Shaft fitting a new R9

This is just a heads up for folks that are going through a shaft fitting for a TM R9. Apparently TM has changed the design for the interface at the base of the shaft. It is longer now extending up farther into the shaft. If you have a new R9 your shop may only have inventory on the older interface and will need to get the new one in to make your shaft change. They may not have seen the interface on your club. You might want to highlight this for them so that they make sure they already have the parts they need for you or at least know to get them.

Is this the original R9/ R9 460/ SuperTri?

I'm not following you.The only thing I know is there are two different R9 Tips.The original and now the supertri tip. Both are interchangable with one another,the supertri version is a few grams lighter.Have to compensate with TLC weight changes.

If that isn't what you are referring to,then I don't know

You have it right BigLeftyinAz

My SuperTri was recently re-shafted. My fitter had to get a special ferrele, but I'm sure any reputable fitter won't have an issue with this

A reputable fitter is certainly not going to have any trouble getting the part nor making the change for you. However if he does not have the part in his inventory it may cost you an extra couple of days without your club. So, a simple mention of the fact that your club is a SuperTri while you are making the appointment (since it sounds like that is the distinction) may just save you that extra couple of days without your club.

Yeah, all I see is two different tips. We have both of them here for THP Demo Day and they both are completely interchangeable with each other. What do you mean by extending farther up into the shaft?

Not sure why a change would be necessary at all since they both fit either one. A couple of grams is all I am seeing with both.

I have not seen it yet JB but the fitter said that the ferrelle for that club (the SuperTri) extends farther up into the shaft. I have not gone back since leaving the club and was on the phone with him when he was describing it. If the ferrelle is a bit longer and they left the tip the same you would never see that from looking at the tip installed on the shaft. I am tempted to go down there on Monday just to see what the part looks like when it is not as yet installed.

jnug said:

I have not seen it yet JB but the fitter said that the ferrelle for that club (the SuperTri) extends farther up into the shaft. I have not gone back since leaving the club and was on the phone with him when he was describing it. If the ferrelle is a bit longer and they left the tip the same you would never see that from looking at the tip installed on the shaft. I am tempted to go down there on Monday just to see what the part looks like when it is not as yet installed.

Click to expand...

I can tell you that I have quite a few Project X shafts with both tips on them for testing. Never noticed a single difference and swap them both out all the time with the SuperTri and regular R9 heads.

When the fitter went to buy the part the supplier led him to the different part. Like I said I may just go down there on Monday for kicks. There is the chance that when TM did testing with the SuperTri head they recorded some additional torque against the shaft at that point and decided to go with a longer ferrelle in order to spread the energy over more length and gain some headroom against the possibility of breaking the shaft right there.

Comming from a hardware manufacturing background I know we would always engineer some headroom into our parts and that might be what happened here, particularely given the specificity to the SuperTri. I think TM is a darned good supplier so I would expect them to engineer in some headroom for a part like that if the numbers led them in that direction. Right now I only game their driver and fairway woods but at least for me they have been the best I have ever had. I know these things can be very subjective and I did not try everything before buying these but I am very happy with the performance of these clubs. The only problem I have with the contemporary fairway wood and driver has nothing to do really with TM. the stock shafts are really long, close to excessive for a guy that is only 5'6" to start with. I good deal of length is comming off the SuperTri in this shaft change to a Miyazaki (thank you THP for clueing me in to these shafts).

One thing I should say is that there are not many club fitters in this neck of the woods and it can be hard to see or even get things that you want. My local club fitter is the Mizuno guy. He has been doing this around here for over 25 years now and he is still just about the only place to go locally if you want to deal with someone that is going to do the testing, get the parts and build the clubs. He is a really nice guy, very hard working and dedicated to his craft. There are a few places around here that will custom order for you if you bring them in a set of specs but that is not really unusual.

Here are some pics.I personally haven't measured them,but they both appear to be same length.The supertri ferrule is larger and snaps over the adapter to look like one piece.You don't even need to use the ferrule,it's just cosmetics.
Supertri adapter and ferrule


Pic of supertri with ferrule installed

Original R9 with OEM ferrule

That is interesting. Wonder why they added it.