Ping Graphite Shaft Replacement

dereckbc · May 8, 2018

OK I picked up a gem set of GMax irons for cheap. It is the Ping CFS Graphite Regular Flex shaft. They are a bit soft for me and I am looking at replacing the shafts to something a bit firmer. But I am a tight wad and use to build my own clubs years ago and know how to pull the club heads off and re-shaft a club. What I do not know is what are good candidates for the job. At 59 years young I can still hit a 7 iron 150 yards, and like to hit them a bit high if given a choice.

Anyone have a web site with shaft selector or some models to look over. Graffaloy ProLaunch Blue has caught my eye so far. What say you club makers out there?

Pacificgem · May 8, 2018

I just bought a Kuro Kage Tini 60S off ebay for my Ping I25 driver, cost $100 USD shipped to me WITH the tip assembled on it. I have a four drivers and mess around with all of them.

Nessism · May 8, 2018

The heads are .355 and many graphite shafts are .370. You can pencil point the shafts though, assuming you are okay with that. Regarding shafts, I'm partial to Recoils but they ain't cheap.

Good luck in your search.

raggal62 · May 9, 2018

Accra Tour 90i or 100i.

About $25 ea. on Ebay. Retail $60 ea.

Very customizable for flex.

.370 tip so sanding will be necessary.

Stuart_G · May 9, 2018

Ping doesn't use a standard taper shape in the hosel so sanding is "necessary" even if you do get .355 tp tip shafts.

The most important factor for picking a shaft is getting the weight. There are lots of options out there - and even a decent number of lower cost options - but we need to know what weight is a good fit for you before we can make any helpful recommendation.

dereckbc · May 9, 2018

Ping doesn't use a standard taper shape in the hosel so sanding is "necessary" even if you do get .355 tp tip shafts.

I thought Ping used proprietary shafts to stop folks from doing what I want to do. My whol eidea is to save a few bucks, otherwise I would just send them to Ping.

The most important factor for picking a shaft is getting the weight. There are lots of options out there - and even a decent number of lower cost options - but we need to know what weight is a good fit for you before we can make any helpful recommendation.

Fair enough and you are right. I maybe off a few grams but the shafts it has now I think is in the 70 gram range. Being 59 and getting older I want to keep them as lite as possible. I can still hit a 7-iron 150 yards. Thing is if you look at charts say that is a 80 to 90 mph club head speed, but my Swing Speed Radar says 72 to 77 mph. Anyway looking for something lighter than 100 grams otherwise just might as well use Steel. So if specs i swhat you are looking for

150 yard club = 7-Iron

Desire = Distance

Corrections = None

Trajectory = Higher

Handicap = 9

wkuo3 · May 9, 2018

Lighter shaft weight may or may not be the solution .

Go one flex softer with low to mid bend point ( for elevation of ball flight ).

Nessism · May 9, 2018

A 150 yard 7 iron is regular shaft territory. I'd stay with the CFS graphite and put some rounds in with them. Good chance you will start to like them once you get used to the feel.

Stuart_G · May 10, 2018

Ping doesn't use a standard taper shape in the hosel so sanding is "necessary" even if you do get .355 tp tip shafts.

I thought Ping used proprietary shafts to stop folks from doing what I want to do. My whol eidea is to save a few bucks, otherwise I would just send them to Ping.

No. They only care what you do to their clubs in the context of whether you might want free repair work done later on down the road.

So if specs i swhat you are looking for

No, it's not the specs that determine the best weight but rather performance at the different weights. Yes, lighter may give a little extra club head speed (but not always so don't assume it will), however, weight also can have a potentially big effect on consistency, accuracy and abilty to get good impact (which can have a big effect on ball speed). Go too light and frequently those things can suffer. Some can even get slower swing speed when the clubs get too light.

Unfortunately, only way to find out is to go hit shafts of different weights and compare the results.

dereckbc · May 13, 2018

Well after 3 rounds and a few driving range sessions I have these new irons figured out and very happy with them. Had a few very pleasant surprises.

To hit the irons accurately I had to slow my tempo down. Naturally one would expect to be more consistent and accurate slowing down. Now what I did not expect from slowing down was gaining distance on the fly. Before with a 7-iron 150 to 155 on the fly. With these higher trajectory and 160 to 165 carry. If I flush it 170 yards. So now my 150 club is 8 iron. It gave me 15 to 20 years distance gain. I am 59 now.

The other big pleasant surprise is these are the easiest clubs to hit I have ever played. I tired a lot of irons even the Ping G400, 700, Callaway Rouge and Big Bertha. The GMax beats them all for easy to hit. Does not matter if you toe it, heel it, thin, or heavy. You still get a playable hit without getting robbed of a lot of distance or off line. Only way I have found to miss hit them so far is to top it or chunk it. Fortunately have not made the S-Word hit. Even on the miss hits with the graphite shafts, you can feel it to get feedback, bu tno stingers in the fingers wrist or hand. In TX we have a lot of hard pan, and heavy shots hurt, not with these and you still get usable distance.

If I had anything negative to say, and is not an issue for me, is they earn the name PING when you hit them. They do sound a bit like a aluminum baseball bat and some do notice. But those that notice say Awe when the see the ball flight and that swoosh of a well struck iron shot.

I am very happy with them. So much so like 35 or so years ago when I bought my first new set of irons, Ping Eye 2 Beryllium Copper. I liked those so much I bought two sets and stored one in the attic fo r6 years and then pulled them out and played the 2nd set for 4 years. Still have them and they are in good shape. Just looking for a sucker, err I mean buyer who is willing to pay up for them. I am just as impressed with the Ping Gmax I am going to buy a second set before Ping quits producing them. $150 cheaper than the G400 and $300 dollars less than the new 700 model.

Anyway keeping the shafts. Happy camper.

If I had anything ne

Nessism · May 13, 2018

Great review. Hope your new toys continue to treat you well.:)

BTW: A soft ball will mitigate that aluminum bat sound.

rfarrell51 · June 23, 2018

A 150 yard 7 iron is regular shaft territory. I'd stay with the CFS graphite and put some rounds in with them. Good chance you will start to like them once you get used to the feel.

I did their online fitting and put in my 7 iron distance as 145, and it suggested CFS Stiff graphite.