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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- Min Woo Lee what’s in the bag accurate as of Charles Schwab Challenge.
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (10.5 degrees @9.5)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond HL (16.5 degrees @15.5)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 9 X
Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (20 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 8 X
Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (2), Callaway Apex MB (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)
Wedges: Callaway Jaws MD5 (50-10S, ), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (56-14F @55), WedgeWorks (60-T)
Shafts: Nippon NS Pro Modus3
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Milled Six T DB
Shaft: Odyssey Stroke Lab 70
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Claw 1.0
Grips: Grip Master
Check out more in-hand photos of Min Woo Lee’s clubs here.
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- Talor Gooch WITB accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees @7.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
3-wood: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D-Plus 80 TX
Hybrid: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 (20 degrees @19)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue ATX 105h TX
Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (22 degrees), Callaway X Forged CB (4-6), Callaway Apex MB (7-9)
Shafts: Nippon Modus3 Tour 125 X
Wedges: Callaway Jaws MD5 (46-10S, 52-10S, 56-10S, 60-08)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Two
Shaft: Odyssey Stroke Lab
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
More photos of Talor Gooch’s WITB in the forums.
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Gear junkies have been waiting patiently for Callaway to release new wedges. We may have gotten a sneak peek at what’s coming after seeing something new in Chris Kirk’s bag at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge. Spotted were a few different wedges, but the Callaway Opus caught our eye.
The term opus can mean, “any artistic work, especially one on a large scale. With iconic wedge designer Roger Cleveland now working with Terra Forza golf, could this have been his last creation for Callaway?
We don’t have any official word from Callaway on these wedges, but the main focal point seems to be the extra mass in the center of the club. This added material could be used to adjust the center of gravity on the wedge in order for it to launch and spin a specific way. It can also be used to enhance the feel and sound of the club with more material behind the impact location.
The shaping of the head looks to be a little more on the rounded side compared to the current Jaws Raw wedges. The topline on the wedge looks to be fairly thin and the leading edge is pretty straight with just a little bit of a radius to it. The color looks to be an antique brown and it will be interesting to see if that is a plating on the club or some kind of oilcan finish that will wear away and rust.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge
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Min Woo Lee WITB 2024 (May)
Min Woo Lee what’s in the bag accurate as of Charles Schwab Challenge. Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (10.5...
Talor Gooch WITB 2024 (May)
Talor Gooch WITB accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping G430 LST (9...
Dustin Johnson WITB 2024 (May)
Dustin Johnson what’s in the bag accurate as of PGA Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10...
Phil Mickelson WITB 2024 (May)
Phil Mickelson what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai-Smoke Triple Diamond Prototype (9...
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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.