Accra i123 M3 graphite shafts meet Callaway Steelhead XR irons

wcdixon · November 27, 2019

Hi all:

New here first post so bear with me. Golfed my whole life except for the past 6 years until I decided to get back into game end of this summer. Had a new set of Titleist blades stiff steel shafts for 20 years starting out, then a set of Big Bertha X-12's with Memphis 10 steel shafts for 20 years, and now looking at getting another new set of irons but the game has changed. Hybrids, head sizes, innumerable types and styles of shafts and grips to choose from not to mention ball speed, smash factor, spin rates, trajectory...very different from the old days of: "these feel okay...they hit the ball alright...okay I'll take them.

Getting older with nagging golfers/tennis elbow and figured it's time for regular graphite shafts - rusty 10-ish handicap...driver swing speed around 93-94mph average...6 iron swing speed around 80-81mph average.

Anyway in the past month I purchased a demo Srixon 585 driver with HZRDUS 65 reg graphite shaft, Callaway XR 16 3 wood w/Fujikura Speeder Evolution 565 reg graphite shaft, a couple of Cobra F8 hybrids (19, 22) w/Aldila Rogue Pro 75 reg graphite shafts and a demo Taylormade GAPR Hi 4 (23) w/KBS HYB reg graphite shaft - all on sale or store/proshop demos...all felt good and hit okay. Now onto the irons...thanks for bearing with me.

Most interested in a Like New set of Callaway Steelhead XR irons from 2016//mostly because they seem the most like the X-12's but with all the contemporary bells and whistles....and price is good. But they are outfitted with with Accra i123 M3 graphite shafts and I cannot find out very much about these shafts (other than Accra is a very well-regarded brand and people seem to be satisfied with theirs). Of course I am ordering them sight unseen but figuring "how bad can they be, right?" I guess my long-winded question is - anyone with experience with these shafts and with what clubs and how were they? And is there any way can they be easily adjusted after receiving - as in take out shaft and remove any weights in shaft or head if there are any if it feels too heavy? 123gram shaft seems pretty heavy for graphite...and what little I've read about the i123's is they can be firm-stiff feeling. I know it's hard to tell much until actually swinging/hitting them or any club...but just trying to get as much insight or info ahead of time to make informed online purchase - any and all advice or info welcome!

Thanks

cardoustie · November 27, 2019

iSeries 125 iron shafts – ACCRA Golf Shafts https://accragolf.com/iseries-125-iron-shafts/

they look like they won't be too harsh to me

Welcome to this site and back to golf

ian-500 · November 27, 2019

I've had the i125 and thought they played lovely. Not too stiff for me. Launched high I think. Carried for miles. Had them shafted with OnOff Forged 2011 irons, so think Taylormade P770. A players forgiving CB iron that felt soft.

WristySwing · November 27, 2019

I use the 123 in my wedges and the 110 in my irons. The 123 definitely feels pretty smooth and has a nice discernable kick since it is a heavy-weight regular flex. Based on your driver swing speed I think they would be a little bit heavy and would probably target you in the mid 90s to low 100s in terms of iron shaft weight if I was doing the fit. Steelheads cannot be adjusted much, and neither can the shafts. You cannot take weight out from anywhere really on these without damaging either the shaft or head to some degree. If you find them too heavy, I would just look for some cheap 90g shafts (i.e. XP95 r300) as they can be found everywhere for pretty cheap and sell the Accras. You should be able to break even if not do a little bit better minus any club work costs to the builder.

Try them first before you get too worried over it though

Galanga · November 27, 2019

I had i123s in my iBlades for a while. My ss is a touch more than OP w a medium tempo and medium aggressive tempo. Mizuno Optimizer puts me in 115 gm shafts. The feel heavy and soft to me. The launched high. They did have a plush and dense feel to them. I liked them in wedges. Flex and feel wise you may like them. But, I would guess you will find them on the heavy side which you won’t know until you demo the shafts.

wcdixon · November 29, 2019

Thanks so much for this insight WristySwing - very helpful, appreciated.

I took plunge and ordered anyway - 5-PW...received last night and will admit being immediately thrown off by overall weight of club/shaft - much heavier than I imagined or was used to. And the i123's shaft so much thicker or with such a larger circumference than my old Memphis 10 steel shafts....with next to no tapering down near the clubhead which I found very odd, or odd to look down at at any rate. I got wondering if these were fitted and cut for someone who then didn't want them and exchanged for something else...but i was still able to buy as new.

Swung a few in the living room and felt like I was swinging a thick steel pole...heavier and next to no flex or whippiness - I was bummed. But not wanting to give up took the PW, 8 iron, 6 iron over to Golftown and had them weigh each (D4 was swingweight of each which the club guy there thought was on heavy side...my old clubs (I took one) was measuring a D1). And no one there knew anything about Accra shafts other than well regarded but didn't think they could be removed to reduce weighting or if shafts could even be removed at all. Very discouraging.

At any rate as I was there I decided to hit a few into the screen...and then confusion ensued. Six PW shots - straight and averaging 126-130 yards. Six 8 iron shots - straight and average carry 145-148 yds. And six 6 iron shots - straight and averaging 190-196 carry (I was stunned). Now I know I felt I had to swing firmly and deliberately (as opposed to swinging easy and loose) and still felt stiffish and heavier but must say it felt pretty good coming off the clubface and was loving the ballflight (especially with the 6 iron). I hit those numbered irons decently before with my X-12's with yardage close and relatively straight with the PW and 8, but my old 6 iron would top out at 170 and less consistent. Unfortunately now have to wait for spring to try them out on the course but now wondering if I maybe should have been swinging a heavier slightly stiffer shaft all along. Your suggestion about the 90g shaft sounds like it would be bang on.

Anyway looking like I will practice with them indoors over the winter and hopefully get more used to the weight and stiffness because i'll take those results if consistent. Thanks again.

wcdixon · November 29, 2019

Thanks so much for this insight - very helpful, appreciated.

I took plunge and ordered anyway - 5-PW...received last night and will admit being immediately thrown off by overall weight of club/shaft - much heavier than I imagined or was used to. And the i123's shaft so much thicker or with such a larger circumference than my old Memphis 10 steel shafts....with next to no tapering down near the clubhead which I found very odd, or odd to look down at at any rate. I got wondering if these were fitted and cut for someone who then didn't want them and exchanged for something else...but i was still able to buy as new.

Swung a few in the living room and felt like I was swinging a thick steel pole...heavier and next to no flex or whippiness - I was bummed. But not wanting to give up took the PW, 8 iron, 6 iron over to Golftown and had them weigh each (D4 was swingweight of each which the club guy there thought was on heavy side...my old clubs (I took one) was measuring a D1). And no one there knew anything about Accra shafts other than well regarded but didn't think they could be removed to reduce weighting or if shafts could even be removed at all. Very discouraging.

At any rate as I was there I decided to hit a few into the screen...and then confusion ensued. Six PW shots - straight and averaging 126-130 yards. Six 8 iron shots - straight and average carry 145-148 yds. And six 6 iron shots - straight and averaging 190-196 carry (I was stunned). Now I know I felt I had to swing firmly and deliberately (as opposed to swinging easy and loose) and still felt stiffish and heavier but must say it felt pretty good coming off the clubface and was loving the ballflight (especially with the 6 iron). I hit those numbered irons decently before with my X-12's with yardage close and relatively straight with the PW and 8, but my old 6 iron would top out at 170 and less consistent. Unfortunately now have to wait for spring to try them out on the course but now wondering if I maybe should have been swinging a heavier slightly stiffer shaft all along.

So yes you are correct they do feel on the heavier side but looking like I will practice with them indoors over the winter and hopefully get more used to the weight and stiffness because i'll take those results if consistent. Thanks again.

Galanga · November 29, 2019

I also found the shaft thickness near the ferrule a surprise. Actual had to grid my M2 Blue bending bar opening so it could fit around shaft. For effective regular flex shaft the do feel substantial perhaps because of the weight. Good luck to you in picking your graphite shafts.

cardoustie · November 29, 2019

Don't do anything until you hit them outside

The 5-6-7 should be flying longer due to the stronger lofts

That is a great set of shafts and a great set of heads, remember that

please remember that many folks play higher swingweights .. d4 is light for me fwiw ,, and it is not the be all end all

you could shorten them a tiny to get the swingweight down or just re-grip with a heavier grip to also drop the swingweight, but again test first

BUT PLAY THEM BEFORE you make any changes

Don't forget it wasn't that long ago where everyone was using steel shafts that weighed 130 gram (DG s300)

The graphite will be far better for wear and tear on your body and joints

wcdixon · November 29, 2019

Excellent advice - thanks

wcdixon · November 30, 2019

Hi Cardoustie - today hit the 9 iron (140 ave carry) and 7 iron (175 ave carry) indoors...still striking them solid and getting more used to heavier overall weight but do have to swing them deliberately and firmly - question (because i don't know anything about club/shaft weighting): how does regripping with a 'heavier' grip reduce swingweight? I promise i'll wait until I hit them outdoors lol but like the notion of cutting 1/3 to 1/2 an inch off them all and regripping (thinking of going to Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2G Midsize (+1/16) - right now they have Golf Pride New Decade Multicompound Cord Red)...would one check the weights of the grip and get one heavier? Or add more wrap? or something?

Now my concern is the new Driver, 3Wood, 19, 22, and 23 Hybrids i bought end of summer are all so much lighter feeling than the irons...all 60g-75g regular stock graphite shafts - but did hit them okay with an easier less-attacking swing. Perhaps I'll add some lead tape to hosel or their soles at some point to help even them out weight-wise.

Anyway sorry about all the questions and thanks again for your advice.