8i X-flex in wedges to lower wedge flight and add spin...

[Jtgavigan]

13 hours ago, Adam C said:

I will just lay out the situation for each, not sure this will change your view but.

For Matt, all data was recorded on Trackman using Pro V1s. I only junked one measured shot from the bunch which was an obvious "thin to win" 20 something degree launch and over 10,000 spin. Was a clear outlier. It was cold out, probably around 48°, and we were in the shade for most of the testing time.

 

The other data I showed for the high speed player was pulled from my GC2. This was actually done with just range balls. Temp was probably around 70 degrees. 

 

I personally don't feel like the numbers were off for Matt, again based on temp, swing speed, hitting off grass, etc.

 

Fair enough. Maybe the ball just wasn't compressing because of the cold and the ground did look soft. Just seemed low was my point, but again, I am comparing apples and oranges for conditions. 

 

Still like your content a lot and it won't stop me from watching. Definitely a trick I will use if I do a new wedge build. 

[skraly]

If your usual shafts are reg. flex do you use a stiff 8 iron shaft?

[Alan Pllu]

Just now, skraly said:

If your usual shafts are reg. flex do you use a stiff 8 iron shaft?

Yes, what Howard has been saying is use the same shaft series you are currently playing but one full flex stronger. So if you play s400 use x100, modus 105s use modus 105x and so on. 

 

Only place it falls down is if you are already in the stiffest profile shaft in the model you are currently using. Like dynamic gold x7 or kbs 130x etc. 

[Alan Pllu]

Just been wondering, what is the general effect on carry distance if the 8i shaft delivers less dynamic loft to produce more spin? 

 

I'm assuming the lower loft will increase the ball speed slightly when compared to the same loft with a normal wedge shaft? Does this mean the carry number will increase slightly or does the lower launch angle and higher spin rate cancel the ball speed out? 

 

My carry numbers are where I want them to be and I carry more wedges with 10 yard gaps from 120-90 yards due to the way my home course is setup so if this increases carry numbers it would mess up my gapping and possibly have a couple of clubs too close together in gapping. 

[Howard_Jones]

51 minutes ago, Alan Pllu said:

Just been wondering, what is the general effect on carry distance if the 8i shaft delivers less dynamic loft to produce more spin? 

 

I'm assuming the lower loft will increase the ball speed slightly when compared to the same loft with a normal wedge shaft? Does this mean the carry number will increase slightly or does the lower launch angle and higher spin rate cancel the ball speed out? 

 

My carry numbers are where I want them to be and I carry more wedges with 10 yard gaps from 120-90 yards due to the way my home course is setup so if this increases carry numbers it would mess up my gapping and possibly have a couple of clubs too close together in gapping. 

Why dont you just go back to the video, and look at the numbers there?
If you are happy with both carry gaps and stopping power, why consider this at all?

[Alan Pllu]

1 hour ago, Howard_Jones said:

Why dont you just go back to the video, and look at the numbers there?
If you are happy with both carry gaps and stopping power, why consider this at all?

Because that was the result of a sample size of one, I was wondering what the findings of a wider range of people who have tried it were. 

 

Never said I was happy with stopping power just that my carry yardages were where I wanted them to be. 

[sodak77]

Out of curiosity how would an 8i shaft one level stiffer compare to Spinner shafts (i.e. DG Tour Issue Spinner)?  They both promote higher spin but what about everything else such as launch angle, etc...?

[Howard_Jones]

26 minutes ago, sodak77 said:

Out of curiosity how would an 8i shaft one level stiffer compare to Spinner shafts (i.e. DG Tour Issue Spinner)?  They both promote higher spin but what about everything else such as launch angle, etc...?

its unclear what shaft the "DG Tour Issue" spinner really is....a profile here claim its a S200 #8 iron shaft, and thats a "Wet noodle" who will deliver higher launch and lower spin than  "wedge flex" who is a S200 #9 in most cases, or higher launch and lower spin than the S400 Adam C used for compare to the DG X100 #8.

[getitdaily]

On 12/6/2021 at 12:57 PM, Howard_Jones said:

Tell us how that turned out for you, there is many readers who have done this over those years ive been suggesting this (almost 12 years on WRX now), and most of them will never play another set up for wedge than this concept, and i use it in my own wedges.

Shaft is in. Getting put in later this week. 

 

1 question I forgot...will my distances be off or the same?

[Phabs]

2 hours ago, getitdaily said:

Shaft is in. Getting put in later this week. 

 

1 question I forgot...will my distances be off or the same?

I didn’t notice a difference in distance when I made the switch.  

[kylesilk]

Howard, is this set up in the sand wedge only most of the time or in other wedges too?

[Howard_Jones]

1 hour ago, kylesilk said:

Howard, is this set up in the sand wedge only most of the time or in other wedges too?

GW, SW and LW

[LoopySwing13]

I loved the idea of this, and tried it on a few sets of wedges, but never really saw much of a difference. Maybe I am just an awful wedge player 🤣. I have played with other golfers who swear by it though.

[sodak77]

Any real issues with partial wedge shots with the stiffer 8i shaft?  Lack of feel or control with anything less than a full swing?  This has always been the selling point by the EOMs and why they push the softer wedge shafts.

[Howard_Jones]

1 hour ago, sodak77 said:

Any real issues with partial wedge shots with the stiffer 8i shaft?  Lack of feel or control with anything less than a full swing?  This has always been the selling point by the EOMs and why they push the softer wedge shafts.

 

 

[Phabs]

Jesus Jones… 4000 rpm jump from the guy with speed.  I didn’t see near that and I’m absolutely sure I don’t need even half that much.  

Edited December 15, 2021 by Phabs

[Howard_Jones]

25 minutes ago, Phabs said:

Jesus Jones… 4000 rpm jump from the guy with speed.  I didn’t see near that and I’m it sure I’d even half need that much 

Look at it from both directions, Tour players hardly ever need more spin, but less.
....now guess why S400 is that popular on the tour?

[Phabs]

19 minutes ago, Howard_Jones said:

Look at it from both directions, Tour players hardly ever need more spin, but less.
....now guess why S400 is that popular on the tour?

Don’t apply logic here! 🤣
 

whats the window most pro’s or upper armatures target with wedge spin?  I understand the types of courses you play have a factor in the decision. 

Edited December 15, 2021 by Phabs

[TurnpikeScott]

On 12/6/2021 at 12:39 PM, Howard_Jones said:

YES - a FULL flex stronger (10 CPM), then SS1 - relative to your PW - NO tip trim

Howard,

If I'm playing the Fuji Pro 95i Stiff, would I be able to do this with a 95i Tour Stiff or would I have to go to a 95i Tour X?

I appreciate all of your help in this forum.

Regards

[Howard_Jones]

9 hours ago, Phabs said:

Don’t apply logic here! 🤣
 

whats the window most pro’s or upper armatures target with wedge spin?  I understand the types of courses you play have a factor in the decision. 

its not really a spin value thats target, but stopping power
If you can stop the ball on less than 1 yard from where it lands, its good

[Howard_Jones]

5 hours ago, TurnpikeScott said:

Howard,

If I'm playing the Fuji Pro 95i Stiff, would I be able to do this with a 95i Tour Stiff or would I have to go to a 95i Tour X?

I appreciate all of your help in this forum.

Regards

I never built wedges with those, but the relative difference we see here, indicates that Tour S would be more than strong enough

[Barfolomew]

On 12/6/2021 at 6:18 AM, Jtgavigan said:

I actually don't dispute that what AJ showed is correct. I absolutely believe it. It just lost some credibility when I saw the low spin numbers. 

 

I agree... maybe Matty and the Scotsman will do the same video cause the concept is good beans if holds up.... lower with more spin yup.  And are pros doing this cause they live for lower flight wedges?

[Phabs]

35 minutes ago, Barfolomew said:

 

I agree... maybe Matty and the Scotsman will do the same video cause the concept is good beans if holds up.... lower with more spin yup.  And are pros doing this cause they live for lower flight wedges?

Doubt many pros are doing this.  Re-read what Howard’s said throughout the thread.  Pros hardly ever need more spin… they typically require less spin. 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Phabs

[PixlPutterman]

I'm wanting to do this....I currently play KBS Tour V in X (120g)

 

Was thinking about ctaper 130x 9i and doing the tipping.....would that be ok or should I stick with the tour v?

[tx33]

5 hours ago, PixlPutterman said:

I'm wanting to do this....I currently play KBS Tour V in X (120g)

 

Was thinking about ctaper 130x 9i and doing the tipping.....would that be ok or should I stick with the tour v?

c taper has a very different profile. You could try the 'Tour Spec' V in 125/130g but I don't have the CPM readings at hand. Compare it with the 610 wedge shaft to see what works for you.

[getitdaily]

Mine is ready. Just have to pick it up and hit it on the launch monitors. I have s400 numbers.

 

50 degree wedge. Had s400. Now has $taper 130x 8i. Will post numbers later. Will update with on-course performance tomorrow.

[PixlPutterman]

5 hours ago, tx33 said:

c taper has a very different profile. You could try the 'Tour Spec' V in 125/130g but I don't have the CPM readings at hand. Compare it with the 610 wedge shaft to see what works for you.

I have played C Taper before so Im used to their characteristics, though I never tried them in wedges.

 

Just wasnt sure if going heavier when you are already in X was a good idea for this kinda thing

[getitdaily]

Results

50 degree wedge.

 

S400 shaft wedge shaft:

 

$taper 130x 8i

[getitdaily]

Some takeaways...

 

@Howard_Jones

 

1. Numbers came from.different days so I'm not sure if the ballspeed difference is me or the shaft.  I was a bit under the weather when I got the s400 numbers.

2. The feel of the 8i shaft is amazing. Feels exactly like my irons. 

3. My landing circle with s400 was 10.5 yards...that's over 30 feet. My landing circle with the $taper was 4 yards...12 feet. If this proves real then I'm getting EXACTLY what I was after, tighter dispersion with that wedge. That will IMMEDIATELY lead to more birdies.

 

Will play tomorrow and see how this thing performs on course. If launch monitor numbers prove real then I'll be putting the same shaft in my 54...

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by getitdaily

[Alan Pllu]

Interesting, ball speed difference might be the cause for the spin being slightly higher and the peak height being higher also.

 

Not the massive difference in spin and lower peak height that was shown in the video that was posted up, to be honest the spin and launch numbers you have just posted would be representative of what I would have expected to be the difference before the test was done not the massive difference that the video showed. 

 

The run out on both data sets is almost identical but you really can't argue with the offline numbers being an improvement on the previous shaft. 

 

Would be interesting to see how this plays out over time if you still get the same tighter left to right dispersion out of the 8i shaft.