Equipment
Snedeker switches to a 45-gram driver shaft
Brandt Snedeker doesn’t change equipment often, but when he does decide to switch he’s not scared to play something unconventional.
Snedeker already plays one of the lightest iron shafts on the PGA Tour, AeroTech’s SteelFiber i95, which weigh 95 grams. This week, he’s using one of the lightest driver shafts on the PGA Tour, a UST Mamiya ProForce VTS 4X shaft that weighs 45 grams (Click here to see the other clubs in Snedeker’s bag).
According to Danny Le, marketing manager for UST, Snedeker first used the shaft in Rounds 3 and 4 of the Deutsche Bank Championship. He was looking for a shaft in the 55-gram range to put in his TaylorMade SLDR, but he gained a little extra ball speed and consistency with the 45-gram model.
Most PGA Tour players opt for shafts that are made with low torque, which means they have a high resistance to twisting as a golfer unloads the club in the downswing. Many equipment experts believe the resistance to twisting can provide increased accuracy off the tee, especially for golfers with quick transitions. But Snedeker’s shaft has more than 5 degrees of torque, which is on the high-end of the range for Tour players.
Graham DeLaet’s 65-gram UST Mamiya ProForce VTS shaft has 5 degrees of torque, slightly less than Snedeker’s driver shaft.
And Snedeker isn’t the only golfer on Tour who has seen improved accuracy from a high-torque shaft. Graham DeLaet, who is No. 1 on the PGA Tour in Total Driving (a combination of driving distance and accuracy), uses the highest-torque model of UST’s ProForce VTS 6X driver shaft.
The point? Just because low-torque shafts are touted as the best shafts for high swing-speed golfers doesn’t mean they always are. Go get fit and see what shaft is right for you.
[button color=”black” link=”http://www.golfwrx.com/76769/brandt-snedeker-witb/”]Brandt Snedeker WITB[/button]
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Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra Tour Z5 65 M5
3-wood: Titleist GT2 (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: MMT Utility 105 TX (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F), WedgeWorks (58, 60 @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 5.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot
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Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees @8.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana GT 70 TX
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (14 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: Nike Vapor Fly Pro (3), Ping Blueprint S (4-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 Hybrid X (3), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 TX
Wedges: Ping Glide s159 (50-12S, 56-12S), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 125 Wedge S
Putter: Ping PLD Anser 2D Prototype
Grip: Garsen Golf Ultimate
Grips: Lamkin UTx Mid
Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot
See the rest of Tony Finau’s WITB in the forums.
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- Ryder Cup WITBs: U.S. Team
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade SIM TI (14 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB Proto (4), P7CB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Mid 115 X100 (4), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (5-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-SB09, 56-LB08), TaylorMade MG4 TW (60-SBC)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0
Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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Josh
Sep 26, 2013 at 9:39 am
Love this play by sneds!!!! I have the cobra long tom with grafalloy blackbird shaft, originally comes in 48″. I have it tipped and then cut down to be 45″ so the orginal 50g shaft is now down around 45g. It feels so stable and have tons of control over it. Never thought a light weight shaft could perform this way but I am now a believer.
Eric
Sep 19, 2013 at 3:13 am
I believe it is a UST Tour SPX Black shaft.
BenDover
Sep 16, 2013 at 12:27 pm
More evidence that torque is overrated.
bill
Sep 16, 2013 at 8:35 pm
R1 black cut to 44.5 with stock 55g X, and lovin’ life off the tee. I added a dab of lead tap around the neck just above the ferrule to recover some feel, and I’m off and runnin’. The days of 72s, 45 and umpteen 1/4 length shafts are OVER!!
Peyton
Sep 16, 2013 at 9:28 am
Oh wow
John
Sep 12, 2013 at 10:12 pm
Callaway (I believe?) did a test with different torque shafts and found no difference in accuracy or spin/launch between high torque and low torque. They said it just alters the feel of the shaft, which translates into slightly different swings/deliveries with golfers, and ultimately different launch conditions.
George P.
Sep 12, 2013 at 7:57 pm
I’m going to have to try the 45gram UST Mamiya VTS. Sounds awesome!
naflack
Sep 12, 2013 at 7:51 pm
Good to see that if these shafts can handle those guys they can also handle me…
Cannon
Sep 16, 2013 at 10:29 pm
Not like these guys swing any faster than guys on this forum. They just have the consistamcy and complete game that most don’t come close to.
John
Sep 25, 2013 at 11:38 am
These guys do not swing faster than a lot of people on this forum. However, these guys do generate much more club head speed and swing speed than MOST of the guys on this forum. That is the reason many of these professional players use a low torque shaft because of the speed they are generating. Someone can swing as hard as they can and only generate 85 swing speed. Its not about how hard you swing, it is about how much swing speed you generate, which has a lot to do with the lower body.