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Final Reviews: Nippon Modus 115 Iron Shafts

Ratings Distribution

75%
25%
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Detailed Ratings

Feel
Looks
Overall
Performance
Testers
Equipment Type: Shafts
Vendor: Nippon

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Ten years ago, Japanese shaft manufacturer Nippon debuted the N.S. PRO MODUS line of golf shafts. Now, with the addition of MODUS Tour 115, the resumé is starting to feel more complete.

According to Nippon, N.S. PRO MODUS Tour shafts are designed to address the exacting requirements of elite professional and competitive amateur golfers.

With that, MODUS Tour 115 is the fifth (and perhaps final) model in the MODUS family of shafts.

Now we'd like to get feedback from MyGolfSpy readers!



Other information:

We're looking for four testers to review these shafts.  Luckily for you lefties these work both ways 😉  and this test is open for international testers as well!  We will provide the shafts for the players to test, but testers will be expected to have the shafts installed either by themselves or from a locally sourced club builder, so you'll need your preferred grips too!

New to the forum? Want to increase your chances of being selected for testing? Here is a link to a guide which lays it all out for you and will allow you to know exactly how, why and who we select for testing: HOW TO BECOME A TESTER

 

Congrats to our Nippon Modus 115 Testers!

@Nunfa0

@DStar

@Syks7

@Tiftaaft

 

 

 

Looks
Feel
Performance
Overall

 

Nippon Modus 115 Iron Shafts – Official MGS Forum -- Review by Syks7 (Jonathan Gilliam)

 

Intro

Hi everyone, I’m really excited to be part of this test.  I’m a 39 year old architect in Southern California and am currently a 11.4 handicap. There’s been a lot of other tests I’ve wanted to take part in a lot of tests since I joined the forum, but this one is actually the best fit to my game and level of knowledge.  I’ve started building my own clubs so it gives me some flexibility with testing that should be pretty handy.  

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More intro, my equipment, and testing plan

 

Early impressions (5/5)

  • Unboxing Those of you that have bought shafts know that it's a pretty no frills unboxing that involves a non-descript box of golf club length with the shafts you order bundled up amidst butcher paper and rubber banded together.  This is no different, though I will say this is the first I've encountered each shaft being in an individual plastic sleeve.  It's a nice touch to keep them from gathering dust or scratches along the way.

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  • Build wise they look and feel like premium iron shafts.  All of them penciled in within 1.3 Gm of 117g with some slightly lighter and some slightly lower.  Lengths were cut within 1/16"  of the stated length.  There was also a nice stamp stating Flex, Length, batch number?, serial code, build date, and build location.  It's helpful to keep organized when building organization and in a spot that will be covered by the grip eventually.  

Link to more build info & Images

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  • First Swings

I put the the shafts in play immediately and my first swings were at the range the day before a men’s club tournament.  It did not take long for me to get acquainted or comfortable with them.  I found that they fit my tempo quite well (moderate) and that I did not have any trouble feeling where the head was.  They were very easy to load and consistently produced a baby fade (when I was striking well) for me and did not produce any head scratching results short of producing a lot, lot of rollout on partially thin shots.  On well struck shots they produced a nice mid high penetrating flight that stalled out and landed softly.  I did not have trouble holding greens.  

From 210 w/ the 4I.  Pretty soft landing.

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Aesthetics (5/5)

In my initial impression I mention how clean the shafts were looks wise when I first got them.  That opinion hasn’t changed after a month and half of testing.  The graphics are really simple and sharp without being distracting if you install graphics up like I did.  They’re also not so huge that you’d still see them if you installed graphics down.  Beyond that, they might be a bit too polished when they show up (borderline Mirror) but that fades with use so it’s a non issue and I have no reason to deduct any points.

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The Numbers (5/5)

The numbers for me were pretty good with a few caveats.  These shafts are in the same weight class category, flex, and same moderate tempo range as the shafts I’m fitted into.  I played the crap out of them (4 weeks 108 holes and boatloads of range time) I can confidently say that I have hit more golf balls this month than I ever have before.  Now onto the numbers which I’d class as all positive.

  • I did tend to shoot lower with Modus in the bag, but towards the end I played around and I shot lowest with a mix in the bag (including a new personal best). 
  • Swing speed was well within the same range as my gamers
  • Dispersion stayed very close but saw a bit more right variation in the pattern
  • Carry distances were so similar to my gamers that I played a couple 9s with alternating clubs.  PW,8,6,4 in one and 9,7,5 in another – a bit weird the first 9 and unnoticeable the second. (other than the head)
  • I played one 9 hole shootout with only irons in the bag between my gamers and the Modus and the difference over 9 holes was a single stroke.  +3 for my gamers vs. +4. 
  • The trajectory of the modus is slightly different.  It’s more penetrating but the launch monitor disproved my observation that apex and launch were lower.  There was minor variations in both and descent angles were also very similar.    
  • Spin numbers were slightly lower with Modus but only down couple hundred RPM in the long irons and even less in the short irons.

No deductions here.  Directly compared to the shafts I’ve been fitted to there was nothing I would class as a large variation or anything bad.  They were immediately playable for me.

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On the Course (4.5/5)

On the course the Modus 115’s performed very well.   The stability of the shaft regardless of swing tended to help me out on longer approach shots where I can have a bad habit of overswinging or transitioning like a madman to try and ‘get’ it there.  With my gamers that kind of heavy transition either ends with a nasty block fade or a cannon pull.  With the Modus 115s those kind of mishits were not as pronounced.  The head was delivered squarely more or less to where I expected and I wasn’t spraying the ball into oblivion on mishits.  The other thing that I really liked on course was that I felt like I had a variation in the trajectory I could hit all the way up to 7 Iron.  Depending on how high or low I hit on the face I could get it to hit and check up on the green or I could get it to run like crazy down the fairway on an approach.  The only thing I didn’t like as much was the distance on mishit.  For me the mishits tended to be a little hot and like to run.  I overcooked more than a few greens even landing well short of the green.  Its obviously my issue but vs. my gamers which still check up on mishits it’s worth a half point deduction.

(So happy to have her out with me that I can forgive stepping on my birdie line)

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The Good, the Bad, the in between (4.5/5)

The bad

  • As mentioned in on course performance the only middling issue I would have is that my mishits with them tended to run and run like hell.  Something that was not the case when I had my gamer shafts in the heads that currently are attached to the Modus.  It’s not a huge issue but it’s the only head scratcher for me with these shafts. 

The in between

 

  • The weight class.  I like this weight and I am used to it from playing similar shafts, but some might find it too heavy and it may exacerbate elbow issues that you have.  I will note that the slight difference in kick combined with weight did cause an old elbow twinge from when I first transitioned to steel shafts to resurface for a couple days. 

The good

  •  
  • The weight class again.  It’s not so light that it doesn’t feel stable or lack feel but also not so heavy that it feels like you’re swinging a sledge. 
  • They are very easy for me to load without feeling whippy and heavily lend themselves to the tempo of my swing.  (Most of my acceleration happens at the bottom and my transition isn’t where the shaft initially loads).  These shafts are responsile for one of a big lightbulb moment for me with my swing when I realized that a ¾ speed towel drill strike was getting out almost as far as my full swings.  Contact>Raw speed.  The smoother my swing got the better the Modus 115s did for me.
  • Despite the shaft doing better when you swung smooth it didn’t get out of sorts when I couldn’t stop myself from trying to step on it and swinging too hard or transitioning aggressively.   The result of those swings wasn’t good, but it also wasn’t bad.   I didn’t generate very many pull hooks or banana slices playing them.  Something definitely not true of my gamers.
  • Ease of use.  I could adjust the trajectory pretty easily and get different types of shots out of the shaft without much effort.

More Swing Videos

Play it or Trade it (4.5 / 5)

I’m keeping these though I haven’t settled on a final bag yet.  For now I’m going mixed bag with 4/5 in Modus and 6/PW in the TT Elevate Tours I’ve been playing.  I’ve played it a couple times that way and it’s akin to mixed heads – more stable and forgiving at the top end and more workable at the bottom end.  The runout on mishits is a concern for me but in the end a straight-ish ball rolling over the green is much preferable to a hard pull into the trees.  I’ve already been hitting more greens with the 4 and 5 iron attached to the Modus shafts than I was before.  

That said I’m still going to be testing for the foreseeable future to settle on whether to fully migrate to the Modus 115s.  I’ll be tinkering, starting with trying a couple modus shafts out in my PW & 9 to see whether or not they perform better than the gamers in the 639 cb heads.  I’ll keep updating as I do.

 

Conclusion 

I was genuinely curious to test them in comparison to my gamers.  The descriptions said they’d be similar, but I didn’t expect for them to be so immediately playable for me.  I’ve played with a lot of other shafts that are moderate tempo mid/mid’s and I hadn’t encountered one that I got along with as well as the Modus 115s aside from the TT Elevate tours.  They don’t disappoint, are very stable, and provide good results for me both when I’m swinging well and when my swing is not at its best.  With that in mind I think that Nippon has a very strong product on their hands that could even managed to stand out amidst the rest of it’s stellar lineup.      

Final Score (28.5 / 30)

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Driver

311062546_PXG_LogoSmall.jpg.1ff58b767d1fb1cdfeac9a387718766e.jpg  0811XT -- Tensei CK Orange 60

Woods

PXG_Logo Small.jpg 0211 3W -- Tensei AV Raw Blue

Hybrids

image.png.374545efa45a29aed00287677e783604.png  0317X 2&4 -- Tensei AV Raw Blue 

Irons 

:srixon-small: ZX7 4/AW -- C-Taper Lite 110

Wedges

:cleveland-small:  RTX Zipcore 56 Mid @55° -- TT DG Spinner

Putter

Test.png DF2.1 or Link.1 -- Accra

Ball

:srixon-small:  Zstar Diamond

 

Link to review
Looks
Feel
Performance
Overall

In case you haven't seen it, here is my intro for this...

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/34-nippon-modus-115-iron-shafts/?do=findComment&comment=8092

Early Impressions.

These shafts are clean and simple but exude class. To me they look like they mean business.

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I can't tell you what it was like to build them, my club pro did the hard work for me but what a beautiful job he did!!

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I can definitely feel the added weight compared to the old shafts but they do feel stable. I will add more once I have used them in anger.... But if the play as good as they look I will be in heaven 😍😍🥰

First Impressions 5 out of 5 stars

Aesthetics

I could wax lyrical about the looks of these but I think my comments in my first impressions say enough. In short I like these a lot!!.

Aesthetics 5 out of 5 stars

Data and on the course performance

Well, I had grand plans of firing up Arccos and being able to down load a pile data here for you all but life and the weather has gotten in the way.

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But what I can give you are some snippets to whet your appetites.

These shafts launch high. I hit them along side my gamers with the AMT White shafts and there was a definite difference. 

Here is my T100s wedge with the AMTs...

And here is the Cobra Wedge with the Modus shaft...

The two strikes felt the same yet the Modus just flies so much higher!! Even the 4 iron gets up and goes...

That leads nicely into distance. I was using these irons last year with the KBS C-Taper Lites and I was getting Ok distance. I was surprised that I lost no distance when I changed to the T100s, even though the T100s are higher lofted and more of a players iron. My average for a 9 iron was 120 metres or 131 yards. So when I came to a shot last weekend of 137 metres (149 yards) I decided to give the 9 iron a go just because I didn't want to go long. Boy was I surprised when I hit the ball 6 inches past the hole!! The same thing happened with my 7 iron, average of 140 metres (153 Yards) and I hit it 154 metres (168 yards) on the fly. These shafts for me have unleashed the true potential of the Cobra heads. I am at least a club longer with all of my irons and yet they still stop with the extra height.

Spin wise I have been getting a lot of spin on the greens but we are officially in winter so the greens are soft too. I do worry that, with the extra height, these could spin up too much into a stiff breeze and just kill the distance gains.

The other side affect of the shafts is that my ball flight is straighter. I had to adjust on the course and not aim for as much draw. I think this comes from where these shafts kick but I'm not complaining!!

Data 5 out of 5 stars

On the Course 5 out of 5 stars

Takeaway

These shafts are heavy but this makes them stable for me, they launch like missiles but have the distance to go with it and the spin seems to be controlled. But (and it's a big but) these are not for every one. I have a rhythmic swing with just enough speed to warrant stiff shafts and I think if I had a little less speed these shafts would not be a good fit.

 

If you are a person who needs light shafts, struggles with hitting the ball too high or has elbow or wrist injuries then I don't think these shafts are for you. Try them for sure but I think the 105s might be a better fit. 

So for me these are great shafts over all but maybe just a touch too heavy and launch just a touch too high for our windy conditions.

Takeaway 4 out of 5 stars.

Play or Trade

Well this is where the rubber hits the road, so to speak. Am I going to race out and throw these shafts in my T100s?

After reading the rest of this review you would think its an emphatic yes.... but you would be wrong.

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I think the combination of the stunning T100S heads and these shafts would launch the ball so high and create so much spin that they would be almost unplayable for me. Also I found swinging the extra weight in all of them to be tiring and I was have been feeling it at the end of rounds. So that leaves me with a conundrum, I like these shafts a lot but, for me, they need to be in power heads for them to truly work and that's not where I want my game to be. So they will be in my back up set and I may pull them out during the winter from time to time but they will not be replacing my current gamers. You could say that I am keeping them but really just to be admired from a distance and pulled out when I'm feeling brave

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Play Or Trade 2 and a half stars out of 5

Conclusion.

Nippon have done a fantastic job with these shafts and they fit into the range perfectly. In the right hands they will be absolute weapons. I recommend trying these during a fitting for sure but don't expect miracles. For me they are really good but not the best fit which is why they are staying on the sidelines.

Final Score  26.5 out of 30 Stars.

Thank you again to Nippon and MGS for allowing me to put these shafts to the test and thank you to my fellow spies for reading my thoughts. I hope it helps you with your search for the set of clubs you have been dreaming of...

Cheers, John 

 

In my :titleist-small: cart Bag:

Driver:    :cobra-small: King F9 9° - LH - Atmos Blue TS 6 Stiff
Woods:   :cobra-small: King F9 - LH - 3/4 Wood - Atmos Blue 7 Reg
               :srixon-small: Z U85 2 Iron
Irons:     :titelist-small: T200 4 Iron AMT White S300
  :titelist-small: T100S - LH - 3-48* - AMT White S300
Wedges:               Indi FLX- LH - 52° 56° 60° - True Temper Spinner Wedge shafts
Putter:    :rife-putters-1: 2 Bar Hybrid
Ball:        :titelist-small: Pro V1x

Testing: Haywood CB/MB Combo Iron Set, 4-7 Cavity backs, 8-PW Muscle Backs, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 Stiff, 2 Degrees stronger lofts.

Tracked By: :Arccos:

Follow me on Twitter @ham12_hampton and on Instagram @Nunfa0 

 

Link to review
Looks
Feel
Performance
Overall

Nippon Modus³ Tour 115 shaft Official MyGolfSpy review by Steve Davies (DStar) - 14th June 2022

 

Here's a link to my original introduction: 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/34-nippon-modus-115-iron-shafts/?do=findComment&comment=7900

Introduction:

Firstly, a huge thanks to MSG and Nippon for giving me the opportunity to test and review the Modus³ Tour shafts.

I’m 48, happily married with 2 amazing girls and I live in a lovely little town called Malvern in the heart of England. It’s a town made famous by its water, Morgan Motors and The Hills, 13 miles of stunning countryside. 

I’m a CNC programmer by trade so have a keen eye for quality and finish which I shall be running the shafts under.

I’m now playing off 12 after starting on 24 last year so my game is coming on well but inconsistency is my main problem. I’m practising as much as I can and would love to get to single figures by the end of this year - that’s my goal. 

I’m quite a physical player, high swing speed and like to attack the pin - maybe I should play the percentages more but I just can’t help it!

First Impressions: 5 out of 5

Unboxing golf shafts is not going to be the most exciting thing in the world. We see shafts every time we play so there’s nothing ‘new’ about a chrome tube. 

That said, I was a little excited as I’ve only had used shafts in the past as I have only bought used irons off eBay. 

As part of my pack I also received a nice Nippon goody bag with a couple of tee shirts, caps and ball marker which bumped the score to a solid 5! 

HjI5ed3qV5UnE_JIqrt37oIQ9aUq0bNbHNCm_p4ZQEYgAHdlrtd_0W-ZwQRRGvwCJwlJfEi0uzhD_VXQEz2BGy_mEjYT2c7gESXCtUVgPJdR5jYChcgElgZErvYH_omhIglvFwCTR4W6ErnkUw


 

Aesthetics: 5 out of 5

As I am a manufacturing engineer by trade, machining high quality components to very tight tolerances, I have a very keen eye for quality. Access to some very accurate measuring equipment helped in checking the physical quality. 

Initial measuring of the shafts found that they were very accurately produced, weight - length & tip diameter all very accurate.

The Nippon Modus³ shafts did not disappoint in this area. 

The finish and quality of the shafts is excellent. Weight, length and tip diameter were all exceptionally consistent. There were no sharp edges, poor graphics or damage to the shafts. 

Jb-AHkrUKGHbOSlCyk3sgvNfjKwAOWwBaJADcf-VvKqXh2M1VR9v1wpJSwar-H9AcIaXNyPBfGV7yUj_T1ZXvf3J1Rqb5HFDY6GzoVs9eooT2f0iEdS46KimoR1f4fN_gkjrven6D8Di5T36SA

The bright red logos were all in perfect alignment from the tip of the shaft. Nice, clear printing on the butt end showed the specifics for each individual shaft including length, batch number and manufacturing date.

dj5fLEnZwqOr-eEw2pGuk20T7PgJRBbxnyGahRIKZRv7HlLrpCXPhOJ6zVURiOoLg33MSMCnJTPRcWRvAABc8dm5fyDUyzFPRpVLhv-7n22l-nvmTWyoLInsDAMqnUwb2moFbEKJuHq8-lBhng

 

The numbers: 4.5 out of 5

The main aim of the test is to see how these shafts perform against the claims of the manufacturer and to see if the performance claims are true or just marketing gumph.

Nippon say:

“A fusion of flexible control and powerful straight-line performance made possible by a decade of commitment”

“The predictable medium trajectory and mid-low spin results in performance that closely matches your intentions, encourages confident shots and maximises the potential of both you and your club”

My current Dymanic Gold S300 are, from what I have read, a low launch - low spin shaft.

I have only used these so cannot comment whether, or not, that is true. I know, from testing on the GC2, that I have a bunch of figures as a start point and we will see how the figures for the Nippon Modus³ compare.

I know all manufacturers have different takes on spin, launch etc and there is no industry standard to work from so it cannot be a direct comparison. 

What I was looking for was a higher launch, more spin and tighter dispersion.

Here are the figures from my testing: 

 

fC4ZQSi1xmUEGTDjoLPDcm8AxDa8nQbIhhy2ZxuRFbuJmdc049MlX_R59IQV55G2wGWYtC0m8ggc6zLsdFP6IWQzF154le9GyZl3ChGyc0jb0zekR1i6txreVx8ibpp2ozy8JCl9AvmpP5LEZA

 

From my data it shows that the launch is slightly higher on the short irons and carry is slightly down on the old shafts but the spin is quite a bit higher. The ball speed is much more consistent across the new shafts too. 

The flight of the ball does seem to start a little lower but peak height seems higher and the ball is definitely stopping quicker on the greens which leads me to believe that there is a steeper angle of attack.

I’m not too familiar with how to extrapolate all of the data from the GC2 but dispersion was also much tighter.

Although I was looking for a higher launch, the fact that these do launch lower but come in steeper is a real game changer for me as I have been struggling to hold the greens which had altered how I was playing.

I find I’m now much more confident in attacking pins as I have more faith that the ball will hold.

The slight drop in distance is, I believe, down to the extra spin and is something I have no issues with. 


Out on the course: 5 out of 5

 

On the course I can only report good things about the shafts. My scoring has been better and my confidence higher since I’ve started to get used to the new shafts. 

It may be, in part, due to going to a shaft with an X-flex which may suit my swing better but these work! 

The reduced weight (approx 12g per club), compared to my old shafts, has made a real difference in my ability to know where the clubhead is during my swing and I feel I’m getting to the ball better, the doubt has gone and I feel I can be more attacking in my shot choice. 

I’ve even been able to shape - at will - a few shots which is something I’ve never felt I could do with the S300.

The ability to hold the ball on the green has made a massive difference to my game. We’ve got fast, hard greens at my course (running about 10 at the moment and they’ll get faster as summer progresses) so being able to go for the green is fantastic.

Here’s a downhill/down wind, 190y 6 iron:

o6c1MbFC_kYRBZSYjAUQ-kt1f-6kzkSIjgG1RbSlHjm5Kki948DIIxus8DDKGSL3lIMVPgCngmG6be_QDim20HP-91HWckohFu6zQi04zjNKtiyuVjXWeKKyXSbQhLfXMmgKfRqQT_cYqH8_tA

Not a chance of doing this with my old setup!!

 

The good, the bad and the indifferent: 5 out of 5

As you may be able to tell, I don’t have anything bad to say about the Nippon Modus³ Tour 115 shafts. 

They look great, perform really well and have made a big difference to my game.

If I was to be picky I could say that the launch is lower than expected but the end result is something I was looking for, hence the 0.5 point reduction on the numbers score.



Play it or trade it: 5 out of 5

These shafts are staying in the bag for sure, the improvement in my game has been nothing short of huge and I now have confidence to go for the pin and my playing partners have commented on how much better I am hitting the ball. 

If you're looking for a new steel shaft to give more spin and confidence I would highly recommend giving the Nippon Modus³ Tour a try.

 

Final score: 29.5 out of 30

 

Conclusion: 

It's been a bit of an eye opener for me as I'd never been fitted or really tried anything other that the clubs I've purchased off eBay based on my own assumptions of what I thought I needed. I can now see the benefit of trying different shafts and, going forward, I will be looking at fitting the rest of my bag properly.

I'll be trying the Nippon wedge shafts as soon as possible as I love the feel of the iron shafts and think it could be advantageous to have that feeling through all of my irons, especially the scoring clubs. 

 

I’d like to say a massive thanks to MyGolfSpy & Nippon for being able to test and review these new shafts. 

These opportunities are really fantastic for us average golfers and shows why MGS is such a valuable and reliable resource for us all. 

 

 

 

:cobra-small: RADSpeed 9° Matrix Black Tie X-Flex 🐺 

:cobra-small: F9 3/4 Wood Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 

:mizuno-small:CLK 19° Hybrid Speeder Evo HB S 

:mizuno-small: MP54 4-PW Nippon Modus³ Tour 115 X

:titleist-small: SM8 50° F-Grind 

:titleist-small: SM8 54° F-Grind 

:titleist-small: SM8 58° K-Grind 

DStar 'Malvern' Putter 

:titelist-small: AVX & -ProV1X

:footjoy-small: Tour-X 

"Hey mister, your clubs are the wrong way round"..

Link to review
Looks
Feel
Performance
Overall

Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 – Official MGS Forum Review by Tim Root

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As most of us on this forum are, I am an avid golfer, always looking for ways to improve my game.  In my Golf Lifetime, equipment manufacturing companies have done a tremendous job convincing me that if I play this ball like my favorite PGA Professional, or that driver like the winner of last week’s tournament, or buy this training device as endorsed by the “world’s greatest” teacher… all I have to do is show up to the course loaded with equipment (though not as previously loaded with cash) to shoot below par.  And to a certain extent, there is a lot of merit in finding the right piece of equipment to fit my game – but I won’t find it by watching tv commercials or looking at what the pro’s play… I will find it – as Ben Hogan would say… “in the dirt” (not to say I haven’t taken the bait more times than I care to admit). 

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As far as equipment is concerned, probably the last thing on my list for potential game improvement was the shaft… and more specifically, iron shafts.  Driver heads, iron sets, putters, wedges, balls, even grips are more likely to garner my excitement than an iron shaft.  Not to mention tees promising 4 more yards 😉.

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

So when I saw that MyGolfSpy was looking for participants to test iron shafts, my first impulse was to pass on this one… hoping the next opportunity to test would be a sexy piece of golf equipment to put in my bag and marvel at how amazing it looks… while searching for my ball in the woods.  Now, “common sense” and “my golf game” don’t often collide in the same sentence – but in reconsidering this opportunity, I started to research iron shafts, and how important they are to maximize performance in what I consider to be the single largest opportunity for improvement in my game… approach. 

I spent the last 8 months playing T200 irons fitted with Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Graphite shafts and honestly never felt I synced with them.  The club swung very monochrome when I was used to a full color palate.  I couldn’t feel the head, contact felt “clacky”, and even balls that seemed to fly on the intended target path and distance weren’t at all satisfying.  Initially I blamed the “game improvement” T200 completely for this.  Even though the T200’s are forged, they do have that pesky plate on the back, and it was hard not to overcome my mental thought of them having “plastic” as part of the DNA.

But the reality is – while that true forged head feel I had grown accustomed to with my old Mizuno MP-33’s and not quite so old MP-68’s was not as evident with the T200s – the bland feel was more to do with the shafts, not the heads.  I didn’t know this until I had these Modus3 Tour 115’s installed in the T200’s. 

The N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 shafts actually seemed to address several of the concerns I have with my “gamer” shafts.

From the Nipponshaft.com website:

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Trajectory control?  Spin Control?  Directly transmit power to clubhead and ball?  Lighter weight… but not too light described as a “golden spec”?  Yes, Please!!  I threw my name in the hat, and as good fortune would have it… I was chosen to be a tester.

First Impressions: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

 

AESTHETICS:

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They look great installed, don’t they?

These shafts look sleek, hot and fast.  The red graphics across the chrome silver shaft remind me of the Deltawing Racer from years back.

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Again, it is hard to understand or convey how a shaft’s looks make me more confident over a shot… but that box is checked with these Tour 115’s. 

Aesthetics: 5 out of 5 Stars

 

DATA:

Statistical analysis is a conundrum for me.  To my own detriment most likely, I put a lot more weight in “feel” and on the course results than I do into data analysis.  I am only just starting to gain understanding on launch monitor data and what it means beyond carry distances.  Though other testers will have better data and analysis than I have, I will offer a few data points from my Mevo+Pro (caveat – the LM data below is based on short range into net shots – total of 30 feet from LM to net).  

I recorded these samples just a few days apart using the same 7 iron head, first with the graphite shaft, and then with the new Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 shaft for comparison purposes. 

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Shot Patterns from Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Shafts:

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Compared to the N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 Shafts

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Aside from the obvious (I’m old and out of shape, similar to my mental acuity, my swing is weak and slow), a few things jump out at me – even not fully understanding what the LM Data is telling me.

  1. Consistently (though poor) swing between shafts – evidenced by fairly tight variances in swing speed, smash factor, club path, face path and face to target.  Eliminating some of the concerns I had about swinging better or worse from one day to the next.
  2. Carry distance was essentially the same between the shafts – which in itself could be included in point #1, but with point #3, I believe it deserves it’s own bullet.
  3. Height is about 7 yards lower in flight on average, Flight Time is the same, even with the lower ball flight.
  4. If I didn’t mention it before, the stability and consistency I was “feeling” with the Modus Tour 115 shafts is evident in the dispersion pattern in the samples above.  This is the confidence builder stat for me.
  5. Data that I’m not sure how to decipher: AoA was increased in Modus3 sample, which may have resulted in a lower Dynamic Loft (and lower ball flight).  Also, spin was a bit lower with the Modus shaft. 
  6. I should also mention, that the results from the LM data are extremely indicative of the results I have seen across all my irons with the Nippon shafts in range sessions and on the course.

This may be anecdotal, but when I changed to the Tour 115’s my scoring average started improving.  In the 20 rounds I have played with the Tour 115’s, my average score has dropped by 2.15 strokes and my handicap reflects the improvement as well:

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Statistics: 5 out of 5 Stars

 

ON THE COURSE:

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Because I’m a feel and results player (whether that is good or bad is up for debate), equipment satisfaction is derived from my swing feeling like it has life.  Knowing where my club head is throughout my swing, feeling it kick through the ball, being consistently in my expected flight window, going the distances I expect, and reacting on the ground the way I want it to.  With my iron shots, I’m looking for a boring flight (meaning not a pop-up, but more of a frozen rope), holds its line when struck correctly, hits the green with a hop and stop.  I struggled with my previous shafts on all those aspects.  The graphite shafts felt like a board through my swing – no “action”, with high trajectory shots that were inconsistent distances (both short and long) and line, and rolled out on the green.

However, the moment I installed the Modus3 Tour 115’s on the T200’s, all that changed.

Though the club feels noticeably heavier, that isn’t a detriment… if anything, I prefer the weighty feel.  I can feel the club head throughout my swing and can feel the shaft working for me as it loads for impact, kicking through the ball.  The trajectory is low and boring hitting my window, the distances are consistent and my shots seem to be holding their line better, probably due to a better trajectory and spin profile… which also gives me the ground reaction of “hop and stop” I want to see.  How much of that is confidence in the shaft to make a good swing, and how much is actual performance of the shaft… don’t know… don’t care…   RESULTS are king.

Course Performance: 5 out of 5 Stars

 

TAKE AWAY:

I fully admit I was predisposed to liking these shafts.  Being disgruntled with my pre-Modus3 setup, I was looking for a change.  But I wasn’t expecting that change to come solely in the form of a shaft.  And I certainly wasn’t expecting to LOVE my T200’s the way I do right now.  Granted, they aren’t butter like a Mizuno Blade, but with a better shaft fit for me – they provide every bit of feedback on my swing I need to execute good golf shots.  These Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 shafts are ALIVE, and brought those T200 heads back to life too.  What more can I ask?

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As irony would have it, I recently received the long ago ordered Mizuno Pro 221’s, so I will try to contrast and compare as much as possible in post-review comments (though two totally different heads makes it very subjective).  However, I can say it is VERY difficult to put down these T200’s … even with those shiny new blades looking at me (which is a HUGE statement for a tinkerer like me).  One thing I want to better understand is where the 115g weight fits with my swing compared to the 105g that I have in the Mizunos.  I really enjoy the extra weight compared to the graphite shafts previously installed in my T200’s, but will I get better performance from shaving off 10g?  With a slower swing speed such as mine, maybe… but if it means giving up the ‘action’ and ‘feel’ I am experiencing in these 115’s… the benefits would need to be pretty significant for me to consider it.

Take Away: 5 out of 5 Stars

 

PLAY OR TRADE:

My comments above have given a pretty clear indication on this, but let me double down…  these shafts are staying in my Gamers (T200’s) – without a doubt.  In fact, when I am ready for my next new set of irons (being a member of the Club Ho’s Anonymous thread… that could come sooner than later) I will be purchasing heads only, as I have the shaft that works for my game right now.   

Play it or Trade It: 5 out of 5 Stars

 

CONCLUSION:

The Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115 Shafts meet or exceed every expectation I had for them. 

Compared to my previously installed Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Graphite shafts, the Tour 115’s offer a better weight profile for my swing; lower trajectory for better control with no loss of distance; tighter dispersion on both distance and direction; and gives me the ability to feel my clubhead throughout the swing.  The Tour 115 shafts excel in stability through impact, and gives me confidence to make swings for shaping my shots when needed.  Where my previous shafts seemed to be a one trick pony, I rate the Tour 115’s as a team of stallions in my bag.

My shot making, and as a result my scoring, has improved since installing these shafts.  I would recommend these shafts to anyone looking to upgrade their irons.

Final Score: 29.5 out of 30 Stars

  • Titleist TSR3 9* (A2 setting) Driver - Graphite Design Tour AD UB-5 R1
  • Titleist TSR2+ 3 Wood - Graphite Design Tour AD UB-5 R1
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Link to review

115 Comments




8 hours ago, Nunfa0 said:

Oh my word, yet again the mods have seen fit to trust me with a test 😳. Thank you so much to Nippon and MyGolfSpy for this opportunity. I can't wait to get these shafts into my 2016 Cobra Forged Tecs and put them up against the AMT White S300s in my T100s irons 😁

Feel the same way.  This is like a twofor for me.  Not only do I get to test something, I also get to build something too.  There's an internal debate raging inside right now about whether I put them in my RSI2s or the 639 cbs...  or even swap them out somewhere along the way.  Either way, its going to be really fun to compare them to the TT Elevate Tours I've been playing.  Spec wise they match up well.  I've also been playing the value level TT score LT's so I'll have that to compare against too. 

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55 Comments




I am pretty tempted here... Wouldn't mind putting them into my Wilson D7 Forged irons, but since I already have the 120's in my ZX7's, I will hold off and let someone else experience the magic that is Modus 😄 Good luck to the applicants; these are going to be amazing!!

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Very cool! I just got my Sub70 699/699 Pro combo set with the shafts recommended by Jason within the last few months. Not ready to pull them apart quite yet. Look forward to reading the reviews!

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Ironically, almost perfect timing for me....................... I just went and was fitted for a new set of irons after not playing much last year due to work requirements interfering with home life and spare time.

Did try the Nippon 105's but they were too light, and the profile of the Tour Modus 3 120 did not match up with what I needed.

Have a set of Titleist T100 irons I would install these in, as this 115 was the shaft recommended to me, but availability of this new release makes it difficult to find in inventory anywhere at this time. 

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Ooh, new shafts. 

Always played Dynamic Gold as that's what my clubs came with. 

Would be great to try something new 🤞

edit: my DG S300 are a 'low' trajectory shaft and I'd like to be able to get a higher trajectory as our greens are firm and it would be great to have the steeper angle of attack to help hold the greens more 🙂 The 115's appear to be higher spin and trajectory.

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You know, I just may apply for this … had my used TM M1 irons that I bought from off the rack custom fitted into Nippon’s Pro Modus 105s and absolutely loved them.

From there, I had those shafts pulled and placed into Maltbys, still loved them. Dabbled and had a failed attempt with Cobra’s OL F9 irons with the 105s as well; not the shafts fault. 

Now I’ve got Nippon’s PING AWT 2.0 in my current set of G425 irons and love them, but do wish they were just slightly heavier. 

Always felt TT’s DG line of shafts were just too boardy for me.

Def a worthwhile test for anyone to try. I’m a little biased and will likely wax poetically about the Pro Modus line of shafts. Lol

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2 hours ago, Headhammer said:

"According to Nippon, N.S. PRO MODUS Tour shafts are designed to address the exacting requirements of elite professional and competitive amateur golfers."

YEP, I'm out!🙃

I've seen what you're capable of first hand in #CC4... nearly an ace if I recall!  If that's not Elite than I don't know what is! 

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