Personally I would try and send Danny a note, or reach out to him. He might be able to help. Of course trips to DFW aren’t all that bad either.
UST Mamiya Recoil Shafts Review Thread
Personally I would try and send Danny a note, or reach out to him. He might be able to help. Of course trips to DFW aren’t all that bad either.
Bumping this for the Graphite Challenge participants.....can’t wait to hear what you guys think of the irons you got!!
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
- Messages
- 74,780
- Reaction score
- 88,334
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Handicap
- 11.9
Oh I expect this thread to be hopping with our thoughts SOONER than later!!!
Ditto. I am composing thoughts ??? and will be back soon.
I’m planning on working up some background info on me as a golfer so readers can better compare and understand my comments and reviews. I think another round and range session is needed so I can compose my initial thoughts. On Saturday my swing was on but the wet conditions made it tough. Today’s conditions were great but my swing wasn’t. I want to give these a fair review. But with the few irons I hit today that found the face of the iron square, they were freaking bombs.
Man I had a hay day with my wedges this past weekend. Iv said it before and ill say it again.....Recoils and wedge play is SO DAMN FUN. I hit my buddies 52 with a steel shaft messing around waiting on a group and its just nothing compared to my Recoils.
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2018
- Messages
- 33,186
- Reaction score
- 47,402
- Location
- Oxford, Mississippi
- Handicap
- 10.4
I can get lost looking at the graphics on this shaft, they are so bad a**. Great job, @DannyLe!
When I first picked up a club Friday night (more in that Christmas morning-like experience coming later in the event thread), I really liked the weight. I’ve been playing KBS C-Taper stiffs (120 g) so I was very curious how the lighter shaft would feel. The demo PTx Pros I hit had the 780 F4 which come in at 86 grams. The 110 protos felt solid and well-balanced.
On Saturday, the rain prevented any range time so we were trying the shafts without any warm-up and on the fly. The shafts are money. They’re very stable. Vibration was significantly less than my steel shafts. They feel powerful. I thought they felt a little stiffer than the C-Tapers. Danny explained that the butt section is a little stiffer so it would give that impression but overall the two are very comparable on flex. The shafts give a great trajectory and have incredible feel. Not a bit of harshness here.
On Sunday, we had chamber of commerce weather. On the range, I confirmed what I thought Saturday. Great feel, strong ball flight and no twisting on off center hits. Even though the PTx Pros are weaker lofts than my former gamers (sorry M6s) by about 2°, once warm, I was getting the same if not a little more distance. When you put on a good swing, these shafts send the ball where you’re aimed.
During the round, I liked them more and more. I had great confidence that the ball would go where I wanted it, how I wanted it. I never felt like I was overloading the shaft.
One of the best things for me is that after 2 days of golf, my hands hurt significantly less. Granted conditions were soft, but I can’t stress enough how much less vibration there was with these shafts. I expect that to be the same on dry ground.
If you’ve considered or thought about switching from steel to graphite, I can’t encourage you enough to try the Recoils. To me, they are an absolute home run.
Many thanks to @DannyLe and @UST Mamiya for the opportunity to have these wonderful shafts with the stone cold beautiful very, very, very limited edition THP graphics.
ETA: A great way to try the Recoils is the demo program through Ben Hogan Golf. I was able to try the 6 and 9 irons for 2 weeks for shipping costs of $20.00.
When I first picked up a club Friday night (more in that Christmas morning-like experience coming later in the event thread), I really liked the weight. I’ve been playing KBS C-Taper stiffs (120 g) so I was very curious how the lighter shaft would feel. The demo PTx Pros I hit had the 780 F4 which come in at 86 grams. The 110 protos felt solid and well-balanced.
On Saturday, the rain prevented any range time so we were trying the shafts without any warm-up and on the fly. The shafts are money. They’re very stable. Vibration was significantly less than my steel shafts. They feel powerful. I thought they felt a little stiffer than the C-Tapers. Danny explained that the butt section is a little stiffer so it would give that impression but overall the two are very comparable on flex. The shafts give a great trajectory and have incredible feel. Not a bit of harshness here.
On Sunday, we had chamber of commerce weather. On the range, I confirmed what I thought Saturday. Great feel, strong ball flight and no twisting on off center hits. Even though the PTx Pros are weaker lofts than my former gamers (sorry M6s) by about 2°, once warm, I was getting the same if not a little more distance. When you put on a good swing, these shafts send the ball where you’re aimed.
During the round, I liked them more and more. I had great confidence that the ball would go where I wanted it, how I wanted it. I never felt like I was overloading the shaft.
One of the best things for me is that after 2 days of golf, my hands hurt significantly less. Granted conditions were soft, but I can’t stress enough how much less vibration there was with these shafts. I expect that to be the same on dry ground.
If you’ve considered or thought about switching from steel to graphite, I can’t encourage you enough to try the Recoils. To me, they are an absolute home run.
Many thanks to @DannyLe and @UST Mamiya for the opportunity to have these wonderful shafts with the stone cold beautiful very, very, very limited edition THP graphics.
ETA: A great way to try the Recoils is the demo program through Ben Hogan Golf. I was able to try the 6 and 9 irons for 2 weeks for shipping costs of $20.00.
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Dropping in with some notes about Recoil and The Graphite Challenge that happened this past weekend. I was most fortunate to receive a phenomenal set of Recoil 110 Proto shafts installed in Hogan PTx Pro iron heads. And to talk shafts and equipment for hours with Danny Le (UST Mayima) and Tyler Brewton (Ben Hogan Golf). The Friday night meet and greet featured a great interactive discussion with Danny about the performance, construction, materials, and history of graphite shafts. Both Danny and Tyler are really accessible and encourage any and all questions... an incredible opportunity to learn from the pros. Saturday and Sunday we hit the course to see what Recoil technology had to offer.
Tech Talk
UST Mayima Recoil
The Recoil 110 Proto F4 (stiff) with custom THP dancing ball logos are at first glance, obscenely good looking shafts. The satin black paint has a hint a texture and depth that really pops on its own. Custom THP graphics in neon green and white are pure THP radness. The combination with black DBM heads looks all business. I received 4-PW in with the 110 Proto's based on my response coming into The Challenge that my steel shaft was a Modus 120, and I guessed I might like something 110 weight. This was a popular shaft in this group, with all six of us playing 110 Protos.
On Course
This is my first foray into granite iron shafts, but I had been eyeing Recoils for several years. I think the technology makes a ton of sense. To say I was excited to get on course is and understatement!
Saturday's round on the Palmer was waterlogged and we started around lunchtime. Even with rain, I was immediately comfortable with the Recoils. I was able to find center and a tempo I liked on the first shot, and over the opening holes I hit a number of solid shots as I warmed up. Course conditions made for some less that perfect strikes and lots of mucky mudding, and I noticed here that I was getting less shock through the hands than with my steel shaft short wedges. I REALLY like feel on center strikes, in combination with the PTx Pro they are pure but with a hint of authority behind them.
Sunday was gorgeous on the Champion course, and and chance to get much more comfortable with new shafts. With more playing time, I was stoked that I was getting great feel during the swing and I was grooving with both the new Proto's and the PTx Pro well, as around the second hole I threw the new club learning curve straight out the window and started knocking down pins for the rest of the front nine. And that is probably the best testament I can give thus far, is that after an initial two rounds I love how they feel and flight the ball, I'm able to play my game with them, and can't want to play more golf with them. The 110 Proto seems to be a great fit for my swing as I had no trouble settling right in and being able to be confident with them. I am definitely looking forward to more playing time!
My clubs are on the way back from FLA, when they get here I plan to get some numbers on GC Hawk for comparison to my current gamers. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions about Recoil or impressions coming out of the weekend, feel free to ask!
Tech Talk
UST Mayima Recoil
- Graphite springs back 67% faster than steel. This is the origin of the Recoil name, so simple and yet so powerful. Faster springback in engineering terms is more efficient power transmission. (And I would bet that it has the potential to equate to better head feel when designed well…)
- Carbon fiber materials are available in many modulus values (stiffnesses). This makes it possible to build a shaft of similar profile at a wide variety of weights (i.e. 40-80g). Or, looked at another way, build a huge variety of profiles at the same weight. Different material stiffnesses and orientations allow the designer to place the right material exactly where needed to achieve the result.
- Steel is available in exactly one modulus, regardless of grade or heat treatment. This is a really important point. There is only so much you can do to move material around and tune the stiffness and overall weight of a steel shaft for this fundamental reason.
- Lighter weight shafts do not by their nature give up dispersion. Often a player will benefit from not fighting a heavier shaft and have better timing, CHS, plus center contact from a lighter shaft, and the materials provide the stiffness and torque to stand up to it (see point 2). It’s all about what works for YOU, and you might be surprised. To this point, Danny prefers 95g shafts, and his set will be given to a lucky THP’er shortly!
- SMACWrap – is a layer of vibration dampening material within the shaft that benefits golfers who struggle with off center strikes. It is available in lighter weights that also help generate clubhead speed.
- The V2 Proforce history and how it helped to put UST Mayima on the map along with some nostalgia of other great early shafts was fun to hear
The Recoil 110 Proto F4 (stiff) with custom THP dancing ball logos are at first glance, obscenely good looking shafts. The satin black paint has a hint a texture and depth that really pops on its own. Custom THP graphics in neon green and white are pure THP radness. The combination with black DBM heads looks all business. I received 4-PW in with the 110 Proto's based on my response coming into The Challenge that my steel shaft was a Modus 120, and I guessed I might like something 110 weight. This was a popular shaft in this group, with all six of us playing 110 Protos.
On Course
This is my first foray into granite iron shafts, but I had been eyeing Recoils for several years. I think the technology makes a ton of sense. To say I was excited to get on course is and understatement!
Saturday's round on the Palmer was waterlogged and we started around lunchtime. Even with rain, I was immediately comfortable with the Recoils. I was able to find center and a tempo I liked on the first shot, and over the opening holes I hit a number of solid shots as I warmed up. Course conditions made for some less that perfect strikes and lots of mucky mudding, and I noticed here that I was getting less shock through the hands than with my steel shaft short wedges. I REALLY like feel on center strikes, in combination with the PTx Pro they are pure but with a hint of authority behind them.
Sunday was gorgeous on the Champion course, and and chance to get much more comfortable with new shafts. With more playing time, I was stoked that I was getting great feel during the swing and I was grooving with both the new Proto's and the PTx Pro well, as around the second hole I threw the new club learning curve straight out the window and started knocking down pins for the rest of the front nine. And that is probably the best testament I can give thus far, is that after an initial two rounds I love how they feel and flight the ball, I'm able to play my game with them, and can't want to play more golf with them. The 110 Proto seems to be a great fit for my swing as I had no trouble settling right in and being able to be confident with them. I am definitely looking forward to more playing time!
My clubs are on the way back from FLA, when they get here I plan to get some numbers on GC Hawk for comparison to my current gamers. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions about Recoil or impressions coming out of the weekend, feel free to ask!
^^^ great write up there!!!!!!
Thanks for reading!
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
- Messages
- 74,780
- Reaction score
- 88,334
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Handicap
- 11.9
Shaping my initial thoughts from the two rounds I was able to get in with the Recoil shafts from last week. The white stuff on the ground here in the north is preventing any additional swings, until I can get to a heated range.
Looking forward to your thoughts
Too soon after The Graphite Challenge to be shopping for Wedge Proto shafts? ?
If you find them let me know. I still haven’t been able to find a pair. I have been thinking of just ordering custom.Too soon after The Graphite Challenge to be shopping for Wedge Proto shafts? ?
Nope, because I been looking around already!Too soon after The Graphite Challenge to be shopping for Wedge Proto shafts? ?
For those of you are may not be familiar, I was part of the UST Graphite Challenge which took place a little over a week ago. As part of the event, we were given Recoil shafts that Danny Le thought would fit us best based upon our then current steel shaft setups, with the opportunity to put them to the test at a world class golf course, PGA National. As an added bonus, Danny Le and JB threw in a special little surprise by adding some custom graphics to the shafts, making our sets 1 of 6 in the world, and in some cases 1 of 1 when considering the specs of our individual sets.
Over the last week I have been able to get these clubs out for some further real world evaluation, which included 2 range sessions and three rounds of golf, one of them being 27 holes straight through. I wanted to make sure that I was giving honest and fair feedback about these shafts, and not just fawning over something new and shiny. With all that said, here is a bit about be so you can have a context for my thoughts and reviews.
Current Handicap: 21.4
Swing Speed: 105 MPH (Driver Average)
Normal Ball Flight: Low-mid
Normal Miss: Low on the face, off the toe
Average 7 iron distance: 170 yards
Irons that I've Gamed Recently: Cobra King F9 OL with stock KBS steel shafts (stiff), TaylorMade P790 (first version) with True Temper DG 105 (s300) shafts
Below is a video of my driver swing, and I’ll add some videos of my iron swing as soon as I find some so that you have a clear picture of where I am as a golfer today.
View attachment IMG_8866.mp4
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. These shafts look fantastic. They are loud in all the good ways. Several people have asked me about them while I was at the range and on the course after the last week. Those who know clubs immediately recognize them as Recoils, but ones that they have never seen. Others who may not be quite as familiar with golf equipment ask me about what they are. They draw attention, without a doubt. I love taking about equipment and THP, so this aspect has been enjoyable for me. There is just something confidence building about knowing that you are going on course with something that no one else has. From the kid throwing my bag on the cart to the people with top of the line clubs, everyone wants to know more about these shafts, and I am more than happy to tell them all about my once in a lifetime journey to get them.
The shafts themselves are Recoil 110 Prototype F4 plugged into Ben Hogan PTx Pro Black iron heads. I have a lot of good things to say about the PTx Pro heads (as well as Ben Hogan Golf in general), and you can find those comments in the PTx Pro thread linked here. But I wanted to keep the focus of this review on the shafts themselves, because that is what they deserve. These shafts have a weight ranging from 107 to 110 grams (hence the name) and are designed for a low-mid ball flight profile and have a 0.355 taper tip. With over a dozen different Recoil shaft options, there is no doubt that a fitter can put you into a set that fits your needs. One question that came up a few times is the difference between the prototype and non-prototype version of the shafts, for instance a Recoil 110 vs. a Recoil 110 Prototype. Per Danny Le, the prototype version will have a stiffer profile and lower torque, but maintain similar launch and spin characteristics of the non-prototype model. If you thought that graphite shafts meant a whippy feel, then you need to try a set of Recoil Prototypes and eliminate those concerns. By layering graphite of different modulus and in various bias orientations, UST Mamiya is able to create a shaft that feels every bit as solid as a steel shaft, but with the performance gains that only graphite can offer.
Going into this event, I was concerned that I would struggle with a wider dispersion as a result of the graphite shafts. My only previous experience with graphite iron shafts was an old set of Nike Sasquatch Sumo 2 irons with the Nike flavored Diamana R flex shafts. Frankly, they felt like swinging a pool noodle. To my surprise, I saw a much tighter/straighter dispersion with the Recoil 110 prototypes on most shots, including my recurring toe miss. In fact, during my 27 holes of golf Saturday, I did not lose a single ball. I credit most of this to the shaft design maintaining integrity throughout my somewhat aggressive swing. Stated differently, I didn’t feel like I had to work as hard to get the shaft properly loaded with the Recoils, and as a result, my swing felt much more repeatable over the last week. Additionally, I found that these recoil shafts rewarded a smooth swing tempo, resulting in more center(ish) ball strikes with the club face and higher, more playable ball flight that was I was seeing in my previous set of steel shafted irons. While the shafts are described as a low-mid ball flight, I am seeing very playable ball flight shapes, especially in windy conditions. Part of this is a result of the higher stock loft of the PTx Pro heads, but a large part is also the shaft design characteristics.
One of my main hopes going into this was that the graphite shafts would give me some relief for my nagging tennis elbow, which has become increasingly prevalent and annoying in the last few months. Although some Recoil players have indicated that the Recoils have helped with arthritic pain issues, I was skeptical that I would experience similar results with respect to my elbow. After playing a repeated amount of golf this last week, and that coming off of several weeks of more golf, I can definitively state that the Recoils have helped my elbow pain beyond what I could have reasonably expected. On a 1 to 10 scale, I would describe my elbow pain as a 6 going into the Challenge weekend. As I am typing this today after 45 holes of golf and two warm-up sessions, my elbow pain is a shy 2. I again attribute most of this to the diminished vibration of the graphite shafts, and the confidence that I do not have to overswing in order to get the shot results I am aiming for. On well struck balls, I would describe the feel as “buttery”.
So far, I have been very impressed with the Recoil 110 Prototypes and their performance at this stage of my golf game. At the end of the day no shaft is going to magically fix a bad swing. But a shaft can certainly help you maximize the reward of a good swing, and that is exactly what the Recoils have done for me thus far in my initial experience with them. I will continue to play as much as my wallet allows (winter golf in Florida is expensive) and return with some more thoughts and impressions as I spend more time with these clubs. But as of now, I think these clubs will be in the bag for a while. ??️
Over the last week I have been able to get these clubs out for some further real world evaluation, which included 2 range sessions and three rounds of golf, one of them being 27 holes straight through. I wanted to make sure that I was giving honest and fair feedback about these shafts, and not just fawning over something new and shiny. With all that said, here is a bit about be so you can have a context for my thoughts and reviews.
Current Handicap: 21.4
Swing Speed: 105 MPH (Driver Average)
Normal Ball Flight: Low-mid
Normal Miss: Low on the face, off the toe
Average 7 iron distance: 170 yards
Irons that I've Gamed Recently: Cobra King F9 OL with stock KBS steel shafts (stiff), TaylorMade P790 (first version) with True Temper DG 105 (s300) shafts
Below is a video of my driver swing, and I’ll add some videos of my iron swing as soon as I find some so that you have a clear picture of where I am as a golfer today.
View attachment IMG_8866.mp4
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. These shafts look fantastic. They are loud in all the good ways. Several people have asked me about them while I was at the range and on the course after the last week. Those who know clubs immediately recognize them as Recoils, but ones that they have never seen. Others who may not be quite as familiar with golf equipment ask me about what they are. They draw attention, without a doubt. I love taking about equipment and THP, so this aspect has been enjoyable for me. There is just something confidence building about knowing that you are going on course with something that no one else has. From the kid throwing my bag on the cart to the people with top of the line clubs, everyone wants to know more about these shafts, and I am more than happy to tell them all about my once in a lifetime journey to get them.
The shafts themselves are Recoil 110 Prototype F4 plugged into Ben Hogan PTx Pro Black iron heads. I have a lot of good things to say about the PTx Pro heads (as well as Ben Hogan Golf in general), and you can find those comments in the PTx Pro thread linked here. But I wanted to keep the focus of this review on the shafts themselves, because that is what they deserve. These shafts have a weight ranging from 107 to 110 grams (hence the name) and are designed for a low-mid ball flight profile and have a 0.355 taper tip. With over a dozen different Recoil shaft options, there is no doubt that a fitter can put you into a set that fits your needs. One question that came up a few times is the difference between the prototype and non-prototype version of the shafts, for instance a Recoil 110 vs. a Recoil 110 Prototype. Per Danny Le, the prototype version will have a stiffer profile and lower torque, but maintain similar launch and spin characteristics of the non-prototype model. If you thought that graphite shafts meant a whippy feel, then you need to try a set of Recoil Prototypes and eliminate those concerns. By layering graphite of different modulus and in various bias orientations, UST Mamiya is able to create a shaft that feels every bit as solid as a steel shaft, but with the performance gains that only graphite can offer.
Going into this event, I was concerned that I would struggle with a wider dispersion as a result of the graphite shafts. My only previous experience with graphite iron shafts was an old set of Nike Sasquatch Sumo 2 irons with the Nike flavored Diamana R flex shafts. Frankly, they felt like swinging a pool noodle. To my surprise, I saw a much tighter/straighter dispersion with the Recoil 110 prototypes on most shots, including my recurring toe miss. In fact, during my 27 holes of golf Saturday, I did not lose a single ball. I credit most of this to the shaft design maintaining integrity throughout my somewhat aggressive swing. Stated differently, I didn’t feel like I had to work as hard to get the shaft properly loaded with the Recoils, and as a result, my swing felt much more repeatable over the last week. Additionally, I found that these recoil shafts rewarded a smooth swing tempo, resulting in more center(ish) ball strikes with the club face and higher, more playable ball flight that was I was seeing in my previous set of steel shafted irons. While the shafts are described as a low-mid ball flight, I am seeing very playable ball flight shapes, especially in windy conditions. Part of this is a result of the higher stock loft of the PTx Pro heads, but a large part is also the shaft design characteristics.
One of my main hopes going into this was that the graphite shafts would give me some relief for my nagging tennis elbow, which has become increasingly prevalent and annoying in the last few months. Although some Recoil players have indicated that the Recoils have helped with arthritic pain issues, I was skeptical that I would experience similar results with respect to my elbow. After playing a repeated amount of golf this last week, and that coming off of several weeks of more golf, I can definitively state that the Recoils have helped my elbow pain beyond what I could have reasonably expected. On a 1 to 10 scale, I would describe my elbow pain as a 6 going into the Challenge weekend. As I am typing this today after 45 holes of golf and two warm-up sessions, my elbow pain is a shy 2. I again attribute most of this to the diminished vibration of the graphite shafts, and the confidence that I do not have to overswing in order to get the shot results I am aiming for. On well struck balls, I would describe the feel as “buttery”.
So far, I have been very impressed with the Recoil 110 Prototypes and their performance at this stage of my golf game. At the end of the day no shaft is going to magically fix a bad swing. But a shaft can certainly help you maximize the reward of a good swing, and that is exactly what the Recoils have done for me thus far in my initial experience with them. I will continue to play as much as my wallet allows (winter golf in Florida is expensive) and return with some more thoughts and impressions as I spend more time with these clubs. But as of now, I think these clubs will be in the bag for a while. ??️
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Thanks for the great write-up BigDill. I appreciate write-ups like these after the events. It gives me real world knowledge about the equipment that the THPer's are winning and using. I'm not that well versed in shaft technology, so I like these reviews written by the average golfer, for the average golfer. Nothing against the fine reviews here on THP, but some of it is still well over my head! But i'm trying! I hope you keep enjoying the new sticks BigDill!For those of you are may not be familiar, I was part of the UST Graphite Challenge which took place a little over a week ago. As part of the event, we were given Recoil shafts that Danny Le thought would fit us best based upon our then current steel shaft setups, with the opportunity to put them to the test at a world class golf course, PGA National. As an added bonus, Danny Le and JB threw in a special little surprise by adding some custom graphics to the shafts, making our sets 1 of 6 in the world, and in some cases 1 of 1 when considering the specs of our individual sets.
View attachment 8915396
Over the last week I have been able to get these clubs out for some further real world evaluation, which included 2 range sessions and three rounds of golf, one of them being 27 holes straight through. I wanted to make sure that I was giving honest and fair feedback about these shafts, and not just fawning over something new and shiny. With all that said, here is a bit about be so you can have a context for my thoughts and reviews.
Current Handicap: 21.4
Swing Speed: 105 MPH (Driver Average)
Normal Ball Flight: Low-mid
Normal Miss: Low on the face, off the toe
Average 7 iron distance: 170 yards
Irons that I've Gamed Recently: Cobra King F9 OL with stock KBS steel shafts (stiff), TaylorMade P790 (first version) with True Temper DG 105 (s300) shafts
Below is a video of my driver swing, and I’ll add some videos of my iron swing as soon as I find some so that you have a clear picture of where I am as a golfer today.
View attachment 8915397
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. These shafts look fantastic. They are loud in all the good ways. Several people have asked me about them while I was at the range and on the course after the last week. Those who know clubs immediately recognize them as Recoils, but ones that they have never seen. Others who may not be quite as familiar with golf equipment ask me about what they are. They draw attention, without a doubt. I love taking about equipment and THP, so this aspect has been enjoyable for me. There is just something confidence building about knowing that you are going on course with something that no one else has. From the kid throwing my bag on the cart to the people with top of the line clubs, everyone wants to know more about these shafts, and I am more than happy to tell them all about my once in a lifetime journey to get them.
View attachment 8915395
The shafts themselves are Recoil 110 Prototype F4 plugged into Ben Hogan PTx Pro Black iron heads. I have a lot of good things to say about the PTx Pro heads (as well as Ben Hogan Golf in general), and you can find those comments in the PTx Pro thread linked here. But I wanted to keep the focus of this review on the shafts themselves, because that is what they deserve. These shafts have a weight ranging from 107 to 110 grams (hence the name) and are designed for a low-mid ball flight profile and have a 0.355 taper tip. With over a dozen different Recoil shaft options, there is no doubt that a fitter can put you into a set that fits your needs. One question that came up a few times is the difference between the prototype and non-prototype version of the shafts, for instance a Recoil 110 vs. a Recoil 110 Prototype. Per Danny Le, the prototype version will have a stiffer profile and lower torque, but maintain similar launch and spin characteristics of the non-prototype model. If you thought that graphite shafts meant a whippy feel, then you need to try a set of Recoil Prototypes and eliminate those concerns. By layering graphite of different modulus and in various bias orientations, UST Mamiya is able to create a shaft that feels every bit as solid as a steel shaft, but with the performance gains that only graphite can offer.
Going into this event, I was concerned that I would struggle with a wider dispersion as a result of the graphite shafts. My only previous experience with graphite iron shafts was an old set of Nike Sasquatch Sumo 2 irons with the Nike flavored Diamana R flex shafts. Frankly, they felt like swinging a pool noodle. To my surprise, I saw a much tighter/straighter dispersion with the Recoil 110 prototypes on most shots, including my recurring toe miss. In fact, during my 27 holes of golf Saturday, I did not lose a single ball. I credit most of this to the shaft design maintaining integrity throughout my somewhat aggressive swing. Stated differently, I didn’t feel like I had to work as hard to get the shaft properly loaded with the Recoils, and as a result, my swing felt much more repeatable over the last week. Additionally, I found that these recoil shafts rewarded a smooth swing tempo, resulting in more center(ish) ball strikes with the club face and higher, more playable ball flight that was I was seeing in my previous set of steel shafted irons. While the shafts are described as a low-mid ball flight, I am seeing very playable ball flight shapes, especially in windy conditions. Part of this is a result of the higher stock loft of the PTx Pro heads, but a large part is also the shaft design characteristics.
One of my main hopes going into this was that the graphite shafts would give me some relief for my nagging tennis elbow, which has become increasingly prevalent and annoying in the last few months. Although some Recoil players have indicated that the Recoils have helped with arthritic pain issues, I was skeptical that I would experience similar results with respect to my elbow. After playing a repeated amount of golf this last week, and that coming off of several weeks of more golf, I can definitively state that the Recoils have helped my elbow pain beyond what I could have reasonably expected. On a 1 to 10 scale, I would describe my elbow pain as a 6 going into the Challenge weekend. As I am typing this today after 45 holes of golf and two warm-up sessions, my elbow pain is a shy 2. I again attribute most of this to the diminished vibration of the graphite shafts, and the confidence that I do not have to overswing in order to get the shot results I am aiming for. On well struck balls, I would describe the feel as “buttery”.
So far, I have been very impressed with the Recoil 110 Prototypes and their performance at this stage of my golf game. At the end of the day no shaft is going to magically fix a bad swing. But a shaft can certainly help you maximize the reward of a good swing, and that is exactly what the Recoils have done for me thus far in my initial experience with them. I will continue to play as much as my wallet allows (winter golf in Florida is expensive) and return with some more thoughts and impressions as I spend more time with these clubs. But as of now, I think these clubs will be in the bag for a while. ??️
I am happy to answer any and all questions you may have to the best of my abilities. I think many would qualify me as average to below average at the game of golf. That said, my two rounds this weekend were 90 and 96, so that's trending down from my HC. Part of that was my ability to find the face of the driver again, but the major part of that were these clubs. Once I got the temp down, these shafts are so easy to hit.
Man these are gorgeous!
I need some Recoils in my life again! Heavy ones. 125 F4's or Protos. Time to pony up!
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2015
- Messages
- 7,872
- Reaction score
- 5,455
This is some great feedback here.For those of you are may not be familiar, I was part of the UST Graphite Challenge which took place a little over a week ago. As part of the event, we were given Recoil shafts that Danny Le thought would fit us best based upon our then current steel shaft setups, with the opportunity to put them to the test at a world class golf course, PGA National. As an added bonus, Danny Le and JB threw in a special little surprise by adding some custom graphics to the shafts, making our sets 1 of 6 in the world, and in some cases 1 of 1 when considering the specs of our individual sets.
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Over the last week I have been able to get these clubs out for some further real world evaluation, which included 2 range sessions and three rounds of golf, one of them being 27 holes straight through. I wanted to make sure that I was giving honest and fair feedback about these shafts, and not just fawning over something new and shiny. With all that said, here is a bit about be so you can have a context for my thoughts and reviews.
Current Handicap: 21.4
Swing Speed: 105 MPH (Driver Average)
Normal Ball Flight: Low-mid
Normal Miss: Low on the face, off the toe
Average 7 iron distance: 170 yards
Irons that I've Gamed Recently: Cobra King F9 OL with stock KBS steel shafts (stiff), TaylorMade P790 (first version) with True Temper DG 105 (s300) shafts
Below is a video of my driver swing, and I’ll add some videos of my iron swing as soon as I find some so that you have a clear picture of where I am as a golfer today.
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Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. These shafts look fantastic. They are loud in all the good ways. Several people have asked me about them while I was at the range and on the course after the last week. Those who know clubs immediately recognize them as Recoils, but ones that they have never seen. Others who may not be quite as familiar with golf equipment ask me about what they are. They draw attention, without a doubt. I love taking about equipment and THP, so this aspect has been enjoyable for me. There is just something confidence building about knowing that you are going on course with something that no one else has. From the kid throwing my bag on the cart to the people with top of the line clubs, everyone wants to know more about these shafts, and I am more than happy to tell them all about my once in a lifetime journey to get them.
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The shafts themselves are Recoil 110 Prototype F4 plugged into Ben Hogan PTx Pro Black iron heads. I have a lot of good things to say about the PTx Pro heads (as well as Ben Hogan Golf in general), and you can find those comments in the PTx Pro thread linked here. But I wanted to keep the focus of this review on the shafts themselves, because that is what they deserve. These shafts have a weight ranging from 107 to 110 grams (hence the name) and are designed for a low-mid ball flight profile and have a 0.355 taper tip. With over a dozen different Recoil shaft options, there is no doubt that a fitter can put you into a set that fits your needs. One question that came up a few times is the difference between the prototype and non-prototype version of the shafts, for instance a Recoil 110 vs. a Recoil 110 Prototype. Per Danny Le, the prototype version will have a stiffer profile and lower torque, but maintain similar launch and spin characteristics of the non-prototype model. If you thought that graphite shafts meant a whippy feel, then you need to try a set of Recoil Prototypes and eliminate those concerns. By layering graphite of different modulus and in various bias orientations, UST Mamiya is able to create a shaft that feels every bit as solid as a steel shaft, but with the performance gains that only graphite can offer.
Going into this event, I was concerned that I would struggle with a wider dispersion as a result of the graphite shafts. My only previous experience with graphite iron shafts was an old set of Nike Sasquatch Sumo 2 irons with the Nike flavored Diamana R flex shafts. Frankly, they felt like swinging a pool noodle. To my surprise, I saw a much tighter/straighter dispersion with the Recoil 110 prototypes on most shots, including my recurring toe miss. In fact, during my 27 holes of golf Saturday, I did not lose a single ball. I credit most of this to the shaft design maintaining integrity throughout my somewhat aggressive swing. Stated differently, I didn’t feel like I had to work as hard to get the shaft properly loaded with the Recoils, and as a result, my swing felt much more repeatable over the last week. Additionally, I found that these recoil shafts rewarded a smooth swing tempo, resulting in more center(ish) ball strikes with the club face and higher, more playable ball flight that was I was seeing in my previous set of steel shafted irons. While the shafts are described as a low-mid ball flight, I am seeing very playable ball flight shapes, especially in windy conditions. Part of this is a result of the higher stock loft of the PTx Pro heads, but a large part is also the shaft design characteristics.
One of my main hopes going into this was that the graphite shafts would give me some relief for my nagging tennis elbow, which has become increasingly prevalent and annoying in the last few months. Although some Recoil players have indicated that the Recoils have helped with arthritic pain issues, I was skeptical that I would experience similar results with respect to my elbow. After playing a repeated amount of golf this last week, and that coming off of several weeks of more golf, I can definitively state that the Recoils have helped my elbow pain beyond what I could have reasonably expected. On a 1 to 10 scale, I would describe my elbow pain as a 6 going into the Challenge weekend. As I am typing this today after 45 holes of golf and two warm-up sessions, my elbow pain is a shy 2. I again attribute most of this to the diminished vibration of the graphite shafts, and the confidence that I do not have to overswing in order to get the shot results I am aiming for. On well struck balls, I would describe the feel as “buttery”.
So far, I have been very impressed with the Recoil 110 Prototypes and their performance at this stage of my golf game. At the end of the day no shaft is going to magically fix a bad swing. But a shaft can certainly help you maximize the reward of a good swing, and that is exactly what the Recoils have done for me thus far in my initial experience with them. I will continue to play as much as my wallet allows (winter golf in Florida is expensive) and return with some more thoughts and impressions as I spend more time with these clubs. But as of now, I think these clubs will be in the bag for a while. ??️
I think moving to recoils is going to change your game.
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2013
- Messages
- 74,780
- Reaction score
- 88,334
- Location
- Ponte Vedra, Florida
- Handicap
- 11.9
So here we go with my initial thoughts on the 
Recoil 110 Proto Shafts. As a lucky participant of the Graphite Challenge I received a custom set of Recoil 110 | F4 Prototype shafts paired with the 
DBM PTx Pro irons. The minute my eyes gazed upon these shafts I was mind blown and in love!
The appearance & graphics hands down scream look at me. The matte black finish has asand blasted feeling, which I really like. The green labeling just pops and stands out which has people asking questions. That is one thing that I believe that UST has going for them that you can custom design your shafts. For the event we were paired with a profile similar to what we were gaming in steel shafts.
So prior to diving in I’d like to leave just a few details about me in general, what shafts I previously played and my overall game:
•Prior to the event I was playing KBS Tour FLTD 130 shafts in Cobra F6 irons
•Typical ball flight with driver & irons is a fade
•Handicap fluctuates between 7 and 11 and has been low as 4.1
•Tend to a have aggressive tempo with steep attack on the ball
As mentioned above @DannyLe put me into the Recoil 110 | F4 Prototypes. I have to admit that going into the event I had thought about gaming graphite shafts, but had the stereotype that they were for older aged golfers looking for lighter shafts. After reading up on the several reviews I thought it best to go in with an open mind and let me tell you I am so glad I did!
Friday night we were mind blown with knowledge bombs on the evolution of Graphite shafts and more importantly the technology & benefits of the Recoil brand.
Just a few comments from Friday night:
• Graphite shafts & more importantly the Recoil brand provide tighter dispersion.
• Graphite shafts tend to be more durable than steel shafts. If you were to look at your steel shafts you may find that they are slightly bent, this can happen after several rounds.
I could go on and on about the discussions that were had, but would rather get down to the nitty gritty of my thoughts on the few rounds I’ve played with them. Our Saturday round was in the rain and didn’t provide much insight into just what the Recoil shafts would bring. What I did notice is the stability I felt throughout the swing. My perception was that with graphite shafts I would feel more whip. That definitely was not the case and when compared with the steel shafts they felt as strong or stronger. What I immediately noticed was the ball flight I had, which in part could be attributed to the club head as well. However my typical ball flight with my irons is a low trajectory that tends to land with roll. Not the shot shape I look for or wanted. My first few shots into the green with my Recoil shafts had a mid to high ball flight that peaked then seemed to drop out of the sky on to the green. A much welcomed sight as I felt I could now stop the ball on the green and not fear running through the green. I can honestly say that I hit some great shots on Saturday.
Another aspect that i was looking for was a tighter dispersion both on good swings and miss hits. What I found both on the range and on course play that dispersion was tighter and on miss hits my ball did not stray to far from its target line.
In regards to distance I feel I am hitting the ball comparable to my steel shafts, however I feel I have better control over both my swing and ball flight. My confidence over the ball in the three rounds that I’ve had is amazing. Just put a good swing on the ball and the the shaft and club do the work. I’ve noticed that I have a more controlled tempo and seeing a smoother transition in my swing with less chunked shots.
Yesterday I got out for a quick nine and had the best iron striking day in quite some time. That fade I normally play was more of a straight ball with a hint of a draw. I found myself hitting my target and finding more greens allowing for more birdie putts.
In closing of my initial thoughts I like what I am seeing & feeling from the UST Mamiya Recoil 110 Prototype shafts. My stamina level late in the round is up whereas with steel shafts my swing felt fatigued and lazy. This in turn has resulted in better ball striking and scoring. While winter has arrived here in the northern state’s, I intend to continue to game these when I can, find indoor heated ranges & a place where I can get these on a launch monitor. I want data and the ability to compare these. If you all have questions definitely let me know and I will do my best to answer them. I will continue to add thoughts as they come up and will provide more details after my scheduled round tomorrow.
So long steel shafts and welcome Recoil!!!
Recoil 110 Proto Shafts. As a lucky participant of the Graphite Challenge I received a custom set of Recoil 110 | F4 Prototype shafts paired with the DBM PTx Pro irons. The minute my eyes gazed upon these shafts I was mind blown and in love!The appearance & graphics hands down scream look at me. The matte black finish has asand blasted feeling, which I really like. The green labeling just pops and stands out which has people asking questions. That is one thing that I believe that UST has going for them that you can custom design your shafts. For the event we were paired with a profile similar to what we were gaming in steel shafts.
So prior to diving in I’d like to leave just a few details about me in general, what shafts I previously played and my overall game:
•Prior to the event I was playing KBS Tour FLTD 130 shafts in Cobra F6 irons
•Typical ball flight with driver & irons is a fade
•Handicap fluctuates between 7 and 11 and has been low as 4.1
•Tend to a have aggressive tempo with steep attack on the ball
As mentioned above @DannyLe put me into the Recoil 110 | F4 Prototypes. I have to admit that going into the event I had thought about gaming graphite shafts, but had the stereotype that they were for older aged golfers looking for lighter shafts. After reading up on the several reviews I thought it best to go in with an open mind and let me tell you I am so glad I did!
Friday night we were mind blown with knowledge bombs on the evolution of Graphite shafts and more importantly the technology & benefits of the Recoil brand.
Just a few comments from Friday night:
• Graphite shafts & more importantly the Recoil brand provide tighter dispersion.
• Graphite shafts tend to be more durable than steel shafts. If you were to look at your steel shafts you may find that they are slightly bent, this can happen after several rounds.
I could go on and on about the discussions that were had, but would rather get down to the nitty gritty of my thoughts on the few rounds I’ve played with them. Our Saturday round was in the rain and didn’t provide much insight into just what the Recoil shafts would bring. What I did notice is the stability I felt throughout the swing. My perception was that with graphite shafts I would feel more whip. That definitely was not the case and when compared with the steel shafts they felt as strong or stronger. What I immediately noticed was the ball flight I had, which in part could be attributed to the club head as well. However my typical ball flight with my irons is a low trajectory that tends to land with roll. Not the shot shape I look for or wanted. My first few shots into the green with my Recoil shafts had a mid to high ball flight that peaked then seemed to drop out of the sky on to the green. A much welcomed sight as I felt I could now stop the ball on the green and not fear running through the green. I can honestly say that I hit some great shots on Saturday.
Another aspect that i was looking for was a tighter dispersion both on good swings and miss hits. What I found both on the range and on course play that dispersion was tighter and on miss hits my ball did not stray to far from its target line.
In regards to distance I feel I am hitting the ball comparable to my steel shafts, however I feel I have better control over both my swing and ball flight. My confidence over the ball in the three rounds that I’ve had is amazing. Just put a good swing on the ball and the the shaft and club do the work. I’ve noticed that I have a more controlled tempo and seeing a smoother transition in my swing with less chunked shots.
Yesterday I got out for a quick nine and had the best iron striking day in quite some time. That fade I normally play was more of a straight ball with a hint of a draw. I found myself hitting my target and finding more greens allowing for more birdie putts.
In closing of my initial thoughts I like what I am seeing & feeling from the UST Mamiya Recoil 110 Prototype shafts. My stamina level late in the round is up whereas with steel shafts my swing felt fatigued and lazy. This in turn has resulted in better ball striking and scoring. While winter has arrived here in the northern state’s, I intend to continue to game these when I can, find indoor heated ranges & a place where I can get these on a launch monitor. I want data and the ability to compare these. If you all have questions definitely let me know and I will do my best to answer them. I will continue to add thoughts as they come up and will provide more details after my scheduled round tomorrow.
So long steel shafts and welcome Recoil!!!
Coming from project x 6.5 in irons and 7.0 in wedges, im blown away at the 125 prototypes. Ive always been like most people who have the preconceived notion that graphite irons are for slower speeds...definitely not the case!!
My first 2 sessions on the monitor with these vs my other irons with PX, the recoil prototypes were more accurate. Im sure some can be swing related of course but there were no ugly/bad misses with these vs Project X. There is a much more consistent launch and spin with these. If we get a random nice day here in Chicago I cant wait to get these on the course
My first 2 sessions on the monitor with these vs my other irons with PX, the recoil prototypes were more accurate. Im sure some can be swing related of course but there were no ugly/bad misses with these vs Project X. There is a much more consistent launch and spin with these. If we get a random nice day here in Chicago I cant wait to get these on the course