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The 2019 Small Batch Experience with Project X

Nippon Shafts
I was able to get out to the range during lunch today. Without a launch monitor, I cannot say what kind of ball speed and spin I am seeing. However, observing my ball flight, it looks pretty ideal. On top of that, this shaft feels perfect to me. It definitely is on the lighter side of shafts in that 60 to 68 gram range that I seek for driver. I can feel the shaft kick through impact, but the shaft still feels very stable. I am not the best at feeling things, but it doesn’t feel that much different to me than a Smoke Black 60.

It will be fun to get it on a course with which I am familiar (and sinc it to Arccos). I also am going to try to get it on a launch monitor, as well. However, simply based on one range session, I honestly am not sure what I would change about the playing characteristics of this shaft.
 
Tenputt said:
I was able to get out to the range during lunch today. Without a launch monitor, I cannot say what kind of ball speed and spin I am seeing. However, observing my ball flight, it looks pretty ideal. On top of that, this shaft feels perfect to me. It definitely is on the lighter side of shafts in that 60 to 68 gram range that I seek for driver. I can feel the shaft kick through impact, but the shaft still feels very stable. I am not the best at feeling things, but it doesn’t feel that much different to me than a Smoke Black 60.

It will be fun to get it on a course with which I am familiar (and sinc it to Arccos). I also am going to try to get it on a launch monitor, as well. However, simply based on one range session, I honestly am not sure what I would change about the playing characteristics of this shaft.
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Tenputt is now in the lead to be MVP of this years event.
 
pmm21 said:
Is that good? It looks to be similar to what a lot of us are saying: Low launch and left turning.
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Really good. Damn near ideal actually.

That’s not low launch at all fwiw, not at that ball/swing speed, peak on that one was 34 yards iirc, will pull the GC2 data from the iPad tonight. I do know the session avg was 34Y as well, which is really really exciting for me.

JB said:
His isn't turning left. Its either a pull (which some golfers play) or just an alignment of the launch monitor, where you are aiming left of the target, because you didn't set up the target you were shooting at. It had virtually no spin going left.
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JB is correct, this was alignment. Set up on a hole you can cut the corner on, and it’s how I always play it, but for this I told myself I was going to just play down the fairway, but with the distance of the first swing I said eff it and wanted to see where they would land how I typically play the hole...and was just too lazy to readjust the GC2.

That one was on a rope, no fade, no draw.
 
Johan185 said:
Let's Play a Round together, to see how The Tester Teaser Shaft behaves on the Course.

99cbcb88d0af086b432383554dc723ea.jpg


Sent from my SM-G977U using Tapatalk
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Great photo, btw.
 
Jman said:
Really good. Damn near ideal actually.

That’s not low launch at all fwiw, not at that ball/swing speed, peak on that one was 34 yards iirc, will pull the GC2 data from the iPad tonight. I do know the session avg was 34Y as well, which is really really exciting for me.
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Yeah that's a good poke dude. How does it feel though?
 
Project X Small Batch Experience - Shaft Testing - Session One

Links to previous updates:
Coming Soon

Feedback:

So, I managed to get out today for 18 as well as a session with the tester shaft on the Foresight GC2. Now, there was a little hiccup with my setup thanks to PING deciding to change their freaking adapter, but, I've been known to do some club work from time to time and late last night said eff it, I'll swap the shaft tips out. Leaves me without a shaft to have a baseline with, but honestly I don't really care about that anyhow. DB and the crew were 100% on top of things with getting me another shaft and the correct tip, but I don't want them to have to go through that hassle when I can get by....and yes, I'm like a little kid in a candy shop chomping at the bit to get going, particularly since getting into this years event gives me a crazy amount of happy to replace the sadness of having to drop out of the first one.

Anywho...

My tester shaft is installed into a 10.5 degree PING G410 LST head, playing length of 44.75" and swing weight of D4.7 (which made me a bit giddy to see, I won't lie). Based on my wannabe Sherlock Holmes like deductions weighting the shaft and taking into account grip and adapter weight, I think mine is in the 58.5g range.

Now, I will 100% admit reading the feedback from pmm21 and AnthonyC this morning before going right to the first tee had me bracing myself, then after going at it cold the first swing I ended up making all kinds of goofy ass noises and chuckles about what I saw. Face was open, wasn't a great swing, but the ball was on a rope, a rope that got to a REALLY good apex for me and it was one of those flights where even though I swiped it a bit I could tell the spin was going to end up pretty low when I took a closer look at things later on.

I had my share of misses when the ole OTT move crept back in, but for the mostpart I feel like I can really get the head through the zone and release the club. I've been working hard on things the past couple weeks knowing I'm about to start this journey of creating a 1 of 1 driver shaft for me, so the swing is coming around nicely and I did manage to get some little baby draw action. First time out, I'm not feeling any significant miss one way or the other for me, just swing initiated misses. Maybe that changes, but directionally I'm pretty impressed right out of the gates which I definitely didn't expect moving to sub 60g from the 77g shaft I have been playing.

Feel wise, in hand the overall club weight doesn't come off as overly light which I like, I think its safe to assume its not counter-balanced since I got the swing weight I did, but we know what assuming gets us sometimes. I figured one of my first things would be "I want something heavier!" to DB, but I'm not so sure given the way this not only performed, but held up and with such low-side spin. I dunno, I just enjoy that I don't pick it up and go "holy hell thats light!", instead its comfortable.

Feel in the swing, I actually thought there was some pretty decent kick through the zone with it, its not crazy active like some of the other light shafts I have hit like the Helium but there just a sensation of knowing that I loaded it. At the same time, its all there stability wise, I know those two comments seem contradictory but its really not. I think its more "solid" than the Smoke Black, but less so than the HZRDUS Black which for me basically felt like swinging a 4x4.

Performance wise, I did hit the shaft on the GC2 today. Not something I'm going to do a ton of, and I know it isn't required for this, but its habit for me with the job and since its there it only makes sense to use it. I was happy to see my initial on course thoughts were correct, its on the low side of spin for me (yes, I'm using the LST, but, its spinning lower on good strikes than I expect for a 10.5 head still) and its definitely not performing as low launch for me. At my speed, when I can hit 11.0 and up with launch, its really good because its going to get me above that 100 foot peak that I live and die trying to get. Now, that isn't a shot at anyone else's feedback at all, as we know from following any of these in the past, it really shows how different swings have different needs and shafts respond differently for different people.

image1 (5).png

All in all, I saw on the GC2 what I did on course, the ball went. Consistent miss for me was heel side, which hasn't been the case for a while now, but that could be the weight change and me adjusting to it I suppose. Either way, give me 245+ on a heel miss and I'm OK with that. I'm a little at a loss because I have a hard time picking apart what I saw as far as wanting to change this or that, I didn't expect to see what I did today and its got me bumfuzzled. I always seek more launch, but not at the expense of spin. I don't hate the feel at all, In the swing I know the head will be where I put it and thats a relief.

Ugh. Its a FUN first go round, but I'm still searching for more things to critique. Maybe the following sessions as I settle into the shaft will change that....maybe not.
 
I like the Hzrdus Black. ;)

Yeah that's interesting James. So basically very stable, but with just enough feel to it.
 
kevin81002 said:
I like the Hzrdus Black. ;)

Yeah that's interesting James. So basically very stable, but with just enough feel to it.
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I'm dithering to come up with words to really explain it, and struggling. This is new and terrifying for me. Hahahaha
 
Jman said:
I'm dithering to come up with words to really explain it, and struggling. This is new and terrifying for me. Hahahaha
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Hahahhaha.... that's awesome. 2016 was easy for me. Too light, too much spin, too high, too soft. lol
 
kevin81002 said:
Hahahhaha.... that's awesome. 2016 was easy for me. Too light, too much spin, too high, too soft. lol
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I've still got that extra end result that came from your 2016 trip. Hahaha
 
Jman said:
I've still got that extra end result that came from your 2016 trip. Hahaha
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3 years later and probably a dozen head changes later I'm still gaming that very same shaft. That's how special this event is.
 
Looking forward to getting on the range tomorrow to come up with more thoughts. I can honestly say I have never played a PX shaft in a driver in all of the 6 years I've been playing this goofy game. My Epic SZ came with some sort of stock HZRDUS, but I was fit into the Accra almost immediately after purchasing.

I have no idea what I am looking for in regards to comparing it to the current PX line up, so I am flying blind. The notes are going to play a huge factor for me, and I can't wait!

@Jman, what is your club head speed? I've never been a fast swing player, nor am I a long hitter (my distance, if any, comes from getting everything in sync.) Last time I saw anything I think my swing was topping out around 94 on the good balls. I wonder if the differences we're seeing has anything to do with my speed being unable to "release" the shaft. I admit, wholeheartedly, that I know absolutely nothing about shaft tech. I just know what feels good.
 
pmm21 said:
Looking forward to getting on the range tomorrow to come up with more thoughts. I can honestly say I have never played a PX shaft in a driver in all of the 6 years I've been playing this goofy game. My Epic SZ came with some sort of stock HZRDUS, but I was fit into the Accra almost immediately after purchasing.

I have no idea what I am looking for in regards to comparing it to the current PX line up, so I am flying blind. The notes are going to play a huge factor for me, and I can't wait!

@Jman, what is your club head speed? I've never been a fast swing player, nor am I a long hitter (my distance, if any, comes from getting everything in sync.) Last time I saw anything I think my swing was topping out around 94 on the good balls. I wonder if the differences we're seeing has anything to do with my speed being unable to "release" the shaft. I admit, wholeheartedly, that I know absolutely nothing about shaft tech. I just know what feels good.
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I’m a 107-110 guy, though I hadn’t seen this ball speed for a few months so it’s nice to know it’s still there sometime.

I have absolutely no doubt the speed differences make, well, a difference. That’s 1000% going to be part of the equation. It’s going to be insane what we all come up with.
 
pmm21 said:
Looking forward to getting on the range tomorrow to come up with more thoughts. I can honestly say I have never played a PX shaft in a driver in all of the 6 years I've been playing this goofy game. My Epic SZ came with some sort of stock HZRDUS, but I was fit into the Accra almost immediately after purchasing.

I have no idea what I am looking for in regards to comparing it to the current PX line up, so I am flying blind. The notes are going to play a huge factor for me, and I can't wait!

@Jman, what is your club head speed? I've never been a fast swing player, nor am I a long hitter (my distance, if any, comes from getting everything in sync.) Last time I saw anything I think my swing was topping out around 94 on the good balls. I wonder if the differences we're seeing has anything to do with my speed being unable to "release" the shaft. I admit, wholeheartedly, that I know absolutely nothing about shaft tech. I just know what feels good.
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What Accra shaft were you fit into?
 
I find #Jman’s description very similar to my initial conclusion from my range session today. I honestly felt like this shaft felt very similar to a Smoke Black, but, on a continuum, a little more towards the Hzrdus Black. It will be fascinating to learn what the characteristics of this shaft really are, but I really like the combination of stability, plus a little kick through the impact zone.

It will be interesting to see what ball speeds/club speeds all of we participants have (for purposes of seeing if there is a correlation to whether or not we like the shaft). Simply for reference, my swing varies a lot at this stage of my golf career, but I believe when I am on and feeling loose, I have club speed of around 103 and ball speed around 150. A couple of weeks ago, I was seeing ball speed of 160 and club speed of 107/108, but that was a rare day. I also am a high launch player, with a swing fault of adding dynamic loft. I truly like this shaft. A lot...
 
Alez367 said:
What Accra shaft were you fit into?
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250 fx 2.0

It was when I was really trying to create a more piercing ball flight (read: before I developed better swing habits.) One of the reasons I was dying to get in to this event was because I feel I'm due for a new driver shaft that's better fit to how I am swinging now.
 
JB said:
I should expand on this in that while a shaft doesn't necessarily cause a pull, its possible the body reacting to a shaft would create one.
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This may be a dumb question but push/pull is measuring yards, correct? So it would be 15 yds pull left of center? Is that how that stat is interpreted?
 
I have a Project X Hzrdus Stiff in my driver (Cobra F8), and I’ve never experienced the blend of power and control before
 
Jman said:
Making a legit one of a kind shaft is just insane to think about still.
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Still easily one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. You guys are going to have your minds absolutely blown.

As for the folks worrying about the tester shaft not being the best fit for them - we had a pretty good contingent where it didn’t click in our group, and they’ve all been extremely happy with what they ended up with. Think about from a feel/performance perspective what you don’t like compared to what you’re playing now. Don will work his magic and you’ll end up with something that feels just about perfect on that first swing.
 
@Tenputt You and I share the same 103 / 150 with driver.

@Jman My misses were on the heel as well, and I never thought to attribute them to weighting. I thought, wow I almost never hit it that far on the heel. Great write up.

I should have more time with it this weekend.
 
@Jman great write up.

I really hope mine gets here soon. I’m temporarily living vicariously through everyone else’s posts!
 
Headed to practice soon! Hopefully more thoughts tonight!

More than anything I'm hoping to see the same results as yesterday.
 
This will be the first time GolferGal has ever been to this event.
 
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