Equipment

Spotted: Nippon “Graphite On Steel Technology” hybrid prototype shafts

Published

8 years ago

May 14, 2018

Steel vs. graphite shafts, which is better for your game? It’s a question as old as the invention of graphite shafts for golf clubs.

Well, it appears that Nippon is combining steel and graphite with its new hybrid prototype shaft, with technology called “Graphite On Steel.” Based on the nomenclature and the photos we captured at the 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson on Monday, it seems that there is a layer of graphite surrounding a steel hybrid shaft.

And for what purpose? GolfWRX Members are guessing that the design could be for reduced vibration, or for great stability, but we’re yet to know for sure.

We’ve reached out to Nippon representatives and will update this story with more information as it becomes available. For now, click here for more photos and discussion.

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17 Comments

Dave Bryce

May 19, 2018 at 1:52 pm

In the 90s I reshafted the bimatrix shaft for many customers. That shaft incorporated the same principles and proved to be more hype then substance! With that shaft I found the swingweights to be too high!

Reply Report comment
KenW

May 16, 2018 at 9:56 pm

I too have a set of the Aerotech SteelFiber shafts which have steel thread wrapped around a graphite core and they were great, but a couple years ago I put Fujikura’s Metal Composite shafts (MCI) on my Calloway Apex irons and Wow! they are terrific shafts. Like the Nippon shafts, they have a graphite sleeve over a steel core shaft. Don’t know there’s a ton of difference but the Fujikura seem to have the perfect Flex and torque for my swing.

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~j~

May 16, 2018 at 12:43 pm

A side from perhaps the steelfibers (never tried), has anyone even had much success intertwining steel and graphite?? Would think the extra labor/technology involved would largely go unnoticed by many and likely to be not worth the production cost.

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Buck Futter

May 16, 2018 at 12:22 pm

Graphite Hybrid On Steel Technology or GHOST for short
Should make them in white

Reply Report comment
Really Big Mike

May 16, 2018 at 12:00 pm

This technology looks to be very similar to Aerotech Steelfiber, who advertises that their shafts are longer and straighter with less effort and they avoid injury or aggravating previous injury.

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cinch bugs

May 15, 2018 at 8:34 am

Don’t knock it till you’e tried it…. just kidding knock away!

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Deadpool

May 15, 2018 at 2:21 am

Lets just go back to hickory. I like wood. My wood is good.

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- steve
  
  May 15, 2018 at 3:53 pm
  
  so yer regressing back to woodies and abandoning stiff steel and floppy graphite?
  
  Reply Report comment
steve

May 14, 2018 at 6:08 pm

SteelFiber shafts have filament-wound steel fibers over and internal graphite shaft… and now Nippon is putting the graphite over the steel shafting. Why are they doing this expensive solution to compensate for the failings of plain graphite shafts with floppy soggy tips with a sloppy dynamic response going through final release and impact?
For SteelFiber: https://aerotechgolfshafts.com/

Reply Report comment
- steve
  
  May 14, 2018 at 6:15 pm
  
  Furthermore.. most graphite shafts are oven-cured to harden the epoxy mix holding the graphite fibers. Not with Seven Dreamers graphite shafts which are autoclave cured that sucks out the excess epoxy plastic that causes the tip instability of other graphite shafts.
  Seven Dreamers: http://www.golfwrx.com/489200/a-qa-with-seven-dreamers-about-its-1200-shafts/
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Deadpool
    
    May 15, 2018 at 2:22 am
    
    Yeah I am so intelligent and knowledgeable too, that Google lets me know everything too, steve
    
    Reply Report comment
    - steve
      
      May 15, 2018 at 3:50 pm
      
      go back to the main WRX forum with all the gearheadbaters…
      
      Reply Report comment
    - steve
      
      May 15, 2018 at 10:01 pm
      
      Yer the Google gearheadbater who can only tap twitter-sized blurts from yer shrunken brainlet.. so sooo obvious …. ????
      
      Reply Report comment
  - Dan
    
    May 15, 2018 at 3:59 pm
    
    Does this guy just copy paste this app the time?
    
    Reply Report comment
    - steve
      
      May 15, 2018 at 10:00 pm
      
      I remember all that scientific stuff because my smart brain is not ruined with a twitter blurting mentality…. just go to the main WRX forum and look at the juvenile comments in less than 140 characters… sooo pa thetic…
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Not Steve
        
        May 15, 2018 at 11:14 pm
        
        Your smart brain and scientist stuff is on the wrong site for that you will incurred a stroke penalty and another for slow play
        
        Reply Report comment
- Josh
  
  May 14, 2018 at 11:29 pm
  
  Steelfiber convert here… I agree why put the graphite on top of the steel? Doesn’t make as much sense as the steel-fiber-weave wrapped around a traditional graphite shaft…
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Interesting clubs at top of bag – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

7 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

7 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.”

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

Whats in the Bag

Chris Gotterup WITB 2026 (June)

Published

7 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