LAGolf Shafts OLYSS Drive Shaft Review

LAGolf OLYSS Shaft Review

By Russ Ryden, Fit2Score, A Dallas Fort Worth Club Fitter & Club Maker
The Highlands Performance Golf Center, Carrollton Texas 
Golf Digest Certified America’s 100 Best Club Fitter

LAGolf Shafts is taking a new approach to the golf shaft business. Professional Golf playing partners participate in the design of their golf shafts. LAGolf is committed to being a different shaft company. The shafts will be designed in with playing partners and made in the USA. The LAGolf Olyss profile was what I had expected. It is labeled as John Oldenburg Signature Series. John was the head of design at Aldila. The Green paint fill on LA tells the story, lets look at the profile.

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Russ

Oban Devotion Shaft Review

OBAN DEVOTION DRIVER SHAFT

By Woody Lashen, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Pete’s Golf, Mineola, New York

Oban_Devotion_Driver_ImageThe OBAN Devotion was one of the original shafts introduced by Oban. They come in 4 different weights plus a hybrid version.  Designed to for mid launch and low spin; as with many shafts they vary in launch and spin as the weights change.  As with all Oban shafts they do not use words for flex, they use a number system from 1-6 to designate flex.   The 45 model ranges in weight from 46 t0 49 grams, and is offered in 1 to 4 flex.  It runs much softer than the rest of the line with a very smooth feel and high launch high spin launch conditions.   The 55 model is 53-59 grams and is available in 2-5 flexes.  As the weight s starts to get heavier flex’s get stiffer and the launch and spin come down, the 55 is still a mid to high spin and launch shaft.   The 65 version is 66-69 grams and available in 3-6 flex’s.  It is one of the best mid 60 gram shafts for lowering spin while keeping the smooth feel of the devotion line.  The 65 runs much stiffer then the two lower models, even for the highest loader of the shaft the 5 flex will be sufficient, in the many years of fitting this shaft we have not had the need to use the 6 flex in any of the versions of this shaft.

The technical discussion and measurements are available only to registered readers

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

Diamana Series W Golf Shaft Review

 Mitsubishi Diamana W-Series Third Generation White Board

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

MRC DiamanaW ImageThe third generation Diamana White Board is a departure from previous designs. Like many shafts in the 2013-2014 season of super low launch head designs, it creates a higher launch tendency presentation of the head to the ball.

Three Generations of Diamana White Designs Compared

MRC Diamana 3Gens
There was little change between the first generation Diamana White Board and the second generation ‘ahina. Torque was unchanged, weight went down slightly as the era of higher density materials began. A stiffer tip area required an adjustment to the mid section of the shaft and a quicker loss of stiffness in the mid-tip transition zone.

In the third generation Mitsubishi Diamana W Series we see a huge change in the EI profile of the shaft. The Tip to Butt ratio, a simple indicator of launch tendency is unchanged, but the path there is quite different. The signature profile of the White Board, and its cousin, the Mitsubishi Fubuki Alpha, a mid shaft bump in stiffness is gone. What we see now is a profile that is similar to many shafts, a consistent loss of stiffness from butt to tip. The signature mid shaft bump is still there, albeit lower and softer. And, unlike previous generations, there is a slight but significant change in profile as the Diamana W series gets heavier.

UltraLight vs 50 gram models

A 50 gram version has been added to the line.  The Diamana W series 50 gram model have higher torque, consistent with creating feel in a light weight shaft. The tips are softer, and in looks much like a stouter version of the ultralight Bassara W series. The line between ultra light shafts and light weight versions of standard Mitsubishi models is blurred with the introduction of 50 gram shafts in both the Diamana W and Diamana B shafts. The Bassara models extend down to 40 gram models, but the 50 gram Diamana’s bridge the gap between the 50 gram Bassara’s and the 60 gram Diamana’s.

MRC Diamana W EiGjTb

Radial quality of all the review samples was excellent. The Diamana W series is suitable for rotating hosels without any regard for alignment. As you can see from the chart above, it does not get any better than this.

Project X Hybrid Shafts Review

True Temper Project X Black Hybrid Shaft
True Temper Project X Blue Hybrid Shaft

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

ProjectX_Hybrid_imageAt the time of this review the Project X Black and Blue Hybrid shafts have been on the market for several years. They represent classic hybrid shaft designs seen over and over from different brands. The Project X Black has a quick loss of stiffness tightening around 18″ from the tip and running from there into a long stable tip. This design is easy to tip trim into different loft hybrids, increasing the stiffness for the increased head weight as the lofts get larger. From my experience with similar profiles you will see a mid high flight with enough spin to create a nice drop and stop ball flight.

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Russ

If you have experience with these shafts, you can take that experience to other designs.  Look at the bend profiles and reflect on the feel and flight of other shafts reviewed here. I have done countless fittings with hybrid shafts with these designs. If it is working for you, stay with it.

 

Soft Stepping and Hard Stepping Iron Shaft Sets

Adjusting Shaft Stiffness with Soft and Hard Stepping

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

Soft stepping is the term used to indicate changing flex of a taper tip shaft by adjusting the stiffness of a set of irons by putting the lower numbered iron shaft throughout the set.  For example, the 8 iron shaft is put in the 9 iron, the 7 iron shaft in the 8 iron and so on through the set. Hard stepping is just the opposite, putting the 9 iron shaft in the 8 iron, the 8 iron shaft in the 7 iron.  This practice applies to sets of shafts that are produced with specific designs and lengths for each iron in the set.

KBS_Tour_ETT_XP95_EiWhen we look at shaft sets we see two design philosophies. The consistent EI weight/flex designs and the True Temper Dynamics design . This is best explained by looking at some EI stiffness charts.The first chart shows the KBS Tour X, S and R flex shafts. The profiles and consistent, simply getting overall stiffer as they get heavier. Most True Temper shafts have different profiles. The tips are not only softer, but longer up the shaft in the R flex model. The tips get both progressively stiffer and shorter in the S and X flex models. In a shaft like the KBS, the difference between and R and an S is simply a little heavier and a little stiffer overall. In the Dynamics design, the profile of the S is significantly different from the R.

Now lets take a look at what happens when these different designs are hard or soft stepped to change stiffness. And, compare hard and soft stepping to changing flex.

KBS_Tour_SteppedHere again is the KBS Tour. Soft stepping, putting the 5 iron shaft in the 6 iron, moves the flex of the shaft about 1/3 of the way toward the R flex shaft.  A double soft step, 4 iron in the 6 iron will move the flex another 1/3 toward the R flex. The weight of the shaft changes very little with stepping. The 120 gram S flex is still 120 grams while having a stiffness similar to the 110 gram R flex model.

TT_XP105_SteppedNow lets look at the same EI chart of the True Temper XP105. We see the same change of profile from hard or soft stepping. A slight change of overall stiffness of the shaft. However, when we look at the R flex shaft we see that it has a significantly different Ei bend profile.

Fitting the True Temper Dynamic Designs

From a club fitting perspective EI Bend Profiles give us a new understanding of fitting the True Temper designs. Adjustment made with hard and soft stepping have a small effect on stiffness and flighting. Adjustment made with flex changes have a significant effect on both stiffness and flighting. To get a precision fitting it is important to work with a fitter that offers the options to hard and soft step the different flex offerings.

UST Mamiya ATTAS 5 GoGo Driver Shaft Review

UST Mamiya ATTAS5 GoGo Driver Shaft

By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas

USTMamiya ATTAS5Image

TourSPXTransparetLogo.fwThe UST ATTAS5 is the late 2013 addition the the ATTAS family of shafts. It compliment the ATTAS3 and ATTAS4u reviewed earlier. The ATTAS shafts are ultra premium models made from ultra-high modulus, low resin content materials. They are available from UST Mamiya Tour SPX certified fitters only.

USTMamiya Attas3vs5I see in the ATTAS 5 a design that keeps showing up in new shaft releases. A steeply descending profile showing a rapid loss of stiffness from butt to tip, with a long stiff tip. The difference between one brand and the next is the rate of stiffness lost and the length of the tip section of the driver shaft. The new ATTAS 5 and the ATTAS 3 released a few years ago are a good high launch vs low launch pair. The 6 Stiff profiles are compared in this illustration. The ATTAS 5 is softer in the mid section. It will create good launch and spin for a golfer with a flat to negative angle of attack. The stiff mid ATTAS 3, fitting the player with a positive angle of attack, looking to create a lower spin penetrating ball flight. The ATTAS 5 design is a good compliment to the low launch, low spin heads and balls that are common in the 2013-2014 marketplace.

USTMamiya ATTAS 5 EiGjTb.fw
USTMamiya ATTAS5RadialWhat struck me as I measured the ATTAS 5 GoGo review samples was the radial quality. Several of the shafts had perfect radial quality measurements. So perfect in fact that they showed very little change in oscillation patterns in any orientation. That prompted me to take a hard look at the 8 stiff shaft. The red lines in this illustration show the Flat Line Oscillation (FLO) planes. These indicate the high and low points of stiffness around the shaft. On a perfect shaft such as this, they did not fall 90 degrees apart as is typical. The Bow plane of the shaft was not a point as shown on the graphic, but rather a 50 degree range, centered at the spot shown, that indicates a shaft which is not only perfectly round, but also perfectly straight. Shafts such as this show us what is possible with current production technology if you are willing to spend $605. If you have a rotating hosel the ATTAS 5 GoGo shafts can be orientated in any direction with no regard whatsoever for alignment.

USTMamiya ATTAS5 FLOIf you are not a club builder you may not be familiar with the term FLO. It is located by clamping the butt of the shaft and attaching a weighted laser pointer to the tip. These images are a 5 second time delay photo of the laser tip oscillating. As you can see, the oscillation follows the stripe on the board perfectly in both planes. This simple technique quickly finds the hard and soft planes of a golf shaft.

The clamping device is a laser detection instrument that measures the oscillation rate of the shaft. This is called the frequency of the shaft. It is a method of measuring stiffness. FLO DisplayFrequency matched shaft sets are made using this equipment. By comparing the frequency of the two FLO planes, the radial consistency of the shaft is quickly determined. If the frequency on the two FLO planes are the same, or nearly the same, the shaft is perfectly round. The UST Mamiya ATTAS 5 shafts are perfectly round.

This photo shows the clamp with a radial protractor attached to the shaft. The tip points to a board with a vertical line, That line guides the deflection perpendicular to the clamp. Suspended above the shaft is the camera used to take the photos and video for this short demonstration of shaft oscilliation