Monthly Archives: June 2017

Graphite Designs AD Fairway Shaft Review

Graphite Designs Tour AD Fairway Golf Shaft Review

By Russ Ryden, Fit2Score, A Dallas Fort Worth Club Fitter & Club Maker
The Golf Center at the Highlands, Carrollton Texas

GDADFW_imageGolfers who first experience a fairway with a premium driver shaft universally have a jaw dropping experience. First at the performance then at the cost of the fairway club. There is sticker shock when they are told the shaft itself cost more than a retail fairway metal. Yet, when you see a tour player hitting a fairway you should realize, the shaft he is using is the same quality as his driver shaft. Heavier and perhaps stiffer, but it is an ultra-premium driver shaft.

The problem with the stock fairway shafts is there simply is not enough money at $250 to $300, the typical retail price of a fairway, to supply a decent shaft. In the price range we have come to expect at retail for a fairway, the manufacturer has a limited range of shaft options.  What gets delivered is a high launch design. That shaft will have a soft tip zone to help get the ball airborne. However at that price point it will also come with high torque. When you  watch your slightly off center ball strikes snap hook or block into the trees realize this, it’s not you, it’s the shaft. I have put a great many golfers into $550 to $600 fairways. Not all can or will make that level of investment into a fairway. Those that do have a rapid understanding of what shaft quality means.

Graphite Designs has joined Mitsubishi in offering a high quality fairway specific shaft at an approachable price. The Graphite Design Tour AD F-Series Fairway shaft has a MAP price of $250. That is 35% less than the price of a Tour AD driver shaft. The Tour AD FWY is painted to closely match this year’s Tour AD TP driver shaft. It is made with 40t carbon-fiber while the TP uses 50t material. Weights range from 72 to 95 grams. Let’s look at the measurements. 

To continue reading this section of the review, you must be registered at a higher level membership.
Russ

To continue reading this section of the review, you must be registered at a higher level membership.
Russ

Shimada Tour Iron Shaft Review

Shimada Tour 3001 and Shimada Tour Lite

By Russ Ryden, Fit2Score, A Dallas Fort Worth Club Fitter & Club Maker
The Golf Center at the Highlands, Carrollton Texas

Shimada has new distribution in the USA, Oban. Oban has a little over 100 fitters in the US, all of which have been visited and evaluated by Oban management. My understanding is that the Shimada shafts will be available exclusively through the network of Oban fitters. Earlier this year I reviewed the Shimada 115g CT iron shaft. It will soon be joined by a lighter weight fitting set. The Tour 301 and Tour Lite are more conventional constant weight tapers.

To continue reading this section of the review, you must be registered at a higher level membership.
Russ

As you have seen in the charts, Shimada manufacturing quality is second to none. It is good to finally have reliable distribution in the US. Shaft to shaft consistency in the four sets I measured is perfect. If you are looking for light weight iron shafts, set consistency sets steel apart from carbon fiber. You can be confident that sets made from either the mid 90 gram Shimada 3001 and the 106 gram Shimada Tour Lite will be consistent through the set.

- Golf Professional Charts & Notes -