AXE Xcaliber Tour 6+ Review

[Hstead]

Well, I have tinkered with and hit the driver enough now that I felt like I could give a review on the shaft. I originally bought a TS flex and after talking to Robin, I sent it back and bought an S flex. My SS is around 111mph and I have never been able to play an S flex in the past, nor a light weight shaft.

 

I have been to three reputable fitters over the years where I ended each session with something similar, which was an X flex and something in the 80's for weight. One of the fitters was a TM tour center that used the reflectors attached to you and the club, shaft, etc. One side note however, back then I was younger and usually averaged over 116mph. I am now 40 and have lost some SS. My handicap ranges from 0-5 depending on how much I get to play. My sing is fairly compact, short, easy transition, and when I am swinging decent it looks like I swing in slow motion to be honest.

 

At one point a few years ago, I had my own Vector launch monitor and I could give reviews with data. Unfortunately, I sold it and cannot provide hard data for this review. However, I have tried quite a few shafts in the past and I have a pretty good idea of what my ball is doing launch and spin wise on the course. You can tell if it is launching too high or has too much spin by watching the lift, rollou,t or the curvature etc.

 

I installed the Tour 6+ (black with chrome) shaft in an Adams 9015D 8.5* head that previously had a PX 8A4 installed at 45" in it. Since this shaft is lighter, I tried to shoot for 45 3/8" to keep the swing weight close to the same, around D3 or so.

 

Appearance - this shaft has a slick paint job. From the pictures on the Golfworks webpage, I thought black was going to be kind of dull and generic, but it is high gloss and the chrome is pretty sharp. I also loved the painted lines on the butt end to help with the install, the white line faces the target and the red line is placed on top of the shaft.

 

Performance - I started out hitting the ball high and right, ballooning with a ton of spin EXACTLY like I had hit every other 60+ gram shaft or S flex in the past. I thought to myself, OH PISS, this isn't going to work. There is a distinct feel when waggling the club that it is not as stiff as my two Miyazaki Black 83X's or my PX 8A4. While you waggle, you can feel the head much more and the shaft is just "looser, softer, etc". I was seriously concerned.

 

Now, I proceeded to play with the driver, and as the went along, I was able to start adjusting to the shaft. By the fourth hole ( I hit a few on the range , like six ) I was starting to get the ball down and on line. By the 10th hole, the ball starting flying pretty well and I was thinking it had a chance. By the end of the round, it was definitely going to get another shot.

 

I took it to the range again and played 18 more. By now I have found how to make it perform, mainly teeing the ball a little lower than I normally do. Maybe I never gave a lighter shaft or an S flex this much time to hit, and just maybe I would have been able to do the same with another brand, but so far this is the only S flex light weight shaft I have been able to play with.

 

The last round the ball as flying at least as low as my Miyazaki 83X. I think it is similar to slightly lower and my two buddies that I play the most with think it is quite a bit lower. As for spin, the ball is spinning more because I draw, hook, fade, slice etc the ball more, but not much. The roll out is very good, and the ball is not ballooning at all so the spin is not too high. My last tests with shafts had my spin around 2400 rpms with the Miyazaki and 2600 with the PX. I am guessing this shaft is 2700-ish for me with a little lower launch, which may be attributed to the tee height too.

 

I like the way the shaft feels, it is very similar to the Miyazaki which I thought was the best feeling shaft I have ever played. In 45 holes, I have hit four of the longest drives I have ever hit on my course. Most of the drives are similar in distance to the drivers I have played in the past, with the exception of these four that just really went.

 

One of the main reasons I sold my Vector was that I thought I knew exactly what shaft specs I needed, and I didn't really feel like I would ever experiment again with shafts. I felt like the Miyazaki was a great shaft and I wouldn't be changing any time soon. But, with a few more years of age, a little less SS, I decided to try a lighter shaft and it has worked. I wish I could provide data but a subjective review is all I have.

 

Overall, I think for the money this is BY FAR the best shaft I have tried. Not only did it only cost $55, but it performs better than most of the high dollar shafts I have tested in the past. That list includes :

 

RIP 70X

Miyazaki Kusala Black 83X

Project X 8A4

Matrix HD7

Aldila NV

Pro Force V2

Diamana White Board

Diamana Blue Board

True Temper E70

Fujikura Speeder 757

Graphite Design Purple Ice

Graffaloy Prolite

 

There are quite a few more but that gives you an idea.

 

This shaft will stay in the bag. it feels smooth, flies low, and rolls out well. KEEPER.

[BlakeBstone]

I can't wait. My ss is 115 and I ordered the 6+ in TS. I am going to play it untipped in my rbz tour and I am hoping it will be perfect. I normally play my white board 73x tipped a 1/2 so I'm gonna go straight in first and see how it works.

I know the tour fairway in TS is money. Been in my bag for over a month and it's not going anywhere

[Hstead]

I played a White Board in X flex for a long time. This shaft is totally different in feeling. The White Board felt very butt soft to me and it took some getting used to. I never really liked the feel vs the Blue Board but I kept the ball down better with it. The Xcaliber is butt stiff and feels smoother to me. I finally have figured this shaft out. I have made adjustments in my swing. I have teed the ball lower, I make sure I stay on top of the ball, and I play a little more draw than my Miyazaki. The ball is spinning more since it is moving more left to right or right to left, but it is flying quite a bit lower now and is really going. I am really surprised how low I can hit this thing. Best $55 on golf I have ever spent. The Miyazaki and the PX are going to be in the closet for a while.

[churnd]

I have the 6+ (red/gray) in my 909D3 now. I love it but I wonder if I'd love the tour 6 more. The ball has a tendency to go a little high with the regular 6+. I told the guy who suggested it my swing speed was avg 110, but I don't think he believed me (old fart).

[BENCHMADE]

[i]I'm really glad some of you guys are giving the AXE a fair shot. Robin has something for eveyone. I played the R flex tour shaft in a Supertri a couple of years ago. Just reshafted my K15 driver and 3w with the 6.[/i]

[BlakeBstone]

The ONLY complaint I have about these shafts is the graphics going all the way around. I like to play my shafts graphics down and that's not possible.


But I'll get over it

[BlakeBstone]

Bombs away boys. Rbz tour 9* with an xcaliber 6+ TS. If only I could hit it, gotta wait till tomorrow morning to be safe on the epoxy cure :(

 

[KYMAR]

So OP bottom line, do you wish you would have stuck with the TS instead of the stiff? It kinda seems like you are "making it work" for you. Not that I think it's not a good shaft, i know they are and the results you are getting sound good. I am Just wondering if you are second guessing, your first second guess. HA!

[Hstead]

[quote name='KYMAR' timestamp='1339458992' post='5070428']
So OP bottom line, do you wish you would have stuck with the TS instead of the stiff? It kinda seems like you are "making it work" for you. Not that I think it's not a good shaft, i know they are and the results you are getting sound good. I am Just wondering if you are second guessing, your first second guess. HA!
[/quote]

KYMAR, good question. I would like to try the TS, however, I do think the S probably feels better. To me, and obviously "feel" is subjective, every softer flex shaft I have ever hit, for the most part "feels" better because they are just "softer" vs a really stiff board.

One thing I have learned over the years, a person will swing a club differently to fit the club sometimes, even though the club doesn't fit them. I have done this more than once. At one point years ago, I had a set of irons that didn't fit, but I compensated in my swing for it by flipping my hands to square the face, all because the lie angle was wrong for me. Once I had a lie angle that fit, the flip fixed itself because it was no longer needed. Also, one of my consistent swing faults is to get "stuck", by falling back a little at impact, which moves the low point in my swing farther back, and sends the club too much to the right. A very stiff shaft will add to this where I am trying to hit a "high draw" which is the shot shape I prefer.

I am heading south in a couple of weeks to get a lesson, and I will know more then. I have changed my swing with the driver, teeing it lower and staying on top of the ball better. Now, this may be for the better or it may be for the worse. I really need to see my swing on video to check it out better. I have not done that myself yet.

My last round yesterday, I was really able to keep the ball very low. Lower than I have ever hit the ball in my life. So that was a good thing. I am turning the ball over hard too though, probably a little too hard. I couldn't turn my PX 8A4 over as hard as I am turning this shaft over if you held a gun to my head. The 8A4 will just not go left this hard. But, I am playing for it and aiming right and really letting it turn over. I was able to hit a fade or two when I needed it to though. I need to practice a little more with it to find a "soft draw" vs this hard near hook draw I am hitting with it. It is low though and rolling a ton.

I have found that I drive it much better and straighter if I do not try to jump on it. Again, mostly due the flex, I need to just keep a smooth 90% swing vs really going after it.

I am probably happier now after yesterdays round than before, mostly due to the low height. I would like to try a TS, but that is not because I do not like the S but more because I would like to see which I play better with. I am betting that the S is probably the ticket, and more than likely an S tipped a half inch would be perfect.

[BENCHMADE]

Lets not forget that were talking aout $50 shafts and not $300 ones. At this price one can play around a bit and not break the bank.

[churnd]

Hey guys can someone help me with this question? I want to order Tour shafts for my driver & 3 wood... was going to order 6+ stiff for the driver & FW model for the 3 wood. I want to order them from GolfWorks & have my local shop install them. Can I just order them straight from the site or do I need to choose any of the options such as puring, tip & butt trimming, & tip prepping? Never ordered the shaft myself before so I'm not sure. I'd assume the shop installing them could do them if necessary?

[BlakeBstone]

Straight from the site. Arthur shafts already have the spine marked for you with a white line.

[churnd]

Just got my driver & 3 wood reshafted. Ordered from GolfWorks directly & had my local store put them in. Probably a little different from most because I went from the regular AXE 6+ in my Driver & AXE 7 in my 3 wood to a Tour 6+ in Driver & Tour FW in 3 wood. My reasoning for reshafting was that I wanted a lower trajectory in my woods, & that's what I got.

The ball flight in the tour line is lower than the regular line & almost "boring" in a way. Hit a bucket on the range & on good shots the ball flew just past the 250 marker & rolled past the 280 marker. The extra roll is a nice plus... before with the regular 6+ the ball had a tendency to stick. Also, I'm not worried about the ball ballooning on me if I really unload into it now. My swing speed according to my local shop's TrackMan is an average 105-110 & I can get it up to 116 if I try (but I usually don't).

Very happy with the decision to reshaft to the tour line. Money well spent.