Nippon Super Peening Blue or Orange?

skraly · November 19, 2013

I am planning on reshafting a set of Cobra S3 forged. I want to go with the Nippon Super Peening shafts but I am not sure which to go with. I am a 3 hcp. 8 iron distance is about 145 yds. in summer weather. Back swing is a little short of parallel. Shot trajectory is not quite medium. I usually hit the ball very straight with a shallow divot. I play my irons at 37.75" in the 5 iron and I like a little heavier swing weight, usually D3-D4 Which ever shaft I decide on I am planning to use a reg. flex hard stepped once. I'm a lefty so I don't have opportunity to demo either shaft. Just looking for some feedback on these options. Thanks for any thoughts on this.

swizbeatz · November 19, 2013

What are you playing now? What's not quite medium, just low or just high? I've read the blues flight lower than the oranges.

skraly · November 20, 2013

[quote name='swizbeatz' timestamp='1384919361' post='8175962']
What are you playing now? What's not quite medium, just low or just high? I've read the blues flight lower than the oranges.
[/quote]
Sorry for the confusion. I meant a little lower than medium. Currently playing DG S300. But as I am getting older I notice I am having to work a little harder, especially late in a round on a hot day, to get them to launch properly. I would also like a higher launch. I know the blues are a lower launch than the orange but I have also heard that they play stiffer than the orange. I am also concerned that the lighter weight orange might have trouble getting to the swing weight I like. Thanks for any input.

swizbeatz · November 20, 2013

Well I'm not club builder so I can't help much with the weight problem, looks like they are 5 grams apart in S flex. I'm looking for a higher flight and easier load/launch as well so went with the Oranges. I was playing project x 6.5 flighteds before.

Unfortunately I just got them a week or so ago and its getting cold up in MI so I can't help much more than that. I wasn't fit for them, just think they will work for me from doing my own research. Do you know how to use the search function on the site? If not I can link you to the better threads that I found although these aren't that common of a shaft and info is a bit limited.

swizbeatz · November 20, 2013

Here's part of a message I got from someone who posted frequently in the Nippon threads.

[color=#282828]"they came with Dynamic Gold S300.[/color]
[color=#282828]Im actually in the middle of switching them out and putting back my Nippon Orange.[/color]

[color=#282828]The Orange had a perfect flight that didn't balloon and had a very nice load and kick with a smooth to aggresive tempo.[/color]

[color=#282828]The Super Blue were just too much for me to handle. I hit the ball very high and the fitter said the blue might work for me best but the numbers that the orange gave me were just too good. The load and kick on the nippon orange was perfect for me."[/color]

[color=#282828]Seems to be a popular opinion that the Blues are a pretty damn stout iron shaft. [/color]

bosgolfer · November 20, 2013

The Orange for me felt very close to the Modus 3 in the 130 version. The Blue feel stiffer and for me fly even lower than S300's.

Hstead · November 20, 2013

I play SP Blues in X flex in my i20's. My only experience with the Orange was during a fitting this time last year. The Orange and Blue shafts are way different for me anyway. I have a higher swing speed, hit my 8 iron around 165 in summer weather, and I hit the ball pretty high. The SP Blue is the lowest launching shaft I have ever played, which includes DG X100 and C-taper S+. I have demoed quite a few, PX, Modus, Aerotech, KBS Tour, CFS, and a few others.

When I tried the Orange, I launched it way too high and the X was not really stiff enough. I think you are accurate when you say the Orange is reportedly softer in flex, but I do not have any data on that just feel. The Orange definitely launched a lot higher than the Blue. Some people say the Super Peening shafts are not as "stiff" etc but I think part of that is because both shafts are really smooth feeling and can seem less stiff because they are so easy to swing. The butt sections are not real real stiff like a C-taper or a PX, but they are stiffer than the DG.

The SP Blue is my favorite shaft. It will really depend on what you like in terms of feel. I would try to find a fitter that has both and test them out. If that isn't possible, order one each and install in one iron and see how they play. Also, it isn't super easy to find places that sell them anymore. Nippon sells them to authorized fitting centers and expects them to be installed at the center by certified techs. Some places stick to that policy and others will just sell them. I found a place to sell them and have them drop shipped to my house and installed them myself.

swizbeatz · November 20, 2013

Good stuff Hstead. Also OP, last I check there was a set of Oranges on the BST this morning, thats where I got mine.

JBW · November 23, 2013

I play the SP Blue in X-Stiff, but soft-stepped once and I absolutely love them. I've played DGS300 for 20+ years and I was looking for a lower ball flight since I've been struggling in windy conditions. I don't have any launch monitor statistics, but the SP Blue brought down my ball flight with a more penetrating trajectory. So, if you're looking for a higher ball flight than your DG's, you probably ought to go with the SP Orange.