XP 95, XP 105 shafts

[gvogel]

About me: 7 handicap (when I play the white tees), hit the driver about 235, except I have a Ping G25 9.5* driver with a stock stiff shaft, 1/2" long, which I was killing today and getting 240. I hit my 7-iron 145.

 

I have been playing AP1's, with the Nippon 105T shaft. I started playing that club in stiff 4 years ago (710 model); last year I went to Titleist (Acushnet MA) to get fit for a driver, and ended up a month later playing a Ping G25 with a regular shaft, and 712 AP1's with the Nippon 105T shaft in regular. The regular shafts in the irons have been wonderful; at 61, I should have gone to them earlier.

 

With a longer than normal shaft, I can still get a bit more out of a stiff shaft in the driver. But, if I were playing in a tournament on a second or third day, or if I had the flu the day before, I can hit my G25 with the regular shaft all day long (which might be smart).

 

So. I bought a new AP1 6-iron with an XP 95 shaft (regular). Besides the fact that the shaft is too light for me to get my most consistent results, it also seem to hit the ball too high. As in, balloon when the wind is against.

 

Apparently, that Nippon 105T at 110 grams is a better fit for me, as the slightly heavier shaft helps in the transition, and gives me a slightly more penetrating flight than the 95 XP.

 

I am thinking of trying an XP 105 shaft in a 6-iron, to help keep the ball down and provide a slightly heavier club to smooth my swing. Has anyone else found the XP 95 too light?

[pmcuk]

I'm in my 60s and play regular steel shafts, though I'm a higher handicap than you are and a lower swing speed.

I've played AP1s with the reg. 105T shafts for a couple of years and felt comfortable with them. I liked the high but penetrating flight. But for the last year I've been alternating with Nippon 950GH shafts in Cobra and Adams Redline irons. I'm starting to like the lower 95g weight, and over the year I'm now playing the lighter shafts in preference. It's taken about a year to adapt to the lighter weight but I feel certain it's better for me.

This doesn't address the question of whether lighter shafts would balloon for you. It's just an example of switching to a 10g lower weight over a period of time.

I have a set of Regular GS95 shafts which I'm going to put in the AP1s. Will see what that gives. If you use 95g shafts you will almost certainly need tip weights to stay with a D1 type of swing weight. AP1 heads are slightly lighter than some others - 6 iron is around 57-60g. Quite a few other irons are nearer 62-63g.

[martinbns]

I've been playing lighter steel shafts for a few years now, they took me about 20 games to get used to, but I wouldn't go back.

My ss doesn't suggest stiff is the way to go, but they just perform better for me. Why not try the 95 gr regular vs a 95 gr stiff for comparison purposes.

[Tony772]

Over the winter I was fit for AP2s. After hitting all of the shafts in the Titleist cart it was clear that I hit the XP95s the best. They also felt the best to me. This was coming from from CBs with DG S300s. My swing speed is not slow, upper 90s for the driver. I hit my 7 iron 165.

I can understand wanting a lower ball flight in the wind, but you can solve that by clubbing down and/or de-lofting. To me there's nothing better than a well struck 5 iron that stops 5 feet from the pitch mark on the green.

[rocker40]

I tried out the XP 95 and it was ballooning for me as well. I tried the C Taper Lite and loved them. They are 110g.
The XP95 felt too light for me and i couldnt hit it consistent enough.