Tour New Graphite Design VF shafts - 2023 3M Open

[Lemonde]

8 hours ago, ForTourUseOnly said:

Got my 6x and 8x 

 

initial thoughts, based on freq I tipped these my normal 1” Driver and  1.5” 3 wood and they are still a little softer than the current Ventus black 6x and TR Blue 8x that I have been playing about 5cpm each. They swingweight about 1/2point heavier as well. 
 

I’ve read and listened to all the reviews on this shaft so far and my thoughts are much different. I find this shaft to be ultra smooth, more of the older OG Graphite design feel like DI and BB. It’s far smoother than Ventus TR Blue and not boardy at all. More of a softer feel to me. 
 

Havent got launch and spin numbers yet but it forsure launches a little higher than TR Blue and OG ventus Black. Should be able to get some number this week to confirm but overall really liked how this performed. Stable but super smooth

Looking forward to seeing your testing results! 

[ForTourUseOnly]

On 10/1/2023 at 5:32 PM, Lemonde said:

Looking forward to seeing your testing results! 

Initial testing:

 

Club speed 115mph

Ball speed 168-169mph

VF 6x - 2400rpm 116ft launch 12.5*

Denali Blue - 2450-2500rpm 116ft launch 13*
Ventus Black 6x - 2000rpm 100ft launch 11.8
 

VF felt the easiest to swing and smoothest. Didn’t make great swings with the Ventus but forsure the Denali and VF launch higher and spin more 

[Avidswampthing66]

On 10/1/2023 at 7:57 AM, ForTourUseOnly said:

Got my 6x and 8x 

 

initial thoughts, based on freq I tipped these my normal 1” Driver and  1.5” 3 wood and they are still a little softer than the current Ventus black 6x and TR Blue 8x that I have been playing about 5cpm each. They swingweight about 1/2point heavier as well. 
 

I’ve read and listened to all the reviews on this shaft so far and my thoughts are much different. I find this shaft to be ultra smooth, more of the older OG Graphite design feel like DI and BB. It’s far smoother than Ventus TR Blue and not boardy at all. More of a softer feel to me. 
 

Havent got launch and spin numbers yet but it forsure launches a little higher than TR Blue and OG ventus Black. Should be able to get some number this week to confirm but overall really liked how this performed. Stable but super smooth

Stable and super smooth sounds like a Diamana GT.  Do you feel its more like a blue in profile than, say white or linear?

[ForTourUseOnly]

23 hours ago, Avidswampthing66 said:

Stable and super smooth sounds like a Diamana GT.  Do you feel its more like a blue in profile than, say white or linear?

It’s forsure more whiteboard style profile being softer in the handle to stiffer in the tip but it’s just overall softer feeling than other similar shafts. It would be like a Ventus black in a Stiff flex be an X for a 115 mph swinger. 

[Cellis]

On 10/2/2023 at 9:34 PM, ForTourUseOnly said:

Initial testing:

 

Club speed 115mph

Ball speed 168-169mph

VF 6x - 2400rpm 116ft launch 12.5*

Denali Blue - 2450-2500rpm 116ft launch 13*
Ventus Black 6x - 2000rpm 100ft launch 11.8
 

VF felt the easiest to swing and smoothest. Didn’t make great swings with the Ventus but forsure the Denali and VF launch higher and spin more 

What are your thoughts of potentially playing this shaft in a 3 wood?

[endy]

Got my grubby mitts on a 6-TX to play in a TSR3 8.0 head, will report findings compared to UB 6-TX and Ventus Black 6-X. 

[Pepperturbo]

Based on what I read, VF (firm+, stiff, very stiff) is more like Ventus TR Blue stiff, which I currently play.  IME, stiff and firm+ are not the same in my hands.  Being a hitter, I need a stiff butt/handle.

 

GD seldom makes a shaft that is overall ultra stiff handle to tip like Ventus Black TR (ultra-stiff handle, stiff mid, ultra stiff tip.)  Guys, like Rory on tour, started with Black TR, but later switched to Blue TR (stiff butt, stiff mid, utra-stiff tip) for that reason.

[ForTourUseOnly]

8 hours ago, Cellis said:

What are your thoughts of potentially playing this shaft in a 3 wood?

I got a VF 8x as well and tipped it 1.5”. Again feels great but maybe a little spinny. Haven’t got it on trackman yet though. 

[Cellis]

Finally got a range session and round in with the VF 5x. To me this is the exact shaft GD needed to compete with the Ventus Black and Blue line. It feels extremely stable throughout the swing without feeling boardy at all. If I had to compare it to other shafts in feeling, I feel it sits between the TR Blue and TR Black. It will definitely be staying in my bag, with potentially adding one to my fairway wood.

[ForTourUseOnly]

On 10/4/2023 at 7:46 PM, ForTourUseOnly said:

I got a VF 8x as well and tipped it 1.5”. Again feels great but maybe a little spinny. Haven’t got it on trackman yet though. 

hair spinnier than my TR blue 8 in the 3 wood but again great feel. About 300rpm. And a little higher. 
 

I would say this falls between Ventus Blue and TR Blue. Not nearly as demanding as Ventus Black. Although I felt the VB6x was pretty smooth compared to the 7/8 weights. 

[Rpete33]

Can anyone compare the VF to UB? I have the UB in 8tx and 9tx in my fairway woods and love them. 

[Cellis]

1 hour ago, Rpete33 said:

Can anyone compare the VF to UB? I have the UB in 8tx and 9tx in my fairway woods and love them. 

I have had UB in driver. From what I’ve seen and felt, the VF will definitely launch lower, spin less, and it has less kick from what I’ve felt at impact.

[ForTourUseOnly]

These are going in my bag, they feel too smooth and explosive at the ball to not give them a shot

 

 

[Ereim]

Arrived today, tipped 1”. Should be able to test later this week.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by Ereim

[gbang15]

anyone test out the 6tx model against a ventus black 6x or black tr 6x?

[ForTourUseOnly]

1 hour ago, gbang15 said:

anyone test out the 6tx model against a ventus black 6x or black tr 6x?

Haven’t tested it yet but same tipping it’s a full 10cpm stiffer than Ventus black 6x 

 

the TX is about 12-15cpm stiffer than the 6X. 

[djhgolf]

On 10/3/2023 at 8:41 AM, Avidswampthing66 said:

Stable and super smooth sounds like a Diamana GT.  Do you feel its more like a blue in profile than, say white or linear?

I found the TR blue in driver to be pretty prone to the left side, would you say the VF is more neutral?

[SwingBlues]

On 10/9/2023 at 11:00 AM, Ereim said:

Arrived today, tipped 1”. Should be able to test later this week.

 

 

 

Cool. Very interested since I play a GD XC-5S recently and having a lot of success with it - this has me intrigued in the same 5S weight category

 

I thought that tipping any GD tip would soften the tip due to the higher EI curve at the tip end. Huh...

 

[ForTourUseOnly]

On 10/9/2023 at 5:45 PM, ForTourUseOnly said:

Haven’t tested it yet but same tipping it’s a full 10cpm stiffer than Ventus black 6x 

 

the TX is about 12-15cpm stiffer than the 6X. 

6TX feels quite a bit stiffer, similar for me in launch and spin/peak height but I think it was going a little higher than it should because I couldn't load it as well as the X

 

Its a different animal

[nova6868]

Sounds like the usual Graphite Design gap for me, the 6x a little too soft and the 6TX too stiff. Oh well, just get the 6X and keep getting older should be fine. 

 

[ForTourUseOnly]

3 hours ago, nova6868 said:

Sounds like the usual Graphite Design gap for me, the 6x a little too soft and the 6TX too stiff. Oh well, just get the 6X and keep getting older should be fine. 

 

Tip it a bit, I went 1" on mine I feel like I could have gone 1.5" if I wanted too

[phizzy30]

On 10/4/2023 at 4:46 PM, ForTourUseOnly said:

I got a VF 8x as well and tipped it 1.5”. Again feels great but maybe a little spinny. Haven’t got it on trackman yet though. 

Have you tested the TR Black against the VF?  I have the TR Black and debating whether to pull the trigger on a VF 7TX.  Both shafts seem to have very similar EI profiles.  How  stable/anti-left is the VF?  Looking for something that plays and feels like the TR Black, but with 1-2* higher launch.  Don't get me wrong, the TR Black is awesome, but I can't seem to shake off my addiction to driver shafts........

Edited October 13, 2023 by phizzy30

[ForTourUseOnly]

4 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

Have you tested the TR Black against the VF?  I have the TR Black and debating whether to pull the trigger on a VF 7TX.  Both shafts seem to have very similar EI profiles.  How  stable/anti-left is the VF?  Looking for something that plays and feels like the TR Black, but with 1-2* higher launch.  Don't get me wrong, the TR Black is awesome, but I can't seem to shake off my addiction to driver shafts........

TR Black was too much for me, i couldn't feel it load, I would say you would forsure want t go VF TX flex and tip it the same as your TR Black and you would likely get a the slightly more launch you are looking for. Think you are on the right track

[phizzy30]

You guys are terrible.  I just ended up pulling the trigger on a 7TX.  Wife says I can only keep one shaft so either the TR Black or VF will be going up on BST in a couple weeks after testing. 

[phizzy30]

On 10/10/2023 at 2:36 AM, djhgolf said:

I found the TR blue in driver to be pretty prone to the left side, would you say the VF is more neutral?

That's what I'm concerned about as well.  I loved the way the TR Blue felt but it was prone to the left miss which is why I went with the TR Black which I see is in your bag as well.  I have a VF 7TX coming this coming week so I will report findings.  The perfect shaft to me would be a slightly higher launching TR Black that's just as stable/anti-left and I'm hoping the VF will be the one.........

[bmbsawy]

12 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

That's what I'm concerned about as well.  I loved the way the TR Blue felt but it was prone to the left miss which is why I went with the TR Black which I see is in your bag as well.  I have a VF 7TX coming this coming week so I will report findings.  The perfect shaft to me would be a slightly higher launching TR Black that's just as stable/anti-left and I'm hoping the VF will be the one.........

Curious to hear your take on this one

[djhgolf]

23 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

That's what I'm concerned about as well.  I loved the way the TR Blue felt but it was prone to the left miss which is why I went with the TR Black which I see is in your bag as well.  I have a VF 7TX coming this coming week so I will report findings.  The perfect shaft to me would be a slightly higher launching TR Black that's just as stable/anti-left and I'm hoping the VF will be the one.........

Exactly what I’m hoping for too..

 

Look forward to hearing your thoughts 👍🏽

[phizzy30]

Just a bit of useless info, but I thought you guys would be interested to know that I just saw Zander Lombard with what looked to be a VF in his driver playing in Spain this week.  

[Lemonde]

On 10/11/2023 at 2:26 PM, SwingBlues said:

 

Cool. Very interested since I play a GD XC-5S recently and having a lot of success with it - this has me intrigued in the same 5S weight category

 

I thought that tipping any GD tip would soften the tip due to the higher EI curve at the tip end. Huh...

 

Tipping any shaft will make it play stiffer regardless of the EI profile.

[eric61]

Looks like Callaway has the VF up as a custom option in their woods now. Has anybody seen any other OEMs work it into their shaft lineups yet?