Connect with us

Accessory Reviews

The Big Review – Aldila VooDoo

Published

on

In the first few months of its release Aldila’s new shaft, the VooDoo, has been a roaring success by any standards.  Not only was it almost immediately in the winner’s circle but was also found in a number of Ryder Cuppers bags and also in the bag of Harrison Frazar for his recent victory at Q school, including his sensational 59.

The NV, DVS and VS Proto shafts are amongst the most played shafts at todays events but somehow they seem to be seen as ‘blue collar’ shafts rather than the high performance Tour pedigree shafts that they really are. Aldila are looking to change this perception with the VooDoo.

The level of success in this shaft has probably surpised even Aldila. Early take-up on Tour was much higher than they could have expected, the VooDoo got its first victory almost immediately and the year culminated in Aldila being the the leading wood shaft and hybrid shaft manufacturer at all 4 of the 2008 Fedex Cup play-offs: The Barclays (including 36 VooDoo’s from 144 players), Deutcher Bank Championsip (also with 36 VooDoo’s from from 144 players), The BMW Championship (including 21 VooDoo’s from 70 players) and The Tour Championship (including 7 VooDoo’s from 30 players).

So what is it about the VooDoo that makes it so different from the standard Aldila shafts? The additions of Aldila’s S-Core is their entry into shaft stabilization and anti-ovalling technology seen in Triax from Fujikura (basis of the RE*AX and ROMBAX shafts) and Smart-Ply from Grafalloy.

The drive towards these technologies comes from research that found that by increasing the hoop stiffness, the shaft will not ovalize or deform during the golf swing so maximum energy is transferred to the ball. As the shaft loads, the energy is stored along the length of the shaft rather than wasted in deforming the shape of the shaft. The efficient storage of energy also allows for more efficient release. Releasing more energy means that not only is distance is maximized but that the player is able to more consistently deliver the club-head to the ball resulting in increased accuracy.

Cut-away of the S-Core  – an internal spiral rub of high modulus Carbon

Currently the S-Core technology has only been applied to the VS Proto bend profile although Tour only versions of the VooDoo exist for almost the entire Aldila family. While Aldila tell us that there are currently no plans to release the VooDoo versions of the NV and DVS, this must surely be dependent on the success of the VS Proto version.

Appearance

The dark red on black spiral color scheme (a reminder of the S-Core technology) is quite understated as it is darker than it appears in photos. While it may not be as camera friendly as the lizard green NV or the bright blue VS Proto it still makes a statement as it is unlike anything else out on the market.

Technical Specs

Type Tip Diameter Butt Diameter Torque Launch Angle Weight Length
XVS6 0.335″ 0.630″ 3.2 Mid 68g 46″
SVS6 0.335″ 0.630″ 3.5 Mid 66g 46″
RVS6 0.335″ 0.630″ 4.2 Mid 65g 46″
XVS7 0.335″ 0.630″ 2.8 Mid 76g 46″
SVS7 0.335″ 0.630″ 3.2 Mid 75g 46″
RVS7 0.335″ 0.630″ 3.9 Mid 74g 46″

Feel

Aldila’s best feeling shaft yet. This shaft is a quantum leap better than the previous generation of Aldila shafts, which while they were no slouches were never going to be troubling the likes of Matrix, Mitsubishi Rayon or Fujikura for the smoothest shaft award. The likes of the NV and the VS Proto were always far better known for their performance rather than their feel.The VooDoo is completely different however as with the VS6 version you can practically feel every dimple on the ball as you crush it down the fairway. And while the VS7 version is stouter than its lighter brother it still feels superb. The weight and balance is very good and when the shaft kicks through it lacks the vagueness that somewhat affected the VS Proto while still being just as lively. At impact you get a real sense that the whole shaft is unloading, irrespective of whether you are a swinger or a hitter as the shaft feels very stable throughout the swing.

It’s worth noting that, in typical Aldila fashion, this shaft tapers quite sharply from the butt end so an extra layer or two of  tape under the bottom half of the grip might be needed to keep that connection with the lower hand.

Performance

Everything about the performance of the VS Proto that was good is still here but the R&D boys at Aldila seem to have dug out something extra. While the S-Core has a noticeable effect of tightening up the feel, it also seems to have a similarly noticeable effect on the performance. While the trajectory of the VooDoo is almost identical to the VS Proto, the VooDoo does seem to be able to unload at impact more effectively which utimately leads to longer drives. Nothing ridiculous here, no magical extra 15 yards that some people seem to expect but another little bit of assistance towards carrying those bunkers, flying that water or driving that green.

The shafts play straight to flex with just the right balance of spin – enough to keep the ball soaring but not so much that the ball can be blown about or will not bound down the fairway on landing. While versatile might be an odd description for a shaft, the VooDoo can be used by both those with smooth swings and those with a more aggressive transition. The shaft is easy enough to use without having to swing out of your shoes but is also great at higher speeds as it is incredibly resistant to being overpowered. There is a real sense of increasingly progressive loading as you swing harder, so the harder you load it, the harder it will fight back without losing any of that feel.

The VS6 version weighs in at almost 70g at stiffer flexes so it should be considered first for a driver shaft and unless you are a monster, the VS7 version is best left for fairway woods as while the specs say that it shares the same launch angle as the VS6, the heavier weight and lower torque mean that it does launch lower and with a bit less spin.

Overall

A short period of testing shows you why the VooDoo is being so successful on Tour – a longer period leaves you in no doubt that the VooDoo will no only been seen in a lot of bags on Tour but also been seen in a lot of winner’s bags. A great combination of feel and performance that should be considered for any driver setup.

Aldila have always known how to make high performance shafts and their commitment to top end shafts, while initially shown with the semi-mythical Cinnamon, has been firmly cemented with the VooDoo.

For more information visit www.aldila.com/

Your Reaction?
  • 49
  • LEGIT9
  • WOW13
  • LOL6
  • IDHT4
  • FLOP2
  • OB4
  • SHANK2

6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. Mike

    Mar 2, 2014 at 3:51 am

    I have put to my G25 driver a Aldila voodoo RVS6 regilar shaft result best of the best a dream result now I bought a aldila voodoo AVS5 3 wood I let you now the result Mike

  2. JOHN B

    Jul 22, 2012 at 6:39 pm

    I had a callaway razr fit driver. I put on aldila Rvs7 regular shaft.What a perfect match a great shaft for that head super strait and long.

  3. Mark

    Jan 3, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    Awesome shaft with the 909 D2 head. Mid flight and simlar feel to the Pershing Graphite Design Stiff 65.

  4. Classic

    Dec 18, 2008 at 9:41 am

    How does the VooDoo work in a fairway wood?

    • joseph

      Jun 5, 2013 at 6:43 pm

      i have the voodoo for my callaway hybrid and it works like a charm! hits to nicely and get the best feel and control! going to purchase one for my driver

    • downtoo

      Sep 2, 2013 at 5:22 pm

      I picked up a R9 3 wood that had a VooDoo; it’s great. Way smoother then the standard Motore, longer and a better ball flight

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Accessory Reviews

Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line

Published

on

On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”

The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.

The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:

“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”

The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?

As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.

The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.

As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.

As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.

The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.

Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.

Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.

See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here

Your Reaction?
  • 109
  • LEGIT19
  • WOW17
  • LOL7
  • IDHT2
  • FLOP15
  • OB4
  • SHANK76

Continue Reading

Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Motocaddy M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC electric cart review

Published

on

I have been thinking about electric golf push carts, or trollies, ever since I started playing in my league seven years ago.

Motocaddy has been making high-quality electric, and non-electric, carts since 2004 and has a couple of great options for the golfer who loves to walk. Motocaddy was nice enough to get their M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC in my hands to try out on the course for a few weeks.

I have had a lot of people stop me to ask about the carts, and the one thing I keep telling them is that these carts are just flat out fun to use on the course.

Motocaddy M7 Remote

The M7 Remote was very easy to get set up right out of the box. All you have to do is charge the battery, install the wheels, and you are pretty much ready to go. The M7 folds up pretty small, just a little larger than the 3-wheel pushcart that I had been using for years. Getting it to the course should be no problem with just about any trunk space. Now, the one downside to an electric cart is the weight when moving it around, and both carts come in at around 35 pounds each. Even with that extra weight, I didn’t have much trouble lifting them in and out of the back of a pickup.

The M7 unfolds quickly with the flick of two levers and extends the front wheels automatically. Once unfolded, you drop in the battery, plug it in, and secure your bag. If you own a Motocaddy bag, they have developed a really nice system called EasiLock that involves two metal studs that fit into the bottom of the cart. This system also includes a molded base that prevents the bag from rotating at all, even on the roughest terrain. You can still use the M7 with almost any other golf bag as it includes elastic straps that wrap around the top and bottom of the bag.

As soon as you plug in the battery the LCD screen comes to life and you are ready to go. You can use the M7 without the remote by using the dial on the handle to control the starting, stopping, and speed. But the M7 has a remote that is activated by a simple press of the power button to get going. The remote is very simple with just five buttons to control where the M7 goes.

Getting a feel for the M7 takes no time at all and by the time you drive it from your car to the 1st tee you will be in complete, and confident, control of the cart. You simply press the “+” button to start moving forward and the cart takes off gently without any rattling of your clubs, and you can press that same button again to increase the speed. The cart will go from a slow crawl, for bumpy or tight areas, too, as fast as I could run with just a few presses of the button. The big red “stop” button in the center stops the cart immediately, and when stopped it is locked in place, even on steep hills. You don’t have to worry about remembering to set the brakes or anything because it is done automatically.

Steering is just as easy: simply press the right or left button to turn the cart. Small, quick presses will just slightly adjust the cart as it moves down the fairway while a long hold of the button can make it turn on a dime to the right or left.

Almost everyone asked me how stable the cart was and if it would tip over. I can proudly say that it has stayed upright even on some unseen bumps at maximum speed. Side hills, ruts, and even curbs are handled with ease with the help of the small rear wheel.

I really enjoy strolling down the fairway with nothing but the M7’s remote in my hand — it just makes golfing more fun!

Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC

After using the M7 and its fancy remote, I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t like not having it. But to be honest the M5 was just as fun to use, but for a different reason.

As the name suggests, the M5 has a built-in GPS with 40,000 courses preloaded into it. The screen is a good size, pretty responsive to the touch, and easy to read in direct sunlight. Having the GPS directly on the cart is great, you drive up to your ball and immediately have yardage to the front, back, and center of the green as well as bunkers and hazards. You can easily toggle between screens on the GPS and it offers a couple of different views to help navigate the hole. The M5 can also keep score and let you know shot distances right on the screen. Motocaddy even includes nice little touches like a screen protecter kit to ensure durability.

Driving the M5 is just as easy as the M7 with using the dial on the handle. And speaking of the handle, the grips have a great tacky rubber that grips well even in hot and humid conditions. To start the M5 you just press the dial down and the cart will gently start down the fairway. You can turn the dial to increase or decrease the speed — I found between 5-6 to be the most comfortable for me. But the speed can go up to a very fast pace if you are looking to set a record for fastest round of the day.

As you walk down the fairway, or rough, stopping the cart is as simple as pressing he dial again. When stopped the M5 engages a parking brake automatically so you don’t have to worry about it running down a hill without your approval. The M5 has tons of power to go up just about any hill and the Down Hill Control (DHC) keeps the speed consistent even when going down a steep decent.

Since the M5 has so much power, and it is a little heavy, I thought steering would be a little bit of a challenge. It wasn’t, at all. Guiding the M5 took very little effort and slight adjustments going down the fairway were very easy. Really tight turns took a slight bit more effort as the torque can want to go forward a little more than turn. Again, once you get the M5 from the car to the first tee, you will be a master at driving it.

Overall, Motocaddy has created two great carts that provide additional enjoyment to walking your favorite 9 or 18. Having the ability to walk without carrying or pushing your bag, clubs, and whatever else goes with you. I like them so much that it is going to be hard to get the M7’s remote out of my hands when I go play!

Your Reaction?
  • 44
  • LEGIT12
  • WOW7
  • LOL2
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP5
  • OB2
  • SHANK5

Continue Reading

Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Crossrope weighted jump rope & app

Published

on

An 18-hole round of golf averages out to just under five miles of walking, which on its own is a good workout. Once you throw in some potential uphill trekking you get some serious cardio too, but if you all looking for a quick workout between rounds of golf look no further than Crossrope.

Crossrope – The details

Crossrope is a system of the weighted jump rope that allows you to quickly switch the weight of the ropes you are using to boost your workout—they range from 1/4 lbs all the way up to 2 lbs depending on the kit you start out with. There is an accompanying app that helps you go through multiple workout routines and is available free, or you can upgrade to the entire library of workout routines along with more workout tracking options.

This is NOT your middle school jump rope

The handles are heavy duty and feature precision bearings to allow the rope to move smoothly around as you go through a routine. They are also ergonomic and fit into your hand naturally, which making gripping easy, something that is really nice when you’re swinging a 2 lbs coated steel cable around. The handles also come with a fast clip system to make changing cables depending on your selected workout easier too.

The ropes themselves are made from braided steel and are almost impossible to tangle, allowing them to be easily transported and stored when not in use. All in you are getting a premium piece of workout equipment that is effective and easy to store—hard to same the same thing about a treadmill.

When it comes to a workout, skipping rope is one of the most effective cardio workouts you can do, and with Crossrope, you can get both cardio and low impact weight training when using the heaviest ropes, and follow along with the guided workouts.

As someone that hadn’t used a jump rope in over a decade, starting out lighter was a nice way to ease in before moving up, and I was pleasantly surprised how easy and fun some of the workouts in the app were. If you are looking for a fun way to add something to your workouts, or you just want to try something new to get you into golf course walking shape, this could be right up your alley. To learn more check out crossrope.com

Your Reaction?
  • 5
  • LEGIT1
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP1
  • OB1
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending