Review Graphite Design Tour AD HD Shaft Review

It’s the best combo of things from them I’ve hit. I played the IZ for a while and have messed with MT’s and DI’s some, but this one was a fun overall package.

this might be the only shaft that causes me to not play a PX shaft. The flight is great and as be alluded to, the feel is solid without feeling stout or too much to load without swinging out of your comfort zone.
 
I need help deciding what adapter to put on this shaft. I like both my sim and g410 lst. Currently the sim has a GD-VR and the 410 has an Oban Kiyoshi Purple
 
this might be the only shaft that causes me to not play a PX shaft. The flight is great and as be alluded to, the feel is solid without feeling stout or too much to load without swinging out of your comfort zone.
Totally agree. Hope all is well Alex.
 
I need help deciding what adapter to put on this shaft. I like both my sim and g410 lst. Currently the sim has a GD-VR and the 410 has an Oban Kiyoshi Purple
the demo i tried was in a G410LST and it was perfection. Just saying..
 
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I am leaning towards installing it in the Ping

the demo i tried was in a G410LST and it was perfection. Just saying..
 
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I think that’d be a really fun combo.
Such a tough call as the sim has been an excellent head for me this year as well.
 
Such a tough call as the sim has been an excellent head for me this year as well.
I totally get that.

This one I reviewed actually ended up in a SIM that one of my former #1 bags is playing now, moved from the Cobra LTD and HZRDUS combo to this in the SIM and it’s not even fair what he does to the golf ball.
 
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@Jman In regards to your 3 wood testing which do you feel launches higher in 3 wood this HD or the DI? Thanks!!
 
@Jman In regards to your 3 wood testing which do you feel launches higher in 3 wood this HD or the DI? Thanks!!
I actually didn’t end up cutting it down, it instead got fit to one of my former golfers who needed to upgrade driver from the old LTD he’d been using since HS and in college.

That said, I still think the heavier weighted versions of these would make pretty killer fairway shafts. IME it won’t launch like the DI will, but it’s close, and there is actually the feedback and feel of more stability than the DI.

I truly feel that this is the best we have seen GD blend their trademark smoothness with some legitimate stability.

Gracias for the bump!
 
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@Jman could you imagine if they made this profile in a hybrid option?
 
@Jman could you imagine if they made this profile in a hybrid option?
I think it’d be interesting, they did it for the IZ, so I wonder why not these?
 
I actually didn’t end up cutting it down, it instead got fit to one of my former golfers who needed to upgrade driver from the old LTD he’d been using since HS and in college.

That said, I still think the heavier weighted versions of these would make pretty killer fairway shafts. IME it won’t launch like the DI will, but it’s close, and there is actually the feedback and feel of more stability than the DI.

I truly feel that this is the best we have seen GD blend their trademark smoothness with some legitimate stability.


Gracias for the bump!
Awesome, I did order this in my ZX5 driver, that is one the way soon! I did go with the Ad-di on the ZX fairway though because it has been tried and true for me. I Appreciate the review and the further insight!!
I’ll share my experiences as soon as I get it in my hands.
 
Ping adapter installed and ready for some swings. Once the boys are in bed tonight I will be hitting driver in the garage comparing this to the Oban Kiyoshi Purple.
 
Finally got a few swings with this installed into my g410 lst. Felt amazing, launch and spin were higher than I would like to see but that was most likely just me last night. Will spend some more time in the near future and compare against the oban purple.
 
I read through this thread again. The consensus seems to be that this profile feels more stable than other GD shafts. It sounds similar to the GP. The GP and HD also seem to have similar launch profiles. Has anybody hit both the GP and HD who can compare them for me?
 
Strong ponder on the AD HD for a driver shaft. I have the HD 7x in my 3w and it's a good fit. Does anyone here have any experience between the 6x and 6tx in the HD?
 
I read through this thread again. The consensus seems to be that this profile feels more stable than other GD shafts. It sounds similar to the GP. The GP and HD also seem to have similar launch profiles. Has anybody hit both the GP and HD who can compare them for me?

Hi @Tenputt

I can take a stab at this one. Please keep in mind that this is just my take on these and others may feel differently:

To give some context, I can try to describe my swing and how I ended up hitting the GP for the first time. Then how the journey to HD happend.
SS: 100
Take away: constantly working to keep at a controlled level
Transition: quick and compact (or thats how it feels/appears to me. lol)

I played with the Aerotech Tifiber in my first OG Epic and Epic Flash that I was fit to. It was good but it definitely left yards to be desired. I learned this later after trying other shafts. I could never seem to find a shaft that provided me with distance and good dispersion pattern. The Aerotech was pretty much automatic, but I knew there had to be more. My driver shaft has been a STIFF for as long as I can remember. I have always just went by what was suggested vs swing speed.

Then, ss most of are, curious to try new/different things, I took a shot at a GD GP 6X off of ebay. It was a game changer for me. X FLEX?!?!? Yes, I had been taking lessons and it definitely helped, but it was the shaft change. No question. I had already bought the EPIC MAX LS head and when it arrived, I plugged it in. So good.

I then picked up an HD in 6X, but for some reason felt heavier than my other 6x shafts. I then got the HD 5X which I am tinkering with now because I do think it is so smooth and want to see if there is a future for me there.

Then I bought a Ventus Black 6x which is awesome and comparable to me with the GP. I switch them in and out on my mood. I have the GP back in there for this weekend.

But enough about that, you had a question that I am trying to help with.

- HD: Super smooth is the best way I can describe it.
- Butt is definitely softer vs GP
- I feel like I can feel the every section of the shaft, if that makes sense. Tons of feedback in my opinion
- One thing that really stands out to me is the tip section vs. GP. It is not as stiff, therefore more action. The GP tip is stiff and is very tight. I really like that. GP is closer to a Ventus Black in my opinion.
- HD Flight window is very consistent. Doesnt seem to matter what I do and the flight just always hits the same height (to sight). I hit a high ball anyhow, but this is higher launching than GP for me.
- HD Spins more than GP, but not in a bad way. No balloons or weird flights, it just spins more

- GP: more stout / stiff feeling vs HD
- I wont say more "stable" compared to HD because the HD is VERY stable. I would say that it just feels like the HD has more 'action'. Especially in the tip section vs GP
- GP flight window is a bit different for me. With the GP, height can vary based on strike. HD, doesnt seem to matter - always the same.
- I fhave found the disctance pretty close GP vs HD however GP (and Ventus black) are slightly longer for me. I can with almost 100% certainly say that this is because I do spin the ball alot and the GP/Ventus keeps that in check for me. Again, the HD is NOT spinning too much, just a bit more. Anyone with a low ball flight that wants to get a bit more launch should not sleep on HD, it is an awesome shaft.
- One last thing, with the GP, I rarely lose anything right. With the HD, I have seen more of the right than ever before. This is entirely operator error and not exactly sure why that is. Im sure someone here would know why. Still, not enough for me to not use it.

Thats about all I have at the moment. I will post again if I can think of more.

Have a great weekend! (y)
 
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Hi @Tenputt

I can take a stab at this one. Please keep in mind that this is just my take on these and others may feel differently:

To give some context, I can try to describe my swing and how I ended up hitting the GP for the first time. Then how the journey to HD happend.
SS: 100
Take away: constantly working to keep at a controlled level
Transition: quick and compact (or thats how it feels/appears to me. lol)

I played with the Aerotech Tifiber in my first OG Epic and Epic Flash that I was fit to. It was good but it definitely left yards to be desired. I learned this later after trying other shafts. I could never seem to find a shaft that provided me with distance and good dispersion pattern. The Aerotech was pretty much automatic, but I knew there had to be more. My driver shaft has been a STIFF for as long as I can remember. I have always just went by what was suggested vs swing speed.

Then, ss most of are, curious to try new/different things, I took a shot at a GD GP 6X off of ebay. It was a game changer for me. X FLEX?!?!? Yes, I had been taking lessons and it definitely helped, but it was the shaft change. No question. I had already bought the EPIC MAX LS head and when it arrived, I plugged it in. So good.

I then picked up an HD in 6X, but for some reason felt heavier than my other 6x shafts. I then got the HD 5X which I am tinkering with now because I do think it is so smooth and want to see if there is a future for me there.

Then I bought a Ventus Black 6x which is awesome and comparable to me with the GP. I switch them in and out on my mood. I have the GP back in there for this weekend.

But enough about that, you had a question that I am trying to help with.

- HD: Super smooth is the best way I can describe it.
- Butt is definitely softer vs GP
- I feel like I can feel the every section of the shaft, if that makes sense. Tons of feedback in my opinion
- One thing that really stands out to me is the tip section vs. GP. It is not as stiff, therefore more action. The GP tip is stiff and is very tight. I really like that. GP is closer to a Ventus Black in my opinion.
- HD Flight window is very consistent. Doesnt seem to matter what I do and the flight just always hits the same height (to sight). I hit a high ball anyhow, but this is higher launching than GP for me.
- HD Spins more than GP, but not in a bad way. No balloons of weird flights, it just spins more

- GP: more stout / stiff feeling vs HD
- I wont say more "stable" compared to HD because the HD is VERY stable. I would say that it just feels like the HD has more 'action'. Especially in the tip section vs GP
- GP flight window is a bit different for me. With the GP, height can vary based on strike. HD, doesnt seem to matter - always the same.
- I fhave found the disctance pretty close GP vs HD however GP (and Ventus black) are slightly longer for me. I can with almost 100% certainly say that this is because I do spin the ball alot and the GP/Ventus keeps that in check for me. Again, the HD is NOT spinning too much, just a bit more. Anyone with a low ball flight that wants to get a bit more launch should not sleep on HD, it is an awesome shaft.
- One last thing, with the GP, I rarely lose anything right. With the HD, I have seen more of the right than ever before. This is entirely opertor error and now exactly sure why that is. Im sure someone here would know why. Still, not enough for me to not use it.

Thats about all I have at the moment. I will post again if I can think of more.

Have a great weekend! (y)
Thanks for these thoughts. I appreciate the time you took to write them. I have had my best periods of driving the ball with either a TP or GP plugged into driver. However, the GP can feel a bit stout when I am a bit slower. Our swing speeds are similar, but age is catching up and when I have been playing a lot of golf, mine begins to dip down from 100 to 102, even down to as low as 95. It is there that a the GP can begin to feel a bit too much. I would compare the numbers and ball flight of the GP to another shaft that really works well for me, the Hzrdus Smoke Black RDX. I think that many would put these two in the same family as the Ventus Black. The GP feels smoother to me than the Hzrdus Smoke Black, but the Smoke Black 60, 6.0, is actually 58 grams and I like how light it feels compared to a mid 60 gram shaft.

Based on your feedback (as well as this thread), other information I have researched and my knowledge of the TP and GP, I think that I am going to give the HD a run and see what it does for me. As an aside, I am guessing that you are less prone to leave the GP right than you are the HD because of how stiff the tip of the GP is. You describe yourself as quick in transition. The HD tip may still be catching up, whereas the GP tip is right there, allowing the head to be squared up at impact. Just a hunch…
 
Thanks for these thoughts. I appreciate the time you took to write them. I have had my best periods of driving the ball with either a TP or GP plugged into driver. However, the GP can feel a bit stout when I am a bit slower. Our swing speeds are similar, but age is catching up and when I have been playing a lot of golf, mine begins to dip down from 100 to 102, even down to as low as 95. It is there that a the GP can begin to feel a bit too much. I would compare the numbers and ball flight of the GP to another shaft that really works well for me, the Hzrdus Smoke Black RDX. I think that many would put these two in the same family as the Ventus Black. The GP feels smoother to me than the Hzrdus Smoke Black, but the Smoke Black 60, 6.0, is actually 58 grams and I like how light it feels compared to a mid 60 gram shaft.

Based on your feedback (as well as this thread), other information I have researched and my knowledge of the TP and GP, I think that I am going to give the HD a run and see what it does for me. As an aside, I am guessing that you are less prone to leave the GP right than you are the HD because of how stiff the tip of the GP is. You describe yourself as quick in transition. The HD tip may still be catching up, whereas the GP tip is right there, allowing the head to be squared up at impact. Just a hunch…

PM me and I will send you the HD 5x for you to try (if you have a Callaway - It has a Callaway tip). Even in the X flex, I doubt it will feel too stiff. I should have explained that, as I never thought x flex would fit me, but I cannot go back to stiff right now because I am loving the x.
 
PM me and I will send you the HD 5x for you to try (if you have a Callaway - It has a Callaway tip). Even in the X flex, I doubt it will feel too stiff. I should have explained that, as I never thought x flex would fit me, but I cannot go back to stiff right now because I am loving the x.
Wow, that is very generous of you. The one thing that surprised me in your post is that you did so much better in X. I don’t have a long swing, being 5’8”, so I transition pretty quickly as well. I would love to try it. I will pm you.
 
Wow, that is very generous of you. The one thing that surprised me in your post is that you did so much better in X. I don’t have a long swing, being 5’8”, so I transition pretty quickly as well. I would love to try it. I will pm you.

No worries. I also was puzzled why I liked X so much as well. I went back to my guy at Club Champion and confirmed everything and away I went. Transition appeared to be a big deal and right now, X seems to be my play. Im hitting as good as I have hit it in a long time.
 
”Whoa Mamma, I’m in fear for my life…”. Who knows where that line came from? I am indebted to @Scrap22 for sending me his AD HD 5 X shaft. I plugged it into a Speed Triple Diamond LS head and took some swings out in the backyard, where the temperature was a toasty 29*. It felt AWESOME! This may put an end to any driver fixation I may have for ‘22. This would be much cheaper, too, LOL. I am super super stoked to hit some balls with this and see some launch monitor numbers. That will happen in the next few days.

4982AC03-9E7F-4AFF-9B5D-7C078B18EBAA.jpeg58195615-9BAA-4C18-BA3C-E31B61EF6619.jpeg7921E07E-EBC0-4256-A515-A615D64E805B.jpegD6470376-CF28-47A0-82AA-29AC4CF64469.jpeg
 
@Tenputt u know you previously mentioned that you got along great with the tour ad-tp. How would you compare this one to the TP?
 
@Tenputt u know you previously mentioned that you got along great with the tour ad-tp. How would you compare this one to the TP?
Sorry, I just saw this. I feel like over the last three years, the TP has been my favorite shaft. I love how it feels and It is as consistent as anything that I have hit. It is not easy to compare them, because the HD that I have in my hands, thanks to @Scrap22, is a 5 X, whereas the TPs that I have had in a few different heads were 6 S. I am not sure that I can make a valid comparison, given those differences. I am going to have a chance to hit a 6 S in the HD in the near future. I will try to make a comparison then.
 
Here are some typical shots from my TrackMan time with the HD 5 X a couple of evenings ago. I was seeing swing speeds up to 102, but the smash was not as high as I typically see from my swing. Part of it could be shaft fit. Part of it almost certainly is a rusty, winter swing. I don’t really see myself as somebody who fits into an X shaft. Graphite Design suggests X for those with swing speeds over 105. We all know that there is much more to fit than swing speed, but I still wonder about an X shaft for me.

My swing coach actually liked the fit. He thinks that I will get the smash factor up. His reason for liking it is because the spin stayed below 3000 on my right push misses. I will keep working with it and we will see.

2259FF81-BA13-498C-9E4D-E2A477021DDA.jpegCD48331F-19B3-45B0-988F-E6E2C1356293.jpeg
 
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