Aldila Shaft Advice - Pure science.....

[tugglesf239]

After a few weeks of scientific testing which involved me banging many hundreds of balls down the range, i have a query regarding Aldila shafts. Namely, how similar (if at all) are the Aldila "tour" green shaft and the older Aldila NV Green shaft.

Reason i ask is because i have been playing around with a Ping i25 3 wood v's my Adams Pro 2 Hybrid (18 degree i think). Basically i can hit the 2 hybrid only slightly shorter than my 3 wood and i am much straighter with it.

Now the Hybrid is fitted with an Aldila Tour Red stiff shaft and the Ping has a PWR stiff. I think (maybe) that the aldila shaft is working better for me as there is no way a higher lofted, shorter length club should in theory but as equal in distance to a 3 wood.

The difference in feel from the hybrid is much more to my tastes and this includes the way i feel the shaft load at the top of my back swing.

Now for the science....

I own a Ping i25 driver that also has a PWR stiff shaft (which is already a bit of a weapon) and i want to have a blast with the Aldila tour green shaft connected. Now i know my hybrid has the red shaft, but i am led to believe the green would be a similar comparison as the red is Hybrid only?

From looking around i can see the Tour green is very expensive on Ebay and will get even more expensive when you factor in a grip and adapter fitting. I have however sen plenty of the older NV green shafts going and somtimes these have am i25/g25 dapter fitted.

So the question is how similar are the two Green shaft variants

Will my cheapskate and totally non scientific plan work?

Or am i barking up the wrong tree and talking guff?

Over to you..:thup:

 

[patricks148]

After a few weeks of scientific testing which involved me banging many hundreds of balls down the range, i have a query regarding Aldila shafts. Namely, how similar (if at all) are the Aldila "tour" green shaft and the older Aldila NV Green shaft.

Reason i ask is because i have been playing around with a Ping i25 3 wood v's my Adams Pro 2 Hybrid (18 degree i think). Basically i can hit the 2 hybrid only slightly shorter than my 3 wood and i am much straighter with it.

Now the Hybrid is fitted with an Aldila Tour Red stiff shaft and the Ping has a PWR stiff. I think (maybe) that the aldila shaft is working better for me as there is no way a higher lofted, shorter length club should in theory but as equal in distance to a 3 wood.

The difference in feel from the hybrid is much more to my tastes and this includes the way i feel the shaft load at the top of my back swing.

Now for the science....

I own a Ping i25 driver that also has a PWR stiff shaft (which is already a bit of a weapon) and i want to have a blast with the Aldila tour green shaft connected. Now i know my hybrid has the red shaft, but i am led to believe the green would be a similar comparison as the red is Hybrid only?

From looking around i can see the Tour green is very expensive on Ebay and will get even more expensive when you factor in a grip and adapter fitting. I have however sen plenty of the older NV green shafts going and somtimes these have am i25/g25 dapter fitted.

So the question is how similar are the two Green shaft variants

Will my cheapskate and totally non scientific plan work?

Or am i barking up the wrong tree and talking guff?

Over to you..:thup:

in no way scientific only from personal exp of hitting the. I have a callaway Xhot 2 pro driver (this is in the for sale section if anyone in interested ) with the Tour green in stiff in it and have had a go with a mates Cobra driver with the Green NV65 in stiff in the last few weeks. the old one goes way higher flight wise than the tour green. felt different as well slightly softer maybe.

 

[the_coach]

can only speak generally would need to know some LM numbers to give any specific advice as to which shaft would be a better 'fit'

Tour Green is just the updated development shaft model on from the NV Green -the shaft is constructed different- has a constant taper 'shaft profile' for a smooth kinda action/feel it's tip stiff so would give a lower launch with less spin - given ideal strike. NV probably a little higher launching tad more spin.
(as the Tour Green is tad more tip stiff to get shaft length needed you only have to butt trim, because of the shaft profile)

am sure the Red in the hybrid will be a bunch heavier

Tour Blue as a driver shaft is higher launching tad more spin - so if tip trimmed by an inch then butt trimmed to length could be useful in a 3 metal

one thing to consider a whole bunch of index players want to hit the ball lower say they hit if a ways too high - don't really think this is the whole story though - because strike location not from ideal face location there is a 'false' high launch sometimes over backspin so no distance - but it's not really too high in peak height terms.

you take Tour Pros & elite players who hit every club (full swing) approx the same peak height through the bag - approx around 90 feet - that's a good bunch higher 'peak' than most folks would think - just the trajectory to get there a ways different - it's the travel & that 'peak height #' that gives the carry so longer distances
LPGA have a peak height up there at 75 feet approx - difference down to SS to BS with launch #'s

only mention 'peak' because I see a whole bunch of index players who hit the ball a ways to low to robbing themselves of carry/distance
so whole heap of folks playing with a shaft that's too stiff & giving not enough spin - it's the launch angle through not so good strike locations that's sending the launch to high so the dropkick flight

 

[tugglesf239]

Quick update on this (for those that may be interested....)

Have been keeping an eye on ebay for a test shaft, but have struggled to find anything that does not need a new grip and adapter fitting, thus pushing up the price.

However tonight i may have struck on something...

Down at my local range i asked the Fitter (Ray) if he had anything with a G25/i25 adapter fitted in a stiff. He never, however he did have an Aldila RIP 2.4 70 X flex, in the back room.

Now i have never actually had a go of an X stiff driver but thought sod it.

Warmed up with the irons, hit a few drives with my current shaft and was swinging ok.

Fitted the new shaft and preceded to hit some of the best "feeling" drives i have done in a long time. The feeling was very similar to that of my hybrid. Basically a really powerful and tight feeling thwack through the ball. It was dark so i cant see if there was any improvement to carry, but it felt like it must have been..

The flight looked good and i was really impressed. I did scatter a few balls left and right, but i am an 18 h/c so this is the norm of late.

Switched back to my normal shaft and the difference was night and day with both feel and flight (much higher). I would say that the grouping looked much worse also.

The different shaft transformed they way my favorite driver feels and now i am smitten

Been offered the shaft for next to nothing, so it is an absolute no brainier...

or is it?

Now i need to get down to the range in day light and visually see what the difference might be as i am aware that might be codswallop until i get the mk1 eye ball on it, or maybe the flight scope.

In my head though i am a little worried that this might be to much of a big boys shaft? What are the consequences of having a bad day swinging with a shaft that is to heavy and stiff for the pilot?

My bad shot is a big high hook, but that is because i get stuck inside and over flip my hands (pro spotted that one). Would a stiffer shaft make this worse through effect?

Does a stiffer shaft generally mean tighter dispersion?

For the £40 quid asking price, should i just do it or it? I dont want to set myself back by having an unsuitable shaft more than anything.

But it felt amazing!!!!!

help please!

 

[the_coach]

only thing that gives tighter dispersion is a good ratio between face angle & path but then only given a good strike location on the face - in front of the CG of the head

only ways to check carry is on a LM, only ways to check peak height so flight is the same

you also would need to find out swing speed #'s from a normal swing motion - swing speed below 110mph won't be getting true distance from an X flex (although there's other stuff that plays into it, how the shaft is stressed, where the release pattern is etc)
certainly won't be able to tell by sight alone

folks that hit the ball a good ways have to flight the ball to get carry, so peak height is important generally to fly it out over 275 etc you looking at around 30+ yards - that's some 90+ feet

unless purposely trying to hit a low ball for whatever reason PGA Tour players, elite golfers hit the ball a real bunch higher than most folks think

best ways is to get to a good club fitter to find the best shaft for the particular norm of the clubhead delivery
but your $'s & you make the final decision

my take it's probably not a real good idea

 

[tugglesf239]

only thing that gives tighter dispersion is a good ratio between face angle & path but then only given a good strike location on the face - in front of the CG of the head

only ways to check carry is on a LM, only ways to check peak height so flight is the same

you also would need to find out swing speed #'s from a normal swing motion - swing speed below 110mph won't be getting true distance from an X flex (although there's other stuff that plays into it, how the shaft is stressed, where the release pattern is etc)
certainly won't be able to tell by sight alone

folks that hit the ball a good ways have to flight the ball to get carry, so peak height is important generally to fly it out over 275 etc you looking at around 30+ yards - that's some 90+ feet

unless purposely trying to hit a low ball for whatever reason PGA Tour players, elite golfers hit the ball a real bunch higher than most folks think

best ways is to get to a good club fitter to find the best shaft for the particular norm of the clubhead delivery
but your $'s & you make the final decision

my take it's probably not a real good idea

Cheers coach

From using a GSA device my SS with a driver peaked at about 113, but i dont know how accurate that is in comparison to a proper GC2 or LM type device.

It was last year that i measured this though so no idea what the state of play would be now.

I am not really searching searching for a low ball flight and although lower than my current shaft, i would not say it was overly low. The fitter watched a good few of my strikes and he did not seem to disagree that they were going well.

Its worth mentioning that the fitter has previously talked me out of buy new bats a few years back, so i know he is legit

Ill ask to have a shot on the LM next week during the day, or might try and pop down tomorrow and have a play.

 

[hovis]

Waaaaay to much emphasis is put on shaft performance when the truth is it doesn't make the massive difference that people expect. I have taken part in extensive shaft testing with golf professionals and it was clear that shaft weight was much more of a game changer

 

[the_coach]

Cheers coach

From using a GSA device my SS with a driver peaked at about 113, but i dont know how accurate that is in comparison to a proper GC2 or LM type device.

It was last year that i measured this though so no idea what the state of play would be now.

I am not really searching searching for a low ball flight and although lower than my current shaft, i would not say it was overly low. The fitter watched a good few of my strikes and he did not seem to disagree that they were going well.

Its worth mentioning that the fitter has previously talked me out of buy new bats a few years back, so i know he is legit

Ill ask to have a shot on the LM next week during the day, or might try and pop down tomorrow and have a play.

give it a go on the LM against your old shaft see what the #'s say, see if the fitter has a low spin stiff shaft to compare it to also
check your LA - spin rate - peak height numbers - ball park for good shot outcomes given 110+ would be around 12/13º - 2000 / 2400 rpm's - 30 yards
dispersion (lefts/rights) depends on face angle to path relationship

also worth while taking a can of foot spray along with you just so you can 'see' the strike patterns on the face - some shafts that better suit the shaft load profile of the player tend to find the CG strike location a ways more consistently

 

[Qwerty]

In my head though i am a little worried that this might be to much of a big boys shaft? What are the consequences of having a bad day swinging with a shaft that is to heavy and stiff for the pilot?!

Dave, do you know what your swing speed is with either a 6 iron or a driver?

I think your underestimating how hard you hit the ball.

I've been playing the game 16 years and the only guys I've seen smash it like you are both off +2.

 

[tugglesf239]

Cheers Dave.

Mind you the only people you have seen hook it like I can are probably of +36.......

I'm gong to see Ray at lunch today to see if I can nab the flight scope for 30 mins.

Like I said earlier I'm baseing all this purely on feel at the moment.

The i25 with my current shaft has produced some big drives this year, more so than with any driver I have previously owned.

it just does not feel anywhere as nice as the RIP. Similar with the 3 wood and my 2h.

If the fitter is available I'll post some numbers later on.

 

[tugglesf239]

Pretty peed off currently...

Went to the range and asked to try the shaft again and was given it.

Hit maybe 20 balls and it still felt much much better. Was it going better than my current shaft? no idea because the range slopes off after the 250 marker so it is hard to see where balls are landing with either shaft.

My Pro walked past and made some really positive things about the way i was hitting it. I explained that i was testing the shaft but was unsure if it was actually any better. he said get yourself on the flight scope, so i asked the fitter what the crack was for seeing how the shaft was performing

£25 quid was the answer.

Ok i replied (the shaft only costs £40)..... whats that for? a full fitting and multiple shafts?

£25 for 30 mins on the scope, was the reply

I replied that i would have to think about it because (in my mind) a quick 5 minutes hitting 5 balls with each shaft would have probably sealed the deal.

I dont want to spend more than half price, just to find out if the shaft that was being sold to me, was actually suitable.

More annoying was that the fitter would have been happy for me to walk out the shop last night with a shaft that could have be totally unsuited to my game. Im not saying he has a duty of care over me, far from it. But a fitter should want to make sure i am doing the right thing?

Am i being unreasonable? yes or no?

If i was looking for the full package fitting, with every head and every club in scope, then £25 if fair enough.

It does seem a bit much to see if an old scratched and second hand back of the shop shaft may or may not improve / ruin my driving?

Anyway

I declined the offer and will go elsewhere

Bit annoyed though

 

[huds1475]

Devils advocate...

Is £25 not a reasonable price to resolve your indecision?
Can you not offer £10 for 10 minutes?
If it feels better, can you not see / compare dispersion visually or is it more about distance / roll etc....
Range at the Trafford Centre slopes up toward the back so might be an option?

Good luck with it :thup:

 

[tugglesf239]

Devils advocate...

Is £25 not a reasonable price to resolve your indecision?
Can you not offer £10 for 10 minutes?
If it feels better, can you not see / compare dispersion visually or is it more about distance / roll etc....
Range at the Trafford Centre slopes up toward the back so might be an option?

Good luck with it :thup:

No chance of seeing total distance mate, as the range slopes of after the 250 marker.

£25 is good value for a full fitting with an array of shafts and maybe heads, but i do think it is steep for bashing 10 balls down a range. Especially when the shaft is only £40 quid and hardly brand spanking new.

Maybe i am being a little harsh, however you read stories on here about fitters going out their way to help a confused potential buyer. Maybe i just expected a bit more.

 

[Foxholer]

If you are swinging at 113, then an X flex is almost certainly not too much for you! And if you like the feel, then that's almost certainly the one to go for. Having a shaft that you like the feel of - and are confident that it works - is the key to swinging positively/with the commitment needed to take advantage of that swing speed!

Traditionally, a shaft that is too stiff will have too low a flight and tend to go right - but remember that is 'tradition' only. I have a pro mate who has 'intuitive hands' which over-compensate! Anything stronger than a Regular (he actually uses the Aldila 65 NV too) and he HOOKS - including a 8* XX shafted 2* Open beast!!

That price is a steal really - though the market for that style is rather limited!

 

[tugglesf239]

Cheers foxy.

Maybe think just buy it, try it and see how it goes.

I'm not looking for a full fitting session just yet. Mainly because I've just had s second kid and moved house. I don't want to get lured into spending a wad of cash on a new driver.

I really really like the i25 so just want to tune it for feeling (and maybe distance...)

I've no idea if the 113 figure is acurate though.

Still a wee bit annoyed to not have seen the numbers today.

Not looking for special privileges but I spend a fortune at the range and in the shop over the year.

Ah well

Sod it

 

[Foxholer]

In actual fact, the Pro has quite an 'overhead' in setting up the GC2 and re-packing it afterwards - so £25 for a half hour session isn't all that bad a cost. But as you say, to confirm a £40 purchase doesn't make much sense!

Have you considered asking whether it's possible to tack onto the end of someone else's session for (say) a tenner? That way it's a more reasonable cost to you and he doesn't have the 'cost' of setup and take down involved.

But still worthwhile just taking a punt - funds notwithstanding - imo!

 

[tugglesf239]

Think you are right

Will buy it next week and give it a whirl.

:thup: