NEW 2021 Graphite Design Tour AD HD Shaft Specs

[knudson81]

I know there was an earlier thread on the new Graphite Design Tour AD HD wood shafts, but it might have been lost during the update. Here are the spec sheets on the new shaft that Pro's Choice sent over.

 

Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc. announces that the new 2021 Graphite Design Tour AD HD ‘Hyper Drive’  wood shafts will be available on Thursday, October 1st, 2020 through Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc. and their Authorized Dealer network in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe,    UAE , S. Africa, S. America, and Australia.

 

New for 2021, Graphite Design introduces the latest in the Tour AD premium line of golf shafts, the Tour AD HD – Hyper Drive.  Designed and manufactured at the Graphite Design Japan factory headquarters, the new Tour AD HD wood shafts are white with light blue accents and finished with a matte clear coat.

 

The Tour AD HD, like the other high performance Tour AD wood shafts, utilizes premium, aerospace quality carbon-fiber materials and are available in 40g R2, R1 and S flex, 50g R2, R1, S and X flex, 60g SR, S, X and TX flex, 70g S, X and TX flex and 80g S and X flex. 
 
The Tour AD HD shaft profile is firm in the butt section, firm in the center section and has a firm+ tip to promote a mid-launch angle and low to low/mid ball spin rates. The Tour AD HD shafts utilizes the exclusive Graphite Design FTT - Fast Taper Technology, as well as the modern TORAYCA® M40X carbon-fiber material in the mid to tip section of the shaft and the ultra-high modulus TORAYCA® T1100G carbon-fiber material in the tip section of the shaft for unrivaled shaft stability and precise ball control without the loss of the exceptional feel that Graphite Design shafts are so well known for. 
It is time for a change to your golf game and a jump into Hyper Drive that the new 2021 Graphite Design Tour AD HD shafts with the Torayca T1100G and M40X material technologies has to offer.

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by knudson81

[Pnoj]

Love the look of this shaft, wish I could test it out.

[MMB1500]

Great looking shaft with an unfortunate name. 

[DNice26]

Yeah.....the marketing guys were NOT paying attention when they came up with that name.  How ironic....?

[maowv]

Yeah, I can see the protest crowd gathering already. 

Maybe Graphite Design will double down and market this shaft for those with a quick transition?

[knudson81]

In-hand photo of the shaft.

[BlueDragonKorea]

8 minutes ago, knudson81 said:

In-hand photo of the shaft.

Wow, that is one good looking shaft 

[Richsgbox]

Sounds like a unique build. Anyone know of anything of similar profile already on the market? I'd like to know more about Fast Taper Technology.

[autronicdsm]

Hmm.. so firm -> firm -> firm+ is pretty darn close to old Miyazaki Kusala Indigo with their 5555 flex code for S. I'm gonna have to try this one for sure!

[mikey6866]

6 hours ago, Richsgbox said:

Sounds like a unique build. Anyone know of anything of similar profile already on the market? I'd like to know more about Fast Taper Technology.

 

The closest 2 are going to be the tp and Iz based on profile.  Launch closer to Iz.  Feel should be inbetween..should kick less than tp but will probably feel more active than the Iz.  The Iz does not have ftt but the tp and VR do.  I currently have VR in driver..tp in 3 wood and Iz in 5 wood.  I'll get the hd to test in driver but it's most likely going to end up in the 5 wood.   My fav 2 GD shafts are the VR and tp the ftt shafts are fantastic and I expect the hd will be similar.

[cw1209]

TP with a softer tip. This will be really really really good in a fairway wood. Slightly lower launch and higher spin than the TP. 

[third-times-a-charm]

I'm not gonna lie I spend like hours every day reading about golf equipment and specs - and the Graphite Design company lines/specs/etc is the most confusing thing ever.

 

The way they describe and put out specs on their shafts is like no other manuf. and It's super confusing. 

[Poolparty]

11 hours ago, third-times-a-charm said:

I'm not gonna lie I spend like hours every day reading about golf equipment and specs - and the Graphite Design company lines/specs/etc is the most confusing thing ever.

 

The way they describe and put out specs on their shafts is like no other manuf. and It's super confusing. 

Their shafts are all similar bend profiles. Only small tweaks here and there. The HD will be a high quality mid soft shaft. They all are

Edited August 21, 2020 by Poolparty

[toddmanley]

1 hour ago, cw1209 said:

TP with a softer tip. This will be really really really good in a fairway wood. Slightly lower launch and higher spin than the TP. 

 

Same thoughts here - I play the TP in my TS3 3w.  Should be interesting to read the comparisons once people have a chance to put both in play.

[cw1209]

11 hours ago, third-times-a-charm said:

I'm not gonna lie I spend like hours every day reading about golf equipment and specs - and the Graphite Design company lines/specs/etc is the most confusing thing ever.

 

The way they describe and put out specs on their shafts is like no other manuf. and It's super confusing. 

 

Have to disagree. Graphite Design and Fujikura are two of the best when it comes to details regarding their products and how they relate to each other. Most companies just let you guess, or put out the minimum launch/spin chart. Providing the EI profiles and/or shaft profile comparison chart is the next level of detail that can help an educated consumer understand more about the product. 

 

What I will concede is that there is a fair amount of overlap with Tour AD shafts. They are almost all derivatives of soft mid "blue board" profile. Different feels for sure, but there is a reason there are so many AD DI vs AD VR vs AD TP vs AD IZ vs ..... threads. All lot of the Tour AD shafts are more similar than different .

 

 

[Poolparty]

35 minutes ago, cw1209 said:

 

Have to disagree. Graphite Design and Fujikura are two of the best when it comes to details regarding their products and how they relate to each other. Most companies just let you guess, or put out the minimum launch/spin chart. Providing the EI profiles and/or shaft profile comparison chart is the next level of detail that can help an educated consumer understand more about the product. 

 

What I will concede is that there is a fair amount of overlap with Tour AD shafts. They are almost all derivatives of soft mid "blue board" profile. Different feels for sure, but there is a reason there are so many AD DI vs AD VR vs AD TP vs AD IZ vs ..... threads. All lot of the Tour AD shafts are more similar than different .

 

 

I'd love to see them try a seriously low launching shaft. They might not call it a Tour AD, but if they made one I'm sure it would be great

[QuigleyDU]

This shaft sounds awesome. The profile is right up my alley.

 

the color is stellar as well.

[QuigleyDU]

The 7TX sound bueno.

[BlueDragonKorea]

43 minutes ago, Poolparty said:

I'd love to see them try a seriously low launching shaft. They might not call it a Tour AD, but if they made one I'm sure it would be great

There are a couple of pretty stiff options - Tour AD GP and Tour AD M9003. Are those too whippy for what you’re looking for? I haven’t tried them but I’ve heard they feel pretty stiff compared to the rest of the Tour AD line.

[Aces-6]

This has strong potential to make it into my 3-wood.

[knudson81]

Initial thoughts (literally 2 driver swings): Launch is higher than GP, similar to IZ for me. Ballflight was mid/high but flat and it was very easy to square up. Feel smooth and lively, more active than GP at impact and less vibration than IZ. More to come as I can get more swings with it.

[Poolparty]

11 hours ago, BlueDragonKorea said:

There are a couple of pretty stiff options - Tour AD GP and Tour AD M9003. Are those too whippy for what you’re looking for? I haven’t tried them but I’ve heard they feel pretty stiff compared to the rest of the Tour AD line.

No not too whippy, just the wrong profile for my driver

[PCGS / Graphite Design]

9 hours ago, knudson81 said:

Initial thoughts (literally 2 driver swings): Launch is higher than GP, similar to IZ for me. Ballflight was mid/high but flat and it was very easy to square up. Feel smooth and lively, more active than GP at impact and less vibration than IZ. More to come as I can get more swings with it.

PCGS / Graphite Design will be looking forward to your feedback after your round this weekend! Next up a little podcast with Knudson81. Thank you!

[OspreyCI]

11 minutes ago, PCGS / Graphite Design said:

PCGS / Graphite Design will be looking forward to your feedback after your round this weekend! Next up a little podcast with Knudson81. Thank you!

We are waiting... haha.

[Valtiel]

I'll echo the sentiment of "great looking shaft, unfortunate name" haha. Seems like it will be a tweak on the AD-TP, we'll see!

 

[MysteryV]

Ok - done waiting Kundsen.  You've had 16 hours - I expect 24 hours worth of evaluation and and I expect it 12 hours ago!  ?

 

Can't wait to hear more!  

[Hougz79]

On 8/21/2020 at 7:54 AM, knudson81 said:

Initial thoughts (literally 2 driver swings): Launch is higher than GP, similar to IZ for me. Ballflight was mid/high but flat and it was very easy to square up. Feel smooth and lively, more active than GP at impact and less vibration than IZ. More to come as I can get more swings with it.

Very interesting to hear!  Flight of IZ with a just a couple hundred rpm less spin would be absolutely perfect for me.

[markheardjr]

On 8/21/2020 at 12:39 AM, BlueDragonKorea said:

There are a couple of pretty stiff options - Tour AD GP and Tour AD M9003. Are those too whippy for what you’re looking for? I haven’t tried them but I’ve heard they feel pretty stiff compared to the rest of the Tour AD line.

GP is more whiteboard ish with a softer butt and firmer mid and stiff tip. the M9003 has a beefy mid-section that is very stout and isn't really like other shafts out there IMO.

 

GD shafts for the most part are softer which means smoother feeling. But they do cater to all swing types, just maybe not new every year for all swing types, which honestly I am fine with. I'm surprised they haven't revisited their old ways with the YS, YS+ and haven't made a "DI +" which is a new version of the DI. Not just the new cosmetic.

 

I'd also think it would be benficial to use a numbering system instead of "high mid low" for launch/spin or their "very stiff, stiff, firm, medium, soft" labels. To me, very few AD shafts are truly "low spin." Maybe the GP and M9003 are the only ones, not sure if XC is as advertised, maybe its low/mid? BB, MT, TP maybe are mid, the rest, IMO are mid/high to high. the old stuff is fantastic too, p9003, D003, Purple Ice, YSQst, PM702/PM902, Throttle series...all powerhouse big boy shafts. But with todays heads being so low spin, the shaft doesn't have to work so hard to knock spin down. But those of us that generate a ton of spin, the head and shaft low/low combo is the scenario we've been waiting for.

[knudson81]

On 8/22/2020 at 1:12 AM, MysteryV said:

Ok - done waiting Kundsen.  You've had 16 hours - I expect 24 hours worth of evaluation and and I expect it 12 hours ago!  ?

 

Can't wait to hear more!  

 

I am working on it! Come babysit and I will get all the reviewing this shaft can handle!

[MysteryV]

3 hours ago, knudson81 said:

 

I am working on it! Come babysit and I will get all the reviewing this shaft can handle!

 

Alternately - you can just send me the shaft and I'll test and ghostwrite the review for you.  ?

 

I promise - you do NOT want me babysitting your kids - they'll come back wired on Lindt chocolate balls and Nicorette cursing like tiny sailors.