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Time to go light?


nobmontana

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Every year over the off season, I see some drop in distance primarily due to lower temperatures ... but I think this year I'm seeing more drop where my swing speed may be contributing more to the drop.... 😞   I know its part of life to grow older... but I may be at a point where I seriously need to consider going light with my iron shafts. My current AMT S200 especially in the short irons at 120g to 130g is getting hard to reach those distances that I used to. 

I've got 2 sets of Crazy CBI-80 Limiteds in the stash. A stiff set and a regular....  I'll start with using the Stiff set.  So like 604_skyline,  I may be in the hunt for some player's cavity back heads. 

For me, how it sets up at address, feel and workability are highly important. Not quite ready yet to move to multi-material irons or stronger lofted heads.

PRGR ID BL that I use today are nearly perfect for what I need.  Blade length and overall profile could be a touch smaller to be perfect perhaps...

I love the grind, thin top line and minimum offset of these heads.   For my RTX 4 Forged wedges, I have some Modus Wedge 105s that I can use.

For woods, I re-shafted one of my Grandista RS-D 9 deg heads to an ATMOS Tourspec Black 5S and built to 45.75" / 309g / D2  and it is working great. 

I can swing a lot easier and get about the same distance as my other 45" driver with the Loop GK which I have to try out a lot more effort to get the proper distance.   

For my Jbeam G-FW 13 deg 3W,  I currently have a Fire Express Prototype 2014 F3 (aka BX70)  right now,  and while I am happy with the stability, I could use a lighter shaft in this as well.  Out of the shafts that I have already, I'm thinking about trying either the ATMOS Tourspec Black in 5TX or possibly a Speeder TR 569 X flex...  not sure which one yet....  but I recall trying an 2nd gen M2 fairway a while back which had a stock 50g shaft in it and I was abler to fly that thing a long ways.   Since the JBeam GFW is a DAT55G Ti faced fw,  I expect it to go longer than the current 215 carry that I am getting.    

Hybrid will stay the same.   Quite happy with the 18 deg Romaro Type R shafted with Crazy STP 85.  So no changes needed here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Would love to try those cbi-80's in stiff. You're a lucky guy nob.

We're polar opposites in the woods. I have an 80g in my mini driver and potentially going 90g+ in my fairway. Both play shorter than standard. I just want the comfort of being able to go after it off the tee and still be on the short grass. Distance isn't a priority. Accuracy most definitely is.....

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 hmmm.. im kinda in between , I much prefer slightly heavier iron shafts like the NS 125s or 130s,  bee nusinbg the 105s  and I don't suit them I feel lik I have to swing out of my shoes..  with the heavier  I just use tempo to go thru the ball better without "hitting at " the ball  m , ive been using  lighter stiffer  driver shafts   recently at 45inch  inch max,  like  65 x  diamana X    67sx and heavy fairway wood shafts , really loving the ali islei diamana 73 and 83 s shafts. sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo smooth!!!!!

wedges I like 115 NSw  over the 125s,, I cant get distance , its so weird.  my 52* cap is maxed out at 105 yards.. for the life of me I cant hit that further.. and in my 60* lw, I uses 950s NS so I can get super flippy with it I want all fingers and hands in the LW.

 im going to make 1 change to the driver  this season,  a 10.5*  jbeam  j3 tour will be the addition to start out with the diamana stinger with the idea to move the 7 dreamers into it.

that is 67 g  at 45 inch and its soooooooooooooooooooo ridiculously straight.

 

 

 

 

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Good topic.

I am 50 this year. Was playing PRGR M43 irons for last few years and going fine, but was always a bit balloony in the wind. This year shifted to Project X LZ 6.5 (125g) 4-pw and scores have been noticeably better.

The shaft is heavier but loads and kicks. Bit less spin. Certainly doesn't feel like a 6.5 flex.

Now this has made me go "all heavier" - 70g driver, 76g 2w (Baldo Brassy), 105g 19* hybrid, 125g wedges (ATTAS 125 Spin)

Maybe this will do me until 60!!!!

 

 

 

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Coincidentally,  I also went through that phase 2 years ago.  (I'm 52 now going on 53 in August.)    Went from K's 8001 to Modus 125 S, then last year to DG AMT S200. 

Accuracy wise, the AMT S200 has been the best fit for me.    

With the DG AMT's, as you know, the weight is progressive with the longer irons lighter than the wedge shaft,   (105 to 129g raw)   the longer irons I feel still give me the right distances. Currently, in 40 deg F temperatures (4.5 deg C) at the range, 155yd carry with the 6 iron and 165yd carry with the 5 iron etc...   Starting at about the 7 iron and shorter,  the carry distances will start to drop more than I want.  I am getting about 137 carry with the 7 and 8 is 125 , 9 is 115, PW is about 105.   50 deg GW is 100yd and 56 deg is 85 yds.  

So what am thinking is a constant weight shaft set between 100 to about 110.    

Crazy CBI 80 Ltd Stiff is about 106 g raw so .. weight wise it should be just about right. 

BTW,  Crazy recently released their new CBI-9 iron shaft where they use full length 90T carbon fiber.   Should be a really good performer but price is pretty fancy too! 😞

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

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Nobs I have been in the same boat and I am not putting it down to age at all!

more like what stew said about not

having to go at it so hard.

played most shafts and now have put the shimada nine stiff shafts into my irons and hw 110  in wedges.

great results these still feel like the shimada tight despersion but have way more feel and don’t feel like the effort is needed to get the result.

didnt like the 8001 but do like these.

on the flip side nunchuk in my epon 903 20 di.

driver tour ad di 6s tipped an inc

3 wood mt 7x un tipped.

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Nob,

I know this will probably apply to the driver only for now, but look at how many top PGA pros are playing driver shafts in the 60gram range, Dustin Johnson played the 661 2.0 tour spec, and is now in a ventus black 6-x, Tiger is in a 60 gram  D+, I think its a lot more common now...

For your iron shafts are you looking at strictly graphite? what about a modus 105? or the 950 either GH or  GH HT(high trajectory)

Would be curious to see what you are leaning on irons wise as well...seeing as how we are both in the market for something very similar.

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Problem with my swing is that I have a fairly early release and so I don't deloft enough on my iron shots.  because of this,  I'll need a rather low launching shaft to help with maximizing distance.  I am working on a more hand forward impact but it'll take some time to change my swing.    Another challenge is that there aren't much low launch shafts that are also light weight.   CBI-80 are actually spec'd as a low launch shaft and at around 100g,,,, fits the bill perfectly.    Basileus BTi shafts are also supposed to be low launch and weighs 100g.    

 

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13 hours ago, daamartin said:

Roddio i10?

Tried a set a while back..  They are fabulous iron shafts.   Nice smooth feel and good stability. 

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Hmmmm.   I thought the ATMOS 5S was working well.... but not tonight.  I was all over the place!!  

Darn... maybe Loop GK after all in my driver.... 

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On 2/28/2020 at 10:17 PM, 604_skyline said:

Crime of Angel - Highway Angel for iron shafts, was just reading about them on the ameblo blogs.....

COA is made by Mamiya FYI.

Right now there are so many great shaft options.  Really hard to choose and the numbers don't help.   What I mean by that is if you match the torque, weight, bend point, flex, cpm's it still doesn't explain how it will perform.

From a design and manufacturing standpoint.  I like:

Fuji, Mitsu, Tour AD

botique - I love loop,  crazy,  waccine,  roddio, basileus etc..

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 2/25/2020 at 4:01 PM, nobmontana said:

Every year over the off season, I see some drop in distance primarily due to lower temperatures ... but I think this year I'm seeing more drop where my swing speed may be contributing more to the drop.... 😞   I know its part of life to grow older... but I may be at a point where I seriously need to consider going light with my iron shafts. My current AMT S200 especially in the short irons at 120g to 130g is getting hard to reach those distances that I used to. 

I've got 2 sets of Crazy CBI-80 Limiteds in the stash. A stiff set and a regular....  I'll start with using the Stiff set.  So like 604_skyline,  I may be in the hunt for some player's cavity back heads. 

For me, how it sets up at address, feel and workability are highly important. Not quite ready yet to move to multi-material irons or stronger lofted heads.

PRGR ID BL that I use today are nearly perfect for what I need.  Blade length and overall profile could be a touch smaller to be perfect perhaps...

I love the grind, thin top line and minimum offset of these heads.   For my RTX 4 Forged wedges, I have some Modus Wedge 105s that I can use.

For woods, I re-shafted one of my Grandista RS-D 9 deg heads to an ATMOS Tourspec Black 5S and built to 45.75" / 309g / D2  and it is working great. 

I can swing a lot easier and get about the same distance as my other 45" driver with the Loop GK which I have to try out a lot more effort to get the proper distance.   

For my Jbeam G-FW 13 deg 3W,  I currently have a Fire Express Prototype 2014 F3 (aka BX70)  right now,  and while I am happy with the stability, I could use a lighter shaft in this as well.  Out of the shafts that I have already, I'm thinking about trying either the ATMOS Tourspec Black in 5TX or possibly a Speeder TR 569 X flex...  not sure which one yet....  but I recall trying an 2nd gen M2 fairway a while back which had a stock 50g shaft in it and I was abler to fly that thing a long ways.   Since the JBeam GFW is a DAT55G Ti faced fw,  I expect it to go longer than the current 215 carry that I am getting.    

Hybrid will stay the same.   Quite happy with the 18 deg Romaro Type R shafted with Crazy STP 85.  So no changes needed here. 

 

 

Are you going to sell the extra set of Crazy CBI 80?  Please let me know, I'm waiting to get a set of these shafts!

 

 

 

 

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>  Are you going to sell the extra set of Crazy CBI 80?  Please let me know, I'm waiting to get a set of these shafts!

 

No sir... sorry if I gave you the impression that I was going to.   I've searched for them for a very long time. ¥

Crazy just came out with a 90T iron shaft called CBI-9  as well as a new series called Crazy Dead I-80 and I-100 which are both full length 80T just like the original CBI-80 

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  • 3 weeks later...

During this lock down, I've shuffled out my gamers out of my bag and ended up with building up the following sets. 

 

***

Primary

Grandista RS-D 9 deg / Loop GK

 (backup PIng G410 LST / Ventus Black or HZRDUS Smoke Yellow) 

Grandista RS-F The III / Loop FW Six TS 

Grandista RS-F The V / Loop FW Seven 

Buchi SP-301 21.5 & 24.5 / Crazy STP Iron 85

Seven CB Prototype 5-PW / Crazy CBI-80 Ltd 

Cleveland RTX 4 Forged / NS Pro WV Tour Only 115 

Benock Blue Dragon II 

***

Sub

Grandista RS-D 9 deg / Loop GK 

Romaro Type R UT / Crazy STP Iron 85

Shinagawa Split Set / Mitsubishi Chemical MMT 75 

Gold's Factory T102 

***

For my primary set,  I've gone to a DR, 3w, 5w setup with the woods.  All with Loop shafts.  

Have not bagged a 5W for a long time so we'll see how it works. 

SP-301 Driving irons got lighter STP 85 shafts...   The 5-PW irons are a new build for me with the Crazy graphite shafts. 

For my JDM Cleveland wedges, I've gone to slightly lighter shafts.  But still steel.    Putter is unchanged. 

For the Shinagawa MB half set,  I've swapped out the shafts from AMT Tour White S200 to a very light MMT 75 S.  

These MMT shafts are so slim they look like fly fishing rods!!   But they are reasonably stiff feeling.   It will be interesting to see how they play.  

This half set in a Sunday bag will be nice and light to carry with these shafts...  looking forward to taking them out on Summer eve 9 hole strolls.  

 

 

 

 

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Edited by nobmontana
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Oh and here's the Shinagawa with the MMT 75 S

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Edited by nobmontana
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  • 2 weeks later...

Very good topic Nob

Been following this post for a while now, some good write ups on the benefits of lightweight Iron shafts, also transfusing through the rest of the bag or in some cases not.

Had the same dilemma over a few years now , I tended to think that during the winter months a lightweight more reactive Iron shaft served me better, my theory was this is due to temperature and the steel not being as reactive in the cold...Probably overthinking the quantities i know.....But non the less it seemed to work for me. Either this or the body just doesn't loosen up so much in the cold, which is probably more like the truth. Maybe a bit of both.

As mentioned by a couple of you chaps....As for me now it doesn't matter what time of year it is, or my ageing body.....I totally get the benefits of easy distance. But searching for a modicum of accuracy at the same time.

So....Dilemma.....Giving up a touch of accuracy/control, but still having the ability to pull the trigger without the fear looseness or early release, leading me to learn to either play within myself....Or find the holy grail of lightweight iron shaft options.

This first one is probably the best shaft I have used that covers all of the above, or comes close enough in all mentioned. My fear for these (graphite) was unfounded once I used....Superb shaft. Current gamer.

 

4-PW in the Irons, 3 Iron shaft in Vega DI...Weapon!

 

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As for steel shafts. I had a set of these many moons ago in RF551s 

Something I have built over the holidays.

Remember them being a good light weight option in the winter months before I went heavy....Full circle once again....Ha, so just garbed a set before they disappear.

These are 75g in the reg but 85g in the stiff, in order to use the whole shaft/weight I hard stepped these once. Xroz grip for even less twist in the but, although I know the carbon weave somewhat helps with this anyway.

Will be using for the first time today in these heads, Should be a good test up-against the same weight/flex Graphite.

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Edited by hutchy
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  • 4 weeks later...

Made a couple fo last minute changes and they are working out very very well!   At least that's what I got out of the two range sessions yesterday and today. 

I'm glad I made the move to go lighter.   100g iron shafts feel very good to me now.    And these Crazy shafts are so accurate!   

Back to playing on the course on Saturday and it's supposed to be 80 deg F (27 deg) out here too!   Excited!

I hope this set up works in real world play situations! 

****

Ping G410 LST / Loop GK  

Grandista RS-F The III / Loop FW Six TS 

Grandista RS-F The V / Loop FW Seven 

Buchi SP-301 21.5 & 24.5 / Crazy STP Iron 85

Seven CB Prototype 5-9 / Crazy CBI-80 Ltd 

Cleveland RTX 4 46 / Modus 105 Wedge 

Cleveland RTX 4 Forged 50 & 56  / Modus 105 Wedge

Benock Blue Dragon II 

****

 

 

 

 

 

 

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8 hours ago, nobmontana said:

Made a couple fo last minute changes and they are working out very very well!   At least that's what I got out of the two range sessions yesterday and today. 

I'm glad I made the move to go lighter.   100g iron shafts feel very good to me now.    And these Crazy shafts are so accurate!   

Back to playing on the course on Saturday and it's supposed to be 80 deg F (27 deg) out here too!   Excited!

I hope this set up works in real world play situations! 

****

Ping G410 LST / Loop GK  

Grandista RS-F The III / Loop FW Six TS 

Grandista RS-F The V / Loop FW Seven 

Buchi SP-301 21.5 & 24.5 / Crazy STP Iron 85

Seven CB Prototype 5-9 / Crazy CBI-80 Ltd 

Cleveland RTX 4 46 / Modus 105 Wedge 

Cleveland RTX 4 Forged 50 & 56  / Modus 105 Wedge

Benock Blue Dragon II 

****

That’s a sweet setup right there 

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