WRX Staff WITB: Knudson 2020 **Silly Season UPDATE Page 4**

[0cean]

Thanks @knudson81 for the previous reply. How about your thoughts on The Fujikura Pro iron shafts vs the KBS TGI tours?

 

[1] https://fujikuragolf.com/irons/pro-iron

[2] https://kbsgolfshafts.com/shop/tgi-tour-graphite-iron/

[0cean]

Just received a Ventus Red and AV RAW Orange. Just a note, Fujikura doesn't recommend tip trimming for the 3 wood[1][2][3], while typically, it's 0.5" for other manufacturers/shafts including Mitsubishi[4].

 

[1] https://fujikuragolf.com/tip-trimming

[2] Trim code W32: https://www.golfworks.com/fujikura-ventus-red-graphite-wood-shafts/p/fk0099/

[3] https://www.golfworks.com/images/art/shaft_trim_inst.pdf

[4] https://www.mca-golf.com/sites/default/files/spec-pdf/MCA-MCA_2020-TENSEI-AV-RAW-Orange-v1.1.pdf

[knudson81]

On 10/13/2020 at 6:03 PM, 0cean said:

Just received a Ventus Red and AV RAW Orange. Just a note, Fujikura doesn't recommend tip trimming for the 3 wood[1][2][3], while typically, it's 0.5" for other manufacturers/shafts including Mitsubishi[4].

 

[1] https://fujikuragolf.com/tip-trimming

[2] Trim code W32: https://www.golfworks.com/fujikura-ventus-red-graphite-wood-shafts/p/fk0099/

[3] https://www.golfworks.com/images/art/shaft_trim_inst.pdf

[4] https://www.mca-golf.com/sites/default/files/spec-pdf/MCA-MCA_2020-TENSEI-AV-RAW-Orange-v1.1.pdf

 

 

Yeah, every shaft company is different on how they design their shaft profiles an what tipping they recommend. I hope you find some success with either the Ventus Red or the RAW Orange. 

 

For the Fuji Pro vs TGI comparison I would say that both launched similar for me, mid/high. The TGI probably spins a touch more and felt a little more active during the swing. It was easier to feel the TGI load and kick where the Fuji Pro has a more stout feel. For me the Fuji Pro was less prone to go left where the TGI was easier to turn over. 

[Lemonde]

Did you have your Ventus Red 6x tipped in the driver? 

[Hertsjoatmon]

@knudson81 just got round to listening to your year end witb. Keep up the entertaining pods.

Club conex question. I saw in a vid you posted that they recommended tipping 3/4 for their system. Is from raw shaft or replacing oems adapter or both? I have a bunch of old shafts laying around I'd love to put back into rotation! 

[knudson81]

17 hours ago, Hertsjoatmon said:

@knudson81 just got round to listening to your year end witb. Keep up the entertaining pods.

Club conex question. I saw in a vid you posted that they recommended tipping 3/4 for their system. Is from raw shaft or replacing oems adapter or both? I have a bunch of old shafts laying around I'd love to put back into rotation! 

 

 

Thank you for listening, I really do appreciate it! 

 

For the Club Conex Uni-Fit I was tipping 3/4" off a raw shaft. I had a couple shafts laying around that were installed untipped in other clubs and I just tip trimmed off as much as I could while keeping the shaft + tip at 43" (tip+shaft @ 43" will play 45" in the driver).

[Hertsjoatmon]

1 hour ago, knudson81 said:

 

 

Thank you for listening, I really do appreciate it! 

 

For the Club Conex Uni-Fit I was tipping 3/4" off a raw shaft. I had a couple shafts laying around that were installed untipped in other clubs and I just tip trimmed off as much as I could while keeping the shaft + tip at 43" (tip+shaft @ 43" will play 45" in the driver).

Your welcome. As someone who is quite tight and only buys used, all the reviews on the latest and greatest doesn't help me but listening to how you decide what stays and what goes and what your looking for in each club etc is interesting and fun. 

I play my drivers at 44.5" so that's good to know. Although I'm experimenting with a 2 driver set up with one an inch shorter than that and with about 2.5* more loft. Only had a 3 wood in the bag for off the tee, so figured why not have a safety driver instead. Main driver is slightly draw bias and the safety slightly fade. 

[knudson81]

I should keep more up-to-date on this thread and I apologize for that. It is silly season, but here is what I would take with me if I was heading down to the PGA Show this year! 

 

 

Ping G425 Max 10.5 (-1* Flat setting) / Ventus Black 6x @45"

TM SIM2 Max 3w (15*) / Nippon Regio Formula MB+ 75x @42.5" (Photo is with stock shaft)

Srixon ZX 3h (19*) / Ventus Blue 9x @40"

Honma TR21x 4i (2* weak) / Fujikura Pro 115s

Srixon ZX7 5-9i (1* Up) / Nippon Modus 120s

Vokey SM8 46.10F (45*) / Nippon Modus 120s

Vokey SM8 50.12F / Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Vokey SM8 56.12D (55*) / Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Cleveland RTX ZipCore 60 Full / Nippon Modus 125 Wedge

Mizuno M-Craft V / Stability Tour @33" / Lamkin Deep-Etched Full-Cord

 

 

Edited January 22, 2021 by knudson81

[J13]

Love the setup.  Love the stripped ZX7's.  How does the Srixon driver stack up to the 425Max?

[knudson81]

The ZX7 and ZX5 drivers both seem to have a good amount of ballspeed and the Rebound Frame technology seems to keep that ballspeed up when you miss the center of the face. ZX5 is stable and forgiving when you put a bad swing on it and the ZX7 has a more penetrating, neutral ball flight. I would say the ZX5 is very comparable to the SIM Max, maybe launching just a smidge higher, but with better distance on a low heel miss. 

 

 

[Bunkersarebigcups]

Oh boy, those raw ZX7s are nasty! They are a beautifull iron anyways but the stripping really made them even better!

Sadly I dont know a company in Europe to offer chrome stripping or my MP 52 would have been all rusty for 2021

Edited January 25, 2021 by Bunkersarebigcups
typo

[knudson81]

5 hours ago, Bunkersarebigcups said:

Oh boy, those raw ZX7s are nasty! They are a beautifull iron anyways but the stripping really made them even better!

Sadly I dont know a company in Europe to offer chrome stripping or my MP 52 would have been all rusty for 2021

 

 

Thank you! I think all irons in raw steel look best! To find a place in Europe, see if you can find an automotive or motorcycle shop and ask them where they have parts chromed. That is how I found the one here, a family member knew of the chrome plating shop from the motorcycle community.

[Enrico_Palazzo81]

5 hours ago, knudson81 said:

 

 

Thank you! I think all irons in raw steel look best! To find a place in Europe, see if you can find an automotive or motorcycle shop and ask them where they have parts chromed. That is how I found the one here, a family member knew of the chrome plating shop from the motorcycle community.

Maybe a dumb question, but how do you fix swingweight after they are raw?

[knudson81]

4 hours ago, Enrico_Palazzo81 said:

Maybe a dumb question, but how do you fix swingweight after they are raw?

 

No, not at all. Each head lost about 5g of weight when you strip the chrome off them, and I just added some tip weights into the shafts to get them back to D2. I did a set of 2013 X Forged irons a few years ago and those lost about 7g per head, but same thing just added some tip weights.

[BallerNate]

Awesome setup, very cool! What made you decide to replace your set PW with the 46 degree Vokey? Do you find it performs better for you?

[robleighlefty89]

On 1/25/2021 at 2:12 PM, knudson81 said:

 

 

Thank you! I think all irons in raw steel look best! To find a place in Europe, see if you can find an automotive or motorcycle shop and ask them where they have parts chromed. That is how I found the one here, a family member knew of the chrome plating shop from the motorcycle community.

 

Those clubs look so good without the chrome - fancy doing that to my Srixon Z785s. Regarding the chrome shop, you just asked them to strip off all the chrome from them, simple as that? 

[knudson81]

12 hours ago, BallerNate said:

Awesome setup, very cool! What made you decide to replace your set PW with the 46 degree Vokey? Do you find it performs better for you?

 

Thank you! I use my PW around the green to chip/pitch and the Vokey is a little more versite for those shots. It gets through the rough a little easier and if I want to open/close the face a little for different trajectory it is easier with the SM8.

 

2 hours ago, robleighlefty89 said:

 

Those clubs look so good without the chrome - fancy doing that to my Srixon Z785s. Regarding the chrome shop, you just asked them to strip off all the chrome from them, simple as that? 

 

Thank you, I think they look awesome raw as well. I just called a local shop and asked if they would strip a set of iron heads and they said they would have to see them first. Brought them in and they said they would have to blast all the paint off, but then it was a simple job. Yeah, I just asked them to strip the chrome so the heads would be raw steel. 

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, knudson81 said:

 

Thank you! I use my PW around the green to chip/pitch and the Vokey is a little more versite for those shots. It gets through the rough a little easier and if I want to open/close the face a little for different trajectory it is easier with the SM8.

 

 

Thank you, I think they look awesome raw as well. I just called a local shop and asked if they would strip a set of iron heads and they said they would have to see them first. Brought them in and they said they would have to blast all the paint off, but then it was a simple job. Yeah, I just asked them to strip the chrome so the heads would be raw steel. 

Makes sense. I was thinking about getting a 46 degree RTX Zipcore to replace my current set PW too and match my 52 and 58, but just not sure if it’s worth the extra money. Will probably end up pulling the trigger eventually though.

[knudson81]

On 1/27/2021 at 10:17 AM, BallerNate said:

Makes sense. I was thinking about getting a 46 degree RTX Zipcore to replace my current set PW too and match my 52 and 58, but just not sure if it’s worth the extra money. Will probably end up pulling the trigger eventually though.

 

I never really used my PW right around the green, so I always had one that matched the set. But the more I started using the lower lofted wedge to chip I got more comfortable with it. 

 

UPDATE

 

So a minor change to the bag already! Trust me, this is going to happen a TON before the season starts. Hit the Honma TR21x and the Srixon ZX Utility side-by-side the other day and the Srixon is in the bag with a Fujikura Pro 115s! The ZX just was more consistent with distance and had tighter dispersion. I think going to the slightly lighter Pro 115 made it a little easier for me to swing and helped launch the ball a little higher than the Modus 120 that was in it from the factory. I like the look of the smaller Honma, but right now the Srixon is just performing better.

[Hobbs]

On 1/27/2021 at 5:46 AM, knudson81 said:

 

Thank you! I use my PW around the green to chip/pitch and the Vokey is a little more versite for those shots. It gets through the rough a little easier and if I want to open/close the face a little for different trajectory it is easier with the SM8.

 

 

Thank you, I think they look awesome raw as well. I just called a local shop and asked if they would strip a set of iron heads and they said they would have to see them first. Brought them in and they said they would have to blast all the paint off, but then it was a simple job. Yeah, I just asked them to strip the chrome so the heads would be raw steel. 

Did you add the paint fill or was the paint fill not removed during the stripping process?  I really like the look of raw irons also.

 

Do you think this could be down with a set of T100? 

[knudson81]

23 hours ago, Hobbs said:

Did you add the paint fill or was the paint fill not removed during the stripping process?  I really like the look of raw irons also.

 

Do you think this could be down with a set of T100? 

 

I added the paintfill after they stripped the heads. From what the guy said there they sandblasted all the paint off the heads before they stripped them. T100 would be possible, but you would have to remove the plastic badges on the back before stripping them. Would be a tough one to do without damaging them since the one is so small!

[Carolina Golfer 2]

  Now that is a well thought out bag! 
 

question on the 56D grind.  I read today from Titleist tour report about Adam Scott who bad been playing the K Grind in his 60.06 and switched to the 60.12D.  
 

Adam loves bounce for the bunkers but wanted a bit lower flight from the fairway.  The grind on the D adds bounce so hw is able to keep that aspect and get a lower spinning shot with the new setup. 
 

All that to ask what you played previous to the D grind. 
 

As always, love your work on the POD. 

[knudson81]

8 hours ago, Carolina Golfer 2 said:

  Now that is a well thought out bag! 
 

question on the 56D grind.  I read today from Titleist tour report about Adam Scott who bad been playing the K Grind in his 60.06 and switched to the 60.12D.  
 

Adam loves bounce for the bunkers but wanted a bit lower flight from the fairway.  The grind on the D adds bounce so hw is able to keep that aspect and get a lower spinning shot with the new setup. 
 

All that to ask what you played previous to the D grind. 
 

As always, love your work on the POD. 

 

Thank you, I truly do appreciate you following along! I have been playing high bounce sand wedges (56) for awhile now, the the SM8 replaced a Callaway W Grind. So I haven't really compared the flight/spin differences between something low bounce and high bounce in awhile. For me changing to Modus 125 Wedge (from S400) brought my ball flight down a little while it seems to keep the spin high.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

2 hours ago, knudson81 said:

 

Thank you, I truly do appreciate you following along! I have been playing high bounce sand wedges (56) for awhile now, the the SM8 replaced a Callaway W Grind. So I haven't really compared the flight/spin differences between something low bounce and high bounce in awhile. For me changing to Modus 125 Wedge (from S400) brought my ball flight down a little while it seems to keep the spin high.

Thanks,  I'm the same way, always have preferred a high bounce in my most lofted wedge, usually a 58.  I have the SM7 58 K and also had a MD5 W Grind.   I'm not really good enough to try and control flight etc.  I was just intrigued by what the new D grind has to offer.

 

[knudson81]

8 minutes ago, Carolina Golfer 2 said:

Thanks,  I'm the same way, always have preferred a high bounce in my most lofted wedge, usually a 58.  I have the SM7 58 K and also had a MD5 W Grind.   I'm not really good enough to try and control flight etc.  I was just intrigued by what the new D grind has to offer.

 

 

I don't have the skill to control ballflight on that level either! Far, far from it! I really like the D because it is great out of the bunker, like open the face and just glide through the sand easy to use. I also tend to over the top and steep on my wedges, hitting them way left and taking a DEEP divot, and that extra bounce is great getting through the turf and reducing the divot size. The D grind feels like a slow M grind when it is going through the turf, I could really feel the M glide faster through than the D.

[knudson81]

This bad boy showed up the other day and the glue is drying on it today, hopefully will get it on the range this weekend! Thing looks really good and super high-end compared to the rest of the Tensei line.  Any of you hit this yet? Thoughts?

 

[jt2gt]

On 2/2/2021 at 7:19 AM, knudson81 said:

 

Thank you, I truly do appreciate you following along! I have been playing high bounce sand wedges (56) for awhile now, the the SM8 replaced a Callaway W Grind. So I haven't really compared the flight/spin differences between something low bounce and high bounce in awhile. For me changing to Modus 125 Wedge (from S400) brought my ball flight down a little while it seems to keep the spin high.

Since you have them both in the bag...any thoughts on the SM8 vs Zipcore.  I'm going 46, 52, 58, like you I like to use the 46 around the green.  Have the zipcores, but I may be leaning to the shape of the SM8s.  What about feel and spin...any thoughts between the two?

[knudson81]

5 minutes ago, jt2gt said:

Since you have them both in the bag...any thoughts on the SM8 vs Zipcore.  I'm going 46, 52, 58, like you I like to use the 46 around the green.  Have the zipcores, but I may be leaning to the shape of the SM8s.  What about feel and spin...any thoughts between the two?

 

 

I really like both and think they are two of the best wedges out there currently. The Vokey and ZipCore prob feel similar but I give the slight edge in softness and responsiveness to the Vokey. ZipCore spin the most of almost anything I hit last year, even out of the rough they can produce some balls that really check well. 

[J13]

So XlinkTech is in the tip section simliar to Velocore?

[knudson81]

16 minutes ago, J13 said:

So XlinkTech is in the tip section simliar to Velocore?

 

No, from what I read and understand it is a resin technology that adds strength to the whole shaft. They added the Boron tip back into the 1K, not in the RAW sereis, and that should add stability to it.