Equipment

All you need to know: Oban’s Kiyoshi White shaft

Published

11 years ago

Nov 19, 2012

Oban’s “Kiyoshi White” shaft is the latest edition to the company’s Kiyoshi family of shafts, offering a different bend profile and improved stability through a new design pattern.

Oban, a high-end golf shaft manufacturer based in Chicago, released the first member of the Kiyoshi family, the “Kiyoshi Purple,” in mid-2011. The purple-colored shaft uses Oban’s Emersion Wrapped Frequency Technology to offer golfers a product with a high-launch and low-spin in a wide weight range (45-to-85 grams and hybrid, L-X Flexes).

1-6-2013 UPDATE: This shaft will be part of a High End Tmag Super R1 TP Driver Package for $900.00. Click here to see the R1 TP Article

Oban’s “Kiyoshi Black” was released in early 2012. It uses the same technology, but the Black was designed with less torque and a stiffer butt section that gave it a medium-launch and low-spin.

Like the Kiyoshi Black, the Kiyoshi White offers a mid-launch and low-spin. But a new design pattern that Oban calls “MultiPlex Design Technology” allowed it to be made with a softer butt section, which makes the shaft feel “more bendy,” especially at the top of a golfer’s swing.

“The [Kiyoshi Black and Kiyoshi White] are crossing over, but they offer two different feels,” said Victor Afable, president of Oban Composites. “For Tour players who like a stiffer feel – that’s the Black. Guys who like a shaft that’s softer in the handle – that’s the white.”

The Kiyoshi White is currently available at retail for $400 from Oban’s certified dealers. It will be available in a 55, 65, 75 and 85-gram models, in regular, stiff and x-stiff flexes.

Click here for more discussion in the “Tour/pre-release equipment” forum.

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7 Comments

whatisthis

Jun 7, 2014 at 3:17 am

I know that this is old, but I wanted to add my experience with this shaft. I think I may have gotten caught up with all the hype about the Super TP R1, and all the rave reviews. Maybe my SS/swing isn’t for this combo. I’m using a R11 TP with Fubuki Alpha 60 S flex, and I love that combo. I tried the R1 Oban combo, and I’m hitting all over the place, too low and shorter. I think I am getting more roll with the Oban though… I feel like I load the Fubuki well, but I don’t get that feeling with the Oban. I would like to try the R1 with a Fubuki Alpha, and see if it’s the head or the shaft. I have a feeling it’s the latter. I guess this shaft isn’t for everyone…

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Dan

Sep 6, 2013 at 8:45 pm

I play the Kiyoshi White 65 Stiff in a Callaway X-Hot head. The combination of these two has given me unmatched results this year. While I attribute most of the great feel at impact to the head, the shaft gives me the feel of really loading at the top of my swing and the consistency at impact to keep it long and straight

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Lane Holt

Aug 27, 2013 at 7:58 am

I hope you will someday mention what I consider the best iron shaft ever made– the Nunchuk XI. Made with the same
high quality strict specs. as the Nunchuk Driver and Hybrid shafts. Technology of the future!

Lane

Reply Report comment
- Pat
  
  Nov 23, 2014 at 8:41 pm
  
  You obviously work for Inventix or whatever the parent company name is for the Nunchuk line. Take your advertising bs somewhere else.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jeffrey

Aug 20, 2013 at 5:23 pm

This is in my R1 black. It is an absolute monster of a shaft. I cut my shafts down as I don’t like super long drivers, and even with my short driver, I was bombing it past my playing partners. Oban may soon have a few more customers.

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Ernie Davis

Feb 5, 2013 at 9:51 am

I was just fitted at Club Champion for the Anser with the Oban White 65 Stiff and cannot wait to get it on the course. I’m going from the Diamana White Board to this and cannot wait to get that extra feel of the club. The “bend at the top” was a great feeling not found in the White Board, and the consistancy of the Oban shaft was amazing.

Reply Report comment
Sporto98

Dec 14, 2012 at 4:07 pm

I hit a 75X in an FT Tour 8.5* and the ball just wouldn’t stop flying. It was fantastic and had great feel. I look forward to getting one for myself.

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

13 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

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And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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