Wedge shaft options to pair with 950gh NEO

[PAndaemonium89]

Recently upgraded to MP225s with stock regular 950gh NEO shafts. I would like to keep my t20 wedges, but they are matched with my old irons with recoil esx 460 shafts (very light) 

 

What is a good complimentary wedge shaft to Nippon 950gh NEOs? I haven't had too much issue with current shafts, but could use something a little stiffer to tighten up the dispersion on partial shots.

[Howard_Jones]

6 hours ago, PAndaemonium89 said:

Recently upgraded to MP225s with stock regular 950gh NEO shafts. I would like to keep my t20 wedges, but they are matched with my old irons with recoil esx 460 shafts (very light) 

 

What is a good complimentary wedge shaft to Nippon 950gh NEOs? I haven't had too much issue with current shafts, but could use something a little stiffer to tighten up the dispersion on partial shots.

What flex is your irons?
Look into the pinned topic about the #8 iron spinner trick

[3step]

The Regular 950GH NEO’s are 94 grams raw weight, and a design with a Stiffer Mid section.

Assuming you are having success with  your new iron shafts-the tighter dispersion you crave in your wedge clubs likely will come with choosing a shaft that is a bit heavier and a similar mid section stiffness. The actual flex of the shaft can be the same as your irons or even a bit more flexible.

 

If you want to play with slightly more weight in your wedge clubs, the MODUS3 Wedge115 shaft is a reasonable choice weight-wise and profile-wise.This choice will surely move you away from the light feel of your Recoil graphite, and will play with stability.

 

3step

 

 

 

 

[Howard_Jones]

8 minutes ago, 3step said:

The Regular 950GH NEO’s are 94 grams raw weight, and a design with a Stiffer Mid section.

Assuming you are having success with  your new iron shafts-the tighter dispersion you crave in your wedge clubs likely will come with choosing a shaft that is a bit heavier and a similar mid section stiffness. The actual flex of the shaft can be the same as your irons or even a bit more flexible.

 

If you want to play with slightly more weight in your wedge clubs, the MODUS3 Wedge115 shaft is a reasonable choice weight-wise and profile-wise.This choice will surely move you away from the light feel of your Recoil graphite, and will play with stability.

 

3step

 

 

 

 

Thats more than 20 grams up from his irons....how can that be a good match?
He will most likely be better off using 950 NEO S flex #8 iron shafts if he is happy fro his irons.


 

[PAndaemonium89]

5 hours ago, Howard_Jones said:

What flex is your irons?
Look into the pinned topic about the #8 iron spinner trick

wow that article is way over my head. I have a 5-GW set with 950gh NEO REGULAR shafts.

 

I feel I don't just take an 8i stiff shaft and plug into my 54 and 58 wedges. I assume I gotta trim them down somewhere which is more of a challenge with taper tips OR do i just take an 8i stiff and trim down to 35" from butt end. I feel it can't be that easy.

Edited April 8, 2023 by PAndaemonium89

[Howard_Jones]

1 hour ago, PAndaemonium89 said:

wow that article is way over my head. I have a 5-GW set with 950gh NEO REGULAR shafts.

 

I feel I don't just take an 8i stiff shaft and plug into my 54 and 58 wedges. I assume I gotta trim them down somewhere which is more of a challenge with taper tips OR do i just take an 8i stiff and trim down to 35" from butt end. I feel it can't be that easy.

Its NO tip trim, a #8 iron S flex strait in, butt cut down to play length, thats it.

The tip trim option is ONLY in this cases we dont have a full flex stronger #8 iron shaft available, like if you play X flex, and they dont make TX flex, so you dont have to think about that in your case.
Its also meant as a "tuning" option, where we can cut off 3/8" without insert issue, if we want the SW and LW a "tad stronger" due to added SW value for those clubs, but most just use the same #8 iron for GW, SW and LW without any tip trim at all.

[PAndaemonium89]

Just now, Howard_Jones said:

Its NO tip trim, a #8 iron S flex strait in, butt cut down to play length, thats it.

The tip trim option is ONLY in this cases we dont have a full flex stronger #8 iron shaft available, like if you play X flex, and they dont make TX flex, so you dont have to think about that in your case.
Its also meant as a "tuning" option, where we can cut off 3/8" without insert issue, if we want the SW and LW a "tad stronger" due to added SW value for those clubs, but most just use the same #8 iron for GW, SW and LW without any tip trim at all.

 

Really appreciate the help. I'll leave my GW as it is since it came with the set, maybe just switch out the 54 and 58.

 

I'll wait until I can actually play outside to decide if I keep the irons vs my MMCs before I reshaft. Thanks again.

[3step]

3 hours ago, Howard_Jones said:

Thats more than 20 grams up from his irons....how can that be a good match?
He will most likely be better off using 950 NEO S flex #8 iron shafts if he is happy fro his irons.


 

How do you figure more than 20 grams?

Maybe you are comparing the raw weights? -which is different than the playing weights.

As shown above in the graphic- the NEO iron shaft model is a 35" raw length for the "wedge", but the WEDGE115 is based on a 37.0" raw length. So after you trim 3.25" off the butt end of the WEDGE115 shaft, (assuming a std Mizuno wedge length), the difference between the 2 shaft models, in actual use, is about 14-15 grams. Some golfers prefer the same weight in their wedge clubs, but quite a few golfers want to feel a heavier weight, and 10 to 15 grams heavier seems reasonable for a lot of us.

 

I think the bigger question is what does a golfer want in a wedge shaft? For full swing wedge shots, likely the best wedge shaft selection is to choose the same weight/profile/flex, as suggested by a 950GH NEO S 8 iron shaft. However, If the OP wants "to tighten up the dispersion on partial shots", which means shorter swings, isn't it OK to consider a shaft like the WEDGE115 to promote more feel, stability, and uniformity of contact?

 

3step

 

[Howard_Jones]

17 minutes ago, 3step said:

How do you figure more than 20 grams?

Maybe you are comparing the raw weights? -which is different than the playing weights.

As shown above in the graphic- the NEO iron shaft model is a 35" raw length for the "wedge", but the WEDGE115 is based on a 37.0" raw length. So after you trim 3.25" off the butt end of the WEDGE115 shaft, (assuming a std Mizuno wedge length), the difference between the 2 shaft models, in actual use, is about 14-15 grams. Some golfers prefer the same weight in their wedge clubs, but quite a few golfers want to feel a heavier weight, and 10 to 15 grams heavier seems reasonable for a lot of us.

 

I think the bigger question is what does a golfer want in a wedge shaft? For full swing wedge shots, likely the best wedge shaft selection is to choose the same weight/profile/flex, as suggested by a 950GH NEO S 8 iron shaft. However, If the OP wants "to tighten up the dispersion on partial shots", which means shorter swings, isn't it OK to consider a shaft like the WEDGE115 to promote more feel, stability, and uniformity of contact?

 

3step

 

I did not notice they had different uncut lengths, a common issue when we judge shaft wgt, so thanks for correction that. I dont know the 115 wedge model at all (neither the NEO for that matter), and i cant find a EI profile for both to compare them, so i really dont know if they are a natural match to each other.

All i can see is that the NEO is a evo version of the classic 950 with a slightly stiffer mid section. Using #8 irons in S flex will not really add shaft wgt here, since we are loosing weight by butt cut and higher BBGM, so they will be very close to the irons he play.

The way to judge is MORE weight is wanted, would be to use the PW, and add lead tape to the middle of the shaft in both directions with the weight addition we wants to try off, so the OP should do that test to figure out if the same or higher wgt is wanted.

[3step]

I like your suggestion of adding lead tape to a PW club and testing for both swing feel and contact, for partial shots. It is not the perfect fitting selection option, but certainly gives a ton more information than just guessing.

 

Our industry is not so keen on manufacturing / offering matching options for wedges, and maybe someday they will venture in this direction with regards to iron shaft / wedge shaft matching based on relevant testing for real golfers.

 

The WEDGE115 is part of the MODUS3 family, and is not the exact same profile as the 950GH NEO, with its stiffer MID section, but it is reasonably similar for a Iron shaft / wedge shaft match. I don't exactly understand how they manufacture the MODUS3 WEDGE series, as they do some special "tempering" in certain sections of the shaft, which impacts how the shaft feel and plays, and I have recommended this match in the past with good results.  If the OP had the 850GH NEO, (instead of the 950GH NEO), installed in the Mizuno set, I think a good wedge shaft choice would be to pair the 850GH NEO in the irons, with the 950GH NEO in the wedges.

 

3step

 

 

[Howard_Jones]

59 minutes ago, 3step said:

I like your suggestion of adding lead tape to a PW club and testing for both swing feel and contact, for partial shots. It is not the perfect fitting selection option, but certainly gives a ton more information than just guessing.

 

Our industry is not so keen on manufacturing / offering matching options for wedges, and maybe someday they will venture in this direction with regards to iron shaft / wedge shaft matching based on relevant testing for real golfers.

 

The WEDGE115 is part of the MODUS3 family, and is not the exact same profile as the 950GH NEO, with its stiffer MID section, but it is reasonably similar for a Iron shaft / wedge shaft match. I don't exactly understand how they manufacture the MODUS3 WEDGE series, as they do some special "tempering" in certain sections of the shaft, which impacts how the shaft feel and plays, and I have recommended this match in the past with good results.  If the OP had the 850GH NEO, (instead of the 950GH NEO), installed in the Mizuno set, I think a good wedge shaft choice would be to pair the 850GH NEO in the irons, with the 950GH NEO in the wedges.

 

3step

 

 

Wedge shafts have been overlooked, maybe due to the dominance DG has had in that area, where it was hard to beat since it works for most, and has a low cost compared to other options. That is about to change as far as i can see, since even TT has launched dedicated wedge options in lower weight, AND the new PX wedge shaft.