Equipment
Aldila X-Torsion Black and Green Mamba shafts
Is the next new driver shaft craze on the way from Aldila?
Aldila’s new X-Torsion Black Mamba and X-Torsion Green Mamba shafts have a new design and use a “MAMBA” (Multi-Axial Material Bias Angle) material that’s designed for extremely low torque and spin — lower than any other shaft in the company’s stable, according to John Oldenburg, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Aldila. And PGA Tour players are already taking notice.
At the 2016 RSM Classic, George McNeil and Charles Howell III used the Black Mamba shafts (designed for very low spin and launch), while Anirbahn Lahiri, Lucas Glover and Tad Ridings used Green Mambas (designed with a slightly softer tip, but still low spin and torque).
For many golfers with fast swing speeds, it’s beneficial to have a golf shaft that reduces twisting through impact, according to Oldenburg, because it allows the shaft to “recover” faster. Less torque and more torsional stability allows stronger golfers to “go at the ball” without worrying about the ball ballooning or spinning too much. Therefore, the goal, especially for Tour players with high swing speeds, is to design a shaft that has very high torsional stability. And Aldila’s new Mamba shafts have the highest torsional stability currently available from the company.
Both the X-Torsion Black Mamba and X-Torsion Green Mamba shafts use what Aldila calls a “flat-weave” construction in its tip section (the bottom part of the shaft), which is where the majority of shaft twisting occurs during a golf swing. The construction method weaves together individual fibers that are positioned in opposing 45-degree angles in an over-under structure that creates a thin, strong and highly consistent woven graphite fabric.
Aldila says its woven technology is superior because it’s used on both the interior and exterior of the shaft, which enhances stability. Most weaves are placed on the interior of the shaft to protect the weaves from abrasion, but Aldila’s unique “lay-up and sanding process” protect the integrity of its flat weave, allowing it to be used on the outside of the shaft as well.
The flat-weave construction is also novel because of it spreads and flattens the graphite fibers used to create the shaft, allowing them to be thinner and thus improving the precision of the weave. Those graphite fibers are also are stronger than typical graphite weave materials. They use intermediate modulus materials that measure 44 MSI, according to Aldila, 33 percent stiffer than 33 MSI fibers typically used. That further enhances stability.
So how does Aldila show off all that technology in a shaft named Mamba? A snake-skin-esque exterior, of course. See what GolfWRX members are saying about the shafts in our forums.
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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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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Matt K
Dec 15, 2016 at 1:58 pm
Is this the Rogue M-ax rebranded? A lot of the commenters hated the graphics and name for the M-AX. This is undoubtedly better, wonder if the profile/material is the same though.
Mat
Dec 13, 2016 at 5:18 am
X-torsion. Most accurately named shaft in the history of golf equipment. 🙂
Dave R
Dec 12, 2016 at 1:53 pm
One guy peed, someone’s noodle is to soft and so is his butt and he hopeing for a stiff shaft. What type of forem are we on here? The Anti guy is right get some rebar and go play.
Rd
Dec 13, 2016 at 3:16 am
And you’re so excited, you can’t type nor spell
KK
Dec 11, 2016 at 8:23 pm
I peed a little just looking at the pics
Snope
Dec 11, 2016 at 3:11 pm
Just make them feel as solid as the RIP Alpha and Beta, I’ll take 10 each
Teaj
Dec 11, 2016 at 2:12 pm
I wonder if this is going to transition into an iron and hybrid/driving iron shaft line? Has anyone seen the specs for these bad boys? or even just weights?
Matt
Dec 11, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Again I hope that the shaft isn’t soft in the mid section or the butt. There are a lot of low spin shafts that feel like noodles
LaBraeGolfer
Dec 11, 2016 at 12:57 pm
Unfortunately, a shaft has to have a soft point in the bend profile.
The Anti-Smiz
Dec 11, 2016 at 1:33 pm
you guys should just go swing some literal re-bar with your super-fast-in-an-internet-forum swing speeds.
Port
Dec 11, 2016 at 2:27 pm
Love it!
Matt
Dec 12, 2016 at 6:54 pm
Soft is a relative term. I find the Tour AD to be soft, the non-TS Fuji Motore, the 70g version of the White/Blue felt soft to me. I prefer the V2, Protopype, F7M2 Ltd, etc.