Equipment
Tech Talk: UST Recoil Graphite Iron Shafts
In the last decade, graphite has become the material of choice on the PGA Tour for the shafts in drivers, fairway woods and hybrids.
It would make sense that graphite shafts would slowly have started to creep into irons as well, but almost every top player on Tour is still using steel shafts in his irons and wedges.
Mike Guerrette, vice president of brand development and Tour operations for UST Mamiya, said the reason why graphite shafts haven’t become popular with Tour players in their irons was because of a problem with their design.
According to Guerette, graphite iron shafts of the past had walls that were too thick, which decreased ovaling and resulted in poor energy transfer. That resulted in less feel and less distance — two things that never go together on Tour.
UST’s new Recoil iron shafts are made with denser graphite fibers that allowed engineers to decrease wall thickness. Because the fibers are denser, the shafts can be made as heavy as 110 to 125 grams, the weight range that is preferred on Tour. Click this link to read more about the Recoil Shafts.
Check out the video below, where Guerrette explains in detail the construction and benefits of the new shafts, which he says will give golfers more distance and a better feel than steel.
Read more and join the discussion in the forums
[youtube id=”yxA4LqQpKN0″ width=”620″ height=”360″]
Read more and join the discussion in the forums
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 X
Irons: TaylorMade Proto (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X 7.0 (4-9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-K @59) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X3 Buy here.
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour
Ball: 2024 TaylorMade TP5x Buy here.
(Photo courtesy of TaylorMade)
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s WITB in the forums.
View this post on Instagram
The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Rick
Mar 6, 2015 at 2:00 pm
Why should I take your word? Haven’t even heard your story. Have not seen any reviews on the 800 or 600 series but I’m sure they r out there.
Mike Boatright
Oct 6, 2014 at 3:25 pm
I like this concept but what I fear is breakage with let’s say a 9 iron over time. Your hitting down pretty hard vs a driver that never sees much ground impact.
Mike
Jan 26, 2014 at 7:41 pm
I purchased these shafts, F4, in the Callaway Apex irons. I own a Trackman, here’s the numbers with a 7i, club speed 83.6, ball speed 120.5, spin rate 5970, carry 177.5, total 185.9, launch angle 19.2, dynamic loft 24.1, spin loft 26.5, smash factor 1.44, angle of attack -2.2. Five shots all about the same. Look at ball position to adjust height, spin, carry, etc. Shafts feel great. Would love to feel these in my Ping S55’s with the 110 shaft and see the numbers. These shafts don’t feel like the graphite I’ve tried, tip soft, launch high. I know where the club is, I can feel it.
Gerald
Feb 18, 2013 at 3:43 pm
This sounds like the same comments I heard when people were being asked to put down their persimmon woods and try metal heads.
JEFF
Jan 31, 2013 at 12:37 pm
I shot a 68 yesterday with my crappy DG X 100 STEEL shafts. I got them for 6.00 each!
Bill Gabbert
Jan 31, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Do your homework fellows. You can buy these shafts from Hireko Golf fo only 44.99. And if you haven’t tried them maybe some people on here should try them first before you write such negative comments on a product that might just changed your golf game. I have one coming to demo in an extra TM 7 iron.
Sean
Jan 30, 2013 at 9:00 pm
I’d be very interested in these shafts, but the price is a bit out of my reach.
S
Jan 31, 2013 at 2:33 am
Yes. Me too
Pingback: Graphite Iron Shafts??? | Golf ETC in Hilton Head
Chris
Jan 28, 2013 at 9:21 pm
Wow – lots of negative comments. Have any of the previous people actually hit one of these? They feel great, the offer many of the positives of steel shafts without the negative vibrations. We’ve only had the demos in our shop for a couple of weeks and have already had a couple of “steel only” guys that don’t need or want a lighter weight shaft, make the switch after picking one up. They loved the distance, improved dispersion and feel. Maybe give them a shot???
S
Jan 31, 2013 at 2:34 am
I would love to, if you could sell each shaft for around $30, I would do it. $125 is a bit much, especially when there is nothing wrong with steel
Scott
Jan 28, 2013 at 3:54 pm
If these are so great why aren’t PGA Tour players playing them? Two guys on the Senior Tour are playing them, but that’s what they were always made for: old people.
Famous Davis
Jan 28, 2013 at 1:21 pm
The opening sentence of the article is a hoot. In the last decade, graphite has become the material of choice on the PGA Tour for the shafts in drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. Like graphite wasn’t already the default choice in 1998? GMAFB. To see my ungodly ballstriking for yourself, just come out to Admiral Baker any Tuesday. I’m the guy in the dumpy khakis.
Desmond
Jan 28, 2013 at 9:21 am
I like his hair, wish he spoke English instead of terminology. When he discussed torque towards the end, he reverted back to English. Interesting concept – they should go down to lighter weights and give Aerotech a run…
G
Jan 28, 2013 at 2:34 am
It has NOTHING to do with DESIGN. It’s all to do with COST!
Why would you want to pay $125 PER SHAFT for your irons!!!!!! That’s INSANE.
Andy
Jun 13, 2013 at 7:52 am
They are worth every penny! Take my word for it.