Popeye64

Late last month I had received some 105g prototype Rapid Tapers. There has been a lot of people asking for a heavier version. Usually scratch golfers or someone with a monster swing speed. Plus if these are ever going to make a tour a heavy weight version is a must. The 105g shaft was fairly easy to have made as the length of the taper was simply stretched the same distance gap that the 75, 85 and 95 already have. Each being progressively longer. Wound to the same frequency readings as well. Setup time at the factory was shockingly quick. My initial thoughts were one of even more stability without losing that smooth feel. Also the load and release sensation was still there. After a quick range trip and data session, they showed nearly identical Launch and spin characteristics vs the lighter shafts. Such so that I couldn't differentiate which was which. But some thoughts on how they felt compared to identically prepared 85g and 95g clubs. Swinging the three back to back over a good 50 swings I felt like the 105s could wear me out. I felt like I was laboring a bit with the 105s yet swing speed and ball speed numbers were identical. When tired you can really feel the extra weight even though its ony a 10 g jump.... Onto the course. I had these shafts into Maltby TS-1 heads. 6 iron 7 iron and GW. The rest of the set was 95g shafts. During the course of the round I tried to seamlessly play my clubs without favoring a gamer vs the prototype. Every time I hit the heavier shaft the playing partners gave an audible oohh and aaahhh. The shafts were just launching a piercing, straight on target dart. Great feel through the wet turf and solid feedback on where the club head was. I even hit a few that I didn't think were that great yet they were dead online. Not swinging club after club as in a range session the extra weight was of no concern. But as a side note, I don't think I want the 105g shaft in anything longer than say the 6 and even maybe stopping at the 7. My initial thoughts were so positive that another 25 prototypes almost ready to ship for testing across the country. This weight option will be a perfect blend for a stronger player mixing weights or just a full set. December should be fun as more testing continues. If you haven't hit these yet, you don't know the unique feel and performance you are missing. They are not a miracle shaft but they do open a lot of eyes.

Rapid Tapers are on sale until Tuesday. $15 off each shaft. One time coupon. BLACKFRIDAY15 all one word.

It's a shame they are moving away from the finish because it makes the head unbendable. Though the DRM finish shows a lot of promise. And remains bendable. Plus that iron design has truly proven to be timeless.

I find the finish on the DRM to be holding up as delivered. No signs of oxidation. Some signs of slight discoloration but it sort of adds character. I put them away wet and dirty too. Not treating them well shows no adverse effects. Feel wise I really can't tell the difference between the two finishes.

It was a scary time in the Xcaliber shipping room!!

Xcaliber will be haunting all shipping. Loss of key personnel has forced a changed of locations. I don't expect this to last longer than two weeks.

My three wedges are 50 or 52 (depending on what set I bring out for a 4° gap) 56 and then all the way to 62. My 50 or 52 is my bread and butter club. I hit low piches that check up fairly quickly. It's a crisp blow that generates some nice spin. Two hops and a little roll out. I can really control this shot. The 56 is strictly from the sand. On the rare occasions I use it from the fairway it has to be an 80 yard shot. Other than that I seem to freak out and hit a terrible shot. The 62 is my go straight up.. have to carry over boiling lava shot. It's at the most a once a round shot but can really save some strokes when it's used. It is an Ultra Game Improvement design so it's kind of idiot proof. It has a big Ole sole on it. It's actually very easy to hit. I can 3/4 swing it for a 45 yard shot but again it's not happening very often. It lands like a dead fish with zero roll out.

Well he isn't answering DMs or IG messages either. I've asked for him to send them back. I know some of you guys know him. Just ask him to send them back.

For me it's purely Tempo when I get out of sorts. I try to hit smooth 3/4 swings that have a nice steady acceleration at the bottom. No thought about distance just feel. Right now my miss is a mid round shank with a wedge that will occur a few holes in a row. Its baffling to me because everywhere else is great. I really try to not let it get me down.

I've been playing a set of Hogan Ptx Pros this last week and I'm loving the scores ice been posting. Home course I put up back to back -2. Then played two serious away courses Jack Frost National and Lederach. Shot 76, 77 with some holes that my wedges turned into shank machines both days. ( both mid round, three holes in a row.) This shot is from a 5 iron from 195. It stopped in less than a foot. Launch, spin and flight are near perfect. I just need to sink more putts.

I am building three sets of Maverick Irons right now in the 75, 85 ,95, 100(spin wedge) set up. Just waiting on some appropriate ferrules to finish them off. I'll post up when I get them built.

Sorry I missed this post. On the shorter irons I was only using 2 g tip weights with the 95 g shafts and some were not weighted at all. I have found these shafts for me love a D2 in the short irons. That is very easy to maintain with the 95g and the short irons and I will let it get up to D3 if it wants to. I'm also careful to not buy heavy weight grips. Going with the three weights I will allow the Swing weight of the long irons to stay D0 and let them slowly grow down the the short irons. It's a poor man's MOI build. Going lighter to heavier in the swingweight promotes an easy swing with the long irons. It seems to cure one of the biggest faults with a long iron and that's swinging too hard. The biggest thing with these shafts is finding your sweet spot with flex. When you do so its just pure bliss. It's hard to explain till you feel it.

Well then let him deal with his stuff. We don't need to have the comparison done. Like I said, have him either give the heads to another or throw them in the used club bin. Appreciate his efforts. It's just Golf. It was supposed to be fun, not an obligation.

Irs fun if a few guys go super low.. but damn. This is kind of silly. And this is a weak field !!

Since I'm already using a lightweight graphite shaft I cut it as I would for a SW. If I'm using a heavyweight shaft I will trim as an 8 iron So i have some feel. The heavyweight shaft in a wedge head should help you be a bit mechanical getting through the grass and prevent a chunky swing that gets stuck in the grass or is balky. What i find is totally opposite. I find the lightweight shaft gets through the grass better with a little give. Where the heavyweight would get hung up. So I have a ton of feel in my hands that allows me to be creative. It really works for me. I fear no short chip whatsoever. I send out a lot of the Xcaliber shafts for demos and a recent customer asked if I could send one of my wedge setups with the lighter shaft. He ordered one for himself almost immediately upon trying the club.