Final Reviews: Nippon Modus 115 Iron Shafts

 

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.  

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.

 

• 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

 

 

 

 

• 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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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)

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)

 

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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

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 

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! 

 

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. 

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.

 

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: 

 

 

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:

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. 

 

 

 

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

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). 

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:

 

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:

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.

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. 

 

Shot Patterns from Mitsubishi Tensei Blue Shafts:

 

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

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:

Statistics: 5 out of 5 Stars

 

ON THE COURSE:

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?

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

A little preview of my testing in progress:

Two rounds under my belt with the N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 115's.  These shafts feel like home.  The feedback from these shafts compared to my previous (Mitsubishi Tensei Blue AV) are night and day.  Now, is that a "Graphite vs. Steel" result?  Maybe.  But the initial results seem to give me a more consistently lower launch angle, and for lack of a better word... less "clacky", even on middle of the face contact.  My backup irons have DGS300's, and the Nippon shafts are giving me similar improved launch conditions.   

Last round, I hit 7 out of 11 greens with these shafts - and other than one wind aided miss short - the greens missed were pin high.  Consistent, and expected distance.  

I'm not getting ahead of myself... plenty more testing both in play and on the LM, but these shafts are performers.

 

Are you finding they launch lower than you DG S300? 

I'm hoping they launch a bit higher for me as the DG are listed as a low launch shaft...

6 hours ago, DStar said:

Are you finding they launch lower than you DG S300? 

I'm hoping they launch a bit higher for me as the DG are listed as a low launch shaft...

Initial and preliminary testing... I found them a touch lower - but there are several factors at play in that specific comparison - to include shaft flex (stiff vs. regular) and different heads (T200 vs. MP68 - though I did consider the difference is club head lofts).  Also, your club head speed is in a different category than mine Dstar..  - so your results may be different than what I'm seeing... looking forward to your initial thoughts once you have "gamed" them.

Also, it occurs to me that I used the word "launch" when I may be meaning overall height.  The Tour 115's seemed to be a touch lower in height than the DG300's, I plan to work through a more detailed comparison on the launch monitor for launch angle, height and descent angle.  What I will say is that - on the course, the Tour 115's hit my "window" more consistently in the few rounds I have played with them.

Finish the build yesterday.  They feel very stable dry swinging and I'm planning to hit the range later this afternoon.  Tomorrow I'm putting them in play in a men's league tourney.

On 5/10/2022 at 12:01 AM, DStar said:

The quality of the shafts really is top drawer

I have to agree.  I found the spine on every shaft to be nearly the exact opposite of the decal on every shaft.  I flo'd a few of them and found that it was so close to 90 degrees off the spine that I just decided to mount decal up for all of them.  Who knows if this is true across the rest of your sets, or for production in general, but it is on mine.

Apologies for the messy workbench.  The garage is the only place where I get to organize my way.  

Super impressed you're building them up yourself - was that the only option, or just your preference? 

I have the Nippon 105s, and really loved them in fitting - just felt great. Cool to see their manufacturing quality is top-notch. 

Curious to see how they do for your league night!

-S

First swings at the range.   It was mostly contact drills to get aquainted with the shaft (and to work on my in progress swing). Even with slower contact drills I could see lower launch and trajectory than what I've been playing.  While noticeable, it wasn't drastic.  The ball seemed to start a bit lower and fly a more penetrating trajectory. 

End of the bucket I took about a 15 full swings.   Although trajectory and launch are lower than I'm used to spin and descent angle seem to be pretty solid.  I was able to hold the synthetic turf target greens at 125 and 140 yards.  I could not hit the one at 175 to tell on the longer irons.  Should be interesting to see how they actually play tomorrow.

One more note is that the shaft seemed to be quite easy to load without feeling too wiggly.  It worked better for me when I was taking smoother swings during contact drills (what I'm trying to swing like), but it didn't get way out of sorts on a couple over aggressive transitions(what I'm trying to get away from.)

  

 

1 hour ago, Syks7 said:

One more note is that the shaft seemed to be quite easy to load without feeling too wiggly.  It worked better for me when I was taking smoother swings during contact drills (what I'm trying to swing like), but it didn't get way out of sorts on a couple over aggressive transitions(what I'm trying to get away from.)

  

 

That’s what I love about the 120’s. They always feel in control, but I also feel them load on 3/4 and full swings a like. Glad to see they seem to have the magic with the 115’s too!

3 hours ago, Samsonite said:

Super impressed you're building them up yourself - was that the only option, or just your preference? 

I have the Nippon 105s, and really loved them in fitting - just felt great. Cool to see their manufacturing quality is top-notch. 

Curious to see how they do for your league night!

-S

Personal preference.  I started down the building rabbit hole last year and enjoyed it so much that I told my wife I'd discovered what I'm going to do to keep busy when I retire in 25 years.   

Mine are ready to collect so super excited to give them a try. Have an hour booked on the sim tomorrow morning then a tee time a bit later so should be nicely warmed up.

I'm going to play 18 with just the irons so that they all get a good 1st test on the course as I don't generally hit a lot of long irons due to my length off the tee.

 

First round in the books.  40/43 83.  

So, echoing my practice yesterday, you do not have to swing these shafts aggressively to get a lot out of them.  I played the entire day trying to match the tempo I have when I do the towel tucked in the trail arm drill and did not find myself wanting at all in regards to distance.  I hit an absurd 7 iron(strongly lofted) layup from 240 (intending to layup between 80-100 yards) that left me with 34 yards to the pin.  To be clear, I'm not calling this a miracle shaft.  The ground is already hard this time of year, the base layer of the turf is clay, and the 'Woodley Lake's roll' was in full effect.  This is partially humble brag, but more amazement of what I got out of the club and shaft from a very simple and smooth swing that put the sweet spot right on the ball.  If ever there was an example of swing 85% this is it.  

This brings me to observations about the trajectory today for the day, also heavily responsible for the long 7 iron.  For this round, it was quite a bit lower in play than what I've been playing.  Notably, in the longer irons up to 7, anything that landed short of the green tended to kick forward and grab some extra distance.  I had several shots early in the day that I landed short of the green that then bounded over to the back of the green.  However, if I actually hit he green with one of the longer irons, the ball bit hard then released forward a couple yards.  This was kind of interesting for me having been playing higher launch, trajectory shafts, that land like meteors and stick with minimal release.  It opened up some options that I'd been missing.  For the short irons 8,9,PW the launch and trajectory difference from my gamers was not as readily apparent.  If anything , it just looked like a slightly flighted shot.

Obviously, this is all with just north of 100 swings on the shafts so take it as what it is, very initial observations.  I'm curious to see whether some of the behaviors observed continue across multiple rounds.  One things for sure, I don't think it's going to be a chore. 

Loving the new ferrules.

Initial report to follow...

 

 

@DStar those look fantastic!  Too bad they're lefty... 

 

So I have a question for you testers.  One of my favorite things about the Modus 120 is that they feel solid/dense in the hands.  It's hard to explain but compared to the PX LZ and IO that I've used and tried the Modus feels so solid where the handle felt hollow in the PX offerings.  

Anyone pick up on that sensation with the Modus 115?  Or am I just crazy?

30 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BOS said:

@DStar those look fantastic!  Too bad they're lefty... 

 

So I have a question for you testers.  One of my favorite things about the Modus 120 is that they feel solid/dense in the hands.  It's hard to explain but compared to the PX LZ and IO that I've used and tried the Modus feels so solid where the handle felt hollow in the PX offerings.  

Anyone pick up on that sensation with the Modus 115?  Or am I just crazy?

+1 on this comment Bryan.   I was chalking this up to moving from graphite to steel (more solid feel even before contact with steel), but come to think of it... I get the same sensation when compared to some other steel shafts I have used.  

15 hours ago, GolfSpy_BOS said:

@DStar those look fantastic!  Too bad they're lefty... 

 

So I have a question for you testers.  One of my favorite things about the Modus 120 is that they feel solid/dense in the hands.  It's hard to explain but compared to the PX LZ and IO that I've used and tried the Modus feels so solid where the handle felt hollow in the PX offerings.  

Anyone pick up on that sensation with the Modus 115?  Or am I just crazy?

I do get what you mean Bryan. They do feel different to the DG S300 in a good way, as you say though, hard to explain why. The X-flex is definitely better suited to my swing and initial findings are that my spin is up but a slightly lower launch angle. However, due to the increased spin, the peak height does seem higher and I'm finding the ball is landing 'softer' on the greens so that's 2 ticks in the box for things I was looking to improve.

This was a 6i from 190y, downhill, into a par 5. Missed the eagle putt by a couple of inches:

 

Well I'm not talented enough, clever enough or cool enough to build my own set so I am getting my local club pro to do it for me. He sent me this as a tease tonight....

And my dogs are excited too...

On 5/18/2022 at 7:10 AM, GolfSpy_BOS said:

@DStar those look fantastic!  Too bad they're lefty... 

 

So I have a question for you testers.  One of my favorite things about the Modus 120 is that they feel solid/dense in the hands.  It's hard to explain but compared to the PX LZ and IO that I've used and tried the Modus feels so solid where the handle felt hollow in the PX offerings.  

Anyone pick up on that sensation with the Modus 115?  Or am I just crazy?

So far I would say, yes it has that stable feel in hand.  The flex isn't in   I haven't played the Modus 120s but I'm familiar enough with them, having hit them (a lot) on various heads at Roger Dunn, that I'm confident in saying that they feel pretty similar.   

The more I hit them, the more I think that while they're stable on all types of swings (I've been trying to transition more aggressively to test) they still work so much better if you swing smoother.  That seems to be true even if you're swinging at a swing speed that's typically thought of as below the 'flex' of the shaft.  I was fiddling around with the 7 iron yesterday trying to feel out a lower trajectory fullish non-punch swing(I like to hit out from under trees ) for a distance two clubs below the 7.  No matter what I did it felt loaded and stable.  I'll try to post some videos from a session yesterday when I figure out this shot tracer program....  

 

 have markedly different trajectories Obviously different trajectories but in hand  I for one, have not been able to get it to feel out of sorts yet and I've been trying to hammer it

So... I got less than nothing done today while sitting on my laptop at the dining room table, with the PGA on, while nerding out with shot tracking software.  I really swear I meant to work at some point today.  Maybe later....  

Here's kind of what I was talking about with the trajectory into the short irons.  The videos show a comparison between two heads on two different shafts.  The lofts are fairly comparable as were the carry distances I observed on my basic launch monitor.  As I  mentioned, there's not a ton between them at the middle to lower end of the bag though the Modus shafts do tend to offer slightly more piercing trajectories.  It'll be interesting when I finally get a on a real launch monitor.

PS: the shot traces are fairly accurate from launch to Apex.  The tracking indicators all lined up with the ball until you couldn't see it anymore.  Take landing with a grain of salt as it's just a projection based on launch.

 

Got out on the practice ground yesterday after picking up my clubs for the 2nd time due to a slight issue with the original build. The builder actually put a couple of shafts in wrong so things were a little out.

All sorted now with a new set of shafts fitted  

Wasn't looking at distance too much as I just wanted to get a feel for the shafts and see how they launched and what sort of dispersion I was getting. 

Started with my SM8 wedges to warm up, then went through PW to 4i. Really pleasing results it has to be said as I had a dispersion of, roughly, 10y either side so a total of around 20 yards across all the irons. Ball flight looked to be lower launch but a really nice peak height and appeared to be dropping softly. No idea on spin as the ground isn't mowed like a green...

I also tried a low 'punch' shot that I use quite a lot with my 6 & 8i. 8i to 100y, 6i to 150y keeping the ball low for under trees etc. This also worked really well and I was able to control the trajectory very nicely.  

On the weight side of things the addition of the new shafts has made a difference to my club weight of between 10 & 14g per club lighter and the result of that, in feel, is that the head seems much more noticeable. I feel like I can tell where the head is at all times which translated into a much more consistent swing that gave me much better dispersion. I never felt like I was just swinging the club, there's a really positive connection with the head.

I'll be doing another sim session this week to gather some more data then I'll be defending a trophy I won last year at the weekend. I've then got a 36 hole comp the weekend after so I'll be getting in as much practice as I can. 

So far, so good

On 5/23/2022 at 2:42 AM, DStar said:

Got out on the practice ground yesterday after picking up my clubs for the 2nd time due to a slight issue with the original build. The builder actually put a couple of shafts in wrong so things were a little out.

All sorted now with a new set of shafts fitted  

Wasn't looking at distance too much as I just wanted to get a feel for the shafts and see how they launched and what sort of dispersion I was getting. 

Started with my SM8 wedges to warm up, then went through PW to 4i. Really pleasing results it has to be said as I had a dispersion of, roughly, 10y either side so a total of around 20 yards across all the irons. Ball flight looked to be lower launch but a really nice peak height and appeared to be dropping softly. No idea on spin as the ground isn't mowed like a green...

I also tried a low 'punch' shot that I use quite a lot with my 6 & 8i. 8i to 100y, 6i to 150y keeping the ball low for under trees etc. This also worked really well and I was able to control the trajectory very nicely.  

On the weight side of things the addition of the new shafts has made a difference to my club weight of between 10 & 14g per club lighter and the result of that, in feel, is that the head seems much more noticeable. I feel like I can tell where the head is at all times which translated into a much more consistent swing that gave me much better dispersion. I never felt like I was just swinging the club, there's a really positive connection with the head.

I'll be doing another sim session this week to gather some more data then I'll be defending a trophy I won last year at the weekend. I've then got a 36 hole comp the weekend after so I'll be getting in as much practice as I can. 

So far, so good

I felt the same way when I moved up in weight from the C-Taper Lite shafts I was playing.  I got much more consistent and really didn't lose speed.  Hope that you're getting pumped for that 36 hole comp!  Looking forward to hearing how these shafts perform under pressure for you! 

8 hours ago, GolfSpy_BOS said:

I felt the same way when I moved up in weight from the C-Taper Lite shafts I was playing.  I got much more consistent and really didn't lose speed.  Hope that you're getting pumped for that 36 hole comp!  Looking forward to hearing how these shafts perform under pressure for you! 

I like the sound of the considering that I have replaced C-Tapers as well . The first thing I am looking for will be purely how far can I hit these clubs. I always felt the C-Tapers weren't right for me and It showed when I bought the T-100s. They are higher lofted than the Forged Tec heads I'm using for this test but I was still hitting them just as far so, for a change, I am hoping to see a jump in distance now I have these pretty shafts in the Cobras.

I finally have been able to swing these and my early thoughts are...

They are definitely heavier than the C-Tapers and the AMT whites.

They seem to launch like a Saturn 5 from Cape Canaveral 

So far they are very stable and consistent

Finally, they are LONG!!

Hey testers, hope the shafts are working well for you!

I had a question now that you’ve had some time with the new shafts.  For anyone who’s moved up or down in weight did you notice it a lot, and have you adjusted to that?  Is anyone thinking about wedge shafts or other parts of the bag now a result?

 

4 minutes ago, Nunfa0 said:

I finally have been able to swing these and my early thoughts are...

They are definitely heavier than the C-Tapers and the AMT whites.

They seem to launch like a Saturn 5 from Cape Canaveral 

So far they are very stable and consistent

Finally, they are LONG!!

Guess I could have refreshed before I asked my question! Haha

Nice to see you’re getting along with them!  So nice high launch and long… I’m guessing with that launch no problem holding greens?

4 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BOS said:

Guess I could have refreshed before I asked my question! Haha

Nice to see you’re getting along with them!  So nice high launch and long… I’m guessing with that launch no problem holding greens?

Actually, with us coming into winter, I may have spun a couple back off greens today . (nothing drastic just 4 or 5 feet)

Oh and when I say winter it was still 18* C (64*F) for the past couple of days.

8 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BOS said:

Hey testers, hope the shafts are working well for you!

I had a question now that you’ve had some time with the new shafts.  For anyone who’s moved up or down in weight did you notice it a lot, and have you adjusted to that?  Is anyone thinking about wedge shafts or other parts of the bag now a result?

 

I moved up in weight from my previous graphite shafts, and as a result made my irons much more playable... (read: Solid/Consistent!).  I will say that these shafts match closer to my wedge shafts, so I don't feel a need to change the wedges.  On the other end of the bag, I feel these 115's are a better transition into my hybrid and fairways than the lighter graphites as well.  At least, that is my take away.

I'm ready to pull out my existing DG AMT or Tour Elevate 115 from either set of clubs...previous user of NipponModus3 and looking to get back into them.

would love to try these but they appear to be just a little too much shaft for my game. 

Good luck everyone! 

Interested in giving these a go.

This is perfect timing for me to test this shaft as I am currently looking to get out of my DG300’s that are 130g.  I am currently trying out a stepped-down PX IO 6.0 and a DG 115 S300 in my 5 & 6 irons. Both are nice, but neither have really stood out enough for me to make the switch to the full set.  Would really welcome the opportunity to test the Nippon 115!

As a long time user of the Nippon iron shafts (currently gaming the NS Pro Modus 3 105s), I would love to install and test these babies!