#ASKMYGOLFSPY – Graphite vs. Steel Shafts
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#ASKMYGOLFSPY – Graphite vs. Steel Shafts

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#ASKMYGOLFSPY – Graphite vs. Steel Shafts
Welcome to #ASKMYGOLFSPY, where your questions are answered by our in-house experts. Our mission is to guide golfers, no matter the skill level to their best game possible. Curtailing the best bag for your unique needs can be near impossible. Let us help!
 
1. Is graphite ONLY for slower swing speeds?

That certainly used to be the case. But like Bob Dylan said, “The times, they are a-changin’”. Composite materials are lighter than steel and therefore represented the best option to build lighter, more flexible shafts. To date, plenty of golfers can benefit from iron shafts that weigh less than 60 grams and that’s still the primary use case for graphite iron shafts.
 
Golfers with slower swing speeds can benefit from lighter shafts than help them swing faster which creates higher launch, more ball speed, and ultimately more distance. But, because graphite shafts only served the needs of a particular set of golfers, it got a reputation. And that history is a good bit of why better/faster golfers often carry a stigma against graphite iron shafts.
 
But that history, is well, history. Fujikura, Mitsubishi, Aerotech Steelfiber and LA Golf are several manufactures that produce graphite iron shafts that are played around the world by some of the strongest, fastest players in the game (See: Bryson DeChambeau)
 
So, no. Graphite isn’t only for slower swing speed players. The options aren’t as plentiful as steel, particularly in heavier weights (120gr+) but that’s slowly changing as well

2. Why do graphite shafts cost so much more?

Short answer, that’s not always the case. Longer answer – but it generally does.
If it were a Venn Diagram with one circle representing the cost of steel shafts and the other graphite shafts, there’d still be some amount of overlap. Most steel shafts on the market fall in the $30-$60/shaft range (uninstalled). Comparatively, graphite iron shafts start around $50 and go up from there. LA Golf’s graphite iron shafts all sit slightly north of $100 per shaft.
 
Why does graphite cost more? The quick answer is that graphite shafts cost more because they’re more expensive to produce and use higher cost materials. The other element is supply and demand. With relatively few choices in the market, scarcity helps support higher prices. Should that equation change and we start to see additional options, that could start to bring prices down a bit.

3. Will a tour player ever use graphite iron shafts? Why haven’t we seen it much?

Yep, and we’ve already seen it.
 
Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar have both routinely used Aerotech SteelFiber shafts in their irons throughout their careers. And keep in mind, these aren’t two fringe players struggling to keep a PGA Tour Card. Kuchar has 9 PGA Tour wins, 3 international wins and over $54 million in on-course earnings. Likewise, Snedeker won the FedEx Cup in 2012 and also has 9 PGA Tour victories. More recently, players like Abe Ancer (Mitsubishi MMT) and Bryson DeChambeau (LA Golf) have switched to graphite iron shafts.
 
And if we’re willing to look beyond the PGA Tour, you’ll see plenty of LPGA Tour players with graphite iron shafts.
 
I think the reason we haven’t seen more graphite iron shafts, specifically on the PGA Tour is for two reasons. First, is a lack of clear benefit. That might sound harsh, but there isn’t any wide-scale evidence that shows PGA Tour players are struggling to perform with existing steel shafts. Moreover, if we look back at momentous changes in golf equipment that resulted in relatively fast and near universal adoption  (solid core golf balls, graphite wood shafts), the performance implications were obvious and undeniable. That isn’t the case right now with graphite iron shafts.
 
The second reason isn’t as impactful, but it’s a factor nonetheless. With graphite iron shafts, players have to consider and assess the impact to at least 50% of the clubs in his/her bag. That takes a lot of time and testing. The only real opportunity players have to do this is during the off-season, which is when players are also looking to spend time with family, travel and rest. This gets us right back to “if it ain’t broke….” and round and round we go.

4. How do I know which is the better option for me?

The only way to know definitively whether shaft A is better than shaft B is to work with a qualified fitter. But more than that, it’s imperative to have a plan as to how you’re going to assess performance.
 
And this is less about graphite vs. steel, but also about iron fitting, in general. We know that golfers too often rely on a “homerun derby” approach to fitting. That is, they tend to fixate on a single best (often, longest) shot as opposed to looking at total performance. Regarding irons, distance is an important criterion. But, golfers should give equal weight to the total trajectory of each shot – launch, spin, peak height and descent angle. Beyond that, pay attention to “North-South” and “East-West” dispersion. Too often golfers equate accuracy with how far left/right of target a shot ends up. But, the range of each iron from shortest to longest is just as important.
 
A final consideration – For many golfers, steel and graphite shafts will feel different – particularly because of how they handle vibration. As a result, graphite often feels “better” or “softer/smoother” If you tend to struggle with joint issues or soreness, graphite likely offers some advantages.

5. Which clubs in my bag should have different shafts?

At a minimum, it’s likely that you need at least five different shafts, not including the putter. Driver, fairway wood, hybrid, irons and wedges.
 
You can make the argument that if you can carry 14 clubs, then each club should be optimized to do a specific job – and if that job requires a slightly different shaft than the club to either side, so be it.
 
The other way of thinking about this is that you need the number of shafts that allow each club to perform optimally for you.
 
This is one case where it’s not a terrible idea to look in the bags of tour players and competitive amateur golfers to get some baseline information. Typically, you’ll find 4-5 different makes/models, often separated by category – wedges, irons, fairway woods/hybrids and driver.
 
As always, a couple caveats to consider. Some golfers might use a different wedge shaft (DG Spinner, KBS Hi-Rev) to create more spin and higher launch in a specific club – often the highest lofted wedge. Additionally, iron shafts such as Dynamic Gold AMT feature different weights in each shaft to help alter launch conditions throughout the set.

6. Ah yes…but what about my putter?

Putting is a slow science. So, that’s always the backdrop when we talk about performance on a swing that doesn’t exceed several miles-per-hour. However, as a slow science, small changes in performance can produce drastically different results. So long as a 6-inch putt counts the same as a 300-yard drive, it’s fair to narrow our focus to tenths-of-a-degree and fractions of an inch.
 
Consider that a putter face that’s more than 1° open or closed will miss the hole from 8 feet. At 15 feet, it drops to 0.5°. The point is that it’s reasonable to investigate anything that can help a golfer reduce the variation of face angle at impact. No doubt, companies that sell graphite and multi-material putter shafts often cite similar statistics while producing studies that advocate for whatever product it is that they’re trying to sell.
 
So, do you need a graphite shaft in your putter? Our research seems to suggest that there is a potential benefit for some golfers. But while the technology shoes promise, it’s premature to declare any sort of universal benefit. 

7. Is one better than the other?

There is a best answer for every golfer. But that answer isn’t the same for every golfer. Moreover, that answer will likely change as companies continue to evaluate new materials and manufacturing processes. It’s also worth noting that steel shaft manufacturers continue to experiment with composite materials. Conversely, composite companies aren’t investing in or exploring the capabilities of steel shafts. That ought to tell us something.


Taking a step back and considering both where the industry is today and where’s it’s likely headed, carbon composite shafts have the advantage. Steel is isometric – meaning, it can basically do “one thing.” But composite materials allow engineers more levers to pull and dials to turn. Effectively, the possible implications of graphite shafts are greater than steel shafts. Put differently, we know the majority of what steel shafts can and can’t do. With graphite shafts, we’re still asking the questions.

I’ll finish with a quick history lesson. In the mid 1800’s hickory shafts became commonplace, replacing locally available woods like ash, hazel and danglewood. And though early versions of steel shafts started to surface in the early 1900s, the R&A and USGA deemed them to be against the rules. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1924 US Open that steel shafts were allowed – and even then, the use was limited to putters. By the 1930s steel shafts were legal and ubiquitous. And here we are, nearly a century later and that’s still the case. For now.

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Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel

Chris is a self-diagnosed equipment and golf junkie with a penchant for top-shelf ice cream. When he's not coaching the local high school team, he's probably on the range or trying to keep up with his wife and seven beautiful daughters. Chris is based out of Fort Collins, CO and his neighbors believe long brown boxes are simply part of his porch decor. "Isn't it funny? The truth just sounds different."

Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel

Chris Nickel





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      gary

      1 year ago

      don’t think that steel shafts necessarily mean more power Graphite shafts are lighter so increase swing speed and you will hit further

      Reply

      Andrew Dustin

      2 years ago

      I have found that graphite and steel shafts each have their advantages and disadvantages. Graphite offers more flexibility and a comfortable feel while steel provides greater control and power. Both are great choices depending on individual preferences and the type of game you’re playing. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference – what feels best for you?

      Reply

      gary

      1 year ago

      don’t think that steel shafts necessarily mean more power Graphite shafts are lighter so increase swing speed and you will hit further

      Reply

      Curt

      2 years ago

      As I’ve aged, graphite in all clubs really helps except not as much in sand wedge.

      Reply

      John M.

      2 years ago

      I switched back to steel iron shafts from graphite. Last year, I picked up a set of Ping G425 irons with regular graphite shafts. I had been taking lessons and hitting a lot of balls and was getting tendonitis in my left arm. The graphite shafts helped alleviate the tendonitis, but my iron shots always seemed to go left. The last straw was an embarrassing performance at a scramble where I was grouped with strangers. I traded them in last week for a set of G425’s with AWT regular steel shafts. No loss in distance and shots went straight – a nice change. I also haven’t noticed any arm pain.

      Reply

      Gabriel

      2 years ago

      Fitter are still reluctant to fit graphite shaft to people, when I asked mine, he said tried those, he gave me some random club with a random graphite shaft to try… Wasnt bad, wasnt good, just different…They probably don’t sell much of those for people under 50 (higher price and normally players don’t hurt as much as older people…) so I think they simply go for the safe bet.
      Currently playing Ping G425 with TT elevate 95, love the feel, love the lower weight, on my next set, will go graphite for sure… If you compare golf to hockey, golf is taking like 5 time longer to evolve than hockey. No one is now playing without a graphite(carbon fiber/composite) hockey stick. Before they became the standard, we had wood, fiberglass, aluminum but within 5 years, everybody had to make the switch. Younger player made the switch first than, older reluctant player, switched over, we will see the same in golf when the new generation will play with graphite shaft all their life, it will be the standard. But golf is the most conservative game in the world… hell, we still see people counting their score on a piece of paper on the pga in 2022…
      Last year I played around 45 games and saw 2 person take a scorecard… everybody have watches, cell, arccos or whatever other product… Same will eventually come to graphite shaft OR any other advanced material that will be better. Can’t stop evolution…

      Reply

      Gerry T

      2 years ago

      For 12 years, I played graphite shafts in my irons and even my wedges. I played the best golf ever and then I decided to switch to steel. That was a huge mistake. I spent 12 years struggling with steel shafts even though I did have an all graphite set of hybrid irons in the Adams Redlines. A few years later, I tried two sets of Cobra Bio Cell irons. One set was stiff steel and the Black Bio Cell irons were all graphite. My only Birdie came with the Black Bio Cell graphite pitching wedge. I’m kicking myself for making both sets steel shafts. Fast forward to last October, when I was looking to move over to all graphite shafts. Unfortunately there wasn’t any Cobra F9 irons in all graphite, but I picked up a set of Speedzone 5-GW in UST Mamiya recoil graphite. These irons will be money for me this year. I’m also playing an Adams Super S 44 degree pitching wedge with the same UST Mamiya graphite shaft. With my nerve issues, the benefits of graphite shafts and vibration dampening will do wonders for me!

      Reply

      pineneedlespro

      2 years ago

      I like XP 95 TT steel shafts in irons, are easier to find the spine, weights are more uniform and has same torque from shaft to shaft–and I put foam down the shaft before putting on the grip so it feels like a graphite shaft without the price tag.

      Reply

      Mike

      2 years ago

      Great article. I was fitted for Mizuno irons in early 2019. When I brought up graphite (due to several injuries incurred over the past few years) the fitter brushed it off. Huge mistake on his part (& mine). Playing that year, I found that with steel I was not getting the distance or carry I had in previous years. Eventually I “fit myself” & found a set of graphite irons that I love. Lesson here, go with your gut at a fitting & let the numbers speak for themselves.

      Reply

      Steve

      2 years ago

      Like many have posted I am committed to graphite owing to arthritis in my hands and elbows. I have two sets of irons. PXG Gen 3s with KBS 70 shafts and Tour Edge Ex Cs and Es with KBS 80s. After so many years of playing Mizunos with a TT steel shaft, the transition to graphite has been a struggle for 2+ years now. The Tour Edge clubs feel more substantial and I like them. At first I loved the PXGs, but now, they just feel light to me….especially in the heads. Is some of this in my head? Sure……so is much of the rest of this game, LOL. I am still searching for something modestly heavier in shaft and moreso in the clubhead. A friend of mine plays PING i210s with a Recoil 110 F4 and it was a night and day feel compared to my clubs. Now I see why.

      Reply

      Nocklaus

      2 years ago

      I have been using graphites since 12-15 years and I love them. Can´t play steel because of the low torque. Also can not play Steelfibers for the same reason. The only problem with graphites is swingweight. Very hard to get that right.

      Reply

      tiger168

      2 years ago

      Fitted can’t know which graphite shaft is good for you when you switch from steel to graphite. For a few different reasons.

      First of all, your swing will change, and there is no way the fitter will know how it will evolved to. Even if the total weight switch g weight are the same, the dynamic characteristics of the graphite shaft is noticebly different. And the sellig point. And it will take some time to shape the swing into a consistent/stable shape. The load and unload characteristics are notiblely different. Especially if you are a feel player.

      I ade the switch, originally the fitter matched everything the same., I played for 12 months and during that interim, I had changed a few different model and weights, and eventually to a lighter graphite with different flex point to get the workable trajectory and distance that I used to have and eventually, to improve from that point worked hard to a little heavier shaft to really tune in to take advantage the shaft once I find out how the shaft react to wind, cold, hot, where before, with steel shafts, you don’t really sorry about these elements.

      Now I love my graphite shafts. I am very glad that I switched. Although it is a process. It will succeed if you commit to the change. Just like swing changes. Identical. At the end it is.

      Reply

      Kelly65

      2 years ago

      Several years ago my fitter had me try the UST Recoil 95 (R flex or F3) shaft in my irons when I was in the market for a new set. I had tried several iron shafts over about 5 years before that and was losing distance plus it just didn’t feel right. The moment I tried the Recoil it just felt different, as in better – way better – and I got back, depending on the club 10 to 20 yards. It was the best thing I ever did and now that I’m looking for a new set of irons (old set are Apex Pro 19s), it’s absolutely certain I will not be going back to steel in the 4I to PW span.

      Reply

      David

      2 years ago

      Remember aluminum?

      Reply

      League Golfer

      2 years ago

      I remember aluminum. A good friend of mine had aluminum in a set PGA Ryder Cup irons in the early 1980s. Does anyone remember Element 21 golf clubs and their Scandium shafts? I got them on close out for a tiny fraction of the original cost. They were dirt cheap. I kind of liked the Scandium shafts, but they didn’t stay in my bag very long.

      Reply

      DOC

      2 years ago

      I have Played graphite shafts since I can’t remember, but 3 yrs ago, I decided that in order to get more yardage I should go back to steel TT lite weight in the irons. . I did. Not good. I good a lot of vibration when using the steel in the irons. So I decide that if I wanted to score well, I had better go back to the graphite. I just did that. I didn’t have the vibration any more, I didn’t loose any yardage. All my clubs D, Hybrids, PW are graphite except my putter and chipper. I will not go,back to steel

      Reply

      Jay Arr

      2 years ago

      I really enjoy my Accra i80 iron shafts and they really helped my golfer’s elbow.
      If you are a little older and play 4+ days a week, graphite worth a try.

      Reply

      Golfist

      2 years ago

      YES – weight transition is critical as I found out when switching from TT Dynamic Gold (steel) to TT Project X LZ (graphite) in my Mizuno irons.. I switched to SteelFiber composite shafts which were just slightly lighter and my age 71 joints couldn’t be happier.

      – no noticeable change in distance nor consistency
      – short game feel is great
      – $30~40 “upcharge” for each

      Reply

      Al

      2 years ago

      Why do you think Project X LZ shafts are graphite?

      Reply

      Chris Nickel

      2 years ago

      Project X did/does have a graphite alternative version to the LZ steel iron shaft.

      Joseph Greenberg

      2 years ago

      Have tried graphite iron shafts (Honma because they make their own Vizard shafts to match their heads) after using Steelfibers in my wedges to add swingweight (lower shaft weight with same head weight as standard steel 120’s).. Primary reason:
      club went to mats and my golfers elbow was acting up.. Second reason: getting really old (72 next month). so slowing down. Went back to steel (Takomo 101s).. Longer because strike more consistent. Other reason: much more stable out of the rough. Been using graphite in my putter for 20 years: swingweight benefit redux.

      Reply

      Alex

      2 years ago

      I still play steel in my irons (True Temper Elevate 95 with VSS to absorb the shock). I have heard TT no longer uses VSS in the Elevate shafts. Presumably graphite will be easier on my hands (Paul Goydos used graphite early on while on the PGA tour and now on the Senior tour because of his wrists). .

      Reply

      Peter

      2 years ago

      Went in for a fitting the other day and I mentioned that I wanted to try graphite shafts, just to see how they felt, and the fitter visibly winced when I mentioned it. There was no question as to why I wanted to try them. He just isn’t on board yet.

      Reply

      Rob

      2 years ago

      I always been told you should always buy steel over graphite for the durability. I was told that steel will last decades and never weaken. Whereas graphite can and will get brittle and eventually weaken causing minor fractures will leads to a potential snap. (After about a decade). Is any of this true?

      Reply

      Rich

      2 years ago

      I am not sure who told you that steel shafts will never degrade and graphite will after 10 years, but they are misinformed.

      Reply

      Chris Nickel

      2 years ago

      Durability issues. may have been a consideration in the past, but I wouldn’t worry much about that today.

      The quality of materials, production processes and QA/QC have all significantly improved in the last decade or so.

      Reply

      Benny

      2 years ago

      Beet not leave your bag in your car either. Especially with graphite as the heat and cold causes issues. Otherwise I’d played graphite as long as any steel shafts.

      Rob

      2 years ago

      I always been told you should always buy steel over graphite for the durability. I was told that steel will last decades and never weaken. Whereas graphite can and will get brittle and eventually weaken causing minor fractures will leads to a potential snap. (After about a decade). Is any of this true?

      Reply

      Don

      2 years ago

      You mention vibration reduction as a good reason to consider graphite shaft for the irons. While it is true that graphite shafts do reduce vibration well, you can also get rivration dampening inserts installed in your steel shafts that do just as well , and in a lot of cases even more to reduce vibration. If memory serve me, I believe TT started selling the Dynamic Gold iron shafts with Sensocore inserts about 20 years ago and their tests showed that the inserts reduced vibratomes about 30% better than graphite shafts. And for those golfer that replace their own grips, the inserts can be purchase for about .50 cents each and installed in less than 30 seconds at the same time one would replace the grip. So if one of the reasons a golf would consider going to graphite is for vibration reduction, I would have to say the a 50 cent insert would be by far the less expensive way to go and the benefits are bettet than going with graphite.

      When it comes to the putter, I have tried the $250 graphite putter shaft that claims to be ultra low torque for less twisting and less off line putts. I tried that $250 shaft in my $129 Odyssey Dart putter and after hitting well over 300 putts with both the factory steel shaft and the $250 graphite putter shaft, I saw ZERO difference in putts made nor any improvement in reducing off line putters I tested both shaft on short putts and long putts up to 50 feet and could see any improvement side by side in my test sessions. Not sure how many if any amateur golfer can justify spending another $250 on a putter shaft after spending $130 or more on the putter. And before anyone tells me I should learn how to putt, it’s only fair to tell you I won a Dart putter in a putting contest when that model first came out. I liked the putter so much when using it in the contest I purchase one before I left the store, and that is how I now have 2 of them. One with the factory steel shaft the other with the $250 graphite shaft. Having 2 putters that were the exact same except for the shaft did make for a great way to compare shafts in the same putter. Same putter, Different shafts, Same results. NOT worth it from what I could see.

      Reply

      WYBob

      2 years ago

      Great article Chris. Glad to see that shafts are getting some love at MGS. Every great advancement in golf technology adoption requires a thought leader to adopt it before it becomes the new standard. In the case of the multilayer solid core golf ball, it was Tiger Woods with the Tour Accuracy ball in 2000. With the move to steel shafts from Hickory in the 1930s, it was Byron Nelson. Graphite iron shafts need something similar to happen before it becomes the new defacto standard both on Tour and with the general golfing public. At one point it looked like it might be Bryson, but it now appears it will have to be someone else. Here is an article on Byron Nelson’s transition to steel shafts: https://www.pgatour.com/news/2020/05/04/how-byron-nelson-developed-the-modern-golf-swing.html

      Reply

      J-Full

      2 years ago

      I think Brysons reputation keeps him from being a leader in the graphite game. People know he’s an oddball. I think if Tiger, Rory, or any bombers not named Bryson started playing graphite, they’d be in a lot of folks bags within the next 5 years. Kuchar is richer than anybody in this comment thread but I’ve never heard anybody say they want to swing like him.

      I’m like 90% sure my next iron set will be graphite. Hell, I might take the plunge and put them in my new P790s if I get a good Christmas bonus.

      Reply

      Jay

      2 years ago

      Never thought I’d be hitting graphite in my irons or in my putter. Two years ago, I made the switch for exactly the reason you cited, sore wrists, fingers, elbows and neck from extended practice sessions. Once I made the switch, I haven’t even thought twice about going back. My swing speed increased, accuracy was the same as my NS Pro Modus Tour, KBS Tour and True Temper shafts, and the big plus was my joints are not nearly as sore after practice or playing rounds.

      I had been looking at new putters for this season, and had to try the MGS most wanted blade putter, the White Hot OG 1 and found myself draining putts from all over the place. I tried the graphite shaft and the steel shafts and found the graphite felt so much more precise and predictable. It was in my bag from day one, and is not likely going to be displaced for a long time. Now I’m rethinking the possibilities of retrofitting some of my other putters.

      I have golf sets from the hickory age, the early steel pyratone shafts, and clubs from every decade, that I rotate into play throughout the year. They’re all marvels of their eras, and I’ve learned to play them well and appreciate each of them for what they were, and from time to time I play my most recently fitted steel shafted irons, just to see how they play, and they certainly are great shafts and clubs, but I end up paying a price in both pain and fatigue.

      Graphite shafts have so many more opportunities for technological advancements than steel.. My sense is that at some near point in the future, we will be looking at steel shafts like the way we look at hickory and pyratone shafts, and wonder how people played with them. Golf is always going to evolve and progress, and we may as well embrace it’s newest advancement in graphite shafts. With the new materials and.layering/bonding techniques and technologies, they’re just beginning to see the multi-dimensional possibilities that can be created. They can dial in pretty much every kind of flex pattern we can imagine…and beyond. I’m all in.

      Reply

      vincent schiavo

      2 years ago

      I couldn’t have said it any better myself.

      Reply

      Everardo Keeme

      2 years ago

      Another great advantage to graphite is being able to fully control the profile. and weight more. Manufacturers have been able to do amazing things with steel through stepping but with graphite, they are to do so much more in that regard.

      Reply

      Chris Nickel

      2 years ago

      Agreed and ultimately this is probably the biggest advantage that graphite has over steel in the long term – and ultimately why we will eventually see graphite overtake steel as the industry norm.

      Reply

      Geren W

      2 years ago

      Pat Perez is another one, I believe, who has switched to graphite (LA Golf). After talking to Bryson DeChambeau about LA Golf shafts, he tried them and loved them and changed them out immediately.

      Reply

      Willie T

      2 years ago

      Great article Chris. I primarily play with graphite thru the bag except the putter with secondary being steel shafts in the irons. Have contemplated graphite in the putter, but have yet to pull the trigger. My own scoring is consistent between the two sets, but as I age the graphite shafts tend to be much more consistent.

      Reply

      Paul Pollice

      2 years ago

      I believe Abraham Ancer plays Muira irons with Mitsubishi Chemical OTI tour. Perhaps recently switched to MMT. both seriously great shafts. P

      Reply

      Brad

      2 years ago

      He was in oti up until about 2016/17. He has been in mmt 105tx for about 5/6 years

      Reply

      Jim

      2 years ago

      Good article but there is a lot more to consider when considering graphite such as weight and flex profile. Going from a 130 gram shaft to a 70 gram shaft isn’t that easy. While I have made the transition to graphite, swing speed, tempo and feel were all impacted resulting in a downturn in both distance and accuracy control. It would be great if it was as simple as switch and see a faster swing speed but there are always repercussions to change. Definitely try graphite but keep in mind, everything is going to change.

      Reply

      Everardo Keeme

      2 years ago

      The average golfer will hardly notice a weight shift of 10 to 15 grams, but yea going from 130 to 70 will screw anyone up.

      That’s another reason graphite got a bad rap, poor-fitting either people switching themselves or at the recommendation of someone.

      Reply

      Chris Nickel

      2 years ago

      No doubt, there are a number of factors golfers should consider when possibly switching to graphite iron shafts.

      I’d have to think that any player currently using a 130-gram iron shaft (DG X100, KBS TOUR 130X) would likely be looking first at options in the 110-125-gram range.

      Reply

      Rob

      2 years ago

      I always been told you should always buy steel over graphite for the durability. I was told that steel will last decades and never weaken. Whereas graphite can and will get brittle and eventually weaken causing minor fractures will leads to a potential snap. (After about a decade). Is any of this true?

      Tom54

      2 years ago

      I used the Project X 6..0 shafts in my irons for about 12 years. Never found anything that fit better. A few years ago I got fit for new Mizuno irons and was fit for the KBS graphite shafts in the 80g range. I did like the lack of vibration and clean feeling, but I started struggling with ball striking, just hitting horrible shots after a while. So eventually I swapped out to some lightweight Nippon steel shafts that were about 10g heavier. Still huge problems with no distance and a lot of hosel rockets. I finally got so frustrated I went back to my 5 year old Callaways with the P X 6.0 shafts and noticed an immediate difference. I think for me what it is that with really light shafts I can’t feel where the club is in my backswing and I get antsy and rush everything.

      Reply

      James C

      2 years ago

      You discovered that you need to stay in a certain weight range. I had a similar experience going from PX to Steelfiber i95. I’m fine with 105-115g but I couldn’t find the center of the face at 95g. Doesn’t matter what material. Graphite used to mean light but now we have both lightweight steel and heavy graphite. You can get MMT at 125g now. A lot has changed in the last five years or so.

      Tom54

      2 years ago

      That’s interesting. I didn’t know graphite shafts came in heavier weights like that. May have to check that out.

      Guy

      2 years ago

      I fitted into project x lz 6.0 125gram, 15 gram heavier then previous , but had neck issues (prior accident related) after the fitting session so went back to ask for graphite options and ended up playing mitsubishi MMT 125 S.

      No real differentiation on the monitor between te two and neither much in it in feel, just a tiny bit softer. Very happy playing them and love the look!

      Can recommend anyone to test some graphite options if price doesn’t matter too much. Did cost me an additional 350 euro, for 5-gapwedge shafts, 50 each

      ChipNRun

      2 years ago

      One thing to remember if one goes from heavier steel to lighter graphite – or even lighter steel – shafts.
      Learn to swing the lighter shafts “on tempo” with good form. If you go from a 115 gram. Project X to a Recoil 95, and are still trying to kill the ball, you won’t get much benefit from the lighter Recoils.

      Reply

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