QUESTION: Hi,

I have recently been fitted on Trackman, and a flex of 4.8, on the lower side of regular (DG) has been recommended.  My five iron swing speed is 78mph and I currently play TT 105 gram shafts.  My fitter says I should not go any higher and in fact lower is better.

I tried the Mizuno tool, and far down the list, it said I could play 1050s, but I think there might be better alternatives?  I guess i have a smooth swing and transition but am aggressive through the hitting area.  Missed shots are generally thin, and I have about 3 degrees forward lean at impact.

I will be changing to Japanese irons, probaly Miura or RC.

Can you help me out or give me some direction? Bruce
 

ANSWER: Hi Bruce,

If you read just a few of my replies, it quickly becomes apparent that my fitting philosophy is more about actual performance, versus predictive guess-timation.

Trackman, the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer, and Butt Frequency numbers are all great tools to utilize in this fitting discussion, but eventually, your optimal equipment should be selected based on the feel of your swing and the efficiency of your flight.

Every time my fingers hit the keyboard in responding to golfer’s questions,  my goal is to communicate that you will only be successful in choosing equipment if you understand the following statement-

“Choose equipment to optimize the feel of your swing, and the efficiency of your flight, WITHOUT the need to compensate.”

This means understanding that optimal equipment helps your body, swing and game perform naturally, powerfully, and efficiently. If a set is the right weight, length, flex, sole, kick-point, etc., then the body, swing and equipment work together in a natural flow of balance and power. If the set is off in any of these areas, compensations are required, which puts stress on this equation.

Thus, sometimes our bodies are able to make the needed adjustments, and we have a good result. But other times, we are not able to make the correction, and the result is a thin shot…

My recommendation is to begin to leave behind the less than perfect “predictive” ideas of swing transition and shaft lean, and instead, think in terms of the following-

From now on, everytime you talk to a fitter, or test a certain shaft, or club, or loft, etc., think in terms of the feel and the flight that test sample produces.

For example:

Did that shaft/head combination feel like it was in sync with my body and that I could make consistent contact?

Is the flight I am achieving too low, too high, or just right?

Do I feel like I have to rush or speed up with a given shaft flex? Or become more deliberate or slower than my natural swing ?

Regarding your specific situation-

1) Does your current shaft feel too heavy, too light, or about right? Compare your shaft weight to some of our model specifcations at www.nipponshaft.com. Also, is the flight achieved with your set ideal?

2) During your Trackman session, possibly the data showed that a shaft flex, stiffer than the suggested rating, yielded less ball speed, or less carry, which often is the result of a shaft model that is too stiff. This would also match up with a body/swing feeling that a given shaft feels “hard” and is not giving much help.

3) Finally, regarding a head model, while Miura and RC, are of high quality, it is quite important to also find if the performance is right for your body, swing and game. Testing and comparison of models gives you the best chance of learning if a given head design, weight, sole, etc., work for you.

Best regards, Mark

QUESTION: Hi Mark-
I’ve got Project X 6.0 shafts currently in my Miura irons…does Nippon offer a
shaft that I should consider? Bob

 
ANSWER: Hi Bob,

The answer is Yes, of course.

But, which shaft might perform well for you, depends on your needs.

If your game needs a lower flight, heavier shaft model, you might consider our N.S. Pro Superpeening BLUE.

If you swing requires a lighter, mid flight model, I would test the N.S. Pro 1150GH Tour

If your body needs the superior feel and ultralight weight of our award-winning N.S. Pro 950GH series, you must take a look at this model. It is available in a huge variety of lengths, flexes, and tip diameters to suit your needs.

For more information on availability, pricing, fittings services, and installation options, please go to www.shaftology.com, and contact any of our Authorized Installation Centers.

For specification information on many of our N.S. Pro models, please go to www.nipponshaft.com.

Best regards, Mark

QUESTION: Hi,

First let me describe the situation. I have Titleist 755 irons with DG S300 SL
shafts. My 6 iron SS is in the mid 80’s, and every online fit says stiff shafts. I am
hitting the ball extremely high. My 6 iron length with the ball is 145 to 148
yards. I am looking for new shafts as I love the 755 heads. Today I visited a
custom clubmaker in the area and he had me try a Novatech BTR series shaft in a
muscleback head that was frequency matched at 5.7. I hit the ball farther with
less dispersion with lower ball fight and the shaft feel was excellent. THE
PROBLEM is the shafts are a .370 diameter and my heads woud have to machined to
accept the .370 shaft. I talked to Titleist and they said they could not
reccomend milling out the hosels. What in your line of shafts would correct my
ballooning problem? Tony

ANSWER: Hi Tony,

Thanks for taking the time to send in your note.

If you are gaining distance, feel, control, etc., it may well be because of the combination of head, shaft, design, and installation specifications.that you tested.

As one option, you might choose to purchase a second set identical to the specifications of your test club.

Another option might be to have a shaft installed into just one of your Titleist heads and see if you can achieve the same wonderful performance you found. I can pretty much guarantee you that there is more than just one set of taper iron heads in this world that have been altered in order to achieve a certain performance playability, (without the world ending).

There may be a Nippon Shaft model that is wonderful for you, but for the sake of performance, I would first pursue one of the above options. My only other advice is to always think in terms of real world performance. On-line fittings and Indoor simulations are just a small part of the perfromance picture.

Please write back any time. Best regards, Mark

 

Hi
QUESTION: Hi,

I was recently fitted with the 1050gh ‘S’ model with Callaway Diablo forged
irons. Loved the way they performed.  I’m also considering Cobra S forged irons
and see that they have NS Pro 1130 tour shafts. Would this shaft give me a
similar performance? Thanks, AC
ANSWER: Hi AC,

One of the goals of this Fitting Q&A is to educate golfers that DIFFERENT shaft models will ABSOLUTELY give golfer’s bodies and swings DIFFERENT information. Thus, the feel and the ability to swing a given club optinmally will be…, DIFFERENT. Also, the flight will be…, DIFFERENT. This means that with two DIFFERENT shaft models, a given golfer will find one that is easier to swing in the most natural, powerful and efficient manner, and achieve optimal flight, without the need to make adjustments.

These specific models are DIFFERENT enough, that you should expect to perform better with one versus the other. I would classify the 1050 as lightweight, with a mid/hi launch, and the 1130 Cobra Shaft model, as a midweight, with a mid launch. Of course, you can never separate the head and installation specifications, which have a big effect on performance.

As in all my emails, the best advice I can give, if possible, is to hit these 2 models side by side and compare which model yields the most efficient strike, the easiest to make contact, the best flight, etc.

Best regards, Mark

QUESTION: Hi,

Several years ago I bought and have used the Nippon weighted

putter shaft. I’m  looking to buy some more. Is that shaft

still available and do you carry it, if  it is? Thanks, FOR

 
ANSWER: Hello FOR,
I am assuming that you are referring to the N.S. Pro PP ADJUST
Putter Shaft. This model is no longer in production. It is a 
great model, but the cost to manufacture this design made the
price quite high. Thus, we sold these to quite a few clubmaker
shops, but it never was a big success among the major 
manufacturers- again- loved the technology, not the price tag. 
 
One option that you might consider is pairing up our N.S. 
Pro 136 gram putter shaft with one of the Balance-Certified #5
counter-weights. Contact any of our Authorized Installation 
Centers at www.shaftology.com for more information.
Best regards, Mark

QUESTION: Hi,

I have a mizuno fitting iron; with an X flex.  What is an X flex?
Thank you, RP

ANSWER: Hi RP,

X Flex is a rating of the shaft flex. The scale is loosely described as follows;

LL = super flexible

L = very flexible

A = flexible

R = medium or regular

S = stiff

X = extra-stiff

XX = double extra-stiff

Best regards, Mark

QUESTION: Hello,

I have Mizuno MX1000 graphite irons with .370 diameter hosel, which come in at an
approximate swing weight of D2.  Their MX heads for graphite shafts are made 10
grams heavier than their MX1000 heads for 355 diameter steel shafts. 

If I installed your 370 diameter NS Pro 850 GH parallel tip steel shafts in these
heads made for graphite shafts, since they are 10 grams heavier I figure the
swing weight will go from D2 to approximately D6 to D7.  What are your thoughts
on this?  Can your 850’s handle this swing weight or would the 950’s be better
which would add approximately 1 more swing weight.  Based on assumption that 1
swing weight equals 2 grams
Thanks, Frank

ANSWER: Frank,

Are you trying to achieve a certain swingweight? Or are you trying to achieve a certain performance?

A club’s swingweight is certainly dependent upon the head weight, but also the weight and balance of a given shaft. Other factor’s include the club length, lie angle, and grip weight. The actual swingweight is thus dependent upon the variability of these factors. So I question if your swingweight formula will actually equal D6 or D-7. It may be less, or it may be more.

The question of whether a shaft model will perform with a much heavier swing weight depends greatly upon the golfer’s swing and feel, and how these above factors interact with the golfer. Most golfers will feel that a swingweight in the D-6  to D-7 range, with the N.S. Pro 850GH model, will feel awkward and out of balance, and I would never recommend this type of weight, but yet, I have seen most every odd setup, and there is most every combination out there that feels good to someone.

Nevertheless, I prefer to start at the beginning of things, by working with a golfer to find the combination of head, shaft and weight that performs best for that golfer, and then building the club to achieve those specifications. Instead of trying to find a set of shafts that might work reasonably well for a given set of heads, I much prefer to find a set of shafts that works optimally for that golfer.

Best regards, Mark

QUESTION: Hi,

I have Rifle Lite 6.0 shafts in my irons, but will need to re-shaft the set
soon. The Rifle Lite shaft is out of production. I am looking at your shafts as
a quality product. I carry my irons the following distances…What shaft in your
range of products do you think best matches my present set of irons?

GW=100-115 yards
PW=118-125 yards
9i= 128-140 yards
8i=145-158 yards
7i= 155-168 yards
6i= 168-177 yards
5i= 178-188 yards
4i= 190-203 yards. My driver speed is 110 MPH. My handicap is 4.0. I am 57 years
young. I swing pretty herd at the ball. I am looking for a shaft that is lighter
than what I am swinging now in the Rifle Lite shafts, although I don’t know the
weight of the Rifle Lite shafts.  I like a really stiff shaft because my
preference is to have a tight dispersion of my iron shots. I don’t want the
shafts so light they feel too different. What are your suggestions? Paul

ANSWER: Hi Paul,

You are really asking a question that can only be answered through an experiential interaction. This means- it is incumbent upon you to feel the weight, length, and flex on your body and swing, and to see the flight that a given shaft model yields, by testing and comparing shaft models in a live setting. Any guess or estimate will never give you a clear picture of your optimal shaft needs. After performing thousands of fitting assessments, I have learned that there is no expert or formula that is capable of adequately expressing the feel, flight and turf contact that a golfer uniquely experiences. Eventhough these recommendations are generated literally millions of times each year, via the internet, over the phone, or at an indoor golf shop, the reality remains that a golfer can only be fitted via a live, comparative, experiential assessment. 

I know that finding a clubmaking facillity or test center that provides what I am suggesting, can be difficult, but it is achievable. I would start at our Authorized Installation Centers network. Go to www.shaftology.com and click on the CENTER Locator Link, and contact a few of our centers to inquire as to the fitting services offered. There are also thousands of locations that offer comparison of different models and flexes via Titleist, Callaway, Mizuno, Taylor Made, Ping, and Tour Edge center.

Regarding your specific question of some potential models that might work for you- I would consider our N.S. Pro 1150GH Tour or 1050GH iron models. Both of these are available in Stiff or Extra-Stiff flexes, or in any sub-flex between S and X, in parallel and taper tip diameters, and in lengths of 40.0″ to 35.0″.

For a list of our shaft dimensions, please visit www.nipponshaft.com. Best regards, Mark

QUESTION: Hi Mark,
I use the 1150GH Tour in my irons and the WV125 in my most lofted wedges.  The
combination is fine and I am not looking to change.  However, it seems that
Titleist Vokey recommend a lighter, rather than slightly heavier shaft in their
wedges than in the irons.  This seems at variance to your findings.  I am
interested in your comments.    Regards, Kevin
ANSWER: Hi Kevin,

Thanks for your note. 

Most stronger players will typically use the same shaft model, in their wedge clubs, as in their irons. These shafts are typically heavier, stronger shafts. But stronger players have enough power to engage both their irons and wedges for the best combination of distance and control.

However, many average players, using lighter shafts in their iron clubs, do so in the interest of achieving better speed, ease of swing, and better flight. However, these golfers often make the mistake of  using the same shaft model in their wedges.  In our wedge clubs we require feel, stability, and a controlled flight.  Lighter shafts in the wedge clubs often leads to less control of the clubhead, higher flight, and a swing that is required to adjust and compensate for the ill-suited, light wedge shafts. 

To solve these issues, Nippon Shaft engineers developed the WV series of wedge shaft models for the purpose of allowing each golfer type, to match the shafts in their wedge heads to suit their control and flight needs. For any golfer that is using a lighter shaft model in their iron clubs, they will gain feel, balance, and flight control by installing a wedge shaft model that matches their short game needs.

As a general selection guide for wedge clubs, here is some info based on the many fitting assessments I have conducted;

Current Iron Shaft Model - 750, 850, 950  Recommended Wedge Shaft Model - N.S. Pro WV105

Current Iron Shaft Model - 950, 999, 1050 Recommended Wedge Shaft Model - N.S. Pro WV115

Current Iron Shaft Model - 1150, Orange, Recommended Wedge Shaft Model - N.S. Pro WV 125

 

Regarding your comment that the Titleist Vokey wedges are offered and/or promoted in lighter shaft weights than their iron counterparts is something that I have never encountered. In North America, the standard shaft model sold in the Vokey wedges are the same weight as the WV125, which is equal to a gram weight, in the trimmed playing length, of 115 to 120 grams. While the Titleist offers their wedges in dozens of custom shaft weights, models and flexes, I have never heard of any major manufacturer promoting their wedge shafts to play lighter versus their iron shafts. 

Best regards, Mark

QUESTION: Hi,

Is there a trick to reshafting Honma drivers?  The new shaft is Graphite Design
Gtech with a 350 diameter.  It goes into the hosel easily enough but only one
inch.  It should go at least another half inch to be secure, shouldn’t it. I’m
afraid the shaft will snap if it only goes in 1 inch.  I have tried to get
information from Honma with have not had any luck. Thanks, KAO

ANSWER: Hi KAO,

The structural integrity of any installation will determine if a club will stay intact, but equally as important is installing a shaft to the proper hosel depth is to give you the playability that you desire. Factors such as the head weight, bottom of the bore to the ground measurement, overall length desired, and others, will determine how your club will play.

Your main question is- “Will the shaft and head separate if only installed into the head 1″?”. Regarding this, unfortunately, we do not give step by step installation answers, unless it can be definitively determined. Obviously, the more surface contact between shaft tip and hosel, the more secure the bond will be, but also important, is the width of the ahdesive line between the shaft and hosel, the quality of adhesive, the proper abrasion of hosel and shaft, and the cleanliness of shaft and hosel surface.

For both fitting and installation help, you might consider teaming up with one of our Authorized Installation Centers. For this resource, go to www.shaftology.com, click on the CENTER locator link, and contact one or more of our centers and inquire as to the fitting and installation services offered.  

Partnering up with a professional center will yield a club that remains intact, and plays to the performance level that you desire. Regards, Mark