1k black with more feel?

[Mobert19]

On 5/18/2024 at 4:48 PM, phizzy30 said:

1K white is nothing like the 1K black.  1K black plays like the TR Black but lacks feel.  1K black has a very stiff tip and mid with a softer handle while the 1K white has a softer tip and handle with a stiff mid.  1K white is smooth, 1K black feels more like rebar, IMO.  1K black is super low/low while 1K white is mid-low/low. 

Did you find the 1K black launched lower than the 1K PW? I'm seeing about 1-1.5 degree difference

[phizzy30]

18 hours ago, Mobert19 said:

Did you find the 1K black launched lower than the 1K PW? I'm seeing about 1-1.5 degree difference

Yeah the 1K Black launched lower 1-2*

[bcflyguy1]

Another dark horse option for you to consider; UST Linq M40X White. Ei profile is very similar to Ventus Black, but the torque isn't as low so it doesn't feel nearly as stout but still plays similarly. Very easy to see why the LinQ M40X stuff has gotten a foothold in some pro bags.

[etodd]

May want to try the new 1K Blue in the Titleist GT line. I couldn't get the 1K black down and missed it crazy right. Swapped to the 1K blue and straight draws every time. I can swing a Blue 6x, TR Blue 6x, etc. but something about that Tensei just worked. Good luck!

[ChunkMeDaddy]

Going to toss the denali blue in here. Very linear type shaft, but still a good amount of feel. I have the TX version which I believe is the more premium version of 6.5, but when comparing the 1K black with this one, it almost perfectly matches your description for me. Have mine in my backup driver

[Bschwartz206]

On 5/7/2024 at 11:11 PM, phizzy30 said:

Diamana PD would be exactly what you're looking for.  Tip and mid stiff with a softer handle with enough feel.  However, you want slightly more launch and spin so my recommendation would be the AD VF or XC.  Really depends on how soft you want to go with the handle.  Similar EI profile to the 1K Black but much smoother with slightly higher launch and similar spin. 

Do you think pd could work in a 3/4 wood? Based on your feedback in a different thread I’m looking at diamana GT but it’s going to be tricky/expensive to find one in my specs. PD/TB/ZF are relatively more plentiful on eBay. Would be interested to get your take on PD vs 1k white.

 

I have 1k white in driver and 1k black in 3 & 5 wood currently. The black works pretty well for me in 5 wood because it keeps trajectory down and manages the left miss, I can even hit cuts with manageable spin. In 3 wood it’s good off the tee but doesn’t spin enough off the deck. It feels very stable and anti-left which I like, but it does feel like it’s missing something compared to more premium shafts.

[Bschwartz206]

On 8/16/2024 at 9:12 AM, ChunkMeDaddy said:

Going to toss the denali blue in here. Very linear type shaft, but still a good amount of feel. I have the TX version which I believe is the more premium version of 6.5, but when comparing the 1K black with this one, it almost perfectly matches your description for me. Have mine in my backup driver

I would be really interested to compare the Denali in 6.5tx to 1k white. I hit Denali blue/black 6.5 (non-tx/stock) recently when demoing an ai smoke TD driver and the black worked well for me while the blue did not. The blue felt very loose and I was missing both ways which was surprising because I’m not a super high SS guy (anywhere from 108-115 depending on how the body feels). That day I was swinging in the 113 range and getting ball speeds in the upper 160s on gc quad with the black. I ended up buying the smoke td with Denali black 60 6.5 off eBay.

 

I played the Hzrdus smoke yellow for a couple of years and the Denali black felt reasonably familiar, maybe a bit more active. Switched back to my 1k pw 60tx and the Denali feels just a little too active in comparison with more curve than I prefer. It does feel pretty smooth for a stock shaft and I could game it for sure though. With the same grip/adapter and a fractionally longer length than my 1k it’s actually about 4g heavier, which I prefer personally.

[phizzy30]

3 hours ago, Bschwartz206 said:

Do you think pd could work in a 3/4 wood? Based on your feedback in a different thread I’m looking at diamana GT but it’s going to be tricky/expensive to find one in my specs. PD/TB/ZF are relatively more plentiful on eBay. Would be interested to get your take on PD vs 1k white.

 

I have 1k white in driver and 1k black in 3 & 5 wood currently. The black works pretty well for me in 5 wood because it keeps trajectory down and manages the left miss, I can even hit cuts with manageable spin. In 3 wood it’s good off the tee but doesn’t spin enough off the deck. It feels very stable and anti-left which I like, but it does feel like it’s missing something compared to more premium shafts.

PD was super low spin for me much like the 1K black so it would be risky going that route.  It has more feel than the 1K black though.  Other options are Kai'li White or 1K orange.  TB and ZF are blue boards and could get your spin up, however, they could go left on you.

Edited December 20, 2024 by phizzy30

[rbpwrx]

On 5/18/2024 at 9:21 PM, phizzy30 said:

1K black lacks MR70 and boron if I remember correctly which makes it lack feel, IMO.  VF has MX40 and T1100 and is 50t.  Perhaps it has to do with the combo of those materials that makes it feel smooth.  PX T1100 obviously has T1100 but lacks feel, IMO.  Platinum speeder is 90t and has T1100 and feels super smooth.  Maybe higher ton shafts contribute to the smoothness of a shaft?  

 

Interesting! I definitely respond differently to different materials. VS Proto with the 'Zyvex,' whatever that is, always felt pretty great. I thought the 1K black felt pretty good, actually, even if all carbon. 👍

[rbpwrx]

On 5/7/2024 at 10:00 AM, Brokensticks said:

For me it feels like 1k is softest somewhere in the middle. If I could I would put it more towards the hands so I dont have to go for the swing to actually feel it since Im smooth. 

This immediately makes me think of the Tour Green, which is still a great shaft, years later. Esp the TX. Or derivatives of that, like the Rogue Silver, or Riptide MX. (Silver 125msi has EXCELLENT feel, and very fancy materials - was a $1k shaft back in the day.)

I played a 1K Black in 75TX in FW for a little while. To me it felt firm, crisp, and very linear, sloping from a slightly softer handle to a very firm tip. I didn't notice any dip in stiffness in the midsection, but maybe the TX was different.

For 1K Blk w/ feel, I'd suggest the RDX Smoke RED. Very linear profile with a softer handle. Feels great.

I think Phizzy also suggested the VF, which I would +1. I'd throw in Tensei CKP Orange. VS Proto, for a golden oldie, although it's more mid-bend. And the GD 9003 series. Good luck!

 

Edited April 25 by rbpwrx

[Bschwartz206]

Curious if anyone has thoughts on the following:

 

- How significant is the difference between tx and x in fairway shafts specifically? Seems like premium shafts are often relatively more widely available (used) in tx than x. A lot of folks are likely scared off. I took a chance on a tx driver shaft and it’s surprisingly playable even when I don’t have my best stuff. Not sure that would carry over to fairways though.

- On the other end, has anyone found success using a stiff with extra tipping (in fairways specifically)? You hear of tipping driver shafts but not so much in fairways. Since part of cutting down a shaft for fairways involves tip trimming already, would it potentially mess up the shaft? Again some shafts seem relatively more widely available used in stiff compared to x stiff.

* Both scenarios assume enough speed to comfortably play x flex

Edited December 21, 2024 by Bschwartz206

[Phabs]

I play the TX 75 and 85 in my three wood and five wood . No issues with either of them 

[Bschwartz206]

9 hours ago, Phabs said:

I play the TX 75 and 85 in my three wood and five wood . No issues with either of them 

What’s your swing speed if you don’t mind me asking?

[Phabs]

30 minutes ago, Bschwartz206 said:

What’s your swing speed if you don’t mind me asking?

120ish with driver 

Edited December 21, 2024 by Phabs

[Bschwartz206]

2 minutes ago, Phabs said:

120ish with driver 

Thanks! That’s well past where I’m at. I suppose I should stick to the rivers and lakes

[Bschwartz206]

Just wanted to add my two cents based on a fitting today at club champion. For context I’ve got a TSR2 with 1k black 75x and an ai smoke TD with PX Denali black 70x. I’ve been liking the feel of the 1k black ok lately, but the Denali is a lot less demanding to hit. That said, they’re both prone to launching lower than I’d like. I’ve been searching for a 3 wood shaft for a couple of seasons now.

 

We ended up finding that the WB was the best in terms of launch, spin and consistency and it also felt the best for me. I play Tensei 1k pro white in driver and would prefer a similar feeling throughout the top of the bag. I was surprised because I figured a whiteboard would be too low/low based on experience with the 1k black. I hit the Tensei 1k pro blue as well and did not get along with it.

 

Oddly the ventus TR black in 8x was second best for me. It actually produced higher peak height and more spin for me than the WB, which really blew my mind. It felt like more work to swing however and worked better if I quickened my transition which doesn’t seem super sustainable.

 

Also interesting is that the Denali produced a decent bit more spin than the 1k black (for me). Again, it works a bit better with a slightly quicker transition which doesn’t jive great with the rest of my clubs.

 

For me, the WB would be a no brainer but I could also see the TPW 1k working well. Would be interested if anyone has hit the WB and PD before.

Edited April 8 by Bschwartz206

[sniper]

I was fit for GT2 7w with 1k Black 85 this week.  I haven’t ordered because it didn’t feel great.  Didn’t hit a DI or any of the upcharge shafts.  My fault for not telling the fitter I’m not scared of the upcharge. 

[Bschwartz206]

10 minutes ago, sniper said:

I was fit for GT2 7w with 1k Black 85 this week.  I haven’t ordered because it didn’t feel great.  Didn’t hit a DI or any of the upcharge shafts.  My fault for not telling the fitter I’m not scared of the upcharge. 

If you’re not worried about upcharge shafts I would seriously consider the diamana WB if you liked the 1k black at all. There should have been some reason the fitter settled on it so if the performance was good and you just didn’t like the feel then WB should be in the conversation. I’d go for it in a heartbeat if price wasn’t a concern. I was able to hit the DI in my fitting and it actually performed decently but for me it felt too hingey and spin and launch were too high for my comfort zone. For a 7 wood I could see that being an issue.

[jah7838]

This thread popped up at the right time for me.  I have the 1K Black 85s in my Qi35 7 wood, and I really like the combo.  I decided to get the same 5 wood with the 75s in the 1K Black to turn down in loft and play as my 4 wood.  I don't like that combo nearly as much as the 7 wood combo.  Ball flight and distance is fine, but I just have to work a little harder to get it to load and it just feels a bit too firm for what I like. 

 

I have a Linq M40X White 7f4 that I put together last night to try out.  I tried it in a Cobra Darkspeed X 4 wood, and really liked the feel, so I'm hoping this gives me the same ball flight as the 1K Black but easier to load.  

[Pepperturbo]

On 5/7/2024 at 12:12 AM, Brokensticks said:

Hello. 
 

Bought a TSR with 1k Black 60 stiff and while it performce pretty well I would like some more feel and maybe a touch more launch and spin, something that turns over a smidge more. 
 

Im slightly below 110mph, some days over and some under. Pretty smooth transition.

 

I have the Linq M40x in the 7 wood and it feels good but wasnt ecstatic over it in the driver, much better than Kaili white tho which felt dead. Smoke black feels softer but dead. 
 

I have the Speeder 665 in a 5 wood with a whippy tip and it feels great in the wood, almost like a whip or sling but not sure if it would feel good in a driver where I swing more all out. 
 

Ive been looking at aftermarket options like Tour AD UB/VF/GT or Ventus blue/black in 5s/5x. 
 

Any advice where to start?

 

I found an outdoor fitting area but they are a heavy Cobra supplier which means they have ”all the shafts” for Cobra, so I cant try it in the gamer and have to go on feel/strike location?

 

Is this fine to do or am I shooting myself in the foot? Ventus seems so universal, people just putting it in all their heads. 
 

thanks

I have always played a very stiff butt and tip shaft.  Never looked for feel in driver shaft because it needs to stay with my fast tempo.

 

IME, any "BLACK" shaft profile, feel will not be the shaft's strength.  I have 5 Series Black and Blue and Red shaft profiles in 5 & 6 series for Driver and 3wd. 

 

Comparing Ventus Blue vs. Black.  Black shaft profiles tend to be butt stiff, tip stiff, and lower trajectory.  While Ventus Blue is slightly softer butt for feel with a stiff tip, so trajectory is higher.  

 

Currently, I play the stiffest butt shaft Diamana makes, the GT series, there's not much feel in the profile.  It fits me better than the Ventus Blue.  I like Black, but its tip is too stiff.  You won't find me switching heads to accommodate a certain shaft.

[Bschwartz206]

2 hours ago, jah7838 said:

This thread popped up at the right time for me.  I have the 1K Black 85s in my Qi35 7 wood, and I really like the combo.  I decided to get the same 5 wood with the 75s in the 1K Black to turn down in loft and play as my 4 wood.  I don't like that combo nearly as much as the 7 wood combo.  Ball flight and distance is fine, but I just have to work a little harder to get it to load and it just feels a bit too firm for what I like. 

 

I have a Linq M40X White 7f4 that I put together last night to try out.  I tried it in a Cobra Darkspeed X 4 wood, and really liked the feel, so I'm hoping this gives me the same ball flight as the 1K Black but easier to load.  

I have a tsr2 3 wood and tsi2 5 wood both with the 1k black 75x and I found that it felt pretty good in the 5 wood, but didn’t quite feel right in the 3 wood. The head feels a little too light and the shaft feels pretty dead for the most part.

 

Maybe that shaft works for you in the 7 wood because its a shorter club with a heavier head. I’ve found that changing head weight can really change how a shaft feels and performs, in driver as well as fairways. I always heard that heavier shafts will be stiffer but in my experience, a 60 gram driver shaft will often feel stiffer than a 70 gram. Adding weight to the head also increases the feel of loading/unloading (imo). In theory it should all balance out due to the shorter length but feel is very subjective.

 

I’m not familiar with the UST shafts personally but looking at the specs, the torque rating is pretty high even compared to the 1k black which has a pretty high torque for the overall stiffness. So that may be why you like the feel a bit more.

[jah7838]

24 minutes ago, Bschwartz206 said:

I have a tsr2 3 wood and tsi2 5 wood both with the 1k black 75x and I found that it felt pretty good in the 5 wood, but didn’t quite feel right in the 3 wood. The head feels a little too light and the shaft feels pretty dead for the most part.

 

Maybe that shaft works for you in the 7 wood because its a shorter club with a heavier head. I’ve found that changing head weight can really change how a shaft feels and performs, in driver as well as fairways. I always heard that heavier shafts will be stiffer but in my experience, a 60 gram driver shaft will often feel stiffer than a 70 gram. Adding weight to the head also increases the feel of loading/unloading (imo). In theory it should all balance out due to the shorter length but feel is very subjective.

 

I’m not familiar with the UST shafts personally but looking at the specs, the torque rating is pretty high even compared to the 1k black which has a pretty high torque for the overall stiffness. So that may be why you like the feel a bit more.

The 1K in the 5 wood felt better and performed better once I added a couple of strips of lead tape, but it just didn't feel great.  Dead is a good word for the feel.  I've gotten along with UST shafts in the past, even in the lower torque models.  They've all been very stable and the ball gets up in the air fairly quickly.  

[Bschwartz206]

12 minutes ago, jah7838 said:

The 1K in the 5 wood felt better and performed better once I added a couple of strips of lead tape, but it just didn't feel great.  Dead is a good word for the feel.  I've gotten along with UST shafts in the past, even in the lower torque models.  They've all been very stable and the ball gets up in the air fairly quickly.  

That makes sense to me. When I bought the 3 wood shaft I had a 13.5* tsi2 3 wood head that I’d gotten off eBay that came with a short shaft and a +4g weight in the head. I swapped the shaft out for the 1k in standard length and it felt pretty decent but the head was too beat up for me to play and I had to turn the loft up to hit it off the deck.

 

Ive moved on to an ai smoke 3w with project x Denali black in 70g. To be honest I almost prefer the feel of the 1k black because it’s so stable and substantial, but at the end of the day I just don’t have the speed for it in a fairway wood. If you like the UST shafts it sounds like that’s worth a shot!

[Bschwartz206]

On 4/8/2025 at 12:06 AM, Bschwartz206 said:

Just wanted to add my two cents based on a fitting today at club champion. For context I’ve got a TSR2 with 1k black 75x and an ai smoke TD with PX Denali black 70x. I’ve been liking the feel of the 1k black ok lately, but the Denali is a lot less demanding to hit. That said, they’re both prone to launching lower than I’d like. I’ve been searching for a 3 wood shaft for a couple of seasons now.

 

We ended up finding that the WB was the best in terms of launch, spin and consistency and it also felt the best for me. I play Tensei 1k pro white in driver and would prefer a similar feeling throughout the top of the bag. I was surprised because I figured a whiteboard would be too low/low based on experience with the 1k black. I hit the Tensei 1k pro blue as well and did not get along with it.

 

Oddly the ventus TR black in 8x was second best for me. It actually produced higher peak height and more spin for me than the WB, which really blew my mind. It felt like more work to swing however and worked better if I quickened my transition which doesn’t seem super sustainable.

 

Also interesting is that the Denali produced a decent bit more spin than the 1k black (for me). Again, it works a bit better with a slightly quicker transition which doesn’t jive great with the rest of my clubs.

 

For me, the WB would be a no brainer but I could also see the TPW 1k working well. Would be interested if anyone has hit the WB and PD before.

A follow up in case anyone has personal experience: the club champion fitting was problematic and I’m not sure how to interpret the results. The issue is that their universal adapter system adds about 10g to the club, the fitter said it adds “about 8 sw points”. He said they compensate for this by tipping the shafts as much as 2” in some cases.

 

I know this is way off topic but the fact that they’re the main fitting option in many places and this is just standard operating procedure is beyond me. I don’t understand how this works as a business model.

 

In terms of the fitting results, the shaft that worked best for me was a Diamana WB 73X with Ventus TR Black 8X in second. However, with the added weight those are more like 80+ and 90+ shaft, right? My current 3w shaft is 70g and I’ve had a really tough time finding anything heavier to test out at stores in my area, but I think I might benefit from something in the 80g range.

 

Curious if anyone has experience buying from club champion and if the results matched your fitting. I’ve read that they frequently build clubs to a higher than usual swing weight (d8 driver seems to be a thing) which makes sense if they’re trying to match the fitting feel. I’m not sure how they manage to do that without adding a lot of tip weights or something.

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

On 12/20/2024 at 9:55 PM, Bschwartz206 said:

I would be really interested to compare the Denali in 6.5tx to 1k white. I hit Denali blue/black 6.5 (non-tx/stock) recently when demoing an ai smoke TD driver and the black worked well for me while the blue did not. The blue felt very loose and I was missing both ways which was surprising because I’m not a super high SS guy (anywhere from 108-115 depending on how the body feels).

I second that, Denali Blue feels a bit unpredictable. But Denali shafts in general feel very smooth, I ordered a Black and hope it launches high enough. 
 

On 12/21/2024 at 4:18 AM, rbpwrx said:

This immediately makes me think of the Tour Green, which is still a great shaft, years later. Esp the TX. Or derivatives of that, like the Rogue Silver, or Riptide MX.

 

And THAT. The Aldila Tour Green is such a great feeling shaft! 
I also thought the Rogue Silver felt comparable to it. 
Definitely a cheap experiment because these are older models! 

[Bschwartz206]

12 minutes ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

I second that, Denali Blue feels a bit unpredictable. But Denali shafts in general feel very smooth, I ordered a Black and hope it launches high enough. 
 

And THAT. The Aldila Tour Green is such a great feeling shaft! 
I also thought the Rogue Silver felt comparable to it. 
Definitely a cheap experiment because these are older models! 

I have a Denali black 70g 6.5 in 3w and it’s a little tricky launch wise. Sometimes it’s good others not so much. On Trackman my spin numbers are ok but there’s something about the feel that I don’t love. So far my results on course have been good off the tee but not great off the deck. Hopefully it works out better for you! It’s definitely a good feeling shaft for the money considering it’s a stock offering.

[justcallmemoses]

Are 1k black 65 stiff and hzrdus black gen 4 60 6.0 stiff similar in handle stiffness?

I’m playing T100 with standard Project X 6.0. I find the 1K black missing left as it feels soft under the handle for me. 
 

would the hzrdus have a stiff butt section? Or should I go up in flex in the 1k black 

[phizzy30]

On 4/8/2025 at 12:06 AM, Bschwartz206 said:

Just wanted to add my two cents based on a fitting today at club champion. For context I’ve got a TSR2 with 1k black 75x and an ai smoke TD with PX Denali black 70x. I’ve been liking the feel of the 1k black ok lately, but the Denali is a lot less demanding to hit. That said, they’re both prone to launching lower than I’d like. I’ve been searching for a 3 wood shaft for a couple of seasons now.

 

We ended up finding that the WB was the best in terms of launch, spin and consistency and it also felt the best for me. I play Tensei 1k pro white in driver and would prefer a similar feeling throughout the top of the bag. I was surprised because I figured a whiteboard would be too low/low based on experience with the 1k black. I hit the Tensei 1k pro blue as well and did not get along with it.

 

Oddly the ventus TR black in 8x was second best for me. It actually produced higher peak height and more spin for me than the WB, which really blew my mind. It felt like more work to swing however and worked better if I quickened my transition which doesn’t seem super sustainable.

 

Also interesting is that the Denali produced a decent bit more spin than the 1k black (for me). Again, it works a bit better with a slightly quicker transition which doesn’t jive great with the rest of my clubs.

 

For me, the WB would be a no brainer but I could also see the TPW 1k working well. Would be interested if anyone has hit the WB and PD before.

WB - stiff/stiff/med

1k PW - med/stiff/med

TR black - stiff+/stiff/stiff+

Denali black - stiff/med/stiff

 

These are the EI profiles of each shaft.  

 

I've had the 1k PW and PD and tested the WB.  PD felt the most linear/stout and as a result, I found it to be the most anti-left.  It takes more effort to turn it over.  1k PW was 2-3 mph faster ball speed wise, but also prone to the lefts.  WB was middle of the road stability with average ball speed.  I have an aggressive transition though and the TR black was the most stable outta all the shafts you listed.  Your results may vary since it sounds like you're either smooth or moderate transition.   

 

It's fun to tinker with shafts you should go with WB since it checked all the boxes for you.

 

Edited May 6 by phizzy30

[phizzy30]

3 hours ago, justcallmemoses said:

Are 1k black 65 stiff and hzrdus black gen 4 60 6.0 stiff similar in handle stiffness?

I’m playing T100 with standard Project X 6.0. I find the 1K black missing left as it feels soft under the handle for me. 
 

would the hzrdus have a stiff butt section? Or should I go up in flex in the 1k black 

1k black has a softer handle than HZDRUS black gen4.  PX 6.0 has a stiff handle as well.  I suggest going with HZDRUS black gen4 which should in theory help with stability because of the stiffer handle.  

[Bschwartz206]

19 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

1k black has a softer handle than HZDRUS black gen4.  PX 6.0 has a stiff handle as well.  I suggest going with HZDRUS black gen4 which should in theory help with stability because of the stiffer handle.  

I think the last comment captured it but I’ll add my experience in case it’s helpful:
 

I had a Hzrdus black gen 4 6.0 shaft a year or two back briefly. It was in a tsi3 wood head with +4g weight in the head and the shaft was cut down to 4/5 wood length. It was an interesting experiment buying from eBay where I didn’t do my homework and it didn’t really work out. I also bought a tsi3 driver with a Hzrdus black Rdx (3rd gen) 6.0, which I swapped out. I currently have a u500 driving iron with Hzrdus smoke black (2nd gen) 90g 6.0. I also have a tsr2 3 wood with 1k black 75x. I’ve hit 1k black in stiff in a driver at a fitting.

 

My two cents: the Hzrdus blacks feel stiffer in the handle and more active in the middle. The Hzrdus smoke black feels like the stiffest of the 6.0’s I’ve hit, but it’s a hybrid shaft at a shorter length. I don’t know if the ei profile bears this out, but it is a pretty low torque shaft fwiw. 1k black is definitely the stiffest feeling imo but the higher torque gives it some feel, not much though.