Equipment

VA Composites Synystr shaft review – Club Junkie Reviews

Published

4 weeks ago

Nov 1, 2023

With all of the golf shafts out there, you might never have had a chance to try VA Composites’ wares. Since 2017, Victor Afable has been designing shafts that push the limits of technology and materials in order to help all golfers. While most of the VA Composites line of shafts is built around higher launch and mid-spin, the Synystr is one of Victor’s lower launching and spinning designs.

For a full, more in-depth review, check out the Club Junkie podcast on YouTube or any podcast streaming platform.

When you look at any VA Composite shaft, you can’t help but notice the amazing, detailed graphics that all of their shafts have. The Synystr is no exception as the multi-colored splatter graphics with an evil green face on the underside. The paint splatter does make its way to the top of the shaft, breaking up the gloss black paint that runs through the majority of the shaft. Like most wood shafts, the install is pretty simple into the All Fit adaptors I use. All of my shafts are installed untipped and cut to 45 inches playing length.

On the course, the Synystr offered me low launch and spin shots with a very smooth feel. Every VA Composites shaft I have ever swung produces a smooth and responsive feel. I have hit about five different VA Composites shafts, and the Synystr is by far the lowest launching, spinning, and stiffest feeling shaft out of those. VA lists the Synystr as low/mid-launch but for me that shaft seems to launch a little lower than that.

Most of the 10.5-degree driver heads that I used I found the best performance to add a little bit of loft to ensure I was getting enough carry. Flat is an understatement for any drive that I hit, the ball just didn’t want to rise even if you were hitting into a steady breeze. Spin was also very low for me as my typical range is around 2,600-2,800 RPM but the Synystr kept that number around 2,300-2,400 RPM on almost every shot.

Even drives that started left and went right didn’t ramp up the spin, and I rarely saw a shot that touched 3,000 RPM during any range sessions. Stronger players with a lot of club head speed can sometimes be worried about overpowering a shaft and hitting draws without much control.

The Synystr is not a shaft that will be overpowered easily and it took a whole lot of effort to hit it left. The stiff handle section along with the x-stiff mid and tip sections offer a ton of stability and control for even the hardest swings. But you don’t have to be afraid of the shaft as you can pretty easily get it squared up and hit some straight, boring, bullets down the fairway.

As much as I talked about the shaft having a stiff profile and anti-left, it still offers a nice, smooth feel. As you get the club to the top you will feel it load, but less than other shafts. As you bring the shaft down through the swing you get a little bit of a kick, but you definitely feel stability keep the shaft with your swing.

At impact, there is a decent kick for such a stout and stable shaft. I mentioned it earlier but the Synystr is easy to hit a straight or slight fade, but doesn’t like to turn over hard and hit it left. The Synystr is also pretty responsive as you will feel the vibration difference between a center strike and a mishit pretty easily. I noticed that my miss, an over-the-top move with a shut face, produced a much straighter ball that didn’t curve. Those misses just started left of target and stayed there.

If you are looking for a lower launching and spinning shaft for your driver that doesn’t sacrifice a smooth feel, then you should look to try out the VA Composites Synystr shaft. I think most stronger, faster players will be impressed with what they can get out of this shaft.

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (11/28/23): Ultra Rare Scotty Cameron 350g 009 Circle T Black Pearl

Published

35 mins ago

Nov 28, 2023

Gianni Magliocco

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for an ultra rare Scotty Cameron 350g 009 Circle T Black Pearl.

From the seller: (@Soupy1994): “Rare Scotty Cameron 350g 009 Circle T with black pearl finish and Scotty Studio Design Speeder 009 shaft, Scotty hand crafted leather grip. COA included. $9500 USD shipped US/Canada. Will ship internationally. Also consider trades for beached 009’s.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ultra Rare Scotty Cameron 350g 009 Circle T Black Pearl

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Equipment

Spotted: TaylorMade Qi10 driver joins Qi10 LS on USGA conforming list

Published

18 hours ago

Nov 27, 2023

Brian Knudson

This is the time of year when most of us are searching for photos and details on next year’s golf equipment. Fortunately, what appear to be TaylorMade’s new drivers have made it onto the USGA conforming list. Last week, we reported on the Qi10 LS driver (which Rory McIlroy put in play at the DP World Tour Championship). This week, TaylorMade’s Qi10 has appeared on the “List of Conforming Driver Heads.”

TaylorMade has chosen “Qi10” as the driver name and as of now, there are two different models that are approved for play by the USGA. The folks in Carlsbad aren’t giving out any official information on the new clubs, but we can speculate some things from the photos we have seen.

TaylorMade Qi10 LS

This driver looks to replace the Stealth 2 Plus that is currently in the lineup. We will assume the LS is the lower spin model as it has a moveable weight on the sole up near the face. Moving weight forward (towards the face) usually shifts the center of gravity forward to lower the spin rate and launch angle. The weight and its adjustment have changed from the Stealth 2, and it looks like TaylorMade is using a similar sliding weight as in the Stealth 2 Plus fairway woods. A single screw is attached to the sole, and when a golfer loosens it, the weight slides towards the toe for more fade bias or towards the heel to promote a draw.

In front of the weight is TaylorMade’s Speed Pocket slot that helps keep ball speed up on shots struck low on the face. What looks like a single weight is on the back of the driver (away from the face) just like the SIM and Stealth models before. The sole still has the “Carbonwood” logo on it, and we can assume the sole plate, crown, and face will all be made from carbon fiber. Yes, the face is carbon fiber on the Qi10 LS, but it is painted blue instead of red, and we can be pretty sure that a revised Twist Face technology will be part of the design.

TaylorMade Qi10

If you need a little more spin, launch, and forgiveness, then the Qi10 driver might be a better fit than the Qi10 LS head. The standard Qi10 should replace the Stealth 2 driver that was so popular with us amateur golfers, as well as getting some play on tour.

The big difference between this head and the Qi10 LS is the lack of a movable weight on the sole. There is a smaller weight on the sole, near the heel of the driver, that adds a little draw bias to the head, but it is likely mostly used for dialing in the swing weight of the driver when it is built at the factory. This Qi10 looks to have a similar weight in the back of the driver, but it looks to be a little larger and takes up a little more space on the sole. This larger weight could add some stability and forgiveness, as well as helping increase the launch compared to the Qi10 LS.

You can also see more of the ring that goes around the driver — on the Stealth 2 it was called the Carbon Reinforced Composite Ring — that helps bring all of the carbon panels together. The ring looks to be larger than the one on the LS model, potentially moving more mass to the outside of the club head for greater MOI.

Both drivers look to be going with a gloss black finish and black and white accent colors. This will give them a more subtle look from the Stealth and Stealth 2 red that some people were not fans of. The blue carbon faces on the drivers blends in well, and I think will not be noticeable when you are out on the course.

A final note: Tiger Woods is rumored to be putting the Qi10 driver in play at this week’s Hero World Challenge, which he was spotted with at last week’s Bridgestone Golf commercial shoot. GolfWRX will certainly be keeping its collective eyes peeled.

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