Earlier this year, Nippon Shaft announced that they would be adding a sixth steel iron design to their lineup with the N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 110. THP covered that announcement thoroughly here, since then, we were able to get all three flexes installed and put through a thorough testing.
Spoilers? They blend seamlessly into the MODUS3 family.
You might be asking yourself, “but what makes them different?”, well, read on to find out.
Quick Take
The goal for the MODUS3 Tour 110 shafts was to bring a lighter weight design that could produce a stronger ball flight that helps prevent ballooning. Testing showed that across all three flexes, the new profile did just that. Controlled spin rates with a trajectory that works to its peak, perhaps not ideal for low ball hitters, but a potential breakthrough for those seeking to bring their flight down while also getting lighter in weight.
The Education Zone
In the world of steel iron shafts, Nippon sits at the top of the mountain when it comes to feel. This is in large part due to their history within golf as well as their expertise in steel. Although the N.S. PRO MODUS3 lineup recently celebrated 15 years in 2024, Nippon Shaft goes back much further than that, all the way to 1959.
That was when the brand was NHK Spring Co. LTD and they were manufacturing springs used in automobile engines which required incredible consistency and durability. With a foundation like that, it is no wonder that today Nippon is a leader in proprietary metals as well as heat treatments. Those two things being key within their development and continued evolution of N.S. PRO MODUS3 .
The Tour lineup has continued to grow, and for good reasons. Nippon believes in having something for everyone, and as the equipment evolves and trends in weight preferences take place, they innovate to make sure they have a fit for all. Those options are organized based on two categories under the MODUS3 umbrella.
First, the Tour 105, 115, and 125 fall under the “5” Series. All of these have what the company refers to as “traditional” EI curves. These are options which have similar curves and profiles to other shafts on the market, but still, each have their own specific design so that every option fits a different need. Then, there are the Tour 120, 130, and all-new 110 which make up the “0” Series where every option has a unique EI curve that is the first of its kind in the steel iron shaft realm.
As to the specifics about the Tour 110’s, they are aimed at the new era of golf. What does that mean exactly? Well, it seeks to produce an option for those who want to be part of the growing trend of putting lighter shafts into irons, but don’t want to give up an aggressive ball flight. In the past, to keep launch and spin under control with steel, you had to go heavier, but with the previously referenced new bend profile combined with Nippon’s metal expertise, the Tour 110 looks to be a solution. Does it deliver? Let’s dive in.
Nippon N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 110
When it comes to my personal iron game, I’m a pretty solid guinea pig to test out just what the design intentions of the new Tour 110’s. Overall, I’m a higher-ball hitter when it comes to irons, but, physically I no longer want to play anything on the heavy side of things. The issue there is in traditional fitting situations, the recommendations are consistently extremely stiff and heavy creeping into the old school 130g realm. So, everything which Nippon Shaft claimed about the Tour 110 certainly created a lot of intrigue.
When we received the N.S. Pro MODUS3 Tour 110’s in all three flexes for a closer look, the curiosity meter definitely turned up a few notches. Before we dive into the nuances of what was seen, all three sets were installed into the same Honma TW767 Tour V iron heads. They were all put into play outdoors as well as on monitor, the data was recorded with the 5, 7, and 9 irons to provide a broader picture of how each flex performed across the set.
You might be asking yourself, what exactly is the Tour 110 comparable to? According to Nippon, they essentially think of it as design pieces from the 120, 130, and 105 amalgamating to create this new design. Given that those are all very different profiles, it is an interesting thing to consider, then again, it does make sense considering the company has been adamant that there is nothing like this shaft out there.
The Data – N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 110
Before you dive into the data below, a word to the wise. My swing is not your swing, as a stronger swinger, it is no surprise that I saw more optimal numbers from the X for me, you may have a totally different experience, which is common when it comes to iron flex. The reality which many out there on the internet may not enjoy hearing is that the spin and launch of shafts of the same profile in different flexes are not going to have huge differences most of the time. Yes, you can get a degree and hundred or so RPM’s here and there, but this is why the data aspect cannot be the only thing you hang your hat on, which is tough in today’s golf world.
What the data doesn’t show you is the bigger part of the story. I have been able to work with and review several of the different N.S. Pro MODUS3 Tour designs over the years, and though the graphics are all the same, the performance of every one of them is different. The Tour 110 continues that trend. Immediately in hand, it is a weight realm I was comfortable with, and since the irons I tested them in previously had Tour 120’s in them, it was nice to validate.
Through the swing, there is all of the fluidity and connection that you would expect from Nippon, interestingly, they do not seem as active overall as the 120’s, this is likely due to the 110’s having a less drastic change in rigidity from tip to handle. There is a subtleness to the load and unload of each flex, though it is most noticeable under the hands which makes sense given it is softer there compared to the 120’s.
Yes, the data is likely to generate commentary on how similar they are, but each flex told a different tale in terms of ball flight. With my swing, the R saw the widest dispersion, and the biggest trend of right to left movement. As you might expect, the S lessened that, but not as much as the X which had the tightest dispersion circles. It is worth adding as well, the environment (wind) did exaggerate things at times on the course as expected, but all three were amply capable of being flighted as needed still.
The Details
What does it all mean? It means that the consistency within the new Tour 110 iron shafts makes them worthy of the N.S. Pro MODUS3 name. The fact that they were lighter but still kept a strong ball flight which was more flattened to the apex for this high ball hitter shows that they check all of the boxes which Nippon claims. Bottom line, they certainly fill a space within the lineup that is unique as well as forward thinking.
Nippon Shaft will be producing the N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 110 iron shafts in R (105g), S (110g), and X (115g) flexes and the shafts will have torque ratings of 1.8, 1.6, and 1.5 respectively. The shafts are currently available through licensed fitters and retailers worldwide.
For more information visit their website at nipponshaft.com.
