Iron shafts… is it time to switch?

[Kdgolf]

21 hours ago, Urb said:

If a club feels like work to me, its gone.  Golf shouldn't be hard work.  Especially irons, don't need to be swinging at redline.

 

Id try two things.  

 

Test DG120 R, the weight is close but the profile is slightly higher launching/mellower.

 

Then try some DG105 S.  Lighter, profile is close but not exact.  

 

That would give you an idea if it's the weight or stiffness that's bothering you.

 

Also give Modus 105/115 a look.  They're kind of a smoother/softer/higher launching versions of DG.  115 S or possibly even X would be softer than your current.  

 

 

 

 

The DG120 has me intrigued, I think sticking to a weight near 120 will relieve some of my fears of tempo changes. I hadnt thought about a 120g weight with a regular flex, this could be a winning combination. I have played a Modus in the past but was a 120g xflex, it had advantages and disadvantages, but I recall not being overly impressed. I suppose revisiting the 115S might be an option as it has been a few years. 

[Urb]

13 hours ago, Kdgolf said:

The DG120 has me intrigued, I think sticking to a weight near 120 will relieve some of my fears of tempo changes. I hadnt thought about a 120g weight with a regular flex, this could be a winning combination. I have played a Modus in the past but was a 120g xflex, it had advantages and disadvantages, but I recall not being overly impressed. I suppose revisiting the 115S might be an option as it has been a few years. 

 

Modus 120 very different profile than the 105/115/125.  Typically people gravitate to one or the other.

[wam78]

I was a dg ti s400 player for a long time.  In my mid 40’s currently and needed to get into lighter weight shafts.  
 

I’ve since been playing modus 120x and love them.  No issues with transition and love the weight and feel.  Also really enjoyed dg120 x100.  Similar to modus 120x in feel to me.

 

If I had to choose another option, I would happily play mmt 105tx.  Such a smooth feeling shaft that has a similar snap at impact like dg.  If I ever get tired of the modus 120x, I’m going to the mmt.

[Pepperturbo]

I've always gone for a mid-low ball flight and use ball spin to stop the ball on the green.  IME maintaining that ideal in flight with distance has been challenging.  Currently, iron SS is 85+/-.  I play 100++rds a year, which motivated me to switch to composite, hoping to lessen wear and tear, and glad I did.    

 

At 40yrs old, starting golf played S300, a few yrs later switched to X100, then to Rifle 6.5 and later to PX 6.0 for 15+yrs.  Four plus years ago, switched to composite. 

Started with SF i110cw in 2i-PW, and i125cw in wedges, to MMT 125S and MMT 125TX 8i in wedges, then to MMT 105S in 620 MBs, experimented with MMT 95S, and now back to MMT 105S since last year, in new T100 3i-PW.

 

The lighter progression in shafts is how, as I aged, I was able to maintain decent distances with my declining SS.  How long I can maintain 85ss is a crap shoot dependent on the gym.

[NRJyzr]

On 4/16/2024 at 10:19 AM, Kdgolf said:

I finished last season as a 6.8hdcp with a driver SS around 103-105. I currently play a combo set of zx4/zx5/zx7 with DG 120 s400 tour issue. This being said I’m also getting into my mid 40’s and noticing my SS decreasing both during a round of 18 and overall. I feel as though I’m on the edge of moving swing weight and flex to get some more distance and make the swing “easier”. I’ve seen two fitters who said I could really move into either weight or flex but no real certainty.

 

I’d like to get feedback here from those who’ve experienced similar scenarios. I would prefer to keep a mid-low’ish ball flight and spin hasn’t been a real issue in the past.

 

Please let me know what worked for you?

 

Apologies, this will be a bit long.  I'm a wordy kind of idiot.

 

I turned 60 last fall, and with age/body related loss of swingspeed, I've done a bit of traveling in this arena.  First, the boring stuff, former baseball/softball player (much lower rent than BCULAW).  A dozen years ago, I was playing DGX Precision 6.5, Super Peening Blue, etc, my 6i speed consistently 94-96, occasionally touching 100.  Played a set of Eye2+ in here also, with ZZ Lite.

 

Five years later (2017), speed loss and irritated wrists saw me dabble with graphite (NV105 stiff).  2021, tried Recoil proto 125.  Age and my back caught up with me in 2022 (now low 80s with irons) and I've been chasing lighter and softer shafts the last two years.  What I've found....

 

The initial drop 7 yrs ago to 105 was workable, but also problematic, and found myself going back to 130g.  Probably too soon.  The switch to Recoil proto 125 (actually 118-120g) was much better, but I found I fell out of the flex/weight range the next year (stupid back).  At this point, the 105's were a much better fit.  Have been dabbling with 950GH stiff weight flow shafts, which are (slightly) ascending weight.  Finding Modus 120 and even 105 both suit me, at 114g and 106g respectively (note: 950GH come in shorter raw lengths, at 98g they are only effectively 3g lighter than the Modus 105 S at 106g).  

 

What I've found...  as I've dropped shaft weight, I've had to increase the swingweight; I've used the Dave Tutelman concept of 1/3rd of the shaft weight change.  I've also had to adjust my swingweight targets as I've aged, I used to play SPB shafted irons at D5, I now play my 950GH WF at D5, with my NV105 set a point or two lighter.  

 

As Brother Stuart often says, weight is more important than flex.  I find that more true now than I did a dozen years ago; NV105 stiff are like a softstepped DGS in flex terms, but are very playable for me in spite of my dropping speed.  I feel like DGS would be doubtful, but I admit I haven't tried them in a few years, maybe I should at least test.

 

And, if you delve into Nippon shafts...  Modus 125 is supposed to be a DG analogue, but slightly softer.  Modus 105 is modeled after 125 but is a flex softer.  Modus 115 appears to be closer to 125 in flex terms.  Modus 120 is an exaggerated DG profile with a kick, and is a flex softer; Modus 120 S profile is very close to that of DGR300.  I'll add some Wishon shaft profile data below

 

 

[Kdgolf]

On 4/21/2024 at 7:40 AM, NRJyzr said:

 

Apologies, this will be a bit long.  I'm a wordy kind of idiot.

 

I turned 60 last fall, and with age/body related loss of swingspeed, I've done a bit of traveling in this arena.  First, the boring stuff, former baseball/softball player (much lower rent than BCULAW).  A dozen years ago, I was playing DGX Precision 6.5, Super Peening Blue, etc, my 6i speed consistently 94-96, occasionally touching 100.  Played a set of Eye2+ in here also, with ZZ Lite.

 

Five years later (2017), speed loss and irritated wrists saw me dabble with graphite (NV105 stiff).  2021, tried Recoil proto 125.  Age and my back caught up with me in 2022 (now low 80s with irons) and I've been chasing lighter and softer shafts the last two years.  What I've found....

 

The initial drop 7 yrs ago to 105 was workable, but also problematic, and found myself going back to 130g.  Probably too soon.  The switch to Recoil proto 125 (actually 118-120g) was much better, but I found I fell out of the flex/weight range the next year (stupid back).  At this point, the 105's were a much better fit.  Have been dabbling with 950GH stiff weight flow shafts, which are (slightly) ascending weight.  Finding Modus 120 and even 105 both suit me, at 114g and 106g respectively (note: 950GH come in shorter raw lengths, at 98g they are only effectively 3g lighter than the Modus 105 S at 106g).  

 

What I've found...  as I've dropped shaft weight, I've had to increase the swingweight; I've used the Dave Tutelman concept of 1/3rd of the shaft weight change.  I've also had to adjust my swingweight targets as I've aged, I used to play SPB shafted irons at D5, I now play my 950GH WF at D5, with my NV105 set a point or two lighter.  

 

As Brother Stuart often says, weight is more important than flex.  I find that more true now than I did a dozen years ago; NV105 stiff are like a softstepped DGS in flex terms, but are very playable for me in spite of my dropping speed.  I feel like DGS would be doubtful, but I admit I haven't tried them in a few years, maybe I should at least test.

 

And, if you delve into Nippon shafts...  Modus 125 is supposed to be a DG analogue, but slightly softer.  Modus 105 is modeled after 125 but is a flex softer.  Modus 115 appears to be closer to 125 in flex terms.  Modus 120 is an exaggerated DG profile with a kick, and is a flex softer; Modus 120 S profile is very close to that of DGR300.  I'll add some Wishon shaft profile data below

 

 

I appreciate the thorough response and the insight! I have tried the Modus 120X and 120S but didnt know that each of the Modus shafts play differently from each other outside of weight. I have heard that the 130 is extremely stout... based on what you said it sounds like the 115 and 125 play a lot differently from the 120 despite only a 5 gram difference +/-

 

I appreciate you adding the data but not sure I am familiar with what exactly is being shown and how each are relative? 

 

I also havent considred soft stepping maybe some DG120's, I suppose that could give me some of what I am looking for still within the DG familiy. I also would love to track down a fitter nearby with the MMT shafts as they seem to be quite popular. 

[Ger21]

58 minutes ago, Kdgolf said:

based on what you said it sounds like the 115 and 125 play a lot differently from the 120.......

120 is just a very different profile.

I played a season with 125X, and they were very similar to S300 to me.

 

I would not discount AMT White. Still have the weight in the short irons for control, but the long irons are much easier to swing, and launch.

[NRJyzr]

2 hours ago, Kdgolf said:

I appreciate the thorough response and the insight! I have tried the Modus 120X and 120S but didnt know that each of the Modus shafts play differently from each other outside of weight. I have heard that the 130 is extremely stout... based on what you said it sounds like the 115 and 125 play a lot differently from the 120 despite only a 5 gram difference +/-

 

I appreciate you adding the data but not sure I am familiar with what exactly is being shown and how each are relative? 

 

I also havent considred soft stepping maybe some DG120's, I suppose that could give me some of what I am looking for still within the DG familiy. I also would love to track down a fitter nearby with the MMT shafts as they seem to be quite popular. 

 

The numbers in the data I shared is from the Wishon Shaft Profile database.  They take a 455g weight at the end of the shaft, and get frequency readings at various points.  The numbers across the top are what's called the beam length, the amount of shaft from the clamp to the tip.  Hence the higher numbers as you go farther down the shaft.  Allows you to compare shafts against each other, with more than simple flex ratings, or measuring the frequency only at the butt section.

 

Modus 130 is almost the exact opposite of the Modus 120.  The 120 is soft butt section, soft mid, with a stiff tip (though soft just above that tip).  The 130 is stiff butt, stiff mid, soft tip. 

 

Nippon likes to try cover the whole arena as much as they can.  Not just with the Modus line, but also the NS Pro and Zelos lines.  A bit of something for everyone.  It's important to do one's research, as it's not as simple as "stiff flex in this translates across the board."

 

The MMT shafts are said to be based on the DG profile; it was especially stated regarding the MMT125 TX, which is supposed to be based on DGX100.