Equipment

Matrix Shafts Q&A: The new X3 “White Tie” shaft

Published

11 years ago

Dec 3, 2012

Joe Miera, Director of Tour Operations for Matrix Shafts, has been fitting tour players with Matrix shafts for 10 years. He took the time to answer questions from GolfWRX Managing Editor Zak Kozuchowski about his company’s new product line. Scroll to the bottom for specs.

ZK: Last year Matrix released its M3 “Black Tie” shaft. Now, we’re seeing photos of tour players testing the X3 “White Tie” shaft. Who do these shafts target and how do they differ?

JM: Every year Matrix strives to improve performance of all golfers through shaft innovations. We are continuing to fill our Matrix Flight System portfolio with shafts, the M3 “Black Tie” replaced the FM2 and is low-launch, low-spin shaft. The X3 “White Tie” replaced the X-Con, which is a high-launch, low-spin shaft. We will also be releasing the highly anticipated Q3 “Red Tie,” which replaces the HD Series, and is a mid-launch, mid spin shaft, completing the new Matrix Flight System (MFS).

ZK: What about these shafts make them perform in the way that they do, and where do the names come from?

JM: Aside from some of the structural patents like the 16-sided hexadecagonal internal chassis and our manufacturing techniques, we developed a DEC (Deformation of Energy Curve) modeling system that is vastly superior to designing on a traditional EI Curve. That’s what gives us the ability to leapfrog some older design ideas. The combination of color and letters in the new MFS allowed us to simplify things for greater understanding. For people that remember colors well, it’s red (mid-launch), black (low-launch) and white (high-launch), which happen to be our corporate colors. For those that can think of the Alphabet vertically off the ground — A being the lowest — they can picture the apex of the ball at the letter M, a bit higher for Q and higher yet for X. It’s comprehensive, but a simple memory tool for players, tour reps and fitters.

ZK: When will these shafts be available and how much will they cost?

JM: The OZIK M3 Black Tie and OZIK X3 White Tie shafts are available now and the OZIK Q3 Red Tie will be available in early January 2013. The MSRP for each will be $375.

ZK: What are the tolerances?

JM: As you may know, Matrix started as many years ago as a boutique product, available only through clubmakers. We have never wavered from the lessons learned along the way from them. The input helped Matrix become a leader in the field of shaft manufacturing and we are very proud of our reputation for having exacting standards. It may not be well known by some of your readers but our system is set up in such a way that all Matrix Shafts follow the same manufacturing process and procedures as the OZIK TP line.

ZK: We’ve heard from fitters that Matrix shafts tend to produce very good ball speeds for golfers. Why is this?

JM: Advanced design tools and materials are key ingredients in shaft development, while advanced production techniques allow companies to push the envelope of what is possible to produce. While it’s an open secret on tour that many players gain as much as 4 mph of ball speed using our shafts over conventionally designed shafts, (COO) Daniel You and his team are unlikely to give the recipe to the rest of the world. That being said, the structural design and manufacturing of our shafts is considerably different compared to how most traditional shafts are made. We don’t introduce and release products just to do it. We do it to build a better mousetrap, so to speak. The forward momentum of design, advancement of materials and the application of lessons learned help us incrementally move forward from previous models. We like to believe that our increments are just a bit bigger than expected.

ZK: There’s a lot of talk about shaft inconsistency – one company’s stiff flex can be another’s regular flex, and vice versa. How do you determine how stiff to make your regular flex, stiff flex, etc.?

JM: That’s a great question. It’s also a very difficult question to answer. As manufacturers, we each have to make our own decisions as to what we are going to design and implement as our flexes. There are no accepted standards for testing protocols or overseeing body in golf shafts. To decide on our flexes, we utilize player and robot testing and base our flexes on ideal maximum deflection at a given swing speed.

ZK: What do you see as being more important in the shaft industry going forward: materials or construction methods?

JM: Another great question, but you can’t separate the two. Our aim from day one has been to make the finest golf shafts available. In order to do that it has to be a holistic approach combined with sweating the small stuff. Using the very best materials in the world and combining it with mediocre manufacturing produces truly flawed products in our estimation. Alternately, if you are not willing to use cutting edge materials you won’t be able to produce the best shaft available. In simpler terms, a drag racer does not use fuel with a lower octane when trying to maximize performance. However, I believe that the key to producing the finest shafts in each class is having world-class design and manufacturing. At that point, a design engineer can choose materials to fit the price categories golfers are comfortable with.

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

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Equipment

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

Published

6 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.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

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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