Graphite Design Tour AD Di - How does it stack up to today's shafts?

[golfnhack]

So this shaft is now 10 years old. Yet

 

1) It still has an MSRP of $350.

2) Still being played in numerous tour player's bags.

3) Still has a used eBay value of over $200.

 

These are stats that I cannot recall ANY other shaft on the market having. So.... the question is. How does this shaft compare to today's shafts? Is it's ongoing popularity just due to nostalgia? Has it been eclipsed by current day shafts?

 

Have they changed it over the years... or only changed the paint scheme?

 

I remember hitting one in 2011 and loving it. I got a CGPO Black Friday code in the mail, and picked up a Like New Di 7-S on CGPO for $123. Should be here Thursday.

 

Lots of times memories are better than actuality. I have pulled out the Cleveland HiBore, Adams FW Wood, and Titleist 983K... all of which I remember killing back in the day... and all of which don't hold a candle to today's clubs.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2020 by golfnhack

[Fairway14]

GD is smooth feeling but stable , a great shaft.

[OspreyCI]

Best 3 wood shaft I have ever used! Holds up against anything fir me. Love my AD TP in my driver.

[Mainehacker21]

How does these stack up flex wise? Most people playing S or X?

[sethdavidsdad]

10 minutes ago, Mainehacker21 said:

How does these stack up flex wise? Most people playing S or X?

I have both 6X and 6S in the AD DI the X is just a little stiffer in my opinion not a large difference in either. 

[Golfingfanatic]

The Tour AD DI 8X/9X are the best fairway wood shafts ever made imo.

[Thornbrugh]

1 hour ago, golfnhack said:

So this shaft is now 10 years old. Yet

 

1) It still has an MSRP of $350.

2) Still being played in numerous tour player's bags.

3) Still has a used eBay value of over $200.

 

These are stats that I cannot recall ANY other shaft on the market having. So.... the question is. How does this shaft compare to today's shafts? Is it's ongoing popularity just due to nostalgia? Has it been eclipsed by current day shafts?

 

Have they changed it over the years... or only changed the paint scheme?

 

I remember hitting one in 2011 and loving it. I got a CGPO Black Friday code in the mail, and picked up a Like New Di 7-S on CGPO for $123. Should be here Thursday.

 

Lots of times memories are better than actuality. I have pulled out the Cleveland HiBore, Adams FW Wood, and Titleist 983K... all of which I remember killing back in the day... and all of which don't hold a candle to today's clubs.

 

 

Tell us more about the CPO black friday details... I haven't seen a thing, but haven't been looking yet. Seem to recall this is CPO's best sale of the year typically...

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Just hit it during a fitting for TSi2 and it gave me better performance than any of the other "newer" shafts we tried.  So there's that. 

[bladehunter]

To this day it’s he best 3 wood and hybrid shaft I’ve ever hit.  Period.  Only close exception is the GD purple ice 85x in a 3 wood.  

[Lobber]

Oh that Purple Ice was a great shaft too!  I play the DI in my hybrid and love it.  Noticed that Callaway is charging $150 upgrade for the "old graphics" shaft.  GD came out with a model with new graphics although I believe it is the same shaft.

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, Lobber said:

Oh that Purple Ice was a great shaft too!  I play the DI in my hybrid and love it.  Noticed that Callaway is charging $150 upgrade for the "old graphics" shaft.  GD came out with a model with new graphics although I believe it is the same shaft.

Yep. But my superstitious mind wants the old graphics only. Lol 

[deadsolid...shank]

I played a 6S a few years back...never should have sold it. 
 

I recently bought a 5S off the BST.....so happy to have it in the bag. 

[tigerfan23]

still the best.  Been playing it in everything for 10 years.

6s in driver 7s in fairway regardless of head

 

I won't play anything else

 

 

[cliche]

so that means i can put my ad-di fairway shaft on the bay?🤔

[ARL67]

Tiger should have gotten commission cheques from GD for all of the AD-DI's sold.  Didn't just about EVERYONE lust after that shaft once Tiger put it into play !   It's striped orange graphics were quite unique at the time, and I'm still surprised how much they command on the used market.  My 2 favourites were the AD-DI 6X for my driver, and the AD-DI 105X for my hybrid.

Edited November 6, 2020 by ARL67

[BigBlue7]

Absolutely fantastic shaft.  I have the 8x in my hybrid and 7x in my 3w.  Like everyone above me has said: smooth but stable

[nsxguy]

On 11/3/2020 at 11:27 PM, tigerfan23 said:

still the best.  Been playing it in everything for 10 years.

6s in driver 7s in fairway regardless of head

 

I won't play anything else

 

 

 

Why am I not surprised ? 

 

[Puttersaurus Rex]

On 11/3/2020 at 1:11 PM, bladehunter said:

To this day it’s he best 3 wood and hybrid shaft I’ve ever hit.  Period.  Only close exception is the GD purple ice 85x in a 3 wood.  

Purple Ice 85 in my 7 wood.  One of my favorite clubs!

[tigerfan23]

2 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

Why am I not surprised ? 

 

 

 

the tiger im Referring  to is the detroit tigers! I have no idea what shaft tiger plays.
I've played the Tour AD Since I got fitted for it 9 years ago.

 

 

[drscott266]

I got fit for the DI after trying a few options at my Titleist fitting. Best option for me by far in the driver. I think how you load a shaft matters a ton, not just materials. I’m not super aggressive so I don’t need T100 in the tip. 

[schwollo]

Awesome 3 wood shaft for me. Nice mid high launch w just enough spin. Had the Di in my razr fit until I sold the driver in 2018.  Just a fun great feeling stable shaft  

[Valtiel]

I believe the AD-DI has stayed the same over the years, just a new paint job recently. As far as its long term success and longevity, I think it comes down to a number of factors:

1) It is one of the more/most popular and versatile designs (mid soft, tip stiff) that can benefit both both pros and Joes. 
2) It has always utilized premium material in its construction, material that is still regarded as such today, with no "watered down" version ever made (that i'm aware of). 
3) It is extremely recognizable aesthetically, both in person and on TV.
4) It has a very "standard" butt diameter whereas other shafts in it's category can get quite large. This means it will tend to feel more consistent with typical iron shafts in terms of final grip size. 
5) It got the Tiger bump during a time where there was extra attention on him (post scandal, new swing etc).

So it is a great product in arguably the most popular and versatile design category, easily recognizable, and got the biggest endorsement a company could hope for. 

Edited November 6, 2020 by Valtiel

[nsxguy]

17 minutes ago, Valtiel said:

I believe the AD-DI has stayed the same over the years, just a new paint job recently. As far as its long term success and longevity, I think it comes down to a number of factors:

1) It is one of the more/most popular and versatile designs (mid soft, tip stiff) that can benefit both both pros and Joes. 
2) It has always utilized premium material in its construction, material that is still regarded as such today, with no "watered down" version ever made (that i'm aware of). 
3) It is extremely recognizable aesthetically, both in person and on TV.
4) It has a very "standard" butt diameter whereas other shafts in it's category can get quite large. This means it will tend to feel more consistent with typical iron shafts in terms of final grip size. 
5) It got the Tiger bump during a time where there was extra attention on him (post scandal, new swing etc).

So it is a great product in arguably the most popular and versatile design category, easily recognizable, and got the biggest endorsement a company could hope for. 

 

I think, but am not totally sure, Tour Exotics used the DI as a stock shaft a few years ago.

 

Don't know if it was the real deal and I don't remember the price but I don't think the price was really high so I'm guessing it was a "made for". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

[storm319]

9 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

I think, but am not totally sure, Tour Exotics used the DI as a stock shaft a few years ago.

 

Don't know if it was the real deal and I don't remember the price but I don't think the price was really high so I'm guessing it was a "made for". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

I believe you are referring to the made for AD 40 that was stock in the TEE XCG5. This had a similar color scheme obviously trying to bank on the popularity of the DI but in reality it was nothing like it and more of a typical sub-50g OEM shaft.

 

[nsxguy]

5 minutes ago, storm319 said:

I believe you are referring to the made for AD 40 that was stock in the TEE XCG5. This had a similar color scheme obviously trying to bank on the popularity of the DI but in reality it was nothing like it and more of a typical sub-50g OEM shaft.

 

 

That is entirely possible. Never really paid too much attention to TE but I did remember seeing it (or what I thought was it ).

 

Thanks.

[sm_watts]

Never wanted to spend the money, but found a cheap one on the BST a month or so ago and decided to try it in a TM 2017 M2 hl. So far, so good. Launches well and keeps it fairly online. I’m using the 6S. Actually made a par 5 in two with it for the first time in a long time last week. 

[drbonesvt]

On 11/3/2020 at 9:54 AM, Mainehacker21 said:

How does these stack up flex wise? Most people playing S or X?

Ad di 9x 3w , tipped 2” , cpm 290ish 

 

109-110 with the 3w 

 

like the mrc white profile , the ad di profile for the ages 

[PorkChopExpress]

Shaft is great. Have it in driver and hybrid. 
Would not worry about age, dynamic gold is even older and still going strong