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

[Rearviewmirror]

On 12/20/2024 at 7:45 AM, third-times-a-charm said:

Something working in driver doesnt mean itll work in smaller woods.

 

4W is sometimes a little heavier than 3W, so maybe tip it a little extra.

 

Your delivery might be different so maybe the IZ just doesnt work as well as driver.

 

I think it was actually the shaft and toe weight settings. I'm wondering if because it's a firmer tip I don't need any help closing the face and/or it's exaggerating my usual in to out swing path. I switched the Titleist GT3 to fully neutral and was seeing way better flight characteristics. I'll see how it performs on course tomorrow!

[OspreyCI]

I have been a GD shaft guy for years and have been fit several times into the TP. Posted in this thread a few times. Always thinking with shafts and Ventus TR Blue was very good. On a whim I tried my buddies TSR2 UB 5s driver and it was an instant classic. Sold it to me right there and the UB is my favorite GD shaft. Just perfect for my swing. Beautiful launch and very, very long. 

 

Going with a TSR2 3 and 5 wood and think the TP would fit the bill. Love me some GD shafts. What a great feel they produce with excellent numbers. 

[Jimi Thing]

Hi GD enthousiasts. Hoping to get some input on some shaft decisions I want to make. Play a Callaway rogue st driver, had a DI in it for a while, bit too high launching, after which I went for a shaft fitting resulting in a UB 6s. Like the shaft, not loving it in course. 
 

ss is 100-102, smooth tempo and transition. My issue with the ub is that it is just tough to close the face and slightly turn the ball over. It feels like a bit of hard work at times.  So thinking something a bit more tip friendly might be better. Like an HD in 6s. Other train of thought I had was staying in ub but try an SR6 or 5s. Curious to thoughts. 
 

Thanks

[bvanlieu]

If you liked the DI, try a TP. 

 

Everyone feels different, I tried an HD this fall for a while, good solid shaft but it could not distance itself from the TP and my backup IZ (which launches a bit higher for me then the TP).

 

UB tends to be very linear in the feels department, so the TP may be a bit more to your liking to release it. 

 

[Qegurezi]

I'm still totally loving the VF7. What a driver shaft it is. 

[Morry]

On 12/20/2024 at 10:10 PM, mbart said:

Does anyone have the EI chart for the Fujikura Pro (blue one) from 2014? Wondering if the XC might be a good one to try out given both are “soft handle”. I know for GD it’s all relative, and I’ve seen the EI chart for the XC, but wondering how the old Fuji Pro might compare to XC. 
Thanks

Very interested as well

ty

[phizzy30]

On 12/31/2024 at 3:31 AM, Jimi Thing said:

Hi GD enthousiasts. Hoping to get some input on some shaft decisions I want to make. Play a Callaway rogue st driver, had a DI in it for a while, bit too high launching, after which I went for a shaft fitting resulting in a UB 6s. Like the shaft, not loving it in course. 
 

ss is 100-102, smooth tempo and transition. My issue with the ub is that it is just tough to close the face and slightly turn the ball over. It feels like a bit of hard work at times.  So thinking something a bit more tip friendly might be better. Like an HD in 6s. Other train of thought I had was staying in ub but try an SR6 or 5s. Curious to thoughts. 
 

Thanks

I found a similar issue with the UB where it was tough to square the face in general.  Been in the VF since it's release and it's been lights out.  HD is definitely easier to turnover compared to the UB with the same linear feel.  GC is similar launch/spin as UB/HD and easy to turnover while still stable, however, it's EI profile is opposite where it's a little softer in the tip while having a stiff mid and handle which you may or may not get along with. 

[noodle3872]

On 12/20/2024 at 7:10 PM, mbart said:

Does anyone have the EI chart for the Fujikura Pro (blue one) from 2014? Wondering if the XC might be a good one to try out given both are “soft handle”. I know for GD it’s all relative, and I’ve seen the EI chart for the XC, but wondering how the old Fuji Pro might compare to XC. 
Thanks

 

47 minutes ago, Morry said:

Very interested as well

ty

 

[mbart]

8 hours ago, noodle3872 said:

 

 

 Thank you. Pro looks like pretty standard “blue board” stuff, no? Handle not as soft as I would have guessed. 

Edited January 5 by mbart

[Mob]

I've been going back and forth between the HD and the GC over the past few weeks.  While the numbers they both produce are pretty similar, they feel different to me.  When I look at both bend profiles on the website they are pretty similar, which makes sense.  HD - 3 3 3+ and the GC - 4 3 3+. So the GC has a slightly stiffer butt, but the mid section and the tip are the same.  What is interesting to me, is that the HD feels more active and I thought that feeling was a more active tip, but I guess it would have to be the softer butt that I am feeling, which was kind of surprising to me.  Just shows how my "feeling" isn't very accurate. The GC feels very smooth and linear.  The HD feels more active and feels like I am loading it and squaring the face at impact.  Dispersion was similar as well. On my best drives, the HD had a higher swing speed and ball speed but when going back and forth over several days, the numbers were very close.  Playing both of them on the simulator has been fun, but  I need more time with both shafts on the course to make a decision.  I really like both these shafts.  My son likes the VF, so I gave him that shaft, which is good because it wasn't a great fit for my swing.

[Morry]

On 12/31/2024 at 6:42 AM, bvanlieu said:

If you liked the DI, try a TP. 

 

Everyone feels different, I tried an HD this fall for a while, good solid shaft but it could not distance itself from the TP and my backup IZ (which launches a bit higher for me then the TP).

 

UB tends to be very linear in the feels department, so the TP may be a bit more to your liking to release it. 

 

Why DI and TP ? 

 

have a TP, but yet to hit it 

 

thanks

[noodle3872]

1 hour ago, Morry said:

Why DI and TP ? 

 

have a TP, but yet to hit it 

 

thanks

TP was billed as a DI with new materials but to me the TP is lacking the load characteristics that made DI popular. Both are stable but TP is a hair boardy. 

[bvanlieu]

Depends on how you load @Morry, but some report the TP having a bit of pop, others being kind of smooth. For me the TP has been a very stable and reliable shaft, far less pop then a DI which feels to me unstable at times. Given the age of the TP, its pretty easy to find and try vs. the new hot sauce shafts of the past few years. 

 

 

[flognut]

i currently have a Ventus blue Velo + 6S in my GT2 9.75 but i need a little more launch and height but keep spin similar. which GD AD models should i be looking to try? SS about 100. 

 

cheers

[Streuner]

After an exiting side trip to OBAN Kyioshi white driver shaft, I am back at GD with my driver. and I slowly expand my collection of GD shafts to all woods and hybrid.

Driver right now GD UB 5s with a SS of 100ish

Mini driver GD HD 6s

7 wood GD VR 7s

hybrid GD Di hybrid 85s

driving iron GD Di hybrid 85s

 

and still there is an DI di 7s at home in driver lenght just for spare, because i got it cheap.

[phizzy30]

On 1/6/2025 at 4:17 AM, flognut said:

i currently have a Ventus blue Velo + 6S in my GT2 9.75 but i need a little more launch and height but keep spin similar. which GD AD models should i be looking to try? SS about 100. 

 

cheers

TP.  My cousin had the same issue and switched over to the TP from the OG blue/Velo+ blue.  He needed higher launch and TP raised it 2*.  Similar feel in terms of bend/kick but the TP feels slightly smoother, IMO.  

Edited January 8 by phizzy30

[flognut]

On 1/8/2025 at 11:36 AM, phizzy30 said:

TP.  My cousin had the same issue and switched over to the TP from the OG blue/Velo+ blue.  He needed higher launch and TP raised it 2*.  Similar feel in terms of bend/kick but the TP feels slightly smoother, IMO.  

music to my ears, i am definitely going to try a TP and maybe a HD too.  thankyou

[Reg_Golf]

For those out there with cruising speed in between flex recommendations who have tried many GD shafts, what have you found to work best? Stiffer flex straight in, tipping a softer flex, or going up a weight class? Has that been consistent across profiles or is each model different? 

[jeffrey r]

On 1/10/2025 at 8:28 AM, flognut said:

music to my ears, i am definitely going to try a TP and maybe a HD too.  thankyou

 

Those are my two best GD shafts. HD and TP play very similarly for me—HD a bit more prone to turning over.

 

TP is simply a fantastic shaft that I think would work well for a wide range of golfers. Very stable, but not boardy—can feel it loading, but doesn’t really overdo it. Let us know what you think when you try it.

[flognut]

54 minutes ago, jeffrey r said:

 

Those are my two best GD shafts. HD and TP play very similarly for me—HD a bit more prone to turning over.

 

TP is simply a fantastic shaft that I think would work well for a wide range of golfers. Very stable, but not boardy—can feel it loading, but doesn’t really overdo it. Let us know what you think when you try it.

I will focus on the TP as I don’t need any help in the turning over dept. thankyou I will 

[phizzy30]

6 hours ago, jeffrey r said:

 

Those are my two best GD shafts. HD and TP play very similarly for me—HD a bit more prone to turning over.

 

TP is simply a fantastic shaft that I think would work well for a wide range of golfers. Very stable, but not boardy—can feel it loading, but doesn’t really overdo it. Let us know what you think when you try it.

I actually found the TP easier to turnover versus the HD.  It has to be a feel thing.  

[jeffrey r]

3 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

I actually found the TP easier to turnover versus the HD.  It has to be a feel thing.  

 

In the end, they are very similar shafts based upon the specs. I guess it is splitting hairs between them, and can go either way depending on all of our unique swings. I really could play either, but the TP seems a bit better for me. YMMV.

[Mainlinegolfer]

Noticed Titleist offers GD VF in regular and senior. Usually those stiffness categories are for folks with slower swings desiring spin and higher launch, not low/low. I would think VF or Ventus black typically suit higher swing speeds. So, who fits VF regular and senior? Slow  but quick swing, with steep positive AoA?

Edited January 12 by Mainlinegolfer

[Morry]

On 1/10/2025 at 3:52 PM, Reg_Golf said:

For those out there with cruising speed in between flex recommendations who have tried many GD shafts, what have you found to work best? Stiffer flex straight in, tipping a softer flex, or going up a weight class? Has that been consistent across profiles or is each model different? 

I put a DI 7-S untipped into my g430 7W and it's a snowflake 

 

I'm probably 95 mph ish swing speed on it 

 

[Morry]

Matching up that 7w with a new 440 4w...going to try DI-6SR in it untipped to mimic

maybe not perfectly frequency-matched, but hoping close 

 

[Reg_Golf]

3 hours ago, Morry said:

Matching up that 7w with a new 440 4w...going to try DI-6SR in it untipped to mimic

maybe not perfectly frequency-matched, but hoping close 

 

Nice I’ll be interested to hear how it works out. I’m around the same ss with 7w, callaway head with a proforce v2 8s and it has worked well for me. 
 

Tried a DI 6s tipped .5in in a couple titleist 4ws and it felt loose to me. Playing a UB 6s now and it’s better but still feels loose at times. 
 

 

[Morry]

I am finding I now live for 'loose' 

taking my arms out of my swing to a huge extent for me is the change in load and delivery 

accra fx, regular flex shafts, light weights are all good 

even the DI 7-s in the 7w Is magic, albeit untipped

 

I will report on the 4w once I get it - shaft is ready 

 

 

[Morry]

Just now, Morry said:

I am finding I now live for 'loose' 

taking my arms out of my swing to a huge extent for me is the change in load and delivery 

accra fx, regular flex shafts, light weights are all good 

even the DI 7-s in the 7w Is magic, albeit untipped

 

I will report on the 4w once I get it - shaft is ready 

 

 

'Love' for 'loose'

 

[Arlin964]

What might you guys recommend for me based on the following?  I'm looking for something that could work in a 4W or 7W.

 

-Tensei 1K Black 75X at 45" in a GT2 driver has me finding center almost every time, but it really is dead on the feel 

 

-I got a good deal on a VF7X for 3W length and threw it into my SIM Ti 15* to try out.  It hasn't really worked out though, and I can't really say why.  It works better with my original Hzrdus Smoke Black 70.

 

-I have traditionally done pretty well with Hzrdus Black shafts, both Smoke and RDX.  Kai'li White has been pretty good for me.  Tensei Orange also feels good, so I think I tend to do best with a pretty stiff mid.

 

-For a while I played a Callaway Epic Max 19* 5W cut down 1" short, with MCA MMT 70X wood shaft.  On a whim I picked up a 3W 15* Epic Max from CPO with Tour AD IZ 7X and it actually feels pretty good.  I've only had it for one range session though.  Problem is that this is a bonded setup.

[mattman]

1 hour ago, Arlin964 said:

What might you guys recommend for me based on the following?  I'm looking for something that could work in a 4W or 7W.

 

-Tensei 1K Black 75X at 45" in a GT2 driver has me finding center almost every time, but it really is dead on the feel 

 

-I got a good deal on a VF7X for 3W length and threw it into my SIM Ti 15* to try out.  It hasn't really worked out though, and I can't really say why.  It works better with my original Hzrdus Smoke Black 70.

 

-I have traditionally done pretty well with Hzrdus Black shafts, both Smoke and RDX.  Kai'li White has been pretty good for me.  Tensei Orange also feels good, so I think I tend to do best with a pretty stiff mid.

 

-For a while I played a Callaway Epic Max 19* 5W cut down 1" short, with MCA MMT 70X wood shaft.  On a whim I picked up a 3W 15* Epic Max from CPO with Tour AD IZ 7X and it actually feels pretty good.  I've only had it for one range session though.  Problem is that this is a bonded setup.

It doesn't sound like anything in their lineup would align with things you've played/enjoyed in the past. Their recent 2 releases, the VF and GC, have firmer mids, but still different design concepts than what you listed... and you already didn't get along with the vf though.

GD doesn't make anything comparable to a tensei orange or black or a hzrdus black. Firm mid and constistent loss of stiffness into the tip just isn't their game