Diamana ZF

[jaffabell]

On 8/30/2022 at 2:24 PM, GooseHook said:

Keeping this thread alive with the release of the GT- Diamana generations don't change all that much but it could be nice to see some comparisons with the ZF. 

 

My ZF/BF combo in driver and 3w is still going very well on the baby-limited season, but with the extra rest I've found that some of my old speed has returned. The ZF doesn't balloon on me but it does seem to have a wider shot spread without much change in my swing. I bought a DF 70TX to compare to see if it's any bit of an upgrade over the ZF in the driver (which I intend to keep as the new standard shaft for me). 

 

In the past I hated WB type profiles but in those days I had a super long swing with excessive wrist hinge. Now that my hands are much less involved in the swing I think I might prefer the softer handle feeling in the DF, as a long time Dynamic Gold guy. 

Having played whiteboard style shafts the last few seasons I am now fully converted to the blue after trying the BF 60tx in my TS3 Driver, so much so that i'm considering swapping out my Tensei PW 70tx in my 3 wood for a BF. I was thinking of maybe bumping up to the 80TX in the BF but shortening it a bit as I prefer a shorter 3 wood shaft, does the BF80 feel really heavy or not too bad? The 60TX in the BF feels lighter than my PW or even the PO 60TX that I had... I prefer if it doesnt feel too heavy.

[GooseHook]

4 hours ago, jaffabell said:

Having played whiteboard style shafts the last few seasons I am now fully converted to the blue after trying the BF 60tx in my TS3 Driver, so much so that i'm considering swapping out my Tensei PW 70tx in my 3 wood for a BF. I was thinking of maybe bumping up to the 80TX in the BF but shortening it a bit as I prefer a shorter 3 wood shaft, does the BF80 feel really heavy or not too bad? The 60TX in the BF feels lighter than my PW or even the PO 60TX that I had... I prefer if it doesnt feel too heavy.

 

My 3 wood is 42.5" and the BF 80TX feels perfect. I think it's like 89g on paper but after you trim it, it's right within that mid 80's range for a shorter fairway wood. I like it so much that I've even thought about finding another one to put in my 5 wood. 

[GooseHook]

The season is rapidly approaching the "winter of discontent" around here, but with precious remaining time to play until then I've decided to table the DF experiment and go back to the ZF in my driver. 

 

The ball flight stability of the DF was great, but for whatever reason (and being a Dynamic Gold guy) I just can't time these profiles in a driver. My fairway hit percentage was way down and my center contact struggled mightily. I don't think the stoutness of the 70TX was an issue, as I've played the Ventus Black 7x and Atmos Black 7x for the previous several years.  It would be a classic WRXer move to blame  it on the fact that I accidentally cut the DF 1/8" or 1/4" shorter than my ZF. Lead tape made the two comparisons close enough for me to know it's at least no better than the ZF when paired with the right golf ball. 

 

I do agree the DF could be more "anti left" than the ZF in terms of curvature if you get used to the loading feel. Instead, I was hitting more extreme  pulls with the DF while the ZF miss is usually an overdraw. The ZF is just too much fun to hit and it looks great, too. 

[jaffabell]

16 hours ago, GooseHook said:

The season is rapidly approaching the "winter of discontent" around here, but with precious remaining time to play until then I've decided to table the DF experiment and go back to the ZF in my driver. 

 

The ball flight stability of the DF was great, but for whatever reason (and being a Dynamic Gold guy) I just can't time these profiles in a driver. My fairway hit percentage was way down and my center contact struggled mightily. I don't think the stoutness of the 70TX was an issue, as I've played the Ventus Black 7x and Atmos Black 7x for the previous several years.  It would be a classic WRXer move to blame  it on the fact that I accidentally cut the DF 1/8" or 1/4" shorter than my ZF. Lead tape made the two comparisons close enough for me to know it's at least no better than the ZF when paired with the right golf ball. 

 

I do agree the DF could be more "anti left" than the ZF in terms of curvature if you get used to the loading feel. Instead, I was hitting more extreme  pulls with the DF while the ZF miss is usually an overdraw. The ZF is just too much fun to hit and it looks great, too. 

I ended up getting a DF 70TX for my new TS3 3 wood and love it. Cut it short and had to add some lead tape to the bottom (heavier weight on the way). Took a few swings to get used to it but love it, the shaft obviously feels stiffer than the BF in my driver but its great for what I need with my 3 wood. Still early days and winter approaching so wont get as much play but happy with it, for now!!

[Ratbastrd]

Hi all, need some help related to the ZF.  After a fairly catastrophic leg injury in 2009 (Essentially did what Tiger did, with rotation ie: twisted my leg up like a wet towel)  I gave the game up.  Having recently retired, figured I'd try the game again.  Surprisingly I'm hitting the ball pretty well, my flexibility sucks, club head speed is a few mph lower, but all in all not too bad.    

 

Anyhow, in 2009 I built up an Alpha 5 head with 1st gen Kai'li 70s x5ct. It was a coin flip between this and the Whiteboard in same weight and flex.  In the end chose the Kai'li because it slowed me down a bit, smooth feel and slightly easier to load tendency.  Loved that club, long, easy to work right or left, perfect launch angle etc.  

 

Fastforward to today.  I'm hitting the old Alpha/Kai'li driver pretty well when I swing smooth, but lack sufficient consistency.  I love the feel of the shaft but need a more forgiving head.  Distance wise, still better then anything new I've hit today. 

 

At the range yesterday I hit a newly built Stealth+ 10.5/Ventus blue 6x.  Wow! Slightly higher SW, but very similar (shaft) feel to my old blue board, nearly identical launch angle etc.  Crushed 3 balls out to the fence with just a slight draw on them. Super easy to control, really impressed.  

 

Questions:  

 

1. Was shocked the 6x didn't feel too stiff for me.  Even though avg clubhead speed is only 104, I had no problem loading the shaft and finding the center of the club face.  Is this typical of the Ventus blue shafts?  I'm confused because I was originally considering a 6s

 

2. Having read through this thread, I'm now inclined to try the ZF versus the VB essentially because of the heritage and knowing/loving that classic Diamana feel.  I hit the VB 6x really well, and it felt similar to my OG Kai'Li 70x5ct (68g's, 2.9 torque).  I'm really confused now.  ZF or VB?  Curious what peoples thoughts are here?  

 

3. If ZF, which ZF?  The 70 gram ZF (stiff) appears to be closest in specs to my OG Kai'li, would that be the safest bet?  

 

PS: Either shaft will be built up with a new Stealth 10.5 head

 

Thanks!!!!

 

 

MRC Diamana Kaili_SPEC SHEET_0.pdf MCA-MCA_2019-Diamana-ZF-v1.2.pdf

Edited October 22, 2022 by Ratbastrd

[Strategery]

7 hours ago, Ratbastrd said:

After a fairly catastrophic leg injury in 2009 (Essentially did what Tiger did, with rotation ie: twisted my leg up like a wet towel)

Were you driving while blotto on painkillers, fell asleep, drove straight off the road at high speed, and blamed it on a mishap.

[Ratbastrd]

LMAO, not far from it. Was skiing with a really hot girl, tried to impress her. Epic fail....

[phizzy30]

7 hours ago, Ratbastrd said:

Hi all, need some help related to the ZF.  After a fairly catastrophic leg injury in 2009 (Essentially did what Tiger did, with rotation ie: twisted my leg up like a wet towel)  I gave the game up.  Having recently retired, figured I'd try the game again.  Surprisingly I'm hitting the ball pretty well, my flexibility sucks, club head speed is a few mph lower, but all in all not too bad.    

 

Anyhow, in 2009 I built up an Alpha 5 head with 1st gen Kai'li 70s x5ct. It was a coin flip between this and the Whiteboard in same weight and flex.  In the end chose the Kai'li because it slowed me down a bit, smooth feel and slightly easier to load tendency.  Loved that club, long, easy to work right or left, perfect launch angle etc.  

 

Fastforward to today.  I'm hitting the old Alpha/Kai'li driver pretty well when I swing smooth, but lack sufficient consistency.  I love the feel of the shaft but need a more forgiving head.  Distance wise, still better then anything new I've hit today. 

 

At the range yesterday I hit a newly built Stealth+ 10.5/Ventus blue 6x.  Wow! Slightly higher SW, but very similar (shaft) feel to my old blue board, nearly identical launch angle etc.  Crushed 3 balls out to the fence with just a slight draw on them. Super easy to control, really impressed.  

 

Questions:  

 

1. Was shocked the 6x didn't feel too stiff for me.  Even though avg clubhead speed is only 104, I had no problem loading the shaft and finding the center of the club face.  Is this typical of the Ventus blue shafts?  I'm confused because I was originally considering a 6s

 

2. Having read through this thread, I'm now inclined to try the ZF versus the VB essentially because of the heritage and knowing/loving that classic Diamana feel.  I hit the VB 6x really well, and it felt similar to my OG Kai'Li 70x5ct (68g's, 2.9 torque).  I'm really confused now.  ZF or VB?  Curious what peoples thoughts are here?  

 

3. If ZF, which ZF?  The 70 gram ZF (stiff) appears to be closest in specs to my OG Kai'li, would that be the safest bet?  

 

PS: Either shaft will be built up with a new Stealth 10.5 head

 

Thanks!!!!

 

 

MRC Diamana Kaili_SPEC SHEET_0.pdf 1.46 MB · 0 downloads MCA-MCA_2019-Diamana-ZF-v1.2.pdf 136.54 kB · 0 downloads

ZF and Ventus Blue feel different, but launch and spin are similar.  ZF to me had a little less kick to it but had more feel/smoother than the Ventus Blue.  So it will come down to whatever feels good to you.  In terms of weight, that's really up to you and hard to really comment on because we don't know how you deliver the club into the ball and if heavier would help or hurt your contact and tempo. 

[GooseHook]

Going into silly season and realizing I need to get rid of some  extras- especially the second ZF 70TX I haven't installed in anything in several months. If anyone is interested, PM me. 

[ob1soccer]

is the ZF the last season model of the new GT?

[noodle3872]

1 hour ago, ob1soccer said:

is the ZF the last season model of the new GT?

Yes, ZF was replaced by GT. 

[jaffabell]

@phizzy30 I just received a ZF60TX for the TSi3 big dog and a ZF80TX for my TS3 3 wood.... coming off BF in driver (which I loved) and DF in the 3 wood (which just felt a bit too linear and firm for me). So based on everything I have heard, this should be a winner. Loved the BF in the driver so hoping the ZF doesn't kill the spin or launch too much... as the BF had it in a nice place, it just felt a tad loose on occasion.

 

And how good does the ZF look in person!! Best looking shaft on the market. I'm a big JT fanboy too, which helped me find the BF / ZF range as I was a tensei guy for long enough and could never get them to really work... I think the stiffer handle probably helped for my feels. Anyways not sure when I'll get to hit them but will report back.

 

Side note - I may need to look for a lighter weight for the TS3 3 wood as it now feels a tad heavy, which I expected jumping up to the 80TX.

[phizzy30]

6 hours ago, jaffabell said:

@phizzy30 I just received a ZF60TX for the TSi3 big dog and a ZF80TX for my TS3 3 wood.... coming off BF in driver (which I loved) and DF in the 3 wood (which just felt a bit too linear and firm for me). So based on everything I have heard, this should be a winner. Loved the BF in the driver so hoping the ZF doesn't kill the spin or launch too much... as the BF had it in a nice place, it just felt a tad loose on occasion.

 

And how good does the ZF look in person!! Best looking shaft on the market. I'm a big JT fanboy too, which helped me find the BF / ZF range as I was a tensei guy for long enough and could never get them to really work... I think the stiffer handle probably helped for my feels. Anyways not sure when I'll get to hit them but will report back.

 

Side note - I may need to look for a lighter weight for the TS3 3 wood as it now feels a tad heavy, which I expected jumping up to the 80TX.

The ZF is the tweener between the BF and DF for sure.  Launch is right in between and it's low spin.  A touch more stable than the BF.  I replaced the ZF in my 3 metal a couple months ago with the GT.  If you find the ZF still a bit loose, I would recommend the GT as it's the same launch and spin as the ZF but more anti-left. 

[jaffabell]

16 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

The ZF is the tweener between the BF and DF for sure.  Launch is right in between and it's low spin.  A touch more stable than the BF.  I replaced the ZF in my 3 metal a couple months ago with the GT.  If you find the ZF still a bit loose, I would recommend the GT as it's the same launch and spin as the ZF but more anti-left. 

They felt good at the range, even if I hadn't hit a ball in a month and range balls are awful. When I haven't played in a while I struggle to rotate properly, even as a strong hitter. So takes a while to get decent launch and spin, i'll try fit a few more range sessions in before the light nights come back to get the golfing muscles working properly!

 

But, they felt great and plenty stable last night. I had a tensei white 70TX in my 3 wood for long enough before moving to the DF70TX, but just felt the DF was a bit too firm and not the feel I was looking for. I picked up the BF for my driver in the summer and loved it, so figured the ZF would be ideal for driver and 3 wood and so far so good. The jump up in weight with the 3 wood shaft makes it plenty stable too, I just need to get a lighter surefit weight for the 3 wood as it feels a tad heavy. Feels better than the DF anyways, which performed well on the course but just didnt fill me with confidence when I was slightly off... 

 

The DF will be sold for sure, I will keep the BF driver shaft for next season so can compare properly on the course but from what I can see, the ZF should still give me plenty of launch and control. The ZF even feels more stable with the waggle test. I still cant get over how incredible they look too, insane!

[dmeeksDC]

I like stable but it has to be smooth. For me Mitsubishi shafts deliver on that. I am playing the TB 60S in my driver, BF 70S in my 4 wood and just installed a ZF 70S in 7 wood. Perfect for my game. I like mid-launch, mid-spin and anti-right. I want a slight, falling left draw with all of them. 

[ob1soccer]

On 12/24/2022 at 8:14 AM, dmeeksDC said:

I like stable but it has to be smooth. For me Mitsubishi shafts deliver on that. I am playing the TB 60S in my driver, BF 70S in my 4 wood and just installed a ZF 70S in 7 wood. Perfect for my game. I like mid-launch, mid-spin and anti-right. I want a slight, falling left draw with all of them. 

i am looking for the exact same thing, need to demo all of those asap

[Latetogolf76]

love the ZF 60/70tx in driver and 3 wood and TB80tx in 5 wood ventus blacks were becoming hard work Diamana’s are stable and feel great not sure why I ever moved away from them gota stop chasing the unicorn 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Latetogolf76

[enfuego]

First round out today with ZF 40x, CHS around 108 on course, ZF was very stable. Weighs 49.5g cut, playing 45.75 tipped 1" in a Sim 8 OG. I've been a big fan of blueboards for the past few years and played 60x and 50x both this year and drove the ball great. I occasionally got the slight lefts or spun them too much and decided to go down the ZF route, been following for a while. Only got to hit a few drivers on the range before teeing off but hit some of my best drives ever today. The ZF did exactly what it was supposed to, a little less spin and flatter than a blueboard.

[AbSWFPGA]

The zf feels amazing

[Bobb3rdown]

I have been playing the 60s zf for a few months now in a sim head. It has been great for me, very good feel. I tend to not do well with overly stiff shafts. Recently picked up a 70s and a sim ti 3wd head, the 70s it tipped .5" more. Should be a good fit I think, hope to play it this weekend.

[AbSWFPGA]

The zf has great feel and doesn’t feel too stiff even when tipped IMO

[GooseHook]

Ventus TR Red has been pretty good to me in my limited play this year but the GT is getting another run today. I found some of my old notes and remembered that my Stealth+/ ZF setup last year used a head weight of 205g. The softer tip of the TR Red must have been making up for my Titleist head being 4-5g underweight. 

 

Of course today we have a gale warning in Baltimore so I will have about 2 good drives as my sample size 🙂

[AbSWFPGA]

1 hour ago, GooseHook said:

Ventus TR Red has been pretty good to me in my limited play this year but the GT is getting another run today. I found some of my old notes and remembered that my Stealth+/ ZF setup last year used a head weight of 205g. The softer tip of the TR Red must have been making up for my Titleist head being 4-5g underweight. 

 

Of course today we have a gale warning in Baltimore so I will have about 2 good drives as my sample size 🙂

Down wind bombs will be fun

[Hoyoymac]

Put the Diamana ZF 60 Stiff shaft into my Cobra LTDx LS 9 degree head today and played a round of golf with it.

 

Early reactions are very positive.

[odshot68]

Anyone put a zf in a 5 wood?  Thinking 80 gram over 70. How’d it perform. 

Edited January 21, 2024 by odshot68

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

Was the standard X flex added to the ZF line after launch? All the spec tables I can find go from Stiff to TX flex with no X. But there's a bunch of standard x flex shafts floating around out there. Anyone compared the X to TX? Is the X just like a stiff+ or something?

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

2 minutes ago, Lloyd_Christmas29 said:

Was the standard X flex added to the ZF line after launch? All the spec tables I can find go from Stiff to TX flex with no X. But there's a bunch of standard x flex shafts floating around out there. Anyone compared the X to TX? Is the X just like a stiff+ or something?

Was able to partially answer my own question. I found a spec table that does actually have the X flex. Looks like originally there was a pretty big jump in weight from stiff to TX. 
 

I’ve been working on some swing changes and want to try a shaft that’s a bit smoother. Ive currently been going between a Tensei orange 60TX and D+ limited 60TX. I found a site that has new uncut ZF’s for $100. They only have X flex though. Just worried the X might be too big of a step down. I guess for $100 it wouldn’t be too expensive of an experiment.

[Hoyoymac]

Been playing the Diamana ZF 60S for the past three months paired with a Cobra LTDx LS 9 degree head and have found it to be a winning combo.

 

Next week I have the chance to get fitted for and try out the new TPT Golf Nitro and Power Range shafts and will be interested to see which shaft will be recommended and how they compare to the Diamana ZF.

[Daywalker3]

On 3/10/2024 at 12:05 PM, Lloyd_Christmas29 said:

Was able to partially answer my own question. I found a spec table that does actually have the X flex. Looks like originally there was a pretty big jump in weight from stiff to TX. 
 

I’ve been working on some swing changes and want to try a shaft that’s a bit smoother. Ive currently been going between a Tensei orange 60TX and D+ limited 60TX. I found a site that has new uncut ZF’s for $100. They only have X flex though. Just worried the X might be too big of a step down. I guess for $100 it wouldn’t be too expensive of an experiment.

 

I actually had the exact same question. I don't know if @MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL is still around the forums or not but I read (also on here from early days of ZF) that the X was only in Japan and different somehow, but I'm also seeing a lot of standard X flex around for sale by non-Japanese sellers, so I'm very curious as I'm looking at them and the X seems more available.

[odshot68]

Ive had this shaft for a few months now to try.  If my swing is smooth and stable its long.  Any time I jump on it i hit a pull left, then I try to hold off and hit a block.  Its not stable for me whatsoever.  I have never liked a GD shaft either..fitting on Thursday.