Equipment
Penley returns to shaft market with Quasar ET3
Carter Penley and Penley Golf Shafts are returning to the marketplace with the continuation of the handcrafted ET line. The Quasar ET3 shaft builds on the fundamentals of the ET2 shaft, including Penley’s proprietary TBAR (Tip to Butt Aspect Ratio) algorithm.
The Quasar ET3 is premised on Penley’s early 2000s work with the ETA shaft (played by Phil Mickelson). With the ETA, Penley introduced the aforementioned TBAR algorithm. With Penley’s return to the marketplace a decade later with ET2 shaft, he set out to develop a shaft that would hold up against major manufacturers’ offerings and gain traction on Tour.
Mr. Penley told us the algorithm is intended to offer more forgiveness and tighter dispersion on mishits, as well as a softer feel overall. “The ET2 has great distance and accuracy, but it’s basically for the harder swingers,” Penley said. “We’re opening this to the everyday players with the ET3.”
“I’ve developed a shaft with…a lot of control in the tip section. My job is to try to correct mis-hits. I had the opportunity to work with Lanny Wadkins years ago when he was going from steel to carbon fiber and he said, ‘No matter how good a player is, all he wants is the club that gives him the best mis-hit.’ I put that in the back of my head.”
Penley stressed the attention to detail and tolerances in his hand-built offerings.
“I’m going to hand build these shafts. I’m going to grind and sand these things right in the center of the range. And I don’t make 10,000 shafts. The biggest lot I’ll make is 100. In long drive, I make only 10 at a time. I hand grind those guys to a perfect TBAR. And I can move it up and down a bit with Zone Flex Characterization.”
“I want to go back to the way it was when Bobby Jones was playing golf. Hand making wooden shafts. Sanding and grinding, that’s what they did. Carbon fiber is just a composite…and so is wood.”
The Quasar ET3 is scheduled for release in late February 2017 and will be available in R, S, and X flexes with a retail price of $249.
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Whats in the Bag
Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB: 2024 Masters
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (45 inches)
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3, 4) Buy here, TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW) Buy here.
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Hybrid Prototype 10 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Buy here.
Grip: Golf Pride Pro Only Cord
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Buy here.
Check out more in-hand photos of Scottie Scheffler’s clubs here.
The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
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Whats in the Bag
WITB Time Machine: Danny Willett’s winning WITB, 2016 Masters
Driver: Callaway XR 16 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 60 X
Length: 45.5 inches
3-wood: Callaway XR 16 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 70X
5-wood: Callaway XR 16 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 80X
Irons: Callaway Apex UT (2, 4), Callaway Apex Pro (5-9)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Superlite
Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (47-11 S-Grind) Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind (54-11, 58-9)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Superlite
Putter: Odyssey Versa #1 Wide (WBW)
Lie angle: 71 degrees
Ball: Callaway Speed Regime SR-3
Check out more photos of Willett’s equipment from 2016 here.
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Equipment
Project X Denali Blue, Black shaft Review – Club Junkie Review
Originally, Project X was known for low-spin steel iron shafts. However, the company might now be known for wood shafts. Denali is the newest line of graphite shafts from Project X. With the Denali line, the company focuses on feel as well as performance.
There are two profiles in the Denali line, Blue and Black, to fit different launch windows. Denali Blue is the mid-launch and mid-spin profile for players who are looking for a little added launch and Denali Black is designed for low-launch and low-spin. Both models are going to offer you a smooth feel and accuracy.
For a full in-depth review check out the Club Junkie podcast on all podcast streaming platforms and on YouTube.
Project X Denali Blue
I typically fit better into mid-launch shafts, as I don’t hit a very high ball so the Denali Blue was the model I was more excited to try. Out of the box, the shaft looks great and from a distance, it is almost hard to tell the dark blue from the Denali Black. With a logo down install of the shaft, you don’t have anything to distract your eyes, just a clean look with the transition from the white and silver handle section to the dark navy mid and tip.
Out on the course, the Blue offers a very smooth feel that gives you a good kick at impact. The shaft loads easily and you can feel the slightly softer handle section compared to the HZRDUS lineup. This gives the shaft a really good feel of it loading on the transition to the downswing, and as your hands get to impact, the Denali Blue keeps going for a nice, strong kick.
Denali Blue is easy to square up at impact and even turn over to hit it straight or just little draws and most of the flex of the shaft feels like it happens right around where the paint changes from silver to blue. The Blue launches easily and produces what I consider a true mid-flight with the driver. While it is listed as mid-spin, I never noticed any type of rise in my drives. Drives that I didn’t hit perfectly were met with good stability and a ball that stayed online well.
Project X Denali Black
When you hold the Denali Black in your hands you can tell it is a more stout shaft compared to its Blue sibling by just trying to bend it. While the handle feels close to the Blue in terms of stiffness, you can tell the tip is much stiffer when you swing it.
Denali Black definitely takes a little more power to load it but the shaft is still smooth and doesn’t give you any harsh vibrations. Where the Blue kicks hard at impact, the Black holds on a little and feels like keeps you in control even on swings that you try and put a little extra effort into. The stiff tip section also makes it a little harder to square up at impact and for some players could take away a little of the draw from their shot.
Launch is lower and more penetrating compared to the Blue and produces a boring, flat trajectory. Shots into the wind don’t rise or spin up, proving that the spin stays down. Like its mid-launch sibling, the Black is very stable and mishits and keeps the ball on a straighter line. Shots low off the face don’t get very high up in the air, but the low spin properties get the ball out there farther than you would expect. For being such a stout shaft, the feel is very good, and the Denali Black does keep harsh vibrations from your hands.
Overall the Project X Denali Blue and Black are great additions to the line of popular wood shafts. If you are looking for good feel and solid performance the Denali line is worth trying out with your swing. Choose Blue for mid-launch and mid-spin or Black for lower launch and low spin.
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TC
Feb 28, 2017 at 12:12 am
I play Penley Steath in my irons, LOVE THEM, still perfect after 7+ years of playing. I play the Penley Platinum in a BB 3 wood, best 3 wood EVER, it s 20 yards longer than ANY other shaft and much more accurate and consistent. I play the ET2 in a SLDR 460 head, it too, is the longest and straightest shaft I’ve ever hit and I’ve tried them ALL! I haven’t tried the new Quasar but being it’s a Penley, i’m sure it will outperform anything you put it up against!
Don
Feb 24, 2017 at 4:08 pm
Mr. Penley is awesome and very accommodating to work with and his line of shafts rival the big dogs for a fraction of the price. I replaced a HZRDUS black with an ET2 in my M2 driver and haven’t looked back.
Johnnylongballz
Feb 21, 2017 at 4:00 am
My 905R that had a Penley in it, may have been the best driver I ever owned. Looking forward to trying this new line! Great shafts
IDC
Feb 21, 2017 at 2:40 am
Specs look good. Nice graphics
Bro Squad ?
Feb 20, 2017 at 9:49 pm
Please bring back the Stealth 60 and 70!!! (Matte Black and Yellow! #Elcajon
John Muir
Feb 20, 2017 at 7:00 pm
Penley shafts are fantastic.
moses
Feb 20, 2017 at 6:43 pm
I used to play Penley shafts back in the day. They were awesome. Glad to see they’re back.
Jim
Feb 20, 2017 at 10:13 am
For those who weren’t heavy into this from 85 – 05, Penley were the first shafts that incorporated both lower torque & feel….I used custom XXX driver shafts and the IMS iron shafts from him for years until the explosion in shaft tech that started in 2005….since 2007 shaft technology has expanded every year – far beyond the ‘tech’ in the heads…
Penley always gave great service (no problem with returns for breakage) quick custom order filling and produced excellent, consistent shafts…Welcome Back, Good Luck