therod

So I was looking at putters on ebay. I ran across a Ping Heppler that says it's adjustable. There isn't anything in the pics showing any kind of adjustment. Is the shaft adjustable for length? Or is there some other adjustment I don't see...?

I would agree. I hit a wider variety of clubs on my own. And more shafts. With the fitter, I hit 1 head with 2 shafts. It's why if I ever want to do another fitting, I'll probably go to Club Champion. Yes, there's a custom shop closer to me, but being a lefty limits me there.

Yes I did a "fitting" at the PGA SS in Indy. It was the only head I hit on the LM, I just hit a couple different shafts. The fitter thought with my ball-striking that day that the 3 was the best fit for me. I commented at the beginning that I wanted to hit a Titleist because I hadn't hit one in years, but had a couple years ago. He thought, given my clubhead speed and ball-striking that day, that the 3 was the best fit for me. So that's where we went, and he told me, after watching me hit balls, he didn't think I would be able to get much more out of anything else, and if I wanted a Titleist, that would be his recommendation. But my ball-striking and swing that last 3-4 months has been frustratingly awful. I'm not an equipment junkie like I used to be, I just go with what I have. I had some credit card rewards to use, so I got a debit card and grabbed a TSI2. We'll see...

I hit the TSi3 ok, but this was a rough year for me having time to play much golf. Since the TSi3 is the model with the lower MOI, I bought a slightly used TSi2 head on ebay, mostly because I want to see if the higher MOI will be noticeable. I'm shorter than the average bear, with short arms and legs. And I play my driver at 44". We'll see if it works any better for me. Odds are, if it launches any higher than the TSi3, it will be both longer and more forgiving. I'm not really worried about gaining distance, but some extra forgiveness when I hit it a little thin or a little towards the toe should be good for me. Hopefully I'll get to find out this weekend. My TSi3 isn't going anywhere, so I can always go back to it if I want or need to.

So I acquired a TSI3 back in the spring. I did a PGA SS fitting. the odd part of the fitting was I only hit that 1 driver. That particular day, I was swinging it well and hitting it well. And the TSI3 gave me some impressive numbers. I loved how it felt and I didn't figure I could find anything that would go much farther than it anyway. I still probably wouldn't find anything much longer. My problem now, because I played less golf this summer than I have in over 20 years, is that I don't hit it near as well. Or near as well as I did at the fitting. Because I have several shafts with the right adapter, I think I'm going to go get a used TSI2. With the new TSRs coming out, I can probably get a good deal on a used TSI2. I finally found some info on the MOI #s, and I think the TSI2 # is higher enough that I am going to give it a try. At the very least, I think the 2 will at least be a little more forgiving than the 3. And if I read some of the online stuff I saw right, a # of their touring pros are also using the 2 instead of the 3. We'll see, but at least for now, I am window shopping for a TSI2...

That LIN-Q M40X was the last shaft I looked at, and am considering one. We'll see, I have too many shafts to begin with, but that probably won't stop me...

Thanks for the input chisag. That's what I would have guessed as well. The red gives me hooks if I get quick at all. The white helps me cut it a little. I'd guess the black would be a better fit. I'm not even sure if and when it'll happen, just thinking out loud. And I like to experiment. I have a pretty aggressive transition at the top, so I fit better into higher bend point shafts that can stand up to the move I make. That's why I was fitted into a Tensei white. But I like to play with my toys too...

Being an engineer, that stuff fascinates me. In school I was a materials guy, so I got into that kind of thing. There's far more to shafts, how they're made, and how they bend than people realize. That's why you have engineers at Project X / True Temper, Mitsubishi, etc. And they're amazing at what they do. There's far more going on that anyone realizes. And it's why some of the biggest gains in distance in the next several years may come from the shaft and not the head. And why fitting is so important. There are alot of good club heads on the market, obviously. But you're going to hit it so much better, and farther, if you get the right shaft and the right shaft profile for your swing. I would argue that the shaft is far more important to how you hit the ball and how you play than the head. MOI #s are sky high, nearing the limit (within manufacturers tolerances), with all manufacturers. But there is so much to gain in the shaft, it's scary...

I am considering another shaft experiment. I did 1 recently with 3 very similar shafts and got the expected results. What I might try next is a little different. I already have a red Evenflow that probably has a lower bend point than I should play. I have a white Evenflow that seems to be pretty good for me. I'm debating getting a blue or black Evenflow just to see how different the 3 are. The red Evenflow hooks if I really go after it. The white tends to favor a slight fade. It works well for me, but being a typical MGS humanoid I'm curious to get a black or blue to try. The black is probably a better fit, and I'm guessing I could turn the blue over easier. It may or may not happen, but it's just something I've been thinking about...

IMO inserts will never come close to dampening the vibrations your elbows feel. Your hands may feel something completely different, but your elbows are still taking some abuse. Graphite does a much better job of dampening the vibs than inserts. This is coming from someone who has had multiple shots in his elbows for tendenitus but none since switching to graphite in his irons. No argument that inserts feel much better in the hands. But I would argue that your elbows are still taking a beating.

And speaking of the T1100, I have one of the Evenflow T1100s in my arsenal. Like I said in another post, I hit all 3 of my driver shafts with marked golf balls, and the Evenflow T1100 was the longest of the 3. The catch is...it was the longest by about a yard. The Graman Limey 540 and the Tensei Raw White I was fitted for were all within a few yards of each other. Close enough that I wouldn't mind using any of the 3 and wouldn't know the difference on the course.

I figured it wasn't the real-deal velocore Ventus. I'd like to try a real-deal Ventus, but there are a number of shafts I'd like to try. I don't really want to deal with an experiment of buying it, trying it, and returning it if I don't like it. I'd rather buy it, even if it costs me a little more, and just stick with it or sell it if I don't agree with it. But that's just me and I'm old school about that kind of thing. As I said it another recent post, I have several other options in my arsenal, so it's not like I don't have any other options. But because of the tech, I would like to try a Ventus. I have a birthday coming in a couple months, maybe I can pick something up then, since my parents and my in-laws usually just give me a little $ for a birthday present. Well see. It's also later in the season, so it's also not like I'm going to get a bunch of rounds in this season with it. We'll see.

Yes that's the shaft. How similar is it to the actual red Ventus? I'm thinking about trying a new shaft in my TSI3. Due to some back issues, my swing is evolving and I'm needing to throttle down a bit. Currently playing a red Evenflow, but looking at the red Ventus. Just thinking...

It's not the shaft that came with the head, it's one of the extra shafts that I'm playing around with.

Good point. I'm shorter than the average bear. About 5'6" and my arms and legs are naturally shorter as well. I don't like longer clubs for the same reason. My driver is 44" because that's what I like and am comfortable with. I am using a higher bend point shaft that can handle my transition at the top. Naturally, that results in a lower flight. And because I don't play as much golf as I used to, I don't hit it quite as well. My miss is usually a hook, mostly because I can get too quick at the top, the club gets flipped closed, and the club is already closed before impact. And my miss tends to be out on the toe. The result is a lower ball flight favoring the right side of the fairway. I also have a naturally flat swing and thus a lower ball flight. I'm a low trajectory, low spin guy. That's just my swing. But it works.

So I just got home from my little shaft test. Played the 1st 6 holes at the local muni with the Tensei shaft in the driver, just because that was the last shaft I had in it hitting balls into the net in my back yard. When I got to the 7th tee, the 3 sleeves of ProV1s each marked with whichever shaft I was going to use for each sleeve came out. 3 sleeves of ProV1s, 9 tee balls, 6 of which were in the fairway (it's a wide fairway...) led me to a logical solution. I could game any 1 of the three. Of the balls that were hit the absolute best, there wasn't 5 yards difference in the 3. The longest of the 3, literally by 5-6 feet, was the white Evenflow. It was also, by a very narrow margin, the highest trajectory of the 3. Like I said, I could game any of the 3 any time. And if the shafts weren't marked, I could hit all 3 and not know the difference. Incredibly similar flights and trajectories. There's a part of me that still wants to try a Ventus. Eventually, maybe, if I get a little cash for my birthday. Then again, I'd also like to try a more forgiving driver just because I think every little bit helps. I don't know how much more, if very much at all, the TSI2 is compared to the TSI3. And I know for reality's sake, it's not REALLY worth it considering the differences between the 2. The fittter at the PGA SS didn't have me hit the 2, only the 3. It was the club I had in my hands when the fitting session started, and other than swapping shafts and trying a few shafts, I didn't hit anything else. Am I disappointed? No, I know I have a quality stick. I just like to tinker and look at other options. We'll see. I'm happy with my TSI3, and will be playing it with a white Evenflow for the foreseeable future.

So I have 3 shafts for my TSI3. The white Tensei that came with it, a Graman Limey 540 and a white Evenflow, the last 2 I bought on the cheap. They should be similar, but I don't know which one is the longest. No better way to find out than to take all 3 to the course and hit a dozen balls from the same tee. My hunch is whichever of the 3 creates the highest trajectory will be the longest. I played a low bend point shaft for years because I felt I needed all the help I could get hitting a higher ball, and I felt like a higher ball would be a longer ball. The fitter I worked with at the nearest PGA Superstore was confident a higher bend point shaft fit my swing better. I haven't played enough golf this year to get a really good feel for whether he's right or not. So hopefully tomorrow, I'll confirm it one way or the other.

Well, evidently I misspoke. I was messing around with the head last night, and couldn't get it to rattle. What I found was that the little gold ring on the adapter, that basically keeps the lower piece of the adapter on the sleeve, came loose. So the downside is the bottom half of the adapter that has the letters on it, the "A" "B" "C" and "D" on it is loose and rattles when you shake it. I don't hear it when I swing the club, and that's the 2nd Titleist adapter this has happened to. I keep a little bag of weights in my bag for the driver, and occasionally move / change weights in it to try something with a different shaft. And the other adapter that this happened to has that bottom piece in that bag. Now there are 2 of them in that bag with the weights. So my bad, the head is fine. Just an adapter failure that doesn't remove it from use...

So as some of you probably know, I bought a new TSI3 a few months ago. It is a great club and I have no regrets buying it. But I now have a little problem. I noticed earlier today, hitting balls into the net in my backyard, that the clubhead now has a rattle, like a weight came loose or a piece of metal chipped off somewhere. I checked the fitting of the shaft, and it was plenty tight. I pulled the shaft, shook the head, and could still hear the rattle. I bought the club new at a local PGA Superstore. What are the odds of getting it replaced? I know Titleist just released their new driver, and TSIs may be available at a discount. But I'm not looking for a new stick. This one is still pretty new to me and works just fine. I'm thinking since I bought it new at the store, it would still have a warranty for a manufacturer defect, and they could / should replace it. Any thoughts?

So I'm always looking around for new equipment like everyone else. My current searches have mostly been for shafts since I got a new TSI3 driver a few months ago. I bought mine with the white Tensei and I have a Graman 540 that I can also use that I also like. But like any gearhead and equipment junkie, I am also always looking around. Shopping for a Ventus since I still haven't ever hit one, I found some on ebay listed as red and black. The shaft is black and some of the trim and coloring is done in red. I'm guessing these were made for TM since they all have TM tips on them. Are they anything close to the aftermarket model? Or are they just a basic generic shaft with the logo painted on them? I'm guessing Fujikura wouldn't do that, but I don't know how close to the real aftermarket model this one actually is. Anyone have any info on these?

Ok thanks rlb. I looked alot of places, and even emailed Titleist, and couldn't get an answer. Thanks!

Ok. Let's start from scratch. A few months ago I purchased a TSI3 that I was fitted for. Being the engineer I am, and a tinkerer, I also purchased some extra weights to put in and play around with in the soleplate. I spent some time online trying to find the MOI for the driver with the factory weight installed, and haven't found anything. I even spent some time chatting with a Titleist rep on their website, and all they wanted to talk about was the new material the face is made of. But they wouldn't tell me what the MOI of the driver is as is from the store. I would also like to know, how much, if any (and I assume it changes a little bit, but maybe not anything REALLY significant) the MOI changes when I take the factory weight out and replace it with a 12g weight (the factory weight is 8g). I would also like to know if it makes any real difference if I take the 12g weight out and replace it with 2 6g weights moved out on the wings of the soleplate. I'm assuming putting a heavier weight in the rear will increase the MOI, but maybe not by a significant number. And how much better would it be, if any, if I used 2 weights moved out away from the center vs 1 weight in the center. Like I said, I tried chatting with a Titleist rep on their website, but they wouldn't tell me what the MOI is as new off the shelf. I'm an engineer, and math is my thing, so such equations for those calculations is right up my alley. And unfortunately there's no way to test it myself. Or I would in a heartbeat. Just mainly, for now, hoping someone can give me a base number for the MOI when I bought it new off the shelf. Or tell me where I can look to find it, since I tried that avenue already with no success.

Just looking for some experiences. In my continued quest looking for another shaft for my TSI3, I have also been looking at the Rogue Elites. I had a blue Aldila NXT in a driver years ago, and really liked it and had a good experience with it. But I'm a little bigger, older, and stronger now, so if I did something along that line I would probably go to the green vs the blue because of how I load the shaft at the top of my backswing. Just looking for anyone with experience with the Rogue Elites. Thanks

We'll see how things go on the course. I've only hit balls with my driver on a monitor indoors. It might be high enough for my liking. I'll see how far it goes, how easy it is to get out there, and what the actual ball flight looks like. I'm not going to do anything until I actually play some golf with it and see.

I did say something, yes. But he felt like I needed the higher bend point shaft to handle the load I put on the shaft at the top of my backswing.