However, the [b]biggest surprise[/b] was the tighter dispersion that these shafts generally brought to my drives. I was [b][u]much[/u][/b]more consistently in the fairway with straighter drives. Needless to say, I was very pleased with that and, if nothing else, would recommend the purchase of one of these shafts for that result. [/color][/size]

[b][size=3][color=#000000]Interestly, the [b]less expensive[/b] shaft (Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45) was the best match for my swing than the more premium shafts. Again, “more” is not necessarily “better”. [/color][/size][/b]

[b][size=3][color=#000000]Another discovery in this experiment was the different performance and feel of all of these so-called “regular flex” shafts. There is no question that there is a definite need for some kind of standardization in the golf industry to properly designate a shaft as senior, regular, stiff, etc (maybe require the international flex code on each shaft?). As noted in many of my comments, there was too much variance in the flex of these similarly marked lightweight shafts.[/color][/size][/b]

[b][size=3][color=#000000]I would appreciate your comments and additional experiences related to this review.[/color][/size][/b]
[/quote]Great review! I wish we all had the funding to put ourselves through your experiment. Oh well if you have all those shafts just sitting around, send me a light shaft, low kick point. I would prefer a low torque but at our age it doesn't much matter, now does it? While we are talking about trying to get to the most perfect condition, we are talking about changing a 200 yeard drive by a total of 10%? Maybe 15? I've found that at this point it doesn't really matter. As long as the ball gets into the fairway, not the rough, as long as it is reasonably a good shot, not too embarrassing, that's all that matters. I'm now 72 and still hit it down the middle, mostly. I've lost about 50 to 75 yards from my average of when I was a 10 handicapper and sometimes lower depending on the time I had to spend on it.
What I have mostly noticed over this time of recognizing I'm getting old is that the kick point or launch angle or loft is the most important today due to mainly the ball you use and due to the changes in the swing pattern. I've mostly always had a single plane swing, a little flat at times. I've noticed that all your data seemed to focus on a 12 loft angle, is it so? Maybe you should have changed that a bit with each shaft to see if that gave you extra 5 yards. Me? I've decided on a 10.5 as long as the kick point is low. Torque isn't important at our clubhead speeds or distance. But I would love to find a Ti shaft, low kick point and 48 inch long. I think that would give me another 20 yards. They use to make Ti alloy shafts. Can't find em anymore. Due to their low torque and ability to have a real low kick point they would go like hot cakes as far as I'm concerned. [email protected]

[center][u][b]Lightweight Driver and Shaft Update - September 2014[/b][/u][/center]

Because of the recent influx of lightweight drivers and shafts, I decided to go back to my local pro shop and have Trackman analyze them next to my swing.

[b]Drivers used: [/b]Ping K15, Callaway Big Bertha V series, Callaway X 2Hot, Ping G30 SF Tec, Cobra Bio Cell, Cleveland 588 Custom.

[b]Lightweight Shafts used: [/b]Project X Velocity(53 grams), Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara (43 grams), Matrix Ozik 6Q3 (50grams), Ping's TFC 419D (55 grams), Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 45 (44 grams) and the Miyazaki B Asha 3R (44 Grams).

I have had the Ping K15 in my bag with the Grafalloy and Miyazaki shafts in them and have been pleased with their performance given my 85 mph swing (see above for full details), but it is fun to see the new technology and pass along some judgments on the new equipment and how it compares to my current equipment.

Here are the results from my 1 hour Trackman Driver meeting with a Professional golfer/fitter:

[b][u]Club[/u] [u]Spin[/u] [u]Ball Speed[/u] [u]Launch Angle[/u] [u]Total Yards Avg[/u] [/b]

K15 w/ Grafalloy3051 121.3 10.4 202
K15 w/Miyazaki 2800 120.3 11.4 203
Callaway BB Vseries w/ Bassara 2849 117.4 11.7 196
Callaway BB V series w/ Project X 2535 117.8 10.8 195
Callaway X 2Hot w/ Project X 2136 119.7 11.4 204
Callaway X 2Hot w/ Bassara 2461 120.6 11.4 201
Cleveland 588 Custom w/ Matrix 2460 120.5 10.6 200
Ping G30 SF Tec, w/ Ping TFC 419D 2196 117 11.9 199
Cobra Bio Cell w/ Project X 2468 120.6 10.9 203

[b][u]Pro's Recommendations[/u][/b]

1. Cobra Bio Cell 11.5 Draw with Project X, Senior Flex
2. Callaway X 2Hot, 10.5 lofted up to 12.5 Draw with Project X Regular Flex
3. Cleveland 588 Custom with Matrix Ozik 6Q3 Senior Flex, 10.5 lofted up to 12

[b][u]My Thoughts/Perceptions[/u][/b]

1. Certainly from a yardage standpoint, I am ok where I am at with the Ping K15 (and they go straight). However, I was surprised at the lower spin rates on all of the new clubs.

2. I am not going to pay $200 - $400 for a new driver with minimal gain. However, I did like 2 drivers and their feel from the test.

a. The Callaway X 2Hot is a great club. When I hit it, it was "like butter". I bought their fairway woods and have been very happy with them. I will be on the lookout for a head
and match it up with a light shaft.
b. I liked the Cleveland Custom club but the senior shaft was way to "whippy" and too flexible to be consistent with it. So, I went on line to Ebay and bought used Cleveland
Altitude driver in regular flex with the lightweight Matrix Radix Ozik shaft (50 grams with a total weight of 270 grams) at $60. Will let you know how it goes with that driver.

3. I was disappointed with the Ping G30 and Callaway Big Bertha V series driver. I did not hit them well nor did they feel that great. Even though the pro recommended the Cobra Bio Cell, I liked the Callaway X 2Hot and Cleveland drivers much better.

4. I need to get my launch angle up (still) for better results.

You should try the SLDR 430. It's supposed to be the longest

[quote name='ghoul31' timestamp='1413134153' post='10274597']
You should try the SLDR 430. It's supposed to be the longest
[/quote]
I have not tried the TaylorMade 430 SLDR but according to most reports, a game and swing like mine would probably be more suited to the SLDR 460. Most of my experience with TaylorMade (Rocketballz) has resulted in a consistent fade but maybe with the adjustments, the SLDR would be different. Will have to give it a try sometime. Currently working with the Callaway X2 Hot with lightweight shafts to see how it matches my swing.

[list]
[*][u][b]Drivers and Lightweight Shafts Updated Dec, 2014[/b][/u]
[/list]


[b]I thought I would update my stats with some different drivers with my favorite shaft, the Miyazaki B Asha 3R. I like the Ping K15 but I still believe that I can gain a few yards with some of the newer driver technology.[/b]

[b]Since I have liked TaylorMade and Callaway products (hit Rocketballz and X2 Hot well in fairway and hybrid clubs), I thought I would pick up some of their highly advertised and utilized drivers.[/b]

[b]These are the clubs that I used with a Trackman monitor and a professional fitter:[/b]

[b]Ping K15 in 12 degrees with Miyazaki B Asha 3R shaft (45 grams)[/b]
[b]TM SLDR in 14 degrees with Miyazaki B Asha 3R shaft[/b]
[b]TM R11S in 12.5 degrees with Miyazaki B Asha 3R shaft[/b]
[b]Callaway Big Bertha in 12.5 degrees with UST Mamiya VTS TSPX 4R(46 grams)[/b]
(I did not have a B Asha shaft with the Callaway adapter)


[b] Spin Lnch Angle Ball Speed Smash F Att Ang Ttl Yds[/b]

[b]Ping K15 3200 10.2 122 1.53 -3.1 202[/b]

[b]SLDR 3035 11.6 123.8 1.53 -3.6 210[/b]

[b]R11S 2819 14.8 118.6 1.5 -2.8 204[/b]

[b]Big Bertha 3451 11.3 119.2 1.48 -3.8 201[/b]


[b]The Trackman monitor pretty much confirmed what I had experienced out on the range with the SLDR. Even with my swing flaws, it kept the spin to a minimum and performed better than my trusty K15. Also, I am going to keep the R11S as well and see if that is a good back up to the SLDR.[/b]

[b]Even though an argument could be made that the Big Bertha had a different shaft, it did not perform as well out on the range either. It was not as consistent as any of the other clubs and will be sold.[/b]

[b]Let me know your thoughts or questions about this post[/b]

Gary,

Thanks for the update. I'm almost 64 myself and similar swing speed. I can relate to your results and trying to squeeze a few more yards.

I'm no fitter, so I apologize if I step in it offering an observation. I know you mention "swing flaws", but I wonder in testing if you tried anything with ball position such as a touch more forward to help the Angle of Attack? Raising it even to close to zero AoA might assist with the launch angle and spin and especially more carry. Not that some spin isn't a good thing at our speeds. For what it's worth.

Gary, thanks for the information, I also match your swing speed more or less. Thing is at our swing speeds the launch window is pretty wide so truth is you are not leaving all that much on the table so to speak. Flightscope trajectory optimiser suggests about 221 yards total distance launching at 17 and 2250 rpm.

Looking at your data the SLDR looks like a candidate to obtain these numbers, if as myspinonit suggested, you could move your AoA from negitive to positive. There are plenty of tips on how you might achieve this. It is certainly not necessary but probably to only way you are going to improve on your current numbers.