Most popular shafts for irons

[Pitchswag]

Hi

 

Can someone link to some data or something from PGA TOUR showing which shaft is the most popular on the tour?

 

* Dynamic Gold?

* Project X?

* KBS?

 

I think that DG and Project X are pretty close?

 

[HappyGilmore22]

Don't know exact numbers but it's probably dynamic gold by a landslide. Think KBS and project x are probably closer together than DG would be to either of the others.

[Pitchswag]

You are probably right... I just saw WITB of Spieth, Rahm and McIlroy and they all use PX. Also Adam Scott. But yeah, a lot also uses DG that's why I was curious to see some data of shafts in play.

[enfuego]

There are periods of time where x100s win 75 % of majors and regular events

[Pitchswag]

> @enfuego said:

> There are periods of time where x100s win 75 % of majors and regular events

 

Yes you are right. Last two Majors were won with X100’s (Woods and Koepka).

 

But with all the tests being done showing that e.g. PX 6.5/7.0 vs X100 is so close to each other I wonder why like McIlroy plays PX 7.0 and Rahm 6.5 and not X100 like Koepka? All with very explosive swings with Rahm having the most aggressive I think?

 

Could be sweet to know why they play the shaft they do and the thoughts behind.

 

[HappyGilmore22]

> @Pitchswag said:

> > @enfuego said:

> > There are periods of time where x100s win 75 % of majors and regular events

>

> Yes you are right. Last two Majors were won with X100’s (Woods and Koepka).

>

> But with all the tests being done showing that e.g. PX 6.5/7.0 vs X100 is so close to each other I wonder why like McIlroy plays PX 7.0 and Rahm 6.5 and not X100 like Koepka? All with very explosive swings with Rahm having the most aggressive I think?

>

> Could be sweet to know why they play the shaft they do and the thoughts behind.

>

 

All about what they have played and what numbers and ball flight they are getting. My driver ss is nowhere near what Koepka can get up to (mine about 118-120 ave) but x100 are unplayable for me since they balloon and spin too much. I'm taller and play +1/2 inch long so maybe that plays into it too. Over time I've seen more and more guys start playing project x and kbs so the numbers are getting closer but dg still dominates on tour in numbers.

[Philomathesq]

> @Pitchswag said:

> Yes you are right. Last two Majors were won with X100’s (Woods and Koepka).

>

> But with all the tests being done showing that e.g. PX 6.5/7.0 vs X100 is so close to each other I wonder why like McIlroy plays PX 7.0 and Rahm 6.5 and not X100 like Koepka? All with very explosive swings with Rahm having the most aggressive I think?

>

> Could be sweet to know why they play the shaft they do and the thoughts behind.

 

I obviously can't speak for anyone but myself, but I chose the X100 over the PX 7.0 because, while they gave me very similar numbers, the X100 felt smoother through my swing. With the X100, I feel as if I can feel where the club head is throughout the entire swing, whereas with the PX 7.0 I lose that feeling. I imagine others feel the exact opposite based on their swing.

 

 

[enfuego]

Confirmed a few of my assumptions below. Although I think the overall tour breakdown % is more even but the winners usually have x100. Also didn't true temper own or still own project x at one point?

 

2016

Masters willet x100

Us open Johnson x100

Open Stenson modus 120x

Pga walker x100 (amt)

2017

Masters Sergio modus 130x

Us open brooks x100

Open spieth project x 6.5

Pga Thomas x100

2018

Masters Reed x100

Us open brooks x100

Open molinari x100

PGA brooks x100

2019

Masters tiger x100

PGA Brooks x100

 

I'm sure someone could go back further or look at the regular tour wins but this is a good sample size.

[Pitchswag]

Nice post enfuego. Just really curious about what these players gets from X100's over Project X 6.5/7.0? Also Kevin Na just won and he also uses X100.

[Tommyj]

I think PX is higher launch and lower spin, while X100 is lower launch and higher spin. I'm sure all the pros have a history with one or the other and have preferences based on that feel. But then they've also tested extensively to see which produces the best numbers.

 

I think NA was actually using S400, not that its a huge difference.

[fujiman.757]

Kevin Na uses tour issue S400 my favorite shaft of all time

[Pitchswag]

Yes sorry. I ofc meant that Na won and he uses DG TI so a lot of players out there in the DG family. Seems like more plays the DG over PX actually.

[Stuart_G]

> @enfuego said:

> Also didn't true temper own or still own project x at one point?

 

Yes, still does.

 

[Valtiel]

> @Pitchswag said:

> > @enfuego said:

> > There are periods of time where x100s win 75 % of majors and regular events

>

> Yes you are right. Last two Majors were won with X100’s (Woods and Koepka).

>

> But with all the tests being done showing that e.g. PX 6.5/7.0 vs X100 is so close to each other I wonder why like McIlroy plays PX 7.0 and Rahm 6.5 and not X100 like Koepka?

>

 

I'm not sure which tests you're referring to but the PX 6.5/7.0 are very different from the DG X100. The PX shafts are stiffer throughout but a good amount and their feel is very different.

 

 

[ChipNRun]

> @enfuego said:

> Confirmed a few of my assumptions below. Although I think the overall tour breakdown % is more even but the winners usually have x100. **Also didn't true temper own or still own project x at one point?**

>

You are correct! Royal Precision Inc. made a name for itself in the early 2000s by developing both the Rifle and the Project X shaft lines. At the time, the father-son team of Dr. Joe and Kim Braley were the top RP designers.

 

Disaster struck RP when a ship carrying several months' shaft output sank in an Asian typhoon. True Temper then bought out RP in 2006, and Project X is now part of TT.

 

Kim Braley then shifted to FST, and oversees the KBS Tour shaft division. (For trivia fans, KBS stands for "Kim Braley Shafts.") Here is a lively snapshot of Braley's golf design career. [youtube.com/watch?v=irsg6z_9jcU](www.youtube.com/watch?v=irsg6z_9jcU "youtube.com/watch?v=irsg6z_9jcU")

 

Here is a Bloomberg's tracer on early Royal Precision Inc: [https://bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=377690](https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=377690 "https://bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=377690")

[HappyGilmore22]

I think most still gravitate toward DG for the feel/responsiveness of the shaft and that most probably grew up playing these. Still a good number of guys out there using DG in wedges for this reason when they are using other shafts like c-tapers in their irons.

[BB28403]

> @"fujiman.757" said:

> Kevin Na uses tour issue S400 my favorite shaft of all time

 

Ooooooh I have those in a wedge. Those are sick!

[speeder757]

> @Pitchswag said:

> Nice post enfuego. Just really curious about what these players gets from X100's over Project X 6.5/7.0? Also Kevin Na just won and he also uses X100.

 

No he uses S400

[speeder757]

> @Pitchswag said:

> You are probably right... I just saw WITB of Spieth, Rahm and McIlroy and they all use PX. Also Adam Scott. But yeah, a lot also uses DG that's why I was curious to see some data of shafts in play.

 

No. Adam Scott uses KBS Tours in Irons. DG in wedges

[speeder757]

PGA Tour - Is pretty close to this

65% Dynamic Gold

22% Project X

6% KBS

6% Nippon

1% Other