Rifle Shaft Sizing

[TML]

Ping G5/I5 order

New to the site. I can't believe that I just found this place. Great place for golf fanatics.

I'm about to place an order for Ping Irons. My local fitter only had stock Ping shafts in his fitting rack. I would like to order Rifles with my iron set, I've hit Rifles a long time ago a buddy of mine just put together. I tested with the CS lite stiffs and they felt fine.

Here are my current irons/driver:
- Ping ISI nickels with JZ stiff
- hit my 6 iron 170 total yds, 5 iron 185 total yds......ISI-Ti driver w/UST Proforce stiff avg 275 yds

I called PingWRX but they just went with the std answer I found at the Rifle website....around Rifle 5.5.

I called Rifle and they said the JZ stiff equates to about Rifle 5.0

Without being able to hit these clubs, I'm not sure what to do. I guess it would be wiser to go with the softer flex of Rifle 5.0, so that I won't leave as many shots out to the right.

BTW, I'm a 10-12 handicap and planning to get these new Ping irons.
- 4i-6i G5, 7i-SW I5, green dot plus a G5 hybrid 19 deg with steel shaft.

Any comments on the Rifles, Iron mix, etc, would be mucho appreciated. Are the Rifles going to feel a lot heavier than the CS lite sitffs? or just slightly different.

I'm also heading to Bandon Dunes for my 4th trip in a couple of months. Thanks.

[TML]

Welcome to Golfwrx…..

 

Yes, Rifle shafts will be heavier than the CSLite shafts, approx 10 grams or more. Feel wise, the Rifles will be at least 1 swingweight heavier.

 

Perhaps, you could provide some more information on your swing to help others recommend a shaft frequency. Eg. Fast tempo, slow tempo, aggressive through the ball, etc.

Just based on yardages provided, I would say, you are probably a 5.5.

 

If you are really indecisive and depending on how much time you have, you can order one club, say a 6 iron w/Rifle 5.0 in it and demo it. If you like the combination, then you can have your fitter complete the rest of the set with the same specs. If you do not like the combination then you have only lost the cost to reshaft the club – oppose to an entire set.

 

Since your clubs are being built by the WRX Dept. you also can specify in between frequencies - eg. 5.2

Faster than average tempo. Pretty aggressive through the ball. Unfortunately, I have to order the set in a week, and won't have time to order just 1 iron.

 

The Rifle website puts me at around a 5.5. I just called PingWRX and they said go with either 5.5 or 6.0 5.5 for a mid-trajectory, 6.0 for low trajectory.

 

I'm going to go with the 5.5. Thanks for the feedback.

[TML]

Welcome to Golfwrx…..

 

Yes, Rifle shafts will be heavier than the CSLite shafts, approx 10 grams or more. Feel wise, the Rifles will be at least 1 swingweight heavier.

 

Perhaps, you could provide some more information on your swing to help others recommend a shaft frequency. Eg. Fast tempo, slow tempo, aggressive through the ball, etc.

Just based on yardages provided, I would say, you are probably a 5.5.

 

If you are really indecisive and depending on how much time you have, you can order one club, say a 6 iron w/Rifle 5.0 in it and demo it. If you like the combination, then you can have your fitter complete the rest of the set with the same specs. If you do not like the combination then you have only lost the cost to reshaft the club – oppose to an entire set.

 

Since your clubs are being built by the WRX Dept. you also can specify in between frequencies - eg. 5.2

Faster than average tempo. Pretty aggressive through the ball. Unfortunately, I have to order the set in a week, and won't have time to order just 1 iron.

 

The Rifle website puts me at around a 5.5. I just called PingWRX and they said go with either 5.5 or 6.0 5.5 for a mid-trajectory, 6.0 for low trajectory.

 

I'm going to go with the 5.5. Thanks for the feedback.

Well, I changed my mind again. I'm going to go with the ZZ65 with Cushin Insert. I read a column about Rifles and they frankly scare me a bit.

[TML]

ZZ65s are very good shafts and lightweight. Your fitter should have G5s & I5s with ZZ65s for you to demo. The Cushin insert will add about 8 grams of weight to the clubs.

 

Curious... What has you concerned about Rifles? Trajectory? Obtaining correct frequency?

 

Ray

Getting the right frequency. I've read more than a few comments that you find out what you figure your frequency by what's relative to what you usually play, then take it down 1.0 or 1.5. The reason being is that Rifles were designed for the pro player, and that the frequencies are a bit misleading for the average amateur player. The one article mentioned that not one of his customers bought used clubs with more than 5.0 shafts.

 

Rifle recommends 5.5 for me, but with my limited timeframe before I order, I may have a small chance to find a fitter for rifle.

 

I just feel more comfortable with the zz65s.

[TML]

Yes, getting Rifle Frequencies correct is tricky unless you are a Certified Rifle Fitter.

 

If you order PINGs with Rifle shafts, the clubs will be built by the WRX Dept. The WRX Dept are the same people would build clubs for the PGA, LPGA, top rank amateurs. The WRX Dept is not a cut and glue operation unlike PINGs normal club assembly area. If any OEM is going to get the frequency right, chances are PING WRX Dept would be one of them.

 

Flex Conversion - IMO...

Rifle - TT

5.0 - r400 - firm reg

5.5 - s200 - soft stiff

5.7 - s300

6.0 - s400 - firm stiff

6.5 - x100

 

On separate occassions ordered a set of G2's and I5's with Rifle shafts. Both orders took a little longer as PING had to wait for the shafts before assembling. If time is critical then Rifles may not work for you.

 

Nonetheless, ZZ65s is a good shaft.

Lee,

can I ask you how far you hit your 7 iron, 5 iron, driver (carry and total)? What ball flight do you have? I appreciate your help a lot. It seems that you went with 5.0, what have you normally played before getting rifles......thanks

 

Based on your conversion table, I'd probably go with 5.5

[WhiteStake]

I had a set of ISI's, followed by a set of I3 Blades, both with JZ stiff shafts. I am currently playing with Rac LT's with 5.0 rifles. I like the rifles much better. They feel much smoother and, I think, softer than the JZ. That could be because of the heavier weight of the JZ's. I hit my irons about the same distance as you, though I'm not as long with my driver. Played off of 14 most of this year. I'm a swinger as opposed to a hitter. If possible, try to demo something with rifles to see how you like them. Apples and oranges to me.

[TML]

Have used nothing but Rifles - Lite, Std, TFR - for the last 9 years in either the 5.5 or 5.0 flexes. Keep in mind, because of my slower tempo I am able to play softer flex shafts.

 

Tempo: slow, handsy through the hitting zone.

Swingspeed: Driver - 95mph, Irons - low 80s

Driver: carry about 240, total about 250-260, trajectory mid to high

7 Iron: carry 155-160, total 160-165, trajectory mid to high

5 Iron: carry 170-175, total 175-180, trajectory mid

Thanks guys....based on your feedback, I'm trending back towards the 5.5 Rifles. I'm pretty aggressive through the hitting zone and am going to try to find some store with rifle shafts in these last few days I have before the order goes in next week.

 

BTW, the reason why I'm in a rush is that I've a got a friend whose dad belongs to a ritzy private club where they sell everything at cost. So I have this one opportunity to take advantage of it, but the private club is in the california desert and I wont' be there.

[TML]

Sorry to mess with your head.... Have you considered what type of Rifle shafts you want?

 

Std Rifles...

- mid kickpoint

- more variable trajectory from club to club

Flighted Rifles...

- variable kickpoint. Low in 2-4 iron, mid in 5-7 iron, high in 8-PW

- more controlled trajectory from club to club

- some notice a slightly different feel as you move through your irons because of the variable kickpoints

 

Suggest going to a Golf Retailer and demoing a clubs with Rifle 5.0 and 5.5. Make sure the two clubs are the same model and brand. This way differences between the two clubs will be related more to the shafts and not the characteristics of different clubheads.

 

Now understand your motivation. Very nice opportunity!

 

Best of Luck,

 

Ray

Ray,

those flighted rifles look very interesting. thanks for the heads up.

[lowdrive]

The ZZ-65s are supposedly lower trajectory, standard rifles a higher trajectory. I believe the WRX group can also adjust your lofts down a bit, if that would help get you where you need to go trajectory-wise.

 

True Temper has the Black Golds out, too, if I heard correctly. Those are said to be the True Temper version of Rifle shafts, but with a flight close to the Dynamic Gold (low).

[TML]

The ZZ-65s are supposedly lower trajectory, standard rifles a higher trajectory. I believe the WRX group can also adjust your lofts down a bit, if that would help get you where you need to go trajectory-wise.

 

True Temper has the Black Golds out, too, if I heard correctly. Those are said to be the True Temper version of Rifle shafts, but with a flight close to the Dynamic Gold (low).

Ray,

what would you say is the difference between the 5.5 and 5.0 flighted rifles?

 

I talked again to someone at Royal Precision and he managed to convincingly select 5.0 for me. He said the 5.0 would be similar to the JZ stiffs that I currently play, repeating the fact that JZ stiffs are of the soft-stiff variety. I told him that I hit my 6 iron, 170 yds. I'm not much of a high ball hitter to begin with, probably mid-trajectory with the JZ stiffs that I currently play. The rep I talked to seemed to be more in tune with my background than the first guy I talked to, that seemed to read #s off the std. chart. He also said with the flighted riles, it's (freq.) less of an issue because of the varying flexpoints, and if I was going to err, I should err on the soft side, not the stiff side.

[TML]

Just received the new irons today. Wowza :birthday:

 

 

 

First off, I ended up going with normal Rifle 5.5s, I really like the idea of a common feel to each club.

The finish of these new Ping irons are really sweet. Way better than my ISIs, which will soon be going on Ebay. I ended up going with the stock swingweight...D0, and the overall balance of the club is perfect for me on the takeaway. The one-piece takeaway is a lot more automatic due to the overall lighter feeling than my ISIs with JZ-stiffs.

 

The G5s 4-6. Wow, no more fear in taking the long irons out. Just point and click with these babys. I don't care what technology they've used, Karsten got it right on the head. Straight as an arrow, and I could still shape these babys softly if needed.

 

The I5s 7-SW. Great looking topline and feel. Not really paying attention to my setup, you can easily shape the ball anyway you want. I've got work on this one a bit tho. My ISIs were black dot, and the new Pings are green dot. I had a couple draws in there that were by accident because of my old ingrained black-dot swing. Most shots were straight at the target. Me likey.

 

The Rifle shafts are the perfect compliment to this club. Great feedback but soft on my hands. I noticed my sprained left finger did not hurt at all after my session. Ping WRX did a great job putting these clubs together.

 

I really had no idea what I had been missing out playing with 6 year old ISIs.

[SwingMan]

I have a similar mixed set in the Pings - and you're right - the G5s offer confidence with the forgiveness.

 

Glad you went with Rifles and not the normal Z-Z65 - I put in the Z-Z65 but had WRX softstep the Z-Z65 with Cushin and that got me to an equivalent of about 5.6 on a Rifle scale. Very nice and the Cushin took out the normal harshness associated with DG shafts. Ball flight is higher than I thought it would be but it is just about perfect trajectory. But I might have to make the G5 lofts a tad stronger.

 

Good luck.