Equipment

VA Composites Synystr shaft review – Club Junkie Reviews

Published

5 months 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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Whats in the Bag

Callum McNeill WITB 2024 (April)

Published

2 hours ago

Apr 2, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Callum McNeill what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.

Driver: Mizuno ST-X 230 (9.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7 X

5-wood: Mizuno ST-G (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (3), Mizuno Pro 243 (5, 6), Mizuno Pro 241 (7-9)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 95 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (5-9)

Wedges: Mizuno T24 (46, 50-08S, 56-10D, 60-06X)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey Jailbird 380
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 3.0 17

Grips: Spada

Check out more photos of Callum McNeill’s equipment here.

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Whats in the Bag

Jimmy Stanger WITB 2024 (April)

Published

3 hours ago

Apr 2, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Jimmy Stanger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Valero Texas Open. More photos from the event here.

Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q Red M40X 6F5

3-wood: Titleist TSR2 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q

Check out more in-hand photos of Jimmy Stanger’s equipment here.

7-wood: Titleist TSR2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: UST Mamiya LIN-Q Blue M40X 8F5

Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: UST Mamiya LIN-Q White M40X 100 (3), KBS $-Taper 125 (4-9)

Check out more in-hand photos of Jimmy Stanger’s equipment here.

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 50-08F, 56-10S, 60-04T), WedgeWorks (60-A)
Shafts: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat II, Scotty Cameron Tour Rat II

Check out more in-hand photos of Jimmy Stanger’s equipment here.

Grips: Lamkin Crossline Cord

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Check out more in-hand photos of Jimmy Stanger’s equipment here.

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Equipment

Project X HandCrafted shafts return with new HZRDUS T1100

Published

8 hours ago

Apr 2, 2024

Brian Knudson

Project X let us into the world of HandCrafted shafts with the 2015 HZRDUS Black shaft, which was a big success on professional tours and at retail. Almost 10 years later, we still come across some of those original HZRDUS Black and Yellow shafts in bags on the PGA Tour.

The HandCrafted label on a Project X shaft was the mark of high-end, low-volume manufacturing where the shaft was hand rolled in the company’s San Diego R&D lab. Since then, Project X retired that label and moved on to the “Small Batch” nomenclature. Many golf shaft degenerates have begged for Project X to bring back the HandCrafted shafts, and now, the squeaky wheels are getting the grease with a brand new Project X HZRDUS T1100 HandCrafted shaft.

“We are beyond excited to be able to bring back a HandCrafted line of graphite shafts,” Don Brown, Vice President of Marketing and Innovation for Project X said. “When producing a HandCrafted shaft, each shaft is rolled by hand, painted by hand and the logos are even applied by hand, all in our San Diego lab, ensuring the utmost care is taken along the way.”

The newest HandCrafted shaft is a reintroduction of the famed HZRDUS T1100 from 2017 (View our original launch story HERE). The chrome ion finished HZRDUS T1100 was beloved by higher-speed players for its ultra-stiff profile with very low launch and spin. Toray T1100G carbon fiber was at the heart of the shaft and the strongest fiber available for Project X to create an ultra-stable shaft for the fastest swingers in golf.

The new 2024 Project X HZRDUS T1100 HandCrafted shaft will be low launch and low spin with a very stiff profile for the fastest swingers. 4D Optimized Carbon utilizes a spread tow weave that is used in specific parts of the shaft to enhance stability and control. This spread tow woven fabric is angled at 45 degrees through to increase torsional resistance in the shaft to control the twisting of the head during the swing. Each HZRDUS T1100 HandCrafted shaft is rolled in Project X’s San Diego Lab, like the original, and trimmed to final frequency to ensure consistent performance and precision.

Project X went with a graphics package that will pay homage to the original shaft with a HZRDUS logo done in silver with bright neon green outline in the middle of the shaft and the HandCrafted logo just below the grip. The shaft will have a silver sheen to it, but you will also be able to see the spread tow carbon fiber through the paint in the sun.

The new HZRDUS T1100 HandCrafted will be available in 60- and 70-gram weights with 6.0 (stiff) and 6.5 (X-stiff) flexes while the 80-gram model will only be available in the 6.5 flex.

We don’t have a retail date yet for these new HZRDUS shafts, as Project X can only create so many per day. The first ones have been sent to tour — we spotted them at this week’s Valero Texas Open. We will keep you updated on an official launch date.