"$50 Autoflex" Anyone try this?

[vernon]

8 hours ago, Thayneil said:

the  Grafalloy  "Tour "  was unusual as it was not stiffer than the  normal Blue but actually softer in flex and slightly higher torque

 

The original  Blue  X   was stiffer than  rebar  but Stenson played it tipped 1.5 inches

 

 

Yeah and I "misquoted" myself.  The non Tour is the one that I really liked.  After the original Blue had become hard to find in X I found a pack of three Tour X's on ebay for a decent price and bought them but they were a completely different deal than the "regular" X.

 

I also tried the Pro Launch Blue in X and S when it came out but didn't really care much for it.  It performed OK but there was just something about the feel of the original Blue in X that I never could replicate.  

 

Could swing that thing as hard as I could or at 80% and it always felt the same and always produced the same high draw unless I was trying to fade it.

 

For as stiff as the overall profile was the tip seemed somewhat soft and had a great feel at impact.

[Yacho]

3 hours ago, Bad9 said:

As I read through these AF threads I'm amazed by the ravings of "success" guys have gotten only after going through multiple clubheads, set ups and changing their swing drastically- all to use a $700 shaft.

 

Inflated autoflex price aside, there's definitely a chicken and egg thing going on here.  Do we not do this regularly for driver fittings anyway?  And driver swings have enough significant difference in setup, tempo, and delivery vs the other 90% of clubs in the bag that it's reasonable to suggest that we have already "changed our swing drastically" to accommodate the golf club setup placed in front of us that we are told is some kind of standard for driver.  

 

If you're someone like a tour pro or scratch golfer that consistently stripes 320 to the target off the tee, then a swing overhaul is probably not in your best interest. If you're like me, hiting 260 - 280 with 40% fairways and pulling down a "How To Throw Darts and Smash Bombs with Your Driver" video from youtube every two weeks, clearly a driver swing change should not be considered unreasonable.  And if the combination of swing change and gear change gets you results?  Nobody should tell you "you're doing it wrong" as you take their money on the 18th green.

 

A bit devil's advocate here for sure, but the golden rule of WRX remains the same:  Try what you can, use what works.

[62@Oakmont]

3 hours ago, Bad9 said:

 

Bernie Baymiller?

 

As I read through these AF threads I'm amazed by the ravings of "success" guys have gotten only after going through multiple clubheads, set ups and changing their swing drastically- all to use a $700 shaft.

Autoflex definitely doesn’t appear to be plug and play. Their website recommends swingweights between C5-D2 depending on the model used. That’s going to require a lot of head weight to be removed for most heads, especially if played at longer playing lengths. I can see why Ping heads would cause problems with their heavy standard head weights; may be tough to get them that low.

 

Autoflex site also recommends a smooth tempo swing and to avoid a “harsh” transition to make it work.

 

So yea, not for every player and going to require some adjustments to your equipment.

[vandyfan]

3 hours ago, ode said:

I'm not totally poopoo'ing the concept, but 1) it is nothing new, and 2) IMO, it fits a very small segment of golfers.

I think I would push back just by saying I have had several fittings for drivers and (maybe I didn't have good fitters) never once did I have a fitter even suggest or try a senior flex shaft. It was always "oh you swing 105+ mph so you should be looking at a stiff or x-stiff" shaft. To me, it was new to see that I could swing a senior shaft and have roughly the same dispersion with a slight increase in ball speed and a reduction in spin. That was surprising to me and I don't think I represent a small segment of golfer. I didn't find some magical "extra 20 yds" but the fact that I found a $50 shaft that could compete with and, actually, outperform the higher end Project X shaft that I was using was interesting to me, to say the least. 

Edited December 8, 2022 by vandyfan

[Yacho]

It should be noted that in regard to my earlier posts about the Fujikura Air Speeder 45 A-flex that, since it is a direct Taylormade stock option, it is well documented that TM tips their driver shafts 1" when built.  So this knocks a bit of tip flex down a little compared to spec.  I found it to feel pretty stable, predictable, and not overly noodley.

Edited December 8, 2022 by Yacho

[pingfool]

2 hours ago, Yacho said:

It should be noted that in regard to my earlier posts about the Fujikura Air Speeder 45 A-flex that, since it is a direct Taylormade stock option, it is well documented that TM tips their driver shafts 1" when built.  So this knocks a bit of tip flex down a little compared to spec.  I found it to feel pretty stable, predictable, and not overly noodley.

Air Speeder 45 is legit. I have 3 stiff & reg for G400 and reg for TM Mseries.

probably get a 4th when my G425 comes in. 

[ode]

3 hours ago, vandyfan said:

found a $50 shaft that could compete with and, actually, outperform the higher end Project X shaft that I was using was interesting to me, to say the least. 

There is no magic in Project X, but if you find a weight and profile that fits=bingo.  I certainly could go out and spend A LOT more to replace my NV 85 but I'm not going to do it.  Graphite shaft prices are and always have been out of control!  Ironic how this thread is about finding a $50 Autoflex, yet you seemed surprised that, that very shaft could compete with your Project X🤔

[SEP1006]

On 12/8/2022 at 12:57 PM, 62@Oakmont said:

Autoflex definitely doesn’t appear to be plug and play. Their website recommends swingweights between C5-D2 depending on the model used. That’s going to require a lot of head weight to be removed for most heads, especially if played at longer playing lengths. I can see why Ping heads would cause problems with their heavy standard head weights; may be tough to get them that low.

 

Autoflex site also recommends a smooth tempo swing and to avoid a “harsh” transition to make it work.

 

So yea, not for every player and going to require some adjustments to your equipment.

 

 

I tried the AF at the recommended swing weight and did get good results. But after much experimenting what works GREAT for me is E2 swing weight at 45" length. Didn't change my swing either, have the same swing / tempo for EVERY club.

 

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by SEP1006

[vernon]

Pro Launch Blue 45 in Senior flex arrived yesterday.

 

Installed tip last night and hope to get it out for some swings this afternoon.

 

Gonna be a little on the chilly side but then it is winter.....

[vandyfan]

15 hours ago, ode said:

Ironic how this thread is about finding a $50 Autoflex, yet you seemed surprised that, that very shaft could compete with your Project X

 

More so because 3 different fitters but me in the same Project X shaft but just a random, inexpensive senior shaft ended up being better. The cost is less of the surprise and more that the flex and weight are working out much better than I would have expected. I know the thread is about trying to replicate an autoflex but for me it was more interesting that a senior shaft could be used at all for 100+ mph swings. 

[ode]

3 minutes ago, vandyfan said:

 

More so because 3 different fitters but me in the same Project X shaft but just a random, inexpensive senior shaft ended up being better. The cost is less of the surprise and more that the flex and weight are working out much better than I would have expected. I know the thread is about trying to replicate an autoflex but for me it was more interesting that a senior shaft could be used at all for 100+ mph swings. 

I give you credit for refusing to pay the Autoflex$ and trying the concept out....sounds like you've learned some things along the way!

 

Tinkering is fun and I'll never stop🙃.

[62@Oakmont]

Well… the curiosity, and following this thread, finally got the best of me- ordered an Evenflow Riptide CB 5.0 40 gram today.  Oh well, it was cheap and it’ll give me something to mess with over the winter.

Edited December 10, 2022 by 62@Oakmont

[vernon]

On 12/9/2022 at 8:42 AM, vernon said:

Pro Launch Blue 45 in Senior flex arrived yesterday.

 

Installed tip last night and hope to get it out for some swings this afternoon.

 

Gonna be a little on the chilly side but then it is winter.....

Well it turns out that it was more than "on the chilly side" as it was 35 degrees when we teed off and 35 degrees when we finished and it never wavered from that during the round.  Throw in cloudy and a bit of a breeze and it was a lousy day for golf period much less to test out a new shaft.

 

I didn't really notice any increase in distance and in fact might have been a little shorter on occasion than my Tensei Pro Orange but like I said it was a lousy day and way too cold for an old guy with a bad back.

 

The good that I could glean from the day however was that even in the miserable conditions the Pro Launch Blue was extremely easy to swing which was a huge plus on such a cold day.  As expected I hit it a bit too high even with the 10.5 degree G425 Max set to the big minus but would really like to try it in a turned down 9.0 degree.

 

It was too damn cold to mess around with swapping out backweights but I think that might help too.  Not sure what weight is in there currently but it's whatever came stock with the club.

 

I would bet that spin was really high as well as I hit four or five that looked like absolute bombs only to get to my ball and see that it was actually a not so massive 225 -235 yards.

 

Also decided to go after a couple which was stupid when I had on enough clothes to be mistaken for the Michelin Man and not surprisingly cold topped both of them.

 

Supposed to be a little warmer today so contemplating giving it another go although if it weren't for playing around with the new shaft and new irons I think I'd be just as happy in front of the TV in my nice warm man chair!

[95124hacker]

Played 18 with the Air Speeder 40R in my Epic Speed today. Cool damp air & soft muddy FW’s at sea level, so very hard to make a fair comparison. Pretty straight and also easy to draw when needed. Can’t say it will overtake the Ascent 40R but it has earned another trial. Playing again on Monday, will put in the Helium Black 4.

[Honeybadger]

On 12/6/2022 at 8:29 AM, Honeybadger said:

Adam, Two questions for you please:

 

1. I messed up a PX Evenflow Senior 40 gram pulling the adapter. It was salvageable by tipping it an inch. What do you think that will do? (I haven’t been able to hit it because my G425 is with Ping- they’re replacing it- they are the best)

 

2. Which brings me to my second question. I was thinking of asking Ping for the Distanza 40 gram Senior flex. What do you think of that shaft for this experiment? 
 

Thanks! 
 

I hit about 70 balls today at the range with the PING DISTAZA - seemed to work as well as the Grafalloy - hit some real nice ones until my tennis elbow kicked in and I was in a lot of pain. Hoping my elbow heals and I can do a comparison between the shafts. 
 

I wasn’t able to hit the tipped Evenflow as I only had a few good swings in me.  I’ll give it a shot in the spring and may use it in a 3 wood. 
 

[95124hacker]

Played 18 with the Helium Black 4F2 today. Fairways were sandy & soft, air was heavy. I found the shaft to play very similar to the Air Speeder from Thursday’s round. Need more testing time to draw any real conclusions.

[95124hacker]

Played 16 with the “OG $50 Autoflex “ (Motore X F3 5R) today. Again, wet muddy FW’s so not the ideal conditions to test new stuff. The F3 was very straight for me, with decent distance on good swings. It “qualified “ for the next round of tests. 
 

I figured out something in my mechanics recently & my FW hit percentage has improved. I’d have to go back to a known baseline now (Ventus Blue VeloCore 6S) to really compare apples to apples vs these lighter softer shafts.

[rlchris130]

So got about 10 swings with Px cg 40A in both 211 and 311 gen 5 before Xmas. 211 got maybe 5 yards extra in gen 5 got about same but couldn’t get face closed 10 yard fade so really no improvement. As soon as snow melts I get some range time in then run up to PXG and get on the monitor. It is what it is

[fred faldo]

On 12/9/2022 at 8:58 PM, 62@Oakmont said:

Well… the curiosity, and following this thread, finally got the best of me- ordered an Evenflow Riptide CB 5.0 40 gram today.  Oh well, it was cheap and it’ll give me something to mess with over the winter.

Curiosity got me as well, just bought the exact same shaft for $60 with a Ping adapter, can't wait to give it a shot this spring

Edited January 17, 2023 by fred faldo

[wobgon]

I gave this a try and must say it has been a fun experiment...I thought it would result in high shots with lots of spin but for some reason, it brings my flight down, increases my accuracy, and lowers my spin....I will say i can only swing this thing about 70%......I didn't read the whole thread but was curious....Have any of you guys tried this with a 3 wood?

[DB Golf]

On 12/2/2022 at 11:18 AM, vandyfan said:

I wish I could just "rent" a shaft

https://www.shaftshack.com

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, DB Golf said:

https://www.shaftshack.com

What kind of driver do you have? Pretty much every manufacturer has a lightweight option in their stock lineup. Go in for a fitting and tell them you want to try a light weight shaft vs what you are using.

[hollabachgt]

I ordered a Maltby MPF Pro Series UL shaft in regular to give this a try. Based on Maltby ratings it should play fairly similar to the ProLaunch Blue 45, but was $20 cheaper.

 

Reading on the miles long AutoFlex thread it seems the consensus to make the AutoFlex work best is a playing length in the 45.5-47" range, a headweight between 190-194g, and a swingweight in the D0-D1.5 range. For those who have tested the budget AutoFlex options, are you also trying to build out the shaft/club to meet these specs as well?

[KnoxvilleReb]

1 hour ago, hollabachgt said:

I ordered a Maltby MPF Pro Series UL shaft in regular to give this a try. Based on Maltby ratings it should play fairly similar to the ProLaunch Blue 45, but was $20 cheaper.

 

Reading on the miles long AutoFlex thread it seems the consensus to make the AutoFlex work best is a playing length in the 45.5-47" range, a headweight between 190-194g, and a swingweight in the D0-D1.5 range. For those who have tested the budget AutoFlex options, are you also trying to build out the shaft/club to meet these specs as well?

Yes, although my headweight (~193g before changing out weight to ~190.5g) is more of a coincidence that it fits into your range. I had not heard that headweight range before. It's a really good setup if you can control it (little tough at my length of 46.25" to be honest). 

 

I'm currently in the process of building out a new version with the FreeFlex shaft. Planning to play that one an inch shorter (45.25") for a little more control but also get it into a super light weight design (~265 total club weight @ D1). Hoping that the net impact will be increased swing speed from the lighter weight (despite shortening) while getting more control on the high launch/low spin drives.

[hollabachgt]

Finished building out my test club, excited to give it a go:

Coming from a Bridgestone XD-7 with a Evenflow T1100 6.5 I selected a Maltby MPF Pro Series UL in Regular Flex. The spec weight of the UL in R is 47g, but when I weighted mine it came in at 50g. Still 18g lighter than the T1100, but surprised it was 3g heavier than spec.

 

The XD-7 is not a very heavy head as is. With the T1100 I was playing it at 193g, so after pulling a few of cotton balls out of the head I was able to get it down to 190g. Originally I was going to build it out to 45.5", but I figured I would try at 46" first and adjust from there. At 46" the swing weight came out to D2.2. A little heavier than desired, but if I do move to 45.5" I'll be in good shape.

 

At first waggle, I like the feel of it. I have a good sense of where the head it, but it still seems that the shaft is in control of the head, hopefully that translates to hitting the ball.

[tagermo]

On 12/28/2022 at 8:57 PM, 95124hacker said:

Played 16 with the “OG $50 Autoflex “ (Motore X F3 5R) today. Again, wet muddy FW’s so not the ideal conditions to test new stuff. The F3 was very straight for me, with decent distance on good swings. It “qualified “ for the next round of tests. 
 

I figured out something in my mechanics recently & my FW hit percentage has improved. I’d have to go back to a known baseline now (Ventus Blue VeloCore 6S) to really compare apples to apples vs these lighter softer shafts.

95124 Hacker, any update on the final qualifiers for the tests?

[95124hacker]

The Ascent 40R that was good in my first outing was not good 🤬 the 2nd time. I haven’t been playing very much due to weather. No strong recommendations or conclusions yet.

[DaveGoodrich]

I've had a couple of really good driving days using the Prolaunch Blue 45 R in my M5.  I'm generally between and R and S anyway, and I didn't have the guts to go all the way to an A flex, so this probably isn't really simulating an "Autoflex" for me.  But I've been very surprised at how stable it feels for a lightweight R flex shaft. 

 

I originally built it at 46", just for kicks, but struggled to square the face at that length.  Cut it to my normal 45" and it came out to C9 swing weight.  At that length, I'm finding it to be very straight, and I don't have any issues "going after it."   I've got various sliding weights for the M5, so I'll experiment with upping the swing weight a bit.  Can't say for sure I've gained any length, but I like what I see and feel so far...

[SE Gamer]

On 1/28/2023 at 7:51 PM, wobgon said:

I gave this a try and must say it has been a fun experiment...I thought it would result in high shots with lots of spin but for some reason, it brings my flight down, increases my accuracy, and lowers my spin....I will say i can only swing this thing about 70%......I didn't read the whole thread but was curious....Have any of you guys tried this with a 3 wood?

 

While I didn't specifically set out to do so, I suppose I'm kind of trying it with a 3 wood. Picked up a SIM Max HL recently. Came with a stock 50 gram blue Ventus shaft in R flex. Much lighter than most guys go with their woods, and between 1-1.5 times less stiff than what I'd normally play.

 

So far, I absolutely love it. Nice penetrating mid/high ball flight with a normal swing. But doesn't balloon at all. Feels plenty stable. No issues with losing shots left or right (outside of just making a bad swing). 

Thinking I have to try it in Driver now. Probably going to order a a MPF Pro UL from Maltby in A flex (44g). Have them install a TM adapter, trimmed to a playing length of 46". Also think I'll order a 7g weight to replace the stock 18g back weight on the SIM Max. 

Will be a cheap experiment that I'm pretty optimistic about. 

[subrew]

If anyone is looking for a cheap and light option, globalgolf has been selling various models of Bassara W series driver and fairway shafts on their ebay site.  They are Titliest branded and come with Titleist Surefit adapters.  But if you are handy with swapping adapters, it could be a cheap solution.  40 series, 50 , 55, 60 etc.  These were an OEM option on the 910 drivers it seems.

 

I have the Bassara W 40 Hi in my 3-wood.  It came in at 42 grams after the adapter was removed.  They will offer them in different lengths, so be sure to check that on each listing.

 

They are listed for $24.99 with free shipping.  However, on both occasions I've purchased them, I've added them to my watch list, and within 24 hours they sent me an offer for $14.99 with free shipping.  They show up looking brand new.

Edited March 10, 2023 by subrew