MEMBER REVIEWS: TPT Golf Shafts!! See What They Are Saying!!!

[ForTourUseOnly]

The ruling was a bit odd, but thank god Senden's hand is ok, that could have gone right through the grip and into his hand

[SwingMan]

That was a weird place to break ... in the grip.

 

I've had Matrix and other shafts break on me, including a TPT. I have this warranty thing that came in useful in all cases.

 

But since we're equipment geeks, this is great news -- "Honey, you never know when this will happen. I do need a backup in my bag."

[Wdwfreak]

If anyone is watching the Australian Championship John Senden's TPT driver shaft broke mid swing right at the grip. It caused him to miss the ball.

 

Holy cow, you have video?

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/535808/watch-john-sendens-driver-shaft-snaps-mid-swing/?utm_source=Front&utm_medium=Featured_Latest&utm_campaign=GolfWRX_OnSite&utm_content=unused

 

Thank you, and I agree with Geoff Ogilvys reaction, and REALLY not a good look for TPT. I've never seen that happen ever.

 

And edit, I'm pretty certain thats a TPT I don't know any other shafts that have that blue box like that. Not a great still but enough to see I think.

 

 

[scottaz]

If anyone is watching the Australian Championship John Senden's TPT driver shaft broke mid swing right at the grip. It caused him to miss the ball.

 

Holy cow, you have video?

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/535808/watch-john-sendens-driver-shaft-snaps-mid-swing/?utm_source=Front&utm_medium=Featured_Latest&utm_campaign=GolfWRX_OnSite&utm_content=unused

 

Thank you, and I agree with Geoff Ogilvys reaction, and REALLY not a good look for TPT. I've never seen that happen ever.

 

And edit, I'm pretty certain thats a TPT I don't know any other shafts that have that blue box like that. Not a great still but enough to see I think.

 

 

Yeah, it’s one of the protos.

 

 

[cz13X4]

i can only imagine how durable their iron shafts would be...........

[RonSwanson]

I hope for TPT's sake that maybe he was in an earlier version or something of the like. Could you imagine if this had happened to Bryson during the Fed-Ex cup playoffs or even the Ryder Cup?

 

I was talking to Scott about this today. If this happens to Bryson coming down the stretch at Augusta it'll be all over...

 

At least the jumbo max grips would protect Bryson's hands....

[The Mad Bomber]

I was really looking forward to giving these shafts a try, but I don't know that I'd spend the big money until they get this worked out. I don't ever worry about my telephone pole breaking under the handle :rofl:

[davo32683]

So I gave mine a go with my TS2 driver and it just didn’t produce the results I needed. Spin was too high with this head to work well for me. Going with a lower spin option for the TS2 head

[wmblake2000]

How in the world does a shaft break in the butt end?

[getair23]

How in the world does a shaft break in the butt end?

Bad aim.

[pdaero]

How in the world does a shaft break in the butt end?

Bad aim.

 

Do you mean in the construction and alignment of the shaft? I know John Senden has a unique amount of stress due to his transition, but he doesn't swing near as hard as many PGA pros.

[03trdblack]

I think we're just finding out that whatever manufacturing process TPT used makes the shafts brittle. AJ tech shafts used to break like this and they ultimately went under.

[ebrasmus21]

Hit some deep drives yesterday with the trusty ol TPT. Going out again today. The Senden incident has me rattled but damn it I love this shaft.

[SwingMan]

I think we're just finding out that whatever manufacturing process TPT used makes the shafts brittle. AJ tech shafts used to break like this and they ultimately went under.

 

Brittle? No.

 

New process and design? Yes.

 

I've had one break on me, I've had other maker's shafts break on me - I don't really care. Stuff happens. Drivers heads crack, faces cave.

 

No big deal. That's why companies have CS and warranties - because no one, not even you, are perfect.

 

Got a new shaft in no time in all situations.

[03trdblack]

I think we're just finding out that whatever manufacturing process TPT used makes the shafts brittle. AJ tech shafts used to break like this and they ultimately went under.

 

Brittle? No.

 

New process and design? Yes.

 

I've had one break on me, I've had other maker's shafts break on me - I don't really care. Stuff happens. Drivers heads crack, faces cave.

 

No big deal. That's why companies have CS and warranties - because no one, not even you, are perfect.

 

Got a new shaft in no time in all situations.

 

 

Brittle, weak, breakage prone, whatever term you want to call it, to have this much failure in such a small sample size is cause for alarm. Some reviewers have broken more than one and I'd be willing to bet they haven't done that before with other shaft companies. Ask how many shafts have broken in the Fujikura Atmos shaft testing thread... probably zero.

 

I'm not bashing TPT because I'm enjoying mine but there is definitely some concern. At what percentage of failure do they just decide that it's not worth fixing and leave the industry? They won't be able to just keep handing out replacement shafts forever and if word spreads people won't spend the money to risk it, especially with so much good product on the market.

 

I also wonder why a good number of tour players that found early success with the shafts have moved on to others so quickly. More than likely it doesn't have anything to do with the breakage but that's the sort of thing people start to wonder (or at least I do).

[ebrasmus21]

I think we're just finding out that whatever manufacturing process TPT used makes the shafts brittle. AJ tech shafts used to break like this and they ultimately went under.

 

Brittle? No.

 

New process and design? Yes.

 

I've had one break on me, I've had other maker's shafts break on me - I don't really care. Stuff happens. Drivers heads crack, faces cave.

 

No big deal. That's why companies have CS and warranties - because no one, not even you, are perfect.

 

Got a new shaft in no time in all situations.

 

 

Brittle, weak, breakage prone, whatever term you want to call it, to have this much failure in such a small sample size is cause for alarm. Some reviewers have broken more than one and I'd be willing to bet they haven't done that before with other shaft companies. Ask how many shafts have broken in the Fujikura Atmos shaft testing thread... probably zero.

 

I'm not bashing TPT because I'm enjoying mine but there is definitely some concern. At what percentage of failure do they just decide that it's not worth fixing and leave the industry? They won't be able to just keep handing out replacement shafts forever and if word spreads people won't spend the money to risk it, especially with so much good product on the market.

 

I also wonder why a good number of tour players that found early success with the shafts have moved on to others so quickly. More than likely it doesn't have anything to do with the breakage but that's the sort of thing people start to wonder (or at least I do).

 

I've broken 2 Grafalloy Comp NT Prototypes, 2 Aldila Protopypes, a Diamana Whiteboard, and I'm one of the members that got tested for the TPT shafts. I was swinging them 122 per the flight scope data, and neither one of the shafts I tried broke. Literally the only 2 Comp NT's I've ever had in my hands broke, that was back when carbon nanotubes were new tech in driver shafts.

 

When you're pushing the limits of things and trying things that haven't been done before, there is a possibility that these things can happen.

 

Tour players switch because they can. Everyone was trying TPT, until they weren't. Everyone was playing PO, until they weren't. Everyone was in a Tour AD, until they weren't. The days of wins on Sunday sells on Monday are long gone. Most consumers aren't buying a club or a shaft because XYZ pro plays it, they may get the interest from there, but with the availability and knowledge of fittings, most peoples days of buying because a guy on tour plays it are over.

 

Bryson hasn't seem to have any issues, and he's got one of the faster club head speeds on tour.

 

Very well said.

[delmer]

That was a weird place to break ... in the grip.

 

I've had Matrix and other shafts break on me, including a TPT. I have this warranty thing that came in useful in all cases.

 

But since we're equipment geeks, this is great news -- "Honey, you never know when this will happen. I do need a backup in my bag."

 

The Matrix CODE series shafts used to break a lot about 6" below the grip but it was a design flaw and not a materials flaw.

 

TPT needs to look at the materials they're using because I've been hearing of these things breaking a lot and there aren't a ton of people playing them so the frequency is really high.

 

I've noticed a lot of guys on Tour bagged them for a bit and then got rid of them. I'm sure the Senden situation will put second thoughts into the minds of these guys too.

 

I don't know if Day still has it in his bag but he'd be any interesting one to see break a shaft mid round. Reed was playing one but last I saw he had a Rogue back in play.

[03trdblack]

My Golf Spy website just posted an article on TPT a few minutes ago that talks in detail about TPT and the breakage issues. Here is a quote about the tour pros that have broken them:

 

"During testing, the My Golf Spy staff broke two TPT shafts (one in play and one during routine profiling), multiple failures were reported during forum testing at GolfWRX, and over the summer, there were frequent reports of tour players snapping TPT shafts.

 

The most notorious example happened during the first round of the Australian PGA Championship last week, John Senden’s prototype TPT shaft snapped during his swing on the par-5 9th hole. The video shows the shaft break toward the butt section of the shaft, which is where it seems a majority of the failures in TPT’s LKP model occur. It’s one thing when a shaft snaps on the range, but when it costs a professional strokes and ultimately money, it becomes a much larger issue.

 

Senden is far from alone. In the rare convergence of golf and baseball, Jason Day reportedly keeps his TPT shafts on a pitch count whereby he replaces it after a certain number of swings. I believe that might be an industry first. Rod Pampling, Patrick Reed, and others have had TPT shafts break on them at one time or another.

 

That said, with Vijay Singh’s victory at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship this November, TPT has a baker’s dozen of worldwide wins. Moreover, TPT’s technology is just as viable at the consumer level where players of all swing speeds are finding surprising amounts of increased distance while also decreasing dispersion, according to former tour player and current instructor, Jon Sinclair, who sits on TPT’s advisory staff."

 

If Jason Day has to replace his shafts after a certain number of swings just to avoid breakage then that should say it all. As I mentioned before, for us that don't get equipment for free and have access to unlimited supply, how may shafts is TPT going to have to give out to keep up with the breakage? I'm a little disappointed that TPT hasn't been more involved in this thread and addressed the problem more actively.

[delmer]

That was a weird place to break ... in the grip.

 

I've had Matrix and other shafts break on me, including a TPT. I have this warranty thing that came in useful in all cases.

 

But since we're equipment geeks, this is great news -- "Honey, you never know when this will happen. I do need a backup in my bag."

 

The Matrix CODE series shafts used to break a lot about 6" below the grip but it was a design flaw and not a materials flaw.

 

TPT needs to look at the materials they're using because I've been hearing of these things breaking a lot and there aren't a ton of people playing them so the frequency is really high.

 

I've noticed a lot of guys on Tour bagged them for a bit and then got rid of them. I'm sure the Senden situation will put second thoughts into the minds of these guys too.

 

I don't know if Day still has it in his bag but he'd be any interesting one to see break a shaft mid round. Reed was playing one but last I saw he had a Rogue back in play.

 

For what it's worth I've broken a driver with a DGX100 under the grip from a swing. Not sure if it was rusted on the inside, or someone had slammed a club into a bag and it caused a crack under the grip. That's another thing you have to take into consideration. Some guy slams his driver after a bad swing, or slams his bag and hits the shaft through the bag and could compromise the construction, even though it doesn't break until later.

 

Other than the 2 guys in this thread who swing faster than most PGA guys do, if it wasn't for them this break would be the 1st you've heard about. TPT is still getting things ironed out, PX has Hzrdus yellow's breaking left and right and they've been working with graphite since the EI-70 days.

 

I haven't had any experience with a Yellow breaking but I'm sure it happens. The problem is they sell tens of thousands of yellows and TPT sells hundreds and I've heard of far more TPTs breaking than Yellows.

 

As 03TRD has pointed out there are far more than two guys in here and Senden who have broken them. I applaud the effort of being on the razors edge of technology and design but I would wait until they iron things out before bagging one.

[scottaz]

I think the MGS article was interesting and accurate. TPT is onto something that is working incredibly well. You just can't argue with the wins on tour and great results so many are seeing after being properly fit.

 

It'll be interesting to see if they can figure this out and gain players trust.

 

After my fitting with Jon, I asked Eric if his shaft felt a bit lumpy around where our breaks were taking place. Mine does for sure. His didn't. But it feels different there than the rest of the shaft and wasn't there in the others I've had. Let me know if you can feel it when it comes swgolf12.

 

It's been cold here and I've been playing a lot. It's the best shaft I've played. I can't say I'm optimistic but it's too good to leave out of the bag. My playing partners take cover when I'm up.

[ebrasmus21]

I think the MGS article was interesting and accurate. TPT is onto something that is working incredibly well. You just can't argue with the wins on tour and great results so many are seeing after being properly fit.

 

It'll be interesting to see if they can figure this out and gain players trust.

 

After my fitting with Jon, I asked Eric if his shaft felt a bit lumpy around where our breaks were taking place. Mine does for sure. His didn't. But it feels different there than the rest of the shaft and wasn't there in the others I've had. Let me know if you can feel it when it comes swgolf12.

 

It's been cold here and I've been playing a lot. It's the best shaft I've played. I can't say I'm optimistic but it's too good to leave out of the bag. My playing partners take cover when I'm up. :russian_roulette: .

 

LOL

 

I would say the MGS article is quite fair given the results.

• On the one hand: TPT has had a significant amount of success on tours across the world in a short amount of time
  
• On the other hand: TPT has some problems that need to be addressed.
  

 

At this point them seem to be committed to figuring things out.

[scottaz]

Wow, I didn't see the MGS article prior to my most recent post. Like I've said, I've seen breakages with many models (Graffaloy, Aldila, Mitsubishi Rayon, True Temper Dynamic Gold) but the MGS info, along with the tour player info (prior to that my only knowledge was of the Senden break among tour players) it definitely raises some cause for concern. I didn't have any issues in my fitting, but I still haven't actually received my shaft to put into play yet. Last I knew it was in route from Switzerland.

 

It would be interesting to see if TPT offers some sort of warranty on shafts sold as long as they're installed by a professional fitter, and what the time frame for that might be if someone like Jason Day keeps his shafts on a pitch count.

 

Scottaz, once I get the shaft I'll let you know about the feel and if there's anything specific, where again are you guys having your breaks? I'll snap some photos to see if there's anything that can be noticed.

 

My breaks were about 4-8" up from the tip. But what I'm feeling is higher up and most of the way down to the tip. The shaft changes looks right around where I'm feeling it.

[delmer]

Wow, I didn't see the MGS article prior to my most recent post. Like I've said, I've seen breakages with many models (Graffaloy, Aldila, Mitsubishi Rayon, True Temper Dynamic Gold) but the MGS info, along with the tour player info (prior to that my only knowledge was of the Senden break among tour players) it definitely raises some cause for concern. I didn't have any issues in my fitting, but I still haven't actually received my shaft to put into play yet. Last I knew it was in route from Switzerland.

 

It would be interesting to see if TPT offers some sort of warranty on shafts sold as long as they're installed by a professional fitter, and what the time frame for that might be if someone like Jason Day keeps his shafts on a pitch count.

 

Scottaz, once I get the shaft I'll let you know about the feel and if there's anything specific, where again are you guys having your breaks? I'll snap some photos to see if there's anything that can be noticed.

 

My breaks were about 4-8" up from the tip. But what I'm feeling is higher up and most of the way down to the tip. The shaft changes looks right around where I'm feeling it.

 

When it's a design flaw the breaks normally happen at a point where the manufacturer is trying to make the shaft flex. This is going back years ago so I don't remember if it was the Matrix Code or the XCon but they kept breaking a little below the grip. I was a certified fitter with them and they told me flat out that they're breaking right where they are trying to make the shaft bend during the swing. It was a stiff butt section that transitioned to a softer mid section and the breaks were occurring right at the transition point.

 

The fine line a shaft design walks is trying to use super stiff and thin material because that super stiff material is brittle breaks much more easily than materials that are less stiff. Think of it like a fishing pole's ability to bend vs. a golf shaft's ability to bend.

[RonSwanson]

The .06% failure rate TPT is reporting can't possibly be accurate. Maybe it was a typo by MGS? Counting only the breaks I am personally aware of, they would have had to produce roughly 25,000 shafts in 2018 alone for that number to hold.

[ebrasmus21]

The .06% failure rate TPT is reporting can't possibly be accurate. Maybe it was a typo by MGS? Counting only the breaks I am personally aware of, they would have had to produce roughly 25,000 shafts in 2018 alone for that number to hold.

 

I don't believe it was a typo. I seem to remember Sinclair saying something similar when I was with him. I don't want to put words in Jon's (or anyone's mouth) but I was told a very small number of shafts were failing.

[delmer]

The .06% failure rate TPT is reporting can't possibly be accurate. Maybe it was a typo by MGS? Counting only the breaks I am personally aware of, they would have had to produce roughly 25,000 shafts in 2018 alone for that number to hold.

 

I don't believe it was a typo. I seem to remember Sinclair saying something similar when I was with him. I don't want to put words in Jon's (or anyone's mouth) but I was told a very small number of shafts were failing.

 

That's actually a big percentage of failures in manufacturing. Most manufacturing companies look for < .00034% failure rate so between 3 and 4 per million and TPT is at 6 per ten thousand if that number is correct.

[ebrasmus21]

The .06% failure rate TPT is reporting can't possibly be accurate. Maybe it was a typo by MGS? Counting only the breaks I am personally aware of, they would have had to produce roughly 25,000 shafts in 2018 alone for that number to hold.

 

I don't believe it was a typo. I seem to remember Sinclair saying something similar when I was with him. I don't want to put words in Jon's (or anyone's mouth) but I was told a very small number of shafts were failing.

 

That's actually a big percentage of failures in manufacturing. Most manufacturing companies look for < .00034% failure rate so between 3 and 4 per million and TPT is at 6 per ten thousand if that number is correct.

 

Well, as time goes on it seems more and more to me that the problem keeps rearing its ugly head.

 

I also believe in what Sinclair told me... TPT is trying to blaze a trail into a completely new process. It's bound to be problematic at first - I guess then problem then becomes when is it just too much.

[Wdwfreak]

Let's just reiterate PITCH COUNT by Jason Day. That's insane in a shaft I don't know what to say about that. That's gotta be fixed.

[dommer]

I recently hit the MKP-MT-16/15 and LKP-LT-16/15. I didn’t like either. I swing it around 113/114 avg and I was swinging significantly slower with the TPT stuff. Also, spin went way up. Not my thing, but it’s good to see that they are working for a lot of y’all. Hope they fix the breaking problem.

[wmblake2000]

This is about the only time I am glad to have a slower swing. I ain’t breaking no shaft at 88 mph!