Who Killed the Fat Shaft?

Noke · March 12, 2014

Ok, ok, I know who- the consumer.

I know the Deep Reds/Di7-11's are considered uncouth, uncool, boardy, and downright dumb, but I found those irons SUPER straight with a nice medium ballflight. I still wax nostalgic when I see a set somewhere for super cheap.

The science behind the shafts always made sense to me. Anyone else?

Illest · March 12, 2014

Didn't UST/Nike try the "thicker shaft" in the Dymo?

nowski91381 · March 13, 2014

The Wilson Fat Shaft 2's were my first 'real' set of irons. They'll always hold a special place with me!

cdndude · March 13, 2014

I had a set and they weren't that bad, they were just a little strange to look down on a shaft without any taper after playing with the others for so long. Distance was Ok and feel was Ok, but for me you couldn't replace or change the shaft without sending them to Wilson which was a turnoff for me.

DE-ILLINI · March 13, 2014

I had a Wilson fat shaft driver and really liked it. I gave to my father-in-law who used it for a number of years after I moved on to something different. It was a solid driver in my opinion.

jeffrey r · March 13, 2014

Yep, the fat shafts will never be revered, but at least in the Di11's, they do perform. I played the Di11's for much of last season, and the stock uniflex steel shaft is a really good shaft if you can live with 95g. High and straight were the order of the day for the Di11's, and I still have them to go back to if any irons I switch to don't work out. I would think the fat shafts are pretty much done at this point, until perhaps the "what's old is new" mantra brings them back around at some point like the golf companies often do.

Hakko · March 13, 2014

Whenever I get a fat shaft, it's my wife that kills it.

[rimshot]

I'm here all week. Try the veal.

Roemike99 · March 13, 2014

I think it was just too boardy for lack of a better term.

brew4eagle · March 13, 2014

My first set of irons were the Lynx Black Cat with the Flare Tip shaft. I found out the hard way that it was not a standard diameter shaft tip when I snapped my wedge. Never felt the same when the local club repair guy fitted it with a standard size shaft and multiple shims to make it fit.

Spankapotamus · March 13, 2014

It was video. Video also killed the radio star.

Noke · March 13, 2014

[quote name='Spankapotamus' timestamp='1394730508' post='8863591']
It was video. Video also killed the radio star.
[/quote]

What, this video?

[media=]http://youtu.be/XROmLmXaWbs[/media]

Seriously, though, the stuff at 1:30 in that vid is intriguing to me. To my eye the Fatty Shafty Di9 would cause[i] much [/i]less curvature on mishit shots than the other two clubs shown. That matches up pretty well with my experiences playing the Wilsons.

SatelliteGuy · March 13, 2014

The Fat Shaft Deep Red 2's were solid irons.... Hard to make em draw/fade... But EASY to hit straight...

Largechris1 · March 14, 2014

Taylormade definitely..... Well probably not, but I admire Wilson for still trying against the big boys.

my first proper set were Ultra 45s, awesome. And the reviews of the D7-11 were always great I remember.

rgk5 · March 14, 2014

The Fat Shafts were so stiff that John Huston when he won on tour with them used "R" flex versions.

bwrichmond · March 14, 2014

A kid on my high school team played a Wilson Deep Red driver with the fat shaft and just absolutely murdered that thing. I always wanted to pick one up just for old times sake. Wonder if I could hit it as straight now as he did then. I doubt it.

Nessism · March 14, 2014

The fat tip was to reduce shaft torque. Sadly (for Wilson) shaft torque is not a factor that affects shot accuracy. It's strictly a feel thing.

Noke · March 14, 2014

[quote name='Nessism' timestamp='1394800949' post='8869201']
The fat tip was to reduce shaft torque. Sadly (for Wilson) shaft torque is not a factor that affects shot accuracy. It's strictly a feel thing.
[/quote]

Really? I honestly am curious. I always thought the Fat Shaft could reduce twisting on mishits (and the video at 1:30-ish seems to confirm that), sort of like a higher MOI value. Guess I need to do some reading.

Spankapotamus · March 14, 2014

I've played the Di7's, Di9's, and hit several other of the Fat Shaft irons. Solid. I honestly think that if Wilson would market a little more, get their product in the stores with a fitting cart, and quit the nonsense of jacking the lofts up to ridiculous levels, they would sell a ton of clubs. They feel great, go straight, and are as good as any Callaway, TM or Ping iron made at half the price new.