Project X Flex (CONFUSED!)

[raytonyk]

I currently have the Project X 6.0 shafts, but the more I read about the flex rating, the more I become confused even further on what is right. I see in some places that 6.0 is stiff, other places saying 5.5 is stiff. Now I’m seeing signs in golf shops saying 5.5 is stiff, when others reference 5.5 being regular +. I’ve been told by a couple fitters my swing speed is in stiff flex range, another said I’m right on the cusp of stiff. Any feedback would be helpful, thanks all!

[nostatic]

I believe it goes 5.0 = R, 5.5 = R+, 6.0 = S, 6.5 = S+

With the usual caveat that there is no universal measure for shaft stiffness, so that tells you about shafts relative within the PX line but not necessarily compared to other brands.

[jwhite86]

I could be wrong but I thought I read that 5.5 is firm, 6.0 is stiff

[JAMH03]

Doesn't matter what's stiff or firm or X stiff. What matters is how they play for you. If you can compare them that would be for the best. If not lean towards the most flexible that you can control. You'll be fine with either.

[bcsquare]

On manufacturer's stiff can be someone else's x-stiff or regular. You need to get fitted and try them out for yourself.

 

Project X 6.0 is what they call stiff however they tend to play a flex stiffer. Its common to go down half or a full flex lower.

[ChipNRun]

> @nostatic said:

> I believe it goes 5.0 = R, 5.5 = R+, 6.0 = S, 6.5 = S+

> With the usual caveat that there is no universal measure for shaft stiffness, so that tells you about shafts relative within the PX line but not necessarily compared to other brands.

 

The 5.0, 5.5 ratings are based upon the Frequency Coefficient Matching (FCM) system developed by Royal Precision in the early 2000s. Royal Precision was the shaft company which developed the Project X and the Rifle shafts. Kim Braly, lead designer for Royal Precision, now heads R&D for the KBS shafts in the FST system. (Note: KBS stands for Kim Braly Shafts)

 

Royal Precision went out of business, and True Temper acquired the patents.

 

Anyway, the FCM system electronically measured shaft oscillations to compare the flex of different shafts. A shaft that had an oscillation of 255 Cycles Per Minute had its measure converted to FCM = 5.5 (a shorthand). Today the FCM system is largely obsolete, as newer systems measure the flex of multiple points along the shaft. Miyazaki, for example, has a four-digit flex profile for each shaft: [https://Not allowed because of spam.com/shaft-review-miyazaki-b-asha/](https://Not allowed because of spam.com/shaft-review-miyazaki-b-asha/ "https://Not allowed because of spam.com/shaft-review-miyazaki-b-asha/")

 

Back to Royal Precision | Project X and Rifle legacies.

* The Rifle shafts rated as 5.0 were Regular, the 5.5 Firm, the 6.0 Stiff, the 6.5 Stiff +, the 7.0 Xstiff.

* The Project rated 5.0 as Firm, 5.5 as Stiff, and so on. (Basically PX 5.0 was a half-flex stiffer than a Rifle 5.0, and on up the line for both shafts).

 

If flirting with basic Project X shafts, you do best with a fitting. If you go on eBay or our own Classified section, you will find lots of iron sets shafted with Project X 6.0. The 6.0 is simply a more robust shaft than many people think, so lots of sets get unloaded for something friendlier.

 

For entire GolfWRX eternal shaft flex thread, see the pinned _Shaft Chart _ item in **WRX Club Techs** forum.

 

[NGrapp1]

As ChipNRun mentioned, the shaft chart posted is going to be your best bet for an approximation of stiffness.

 

They may label PX 5.5 as "Regular" when in actuality, it plays stiffer than a Dynamic Gold S300. A PX 6.0 can be equated more to an "S+", but it's closer to X100 than S300. I recently switched from S300 to PX 6.0 and can say they are completely different shafts, both in profile and stiffness.

[Indygolfer85]

> @NGrapp1 said:

> As ChipNRun mentioned, the shaft chart posted is going to be your best bet for an approximation of stiffness.

>

> They may label PX 5.5 as "Regular" when in actuality, it plays stiffer than a Dynamic Gold S300. A PX 6.0 can be equated more to an "S+", but it's closer to X100 than S300. I recently switched from S300 to PX 6.0 and can say they are completely different shafts, both in profile and stiffness.

 

I am in a similar situation. Are you in the same head or did you switch everything at once? I have found the PX6.0s to be easier to launch and feel slightly smoother than regular s300s.

[FlyOver]

> @bcsquare said:

> On manufacturer's stiff can be someone else's x-stiff or regular. You need to get fitted and try them out for yourself.

>

> Project X 6.0 is what they call stiff however they tend to play a flex stiffer. Its common to go down half or a full flex lower.

I agree, Project X is know to play stiffer. My Evenflow black 6.0 67 grams plays stiffer than my AD IZ 7s shaft and the AD IZ has a lower torque rating.

 

[cvhookem63]

 

[NGrapp1]

> @Indygolfer85 said:

> > @NGrapp1 said:

> > As ChipNRun mentioned, the shaft chart posted is going to be your best bet for an approximation of stiffness.

> >

> > They may label PX 5.5 as "Regular" when in actuality, it plays stiffer than a Dynamic Gold S300. A PX 6.0 can be equated more to an "S+", but it's closer to X100 than S300. I recently switched from S300 to PX 6.0 and can say they are completely different shafts, both in profile and stiffness.

>

> I am in a similar situation. Are you in the same head or did you switch everything at once? I have found the PX6.0s to be easier to launch and feel slightly smoother than regular s300s.

 

I went from Mizuno MP-67s to the JPX 919 Tour, but the heads are not too far off from each other. I've played S300 my whole life and always thought I needed to go a little firmer. I get a much more piercing, consistent ball flight with Project X, which I attribute more to the stiffer flex than anything else. They actually wanted to put me into an X100 or PX 6.5 at the PGA Superstore, but I thought that was overkill.

 

I see so much commentary online about how Project X are "boardy" and I've never found that to be the case. My guess is most people are playing a PX shaft that is way too stiff for their swing (e.g. someone that should barely be playing a stiff shaft buying a 6.0).

[Hat Trick]

I ran into a similar problem. I'm 57, 5.5 index, and have a driver SS of 96-97 mph. I have AP2s with PX 6.0 and it was in the words of a PGA pro and a Thursday Titleist guy "too stout" for me based on trackman numbers. The PX 6.0 and the PX LZ 6.0, they stated, play stronger than the normal stiff. I agree with them - felt like was I was swinging a board. So after some research and experimentation, I am re-shafting with KBS FLT R+. Even the 5.5 PX (their regular) seems to be closer to stiff than regular.

[Nixhex524]

The PX wood shafts are different from the steel... A 5.5 graphite does play more like a regular, 6.0 as stiff. As NGrapp said, in the steel, the 5.5 would be closer to a stiff and 6.0, S+.... I find the S300 to feel a tad soft and the PX 6.0 to be a bit firm, but I like the X100 if I wanted to go stiffer. I am happy with the 5.5 and something like the Modus 120 stiff currently, around 85 mph 6i, smoothish tempo. It is all going to come down to what you like the feel of most, but weight should be a factor also.

[raytonyk]

@Indygolfer85 I’ve been playing with the same heads (718 ap2). Went from 5.5 PX LZ to 6.0 PX LZ (per Golf Tec fitting), felt like it was tough to control those given that they’re more active with the loading zone. Went back into a Roger Dunn and hit the standard PX 6.0s and the guy there said that those were good given launch angle and spin. I’ve golfed for years, but this is the first time I’ve invested in a new, custom set, so I don’t really know how to gauge specific feel and performance as I’ve never really paid attention. I do like the 120g weight of the 6.0, but wondering if the 5.5 is a better fit, although at 115g. I’ve only played one round with my new clubs, so I can still sell and get a good amount back.

 

Thank you for the great feedback so far, everyone!

[ChipNRun]

> @raytonyk said:

> ... I do like the 120g weight of the 6.0, but wondering if the 5.5 is a better fit, although at 115g. I’ve only played one round with my new clubs, so I can still sell and get a good amount back. ...>

 

Ultimate question: Can you handle the 6.0 shafts OK on days you're not swinging that well?

> @Nixhex524 said:

> The PX wood shafts are different from the steel... A 5.5 graphite does play more like a regular, 6.0 as stiff.

This is true. I test-hit the Rogue driver, got good numbers, and was quite confused when the fitter showed me it was PX 5.5. | The steel PX 5.0 shafts in my prior iron set proved too much, I reshafted to NS Pro 89850.

 

 

 

[sdedalus23]

I like the 6.0 shafts, but need the swing weight to be robust enough to feel the head. I have one in a rapture driving iron and can't really feel the head well enough to game it. I went the steelfiber stiff route and am happier.

[raytonyk]

> @ChipNRun said:

> > @raytonyk said:

> > ... I do like the 120g weight of the 6.0, but wondering if the 5.5 is a better fit, although at 115g. I’ve only played one round with my new clubs, so I can still sell and get a good amount back. ...>

>

> Ultimate question: Can you handle the 6.0 shafts OK on days you're not swinging that well?

> > @Nixhex524 said:

> > The PX wood shafts are different from the steel... A 5.5 graphite does play more like a regular, 6.0 as stiff.

> This is true. I test-hit the Rogue driver, got good numbers, and was quite confused when the fitter showed me it was PX 5.5. | The steel PX 5.0 shafts in my prior iron set proved too much, I reshafted to NS Pro 89850.

>

>

>

 

The shafts themselves feel fine every time I've used them, still pretty new so more time needed to evaluate, I'm sure. My bad days are more issues with dispersion, but not just pushing to the right (right handed) as if the shaft is too stiff, because I have moments where I pull to the left as I'm still working into consistent swing mechanics. Never have issue launching the ball, etc. I'm taking another lesson very soon, so I will ask the instructor whether or not he/she feels my distance is suffering due to not being able to load the shaft properly.

 

Also might just bite the bullet and try a fitting at Club Champion to be 100% sure as my Golf Tec fitting wasn't a great experience and I don't feel I can get a thorough enough assessment at my local golf shop.

[BB28403]

What is your 7 iron swing speed?

[Valtiel]

The standard Project X shafts need to honestly be considered outside of other shafts, there is no simple "they play one flex stiffer" rule you can apply to them.

 

For the sake of comparison, a Dynamic Gold X100 lives between a PX 5.0 and 5.5 in terms of CPM data. The PX 5.0 is substantially stiffer than a DG S300 in all areas except for the tip section where the S300 is similar. The old original Rifle 7.0 shafts I play start similar at the butt end as a PX 6.0 but actually rapidly become softer, ending up much closer to a PX 5.0. The bottom line is that all of the Project X Rifle shafts start similar in the butt end in terms of stiffness as most other shafts and lose stiffness a LOT slower than pretty much everyone else. This leads to shafts that are way stouter in the mid sections than most others, hence the difficulty in loading them for most average players, especially if you end up in the wrong flex. For said average golfer, the PX 6.0 from a numbers standpoint is X-stiff and everything above that is "tour only" territory in terms of speed, unless you prefer a shaft with little to no loading sensation.

[Howard_Jones]

There is no common standard for flex letters, they are only a address in that shafts own family, so its not even a standard within the same brand, so forget those labels.

 

RIFLEs chart to Letters looks like this

2.5 = Ladies

3.5 = Average/Senior

4.5 = R Flex

5.0 = R+/FIRM

5.5 = STIFF

6.0 = STIFF+

6.5 = X-STIFF

7.0 = TX

 

PX 6.0 is well within the range of X flex with a FCM value of 6.5, and the PX standard series is the strongest shafts on the marked vs its weight. As a compare, TT XP 115 X flex is FCM 6.0, so is DG S400, and that means PX 6.0 is about half a flex stronger than those 2.

 

 

 

 

 

[raytonyk]

> @BB28403 said:

> What is your 7 iron swing speed?

 

> @BB28403 said:

> What is your 7 iron swing speed?

 

I can’t remember off the top of my head (I should know this), but I remember the tech telling me my swing speed was on the cusp of regular and stiff without really warming up. He insisted the PX 6.0 was a true stiff, not stiff+, but per everyone’s feedback, doesn’t seem to be the case. I want to say I was hitting the 7 iron indoors (with 6.0 shaft) around 160 with a pure ball strike, maybe 165 max.

 

[shaolingolfer]

To my experience, 5.5 is more like a hair softer than stiff and 6.0 is stiff plus. I played 5.5 for years and I hate and can never load s300 properly. I will guess based on your 7 iron distance, go with 5.5. Play the softer shaft that you can control is my preference especially in iron.

[raytonyk]

> @shaolingolfer said:

> To my experience, 5.5 is more like a hair softer than stiff and 6.0 is stiff plus. I played 5.5 for years and I hate and can never load s300 properly. I will guess based on your 7 iron distance, go with 5.5. Play the softer shaft that you can control is my preference especially in iron.

 

And the PX LZs play softer than standard PX, yea?

[lefty1978]

Doesn't also depends on your temp and release factor? I recently did a mizuno fitting with the jpx forged 7 iron, most of the shafts recommended by the shaft optimizer were x stiff in 120g range, although my 7 iron swing speed was consistently 85mph. The guy considered the project x 6.0 to be more x stiff than stiff.

My top 5 recommended shafts were..

1. Project X Lz 6.0 120g

2. AMT Tour white X 121g

3. Dynamic Gold 120x 120g

4. Project X 120g

5. NS Pro Modus 120x 120g

[Triplesticks]

I wouldn’t get caught up in flex, just hit them and if they fit you great. I personally think Project X feel better in the heavier weights, ie 6.5 feels better than 6.0.

 

 

> @raytonyk said:

> I currently have the Project X 6.0 shafts, but the more I read about the flex rating, the more I become confused even further on what is right. I see in some places that 6.0 is stiff, other places saying 5.5 is stiff. Now I’m seeing signs in golf shops saying 5.5 is stiff, when others reference 5.5 being regular +. I’ve been told by a couple fitters my swing speed is in stiff flex range, another said I’m right on the cusp of stiff. Any feedback would be helpful, thanks all!