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Despite regularly being the most common wood shaft at U.S. Tour events, Aldila shafts just don’t seem to have the mystique associated with shafts from competitors like Matrix or Mitsubishi.
The NV, DVS and VS Proto shafts are amongst the most played shafts at todays events but somehow they seem to be ‘blue collar’ shafts rather than the high performance Tour pedigree shafts that they really are. Aldila are looking to change this perception with their upcoming VooDoo shaft.
While not being available to the public until the end of July, the Voodoo has been available on Tour since earlier this year. In this short time, it has already found its way into the winner’s circle twice: in March at the World Golf Championships-CA and last month at the Verizon Heritage. A striking achievement for such a new product and one that has certainly raised a fair amount of interest.
In-hand image of a prototype version
The VooDoo differs from the previous generation of Aldila shafts by incorporating a new technology, S-Core. S-Core is Aldila’s patented cross-sectional stability technology, similar in concept to Grafalloys Smart-Ply and Fujikura’s Triax.
Increasing cross sectional stability is seen as a way of increasing energy transfer at impact. The result of this increased energy is greater distance and improved shot dispersion. Shafts with poor cross sectional stability undergo ovalling which causes energy loss and an inconsistent point of impact with loss of accuracy.
S-Core consists of a spiral rib system that runs down the inner core of the shaft, as seen in the graphics below.
Rather than being a discrete supporting rings, the rib is very much a single spiral. This rib stiffens the shaft by 80% more than a conventional graphite shaft and as much as 60% in comparison to competitor shafts.
Bag Chatter got the chance to do some preliminary (if slightly limited) testing at the London Golf Show and initial impressions are that this shaft really delivers what it promises; great performance allied to a fantastic feel. Expect to see this shaft in the winner’s circle a lot more in the not too distant future.
I currently play this shaft. I has been the best shaft I have ever played, no joke. I have it in a 8.5* Titleist D2 head and I am more consistent and longer than I was with the diamana (white and blue boards) or X-con 7 that I had in the driver before the Voodoo. I have never been an aldila fan, the NV, VS, or DVS never felt good to me. This has every thing that you would want in a shaft: consistency, length, and most important FEEL.
Comment by Derick Monaco
— May 12, 2008 @ 7:48 am
I’d rather have a question, since the shaft has this spiral ribs, shouldn’t it have different torque read between swinging left and swing right, therefore shouldn’t it come with righty shaft and lefty shaft?
Comment by Han Mi
— May 14, 2008 @ 12:38 pm