Iron Shafts from Steel to Graphite

OGputtnfool

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The biggest difference Ive noticed is that I hit the ball higher, longer and that the club overall feels lighter. Ive never noticed with newer shafts that graphite is whippier and honestly, if money were no object Id go graphite, no question.
My main thought is that you dont use steel shafts in your driver, FW or hybrids usually; so why is it a must that they be used in irons?

I have only recently (in the last 2 years of my golfing "life") started using graphite shafts in my driver and woods. I still use steel in my hybrids, irons, wedges, and putter. I'm contemplating moving to graphite after I got golfer's elbow last year. I hadn't played golf for 4-5 years and my elbow didn't hold up too well to 40ish rounds from April to July.

I'm probably going to be switching too. Though I haven't dealt with tendonitis in the past, I'm now having bouts of tennis elbow frequently. Though it's manageable at the moment, I certainly don't want to let it get to the point where it's debilitating, or have to be in pain, even if minor, after every round for that matter.

Tennis elbow or golfer's elbow? I had GE last year and I don't think its completely gone. Afraid it is gonna come back this year so I'm contemplating the move to graphite.
 
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I have a good buddy who made the switch because he had tendonitis really bad in his wrists and elbows. He swears that the new shafts saved his game as he wouldn't be able to keep playing thru the pain. He's a near scratch player and his scores and handicap remained the same.
 
I will switch to graphite iron shafts when I reached 53 years old.

Tour AD shafts are in my mind.
 
I've been back and forth with graphite. Every time I've gone to graphite the tennis elbow went away. I prefer the feel of the steel in my Ping G's (AWT made by Nippon) however at 68 will be going back to a heavy graphite with the extensive play in retirement. The AWT lasted the longest without pain I believe since Nippon makes one of the smoothest steel shafts.
My tennis elbow I'm sure has been exescerbated by hitting off of mats 2-3 times per week when the grass tees aren't open.
Some knowledgeable people believe the weight of higher weight shafts also cause tennis elbow.
 
I have seen first hand how recoils have improved a THP'ers ball striking. (CaptainCaution). It was noticeably better which is saying a lot since he only switched shafts not club heads. Graphite iron shafts are so much better than they used to be. A bit pricey but if elbow issues are part of the reason then might be well worth it. Also check out sensicore inserts if you have elbow issues. I have heard good things and yet I keep forgetting to order them when I change grips.
 
After suffering with golfers elbow for a season and a half I switched to graphite. I won’t be going back to steel anytime soon.

I’m under 40, fwiw.
 
I played graphite all last and will not switch back to steel in anything. Just much easier on the elbow that I have problems with.
 
After suffering with golfers elbow for a season and a half I switched to graphite. I won’t be going back to steel anytime soon.

I’m under 40, fwiw.

I'm 41. I think if I'd kept with the game and not taken the 5-6 year hiatus, I may have been fine. Now, I'm wondering if I should really switch. I love the Apollo Hump that I've been playing for years, but I just don't know if the elbow is gonna act up on me this year since I won't be going from 0 round/week to 3-4 rounds/week like I did last year.
 
I switched to graphite (recoils) 3 years ago and haven’t looked back. I was actually fit into them a couple years ago, they had the best dispersion of the types of shafts I tried (a few steel, aerofiber, and graphite).
 
I switched to graphite (recoils) 3 years ago and haven’t looked back. I was actually fit into them a couple years ago, they had the best dispersion of the types of shafts I tried (a few steel, aerofiber, and graphite).

I had been using graphite shafts for at least ten years, but somehow thought that my elbow/wrist issues had subsided enough to put XP85 steel shafts in my Cobra King OS irons. Five months (and elbow pain) later, I reshafted my irons with Recoil 95 shafts, and couldn’t be happier. The Recoils perform as well as steel, and my elbow pain has gone away.
 
I played 2 years with Steelfibers then last fall bought a used set of irons with steel shafts. Love the shaft but 20 games in elbow pain was back, full throttle. Steel shafts are gone and replaced with Recoils. Sticking with graphite going forward, no loss of distance (actually 5 yds longer) and dispersion just as good. BTW, I used the self acupuncture technique in the link below and next day, pain was gone. Worked for me, worth a shot.

https://youtu.be/4xfb3DS_tqA
 
I wanted to add something here, I used to thing Graphite shafts just couldn't perform as well as steel. I thought I was he-man or something, to the point I had hybrids and my 3w re-shafted in steel. After switching (and a fair amount of self-realization) I'm seeing the same or better dispersion with graphite and an easier to swing club. Just my 2 cents.
 
I'm going to graphite soon, also have tennis elbow and it's no fun.
 
Early on graphite iron shafts weren't great, the technology just wasn't there yet. New ballgame today though and it's getting better all the time. I switched to graphite iron shafts after being fit at ShaftUp last year and I'm not going back. I don't have elbow or shoulder problems either, sometimes I'll tweak my wrist, but that's me coming in steep. Even that's easier on me with graphite. The performance is easily on par or better than any steel shafts I've played, between those two factors I've made up my mind, sticking with graphite.
 
Having switched to graphite from steel, I can say I wouldn't go back if I can avoid it. The Recoils I have in my irons are amazing. Feel great, and my body likes them much better. I was starting to have some elbow pain last season playing steel, and I anticipate that being better this season. Graphite has come a long way, and isn't just a whip lightweight option anymore.
 
Having switched to graphite from steel, I can say I wouldn't go back if I can avoid it. The Recoils I have in my irons are amazing. Feel great, and my body likes them much better. I was starting to have some elbow pain last season playing steel, and I anticipate that being better this season. Graphite has come a long way, and isn't just a whip lightweight option anymore.

+1, though for me, it was hand and wrist pain. Good luck.
 
I've used graphite since 2007. My history is DGS300 and Rifle Shafts (both golfers elbow), then Nippon (helped with the pain), Aerotech Steelfiber i95, then i80 (pain gone), KBS wedge shafts (recurrence of golfers elbow), then Nippon Steel Wedge Shafts Pro Modus 3 105 (golfers elbow gone), then Recoil 95, now Mitsubishi OT75.

I believe fitted graphite irons may not add yards to your game, but you will enjoy relief from elbow and shoulder issues without detracting from performance.

Have Aerotech i80 in backup irons, Mitsu OT75 in gamers. I like the Recoils over Aerotech, just a tiny bit, because I think they offer a little more feel, slightly lower launch - but they are very similar if the flex in the Aerotech is adjusted to your swing.
 
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I'm going back to graphite at some point this year. I really need to hit up Club Champion and test some options. Love the Recoils but would also be interested in trying the AD DIs, Paedersons and one or two others. It's just a matter of time before graphite is ubiquitous in irons like they've become in woods and hybrids.
 
I've played graphite for the better part of 3 years now. since then technology and graphite offerings have evolved to offer the same level or performance/feedback as their steel shaft counter parts without all the wear and tear on the joints. I am currently playing the Steelfibers and really like the feel as these imo are as close to steel as you can get.
 
I'm bumping this thread to chime in and say that I never in a million years would have thought I would have considered changing from steel to graphite. But based on one swing with a graphite iron shaft at the Handcrafted event, that could change sometime soon. I'm not sure we can say anything about specifics yet, so I'll hold off, but my impression was that the shaft I'm talking about will be announced before too long.
 
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