Graphite Design Lovers Anonymous Tour AD UB vs IZ vs XC and NOW vs TP! ...and HD....and VR

BigGameDb · July 12

5 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

It's interchangeable. I had to give homage to the OG though. It's only right, lol.

I'll never replace my OG Blueboards in my fairway woods though.

Ty_Guy · July 13

Graphite Design folks, I have the collection of ‘24 Callaway Apex UW clubs (17, 19, 21, 23) with Ventus Red TR 7 and 8x installed. They’ve always been winners but the building specs for each club is unique, giving an odd load feeling with the Ventus Red TR. I’m losing a little awareness of the club face and want something with a bit more flow from the handle section. Very surprised Red TR isn’t perfect because LA Golf profiles (ultra stiff butt, descending stiffness) fit me quite well.

For those not familiar, the UW is a unique beast. It’s a wood/hybrid shape that is heavily front weighted for low spin with a .335 hosel tipped 1.5”, playing at 40.5 to 41.5”. So, wood shafts only, heavily tipped, and shorter playing length.

I default to LA Golf, but 80g class is lacking in their options. I swing 109mph with faster than average tempo/transition. Generally play X flex mid profiles with the exception of very stout low profiles like Bryson Series I will play stiff flex.

I’ve used several AD DI shafts and they always work well (Diamana BB slightly beats it out though).

I will swing the UW around 98-100mph and want this club to be an effortless “always performs” club. It’s generally my go to for very tight tee shots, long approaches, and poor lies.

Im also considering just tipping less than the recommended 1.5”, but prefer to leave those sort of specs as is.

Short of going AD DI in 7 and 80g, which shaft keeps the signature Graphite Design smoothness with the extra tipping and comparatively shorter setup?

Currently, the Red TR works when I’m releasing powerfully. MMT stock shaft is certainly playable, but a little too loose. Also tried Ventus Black and did not like it at all.

My favorite all around shafts have been LA Golf Gold & Bryson, Diamana BB, Kaili Blue & White, and AD DI.

Morry · July 13

On 6/22/2025 at 6:05 PM, cbrwn425 said:

Finally got my GC 6X in and swapped to my usual grip and I've had 2 range sessions with it. What a fantastic combination with my Qi35 head, point and shoot. Ball goes high and straight, shaft feels really smooth and stable.

Interested in how you find the transition from GC in driver to DI in 3w

cbrwn425 · July 13

9 hours ago, Morry said:

Interested in how you find the transition from GC in driver to DI in 3w

So far it's working out really well for me, I had been struggling a little before I got the new driver shaft and since then I've been hitting it great, it feels like I'm loading it better and I'm getting a lot higher ball flight than I had been earlier this year. I had been concerned about the different profiles but so far so good. At the same time though I'm hitting driver a lot better than I have in a long time so I'm not needing to hit 3W nearly as much as I used to.

That doesn't mean if I found a good price for a GC 3 wood shaft that I wouldn't jump on to to try it out.

Morry · July 14

3 hours ago, cbrwn425 said:

So far it's working out really well for me, I had been struggling a little before I got the new driver shaft and since then I've been hitting it great, it feels like I'm loading it better and I'm getting a lot higher ball flight than I had been earlier this year. I had been concerned about the different profiles but so far so good. At the same time though I'm hitting driver a lot better than I have in a long time so I'm not needing to hit 3W nearly as much as I used to.

That doesn't mean if I found a good price for a GC 3 wood shaft that I wouldn't jump on to to try it out.

I meant the difference in launch and kick in the shaft

very different profile - butt right thru

thanks

Mob · July 14

I've been testing the GC for the past few weeks. Good shots are really good, but the bad shots with the GC are worse than the bad shots with the HD. I see more of a hook on a bad swing with the GC, which I really don't like. I will likely stick with the HD.

cbrwn425 · July 14

1 hour ago, Morry said:

I meant the difference in launch and kick in the shaft

very different profile - butt right thru

thanks

Ah, I definitely feel more of a kick in the DI in comparison. The kick on the GC feels more subtle, overall the GC feels stiffer. For my driver swing I need the added handle stiffness.

Launch is noticeably higher in the DI but still plenty high enough in the GC that I don’t think I’m losing anything or launching too low.

Morry · July 26

wondering if GC would make a good 3 w shaft if DI was in the 7 wood?

any view?

phizzy30 · July 27

On 7/13/2025 at 3:04 AM, Ty_Guy said:

Graphite Design folks, I have the collection of ‘24 Callaway Apex UW clubs (17, 19, 21, 23) with Ventus Red TR 7 and 8x installed. They’ve always been winners but the building specs for each club is unique, giving an odd load feeling with the Ventus Red TR. I’m losing a little awareness of the club face and want something with a bit more flow from the handle section. Very surprised Red TR isn’t perfect because LA Golf profiles (ultra stiff butt, descending stiffness) fit me quite well.

For those not familiar, the UW is a unique beast. It’s a wood/hybrid shape that is heavily front weighted for low spin with a .335 hosel tipped 1.5”, playing at 40.5 to 41.5”. So, wood shafts only, heavily tipped, and shorter playing length.

I default to LA Golf, but 80g class is lacking in their options. I swing 109mph with faster than average tempo/transition. Generally play X flex mid profiles with the exception of very stout low profiles like Bryson Series I will play stiff flex.

I’ve used several AD DI shafts and they always work well (Diamana BB slightly beats it out though).

I will swing the UW around 98-100mph and want this club to be an effortless “always performs” club. It’s generally my go to for very tight tee shots, long approaches, and poor lies.

Im also considering just tipping less than the recommended 1.5”, but prefer to leave those sort of specs as is.

Short of going AD DI in 7 and 80g, which shaft keeps the signature Graphite Design smoothness with the extra tipping and comparatively shorter setup?

Currently, the Red TR works when I’m releasing powerfully. MMT stock shaft is certainly playable, but a little too loose. Also tried Ventus Black and did not like it at all.

My favorite all around shafts have been LA Golf Gold & Bryson, Diamana BB, Kaili Blue & White, and AD DI.

Diamana BB and HD are similar in EI profile and the way they play and feel, IMO. GC feels a little firmer throughout but still has that bit of kick you can feel in the mid. Might be a touch more stable though depending on transition.

Edited July 27 by phizzy30