Equipment

Matrix Velox shafts optimize speed through curvature

Published

13 years ago

Oct 9, 2013

Matrix’s new line of Velox shafts are designed to help golfers maximize clubhead speed, regardless of what type of driver setup they play.

In the past, better golfers gravitated toward drivers built to shorter lengths, which offered them more control and consistency than longer clubs. But the creation of larger, more forgiving club heads has led to the use of longer clubs by many golfers, as the wider arc that longer clubs create during the swing can help them generate additional club head speed and thus more distance.

Wider swing arcs have another possible benefit as well. They can help golfers improve their swing path, because wider arcs increase the chance that a golfer will swing the club on an in-to-out path, as well as with an upward angle of attack; a key ingredient to maximizing distance off the tee.

One of the problems with longer-length drivers, however, is that their extended length moves the balance point of the club closer to the club head. That issue is exacerbated by the fact that today’s adjustable driver heads are heavier than past models, tipping the balance point even farther toward the head. The movement of the balance point toward the head is called an increased “swing weight,” which makes the club feel heavier to a golfer.

For golfers who wish to take advantage of longer-length drivers but want to maintain a traditional swing weight, Matrix designed the Velox Sp shafts. The Sp shafts are counterbalanced, which means they have more weight in the butt section of the shaft to balance out the extra length, extra head weight, or both.

The Velox shafts, which also come in a non-counterbalanced St model, were created with much more than proper weight distribution in mind, however.

Tom DeShiell, director of research and development at Matrix Shafts, said his team designed the Velox shafts to help golfers maximize the amount of energy they could transfer into the ball. They did so with deformation of energy (DE) analysis, a study of the curvature of a shaft during the swing and how it affects energy transfer.

“We wanted to optimize that curvature for golfers with different swing speeds,” DeShiell said.

Instead of the traditional R, S and X flexes, the Velox Sp and St shafts are categorized with numbers that relate to a golfer’s swing speed: 85, 95, 105 and 115. The 85 model will work best for golfers with a swing speed around 85 mph, the 95 will work best for golfers with a swing speed around 95 mph, and so on.

“Every different player has a different response to a shaft,” DeShiell said. “So, that’s where we tried to just concentrate on their swing speed.”

According to DeShiell, all golf shafts have a decrease in stiffness from the butt section to the tip section. But the rate at which that stiffness changes has to vary for golfers to get the most energy transfer from a shaft. For that reason, the Velox shafts for golfers with slower swing speeds have a rate of stiffness that decreases more rapidly, while the models for golfers with faster swing speeds decrease in stiffness more slowly.

The Velox shafts are currently being tested on the PGA Tour, and will be available at retail on Nov. 1. The Sp shafts (offered in weights of 50, 60, 70 and 80 grams) will retail for $275, while the St shafts (offered in weights of 60, 70 and 80 grams) will sell for $375.

Related Topics:Matrix shafts

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18 Comments

Stan

Jan 6, 2015 at 9:31 pm

Does anyone have any know what the rated swing speed for volex t49 is?
My swing speed for a driver is 88, will the volex 49 match up for me?

Reply Report comment
hoganman1

Apr 28, 2014 at 6:48 pm

I didn’t see any info about the Matrix Velox T 49. I know it weighs about 50 grams, but is it a high launch shaft? I’ve been using the Aldila NVS 55R. How does the T 49 compare with the NVS?

Reply Report comment
Joe Golfer

Oct 14, 2013 at 1:22 am

The swing speed idea sounds like a good one.
Every company has a different idea of what an R flex is or an S flex is, and torque also plays a factor in how stiff a shaft feels.
One company’s S flex actually feels like an S flex, while another company’s S flex may feel more like an R flex.
That said, I agree with most of those who posted: $275 is too much to pay for a golf shaft. Even if the company has to pay for R&D, employee salaries, healthcare for employees, advertising, etc…, it is still way too expensive. It wasn’t that long ago that shafts cost way way less than that, and companies still had the same expenses as they do now. It just caters to those who think they have to have the very best, latest and greatest thing, and those people who equate cost with quality of fit to their game.

Reply Report comment
Don jan

Oct 10, 2013 at 2:24 pm

Graphite shafts only cost 5.00 / 8.00 to produce per shaft, yes it’s a rip, thank you

Reply Report comment
- Anser
  
  Oct 10, 2013 at 2:43 pm
  
  Don,
  
  Do you know per shaft cost?
  
  Do you have any idea how things like R&D, advertising, shipping, health insurance, and countless many other things all go into the cost?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Xreb
    
    Oct 11, 2013 at 2:56 pm
    
    Are you saying these costs don’t apply to a high end electronic item which ends up costing up costing than a Matrix TP6HD ? Surely you are not going to say the chip manufacturing technology involves less R&D !!
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Hacked90
      
      Oct 14, 2013 at 3:37 pm
      
      The difference is volume; and therefore, the economies of scale of the business. These shafts might sell in the thousands, whereas iPads, and many “chips” for high end electronic items sell in the multi-millions. $100k in R&D may be $10 per shaft or the equivalent of $100MM in R&D for an iPad.
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Xreb
        
        Oct 19, 2013 at 12:07 pm
        
        A well thought out response and you pretty much summed it up, which only goes to prove the case that there isn’t the dollar value worth of technology in these shafts that manufacturers claim there is. The price is simply a reflection of the low volume of sales.
        
        Reply Report comment
  - TJ
    
    Oct 14, 2013 at 1:25 pm
    
    I work for a manufacture in a different field and its not the raw material that makes the product cost a lot of money. R&D is a huge expense at least it is in my field as well as the expenses of running a profitable business.
    
    Reply Report comment
Don jan

Oct 10, 2013 at 2:23 pm

Graphite shafts only cost 5.00 / 8.00 to produce per shaft, yes a

Reply Report comment
Andy

Oct 10, 2013 at 2:34 am

Cause an iPad is so much harder to fit into a club head?

Reply Report comment
- Xreb
  
  Oct 10, 2013 at 8:28 am
  
  Good one !
  
  Reply Report comment
J

Oct 9, 2013 at 9:07 pm

Overpriced.

Reply Report comment
- Xreb
  
  Oct 10, 2013 at 1:46 am
  
  So is every shaft on the market. I would like someone to explain how any of these premium shafts cost more than an ipad ?
  
  Reply Report comment
Mark

Oct 9, 2013 at 3:29 pm

couldn’t a golfer just put in a tour lock weight in the butt to achieve a very similar result?

Reply Report comment
Bama68

Oct 9, 2013 at 11:57 am

What will the total raw shaft length be for these shafts.

Reply Report comment
Big_5_Hole

Oct 9, 2013 at 11:02 am

“Instead of the traditional R, S and X flexes, the Velox Sp and St shafts are categorized with numbers that relate to a golfer’s swing speed: 85, 95, 105 and 155.:

Is 155 supposed to read 115 or 125? Or is that last one made of re-bar and only for use as a chin-up bar?

Reply Report comment
- Zak Kozuchowski
  
  Oct 9, 2013 at 11:56 am
  
  Thanks for the catch. It has been corrected to say 115. And you’re right. If it were 155, it would be one heck of a chin-up bar.
  
  – Zak
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Interesting clubs at top of bag – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

8 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, users are talking about top of bag setups that are non-traditional or thought-provoking in some way. Original poster @SuperSpurs106 inquired about other members who might use unorthodox set-ups to help with gapping issues or weak spots.

They wrote:

“I currently have a PING G430 driver, TM Qi35 3W and a TM Qi4D 7W. Driver and 7W are fine but can’t get on with my 3W and have always struggling with this club over the years. Thinking of adding a 2H which I know would look odd. Just wondering if anyone else had a weird set up at the top of their bag?”

Our members in the forum have offered up their thoughts and personal experiences with non-traditional top of bag set-ups, and their reasoning for thinking outside of the box to begin with. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

BowMain42: “Don’t worry about what “looks” odd. If the club does what you need it to do, it’s the right club.”
scooterhd2: “I cant hit 3 woods either. Thats why I roll with a unicorn XL Hibore 2 wood. 400 cc head at 16 degrees of loft and its just a monster 3 wood off the tee. Off the deck, we are playing the f6 baffler. 5 wood at 41.75 inches and its easy to control.”
phizzy30: “I had driver, 3 metal, 2/4 hybrid once upon a time as a higher ss player. 4 hybrid is gone and in place is a driving iron nowadays. I don’t think what you’re proposing is weird in anyway, however the yardage gap might be glaringly huge between driver and 2 hybrid. What is it about your 3 metal that has got you all messed up? You could always go 4 metal with shorter shaft and see if that works.”

Entire Thread: “Interesting clubs at top of bag”

If you aren’t a member, join us in the GolfWRX forums today!

Equipment

Members of the Mini Driver Club – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

8 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user has gone searching for fellow users of a mini driver. In a post, @TightFade asked for other mini driver users to chime in with their weapon of choice, the reason for employing a mini, and what club follows it in the bag.

@TightFade asked:

“What mini are you playing? What spot in the bag did it take over? What’s the next club after it? For me: Elyte mini 13.5. Replacing 3w. Next up club looks like it’ll be 5w.”

Our members in the forum have been sharing their own bag setups featuring the mini driver, and the various reasons they purchased one in the first place. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

RCGA: “Ping G430 Max 12* ‘Thriver.’ Next club is a 4w and 2i (I play a weird course).”
JMB3: “R7 at 12.75 with Diamana BB 63s. 3w replacement. Next Club: Elyte Ti 5w at 17*.”
ColdOkieGolf: “R7 15.5 turned down to 13.5 It replaces the 3w. I found it surprisingly easy to hit off the deck, and it’s very rare that I need or want to hit something beyond 250 from the fairway, so next club is my 7w.”
ChaosTheory: “I’m sub-90 MPH with driver. But I’m able to hit DOD. I have been wanting something like the R7 15.5, so I just ordered one. I have a spot in the bag so nothing has to go. But I could see it replacing my trusty 4 wood, which I never use for approach shots. Just tee shots and lay ups. If I drop the 4 wood, I will turn my 7 wood down to ~20 degrees and will have good gaps. I recently tried a thriver build: 12 degree driver turned to 14, with a heavier 44 inch shaft and added head weight. I hit it great. Very accurate and not overly high, but the problem was that it sometimes went as far as a typical drive. And that’s not what I needed. So I will probably turn the 15.5 up to 16.5 or even 17.5. It’s all theoretical at this point. ?”

Entire Thread: “Members of the Mini Driver Club…Check In.”

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Whats in the Bag

Chris Gotterup WITB 2026 (June)

Published

9 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Chris Gotterup had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.

Drivers: TaylorMade Qi4D (8 degrees), Ping G440 LST (9 degrees @8), Ping G440 LST (7.5 degrees)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g, Project X HZRDUS T1100 Handcrafted 6.5 TX 70 g, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g