RobinArthur Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Hey Folks - Just wanted to say that I'm out of the hospital and all my health challenges are OVER! I've had quite an out-pouring of concern and well wishes that i'm truly thankful for... So now let's get on to some FUN!!! Let me know how I can help... Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Undershooter Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Glad you are doing well! Driver- Tmag 2017 M2 tour issue 8.5* actual loft 7.8* w/ HZRDS Green PVD 70TX" Fairway Metal- Taylormade SLDR Mini Driver 12* w/ Fujikura Rombax TP95-X" Utility- Mizuno MPH5 1 iron w/ Aldila RIP 85X (depending on course/ conditions) Irons- Mizuno MP- FLI HI 2i w/ Aldila Proto ByYou 100X Mizuno MP59 4i-6I w/ PX 6.5 Mizuno MP69 7i-PW w/ PX 6.5 Wedges- Scratch 8620 Driver/Slider set. 50*, 54* bent to 55* and 60* Putter- Taylormade Spider Tour w/ flow neck Ball- Bridgestone Tour B X Bag- Sun Mountain C130 Supercharged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighFade Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Glad to hear it! Now get out there and PLAY. and then POST about it on MyGolfSpy. There is no spoon. WITB TaylorMade M3 Callaway Diablo 15° Callaway Diablo 18° Callaway Steelhead XR Pro 4-W Mizuno TP-4 50, 54, 58 TaylorMade Rossa Monza Spyder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy Barbajo Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Welcome back Robin! Gotta say, I LOVE my Caliber HY hybrid shaft. Put it in an old Hogan #1 hybrid and it's as good as anything I've played. What's new in the XCaliber line? What's in the bag: Driver: TSR3; DynaPWR Carbon FW Wood: DynaPWR 3-wood; TSR 2+ Hybrids: PXG Gen4 18-degree Utility Irons: ZX MkII 20* Irons:; 699/699 Pro V2 Combo; D9 Forged; MT86 (coming soon!); VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; Wedges: RTX6 Zipcore Putter: HB Soft Milled 10.5; Newport Special Select; Willamette, BB8; 8802; MATI Monto Ball: Tour B RXS; Z-STAR Diamond; Triad Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: Follow @golfspybarbajo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revkev Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 You certainly have been in my thoughts and prayers, great news! Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60 Aldila R flex - 42.25 inches SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft Ping G410 7, 9 wood Alta 65 R flex Srixon ZX5 MK II 5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex India 52,56 (60 pending) UST recoil 75's R flex Evon roll ER 5 32 inches It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BK in TEXAS Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Health issues are no fun. Glad you're doing well. MENTOR, L4 COACH & TRAINER FIRST TEE GREATER HOUSTON HDCP: 8.3 (GHIN: 3143312) In my bag, April 2023 TS3 Driver & 4 Wood Hzrdous Smoke Shaft (Stiff Flex) TS2 Hybrids Mitsubishi Tensei Shaft (Stiff Flex) MP-59 5-PW; KBS Tour (Regular Flex) SM8 Wedges EVNROLL ER2 Putter SRIXON Z-STAR DIAMOND BALL Sun Mountain Cart Bag 4.0 Push Cart (I'm walking 9 outta 10 rounds!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wbealsd Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Glad you're "up & running!" What's In the Bag Driver - GBB Hybrids Halo XL Halo 18* & T-Rail 20* Irons T-Rail 2.0 Wedges 60* TS / SCOR 48* 53* 58* Putter Ball Bag Datrek DG Lite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny B Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Welcome back! Looking forward to your posts. “We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinArthur Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 First of all, thank you all SO MUCH for your kind words. It's been a tough couple/few years but the worst is behind me, and the horizon is nothing but smooth sailing and positivity going forward! So what's new I was asked. Well, a bunch. And i hope i'm not over-stepping my bounds as a member and not yet a sponsor (which is in-work) but here goes some info - on irons. There has been a lot of questions posed to me re: heavy iron shafts. And I'm glad those question have been asked. I can answer those questions specifically how they relate to my own conceptual, design and testing philosophies; and how that it further relates to all the XCaliber irons and esp. the new Tour X Series. So here's "primer" if you will on how I come to my initial concepts, then design, testing and of course final selection of a new product. The first thing I've done for you (all) is to provide a spec sheet showing the nominal specs on all the XCaliber irons including the zone frequencies which gives me/us an idea on the distribution of stiffness. If you'd like, i can also provide comparisons to all the other shafts for your review, but honestly should check w/ MGS mgt. before doing so... Anyway, BIG note here: There are those who think zone frequencies serve NO purpose for design and shaft-shaft comparisons...an assumption by folks who do NOT design shafts, nor have over 300 Tour wins with their designs. I'm one of the 2 people who in the mid-90s started using another approach called EI curves - a basic mechanical engineering beam theory concept - and its application for distribution of mechanical properties. Perhaps some/most have heard EIs as touted as the end-all approach. Not true. That methodology though more accurate, is also more costly, timely and I (and folks like Tom W., GeraldH, +++) can get the same relative data using zone frequencies for relative comparisons, and of course design iterations, fitting, etc. Let's start w/ conceptualization. For the original XCaliber irons, I wanted a unique performing iron that would allow average golfers to achieve proper launch and spin characteristics for their game but was also different than anything out there. I eval'd my older designs, what was in the mkt., and decided I wanted something w/ a VERY low balance point (an often, very over-looked aspect of design but is a component of launch and spin...) but also a bottom section w/ enough stiffness to not allow too much spin (see the attached spec sheet). After countless hours of personally over-seeing player testing w/ different designs, THEN sending out the ‘finalists†for "blind†testing all over the country w/ “golf nutsâ€â€¦ … and supporters - avoiding me as a "tester influence/bias†which is REAL - a final design was selected and marketed. Now, for the Tour X (heavier) irons this approach needed a lot more consideration because of the inherent dampening properties of carbon fiber (graphite as some think it's incorrectly named...but we'll go w/ that...). My thoughts were that practically ALL heavy, 100% graphite shafts never really made it on Tour UNLESS the Tour player was paid handsomely very low balance point shafts> and/or due to the extra weight of the shafts resulted in very inconsistent shaft-shaft specs from the factories. But the real major negative feature was that when one uses 105, 125 or more grams of all graphite, the material dampens out SO much energy that the subjective feel is SO different than steel, that that aspect in itself caused the better gofers to avoid using all-graphite shafts as they were NOT getting the feedback they were used to. So my ultimate goal was to provide golfers used to steel products an alternative that was not 100% graphite - obviously a home-run would be for Tour players, but also for golfers of all abilities (thus the weight categories). So.....what to do? Taking a lesson from an older design I did w/ Art Chou and Titleist for their origin Starship program, I simply thought i needed a new material that could bring up the weight, add structural benefits (stiffness, torsional properties, balance point control to a degree...) w/o having to use so much carbon fiber. After looking at a bunch of different options, i found a material that I could use as a single wrap, or ply around the graphite base structure. Further and to take a page out of Eli Callaway's book...I also REALLY wanted something that was "pleasing different, and demonstrably superior...". T he material (patented) I settled on to design around is a high-strain, woven, structural glass coated with a metallic material (basically an structural aluminum compound), that met those requirements. Truthfully, the initial reactions to my first designs esp. on the 95 gram were not as I would have hoped. I had "the look", but not shafts' performance that I'd put my name on. Using zone frequencies and balance point iterations, the next go-around was astounding and unexpected. I started w/ scratch or better golfers and to a man, all would hit a couple shots, turn-around and say..."what the hell is this...?". The shafts had a "tweener" feel - not really steel, definitely not graphite AND they had the launch characteristics of steel. Honestly, I was flabbergasted...but not swayed until after almost a year was I convinced and released the 95 and 105 gram versions. But hold on...note when looking at the specs and esp. the zone frequencies you'll see a progression of lower end stiffness. BUT, when I was designing the 85 gram version from the 105, to the 95, etc. I made what I thought was maybe a nutty decision to really soften up the shaft at both the upper and lower sections (esp. since the target mkt. was for average to better players perhaps moving from steel and wanted a lighter shaft w/ steel launch characteristics...and looked WAY kule... ... Truthfully again, I got lucky...the very first design on the 85 gram version was freakin' stellar. It's never happened to me before. And truthfully part 3, I'm going to be looking at iterations of the 95 and 105 gram versions to see if that approach might give me other options for different players , and/or improve what I think are already solid designs. Time and your help will tell eh? Finally, in looking at the XCaliber Tour SL (super lite) irons at 65 grams, I decided to use another approach - filament winding instead of sheet wrapped (probably 90%+ of all graphite shafts are sheet-wrapped - imagine making a cigar by wrapping individual leaves around a skinny mandrel; vs. continuously winding around a spinning mandrel). Anyway, all the competitor super lite weight shafts I tested had 2 things in common: 1- They FELT light, and; 2- They typically hit the ball way high with a lot of spin even on the stiffer flexes. To "fix" both I coupled a slightly weaker upper, w/ low balance point and a dang stiff lower section unlike any 65 or less gram shafts out there. Note the low balance point etc. on the attached. They work and simply do not feel light....i got lucky again... ... Hope all this helps a bit re: iron designs... Thoughts? RobinThere has been a lot of questions posed to me re: heavy iron shafts. And I'm glad those question have been asked. I can answer those questions specifically how they relate to my own conceptual, design and testing philosophies; and how that rlates to all the XCaliber irons and esp. the new Tour X Series. So here's "primer" if you will on how I come to my initial concepts, then design, testing and of course final selection of a new product. The first thing I've done for you (all) is to provide a spec sheet showing the nominal specs on all the XCaliber irons including the zone frequencies which gives me/us an idea on the distribution of stiffness. BIG note here: There are those who think zone frequencies serve NO purpose for design and shaft-shaft comparisons...an assumption by folks who do NOT design shafts, nor have over 300 Tour wins with their designs. I'm one of the 2 people who in the mid-90s started using another approach called EI curves - a basic mechanical engineering beam theory concept - and its application for distribution of mechanical properties. Perhaps some/most have heard EIs as touted as the end-all approach. Not true. That methodology though more accurate, is also more costly, timely and I (and folks like Tom W., GeraldH, +++) can get the same relative data using zone frequencies for relative comparisons, and of course design iterations, fitting, etc. Let's start w/ conceptualization. For the original XCaliber irons, I wanted a unique performing iron that would allow average golfers to achieve proper launch and spin characteristics for their game but was also different than anything out there. I eval'd my older designs, what was in the mkt., and decided I wanted something w/ a VERY low balance point (an often, very over-looked aspect of design but is a component of launch and spin...) but also a bottom section w/ enough stiffness to not allow too much spin (see the attached spec sheet). After countless hours of personally over-seeing player testing w/ different designs, THEN sending out the ‘finalists†for "blind†testing all over the country w/ “golf nutsâ€â€¦ … and supporters - avoiding me as a "tester influence/bias†which is REAL - a final design was selected and marketed. Now, for the Tour X (heavier) irons this approach needed a lot more consideration because of the inherent dampening properties of carbon fiber (graphite as some think it's incorrectly named...but we'll go w/ that...). My thoughts were that practically ALL heavy, 100% graphite shafts never really made it on Tour UNLESS the Tour player was paid handsomely very low balance point shafts> and/or due to the extra weight of the shafts resulted in very inconsistent shaft-shaft specs from the factories. But the real major negative feature was that when one uses 105, 125 or more grams of all graphite, the material dampens out SO much energy that the subjective feel is SO different than steel, that that aspect in itself caused the better gofers to avoid using all-graphite shafts as they were NOT getting the feedback they were used to. So my ultimate goal was to provide golfers used to steel products an alternative that was not 100% graphite - obviously a home-run would be for Tour players, but also for golfers of all abilities (thus the weight categories). So.....what to do? Taking a lesson from an older design I did w/ Art Chou and Titleist for their origin Starship program, I simply thought i needed a new material that could bring up the weight, add structural benefits (stiffness, torsional properties, balance point control to a degree...) w/o having to use so much carbon fiber. After looking at a bunch of different options, i found a material that I could use as a single wrap, or ply around the graphite base structure. Further and to take a page out of Eli Callaway's book...I also REALLY wanted something that was "pleasing different, and demonstrably superior...". T he material (patented) I settled on to design around is a high-strain, woven, structural glass coated with a metallic material (basically an structural aluminum compound), that met those requirements. Truthfully, the initial reactions to my first designs esp. on the 95 gram were not as I would have hoped. I had "the look", but not shafts' performance that I'd put my name on. Using zone frequencies and balance point iterations, the next go-around was astounding and unexpected. I started w/ scratch or better golfers and to a man, all would hit a couple shots, turn-around and say..."what the hell is this...?". The shafts had a "tweener" feel - not really steel, definitely not graphite AND they had the launch characteristics of steel. Honestly, I was flabbergasted...but not swayed until after almost a year was I convinced and released the 95 and 105 gram versions. But hold on...note when looking at the specs and esp. the zone frequencies you'll see a progression of lower end stiffness. BUT, when I was designing the 85 gram version from the 105, to the 95, etc. I made what I thought was maybe a nutty decision to really soften up the shaft at both the upper and lower sections (esp. since the target mkt. was for average to better players perhaps moving from steel and wanted a lighter shaft w/ steel launch characteristics...and looked WAY kule... ... Truthfully again, I got lucky...the very first design on the 85 gram version was freakin' stellar. It's never happened to me before. And truthfully part 3, I'm going to be looking at iterations of the 95 and 105 gram versions to see if that approach might give me other options for different players , and/or improve what I think are already solid designs. Time and your help will tell eh? Finally, in looking at the XCaliber Tour SL (super lite) irons at 65 grams, I decided to use another approach - filament winding instead of sheet wrapped (probably 90%+ of all graphite shafts are sheet-wrapped - imagine making a cigar by wrapping individual leaves around a skinny mandrel; vs. continuously winding around a spinning mandrel). Anyway, all the competitor super lite weight shafts I tested had 2 things in common: 1- They FELT light, and; 2- They typically hit the ball way high with a lot of spin even on the stiffer flexes. To "fix" both I coupled a slightly weaker upper, w/ low balance point and a dang stiff lower section unlike any 65 or less gram shafts out there. Note the low balance point etc. on the attached. They work and simply do not feel light....i got lucky again... ... Hope all this helps a bit re: iron designs... Thoughts? Robin > Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy Barbajo Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Wow, you are feeling better! There's a ton to absorb - I know I'll have some questions for you -- gotta digest some of this info. Another brick in the wall of my education What's in the bag: Driver: TSR3; DynaPWR Carbon FW Wood: DynaPWR 3-wood; TSR 2+ Hybrids: PXG Gen4 18-degree Utility Irons: ZX MkII 20* Irons:; 699/699 Pro V2 Combo; D9 Forged; MT86 (coming soon!); VIP 1025 V-Foil MB/CB; Wedges: RTX6 Zipcore Putter: HB Soft Milled 10.5; Newport Special Select; Willamette, BB8; 8802; MATI Monto Ball: Tour B RXS; Z-STAR Diamond; Triad Stat Tracker/GPS Watch: Follow @golfspybarbajo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superduper Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Wish you a good health Robin, I'm an Xcaliber user (the standard red wood version). My experience with this shaft is pretty good. Nothing to complain about. But I checked golfworks website, there is no new version of the Tour Fairway wood version (the last year model was black). And I hope you are releasing a new model for the tour version. I use the fairway tour version and it has lowered my spin a lot. No more ballooning on my 3 wood. Also any chance to release an iron steel shaft in the 90g weight range? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinArthur Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Hey Barbajo...n SuperDuper! Thx for the kind words... Right now I am not planning on releasing any new Tour FWs as we've had quite a bit of success with the current design. What changes to the current design did you have in mind? Higher flight, even lower, etc., etc?. As I was speaking above, my answer to the steel 90-95 gram category is the XCaliber Tour X shafts in the 95 gram version (also available in 85 and 105 gm. versions). These are really solid performers but again I'm always looking for incremental improvements in performance over the existing design OR even a new look at completely new offerings in that weight category. So stay tuned for that... R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revkev Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Robin - so great to read the technical stuff even though I'm more into theology/philosophy than physics. The 85 gram iron shaft sounds like a dream! I also love the pic with your alma mater's hat on. I was born at Yale New Haven Hospital so now I feel at home. Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60 Aldila R flex - 42.25 inches SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft Ping G410 7, 9 wood Alta 65 R flex Srixon ZX5 MK II 5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex India 52,56 (60 pending) UST recoil 75's R flex Evon roll ER 5 32 inches It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinArthur Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Hi Father! Truth be told....i'm a lot more spiritual than technical too...... And I spent a LOT of time at the DUH - Dept. of Undergraduate health w/ basketball and football injuries and w/ me comrades in arms. I tell ya the campus and NH has changes SO much for the better. It's such a pleasure visiting there (and trying to remember little things like...."what an amazing room...hey, didn't we have a class in here...?...." Keep in touch. And if i can help in any way let me know. Blessings to all!!! Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattF Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Robin, just wanted to pop in and say that I'm going to be building a Trouble Out 5 wood and will be using one of your fairway shafts. I'm also toying with the idea of reshafting my 5 hybrid from the FST 90 to your hybrid shaft. Happy to hear you're on the mend. In the bag: Driver: Darkspeed X 9° UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X Blue 7F4 Fairway: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5 Irons: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4 Wedges: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4 Putter Sycamore 005 Wide Blade Bag: Fairway 14 stand bag Balls: Chrome Tour Cart: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8 God Bless America, God save the King, God defend New Zealand and thank Christ for Australia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinArthur Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Hey Matt - Very kule! Keep me posted on your results. Have a great weekend! R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That Bob Guy Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Hey Robin, Wow! It's been 5 months since the above post, and I hope you're feeling that much better. Wasn't aware you were ill. Good luck going forward. Take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That Bob Guy Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Oops, sorry! I never thought to pose this question to you on the last post... My insatiable appetite for all things golf, has taken me to counterbalanced clubs, and therefore, shafts themselves. I've recently ordered a set of Srixon z355 irons, that are counterbalanced. In both graphite and steel, they possess a .362 tip, and a higher balance point shaft. Also, heavier heads. Your thoughts on counterbalancing in general, and these shafts, would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.