Modern fairway woods with steel shafts?

[Can'tThinkOfAUsername]

Wanted to know peoples thoughts on the idea of manufacturers including an option of a steel shaft on their new fairway woods and hybrids?

 

I think it would have been around 10 years since the last major manufacturer would have included the option and since then the club heads of fairway woods and hybrids have improved with distance and forgiveness increasing. The graphite shafts used definitely help gain further distance but I think that the old heavier steel shafted fairway woods have far better controllability.

 

The distance and forgiveness of a modern head and the controllability of a steel shaft I'd like to see.

[LaymanM]

Don't think it would be a big seller. Just reshaft on. Plenty in expensive shafts out there

[dmeeksDC]

I doubt we will ever see that combo again in a factory build, but it is cheap to do if you wanted to swap in a steel shaft.

[Derek666]

Yeah too many people want light weight now that i doubt it would be a big seller, but i wouldn't think it would be hard to stick a steel shaft in there?

[Chuck905]

I have steel shafts in my two utility irons because I’m looking for control, certain launch conditions over club head speed.

 

I do have graphite in my fairway woods.

[ChipNRun]

Yeah too many people want light weight now that i doubt it would be a big seller, but i wouldn't think it would be hard to stick a steel shaft in there?

 

Modern FWs and hybrids are designed to maximize the more efficient power transfer you get from graphite, as opposed to steel, shafts.

 

As others have said, you could always swap in a steel shaft. Since most hybrids have a .370" hosel, you could put in a parallel-tip iron shaft.

 

Most modern FWs, however, have a .335 hosel" for graphite. About the only .335" Wood-tipped steel shafts - that I know of - are the True Temper DG-Woods and the budget Command-Woods.

 

Anyone know of other brands with .335"-tipped steel shafts?

[JBent9610]

Most modern FWs, however, have a .335 hosel" for graphite. About the only .335" Wood-tipped steel shafts - that I know of - are the True Temper DG-Woods and the budget Command-Woods.

 

Anyone know of other brands with .335"-tipped steel shafts?

 

Nippon 950fw http://nipponshaft.c...steel_950fw.php

I have one in my MP Titanium 5 wood that I like a lot.

 

The TT Command shafts and DG wood shafts have both been discontinued.

[Bubbtubbs]

Wanted to know peoples thoughts on the idea of manufacturers including an option of a steel shaft on their new fairway woods and hybrids?

 

I think it would have been around 10 years since the last major manufacturer would have included the option and since then the club heads of fairway woods and hybrids have improved with distance and forgiveness increasing. The graphite shafts used definitely help gain further distance but I think that the old heavier steel shafted fairway woods have far better controllability.

 

The distance and forgiveness of a modern head and the controllability of a steel shaft I'd like to see.

Amagad, loves me some steel fairway (and driver) shafts!

 

Totally support this.

[NRJyzr]

I used to be a big steel shafted fairway wood guy, but over the years, I've found there's an aspect to steel wood shafts that doesn't work with my game. They tend to spin too much for me. I've seen this with both Rifle and DG wood shafts.

 

Last year, I picked up a V Steel 15*, having found it for little money. I installed the Rifle shaft I'd used with my Trimetal some 15 years ago. Hit the course, it went nowhere, ballooned the holy hell out of it. So much for that.

 

If you're not a high spin player, it could work fairly well. For higher spin players, my experience is it's a sub-optimal exercise.

 

Edit: it's not only this V Steel usage that's given me these results. It's happened several times with various clubs...

[Johnny_Fairway]

I have steel shafts in my fairway woods. They work fine for me. But I've never tried graphite in them, so perhaps I just don't know what I'm missing.

[Stuart_G]

The weight of steel can help a few people but unlikely enough for the OEM's not to loose money on adding to the inventory. For the majority of their customers, "too heavy" can be just as problematic as "too light".

[27x10.5]

I'd like to see a hickory option

[MGFluFan]

I currently (2019) play steel shafts in all my clubs except driver. I have a much better ball flight and control with steel shafts with no noticeable loss in distance. There is no substitute for for steel feel. Steel is controllable and offers excellent stability and feel. People tend to get too caught up in chasing distance and forget to just play the game. I recently played against a player who could fly his driver over 300. He out drove me 30-40 yds., but he didn’t have the control needed to keep it in the fairway regularly. I was able to beat him by 5 in the end. My best advice to offer - just play the game.

[brianmontgomery2000]

I'm having a steel shaft put into my new hybrid to match my iron set, so yeah, I'd like the option on Fwy woods...

[Awainer1]

As much as I love the idea I just don’t think it makes sense anymore since graphite gives you so many options in profiling. You just don’t have that with steel.

[defender2803]

Was planning on putting a Hzrdus in a Pittsburgh Persimmon....

[JoePete]

Wanted to know peoples thoughts on the idea of manufacturers including an option of a steel shaft on their new fairway woods and hybrids?

 

I think the reasons you don't see it is the limited market. Performance-wise, whatever you can achieve with steel, I think you can replicate with composites - at least close enough for 99 percent of golfers. It more a question of feel. I think many people prefer steel in an iron given its weight and the sense of its being controllable, more consistent. The issue is not a lot of people are thinking distance control when they have a fairway wood in their hands. They want to see the ball fly.

[Stuart_G]

Wanted to know peoples thoughts on the idea of manufacturers including an option of a steel shaft on their new fairway woods and hybrids?

 

The only benefit to steel is that it's easier and cheaper to make them very heavy - that's really it. The problem is that (for fairways), the customer base that would need that much weight is so small that it would not justify the cost to make it an option. It's also the same reason why there are so very few fairway steel shaft options available to choose from. It's not worth it to spend any effort into developing any other (new) options.

 

Hybrids are slightly different. The customer base that would be interested is still quite small - but the good news is that really any iron shaft can be used in a hybrid or rescue so you have plenty of options available to choose from for a custom order.

[T.B.]

Was planning on putting a Hzrdus in a Pittsburgh Persimmon....

???