a question for Ethan on Nippon 950gh shafts.

[patricks148]

I’ve a mate that’s looking at getting a set of clubs with Nippon 950GH Stiff steel shafts in.

He wants to know what characteristics these shafts have?

He’s a 3 handicap with a very healthy swing speed and is looking for something that would have a lower ball flight than his current S300 that are probably a bit on the soft side.

So Ethan what’s your verdict?

 

[Ethan]

I’ve a mate that’s looking at getting a set of clubs with Nippon 950GH Stiff steel shafts in.

He wants to know what characteristics these shafts have?

He’s a 3 handicap with a very healthy swing speed and is looking for something that would have a lower ball flight than his current S300 that are probably a bit on the soft side.

So Ethan what’s your verdict?

The Nippons are a smooth shaft often suggested to players with lower swing speeds who need a bit more height.

I don't think, on the face of it, that they would be a better choice than S300 and would almost certainly be softer and flight the ball higher. Who suggested the Nippons?

If he is looking for a solid low flight shaft, he could look at KBS C-tapers, or if flex is the issue, TT DG X100. If he really wants a Nippon shaft for some reason, the Modus 3 is the best choice.

 

[thecraw]

950 will go higher than the S300.

They are also a lot lighter.

 

[patricks148]

The Nippons are a smooth shaft often suggested to players with lower swing speeds who need a bit more height.

I don't think, on the face of it, that they would be a better choice than S300 and would almost certainly be softer and flight the ball higher. Who suggested the Nippons?

If he is looking for a solid low flight shaft, he could look at KBS C-tapers, or if flex is the issue, TT DG X100. If he really wants a Nippon shaft for some reason, the Modus 3 is the best choice.

there was a set of MP69/64 on ebay with these shafts in and had not heard of this shaft before.

He has just got a set of KBS C taper but found them a bit dead, but he was hitting them on the range this week, which can't have been ideal what with there being a 50mph wind in your face. He switched over a shaft in the 6 iron, i thing he should persv with the KBS.

but thank for the info Ethan, saved him buying clubs that will be unsuitable.

 

[Ethan]

there was a set of MP69/64 on ebay with these shafts in and had not heard of this shaft before.

He has just got a set of KBS C taper but found them a bit dead, but he was hitting them on the range this week, which can't have been ideal what with there being a 50mph wind in your face. He switched over a shaft in the 6 iron, i thing he should persv with the KBS.

but thank for the info Ethan, saved him buying clubs that will be unsuitable.

What flex did he get in the C-tapers?

I play Rifle Flighted 6.0 at present but demoed a Taylor Made Rocketbladez Tour. Really liked it, and it felt great. Then I noticed the KBS Tour shaft was X flex rather than S flex. The C-tapers in S felt nice enough to me, much the same as KBS S, but personal preferences and feel are very individual.

 

[mab]

Edit: just realised you've not confirmed he was hitting x-flex. The info is still accurate though and may help.


If he's gone from S300 to x-flex C-Tapers, it's no wonder he's finding them dead... assuming the S300 was a good fit.

Have a look at the chart below.

The S300 frequencies at around 5.8, which is between a C-Taper R+ and C-Taper S. The C-Taper X frequencies at a eye popping 7.2, which is even stiffer than than the X100.

To achieve what you're friend wants, I suggest he tries the C-Taper in an S-flex... and he may even want to soft step those.

 

[mab]

Also, remember that KBS flex changes mean an associated weight change.

My suggestion of S-flex weigh in at 120g (straight in or soft stepped), which is only 10g lighter than his current S300. If that drop of 10g is too much, he could get up to 125g with the C-Taper S+, but he'd probably want to softstep twice to get back down to near the frequency of the S300... asuming the S300 are a good fit bar the higher than desired ball flight.

 

[Ethan]

If he's gone from S300 to x-flex C-Tapers, it's no wonder he's finding them dead... assuming the S300 was a good fit.

Have a look at the chart below.

The S300 frequencies at around 5.8, which is between a C-Taper R+ and C-Taper S. The C-Taper X frequencies at a eye popping 7.2, which is even stiffer than than the X100.

To achieve what you're friend wants, I suggest he tries the C-Taper in an S-flex... and he may even want to soft step those.

I don't think anyone said what flex in the C-tapers he tried.

 

[mab]

I don't think anyone said what flex in the C-tapers he tried.

You're absolutely right. I just spotted that and edited my first post.

The info may help or it may be completely irrelevent!

 

[patricks148]

You're absolutely right. I just spotted that and edited my first post.

The info may help or it may be completely irrelevent!

No idea what flex the c taper are as he's out playing golf and hasn't read my text yet.

He tried X100 and found them very sim to the s300 flight wise.

I thinks as i said earlier he will need to have another hit with the c taper as he only put it in the 6 iron.

He's got a fair bit of clubheadspeed and i would say hits a 7 iron 170 yards using mp68.

 

[thecraw]

Nippon 1050 XS.

Bang bang.

 

[stevek1969]

Waiting on my new wands coming with Nippon Ns 850 Pro in them

 

[patricks148]

I don't think anyone said what flex in the C-tapers he tried.

They are indeed C Taper X flex, but the only other mark is 130.

I've told my mate to have a look at the table and see what he thinks. The guy he got them off was selling them cos they were too stiff.

 

[mab]

They are indeed C Taper X flex, but the only other mark is 130.

I've told my mate to have a look at the table and see what he thinks. The guy he got them off was selling them cos they were too stiff.

130 is the weight. KBS associate flex with weight so, in the C-Taper:

X - 130g
S+ - 125g
S - 120g
R+ - 115g
R - 110g

You've got to have a fast swing and aggressive transition to warrant C-Taper in x-flex. For example, I believe Rory McIlroy plays PX6.5 in his irons, which frequency at 7.0... and the C-Taper in x-flex is even stiffer at 7.2.

KBS do have a shaft fit system on their website from memory, so may be worth pointing your pal there.

Edit: here you go: http://kbsgolfshafts.com/fit-system

I don't believe the system takes account of hard or soft stepping which is something your pal may wish to consider if he feels he may be in between.

 

[Ethan]

130 is the weight. KBS associate flex with weight so, in the C-Taper:

X - 130g
S+ - 125g
S - 120g
R+ - 115g
R - 110g

You've got to have a fast swing and aggressive transition to warrant C-Taper in x-flex. For example, I believe Rory McIlroy plays PX6.5 in his irons, which frequency at 7.0... and the C-Taper in x-flex is even stiffer at 7.2.

KBS do have a shaft fit system on their website from memory, so may be worth pointing your pal there.

Edit: here you go: http://kbsgolfshafts.com/fit-system

I don't believe the system takes account of hard or soft stepping which is something your pal may wish to consider if he feels he may be in between.

I went on the KBS shaft fit the other day and it recommended R+ for me, but I have previously played S and hit an X at the range and liked the X best of all. I think if you have a quickish swing (tempo, that is rather than swing speed) and need to slow the swing down a bit, going stiffer and heavier works. Nick Price used to play TT DG X7 shafts, which were very heavy and stiff.

 

[mab]

I went on the KBS shaft fit the other day and it recommended R+ for me, but I have previously played S and hit an X at the range and liked the X best of all. I think if you have a quickish swing (tempo, that is rather than swing speed) and need to slow the swing down a bit, going stiffer and heavier works. Nick Price used to play TT DG X7 shafts, which were very heavy and stiff.

That's interesting. I thought the system built a recommendation not only on swing speed, but also tempo and transition, so I wouldn't expect it to be that far out. Your PX6.0 would certainly suggest you'd want something stronger than an R+.

Regardless, I suppose KBS would say that whilst the system provides a best guess, there is no substitute for being properly fit.