Titanium Shafts w Persimmon heads

[freddiec]

I recently hit a Persimmon driver with a Sandvik Tour Titanium 220 shaft in some cold weather and despite the less than perfect conditions really loved the feel of the shaft in the driver w a Titleist Professional 90 ball. It felt very close to a steel shaft, but slightly lighter. I was wondering if anybody else have experience playing this set up ? I think Ti shafts were becoming popular on the PGA tour at the end of the persimmon era. I know Seve liked a Ti shaft. Texsport.. does your Texan with the green/white/green insert have any markings or brand name?

[Texsport]

Seve had Sandvik titanium in both the Masters and Eye-O-Matic 60 Texans originally.

Texsport

[freddiec]

Thanks Texsport. Do the graphics on the shafts look anything like what I posted? I'm curious which model he used. Could you post a pic later this week of the shaft.

Freddie

[Texsport]

Dave told me about the shafts, but they were both replaced by Seve, some time later.

Both have DG X-100 now.

Texsport

[KILLEDBYASHANKEDWEDGE]

Somehow I wound up with a Peter Broadbent driver, persimmon head and Titanium shaft.

[astamm8]

My Texan M43 had a sandvik Ti when I got it from Hugh Royer. I don't think it was original to the club. I think Hugh had it put in later. It was a 6.7 or 6.8 with different logos. It was almost the exact same shaft that I had in a Big Bertha circa '96. Personally, I didn't like the feel then, and I didn't really like it in the Texan either. Switching the Sandvikin the Texan to a steel shaft was key for me.

[XYB34A]

titanium shafts bent at the hosel one of major reasons they went out of use i played one from 88 to early 90s bent 4 or 5 of them

[Scully13]

Guys, Great insight about titanium shafts.

best round i ever shot was with ping eye 2s (2-SW) and original ping titanium shafts, taylor made burner plus "pittsburgh persimmons" driver, tour spoon, raylor with taylor made silver titanium shafts.

Wish I can get my hands on those ping titaniums again. I sent them into ping because they were bent at the tips and never got them back replaced with KTM shafts.

[Guia]

I used this setup back in the late or mid 70s, I believe the head was a Citation Power Bilt. Very good
combination with a soft feel.

[CyFan]

Optima Golf made a fantastic persimmon head, with a Ti insert and a Ti shaft. Played one in the 80's, was a great driver. On a hot summer day the epoxy gave out and the shaft came loose. Never had it reshafted, in fact used the shaft in another head - long since gone. But still have the persimmon head with Ti insert. Very pretty clubhead.

[Nspiel58]

I built a driver back in the early 90s with the Sandvik shaft, though I don't recall the specs other than tipping it firm flex. I had a Dynacraft Mid-size metal head at the time. Personally, it was the longest and most accurate club I'd ever played. It was supposed to have the dampening qualities of graphite and the strength of titanium, the reasons for my decision to try it. I currently have it attached to a Taylormade 320 head, but have not played it other than to hit into my practice net. I also built a similar driver for my father at the same time, albeit more flexible. He used to brag about how he'd outdrive his playing partners by 50 yards. He played that club for 15 years with no issues. It would be interesting to try a persimmon head with it. If Seve liked it, why not me?

[freddiec]

Great responses everybody, I appreciate your feedback. Especially liked yours Neil, interesting how your Dad played one for a number of years.

[golfluvzme]

[quote name='astamm8' timestamp='1356743978' post='6131775']
My Texan M43 had a sandvik Ti when I got it from Hugh Royer. I don't think it was original to the club. I think Hugh had it put in later. It was a 6.7 or 6.8 with different logos. It was almost the exact same shaft that I had in a Big Bertha circa '96. Personally, I didn't like the feel then, and I didn't really like it in the Texan either. Switching the Sandvikin the Texan to a steel shaft was key for me.
[/quote]
It is funny how life works. When I saw this thread, the first thing that came to mind was the time I spent in HRIII's garage in 2011, drooling at all of the lumber and titanium, LOL! He was a HUGE titanium player and the barrels he had full of clubs were full of ti. He is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and it was very cool to see his name mentioned here.
I remember my dad having a few Ti shafted persimmons, back in the 80's and always looking forward to the day when I would get to put one of them in my own bag. That time never really materialized, as metal woods were phased in and I played less and less golf after high school.
Cool side note about HRIII. When he played on tour, one of his sponsors was Owens Corning, the fiberglass insulation guys. He had all the shafts in his irons anodized PINK to signify his connection to the pink guys.
Love to read here and it always takes me back.
LaMont in AZ

[Texsport]

During the days that Wood Bros was in business, Sandvic was the first and only titanium shaft.

Graphite wasn't as good in those days because any graphite stiff enough to control shot dispersion as well as steel, simply had no feel.

Titanium was the first shaft that was lighter than steel, and had feel and playing characteristics close to steel.

All of Wood Bros titanium shafts were Sandvic.

The trick to fitting the shaft was to get the frequency just right by tipping and weighting. The premium cost discouraged a lot of experimentation, so many guys abandoned them.

Texsport

[stage1350]

The other bad news about Ti shafts is that they tended to develop a "memory bow" over time.

[Swoosh-Thud]

I still have my Cleveland Class RC 85 with a silver Sandvik shaft, which was the persimmon last hold out set up used on tour by Davis Love. I also have my S2H2 9* and the 2 dot 3 & 5 woods with the blue Sandvik shafts.

 

Back then, if you wanted to go light weight, Ti was it during that time. The POS yellow graphite shaft just plane sucked- had the torque of a licorice stick. Head was so open you needed to play the ball off your big toe.

 

Ti was similar to steel- low torque. But yes they did tend to bend at the hosel, esp with the S2H2s.

 

Here's my CC RC 85 and next to it a TM rescue.

 

 

 

[freddiec]

Swoosh, thats a great looking RC85. Sure is a real classic and one of the best persimmon drivers in the late 80s and early 90s. I think Justin Leonard also used one up until the end.

Here is my 10 deg WB Texan with Sandvik tour shaft. The overall weight is about 12.5 oz as opposed to the normal 13 to 13.25.

[majic]

Pretty clubs. I installed many Sandvik iron shafts and a few in putters that were special double wall flare tip for Robert Gamez. Robert Played the Ti shaft as well as quite a few others. I personally thought they were the best iron shafts. Some iron shafts made for tour were double tipped wall. I made many woods for tour players and if you could work on the shaft fitting you could make a heck of a club. Sweet feel and plenty of power.
The new Kanata shaft was an improved Element 21 version and they are great as well but I have not heard a word about them in a long time. Tad

[freddiec]

Thanks Tad for adding to this post. Very insightful info you have shared, i appreciate it.

[Swoosh-Thud]

The first decent graphite shafts were the Green EI 70s and of course the ProLites......I had (still have) 2 dot 3&5w S2H2s with them, but I still preferred the blue Sandviks in my woods. Ahhhh memories..........

[astamm8]

[quote name='golfluvzme' timestamp='1357359734' post='6171387']
[quote name='astamm8' timestamp='1356743978' post='6131775']
My Texan M43 had a sandvik Ti when I got it from Hugh Royer. I don't think it was original to the club. I think Hugh had it put in later. It was a 6.7 or 6.8 with different logos. It was almost the exact same shaft that I had in a Big Bertha circa '96. Personally, I didn't like the feel then, and I didn't really like it in the Texan either. Switching the Sandvikin the Texan to a steel shaft was key for me.
[/quote]
It is funny how life works. When I saw this thread, the first thing that came to mind was the time I spent in HRIII's garage in 2011, drooling at all of the lumber and titanium, LOL! He was a HUGE titanium player and the barrels he had full of clubs were full of ti. He is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and it was very cool to see his name mentioned here.
I remember my dad having a few Ti shafted persimmons, back in the 80's and always looking forward to the day when I would get to put one of them in my own bag. That time never really materialized, as metal woods were phased in and I played less and less golf after high school.
Cool side note about HRIII. When he played on tour, one of his sponsors was Owens Corning, the fiberglass insulation guys. He had all the shafts in his irons anodized PINK to signify his connection to the pink guys.
Love to read here and it always takes me back.
LaMont in AZ
[/quote]

I got 5 Wood Bros from Hugh a while back. They were sweet. They were all custom and very unique. Of the 4 drivers one had Ti, 2 graphite, and 1 steel. There was also a steel shafted fairway wood. He was great talk to.

[Ri_Redneck]

I've got a Ping Eye 2 Driver with a Ti shaft. My son is trying to take it though. Thinks it's cool. I can still hit some nice drives with it.

BT

[Nspiel58]

Here's my Ti shaft attached to a Taylormade 320. I'd like to reshaft on to the Maltby persimmon head, but I'm concerned about the corresponding difference in club length as the shaft will be stiffer and a little shorter as a result. Perhaps I should just leave it since it works well the way it is now. I'd appreciate any comments.

[winecellar72]

I am looking for a ti shaft as mine was stolen, do any of you still have these blubs/willing to part with a driver shaft or the whole club?

 

[Seve0992]

On 3/13/2024 at 10:59 AM, winecellar72 said:

I am looking for a ti shaft as mine was stolen, do any of you still have these blubs/willing to part with a driver shaft or the whole club?

 

I have a couple Ti Shafts.  I would have to check lengths.  What raw length are you looking for?  Mine would all be stiff or X

[Stephen8802]

On 12/29/2012 at 1:48 PM, CyFan said:

Optima Golf made a fantastic persimmon head, with a Ti insert and a Ti shaft. Played one in the 80's, was a great driver. On a hot summer day the epoxy gave out and the shaft came loose. Never had it reshafted, in fact used the shaft in another head - long since gone. But still have the persimmon head with Ti insert. Very pretty clubhead.

I have that driver. I picked it up in a lot last year. I bought the lot for the other clubs but have had fun playing the Optima.