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Going to Graphite Shafts

SuperStroke
Example of a PGA pro using graphite shafts in his irons.

Matt Kuchar used the Aerotech Steelfiber and came in third in the SBS Open in Hawaii.

Funny how everyone & their brother has graphite shafts in the driver, fariways woods, & hybrids. Yet there is resistance on using them in irons? Years ago all clubs had hickory shafts & eventually those gave way to steel which will eventually give way to graphite which in turn will be upstaged by whatever new technology is being developed as we type.

I bet Lefty & JP would have been the kind of folks bitching about people using that new fangled steel junk when hickory is so good.:D Go back to your 8-tracks or reel to reel recorders if you don't want embrace technology.
 
BigLeftyinAZ said:
Look close at his irons,yes they are badge R9's and don't look like any other R9 iron avil. Eric Axley played a set of satin MB's that are not avil for lefty's
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I know he played a proto set usually, but at Doral for the practice rounds he was hitting R9s. He talked openly about experimenting between offset and onset and how this set intrigued him quite a bit.
 
dynarider said:
Example of a PGA pro using graphite shafts in his irons.

Matt Kuchar used the Aerotech Steelfiber and came in third in the SBS Open in Hawaii.

Funny how everyone & their brother has graphite shafts in the driver, fariways woods, & hybrids. Yet there is resistance on using them in irons? Years ago all clubs had hickory shafts & eventually those gave way to steel which will eventually give way to graphite which in turn will be upstaged by whatever new technology is being developed as we type.

I bet Lefty & JP would have been the kind of folks bitching about people using that new fangled steel junk when hickory is so good.:D Go back to your 8-tracks or reel to reel recorders if you don't want embrace technology.
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LOL.You really are taking this personally. Does matt still use the steelfibers?
When I saw him at the WGC event in Tucson,he didn't.

Scott verplank used Graphites for years.Somehow he has switched back.I'd love to know his reason.

How am I not embracing technology?Shafts have come a long way in the last 10 years. Remember Tiger using Steel in his driver 7 or so years ago?

Shafts for drivers,fwy wds and hybrids have come light years ahead in technology over the last few years.Ten fold better.

Why do we use graphite in our drivers? For a lighter weight and hope to gain a few more MPH out of our swing,no? We can hit our 45" graphite driver atleast 25 yards farther then our steel shafted version. Try a steel shafted driver at 45",it would be HEAVY.
 
BigLeftyinAZ said:
Shafts for drivers,fwy wds and hybrids have come light years ahead in technology over the last few years.Ten fold better.
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And you don't think the technology for the iron shafts is just as good??

You say you like consistency but then you mention distance for your driver. What good is 25 more yards if it's just that much further in the woods???
 
JB said:
I know he played a proto set usually, but at Doral for the practice rounds he was hitting R9s. He talked openly about experimenting between offset and onset and how this set intrigued him quite a bit.
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I know these are his older irons,but here is another set unavailable to the market.I'd love to have a set,just not ground to his liking

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/272315-mike-weir-using-j-spec-tm-irons/page__p__1770324__hl__mike%20weir%20irons__fromsearch__1&#entry1770324

All I'm saying is the OEM's and shaft companies will do just about anything for the tour players.They make tons of prototype shafts just for them
 
dynarider said:
And you don't think the technology for the iron shafts is just as good??

You say you like consistency but then you mention distance for your driver. What good is 25 more yards if it's just that much further in the woods???
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I stated much earlier iron shafts came a long way,plus it was mentioned by two others and didn't feel I needed to re state it.

The driver is about distance to a point.There you need to find that balance point.

I play mine at 44 1/2 to 44 7/8 cause that's my best control.Could I play it at 45.5 or even 46 and hit it farther,yes but I more them likely couldn't control it as well
 
BigLeftyinAZ said:
I know these are his older irons,but here is another set unavailable to the market.I'd love to have a set,just not ground to his liking

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/272315-mike-weir-using-j-spec-tm-irons/page__p__1770324__hl__mike%20weir%20irons__fromsearch__1&#entry1770324

All I'm saying is the OEM's and shaft companies will do just about anything for the tour players.They make tons of prototype shafts just for them
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There are a million sets that are not brought to market played by hundreds of players on tour. At Doral in front of us and video taping, he was playing the R9 irons.
 
Just my experience

Just my experience

I just return for a long day of playing golf.
Today I decide to s test a new putter ( Bettinardi BB32) and new set of irons (Ping Rapture V2) with graphite shaft against my current set of irons TM Burner 09 steel shaft.

The specs on the both sets are the same OEM ,( retail sales specs) the only difference is the shaft and the brand. They even have the same Winn grips.

For the last 2 month I have used the Burner 09 and was the longest and best set of irons I have used.
The feel of the Ping with the graphite is alot better.
For me the distance was almost the same (+/- 2 yd).

The biggest difference was on how accurate and how smooth the feeling is on the Ping with the graphite shaft.

I think that on my case the graphite shaft is a big difference since last time I tested the Ping irons was with steel shaft and I don't liked how they feel and work.

Now I need to find a set of Burner 09 with graphite shaft to see the difference.

The price difference is a huge factor but I think worth the difference on my opinion.

Thanks God I read this thread and decide to make the test to see the difference.
 
Good to hear you got great results.Is your ball flight the same or is it different?What I mean Do you see a more penatrating flight with one?Do you see a spin difference?
 
Answer

Answer

BigLeftyinAZ said:
Good to hear you got great results.Is your ball flight the same or is it different?What I mean Do you see a more penatrating flight with one?Do you see a spin difference?
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The ball flight was almost the same only difference was on the 6 iron that the TM Burner was more penetrating but by a small margin.
on the spin I don't see any difference.
 
I started this thread to state that I switched to graphite because of chronic elbow problems. It's gone way off topic.

If someone would like to start a new thread on the merits of one shaft versus the other please do, but in the mean time, I'd like to stay on topic I'm not the only one who suffers from lateral epicondylitis, and others may find the merits of graphite over steel in alleviating pain worth exploring.

Thank you.
 
Thanks

Thanks

Sean said:
I started this thread to state that I switched to graphite because of chronic elbow problems. It's gone way off topic.

If someone would like to start a new thread on the merits of one shaft versus the other please do, but in the mean time, I'd like to stay on topic I'm not the only one who suffers from lateral epicondylitis, and others may find the merits of graphite over steel in alleviating pain worth exploring.

Thank you.
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I have thank you for initiate this thread. I was looking for a better feeling and after reading this I decide to make the test. Now the only only club I have with iron shaft is the putter.
On my experience the only drawback is the price difference.
 
gadiel said:
I have thank you for initiate this thread. I was looking for a better feeling and after reading this I decide to make the test. Now the only only club I have with iron shaft is the putter.
On my experience the only drawback is the price difference.
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Yeah, my putter still has an iron shaft too. I just better not take full swings with it :)

Your joints will thank you. Mine already have.
 
JB said:
Nobody is looking to pick a fight. But this last comment is not really what you are implying in your next post. In fact I believe you are wrong. Because ask people who play graphite and THEY believe they are a winner in that case. It is about preference despite that you may not want to believe that. For most professionals, the cost prohibits it from being a preference. But just about any amateur, it is about preference for THEIR game. Have you ever tried graphite irons?
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Yes I have tried them and I don't get the same confident feeling from them that I get from steel. They felt somewhat "twisty" (though not overly so) and as far as distance was concerned, they were more or less the same.

This debate splits hairs, as many do, in that preference and performance often become blurred, sort of like when a sports car is compared to a "sporty" car. The sporty car may attract many buyers for a number of reasons while the sports car tends to attract people specifically for its performance.

Then there's the confidence angle. I grew up along with the development of graphite and I remember the days when a graphite shaft could be snapped almost by staring at it too intensely, so maybe some of those memories color my present perceptions as well.

Do you remember aluminum shafts? I do. And the same problem existed for them as well. In fact, I recall Nicklaus trying them out and after a few broken shafts, he declared them a failure not just from a strength point of view, but that they had no real flex to them either. Does that mean that years from now aluminum won't reappear in some form? And if it does, will it be accepted based on its past?

So perhaps I'm coloring my judgment a bit based on the baggage I carry, but perception is every bit as valid as actual evidence when it comes to trust or confidence in something. But that still doesn't change the empirical truth that steel behaves the way steel does and graphite (as of now) cannot precisely replicate the characteristics of steel. It may come close, but it's still not quite the same.


-JP


P.S. Note to "The Mad 'Rep'-er". It's "Flip flop", not "Flip-flot", but thanks for sharing anyway! (Oh, and perhaps you might consider signing your name as it would be nice to know to whom to send the Thank-You card!) :thumb:
 
I am seriously contemplating switching to graphite. I have a slow swing speed and low launch angle and ball flight and I feel that the graphite will help me increase my ball flight. Does anyone have any suggestions for graphite shafts?
 
DevRickus said:
I am seriously contemplating switching to graphite. I have a slow swing speed and low launch angle and ball flight and I feel that the graphite will help me increase my ball flight. Does anyone have any suggestions for graphite shafts?
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The Matrix Radix comes in iron shafts too. Id have to think they are good just like the woods.
 
OEM Kevin said:
The Matrix Radix comes in iron shafts too. Id have to think they are good just like the woods.
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GTFO! I didnt know that. I will take a look.
 
DevRickus said:
GTFO! I didnt know that. I will take a look.
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And they look just like the woods, badass! I want them just because they look so cool.
 
DevRickus said:
Might as well imagine what it would be like to be divorced too...lol
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HAHA why did you have to go getting all real on us and serious. Watch that show Workaholics, cant be that bad lol
 
OEM Kevin said:
HAHA why did you have to go getting all real on us and serious. Watch that show Workaholics, cant be that bad lol
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LOL yeah. I just do not know what to do. I feel like the my uniflex shafts are just too stiff for me and need something different. I like the KBS black nickel shafts. I know there is alot of KBS love on THP. Any feedback?
 
This has been something that I've wanted to do the past 2 seasons but I haven't pulled the trigger due to price. I know that for my swing speed and level of game, graphite is going to perform equally, if not better than steel. I have one graphite shafted iron (MX-23 5i) in my bag with the GD Tour AD shaft (it was just in a used club bin). This shaft is amazing -- as consistent as steel, smooth -- you can flight the ball and it will take a load. Even when you hit fat, you get the graphite benefit -- no stinger! However, it's about $80/shaft! Wish I could afford a set of them.
 
That's really the thing that makes even pondering something like this a possibility for me. I just couldn't swing that type of cost. I would probably benefit from a switch as well.
 
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