No Left shaft vs No Right shaft

[Popeye]

Out on the course today I did a driver shaft shootout. I had not hit these two back to back and I didn't realize how different they really were in their approach in how they play.

The two shafts.... Mitsubishi Tensi Blue S tipped an inch.
Xcaliber Superlite55 S tipped an inch.
Both have a KE4 TC Tour Driver head. Both heads spec out nearly identically. So it's a very close comparison.

Out on the course I was crushing the Superlite55 and the Tensi wasnt even close.. at first. I was pulling the Tensi left all over the place and hitting the Superlite55 dead straight. I was using a closed swing like I'm gonna hit a draw. But like an idiot I wasnt setting up how the Tensi likes which is a fade swing. Once I opened up my stance the Tensi was launching as I had seen before. Now that same open stance was putting the Superlite55 way right. Change my stance and boom.. back down the middle with the Xcaliber..

With the Tensi I can totally eliminate the right side of the course. With the Superlite55 I can totally eliminate the left side of the course.

My question is, Do you feel more comfortable with the no right shaft.. or the no left shaft?

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[DG_1234]

It reads to me like you are making address technique changes to produce particular shots.
That said, my guess is the "open stance" you're claiming when striking good shots with the Tensei, is probably a stance that is near square to the target line, and that's a good thing.

 

[Popeye]

It reads to me like you are making address technique changes to produce particular shots.
That said, my guess is the "open stance" you're claiming when striking good shots with the Tensei, is probably a stance that is near square to the target line, and that's a good thing.

Well not really. When I set up square with the Tensi... it's going left in a hurry. When I open my stance by bringing my left foot back and opening my shoulders to the target line it plays down the middle. That technique with the Superlite55 will produce a huge slice.
I'm starting how different to two shafts need to be approached in a setup.

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[mrkich]

I live by the old Trevino saying, “you can talk to a slice but a hook won’t listen” or something to that effect. I tried playing a draw off the tee for about a year and the good ones were smashed but the bad ones were really bad. I’ve recently gone back to the fade and consistency is way way up.

 

[Popeye]

@mrkich the Superlite55 with the closed stance which is primarily a draw swing was getting some crazy long drives as its putting draw spin on the ball but I'm not hooking or even hitting a slight draw with the ball.
But im more comfortable with the open stance with the Tensi.
Playing the two drivers separate of each other on different dates I had not noticed how profound the setup difference was. So in play, both were great. But when played back to back it was a struggle to change swings and get solid results.


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[DG_1234]

Well not really. When I set up square with the Tensi... it's going left in a hurry. When I open my stance by bringing my left foot back and opening my shoulders to the target line it plays down the middle. That technique with the Superlite55 will produce a huge slice.
I'm starting how different to two shafts need to be approached in a setup.

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In your OP I read that you were addressing the ball closed (body aimed well right of the target line) with the Superlite, or as you wrote "using a closed swing like I'm gonna hit a draw".
Once I read that my assumption is that the "open stance" you're claiming with the Tensei is actually about square.
Regardless, for several reasons it's better to play with a square body alignment , or an open one, than it is one closed to the target line. So for that reason I think the Tensei is the one for you to play.

 

[aljaklaw]

it depends on where you play. my home course mostly punishes a fade.

 

[mrkich]

@mrkich the Superlite55 with the closed stance which is primarily a draw swing was getting some crazy long drives as its putting draw spin on the ball but I'm not hooking or even hitting a slight draw with the ball.
But im more comfortable with the open stance with the Tensi.
Playing the two drivers separate of each other on different dates I had not noticed how profound the setup difference was. So in play, both were great. But when played back to back it was a struggle to change swings and get solid results.


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Side by side testing is definitely the way to go. You could keep both and pick either depending on what the course that day demands. No one says you have to commit to only one. Or play it like @JB and keep both in the bag and play what you need

 

[Turtlerancher]

To my shaft uneducated head it sounds like the shafts have different kick points and ei curves. One companies S is not the same as another companies S.

 

[Tee/Ski]

I prefer a straight or draw based ball flight. Whether that shape comes from the shaft flex, my stance, the club path, driver head characteristics or something else entirely.

I don't know a whole lot about shafts so I really can't talk to whether a shaft itself is draw or fade biased and since it's not April 1 I don't have reason to not believe you but I will say I'm having a bit of a hard time believing you. Sorry man but it seems to me your stance is changing the ball flight, not the shaft itself.

 

[Popeye]

I prefer a straight or draw based ball flight. Whether that shape comes from the shaft flex, my stance, the club path, driver head characteristics or something else entirely.

I don't know a whole lot about shafts so I really can't talk to whether a shaft itself is draw or fade biased and since it's not April 1 I don't have reason to not believe you but I will say I'm having a bit of a hard time believing you. Sorry man but it seems to me your stance is changing the ball flight, not the shaft itself.

I'm not sure what's not to believe. If I hit the Superlite55 in an open stance it's a giant banana ball slice of epic proportions. Same swing with the Tensei is a straight ball.
Switch up to a closed or draw stance and the Superlite55 is dead nuts straight. The Tensei in that same stance is going way left. I can draw and fade a ball on command with my irons. I'm an accomplished player who tests clubs,,, ALL THE TIME.
Believe what you want I have not seem two shafts go about thier business in such a different way. Both are Mid Launch and tq is fairly close. The Tensei weights more by about 8 grams.
If it were myself simply shaping balls by changing my stance then both drivers should give me identical results.

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[JB]

I'm not sure what's not to believe. If I hit the Superlite55 in an open stance it's a giant banana ball slice of epic proportions. Same swing with the Tensei is a straight ball.
Switch up to a closed or draw stance and the Superlite55 is dead nuts straight. The Tensei in that same stance is going way left. I can draw and fade a ball on command with my irons. I'm an accomplished player who tests clubs,,, ALL THE TIME.
Believe what you want I have not seem two shafts go about thier business in such a different way. Both are Mid Launch and tq is fairly close. The Tensei weights more by about 8 grams.
If it were myself simply shaping balls by changing my stance then both drivers should give me identical results.

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I am not here to be pro vs against anything, but rather educate.
It is fair to say that you have a vested interest in one of the two shafts though, correct?

 

[Popeye]

I am not here to be pro vs against anything, but rather educate.
It is fair to say that you have a vested interest in one of the two shafts though, correct?

I actually prefer the Tensei. I was just simply pointing out how different the two could be. The Superlite55 was further by a bit but as of now most of my play will be the Tensei. For myself an open stance and just letting it rip is my natural state of being. That's what the Tensei does for me.

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[DG_1234]

I actually prefer the Tensei. I was just simply pointing out how different the two could be. The Superlite55 was further by a bit but as of now most of my play will be the Tensei. For myself an open stance and just letting it rip is my natural state of being. That's what the Tensei does for me.

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I think you did what all well skilled players do, which is to make technique adjustments so that the club (s) you are swinging will produce good playable shots.
I guess the point of your post is that if you do use the same address/swing technique for both shafts, one goes right and one goes left.

 

[blugold]

If I found a driver shaft that completely took a side of the golf course away, I would probably choose the no lefts shaft


Likewise, I would never make such a decision based on one session or round. That deck of cards gets flipped plenty quick.

 

[OldandStiff]

I'd let the course decide which I'm more comfortable with.

Eliminating the right is more familiar for me and familiarity plays, but when the situation dictates, the ability to eliminate the left on a neutral swing would have more value because of that.

 

[mrkich]

The more I think about it from a physics POV I think it has to do with the anti left shaft playing stiffer (not fully loading the shaft) and the anti right playing softer to flex (guaranteed to load the shaft, maybe too much at times). Just my $0.02 as a not engineer but as a math nerd

 

[Popeye]

I think you did what all well skilled players do, which is to make technique adjustments so that the club (s) you are swinging will produce good playable shots.
I guess the point of your post is that if you do use the same address/swing technique for both shafts, one goes right and one goes left.

EXACTLY....

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[Tee/Ski]

I'm not sure what's not to believe. If I hit the Superlite55 in an open stance it's a giant banana ball slice of epic proportions. Same swing with the Tensei is a straight ball.
Switch up to a closed or draw stance and the Superlite55 is dead nuts straight. The Tensei in that same stance is going way left. I can draw and fade a ball on command with my irons. I'm an accomplished player who tests clubs,,, ALL THE TIME.
Believe what you want I have not seem two shafts go about thier business in such a different way. Both are Mid Launch and tq is fairly close. The Tensei weights more by about 8 grams.
If it were myself simply shaping balls by changing my stance then both drivers should give me identical results.

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Fair enough, I believe ya. You're a heck of a golfer and I'd love to have your handicap!

I'll take the right biased shaft please! Maybe it would help tame my horrible hook!

 

[OGputtnfool]

Out on the course today I did a driver shaft shootout. I had not hit these two back to back and I didn't realize how different they really were in their approach in how they play.

The two shafts.... Mitsubishi Tensi Blue S tipped an inch.
Xcaliber Superlite55 S tipped an inch.
Both have a KE4 TC Tour Driver head. Both heads spec out nearly identically. So it's a very close comparison.

Out on the course I was crushing the Superlite55 and the Tensi wasnt even close.. at first. I was pulling the Tensi left all over the place and hitting the Superlite55 dead straight. I was using a closed swing like I'm gonna hit a draw. But like an idiot I wasnt setting up how the Tensi likes which is a fade swing. Once I opened up my stance the Tensi was launching as I had seen before. Now that same open stance was putting the Superlite55 way right. Change my stance and boom.. back down the middle with the Xcaliber..

With the Tensi I can totally eliminate the right side of the course. With the Superlite55 I can totally eliminate the left side of the course.

My question is, Do you feel more comfortable with the no right shaft.. or the no left shaft?

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Aren't shafts that are designed to influence a fade or draw non-conforming?

 

[Summit]

From what I can find on the Xcaliber SuperLite 55 shaft, it is nowhere near the same profile as the Tensei Blue. The Xcaliber is a soft butt section and stiff tip section, the Tensei Blue is the opposite with a stiff butt section and soft tip section. Even if the built club specs out to be the "same" they are in no way the same. Your swing will favor one over the other. Also, there is no such thing as an anti left or anti right shaft. Every player will respond differently to a shaft. Some players will hook a shaft that some will fade.

 

[pattyboy21]

I wish I could incorporate different shafts into my new setup. I have 2 drivers in the bag now, one for draws and high-launch bombs and one for low-launch cuts. If I could optimize and enhance the driver characteristics with shafts, I think it would be a tremendous benefit.

If gaming a single driver, I'd go with the shaft that complements my natural shot shape.

 

[Popeye]

I wish I could incorporate different shafts into my new setup. I have 2 drivers in the bag now, one for draws and high-launch bombs and one for low-launch cuts. If I could optimize and enhance the driver characteristics with shafts, I think it would be a tremendous benefit.

If gaming a single driver, I'd go with the shaft that complements my natural shot shape.

That's just about what I have done. It was simply a look at two different shafts and I had no idea they would play that differently.
There seems to be a certain amount of animosity in the thread for simply posting up what I encountered for a routine day of testing.
I honestly now have just the setup you spoke of. Two different drivers that get it done as opposite as can be.

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[JB]

That's just about what I have done. It was simply a look at two different shafts and I had no idea they would play that differently.
There seems to be a certain amount of animosity in the thread for simply posting up what I encountered for a routine day of testing.
I honestly now have just the setup you spoke of. Two different drivers that get it done as opposite as can be.

I guess I am not seeing the animosity as much as debate. Tone is tough to tell in words, but when someone asked questions the response was that you were an accomplished ball striker.

I dont know, just someone on the outside looking in. THP is a great community filled with people that have a passion for the game, want to learn and converse and share ideas on the best gear out there.

I hope all conversations continue because at the end of the day, that is how this great community operates.

 

[tahoebum]

From what I can find on the Xcaliber SuperLite 55 shaft, it is nowhere near the same profile as the Tensei Blue. The Xcaliber is a soft butt section and stiff tip section, the Tensei Blue is the opposite with a stiff butt section and soft tip section. Even if the built club specs out to be the "same" they are in no way the same. Your swing will favor one over the other. Also, there is no such thing as an anti left or anti right shaft. Every player will respond differently to a shaft. Some players will hook a shaft that some will fade.

Agree. I’ll add that you can’t assume all driver heads of the same model are the same. I have three Callaway Sub Zero 9* driver heads and they all have different trajectory and direction differences when I swap the heads out and keep the shaft as a constant. QC allows for variances and those variances can make a real difference.