Exotic Graphite shafts

[freddiec]

Overrated

I think there are some great shafts out there, but over the last few years it seems like there is a new one out every year that people go gaga over. I'm not saying there are premiem shafts worth buying , but the manufactures stock shafts most of the times are really good as well. The other day I'm playing with this 25 year old kid, who has a really good sound swing. He's about 6 foot 1, about 175 lbs. He's using the Titleist 983K driver, 9.5 degree loft and the Titleist stock shaft. I'm not sure of the exactly model, but its labled Titleist on the shaft and its grey. I'm telling you , he hit the thing on a dead rope the entire day about 285-290 with perfect trajectory. He was knocking it by me by 10 yards on every hole.

[Huskypride28]

I think there are some great shafts out there, but over the last few years it seems like there is a new one out every year that people go gaga over. I'm not saying there are premiem shafts worth buying , but the manufactures stock shafts most of the times are really good as well. The other day I'm playing with this 25 year old kid, who has a really good sound swing. He's about 6 foot 1, about 175 lbs. He's using the Titleist 983K driver, 9.5 degree loft and the Titleist stock shaft. I'm not sure of the exactly model, but its labled Titleist on the shaft and its grey. I'm telling you , he hit the thing on a dead rope the entire day about 285-290 with perfect trajectory. He was knocking it by me by 10 yards on every hole.

I think it all depends on your swing and personal preference. Some people like their shafts hard and stiff as a board and others like a light weight flimsy shaft. I've gone through a couple of exotics and I don't notice any gains or differences in yardages but where I do see a difference is in my ballflight and my spin rpm's. I have a fast swing and hit it high so I need a shaft that will give me a more boring trajectory and keep my backspin down. I can't get that with the stock shafts.

[six00imola]

you're right to some extent, but the right shaft can make it easier for you to hit the ball more consistently, and if you have a somewhat unusual launch you can benefit from specific shaft specs.

 

i bought my 2nd 983k with that same grey stock titleist shaft. i hit devilish hooks with it... and nothing else... it was physically impossible for me to hit straight with my swing... the only catch was it was R-flex... so I really cant judge it.

 

i bought it with that shaft because i knew i was going to replace the shaft no matter what and i wanted to get the cheapest new 983k i could find.

 

i switched do the grafalloy tour x in x-flex which fits me great and has the feel i like... ultralight and ultra-rock-hard.

[dannypharvey]

i like the idea that Titleist has offered stock shafts made by top companies, like grafalloy, in their drivers for a while now. my 983k has the Prolite in it and i love it. a few of my friends have a 983k with different shafts and also love theirs. i thought me liking the driver so much was down to the club, not the shaft, but then i tried a k with a YS6 in it and i hated the thing. to put it beyond doubt, i tried another friends 975D with the stock prolite and i loved it.

 

so maybe some people just get along with a certain shaft. sometimes that shaft will be the stock one and other times it will be an exotic one, it's just a personal thing. i also think it boosts your confidence in a club knowing it has a 'big name' shaft in it!

[ProSpec]

Since the 975, I've played Titleist drivers almost exclusively. I've dabbled with a few TM tour drivers as well. As far as shafts I've tried most of 'em from stock offerings to $250+ offerings. I for one have not been able to justify the extra price of the top Fujis and Diamanas. In fact, price aside, the entry level exotic shafts (NV, Prolite, Vista Tour, V2 etc.) have been just as good or better for me than any $250 shaft I've tried. I think sometimes ppl. get the high end Fuji., Diamana or rare tour only proto. shaft for the 'exotic' factor. Sure these ultra expensive shafts work for some and some pros play 'em (though I do believe just as many, if not more, pros play the less expensive stuff) but overall IMO the lower end exotic stuff works better for most. Now you see shafts with $450 and $1000 price tags. True ULTRA HO offerings. I guess when too many Diamanas and Speeders start showing up at the club and your bag isn't standing out like you want it to, you have to have something to go to. Not saying they're not quality shafts, but at those prices they better be flat out heads and shoulders better than ANYTHING out there. Pros get 'em free and I don't see too many in their bags...

[dcorun]

I don't like most stock shafts which seem to be lately the Aldila NV, Aldila NVS or a Fuji / Diamana knockoff. I reshaft with the Fuji Tour Platform 26.3 which I like and fits my swing. It is a premium shaft without breaking the bank. Different strokes for different folks. :golfer:

[taylormadefan]

Interesting you posted this.

 

I just got back from watching the practice rounds at the Shell Open.

 

Far and away the most popular driver and fairway wood shaft . . . Graphite Designs YS.

 

Shocking isn't it? I'd say one out of every three guys (who weren't playing TaylorMade/Rombax) had that shaft in their driver.

 

There were few Accras, a fair number of speeders, one Zcom I can remember, one Aldila VS proto, and of course Vijay and his ShaqX. I didn't see one Diamana all day.

 

I'm not trying to say that the exotics aren't good, because that clearly isn't the case. However, there is a LOT of very good AFFORDABLE golf shafts out there to fit every range of golfer.

[kblakeney35]

Did you see too many YS-6's? Or were they mostly 7's, 8's, and 9's?

 

 

-Kyle :golfer:

[taylormadefan]

Did you see too many YS-6's? Or were they mostly 7's, 8's, and 9's?

 

 

-Kyle :golfer:

 

In the driver, a pretty fair split between 6 and 7 (remember this is also counting the "normal" tour pros). 8 and 9's in fairway woods. There were also a few YS power series I saw.

[tickyboy]

I know my favourite shaft is the prolite, however I do like some exotics shafts as well...accras, speeders, zcoms, and diamanas.

[Muirwolf]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I think that people aren't telling you what to spend your money on, so you shouldn't tell them what to spend there money on, if a person can justify spending that amount of money on a shaft that's great for them, nobody is forcing you too buy the latest and greatest clubs/shafts/balls/shoes etc. it's all something that everyone has to decide for themselves.

 

Just my .02

[Golfchicago]

I think I have had an awaking as well. The most expensive shaft is not necessarily the best shaft for me. Also the shaft with the lowest torque is not always the best shaft for me. A shaft I am trying is the comp nt and it performs as well as much more expensive shafts I've used. I think the problem is that I've had other people on other sites tell me that they hit this and that high end shaft twenty yards farther and you need to buy it from me and don't waste your money with the lower priced shafts. Now I am finding out the quality of some of the lower priced shafts are really really good. I'm not discouting the higher end shafts, believe me. I just now understand I don't have to spend 400 to 500 to get a quality shaft.

[Golfchicago]

Muir, I don't thinnk Freddie was "telling" people what to spend their money on but rather to not to discount a shaft because it isn't a high end shaft.

[Muirwolf]

I think the key word in the title is overated, I think it should have been exotic shafts...not for everyone, the key is that it's all bout finding something you feel comfortable playing with but also throwing your plastic down for.

 

 

:golfer:

[ProSpec]

I think the problem is that I've had other people on other sites tell me that they hit this and that high end shaft twenty yards farther and you need to buy it from me and don't waste your money with the lower priced shafts.

 

Hmmmm... I have no idea what you could be talkin' about (cool) However I hear the Adams tour stuff along with Altus shafts are the bees knees :golfer: