Graphite Design Introduces Light Shaft

[JB]

This is a press release

Graphite Design, maker of some of the most widely played premium shafts on the PGA TOUR, announced today that it has introduced a new YSQ 45 gram Ultralight shaft.

“The YSQ shaft continues to gain popularity on the professional tours and in the OEM community,” said Tim Gillis, vice president, sales & marketing, Graphite Design. “Graphite design is proud to launch the YSQ design in a 45 gram Ultralight that is superior in performance for golfers looking to hit the ball longer. It is also ideal for golfers wanting a longer driver without the additional overall weight. It is available in a wide variety of flexes for every golfer.”

The new YSQ 45 gram shaft is available in L, RR, R and S flexes. Graphite Design has also added a 55 gram shaft to the YSQ in L flex for the better female player.

With the launch of both the Tour AD YSQ in 2008 and the Tour AD YSQst in 2009, Graphite Design has seen the interest in its shafts increase significantly on all the professional Tours. YSQ shafts incorporate an exclusive technology called AXIAL COMPOSITE INTERLACE (ACI) technology. Graphite Design engineers have discovered that strategic orientation of fibers in multiple angles gives the golfer ultimate performance. The ACI technology stabilizes the club eliminating shaft deformation to enhance the playability of today’s larger club heads. The enhancement leads to superior distance and unmatched accuracy in every shot.

The YSQst Stabilized Tip shaft features a more stable and stiffer tip to launch the ball lower and create the perfect descent angle to maximize distance for the players with 90 + swing speeds. Graphite Design has incorporated ACI technology into the YSQst to enhance the feel and stability of the shaft.

Graphite Design International manufactures the highest quality shafts in the world for Pure Distance and Perfect Accuracy. Graphite Design shafts can be seen in play by the best professional players on the PGA, Nationwide, Champions, Japan, European and LPGA tours. Graphite Design shafts reinforced its dominance on the Japan Tour, where it has claimed 163 consecutive graphite wood shaft brand counts -- an unprecedented streak which dates to 2003. On the PGA Tour, Graphite Design shafts have helped professionals earn 64 victories since 2004 and millions of dollars in prize money. A total of 8 US distributors and 5 European and Asian distributors supply Graphite Design shafts to over 1000 custom fitters around the world.

About Graphite Design

Graphite Design, established in Japan in 1989 and in the U.S. in 1997, is the industry leader in shaft technology and the preferred brand for golf professionals worldwide. One of the world’s three largest golf-club shaft manufacturers, the company made its mark manufacturing premium shafts for most of golf’s major OEMs, including the top four companies by sales volume. Graphite Design shafts continue to be preferred by top club makers the world over while the company’s mainstay YS shafts, Pershing shafts and other models are extremely popular among avid and occasional golfers.

 

[JPsuff]

Question:

Out of curiosity, how does the YSQ compare to the UST V2?

I'm not looking to change shafts, but I do have a reason for asking.


-JP

 

[JB]

Very different shafts. I had the UST V2 in my Evolver and switched it out for the YSQ Tour AD. They will feel differently for each person, but for me the YSQ Tour AD has more life to it.

 

[Gummi Bear]

I absolutely LOVE the YSQ in my driver now.

I had a V2 High Launch in there before, and wasn't happy with it (too noodly)

 

[JPsuff]

Very different shafts. I had the UST V2 in my Evolver and switched it out for the YSQ Tour AD. They will feel differently for each person, but for me the YSQ Tour AD has more life to it.

That's what I wanted to know.

By "life", I take it that you mean more "pop" or more "punch", correct?

See, here's the deal:

I started messing around with graphite way back in the early 90's and I started with an Aldila HM-40, then back to steel, then an Aldila NV in the early 2000's and but the Aldila's, though they were beautiful "full speed" shafts, they always seemed "boardy" when I just wanted to hit a nice 80% controlled drive.

So I went to Graphite Design after that and I played a YS-6 (way too whippy) and then a YS-9 and then a YS-9+ and they were the opposite of the Aldila's. They played great as 80% shafts, but when I jumped on them, my directional control was spotty.

So I ended up with the V2 which I call my "Two-Speed Shaft" because it has (for me) very good low speed control but if I want to jump on it I can and it still has very good directional stability (I did have to tip it 1/2" though).

So here's another question:

In your opinion, would the YSQ be a better shaft for me than the V2? Would it be like a "V2-plus"?

Or would I be sacrificing something that I already have now and be better off sticking with the V2 instead?


-JP

 

[Osahar]

I'm definitely not an expert - or even heavily in the know - when it comes to the different shafts. But while up at the Bridgestone tourney when they held the night at the range I did hit a J33R driver with the YSQ Tour AD. LOVED how that shaft felt when swinging it. I've demo'd a Callaway FT-9 w/V2 and liked the shaft but not nearly as much as the YSQ.

And personally, I didn't care for the J33R with the stock VS Proto 65 shaft. The YSQ really impressed me that night.

 

[JB]

So here's another question:

In your opinion, would the YSQ be a better shaft for me than the V2? Would it be like a "V2-plus"?


-JP

Shafts are really different and really personal for every golfer out there. The only way to tell is to get on a monitor with a fitter and find out. I know you are obviously not going to go to a fitter based on the other thread, but many stores can atleast put you on a monitor with both shafts.

 

[JPsuff]

Shafts are really different and really personal for every golfer out there. The only way to tell is to get on a monitor with a fitter and find out. I know you are obviously not going to go to a fitter based on the other thread, but many stores can atleast put you on a monitor with both shafts.

I've been to fitters.

(still on your chair JB?)

I just don't go for the whole "Soup to Nuts" fitting stuff, that's all. But when I was looking at the NV, I went to a club guy who was a Tour Van guy at one point in his career and when we started speaking golf, I told him that I was thinking about an NV 65X. So he had me hit a few balls and he looked at my swing and told me that I'd be better off with an NV 75X, which was fine with me because I like a heavy shaft having grown up hitting steel shafts.

He was right as far as full speed swings were concerned because when I jumped on it, that NV worked perfectly, but as I said, when I wanted to throttle back with it, it felt more like a pipe than a driver shaft and that's when the search began for a multi-purpose shaft.


-JP

 

[JB]

You need to go to somebody that can actually fit you for a shaft if you are going to change shafts. On a monitor so you can see which shaft performs better.

 

[Osahar]

Also, and PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're fit for a shaft at 100mph swing speed and try using the same shaft at the stated 80% swing (so say you drop down to 85mph, since a straight 20% drop on SS seems drastic), wouldn't that change the entire swing dynamic since the shaft isn't spec'd to perform at that speed?

 

[JPsuff]

Also, and PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're fit for a shaft at 100mph swing speed and try using the same shaft at the stated 80% swing (so say you drop down to 85mph, since a straight 20% drop on SS seems drastic), wouldn't that change the entire swing dynamic since the shaft isn't spec'd to perform at that speed?

No, it's a compromise; you'll never get a shaft to do both at the same level.

That's what happened with my V2. As an 80% shaft, it worked very well but even a 75X was still a bit "loose" in the tip section for me, so that's why I tipped it 1/2". Now it feels perfect on full speed swings and it's just a tiny bit less "tasty" on the 80% swings, but not so much that it bothers me.


-JP