Super High End Shafts - Reviews?

[bogeydog]

Anyone playing or have played/tested one of these or other super high end shafts? If so, what was it, what setup did you have and what were the results/opinions?

[gocchin]

Here is a Quadra review: http://forum.tourspecgolf.com/index.ph...st&p=157001

Keep in mind also that the amount of buyers for these shafts through TSG is very small as so many of these brands are unknown to most and very pricey, and then the ones who buy don't necessarily frequent the forum. I know we have sold 15+ Crazy shafts and at least 10 Quadras in the past year.

[bogeydog]

G,

Have you tested the Crazy Shaft Longest Yard shaft yet? I think you commented sometime you were going to.

[supo]

Anyone playing or have played/tested one of these or other super high end shafts? If so, what was it, what setup did you have and what were the results/opinions?

i have 2 qauddra fire express a 65 xs and a 65 s . i use these in rotation witha a tour ad ev6x ive tried them all in lots of differnt heads. this is whats stayed constant for the last 4 months tho. the quaddra XS is in the adams 9015d and for a good reason ,its long , easily my longest driver. i take this out when i m uber confident. the XS gives it such a lovely "sting" its got a much less rubbery feel to it but its got that sling shot feel and it doesnt warp or slide or slice or overly hook. i can shape the ball well ,the movement is not egzaserbated ,i can go as hard as i like with it with total confidence. compared to the S which is a bit softer i can def feel the softer flex, i get a little more shape to my shots with the S but i dont like that soft feel as much. i prefer the XS due to its stiffness . NOW in the diablo head ive put a a tour ad ev6X and this is my straightest driver, its a very stiff , steel like feel at impact. very straight can go super hard and the fade or draw is very small. overall the best feel is the quaddra XS its expensive but i like that differnce it gives , just the ability to hit the ball hard with controlled fades or draws with out fear of loosing it miles. its just above the tour ad but they both have a spot. if i cud have only one id take the quadda and put it in the diablo. but luickily i dont have to make that choice.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

i have 2 qauddra fire express a 65 xs and a 65 s . i use these in rotation witha a tour ad ev6x ive tried them all in lots of differnt heads. this is whats stayed constant for the last 4 months tho. the quaddra XS is in the adams 9015d and for a good reason ,its long , easily my longest driver. i take this out when i m uber confident. the XS gives it such a lovely "sting" its got a much less rubbery feel to it but its got that sling shot feel and it doesnt warp or slide or slice or overly hook. i can shape the ball well ,the movement is not egzaserbated ,i can go as hard as i like with it with total confidence. compared to the S which is a bit softer i can def feel the softer flex, i get a little more shape to my shots with the S but i dont like that soft feel as much. i prefer the XS due to its stiffness . NOW in the diablo head ive put a a tour ad ev6X and this is my straightest driver, its a very stiff , steel like feel at impact. very straight can go super hard and the fade or draw is very small. overall the best feel is the quaddra XS its expensive but i like that differnce it gives , just the ability to hit the ball hard with controlled fades or draws with out fear of loosing it miles. its just above the tour ad but they both have a spot. if i cud have only one id take the quadda and put it in the diablo. but luickily i dont have to make that choice.

Great Review! The ability to swing harder with a tighter result is thanks to the 80 ton carbon. Thanks for your post please keep us posted on any new findings.

[EPONfreak]

Agreed, fantastic feedback, I'm envious of your arsenal! Would you mind letting us know your SS and swing tempo? I'm going to get the Fire express in the next Epon driver released.

Chris, I note the comment in the proshop that the CPM measurements are based on a 7" clamp. Does this make the CPM higher or lower compared to 'western' CPM ratings?

[supo]

Agreed, fantastic feedback, I'm envious of your arsenal! Would you mind letting us know your SS and swing tempo? I'm going to get the Fire express in the next Epon driver released.

Chris, I note the comment in the proshop that the CPM measurements are based on a 7" clamp. Does this make the CPM higher or lower compared to 'western' CPM ratings?

hmmm i tihnk 105-110 mph and i asked my playing partner about tempo this is what he said..., smoothback slow trasnsition smooth down, i weigh 102 kilos and drive the ball about 285+ thoroughrecomend the qaudra ive had it in the diablo tour, akira m109, erc3, and the adams, which now is where it suits best. i have the S in my erc3 now but its not a str8 as the diamana blue 65s i have in another erc3 head. BUT as i sad i can move the ball more, its a great shaft i just bought the S first when i shud have got the SX .

[EPONfreak]

thanks, that helps a lot, my SS at 113 and distance are similar to yours. I have played X-Flex shafts for the past 5 years and was thinking of backing off to S flex but your thoughts have helped me to decide on SX.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

Agreed, fantastic feedback, I'm envious of your arsenal! Would you mind letting us know your SS and swing tempo? I'm going to get the Fire express in the next Epon driver released.

Chris, I note the comment in the proshop that the CPM measurements are based on a 7" clamp. Does this make the CPM higher or lower compared to 'western' CPM ratings?

It makes the CPM's higher. In the U.S we use 5" in most cases.

[EPONfreak]

It makes the CPM's higher. In the U.S we use 5" in most cases.

thanks Chris, I would be interested in knowing the CPM based on a 5" clamp of the fire express 65 X-flex and SX-flex if you know them?

[gocchin]

Typically the 7" clamp can make CPM's higher anywhere from 10-15cpm but there are many variables that affect this. Two clubs on two different machines with the same clamp can even come out with a 10 cpm difference which is why CPM's are hard to go by. Other variables are of course head used/head weight, finished length and even grip model will affect CPM.

According to my fitting chafts, the Quarda Fire Express 65 Stiff at 45" with a 200g Nickent 4DX Revolver 9* head and Golf Pride Tour Velvet weighing 51.5g CPM's out in Japan at around 262. Based on the charts I have, I am guessing around a 10-12 cpm difference for US measurements (I'm guessing this based on 150 shafts I have data for and some of which I actually CPMed in Canada to compare) So 252cpm for the Stiff 65 which after cut weight is 62.8g. Just a note as well, back spin on that combo was measured at 2405rpm and a launch angle of 14.4*, apex of 29.0 yards and total distance of 265.5 yards.

For comparison, Crazy Longest Yard 01 Stiff CPM's in Japan at 277 cpm with the same head and grip at 45" on the same machine (I'm guessing 262-265 US CPM) and this is for a 50g range shaft producing 2485rpm of back spin and total distance of 265.8 yards.

In my data, the Fire Express 65 and the LY-01 are the longest shafts.

This is a small sampling so I do not have data for every flex ie SX and X... but it gives an idea.

[pabsquid]

T-

During my shaft search process you mentioned going with the X flex option for everything (Kai'li 80, Kai'li 70, 9003X, etc.) but mentioned going with the SX instead if I chose the Quadra Fire Express. In general, do you think the Quadra comes stiffer than industry trends or is it just because they offer this SX "gap-shaft" and I'm on the lower end of X with a driver SS of 115? With 80T dispersion with good length, it's hard to not be intrigued with this shaft!

[gocchin]

T-

During my shaft search process you mentioned going with the X flex option for everything (Kai'li 80, Kai'li 70, 9003X, etc.) but mentioned going with the SX instead if I chose the Quadra Fire Express. In general, do you think the Quadra comes stiffer than industry trends or is it just because they offer this SX "gap-shaft" and I'm on the lower end of X with a driver SS of 115? With 80T dispersion with good length, it's hard to not be intrigued with this shaft!

I think I had also mentioned you "could" play the X for the Qudara for control (we were talking about the heavier and stiffer 75 too) but the SX would provide more distance. For the other shafts I did recommend X because they have no SX flex and S would indeed be to soft. Your 115 is probably on the higher end of the SX flex for the Fire Express 75, but it would work provided you are not too aggressive with it. If you plan on going after the ball then the X is better even for the Quadra.

One other thing to keep in mind is that you want to play the club at 44" and the SX will play stiffer than it is intended to at that length.

One thing I did not note above is that of all the high end shafts the lowest spinning which I 'm sure everyone wants to know was the 9003 series followed interestingly by the Griffin 53.

[bogeydog]

I wouldn't sleep on the Basarra Griffin. For the smooth to moderately agressive player, this shaft fit correctly is a surprise. Yes it is a light weight shaft it behaves and performs differently than most expect a light shaft would. I don't have any LM numbers however I have played the JPGA version as well as other shafts in the same head, setup the same way for quite some time. I have had this shaft when first released and it hasn't left the bag yet. Compared to the Ozik XCON 5, whick IMO, for an average tempo player was amazingly long and fairly well controlled, the Grffin performed better. Lower spin, better control, slighly lower launch. The Grffin still alows me to go after it however if I lay off I can. Distane wise, I am consistently with or longer than my fellow players and this is coming from a guy who is 5'-3" tall and 160 lbs. Idrive plays the Griffin and I think he has similar comments.

I too am intrigued by the availability of the 50t and 80t carbon shafts however I find the Griffin a very nice shaft. In fact, I have a second I will install in a Kamui 420 head in a few weeks. At some point I will probably try out a Crazy Shaft or Quadra.

[EPONfreak]

Excellent feedback and information Gocchin. I have pretty much always played 75g driver shafts in X-flex. CHS with a comfortable but aggressive swing, call it 80%, is 113. in good form I can crank it up a bit. I was considering the Fire Express 65 which is close to 70g in X & SX. Spin reduction is my main motivation, I launch high. My go to shot is a high fade, the ball cutting 2-3 metres. I would still like to turn the ball over when necessary, which I now need to do 'cause I can't hit it as far as I used to! Would SX be more appropriate than X ?

[pabsquid]

Thanks again for the ever helpful info as usual. I'm in a very similar swing speed and trajectory as TMfreak it sounds like and am interested to see what you recommend for him. I'm leaning towards the X as I do need more control but can't resist going after it on the tee.

CPM's and CPM measuring method with the 7" clamp sounds like the Axiv technique so I'm thinking that the X is probably the right choice considering I like the play of my 7080.

[Duffer19]

From my own experience, I would deduct 10 to 15 cpm from those frequencies that supplied by JDM shaft website to be those using a 5 inch clamp with a normal head weight of say 200 g at a finished length of 45" with grip.

[+TourSpecGolfer]

From my own experience, I would deduct 10 to 15 cpm from those frequencies that supplied by JDM shaft website to be those using a 5 inch clamp with a normal head weight of say 200 g at a finished length of 45" with grip.

Thats a great way to make a guesstimate sounds pretty close to spot on.

Excellent feedback and information Gocchin. I have pretty much always played 75g driver shafts in X-flex. CHS with a comfortable but aggressive swing, call it 80%, is 113. in good form I can crank it up a bit. I was considering the Fire Express 65 which is close to 70g in X & SX. Spin reduction is my main motivation, I launch high. My go to shot is a high fade, the ball cutting 2-3 metres. I would still like to turn the ball over when necessary, which I now need to do 'cause I can't hit it as far as I used to! Would SX be more appropriate than X ?

I usually suggest a softer flex shaft and learning to work with it, you may off the start see a wider dispersion but after you dail it in I think you will get some distance back. 113mph is X flex but it being a stable 80 ton shaft I think you can get away with SX. Just my 2 cents not sure how others feel about this logic.

[EPONfreak]

That makes sense to me Chris, I think the SX would be comfortable and certainly allow the ball the be turned over more readily and the 80t quality, I imagine, wouldn't be too 'tippy' and wayward for when I go after one on a wide fairway or par 5

[bogeydog]

Ok so there is feedback from Quadra users. Any info on Crazy, Bangvoo, Stinger?

[gocchin]

I've always said and I say it to all the customers I fit. Go with the softest flex you CAN control. That will maximize distance. This is an extreme example but once Golf Digest Japan rounded up a group of golfers and gave them a driver with an L flex finished at 190cpm. At first they were all over the place, but once they learned to control the shaft they easily out drove their normal drivers. Of course I'm not telling everyone to run out there and get a ladies driver. (^_^) but you get my point.

[supo]

T-

During my shaft search process you mentioned going with the X flex option for everything (Kai'li 80, Kai'li 70, 9003X, etc.) but mentioned going with the SX instead if I chose the Quadra Fire Express. In general, do you think the Quadra comes stiffer than industry trends or is it just because they offer this SX "gap-shaft" and I'm on the lower end of X with a driver SS of 115? With 80T dispersion with good length, it's hard to not be intrigued with this shaft!

another sensational shaft i tried yesteday and instantly loved was the roddio pentacross in an on-off head, loved it. ! it seems to have a bias to the left side of the fairway .but no problem going hard at it and the good shots had smoking draw on them . the kick in the tail of the quadra is stil lthe best tho. but im gettting a roddio! and, selling all my GD tour ad ev's and diamanas. theyve been superceeded in my mind. the quadra tho is king and xs is the shaft if ur not looking to bend balls in bubba watson arcs. and....., ive rehit my S in a yonex nextage and its not weak at all., its great just that the XS has a tighter dispersion . both are great , if u need to move the ball around a bit id go for the s.., if u r hitting on long straight tight course then the xs is perfect but when i need to move it around a bit ill go for the s.