Has anyone gone to graphite shafts and then went back to steel?

gmiller598

Par 3 Net Zero
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Sep 2, 2014
Messages
5,679
Reaction score
1,987
Location
Worthington, OH
Handicap
21.4
Just a curious question.

I went graphite a couple of years ago due to being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. In the last year and a half since I’ve been on medication I’ve gotten it under control and pain and stiffness have not plagued me for quite a while. I’m debating about potentially moving back to steel shafts. I’m an R flex guy and I’ve picked up some demo clubs on occasion when I find them in LH sitting out for a swing and I’ve generally like the feel of the Nippons I’ve hit in a couple of iron heads.

I’m thinking I’d like to get less spin as well. Even in heads be owned that were considered distance irons I had no problems getting what would be considered normal spin numbers. I could still spin a big Bertha os 7 iron around 7000 rpm with a recoil shaft. I’m not a long hitter so I’m assuming less spin will help grab some extra yards since graphite tends to spin more from what I’ve seen.

If others made the switch back to steel, what was you experience?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Has anyone gone to graphite shafts and then went back to steel?

Graphite doesn’t spin more than a steel. One area graphite excels is its ability to be weight independent, rather than dependent as steel is.

One can go graphite or steel and find just about any spin profile they want.
 
You'd have to test against your own clubs to see if you got less spin. I would be careful though as spin is not a bad thing with irons. It gives you a lot of control and reduction will drop the amount of control.you have on the ball.
 
I've played graphite off and on for years. I currently have a set of Titleist AP1's with Tensei red graphite shafts and a set of Maltby TS-2's with the new TT Elevate 95 light weight steel. For me and my low speed swing, I find the principle difference in graphite and steel comes down to shock absorption, given similar weights and bend profiles. These days you can get both graphite and steel shafts in a wide range of weights and bend profiles. If you want low spin graphite, you can get it. If you want high spin steel, you can get it. As far as your RA, I have an autoimmune connective tissue disease (lupus) and have found I can tolerate steel for a while, but invariably have to go back to graphite.
 
Have been playing graphite for about 4.5 years. Tried steel again about 3 years ago for 2 rounds and almost immediately realized why I switched in the first place. Won't make that mistake again. It is all about the significant vibration dampening of graphite for me and my upper arms / shoulders.
 
I’ve contemplated throwing the set of graphite irons into an old set of clubs, but never got around to it. The shafts are sitting here collecting dust. Maybe one day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just a curious question.

I went graphite a couple of years ago due to being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. In the last year and a half since I’ve been on medication I’ve gotten it under control and pain and stiffness have not plagued me for quite a while. I’m debating about potentially moving back to steel shafts. I’m an R flex guy and I’ve picked up some demo clubs on occasion when I find them in LH sitting out for a swing and I’ve generally like the feel of the Nippons I’ve hit in a couple of iron heads.

I’m thinking I’d like to get less spin as well. Even in heads be owned that were considered distance irons I had no problems getting what would be considered normal spin numbers. I could still spin a big Bertha os 7 iron around 7000 rpm with a recoil shaft. I’m not a long hitter so I’m assuming less spin will help grab some extra yards since graphite tends to spin more from what I’ve seen.

If others made the switch back to steel, what was you experience?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Lots of players try graphite shafted irons but then eventually switch back to steel. I guess one primary reason is that the relative light weight of graphite causes some players to have swing tempo problems.
It's true that graphite iron shafts are available in heavier weights, such as more than 100 grams, but when graphite gets that heavy it tends to "feel" heavy-sluggish-rigid, lacking the active-dynamic sensation
of steel.
 
Lots of players try graphite shafted irons but then eventually switch back to steel. I guess one primary reason is that the relative light weight of graphite causes some players to have swing tempo problems.
It's true that graphite iron shafts are available in heavier weights, such as more than 100 grams, but when graphite gets that heavy it tends to "feel" heavy-sluggish-rigid, lacking the active-dynamic sensation
of steel.

That hasn't been my experience at all. Maybe at one point it was, but I have 110 recoils and they don't feel anything close to heavy sluggish or rigid.
 
That hasn't been my experience at all. Maybe at one point it was, but I have 110 recoils and they don't feel anything close to heavy sluggish or rigid.

My Recoil 125's seem to have enough weight in 'em. :D
 
I tried recoils a few years ago, but went back to steel when I was fit prior to going to the Grandaddy. Originally tried graphite because I was getting some elbow pain, which definitely went away with the graphite. After being fit into the Modus steel shafts I've had zero pain issues. That said, I'd happily game graphite again if it was properly fit for me.
 
I switched from graphite to steel when I was fit for my MC 17 clubs, but had to go back to graphite thanks to wrist/elbow pain. Since going back to graphite, I haven't had a wrist/elbow issue at all.
 
I went from Recoils for a few years back to Elevate 95’s this year. Simply because they felt just as good to me as the Recoils and Catalyst shafts I tried. The price difference was what kept me in the elevates this time around. Would go back to graphite again no problems though in the future.
 
I went back to steel for a really short time when I chosen to test the M4 irons. I just couldn't get comfortable and starting noticing a little more joint pain after a few months. Too me graphite just feels more fluid and smooth, but all of this said - if I actually got fit someday and I would definitely switch back to steel if someone truly believed it would help my game.
 
It would be hard for me to back to steel. I have hit a few clubs with steel shafts in them and the feel for me just isn't the same.....
 
The VSS in the Elevates is enough to bring me back to steel shafts. They feel really, really good.
 
I went from steel shafts in my Burner 2.0 to Recoil shafts in my Apex irons, then to steel shafts in subsequent irons. While I liked the feel of the Recoil shafts, as my swing speed went up a bit I started enjoying the stability of steel shafts, which in turn brought me back to steel. I won't lie, money also played a role.
 
I did graphite for a couple years and then last fall went back to steel in a set of Ping i500’s. I had gotten pretty used to the graphite and was honestly nervous to do steel again, but I went with a lightweight steel and they have been great so far. With that said, if given a choice, I’d probably choose to back to graphite. Just personal preference.
 
I’ve gone back and forth between graphite and steel several times. I can’t comment on your spin issues but the transition isn’t all that hard
 
I switched to graphite for nearly a year after an elbow injury. It was sure nice to get back to steel again. Graphite is great in the woods and driver, but in the irons it was just too hard for me to be consistent with my distances.
 
The VSS system TT has in their irons - both the pro and the regular - is as good at dampening vibration as the recoil 110s were for me. The Elevate 95, while I’m still not sold that they’re the right shaft for me, feel as good as any graphite shaft I’ve played.
 
I tried the Recoil 125 F5’s (X-flex) and they were terrible for me. I played some of my worst golf during that brief period. They do not provide the same control that lower torque, lower launching steel shafts provide for fast club head speeds and/or aggressive transitions.

They did feel good though. Just didn’t work for me.
 
I went from the KBS Tour 120S to Steelfiber 110S and ended up going to the Project X LZ 6.5. I wanted to go graphite in hopes that it would alleviate some of the carpal in my left wrist, but frankly stiff and X level graphite felt the same, if not worse than steel. I didn't put any vibration dampening in either shaft, and as my swing has gotten better, the pain has subsided anyway.
 
I went from the KBS Tour 120S to Steelfiber 110S and ended up going to the Project X LZ 6.5. I wanted to go graphite in hopes that it would alleviate some of the carpal in my left wrist, but frankly stiff and X level graphite felt the same, if not worse than steel. I didn't put any vibration dampening in either shaft, and as my swing has gotten better, the pain has subsided anyway.

That’s the nature of SteelFiber. Blended shaft so you don’t get as much of the dampening effect as you will with Recoils or others, in my experiences.

I also think steelfiber feel horrible though.
 
I get better distance control out of steel... sometime's I nuke the occasional shot over the green with graphite and sit in the FW with astonishment on how that was possible
 
I get better distance control out of steel... sometime's I nuke the occasional shot over the green with graphite and sit in the FW with astonishment on how that was possible

May I ask which graphite shafts you've tried? I've only played Recoil 95's as far as graphite goes, and have never experienced this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top