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Graphite Iron Shafts - The New Norm?

Nippon Shafts
JB said:
Like Matt Kuchar? :D

That is shameful on their part.
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I know Kuchar . I'm saying more. There is 1 golfer in the top 30 that uses graphite shafts for irons. Kuchar's usage would create more buzz if he won a major and became number 1.

As for the TM part, yes it is.
 
woody_74 said:
To me it is cost. When the cost comes down to the same price I will play either one.
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This is mostly where I am at except, for me, the actual feeling of impact I get in an iron with a graphite shaft just doesn't feel right to me. I would get used to it if having a graphite shaft helped me though.
 
I think cost does have something to do with it, graphite has always been such an up-charge on iron sets that it wasn't in play for me with new purchases, even if the profile may have been better. I think if the club companies could put a graphite option in play at the same price it would be adopted more.
 
The first irons I bought had graphite shafts, and I quite enjoyed them, people always told me that you can't feel things with them.... I never experienced that.

Kind of want to try the new offerings, but they're expensive.
 
I know why it is the way it is, but I think it's silly for usage on tour to be so important for amateur golfers when selecting clubs. You're not a pro! You'll never be a pro!
 
deuce said:
I know why it is the way it is, but I think it's silly for usage on tour to be so important for amateur golfers when selecting clubs. You're not a pro! You'll never be a pro!
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Dream killer. ;)
 
deuce said:
I know why it is the way it is, but I think it's silly for usage on tour to be so important for amateur golfers when selecting clubs. You're not a pro! You'll never be a pro!
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I truly am not a pro. I chose stock graphite shafts for my MC irons.
 
ddec said:
I truly am not a pro. I chose stock graphite shafts for my MC irons.
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Should have been more serious, like me, and gone with super light weight steel shafts. That's some seriousness.
 
I agree with everyone else, tour usage and cost are the big factors. I've been wanting Recoils or Steelfibers for months now, but cost is the big factor preventing me from pulling the trigger. In addition, I'd love to demo the Steelfiber some more, but there is no where near me that carries them. So availability is another factor I'll put out there. Most people I know who have demoed the Apex with the Recoils fell in love, and they all currently have steel shafts. Yet the cost makes them stay put with what they have. For me, if I was able to go some where, demo the shafts I'm considering and saw a noticeable difference, that would help a lot in paying the higher price tag. But taking a leap of faith with that kind of money without being able to try the shafts out makes me, and I'm sure others, shy away.
 
War Eagle said:
Should have been more serious, like me, and gone with super light weight steel shafts. That's some seriousness.
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that's a little too serious for me.
 
for me its cost and quality the recoils were really nice and played great but i dont' wanna drop the extra scratch for something that doesn't change much from the steel that i'm currently playing.
 
Buckjob said:
for me its cost and quality the recoils were really nice and played great but i dont' wanna drop the extra scratch for something that doesn't change much from the steel that i'm currently playing.
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I think that is part of the issue. They are making graphite to play more like steel. I want my graphite to play like graphite. The stock stuff is just too light and launches so high.
 
To me I think it is cost and potentially durability. I've got a set that has graphite in the hybrids (3-5) and steel in 6-PW. The hybrid shafts have small chips from bag chatter while the steel is still fine. Also, paying a few hundred more for graphite puts them out of reach for many.
 
deuce said:
I know why it is the way it is, but I think it's silly for usage on tour to be so important for amateur golfers when selecting clubs. You're not a pro! You'll never be a pro!
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I think it's always going to be important. I also don't think it's always a matter of thinking you'll get the game the pros have by using their equipment, but more that a product is validated as high quality and able to perform when the world's best use it.
 
Honestly, I think it's cost and tour usage that's keeping graphite iron shafts from being more prevalent. While Kuchar is a high profile golfer, he's one of the only high profile tour players using non-steel shafts. I think if players like Tiger, Rory, Adam Scott, Mickelson, Ricky, etc. were to start using graphite iron shafts, you would see a huge influx of graphite iron shaft users. Case in point is to look at the Graphite Design shaft that Tiger played for awhile. After he started playing that, I began seeing that shaft everywhere.

Just my opinion though.
 
Tiger iron shafts would be sweet.
 
I think its a combo platter of 3 of your reasons.....

There is a stigma attached to graphite that its only for seniors and women......you get rid of that as more tour players put them in play. The Recoils and the Aerotechs arent really helping to kill the stigma yet because on TV they look alot like steel.

And finally the cost....even when you order the stock graphite version from the OEM it's $100+ more in most cases...bring the cost down to a more standard shaft upgrade....$30-$50 and that might help.
 
I don't think it will happen anytime soon the recoils are great and huge advances have been made however the cost and durability is still and issue and go hand in hand. I had recoil protos last year and broke one in my 6 iron it was going to be a good amount of $$$ to replace and I was paying no where near retail for it.


Also there has been a good amount of advances in steel technology in irons as well.


I think we will start seeing a trend back towards heavier as well not super heavy but I don't see the sub 90 gram iron shafts really catching on. Of course it is just an opinion and they work for some but I think we will see other ways to help with joints and swing speed rather than just making it light.


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i think it is cost, marketing, tour use in that order
i have jpx ez with orochi and i have some apex with recoils, i have some wedges with steel
i have had hand surgery and some pins in my right hand thumb joint (i golf right handed) not only do i know when i hit with a steel shaft wedge but i freaking know i just hit a steel shaft.
i am so glad when i started last fall with steel rifle shafted irons loaned from a friend to try golf. that right there sold me on researching graphite for ease of pain
convince tiger, phil and <insert a few more popular tour players here> to game some graphite and game over on graphite sales issues
 
I am just about to order a set of irons asked about graphite but they did not have any i could test out i had to drive a 2 hour trip to test the clubs in stiff i did get a better ball flight and about 5 yards longer but it pushes the clubs to £400 from £300 so is 5 yards worth £100?
 
ddec said:
I truly am not a pro. I chose stock graphite shafts for my MC irons.
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I really wanted to but my fitter suggested I go back to steel, so that's what I did. I hope he was right!
 
Parshooter36 said:
I really wanted to but my fitter suggested I go back to steel, so that's what I did. I hope he was right!
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I'm sure they will be fine. They are a good stock setup. Honestly what helped me is that I already have a set with steel.
 
I would say mainly cost, and then the stigma attached, and then marketing/tour use.

Cost is a no brainer to me. And I would guess that most amateurs don't even know what shafts most pros use, and probably just assume steel. I know I couldn't tell you who uses what. I think most people believe graphite is for kids, women, and older golfers.
 
Here is an interesting parallel. Lets consider that most golfers dont consider graphite shafts "cool"? Meaning they have that stigma attached. THe last "non-cool" item that took off, one could say was the belly putter.

It was around and if you read the early threads on THP, was not well received. Then it started to become a normal thing on tour. Next thing you know, it took off and people were buying them left and right.
 
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