Loomis EPP Iron Shafts

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

Graphite golf shafts are reported to have been first introduced to golf in 1973. In the early days of graphite golf shafts some of the expertise in the graphite business was in the fishing rod business. And a few of those companies entered the golf business. One of those was G. Loomis, still a prominent brand of fishing rods.

Jeffery Meyer began designing graphite shafts with Aldila in 1987. He went to work for Gary Loomis as Director of Engineering in 1992 and the Loomis shafts he designed quickly developed a following on the PGA Tour. The company was sold to Aldila in 1996 and Jeffery went to work for Acushnet as Director of Golf Shaft Development and was later given the responsibility of developing Titleist’s metal woods. The Loomis brand is now back in the hands of Meyer Performance Composites. Loomis shafts are back, and the brand has Jeffery and Robert Meyer at the helm. Robert, is a professional player and a former tour rep. This video is my first meeting with Jeff Meyer at the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. The actual discussion went long beyond 30 minutes so I cut some of is out. I knew I had met a like minded individual as the discussion got very technical.

I did measurements of both the EPP 95 and the EPP Tour models. The shafts are made for Loomis by Mitsubishi. That got my attention. What really got my attention was the use of the Mitsubishi TiNi wire in the tip of the shafts. It was introduced many years ago in the light weight Bassara Griffin. It is now used in the KuroKage Silver and KuroKage Tour driver shafts. It is a highly elastic thread woven into the tip of the shaft. In designs with similar profiles, the TiNi wrapped versions have less loss of stiffness in the tip area resulting in lower launch and spin. This is the first I have seen it used in an iron shaft.

I created a process using my EI instrument that I call set certification. Every shaft in an iron set gets measured down its length in 2″ increments. The process identifies outliers, shafts that do not match the bend profiles of the rest of the set. Recent testing on graphite constant length taper sets have not been encouraging. What I have been seeing had me ready to go back to using parallel graphite shafts in iron sets. And if you knew me well you would understand just how much I abhor that idea. Knowing the Loomis shafts are made by Mitsibushi, and knowing how consistent the no longer available Fubuki AXi shaft was, I asked Jeff Meyer to send me one set of each of the EFP95’s to check. The following graphic are the set certification profiles. I LIKE what I see. If you are looking for premium graphite 95 gram iron shafts put the LOOMIS brand on your radar. These are consistent sets.

The graphics on the shaft are big and bold. If you do not like them in your face, you can simply install them label down. The back side in a pleasant solid silver completely neutral to the eye. I like it. There is no concern with orientation of these shafts, the radial consistency was 99.5% with a standard deviation of 0.1%. Summary, it does not get any better than that, these shafts are round.

My experience measuring countless sets of iron shafts has lead me to understand that you cannot compare iron shafts by simply looking at the 6 irons as many have traditionally done. Yes, the view of a single shaft in the set is a useful way to compare shafts, but irons sets are made with 8 different shafts. And they do not necessarily have the same bend properties throughout the set. “Flighted” was the descriptive term coined years ago with the Rifle brand. True Temper now coined a new word I like, “progressive launch”. And I am now revisiting the popular iron shafts in my database and adding measurements of the longest and shortest irons in the sets. As luck would have it, the Loomis 95 and the Tour models represent the two ends of this issue and illustrate why this is important.

The Loomis EPP 95 is a mildly progressive launch design. The wedge profile is ‘straighter’ than the 3 iron shaft. I discuss this at length in the article on Parallel Shafts. Not extremely so as some sets are, but you will get a higher launch in your long irons from the Loomis EPP 95. The mid 90 gram iron shaft is a weight range I find is a great fit for the average golfer. I am told the 125 version now in production will be much the same. The torque of both models is steel like. The 95’s are slightly low balance, the Tour’s slightly high balance.

That brings us to the Tour model. It is a radical design. All of the shafts in this set have identical bend profiles. They are discrete lengths, manufactured in discrete lengths. The weight descends in the set, with the weight ranging from 109 g wedge shaft to 118 g 3 iron shaft. Jeff Meyer had a set of the 90’s Loomis iron shafts sent to him and forwarded them to Golf Shaft Reviews for a comparison. The identical bend profile design is indeed the same as the the Loomis shaft of the 90’s. The bend profiles however are quite different. The 2015 Loomis Tour profiles is similar to what we currently see in composite irons shafts. The 1990’s design bears a resemblance to the KBS Tour V’s and the Nippon Modus3 130’s.

The idea is to create a set with a narrower butt frequency range that what is typical. I checked these with typical 3i, 6i and Pw heads at standard lengths and they do in fact exhibit that property. The butt frequency range is about half of what one would typically see. If you understand that stiffness and launch are interrelated, stiffer launching lower than softer on a good ball strike, you would then predict that the short end of the set in such a set would launch higher than a traditional build. And I am told that is indeed true.

Nippon N.S.Pro Prototype ST

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

A set of Nippon shafts from the tour became available labeled Prototype ST. I Though these might be an earlier tour only version of the Tour125 until I put them on the scale. The Prototype ST’s are 106 gram shafts, the Modus3 was missing form the graphics, replaced by the word Prototype. This design in on tour only. There is not yet a plan to release these to the golfing public. I have been told it is in play by a number of players. Lighter weight iron shafts are gaining broader acceptance in the tour community.

I measured the set to get a look at flighting on the design. The profile of the ST is very close to the N.S.Pro 1050. The flexural signature shows It is a little softer in the butt and stiffer in the tip than the 1050’s, tilted in such a way to slightly lower launch. The set is slightly flighted. At this weigh range, these could become a very popular shaft. The N.S.Pro 1050 was one of my fitting favorites. I regard this weight range as a sweet spot for many golfers. We could be looking at an update to the Nippon line, bringing the Modus style graphic to a very successful design. It got my attention and I dusted off the 1050’s and started actively fitting with them again.

Nippon Modus3 Tour 125 Iron Shaft

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

A new shaft, third in the Nippon Modus3 line released in the US in May 2015, it is available through Nippon Certified Dealers. I got my first look at two pullouts that were used at the PGA merchandise show two months ago. The profile was described to me as splitting the other two versions. The Modus3 profiles are unique. Nippon has put their substantial technical knowledge into the material and fabrication of these shafts. Here is a look at the profiles of the three shafts in the Modus3 family.

As I was told, the Modus3 125 sits between the other two designs. The radial quality of the samples were exceptional, 100%. Do not ever consider aligning these shafts, they are perfect.

The shaft is marked as shown in this photo. It will carry the logo System3 Tour 125. Cut to standard length it plays around 120 grams. Not your typical amateur weight these days. It sits on the high side of where I fit most golfers. It is tour quality stiff with a profile that looks much like a dynamic gold X, with a slightly stiffer tip. I am anticipating a propensity to launch low.

A quick look at the deflection curves shows the differences between the S flex modes of these shafts. Using the values of the sections of the shafts, we load the shaft mathematically to chart how it bends under both tip and butt loads. Butt loading occurs early in the swing, tip loading later.

This profile fills in the Modus3 family, extending the range of fit and feel to someone that has grown up with Dynamic Golds. The profiles of the Modus3 125 shaft at the ends of the set, the 3 iron and the wedge, show a small amount of flighting within the set.

Iron Golf Shafts – NIPPON N.S.PRO Zelos8

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

The Nippon Zelos line of light weight steel now includes an 80 gram model, the Zelos8. it has been exactly a year since I looked at the Zelos7. At that time I had not made the transition to looking at irons sets. I was looking only at 6 iron shafts. The graphic below shows the set images of the Zelos8 and the Zelos7. What we see is a moderate amount of “flighting” in the Zelos design. The longer irons have relatively softer, longer tip sections than the wedges.

The Zelos shafts were modeled after the Modus3 120. Long tip for first step. This creates a shaft with a soft mid zone in relation to the tip and butt. This design has been remarkably successful in the Modus3 120 which I am told has become the most popular shaft ever produced by Nippon.

The Zelos8 is another shaft born from the metallurgical expertise of NSK bearings. New alloys and annealing process create strengths in light weight steel shafts that have not existed in the past. Look at the hoop strength of the Zelos8 in comparison to the N.S. Pro 850.

It is designed to be a little higher launching as can be seen in the deflection graphic. Torque is exceptional in a light weigh shaft. That comes as no surprise in steel, but it takes superior prepreg and fabricaton to accomplish this in light weight carbon fiber.

The difference in the EI profiles of the 850 and the Zelos give us unique fitting options in this weight range. Most shaft companies offer a single iron profile in this weight range. Within the Nipon line the fully equipped fitter has two options, the lower launching 850 or the higher launching Zelos8.

If you find light weight iron shafts fit your strength and style be sure to test the Nippon Zelos family of iron shafts.

PING CFS Iron Shafts

von Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Übersetzung von Martin Stecher, aPerfectSwing, Nienburg

Als Clubfitter ist es wichtig die Schäfte zu kennen die man fittet und die in den vorhandenen Schlägern unserer Kunden sind. Ich habe vor kurzem einen Ping Eisensatz mit neuen Schäften versehen. So konnten wir die ausgebauten Schäfte messen.

Folgendes habe ich gemessen:

Um die Schäfte mit anderen Schäften auf dieser Seite zu vergleichen, die Steifheit im Griffbereich beträgt 12,9 lbs. Das Verhältnis vom Tip zum Butt ( Spitze zum Griffbereich) ist 56%, was auf einen mittleren Ballflug hindeutet.

Der Schaft ist ein parallel Schaft Design. Das kann man durch das leichtere Gewicht der kürzeren Schäfte erkennen. Bis zu einem gewissem Maß wird dadurch die Steifheit der Schaftspitze komprimiert. Das kann man anhand des Verlaufs der Schafthärte im mittlerem Bereich im Vergleich zum Griff- und Spitzenbereich erkennen.

Das ist ein typischer Satz, der aus identischen Schäften gebaut wird, die am Tip-Bereich gekürzt werden, um mehr Härte in diesem Bereich für die schwereren Schlägerköpfe der kürzeren Eisen zu bekommen.

Was ich bei weiteren Ping Eisensätzen gemessen habe ist, dass Ping sowohl ein sauberes Schwunggewicht im Satz baut und ebenso sehr dicht an einem MOI stimmigem Satz ist. Ich bedaure, dass ich diesen Satz nicht vor dem Schaftausbau vermessen habe. Das sich verringernde Gewicht der Schäfte im Satz trägt deutlich unterschiedlich zum MOI Wert des jeweiligen Schlägers bei. Das kann der Grund für Schwunggewicht und MOI abgestimmten Eisensätzen sein.

NIPPON N.S.PRO MODUS3

von Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Übersetzung von Martin Stecher, aPerfectSwing, Nienburg

Der Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 war bereits mehrere Jahre auf der PGA Tour im Einsatz bevor er der Allgemeinheit 2010 zugänglich gemacht wurde. In 2013 wurde die zweite Version, die auf der Tour im Einsatz war, in den Verkauf gebracht. Es gibt einige spezielle Eigenschaften dieser Schäfte. Zum einen wird eine Legierung verwendet, die sonst in Stahlfedern zum Einsatz kommt. Aber anstatt dass ich die Geschichte erzähle ist hier ein Video aus meinen frühen Tagen als Vidoejournalist zu N.S. Pro Modus 3 Geschichte.

Der Schaft wird im Bereich nach dem Griffende schnell weicher und hat dann einen langen steifen Tip Bereich. Der Schaft wird von mehreren Tour Pros gespielt, und hat seinen Beitrag zu vielen Turniergewinnen seit seiner Einführung 2010 getan. Er ist dabei mit einem Gewicht von 104 Gramm leicht. Das ist etwas, was viele Spieler suchen, und so hat Nippon diesen leichten High-Performance Schaft unter Verwendung der Materialien und des Fertigungs Know-How der Mutterfirma aus dem Automobilbereich, entwickelt. Hier sind das lineare und radiale Biegeprofil des Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 120 und 2013 erschienen Modus 3 130 zu sehen.

Der lange steife Tip Bereich im Nippon Modus 3 120 ist einzigartig bei Stahlschäften. Diese Biegekurve habe ich bisher nur beim ultraleichten Driverschaft der Mitsubishi G-Serie gesehen, aber nie in einem Stahlschaft. Ich habe unzählige Spieler mit niedrigem Handicap für den Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 120 Schaft gefittet. Dabei wurde die XX-Flex Variante auf Wunsch eines ehemaligen Weltrangliste #1 Spieler gebaut. Der Schaft ermöglicht einen mittleren bis niedrigen Ballstart. Der lange steife Tip Bereich hilft fortgeschrittenen Golfern mit dem Ball zu arbeiten. Mit diesem Schaft habe ich beim Fitting mit die konstantesten Trefferkreise gesehen. Der Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 130 hat einen höheren Ballstart. Sergio Garcia hat Ende der Saison 2012 den Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 gespielt. Suzann Pettterson hat 2013 die Lotte Championship in Ko Olina, Hawaii mit dem Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 120 gewonnen. Wir haben den Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 130 einem schnellen Test auf der PGA Merchandise Show unterzogen, und haben den aufgrund des EI Profils erwarteten höheren Ballstart gesehen. Der Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 130 ist 10 Gramm schwerer als der Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 120, ist aber kein 130 Gramm Schaft. Der Torque ist beim 130 etwas geringer als beim 120.

Nachfolgend ist ein komplett vermessener Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 120 Satz zu sehen. Die Rundheit und der Feldverlauf der Nippon N.S Pro Modus 3 120 Schäfte ist hervorragend. Wir haben viele Sätze vermessen und haben immer dieselben guten Messergebnisse. Die Konstantgewicht Taper Tip Sätze haben passende Biegeprofile, wie sie von Parallel-Tip Schäften nicht erreicht werden können.

Auf der PGA Merchandise Show 2013 hat DevotedGolfer.tv Author John Taylor mit Hiro Fukuda von NHK Intex Corporation/Nippon Shafts darüber gesprochen.

Nippon N.S.Pro Super Peening

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

I am in the process of rebuilding the Fit2Score shaft knowledge base with 3 iron and wedge profiles. Nippon sent a box full of review samples including the N.S.Pro Super Peening Orange and Blue. I had briefly looked at the Super Peening Blue wedge shafts in the past. They had been suggested as a wedge addition to my fitting system. Readers have asked several times about these shaft so I was interested in getting a full set of measurements of these samples.

The N.S.Pro Super Peening shafts are no longer shown the the Nippon brochures. I had to find a 2008 catalog to see how Nippon presented the shafts. The descriptions there were brief, and the terms used to describe the shafts Orange = Mid Kick Point and Blue = Butt Kick Point brought me back to a time when I was taught to think about shafts with those terms. We were taught back then that the higher the kick point the lower the shaft would launch. My exploration of EI profiles vastly expanded my understanding of a golf shaft beyond things like kick point and frequency matching. As I looked at the measurement of these two shafts I realized they are good examples to discuss the nature of 3 point EI profiles.

The ‘mid kick’ Orange has a steeper EI curve than the ‘butt kick’ Blue. This is how one can see the launch propensity of a shaft by simply looking at the EI curve. Also, the Tip to Butt ratio indicates launch. The Blue, lower launching design has a higher number, the tip stiffness is a larger percentage of the butt stiffness. That means there is less change of stiffness between the butt and tip of the shaft. The smaller the change, the lower the launch propensity of the shaft.

Look at the Profile Signatures, there is a greater loss of stiffness in the ‘mid kick’, higher launching Orange than the ‘high kick’, lower launching Blue.

EI curves are a refined view of launch propensity. Look again at the profile signatures. The 3 iron shafts lose more stiffness near the tips than the wedge shafts from the set. A fitter that knows the profiles of the shafts he works can quickly make fitting decisions based on his knowledge of the shafts. He has a fundamental understanding of the shafts he is presenting during your fitting.  As you read iron shaft reviews here in the future, set profiles will be discussed.

Most sets are ‘flighted’ to some degree. The shorter irons are not just stiffer, they are often designed, either intentionally or as a byproduct of material or structure, to, in legacy terminology, have ‘higher kick points’. And as a result, a propensity to launch the ball lower.

As I transition the iron shaft section of the Fit2Score software from a simple view of comparing 6 irons to the expanded view of sets I asked myself why iron sets had not always been presented this way to the club building community. It was through my involvement with PCS that I first encountered the concept of shaft profiling using frequency instruments. As I asked myself the question, why 6 irons and not sets, I answered it. The frequency system with a 454g tip weight could not measure tip stiffness commonly seen in the short end of the golf shaft iron sets. This was quickly confirmed by one of our editors, John Dranschak earlier today. As instrumentation and technology evolve, the systems we use to understand golf gear do likewise. Understanding iron shafts by looking only at 6i shaft profiles is better than not knowing anything about shaft bend profiles. But the expanded view of looking also at the long and short end of the sets is an essential tool in iron set fitting.

As I measured these shafts I compared them to the  Modus3 product line. I just published a review of the new Modus3 Tour 125. I quickly realized ihe Modus3 Tour 125 is so similar to the Super Peening Blue, it is hard to tell them apart. While they are both designated 125g shafts, the new metallurgy used in the Modus3 shafts resulted in the same shaft about 5 grams lighter. All else is virtually identical. If you played the Super Peening Blue in the past, you should be accustomed to the feel and performance of the new Modus3 Tour 125.

Mesure d’un Shaft de Golf

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Translation by Herve Francillon, BackSpin Fitting, Draguignan, France

Il y a plusieurs années, j’ai appris le terme ‘EI’ par des ingénieurs spécialisés dans la conception des shafts. La machine permettant la mesure d’un profil atteignait environ 10K $ et donc pas accessible à tous. Pas même tous les fabricants de shafts avaient cette instrument. Cela a pris 2 années pour construire la première machine. Ce site vous montre les mesures prises avec cette machine de chez Fit2Score.

Après plusieurs années d’utilisation, j’ai décidé de redessiner et améliorer cette instrument de mesure. La version 7 est maintenant disponible. L’animation dessous vous montre le cycle d’une mesure d’un shaft.

Dans cette dernière version, l’outil de mesure a été repositionné pour améliorer la précision et la répétition des mesures. Le guidage du poids est maintenant assuré par des broches incorporées. La plupart des pièces de cette nouvelle version ont été améliorées. Le système de centrage du shaft permet maintenant à ce que le shaft tombe naturellement en position de mesure pour une lecture plus rapide.

Un outil permettant la mesure de la déformation a été fabriqué. Il centre le shaft sous la presse de 11 kg pour mesurer la déformation au 1/1000°. La nouvelle base de données des shafts pour driver inclue maintenant 7 points de mesure de la déformation relevés sur toute la longueur du shaft. Cela apporte une autre donnée permettant une compréhension d’un shaft. La déformation sera maintenant inclue dans ce site.

La machine est maintenant disponible pour 2200$. Un programme Excel est fourni pour rassembler et analyser les différents profils de shafts. Vous avez la possibilité d’acheter toute la base de données existante de tous les shafts mesurés présents dans ce site. Si vous êtes intéressés par cet outil indispensable au fitting, contactez Russ à  russ@fit2score.com.

Fujikura Speeder Pro Driver Shaft

Russ Ryden, Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

Fujikura adds a Diver model to the Pro lineup, the Speeder Pro in 2015. I like the graphics on the Fujikura Pro Golf Shafts. The roll over from positive to negative on opposite sides of the shaft is great shaft art. The Pro line is available only through Fujikura charter dealers. This line of shafts is unique, within the line are 4 different profiles, each tuned to a particular swing type. That is an important aspect to understanding this shaft model.  Overlaying all the profiles is a confusing matrix. Sorting them as shown in the graphic below into their weigh groupings reveals the product strategy.
Radial consistency of the review samples was excellent, averaging 99.2% with a 0.5% standard deviation. The shaft can be installed in a rotating hosel with no concern about alignment.
words. As you can see there are 4 different profiles in the Fujikura Speeder Pro driver shaft. The TS versions of both the 66 and 76 are designed to reduce launch for the more skilled ball striker.

The Speeder Pro uses high density material in the butt section to raise the balance of the shaft. That is seen in the positive numbers in the chart above. Balance numbers shown here are relative to the center of the shaft. A positive number is a balance toward the butt, a negative number toward the tip. These points are about as high I we see in current production. And as seen in the graphics and explained in the discussion with Alex, this was done without excessively stiffening the butt section of the tip. This was further aided by using high modulus material in the tip of the shaft. This created adequate tip stiffness without adding wall thickness and weight. All this speaks to the technology now being used in golf shafts.

Lets here what Alex Dee, from Fujikura has to say about these shafts. This is a segment of a 30 minute conversation about club fitting in general and about the 2015 Fujikura Shaft Models.

To see the entire discussion with Alex, click here.  Not shown in the numbers presented here. The Speeder Pro has a slightly larger butt than we typically see. These will make the grips a little larger. Something I find enhances the consistency of most golfers. Larger grips make it easier to hold on to the shaft.

If you are interested in this shaft, find a Fujikura charter dealer near you.

Ajuster la Rigidité d’un Shaft par ‘Soft and Hard Stepping’

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Translation by Herve Francillon, BackSpin Fitting, Draguignan, France

Soft step est le terme employé pour parler du changement de flex sur un shaft conique en ajustant la rigidité d’une série de fers en décalant le shaft utilisé tout au long de la série. Par exemple, un shaft de fer 8 est utilisé dans une tête de fer 9, le shaft de fer 7 dans la tête de fer 8 et etc… Hard step est simplement le contraire, utiliser un shaft de fer 9 dans une tête de fer 8, un shaft de fer 8 dans une tête de fer 7. Cette pratique peut être réaliser avec des caractéristiques et des longueurs de shafts bien particulières.

Quand on regarde les différents sets de shaft, on peut remarquer 2 designs différents. Les profils identiques poids/flex et le profil ‘True Temper’. Il est plus facile de regarder ça sur des diagrammes de rigidité. Le premier montre le KBS Tour en X, S et R. Les profils sont identiques et changent simplement par rapport à leurs flex et leurs poids. La plupart des shafts True Temper ont des profils différents. Les tips ne sont pas seulement plus souple mais plus long sur les shafts en Régular. Les tips deviennent à la fois plus rigides et plus courts pour du Stiff et de l’Extra stiff. Sur un shaft comme le KBS, un stiff est simplement un peu plus lourd et un peu plus rigide que le régular. Dans le modèle Dynamic Gold, le profil entre le stiff et le régular est clairement différent.

Maintenant jetons un coup d’oeil à ce qu’il arrive quand on décide de changer la rigidité avec un soft ou hard step et comparons.

Toujours pour exemple un KBS Tour. Soft step en utilisant un shaft de fer 5 pour un fer 6 rend le shaft environ 1/3 plus souple. Utiliser un shaft de fer 4 pour un fer 6 rendra encore 1/3 plus souple la rigidité pour se rapprocher du Régular. Le poids lui varie que très peu avec cette méthode. Un shaft KBS tour Stiff 120 grs reste à 120 grs alors que la rigidité ressemble à un Régular d’un poids de 110 grs.

Maintenant observons le même diagramme pour un shaft True Temper XP105. On voit le même changement que ce soit un hard ou un soft step. Un léger changement de la rigidité générale du shaft. Cependant, quand on regarde le shaft en Régular on voit qu’il avait un profil radicalement différent.

Fitter un shaft de Type True Temper Dynamic

Dans la perspective d’un fitting le profil du shaft nous donne une nouvelle compréhension pour fitter un de shaft de chez True Temper. Un ajustement avec un Hard ou soft step a un petit effet sur la rigidité et le vol de balle. Un ajustement fait avec le flex a un effet important sur la rigidité et le vol de balle. Pour obtenir un fitting de précision il est important de travailler avec un fitter susceptible d’offrir des options de soft & hard step sur différent flex.

 Iron Golf Shafts – KBS TOUR V

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

When we get back to back wins 2013 in the Scottish Open and the British open the shaft in the bag of the Phil Mickelson gets a lot of attention. Well, it turns out it was it a tour prototype that is now available. It is an unusual profile for steel but not unique. Here is a look at the KBS Tour V which now is the stock steel shaft in the 2014 Callaway Apex Pro Irons. It has a long handle, every so gently declining in stiffness until the about 14″ from the tip. Then it declines rapidly. I have heard Kim Braly refer to the design as ‘fast tip.’

It is noteworthy to mention that the stock graphite in the 2014 Callaway Apex Pro is the UST Recoil. An interesting choice of premium shafts, in a classy players design iron head.

This is a new design for KBS, lets take a closer look by comparing it to the other KBS designs, the KBS Tour and the KBS C-Taper. 

Looking at the EI profile on its own, one is tempted to say it is tip soft.  But when we compare the profile to other KBS shafts of the same stiffness, the tip stiffness is about the same.  The butt stiffness is about the same. The mid section of the shaft is stiffer. And that brings to mind the research done by Ralph Mann and UST. They concluded that the order of importance in a golf shaft design was tip, mid, torque, butt. And the latest series of driver shafts from UST, the Elements, have hyper stiff mid sections.  So, why not use this design in an iron shaft. This is radically different from traditional designs, but not so radically different from some other recent designs.  Sergio has been using a similar design in the Modus3 Tour130 and has had a string of tour success in the 2013 season.

Using our new modeling software to create deflection illustrations from the EI curves, this design reveals a tendency to create a lower launch than other KBS Designs. I applied a high load to create this much deflection for the illustration. You can see how much less deflection and tip angle this design creates.
I am now in the final stages of preparing the hybrid-iron-wedge Fit2Score shaft profiling system for release to subscribers. Combining these three sections into one package opened up the ability to display set profiles. The traditional way club builders compared irons was to look at only the 6 iron shaft. That overlooks what was called ‘flighted’ sets by Royal Precision. So as I prepare the software, I am adding both the 3 irons and the wedge shafts to the knowledge base. The club fitters and builders using the Fit2Score software can see which iron sets are flighted and which are not as well as the degree to which they are flighted. What you see here is the raw unenhanced profiles of the KBS Tour V sets. What you are seeing is an example of sets that show no flighting. The wedge shaft and the 3 iron shaft have much the same bend profile. The wedge shaft is uniformly stiffer down the entire length of the shaft. All future reviews here will discuss this aspect of iron shaft sets.

Within the golf club fitting and building community there are now three methods to understand bend profiles of shafts. A future technical article will discuss the history and methods of the systems. The 3 point bend system used in these reviews is classical textbook engineering for beam measurement. It is the language spoken by the vast majority of golf shaft designers and engineers. That is why I built the Fit2Score software around this measurement methodology.

I tested a review sample installed in a Miura CB-501 on the range and was surprised at how tight my ball flight dispersion was. I had expected more variation from the soft tip. That was not the case, the balls were flying true despite a heavy cross wind the day I was testing. As with any golf shaft, you will not know if it is right for your swing without testing it.

Project X Loading Zone Driver Shafts

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

The Project X LZ, or loading zone shaft features a linear soft zone in the middle of the shaft which is visibly reinforced with bias wraps to maintain torsional stability. This 2014 composite driver shaft from True Temper, released under the Project X brand, is made in limited numbers in the USA facility in San Diego California. I am told only 60 or 70 can be made in any given day with current staffing.

This is an interesting option now being offered by a few companies. The general golfing public has access to the shafts that are made in the tour department for the tour players. Most graphite shafts are hand rolled. As such, the care taken by the person putting the shaft together is reflected in the quality and consistency of the finished shaft. Almost every company has some highly skilled wrappers that make their prototypes. And very often, when these people are not making protos, they are making the shafts that go to the professional tour vans. These shafts are not necessarily better than the shafts made in the volume production shops, but they are free of the shaft to shaft inconsistencies found in the factory produced product. And I have seen some inconsistencies that are hard to believe from the high volume, low cost foundries, but that is another story.

The concept of the Load Zone was to create a soft midsection in the shaft. Mid soft shafts are among the most popular shaft in my fitting experience. No shaft company likes to hear a section of their shafts being discussed as soft. If you make the tip stiff and the butt stiff, the mid is soft in relation to those other two zones. In the Project X Loading Zone shaft, the soft mid section is reinforced by a material called flex lock. That is graphite fiber oriented on an angle from the length of the shaft, commonly refereed to as bias or hoop plies. This stabilizes the torque in this zone. A full discussion of the design is shown in the videoed discussion I had with Don Brown, the True Temper graphite shaft product development manager.

Radial integrity averaged 99% with a 0.6 standard deviation. These shafts can be oriented in any direction in rotating hosels. The Loading Zone shafts are counterweighted, with high balance points. A good match to the bling heavy driver heads that dominate the 2014-15 market. The GJ torque profiles were linear. The soft mid zones, stabilized with the flex lock material did not exhibit a significant drop in torque from the zones closer to the butt of the Project X Loading Zone Shafts. As shown in the averaged EI profiles, the shafts could be sorted into three distinct design groups. Sorted by flex, not illustrated, the position of the loading zone is centered across the 50, 60 and 70 g versions. Sorted by weight, the loading zone moves toward the tip and gets shorter as the stiffness increases. This is very interesting matrix of shafts for the fitter working with a client that fits into a mid soft design driver shaft. it illustrates the importance of working with a fitter that ‘knows’ the EI profiles of the shafts he works with.

This is an interview shot at the 2015 PGA merchandise show in Orlando. Don Brown is the Graphite Shaft Product Development Manger for True Temper Sports. The discussion of the Loading Zone Shafts gets technical. Many readers of this site tell me they do not understand some of the graphics and discussions in my reviews. What you see in this video is a discussion using the terms you see on this shaft review site. Enjoy!

FlightScope Monitoring
Project X Hand Crafted Loading Zone Driver Shafts

The images to the left are FlightScope acceleration charts. FlightScope radar tracks the clubhead as well as the golf ball. The head is picked up about 45 inches from impact. The FlightScope operator is presented with a large array of information to use in the club fitting process. I pay close attention to the stability and repeatably of the acceleration chart. We can see the hump in the chart, release, shifting further away from impact as the weight of the shaft increases. The combination of increased stiffness from the additional weight and the weight induced change in release manifested into a change in launch angle. The table below shows how this influenced ball flight.

Weight of the shaft and weight of the club head are key components of golf club fitting. Your sweet spot, the weight that creates the most stable speed and path can only be found by a fitter equipped with shafts and heads in various weights.

In this and future reviews we will be looking at deflection of the shaft derived from the EI profile. By looking at tip loading we see how the shaft bends from the weight of the head magnified by its speed and acceleration. The butt loading deflection shows how the shaft bends from the force applied at the handle. The 50 gram shafts are significantly easier to load from the butt. The 60 and 70 have much the same butt loading character, differing more at the tip, where the 70 gram shafts, designed for higher speeds have more tip stiffness and a lower launching propensity.

Graphite Design Tour AD Hybrid

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

The Graphite Design Tour AD Hybrid is the second hybrid shaft released in 2015. It follows the YS Reloaded, the YS has long been one of my favorites. The Tour AD HY is the fourth version of the Tour AD hybrids, but it is the first I have reviewed. Like most, my primary focus is driver shafts, then iron shafts. The hybrid in recent years is seen as an extension of the iron set. The early hybrids, were too long and did not gap properly into most golfers bags. Over the last few years the trend has moved toward shorter shafts lengths and a view toward integrating the gapping of the set from the longest irons you can hit well into hybrids. Most sets I build recently contain 2 or more hybrid style heads, both traditional hybrids as well as driving irons.

When do you take that step, breaking away from your iron set and blending in a hot faced driving iron or launch enhancing hybrid head. Its a simple answer actually. When you see your gaps collapse its time to get the next longest club built in a way to maintain consistent gapping between clubs. And there are many ways to do that which extend beyond the scope of this reviews. One aspect of getting more club head speed and higher launch is changing to a lighter, higher launching shaft. This is where we enter to world of hybrid shafts.

Higher launch is easy, make the tip softer. All to often, especially in stock shafts, this comes with higher tip torque. I have been playing exotic carbon fiber, low tip torque shafts for a very, very long time. The problem is this realm is the gag reflex I get from most golfers when they learn that a great hybrid shaft can be more than what they typically see hybrid clubs sold for. The Graphite Design Tour AD HY is one of those exotics, retailing at $175 uninstalled. Is it worth it?  Time after time, when I finish the fitting objective I am working on with a client I hand them my hybrid and ask them to try it. And time after time, the reaction is the same, the OMG moment. Then sticker shock.

A properly fit, high quality hybrid shaft is a long term investment. You might change heads as head technology evolves, but that properly fit hybrid shaft stays with you and moves into the next head. In my bag, that pair of hybrid shafts have been with me for going on 8 years.

What is special about a great hybrid shaft? Three aspects, high launch propensity, tip stability and weight. I will discuss each of these as it relates to the Graphite Design Tour AD HY measurements shown here.
Before I explain the graphics, a few notes, the radial consistency of the Graphite Design Tour AD HY averaged 99.1% with a 0.5% standard deviation. The shaft is round and can be used in rotating hosels. The EI profiles are consistent with variations in weight and flex, making them easy to fit. You simply find the weight and flex that fits, you do not have to be concerned that a different weight or flex is a different bend profile. These are first class shafts with consistent quality.

Launch Propensity
Launch contributes to gap collapse at the long end of the iron set. The ball gets on the ground to soon and potential distance is lost. The solution is to add loft to the head or use a shaft with a higher launch propensity. The EI curve and the tip to butt ratio indicate launch propensity of a shaft. The higher the tip to butt ratio, the stiffness of the tip divided by the stiffness of the butt, the lower the change in stiffness from butt to tip. Think of this as the difference between the stiffness of the tip and the stiffness of the butt of the shaft. Generally, the larger this ratio, the more the shaft will contribute to launch.  A 50% ratio will launch higher than a 60% ratio. Where that loss occurs can be seen on the EI curve. If the loss is closer to the tip, the launch propensity is higher. The Graphite Design Tour AD HY is a higher launching design. And resembles the very popular Tour AD DI driver shaft. The loss of stiffness is smooth to around 12″ from the tip, where it gets stiffer.

Tip Stability
Look at the tip torque numbers in the charts on this site. When you look at steel iron shafts, even light weight shafts like the KBS CTaper Lite, you will see very low tip torque numbers. Steel shaft tip torques, which I measure at 17″ from the tip, are generally in the 1.0 to 1.5 range. Ultra light steel, like the Nippon Zelos7 has tip torque of 2.4 in its lightest, softest model.  In my experience, the great hybrid shafts have low torque tips. And the Graphite Design Tour AD HY, with tip torques below 2.0 qualify on that scale. They will deliver the head where you direct it. They will keep toe rotation under control as you approach impact. I had no problems creating tight dispersion clusters when I tested the 95g S.

Weight
Club head speed is a major factor in distance. As your clubs get longer, speed is expected to increase. If this is not happening, the distance gaps collapse. Weight is a huge factor in creating speed, if you cannot control the weight you cannot swing fast. Energy = Mass x Velocity Squared. Club head speed creates distance. To the degree that a decrease in weight increases your swing speed the ball will go farther. When we change from our standard irons to hybrids, the shaft weights drop. That drop in total weight of the club contributes to speed and distance. However, shaft stiffness is a function of weight. If we give up adequate stiffness with light weight we gain distance at the expense of dispersion. There is a compromise. The weight of the Graphite Design Tour AD HY ranges from 63 to 92 grams. If you are playing 105 – 115 gram steel in your irons, you can get an adequate weight reduction with the 95’s and still maintain enough stiffness to control dispersion. And if you cannot control the 95 gram version of the Tour AD HY when you swing hard, you should be playing light weight steel in your hybrids or driving irons.

The Graphite Design Tour AD HY gets the three aspects of a great hybrid shaft, launch, tip stability and weight right. With my effortless 82 mph swing on a 39″ long 19 degree hybrid I was hitting green size groupings at 185 yards with the 95S. That was not the perfect head loft for my speed, but was a good test of the stability of this shaft.  I play 110 gram iron shafts, the change in club weight due to the shaft in my bag is 15 grams. Adequate for me to get the gapping I need.

While the range of profiles we see in carbon fiber driver shafts is diverse, the range of designs in the Hybrid shafts is much more homogeneous. There are a few exceptions, but a great number of designs are close matches to the two Graphite Design Hybrids I have now reviewed. The YS+ which is now the YS Reloaded and the Tour AD HY have very similar bend profiles. The YS+ has always been one of my favorites. Looking at the bend profiles, the differences are indeed subtle. The tip to butt rations indicate the HY will launch higher than the YS. And my testing confirmed this. Spin on the YS was significantly lower than the HY even considering the degree of launch difference. That was created by the higher point on the YS shaft where the maximum loss of stiffness occurs. As you look at EI bend profiles and see a long stiff tip on the YS, you are seeing a shaft that create less spin. That may or may not be a good thing. If you are looking for drop and stop shots, high spin is a good thing. If you are looking for bounce and roll, it is not. If you are looking for a hybrid to properly fit your game, find a fitter that understands the differences between shafts and is equipped with a range of options for you to test.

Shaft Fujikura Speeder Pro

Russ Ryden, Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Traduit par Herve Francillon, BackSpin Fitting, Draguignan, France

Fujikura a ajouté un nouveau Driver dans sa gamme Pro, le Speeder Pro en 2015. J’aime le nouveau design des shaft Fujikura Pro. Les couleurs sont inversées sur les faces opposées. La ligne Pro est disponible uniquement chez les Revendeurs Fujikura. Cette série de shafts est unique avec 4 profils différents, et chacun d’entre eux pour un type de swing en particulier. C’est important pour comprendre le modèle du shaft. Regrouper tout les profils prête à confusion. Les classer comme sur le graphique ci-dessous par leur poids montre la statégie du produit.

La régularité du shaft est excellente, avec une moyenne de 99.2% et une déviation de 0.5%. Le shaft peut être installé dans des hosels réglables sans se soucier de l’alignement du shaft. Comme vous pouvez le constater, il y a 4 profils différents dans la ligne du Fujikura Speeder Pro. Les versions Tour dans les deux poids 66 et 76 grs sont conçus pour réduire l’angle de lancement pour les joueurs les plus avertis.

Le Speeder Pro utilise un matériau haute densité dans le butt pour augmenter l’équilibre du shaft. Ca se remarque par des nombres positifs dans le tableau au dessus. Le chiffre représentant l’équilibre indique ici des équilibres plutôt centrés. Un nombre positif indique un équilibre plutôt au butt, un nombre négatif plutôt vers le tip. Ces équilibres sont parmi les plus haut que je n’ai jamais actuellement. Et d’après les graphiques et l’explication que m’a donné Alex, c’est fait sans que cela rigidifie excessivement le butt et le tip. Cela grâce à l’adoption d’un matériau haut module dans le tip du shaft. Cela rend la rigidité du tip parfaite sans ajouter de l’épaisseur et du poids. Toute cette technologie étant maintenant utilisé dans les shafts de golf.

Regardez cette vidéo où Alex dee, de chez Fujikura me parle de ces shafts. Ceci est un extrait des 30 minutes de conversation que l’on a eu sur le fitting en général et sur la gamme Fujikura pour 2015.

Pour voir l’interview avec Alex, cliquez ici. Le Speeder Pro a une section au butt un peu plus grosse que ce que l’on a l’habitude de voir. Cela influencera la grosseur du grip.Cependant Je trouve que cela améliore le jeu de pas mal de golfeurs. Les gros grips sont plus facile à prendre en main.

Si vous êtes intéressé par ce shaft, trouvez un revendeur Fujikura près de chez vous.

EI SHAFT PROFILING(EI 샤프트 프로화일)

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Translation by Jae Chang Jo Ph.D.

골프 샤프트를 이해하기 위하여 3 점에서 골프 샤프트의 길이 방향의 강도 프로화일을 이해할 필요가 있다.  용어 EI는 탄성계수 E(Modulus of Elasticity)와 단면 관성 모멘트 I(Area Moment of Inertia)의 약자이다. 보다 간략하게   샤프트 재료의 탄성과 샤프트의 단면의 두께로 표현할 수 있다. 두 용어의 조합으로  샤프트의 특정 지점에서 샤프트의 강도를 표시할 수 있다.

샤프트의 벽이 두꺼울수록 샤프트는 더 강하게 된다.  만약 그라파이트 섬유가  팁에서 버트방향으로 정열되었을 때 샤프트의 강도는 토오크를 조절하는 방사  방향의 강도보다 더 크다.

흔히 사용되는 샤프트 용어로 하이, 미드, 로우 등이 있는데,   샤프트 회사는 골퍼에게 쉽게 샤프트를 이해 시키기 위하여 이러한 용어를 사용한다.

오늘날 정교하게  디자인 및 제작한 샤프트는 3 점 EI 프로화일로 샤프트의 길이에 따른 강도 특성을 밝힐 수 있다.   자세하게 측정된  EI 프로화일을 참조하여 스윙 중 샤프트가 어떻게 휘는지를 알 수 있다.  EI 프로화일은 클럽 피팅에 필요한 샤프트의 기능적인 지식을 제공한다.

몇 년전 Russ에 의해  3점 EI 측정의 개념을 소개하였을 때, 그것을 측정할 장비가 없었다.  마크 팀메즈가 장비 하나를 설계 및 제조하였다. 그 장비는 현재 미즈노가 보유하고 있다.  돈 존슨 역시 자가용으로 장비를 만들었으며 데이브 튜텔맨 역시 단순하게 장비를 제작하였다.  실험실 수준의 컴퓨터 제어 유압 장비는 최소 가격은 일만 달러부터 시작한다.

 Russ에 의하여 제작된 EI 측정 장비는 덤벨 등으로 무게를 이용하며 그것을 유압으로 상승 및 하강하여 측정한다.

개발 과정은 힘들었지만, 14 대의 장비를 완성하였고 대부분 클럽 피터에게 팔렸고 일부는 샤프트 회사가 소유하였다.  샤프트 회사가 구입한 이유는 컴퓨터 제어 장비보다 더 편리하였기 때문이다.     C-Taper Lite가 출시되기 몇 주 전  KBS  개발자 겸 사장인 킴 브랠리와 인터뷰를 발취한 것이다.

This is an outtake from that interview. We talk about EI profiling.

EI는 공학에서 새로운 개념은 아니다.  빔(들보)는 휨에 영향을 주는 두가지 속성이 있다.  재료의 강도 및 빔의 단면적이다.

건축 구성재에 대한 EI 차트는 건설 엔지니어가 건물의 무게로 인하여 빔을 얼마나 휘어지는가에 대한 것을 알게 한다.  골프 샤프트 역시 그것과 다르지 않다.  단면은 샤프트의 벽이다.  카본 섬유 디자인에서, 빔의 강도는 섬유의 방향에 의하여 영향을 받는다. . 카본 섬유을 샤프트 길이 방향으로 배열할 때,  섬유의 강도는 샤프트의 플렉스가 된다.  섬유를 샤프트 길이 방향이 아니라 45 도 등 방사방향으로 배열하면 이것을 토오크라고 한다.

이러한 재료의 특성을 이해한다면  샤프트의 휨 디자인에서 재료의 특성 및 샤프트 벽의 두께를 예측할 수 있다. 3점  EI 장비는 샤프트 디지인의 원형을 입증할 수 있다.  클럽 피터는 장비를 이용하여 샤프트의 디자인을 알 수 있다.

골프 샤프트에서 가장 단순한 용어는 무게, EI 프로화일 및 GJ 프로화일이다.  게다가 또 다른 속성 즉 사용된 재료에 의하여 영향을 받는 느낌을 추가할 수 있다.  또 다른 것으로 재료 속성에 따른 탄성이 있을 것이다.  그렇지만 현대의 샤프트를 이해하는데 가장 중요한 것이 바로 EI 및  GJ이다.

EI를 측정하기 위하여 두점이 지지되어야 한다.  무게는 두점 중심에 적용되어야 한다.  휨은 EI로 전환되는데 두 점의 길이 그리고 무게에 의하여 휨이 결정된다.

측정의 시작은 팁으로부터 6인치부터 매 1인치마다 측정하고 버트 6인치를 남기고 측정을 마친다.   그 이유는 EI는 중심점을 측정하기 때문에 EI 빔의 간격 때문이다. 차트에서 팁에서 플렉스를 타나낸 것이다.  측정의 오차를 줄이기 위하여 그래프를 스무스하게 표시하였다.

미야자키 샤프트 회사의 판매 담당 이사인 팀 길리스와 첫 만남에서  Russ는 팀에게 약 1,000여개의 샤프트 프로화일 자료를 갖고 있다고 하였다.  그런데 팀은 미소를 띄면서  자신의 회사에는 5,000개 이상의 샤프트 프로화일이 데이타베이스에 저장되어 있다고 하였다.  3점 EI는 주요 샤프트 회사들이 샤프트 디지인 및 점검을 위하여 사용되고 있다.

이 사이트는 샤프트의 디자이너 관점에서 일관되고 단일 측정방법으로 샤프트를 측정한다.  리뷰를 작성하는 클럽 피터의 그룹은 그들이 사용하는 샤프트의 EI/GJ를 잘 이해를 하고 있다.

EI 장비를 디자인을 시작하였을 때, 데이브 투텔맨의 작업을 참조하였다.  데이브는 장비를 아주 단순하게 디지안을 하였다.

데이브를 통하여 돈 존슨과 친구가 되었으며 돈 역시  EI 측정 장비를 몇 년전에 제작하였다.  데이브와 돈과 아이디어 교환으로 3 점 EI 장비의 제작에 도움이 되었다. 몇 년간의 경험으로 개선된 디지인으로 장비를 개발하게 되었다.  측정은 너무 좋았고,  측정된 자료를 교정하는 소프트웨어는 더 이상 필요하지 않았다.

측정할 때 샤프트의 측정 장비에 측정 상  발생하는 타원 및 돌출 현상에 관한 의문점은 데이브 연구에 이슈가 되기도 하였다.  데이브는  EI 측정에서 샤프트 무게 때문에 생기는 오류는 중요하지 않다고 결론을 내렸다.

Varilla Fujikura Speeder Pro Para Driver – Español

Russ Ryden, Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Translation by Jacobo Canal Vila

Fujikura añade un modelo Driver a la línea Pro, el Speeder Pro en 2015. Me gustan los gráficos en las varillas Fujikura Pro Golf. El giro de la misma genera un cambio de positivo a negativo en ambos lados de la varilla muy visual y da una idea de unos gráficos realmente trabajados. La línea Pro está disponible únicamente a través de los distribuidores de Fujikura. Esta línea de varillas es única, y dentro de la misma hay 4 perfiles diferentes, cada uno relacionado con un tipo particular de swing. Esto es un aspecto importante para entender este modelo de varillas. La superposición de todos los perfiles genera una matriz confusa. Clasificándolos como se muestra en el siguiente gráfico, según sus pesos, se revela la estrategia de producto.
La consistencia radial de las muestras revisadas es excelente, con un promedio del 99,2%, y una desviación estándar de 0,5%. La varilla puede ser instalada en un hosel giratorio sin necesidad de preocuparse por la alineación de las letras. Como se puede ver hay cuatro perfiles diferentes en la varilla del driver Fujikura Speeder Pro. Las versiones TS tanto del 66 y 76 están diseñados para reducir el lanzamiento para el mejor jugador.

La Speeder Pro utiliza un material de alta densidad en la sección del extremo para aumentar el equilibrio de la varilla. Ello puede verse en los números positivos del cuadro superior. El equilibrio de números mostrados es relativo al centro de la varilla. Y como se ve en los gráficos y se explica en la discusión con Alex, esto se hizo sin una excesiva pared ni peso en la punta de la varilla. Esto se vio favorecido además por el uso de material de alto módulo en la punta de la varilla. Se creó la rigidez adecuada en la punta sin añadir grosor de la pared y peso. Todo esto habla de la tecnología que ahora se utiliza en las varillas de golf.

Dejo aquí lo que Alex Dee, de Fujikura, tiene que decir sobre estas varillas. Este es un fragmento de una conversación de treinta minutos sobre fitting de palos en general y sobre los modelos de varilla Fujikura para el 2015.

Para ver la conversación completa, pincha aquí. Lo que no se muestra en los números presentados aquí. El Speeder Pro tiene un extremo un poco más grande de lo que normalmente vemos. Esto hará los grips un poco más grandes. Algo que encuentro que mejora la consistencia de la mayoría de los golfistas. Grips más grandes hacen que sea más fácil sujetar la varilla.

Si estás interesado en esta varilla, busca un distribuidor de Fujikura cerca de ti.

Fujikura Speeder Pro Driver Schaft

Russ Ryden, Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Translation by Martin Stecher, A Perfect Swing

Fujikura hat 2015 neue Driverschäfte zu ihrer Pro Serie hinzugefügt, die Speeder Pro. Mir gefällt die Gestaltung des Schafts sehr gut. Der Wechsel von einer positiven zu negativen Schrift auf der anderen Seite des Schafts ist sehr ansprechend. Der Schaft ist nur bei ausgewählten Fujikura Händlern erhältlich. Dabei ist die Speeder Pro Serie einmalig in Hinblick auf die Schaftprofile, die speziell für entsprechende Schwungtypen entwickelt wurden. Das ist ein wichtiger Aspekt, um diese Schäfte zu verstehen. Die Schaftprofile in einer Graphik übereinander zu legen ist eher verwirrend. Die Schäfte nach Gewicht zu gruppieren, wie in der folgenden Abbildung zu sehen, zeigt klar die Produktstrategie auf.
Die funktionale Rundheit der getesteten Schäfte ist mit einem Durchschnitt von 99,2% bei einer Standardabweichung von 0,5% exzellent. Die Schäfte können mit diesen Werten in verstellbaren Hosenadaptern ohne Berücksichtigung der Richtung eingebaut werden. Der Fujikura Pro Schaft wird mit vier verschiedenen Biegeprofilen angeboten. Die TS Varianten vom 66 und 76 Schaft sind jeweils für einen etwas flacheren Ballstart für erfahrenere Golfer gedacht.

Der Speeder Pro wird im Griffbereich mit Material höherer Dichte produziert, und den Balancepunkt des Schafts nach oben zu verschieben. Die Angaben zur Balance verstehen sich in Relation zur Schaftmitte. Positive Werte bedeuten einen Balancepunkt in Richtung Griffende, negative Werte in Richtung Tip. Die Balancepunkte sind sich im Vergleich mit aktuellen Schäften. Wie in der Graphik zu sehen und von Alex im Video erklärt, wurde das ohne eine stark zunehmende Härte im Griffbereich erreicht. Zusätzlich unterstützt wird der Effekt durch den Einsatz hochfester Materialien im Tip Bereich des Schafts. Dadurch ergibt sich eine passende Härte im Tip Bereich ohne höhere Wanddicken und Gewicht. Das zeigt die Möglichkeiten im Schaftbau von heute.

Hier ist zu hören was Alex Dee von Fujikura zu diesen Schäften zu sagen hat. Das Video ist ein Ausschnitt aus einem 30 Minuten Gespräch über Clubfitting allgemein und über die 2015er Fujikura Schäfte.

DAs komplette Gespräch mit Alex können Sie hier sehen. Was die Daten oben nicht zeigen ist, dass der Fujikura Pro einen leicht größeren Schaftdurchmesser im Griffbereich hat. Dadurch wird die Griffstärke etwas größer. Das ist etwas, was bei vielen Golfern die Konstanz erhöhen kann. Größere Griffe machen es leichter den Golfschläger sicher zu halten.

Bei Interesse können Sie hier nach Fujikura charter dealer suchen.

Anmerkung des Übersetzers (Martin Stecher): Aus meiner Erfahrung sollte die Griffstärke in jedem Fall sauber gefittet werden. Sowohl zu kleine, wie auch zu große Griffe erschweren einen konstanten Schwung. Eine generelle Empfehlung zu etwas größeren Griffen kann ich nicht aussprechen.

KBS Tour 105 TaylorMade Stock Iron Shaft

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

Many of you have probably seen a KBS Tour 105 shaft in stock TaylorMade RSi 1 and RSi2 irons. As of the date this review was published this shaft is not available in the USA after market, the review samples were shipped from the KBS factory in Taiwan.

The KBS Tour 105 used in the TaylorMade RSi’s are parallel shafts. A taper version will soon be available to club makers in the USA. For those that are not club makers and are not familiar with the terms parallel and taper let me explain. This illustrations shows the bore in the hosel of a club head. Some heads, like the RSi1 and RSi2 have parallel bores. The hole in which the shaft is inserted has parallel sides. They are typically 0.370″ diameter. They are designed for parallel tip shafts. Heads designed for constant weight taper tip shafts have a tapered bore. The bottom of the hole is 0.355″ diameter and slowly increases in diameter.

Taper tip shafts are sold in sets. Each shaft in the set is specifically designed for a particular iron, 3i, 4i, 5i, etc. The shaft lengths in the set are in 1/2″ increments and typically weigh the same despite being different lengths. The stiffness of the shafts is set by the designer. The shafts are butt trimmed by the club maker to get to the lengths needed for you set. Parallel shafts are sold individually, one length for the entire set. They are tip trimmed by the club maker to create stiffness for the different irons then butt trimmed to create the lengths needed for the set. Because they are trimmed from both ends, the shaft weight gets lighter as it gets shorter.

The balance of sets made with constant weight tapers and parallels is different. You should not attach a value judgement to that fact. But you should realize that if you are accustomed to the balance of one design, changing designs will affect your game despite the fact that the swing weights will be the same. If you want to learn more about this it is explained in greater depth in the technical article, Parallel and Constant Weight Iron Shafts.

Now that you have a basic understanding of Parallel shafts, lets take a look at the KBS Tour 105 parallels.

As you can see, the KBS Tour 105 Parallel is slightly flighted as are most sets made from parallel shafts. For many, this is a good thing, the shaft adds to the loft of the club, giving a little lift to the longer irons in your bag. The KBS Tour 105 comes in two flexes.

The quality as measured by shaft to shaft consistency and radial consistency is excellent. Alignment of these shafts adds nothing to their playability. You should have no concern that the quality of the shafts in that off the rack set KBS Tour 105’s in your TaylorMade RSi 1’s or 2’s are in any way to blame for your missed greens.

What you might notice is that there is very little difference in weight between the R and S models. This shaft might be referred to as having a “dynamic” design.

The difference between the R and S flex is the length of the tip of the shafts. The first step on the R is 10″ from the tip while the first step on the S is 9″ from the tip. The stiffness difference is not great, as seen in the 5 lb deflection rating. But the flighting will be, with the shorter tip S launching lower. This illustration shows how the R flex, with 1″ removed from the tip is much the same as the S flex. This design is common to what we know as ‘Dynamic’ shafts. The nominal 105 gram weight of this shaft is a great fit for many amateur recreational golfers.

The after market addition to the KBS Tour line of shafts, the 105 constant weight tapers is coming soon. Stay tuned, 105 grams is a great weight and will be a great compliment to the CTaper light in a fitting system matrix of shafts.

Fujikura Speeder Evolution Driver Shaft

Russ Ryden, Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

The Fujikura Speeder 757 was my introduction to premium driver shafts many years ago. The Speeder brand name disappeared for many years. It was brought back a few years ago as the Motore Speeder, a complex matrix of 26 shafts, featuring 3 launch designs, each in an array of weight and flex. In late 2013 the Speeder brand was reintroduced with 8 shafts, numbered like the original Speeder. The Fujikura Speeder Evolution came to the golfing public in 2015. It is designed to handle the heavier driver heads we are now seeing. As you can see in this illustration, the tip is stiffer and there is a tip-mid stiffness adjustment as part of the design update.

Like all of the Speeder models from Fujikura the profiles are consistent throughout the model. As the weight increases so does the stiffness. The Speeder 474 R2 weighs 48 grams uncut. The weights and stiffness ascend from a 4″ deflection yielding 5.8 lbs for the 474R2, and 8.6 lbs for the 79 gram 757X.  The raw shafts are 47″ long, not the typical 46″.

The manufacturing labels on the butts of the shafts all indicate made in Japan. This is reflected in the radial consistency of 98.8% with a 0.6% standard deviation. The Fujikura Evolution review samples were all tour quality and can be installed with no regard for alignment, they are consistently round.

The Speeder Evolution is a classical design, mid soft in relation to a stiffer butt and tip.This design is a good fit for the majority of golfers. We can see the research done on the 3D ENSO system shaping the butt to create softer handles.

An interesting aspect of these shafts stood out during hoop stiffness testing. A significant ‘bump’ of hoop stiffness in the high midsection of the shaft. If you look at the EI curves you will see this is where the shaft is quickly descending in stiffness. At that point, an ultra high modulus hoop ply was added to preserve shaft stability.

Hoop stiffness is a function of wall thickness. near the tip, where the wall of the shaft are thick, the hoop strength is high. This graphic shows hoop deflection measurements. The less deflection, the stiffer that area of the shaft is. This is hoop stiffness, not bend stiffness. Hoop stiffness relates to the shaft ovalizing. The lower the number, the less oval deformation I measured. So, the dips you see are increases in hoop stiffness. The design objective in the Fujikura Speeder Evolution is to create shaft stability, and hence feel, in the section of the shaft where to majority of the load related bending occurs. What you see is the result of engineered wall thickness and high density pitch fiber pregreg in the hoop orientation stabilizing the mid/butt region of the shaft.

An interesting discussion on another golf forum contained this comment, “This is the answer to all the “profile is profile” theorists – whose claim is that if I match bend pattern, weight, balance point and frequency then my $12 shaft is the same as your $175 shaft. Torque progression and distribution aren’t as handy to quantify but are essential elements in any high-performance design, and aren’t to be had for peanuts.”  We see in the Speeder Evolution design what this writer was talking about. A highly evolved design using the latest high density fibers, fiber orientation and wall thickness control to create a performance enhancing golf shaft.

Fujikura Speeder Evolution Tour SpecDriver Shaft

Russ Ryden, Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

Fujikura offers a Tour Spec version of most model. The Speeder Evolution Tour Spec model is different enough from the Speeder 757 that it deserved a separate review. This shaft is one of the standard option in the 2015 TaylorMade R15 driver. It is manufactured by Sino in China unlike the Speeder which is made in Japan.

The radial consistency averaged 98.5% with a 1.4% standard deviation. No issue with rotating hosels and no benefit from alignment with these shafts. The Evolution Tour Spec is slightly stiffer in the tip and softer in the butt than the same flex Speeder Evolution. This creates a propensity to launch and spin lower that the Evolution designs.

Lets explore this. The tables on this site show tip to butt ratios. That is the stiffness of the tip of the shaft divided by the stiffness of the butt. This ratio is used by many club makers and some shaft companies to forecast launch of a shaft. It is one of many indicators we can use to forecast launch propensity. The stiffer the tip in relation to the butt, the maximum bend point of the shaft is higher on the shaft. Hence, the lower the propensity of that shaft to loft and spin the ball.

Three point EI measurements of successive zones of the shaft make it possible to virtually bend the shaft mathematically. This illustration demonstrates this for the Speeder Evolution Tour Spec shafts. In this illustration the EI profiles are used to bend the shafts with both loading at the tip and loading at the butt. You can see how EI profiles translate into the bending of a loaded shaft. The intersection of the tip loaded and butt loaded profiles are another classical indication of launch propensity. The closer that intersection is to the tip, the higher launch and spin propensity of the shaft.

However it is not that easy to forecast how a shaft will launch in your hands. In this illustration the softest of the Speeder Evolution Tour Spec, the 661S to the 757X are subjected to progressively heavier loads. You can see how much more the 661S bends than the 757X. And, how the intersection of the two curves moves under load. The launch of a shaft is a function of how you load it.

The objective of the professional fitter is to find that combination of shaft profile, weight and stiffness that creates the tightest impact pattern, centered on the club face. Then to the degree possible, fine tune your launch with close variations of profile, weight and flex. Doing so is enhanced by how much your fitter understands the golf shafts he is using.