Why are graphite irons no longer popular

[Lamb]

They don't seem to be popular like they were well over a decade ago. What happened? Seems people either got laughed at for using them or they made no difference.

[Ripken08]

The same reason your posts aren't

[stryper]

:dntknw: Don’t know, my Recoils are very popular with me....easily he best equipment change of my career.

[Lemonde]

The same reason your posts aren't

 

Ouch

[Big Ben]

:dntknw: Don’t know, my Recoils are very popular with me....easily he best equipment change of my career.

He’s not talking about shafts he’s referring to actual iron head material.

[rxk9fan]

Another Recoil fan in a huge way. Tennis elbow was close to ending my golf maybe for good last year. And, nothing feels better than Recoils with a quality forged iron. I don't know that dispersion is exact to steel, but I certainly don't notice a difference.

 

:dntknw: Don't know, my Recoils are very popular with me....easily he best equipment change of my career.

He's not talking about shafts he's referring to actual iron head material.

 

???

[Lemonde]

Lightweight steel is just as good and much cheaper. And no one needs to get longer with irons , the heads are very good at being forgiving with springlike effect. As well if the pros aren’t using it there is very little street interest. I think Kuch is the only one using graphite and they aren’t even , they are hybrid steelfibers.

[rgk5]

The heads yes, shafts no. Yonex and Yamaha graphite heads flopped. There are far more graphite shafts on Tours now than ever. Duke, Snedeker, Kucher, Couples and many more on all three Tours.

[Lemonde]

:dntknw: Don’t know, my Recoils are very popular with me....easily he best equipment change of my career.

He’s not talking about shafts he’s referring to actual iron head material.

 

Never seen a graphite iron head.

[RSinSG]

I'm dubious of your claim. What do you base it upon other than your personal observation.

[rgk5]

Lightweight steel is just as good and much cheaper. And no one needs to get longer with irons , the heads are very good at being forgiving with springlike effect. As well if the pros aren’t using it there is very little street interest. I think Kuch is the only one using graphite and they aren’t even , they are hybrid steelfibers.

 

Except for two major categories.

 

1. Graphite dampens vibration 70% more than steel without moisture trapping shaft inserts. A boon for those with arthritis and tendonitis.

 

2. Graphite shafts can be manufactured with an almost infinite number of bend profiles, tip and butt stiffness types in weights from 38 gms to 130 gms. No company has made a commercially viable steel shaft weighing less than 60 gms.

[stryper]

:dntknw: Don’t know, my Recoils are very popular with me....easily he best equipment change of my career.

He’s not talking about shafts he’s referring to actual iron head material.

 

Never seen a graphite iron head.

 

Nor have I.

[Big Ben]

Oh yeah Yamaha and a few others produced irons actually made out of graphite.

[dalehead]

:dntknw: Don’t know, my Recoils are very popular with me....easily he best equipment change of my career.

He’s not talking about shafts he’s referring to actual iron head material.

 

Never seen a graphite iron head.

 

Nor have I.

 

I recall Yamaha making irons with graphite heads and shafts in the 1990's. The soles were steel bonded to a granite head.

[stryper]

:dntknw: Don’t know, my Recoils are very popular with me....easily he best equipment change of my career.

He’s not talking about shafts he’s referring to actual iron head material.

 

Never seen a graphite iron head.

 

Nor have I.

 

I recall Yamaha making irons with graphite heads and shafts in the 1990's. The soles were steel bonded to a granite head.

 

I can see graphite being strategically used to lower head weight overall in hybrid-like iron sets, but I can’t see a graphite face plate...but I’m no engineer.

[gdb99]

I thought Kuchar was back to steel shafts?

[Asiangolfer1995]

It's a combination of both irons and shafts evolving over the last 5-6 years. The spring like effects of some new irons (P790 for example), and the new evolution of lightweight steel (DG 105 for example) has made it easier to play steel with all these new lighter and stronger material entering the market. Graphite still has its place in the market, but it's not as dominant anymore.

[ChipNRun]

They don't seem to be popular like they were well over a decade ago. What happened? Seems people either got laughed at for using them or they made no difference.

 

Sounds like you want to insult people who use graphite shafts in irons.

 

Early graphite iron shafts could be a bit feathery, but the last 5 years balance a lot better. Even if somewhat lighter, they seem to feel much more solid.

 

Sorry Lamb, but I'm not sure you know what you're talking about.

[ChipNRun]

I thought Kuchar was back to steel shafts?

 

Kuchar has a mixed bag, according to WITB after winning 2019 Sony Open:

Hybrids: Bridgestone Tour B XD-H (18 degrees), Ping Anser (20)

Shafts: Fujikura Motore Speeder TS 8.8 X flex

Irons: Bridgestone J15CB (5-PW)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 S300 (soft stepped)

Wedges: Bridgestone J40 Forged (52 bent to 51 degrees); Cleveland RTX-4 (58 bent to 57 degrees), Cleveland RTX-3 (62 bent to 63 degrees)

Shafts: Aerotech Steelfiber i110X, KBS Tour 120 S, KBS Tour 120

Note: the DG 105 S300 (103gr.) - softstepped - is not exactly a slugger shaft.

[MuskieCy]

$39 and they are yours.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Yonex-Carbon-Iron-FL-4-10-Set-with-Ladies-Flex-Steel-Graphite-Shafts-RH/253990498613?hash=item3b23037135:g:2h0AAOSwP79bcPy7

[Kevinnz]

Tried steelfibre 95 stiff in my 3 iron and hybrid, maybe its the graphite dampening of vibration or whatever the reason it might be, I just could not feel the shaft. I dont lose noticeable distance with constant weight steel shafts so there went the steelfibre.

[Big Ben]

After a life of hard work and sports at 50yrs old modern graphite iron shafts are a God sent. I always have one set with graphite.

[ago33]

I thought Kuchar was back to steel shafts?

 

Kuchar has a mixed bag, according to WITB after winning 2019 Sony Open:

Hybrids: Bridgestone Tour B XD-H (18 degrees), Ping Anser (20)

Shafts: Fujikura Motore Speeder TS 8.8 X flex

Irons: Bridgestone J15CB (5-PW)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 S300 (soft stepped)

Wedges: Bridgestone J40 Forged (52 bent to 51 degrees); Cleveland RTX-4 (58 bent to 57 degrees), Cleveland RTX-3 (62 bent to 63 degrees)

Shafts: Aerotech Steelfiber i110X, KBS Tour 120 S, KBS Tour 120

Note: the DG 105 S300 (103gr.) - softstepped - is not exactly a slugger shaft.

 

I love the random graphite shaft in his bag. After how much he stiffed his caddy you would think he could afford to replace it with the 105 s

[RSinSG]

He’s not talking about shafts he’s referring to actual iron head material.

 

I’m not sure about that. His question was why they were no longer popular like they were a decade+ ago. Graphite heads like Yonex we’re never popular and they were 30+ years ago.

[Big Ben]

He’s not talking about shafts he’s referring to actual iron head material.

 

I’m not sure about that. His question was why they were no longer popular like they were a decade+ ago. Graphite heads like Yonex we’re never popular and they were 30+ years ago.

True that

[rgk5]

I thought Kuchar was back to steel shafts?

 

He did late last year but has returned to Steelfibres IIRC.

[Lamb]

They don't seem to be popular like they were well over a decade ago. What happened? Seems people either got laughed at for using them or they made no difference.

 

Sounds like you want to insult people who use graphite shafts in irons.

 

Early graphite iron shafts could be a bit feathery, but the last 5 years balance a lot better. Even if somewhat lighter, they seem to feel much more solid.

 

Sorry Lamb, but I'm not sure you know what you're talking about.

 

 

Huh Where is the insult in my post? I know exactly what I am talking about and it's that in the current market graphite shafts in irons are not as popular as they were when they came out.

[rgk5]

They don't seem to be popular like they were well over a decade ago. What happened? Seems people either got laughed at for using them or they made no difference.

 

Sounds like you want to insult people who use graphite shafts in irons.

 

Early graphite iron shafts could be a bit feathery, but the last 5 years balance a lot better. Even if somewhat lighter, they seem to feel much more solid.

 

Sorry Lamb, but I'm not sure you know what you're talking about.

 

 

Huh Where is the insult in my post? I know exactly what I am talking about and it's that in the current market graphite shafts in irons are not as popular as they were when they came out.

 

Do you have a Datatech survey to prove that? I fit 50-65 sets of irons per year and in the last two years 15-20% of my fits were with graphite shafts. I don't think my results would be substantially different from a lot of other fitters

[SheriffBooth]

UST introduced Recoil shafts in 2013. So they are infinitely more popular than they were a decade ago.

[95124hacker]

Is there any statistically significant data from Club Champion or any other nationwide fitter or retailer?

 

Personally I’m 100% on board with graphite iron shafts. They can be engineered to almost any bend profile desired whereas extruded steel tubing is limited to step patterns. Until 3D printed steel shafts are commercially viable, engineered graphite provides design advantages.