2020 Official Member Review: Nippon Modus GOST Hybrid Shaft

[StrokerAce]

 

Who's ready for a little GOLF MATH ??

Graphite

Steel

G(raphite) O(n) S(teel) T(echnology)

Hybrid

lower scores, more greens in regulation? 

 

Let's find out!

Join me in congratulating our 4 testers of the Nippon G.O.S.T. hybrid shaft:
@Jmikecpa: REVIEW
@Bucky CC: REVIEW
@tehuti: REVIEW
@Dr Strangelove: REVIEW

Fairways and greens gentlemen!

 

[Jmikecpa]

Nippon GOST Hybrid Shaft Review June 21, 2020 by Jmikecpa

First off, I would like to thank MGS and Nippon for the opportunity to review this shaft.  I have been fortunate to do several reviews in the past but this is my first shaft only review.  A little about myself to start.

I am a 43 year old married father of three children and a giant Great Dane and currently live on Long Island about 15 minutes from Bethpage State Park.  I played D1 college golf in Philadelphia and a full slate of tournament golf for most of my 20’s.  When my son was born my tournament schedule began to dwindle down a bit and by the time #2 arrived it was non-existent.  Now that the kids are a little bit older I am getting the itch to play competitively again and this year was the perfect fit to give Open qualifying, AM qualifying and Mid-Am qualifying a go….and well Covid 19 happened so not sure any of that is possible.  So that being said most of my golf is at my home club in either men’s games or with my 14 year old son and 9 year old daughter.  My middle girl plays but is taking a break from golf this summer and playing tennis.

 

My game right now is dictated by how hot I can get with the putter.  My biggest strength is distance; at 43 years old I can still move it really well and hitting par 5’s in two is generally not tough for me and rarely come into them with more than a hybrid.  I recently dumped the 4 iron from my set in favor of a more forgiving utility iron to compliment my hybrid.  I have worked really hard over the last two seasons on my swing and finally have a move that is repeatable and not based on timing.  My current index is a 0.5 and in the last year I have been as low as a +1.7.  My normal ball flight is a high draw, but I am comfortable moving the ball both ways with low shots being something that I struggle with.  Now onto what we came for….WITB and how did I pick these clubs.

Earlier this season I did a full bag fitting with the PXG regional rep at Liberty National Golf Club and essentially took what I was playing and told him to beat it.  Well he did well and I currently have 13 PXG clubs in the bag and working to get the PXG putter in the bag this season.

Driver:  Gen 2 PXG 0811 XF 10.5* set to 9* with a Graphite Design AD VR 6x

Fairway:  Gen 2 PXG 0341X 15* set at 16* with a Graphite Design AD TP 7x

Hybrid:  Gen 2 0317X 19* with a KBS Proto 95x

Utility Iron:  Gen 2 0311X at 23* with a Graphite Design AD DI 95x

Irons:  5 – 6 Gen 3 PXG 0311T KBS $ Taper 130x 7 – PW PXG 0311 ST KBS $ Taper 130x

Wedges:  0311 Sugar Daddy 50*, 54* and 58* TTDG Tour Issue S400

Putter:  Rife 2 Bar Blade Long at 47”

My goal in getting fit for this bag was to get something that was thoroughly fit for me top to bottom and this bag is just that.  My index has gone up a bit but that is mostly due to the putter as my ball striking has been on fire.  When you put up a 77 after hitting 15 greens it is time to spend less time on the range and more time on the putting green.  I have rolled close to 500 putts a day since that round and the work is starting to pay off.

First Impressions

My first impression once I opened the pipe bomb from MGS is not fit for family media.  This shaft iis just stealth looking and gets some eyes on the range when the subtle but noticeable Nippon logo pops out.  It is kind of an under the radar product that not a lot of people really know about yet but those that know….know.  I have had at least half a dozen guys at my club ask to hit it just because they were intrigued about the technology.

In the past I have played the Steelfiber 125s in a set of Callaway Apex Pro’s so having a shaft that takes this technology one step further was very appealing to me.  I had to think hard but I don’t believe I have ever played a Nippon product in my life and not out of avoidance; just have not found one that fits my game.  I hit the Modus shafts in my latest fitting with PXG and they just were not for me compared to the results from the KBS $ Tapers.  One thing I have been told about Nippon from my club building friends is that they are just quality and always on spec.  This shaft was no different with a raw weight of 101g in the X flex and the raw weight was dead on save for the +/- 1g tolerance on my scale.  The other neat thing about this shaft is that at address it looks completely stepless like a graphite shaft but when run your hand down the length of the shaft the steps are noticeable to the touch.  Finish and trimmed weight came right in at 95g.

The Nippon GOST is billed as a shaft with the stability of steel and the feel of graphite with spin control, well sign me up.  The hard part or maybe the easy part of this review is that it did not have to beat anything to get into the bag, my gear was so new when this arrived that I just put it straight in and went out and played some golf.  For my review I will be talking more about how this performed in the head and not really how it performed against the KBS Proto just based on lack of experience with the KBS Proto.

Looks (10 out of 10)

This shaft just fits my eye and I like the stealth look, it just looks like it wants to be hit.  The finish reminds me a lot of my favorite hybrid of the last 10 years the Adams XTD with a Matrix Black Tie 85x.  I love the matte finish and the subtly graphics that can be easily hidden on the underside for a clean look.

Feel (9 out of 10)

The GOST blends a nice balance of smoothness with stability.  I was on the fence about the X or TX and I am glad I stayed in the X.  The feedback in solid and only a little harsh when you get one out on the toe or in on the heal.  I did struggle the first few rounds in hitting what I call a “chippy” hybrid that I normally hit from about 210 when and iron is not fitting my eye.  Overall, the billing on this shaft is exactly how it feels.

Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20)

Stock High draw…..check. 

High Cut….check.

Low bullet….check.

The shaft to me is just point and shoot. My stock high draw is very repeatable and have no issue hitting it off the deck or tee.  I have zero problem hitting my hybrid in any situation and the GOST just makes that an even better decision.  I have several tee shots at my club that depending on wind are either and iron or a hybrid and again I have no hesitation taking the cover off this bad boy and giving it a thump.  Best thing I can so is it is just solid and dependable.

On Course Performance (27 out of 30)

I had planned on doing some comparison between the GOST and my KBS Proto but after hitting about 100 balls with each on my LM the results were neck and neck between the two.  My average SS with my hybrid was 107 MPH with ball speeds in the mid 150’s and a carry distance on average around 247 yards.  The delta between the two shafts were statistically meaningless so it all came down to trust and feel for me.  I was able to hit just about any shot that I wanted to with the shaft and going for Par 5’s in two was not an issue just as playing a controlled tee ball for placement was not an issue either.  I did notice that the stock flight with the GOST lead to a bit more roll out than with the KBS which was interesting considering the statistical similarities between the two shafts.  My only complaint (minor as it may be) is that the little “chippy” hybrid takes some attention to hit, but it is possible just takes some more reps to get comfortable with it.  I can’t honestly say if this has helped my overall score, but I can say that it sure as hell hasn’t hurt it.

Miscellaneous (10 out of 10)

 

One thing about this shaft that needs to be covered is the stoutness.  I obviously can only speak for the X flex, but it needs to be hit and hit hard most of the time.  I have a lot of speed, but I am not a heavy loader of the shaft and it took me some time to get used to the stoutness of the shaft.  Once I did this thing is a beast, reminds me a lot of a smoother Matrix Black Tie.  Has all the stability of the Matrix without feeling boardy.

 

Play it or Trade it (18 out of 20)

 

The answer to this question is a bit of a contradiction to my review, I will not be playing this shaft in my hybrid.  However, I will be playing this shaft in my utility iron.  I played the last three rounds with the KBS Proto in the hybrid and it was just a tad easier to hit and delivered the same results.  I did however like this shaft so much that I think at least for me this suits me better in a utility/driving iron shaft so once I get back from West Virginia I will be doing a build for my 4 iron.  It is a small thing, but the touch shots seem to be a little easier to hit with the KBS in the hybrid and these are not shot that I hit with a 4 iron.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a solid offering from you hybrid that matches the feel of your irons and play Nippon….the GOST is for you.  I was pleased with the results that I got and even more pleased that I found a home in my bag for this shaft although not in the way that I thought that I would.  Again a huge thanks to MGS and Nippon for the opportunity to put the GOST through its paces.

[Bucky CC]

N.S. Pro Modus3 G.O.S.T. Hybrid Shaft – Official MGS Forum Review by Bucky CC (06/12/2020)

Hi, I’m Bucky CC.  You may remember me from such reviews as #CobraConnect Challenge 3, 2018 SuperSpeed golf, and Lead Paint: Delicious But Deadly.

Intro

While golf courses in Wisconsin had a late opening this year I have been able to get out for 12 rounds so far.  My 2020 handicap index has fluctuated between 4.9 and 5.9.  According to 49 Arccos rounds over the last year my biggest strength is putting and biggest weakness is driving (too many penalties off the tee).

I generally swing 105-110 mph with a driver.  I have an X flex in the big stick and 3 wood, but play stiff shafts in the hybrids and irons.  My pre-testing hybrid setup consisted of 3 (19°) and 4 (21°) Cobra F9 hybrids with Fujikura ATMOS 7 Stiff shafts.  I decided to try out the new GOST shaft in my 3 hybrid as I use it the most off the tee as a fairway finder and on 2nd shots into par 5’s.

With my old ATMOS 7 shaft I hit 42.6% fairways off the tee with a pretty equal mix of misses both left and right.  Arccos calculated my smart distance at 232 yards with an average dispersion of 18 yards.

On approach shots my distance drops slightly to 228.  Same dispersion issues though with misses to both the left and right of the green.

My top priority with the new GOST hybrid shaft is to improve dispersion.  If I could find more fairways off the tee without sacrificing distance I would consider it a smashing success.

First Impressions

Nippon is known for making high quality iron shafts with extremely tight tolerances.  I’ve hit them multiple times in club fittings and always came away impressed.

The story of the GOST shaft is trying to combine the easy launch and high trajectory of graphite with the solid feel and tight dispersion of steel.  Nippon is trying to give us regular guys all the advantages of graphite AND steel without the trade-offs associated with either material.

Unfortunately I was not able to get fit for my shaft before ordering due to so many places being shut down.  Looking at the GOST specs I decided that the Tour S most closely aligned with my previous setup.  I considered going for the X flex but the 101g weight scared me off a bit.  I wish Nippon would have included a general swing speed recommendation to show what their intended audience was for each flex.

Right out of the box it was love at first sight.  The solid matte black look is classy, timeless, and just about perfect.  I ended up placing the logo down to have a completely murdered out black on black look with the Cobra head.

After staring at the shaft for the better part of a minute I made a trip to my local pro to build the new club.  After installation the first thing I noticed was how heavy the club felt.  My old graphite ATMOS shaft weighed in at 75g while the Tour S flex GOST comes in at 91g.  Would I lose distance due to the heavier shaft?  What would the point of tighter dispersion be if my 3 hybrid dropped to the exact same distance as my 4 hybrid?  Did I dodge a bullet staying away from the 101g shaft?

In order to earn a permanent spot in my bag I need to see improved dispersion without a noticeable drop-off in distance.  To determine this I’m going to test out the shaft on my indoor SkyTrak setup along with on course tracking using Arccos.

Looks (10 out of 10 points) 

As I said before I’m a big fan of matte black clubs and shafts.  The actual graphics on the shaft are precise and understated (in a good way).  Where the club really shines is when you install it with the logo down; I love the all black and white look.

Feel (9 out of 10 points)

The shaft feels very stable and a bit on the heavy side.  When swinging full speed it definitely feels more like a steel shaft even though it obviously looks like a standard graphite shaft.

Aside from the weight it swings very solid and not at all flimsy.  I would have loved to try out the 101 gram X flex shaft before ordering to see if there were any differences with the stiffer shaft and heavier weight.  The load and kick were close enough to my ATMOS 7 shaft that there really wasn’t much of an adjustment period.

Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points)

I was lucky enough to purchase a SkyTrak before the pandemic hit in March.  After I was selected as a reviewer for this test I obtained a baseline of 35 shots over 3 separate sessions with my old ATMOS shaft.

I won’t post every single shot here but one thing I struggled with was a big miss to the right.  17 of my 35 shots (48.6%) were more than 10 yards to the right of my intended target.

Before my course opened up for the year I also spent some time with the new GOST shaft indoors.

Some of the key indoor findings:
•    ball speed 1.5mph higher with GOST
•    backspin increased 6%
•    same launch angle but higher peak height from more backspin
•    17 of 35 (48%) shots with old shaft more than 10 yards right; 4 of 30 (13.3%) shots with GOST
•    carry and total yards down ~1%
•    traded an avg 5.7 yard miss to the right for a 5.6 yard miss to the left

The biggest take-away from my indoor sessions were confidence that I was going to see similar distance numbers with the new shaft.  I was also intrigued to see if it would really eliminate my frequent misses to the right.

On-Course / LM Performance (30 out of 30 points)

I love having the Arccos system attached to my clubs so I can get real data to show exactly how a club is performing.

Arccos calculated my smart distance with the old ATMOS shaft as 232 yards off the tee with 42.6% fairways hit and an average dispersion of 18 yards.  The approach distance came in at 228 yards from a combination of fairway and rough shots.

The new GOST shaft showed a slight increase in Smart Distance to 234 yards with 58.3% fairways hit and average dispersion of 16 yards.  Approach distance was 223.

The differences in distance are neglible to me.  Course conditions, weather, being able to warm up properly before the round and a myriad of other issues would all have a slight effect on the total distance up or down.

But did you see that I hit 15.7% more fairways!?!  To do that without seeing a change in distance is monumental.  I can attest to feeling extremely confident on tight par 4’s when I have the GOST shaft in my hands.  I still have the occasional terrible shot off the tee (hence the dispersion not moving much), but I can 100% confirm being in better position with the GOST shaft.  15.7%!!!!!!  

Score-wise my handicap has not changed much but I have posted 8 straight rounds in the 70’s which I’ve never done before.  It feels like it’s just a matter of time before I put it all together for something really low.

This shaft has fully met my high expectations.  I’m not sure there is anything I would really want to see improved but it  does have me curious to see what the heavier X flex shaft would do.  Yeah I know, don’t mess with a good thing.

Miscellaneous (8 out of 10 points)

The one issue I have with this shaft is the overall cost of it.  At an MSRP of $250 you are looking at a shaft that costs greater than or equal to a brand new club.  My Cobra F9 originally retailed for $219 and now goes for $169 or less.  Each person has their own personal budget when it comes to golf but to me $250 for a hybrid shaft is definitely on the high end of things.  Can't ding them too much for coming out with a premium product and looking for a premium price.

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20 points)

Looking at the indoor numbers I was intrigued by the shaft but was not blown away by anything.  Most of my stats were within striking difference of the old shaft.  The biggest takeaway is that it appeared to eliminate the number of big misses to the right.

Where this really shined was on the course.  Having a 15.7% increase in fairways hit without sacrificing distance is exactly what I was looking for when I put my name in the testing pool.  This shaft is 100% staying in my bag.

Conclusion

Nippon created the N.S. Pro Modus3 G.O.S.T. Hybrid Shaft with the intent to give people the easy launch and high trajectory of graphite with the solid feel and tight dispersion of steel.  They hit the mark perfectly.  I saw a 15.7% increase in fairways off the tee without seeing any loss in distance.  Even with the higher MSRP of $250 I’m strongly considering buying a 2nd GOST shaft to put in my 4 hybrid.

Final Score: (95 out of 100 points)

[tehuti]

The Review – June 18, 2020

 Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Hybrid Shaft – Official MGS Forum Review by Larry C. Brown

Intro

Describe your game as much as necessary to help readers compare your needs to their own. 

●      I am a high handicapper – 24.4 at present. I occasionally break 100

●      I would say I have a moderate to slow swing tempo

●      Orange County, California we have no off season. January – March is the worst weather and that

consists of low temperatures in the 40s to 50s at worst.

●      Typical ball flight? My ball flight is generally low to mid height. In spite of my best efforts to hit the ball higher.

●      Typical miss? Typical miss is right.

●      Strengths/Weaknesses of your game? I am a short hitter, and my biggest issues are with anything between 5 iron and driver – basically longer than 150 yards. I am just not consistent at longer distances from the fairway. Off the tee it is not as much of an issue. Strengths are probably my chipping game. I feel most confident from inside 100 yards

●      Current gamer and how did you choose it? Were you fit?

I currently game a PXG Gen 1 0811X, 12* with a Project X Evenflow Blue regular flex shaft. I chose it because PXG has a killer deal on legacy clubs for veterans, active military and first responders, and I couldn’t pass it up. Just right place, right time. Nearly all of my clubs were custom made to my static specs. Not a proper fitting with a club pro. I bought them all online from PXG, Tour Edge, Gigagolf and Golfworks, except my putter. Prior to this review I had a Tour Edge HL3 #3 ironwood in the hybrid slot. I like the ironwoods because I hit them more consistently than a traditional hybrid, but I sacrifice some distance with them.

●      What is your #1 priority with the club in hand? Make solid contact to advance the ball.

●      Do you like taking chances with aggressive lines? I do and it usually ends badly for me.

●      How often can you reach par 5’s in 2? Rarely. Not long enough or accurate enough.

●      What’s your typical club into par 4s? Driver and 5 iron - 7 iron.

 

First Impressions

 

Not my favorite hybrid head, but good enough to give me a feel for this shaft.

• This shaft claims to be the perfect merger of steel and graphite – providing the advantages of both. Since I have been playing with graphite shafts for a long time I can only speak from that perspective. There is a definite difference between this shaft and my typical games.
•  I did not come into this review with any preconceived notions about Nippon shafts. My clubs mostly have UST Mamiya graphite shafts in regular flex. Either directly branded from UST or “Manufactured for” the club maker. That is mostly my experience, at least as of the last couple of years. I did recently buy a Maltby 4 wood with a Kuro Kage Black shaft in stiff. Since they tend to be softer than my typical regular flex shafts it was recommended that I go with stiff. It is an excellent shaft for me.
• If I did have any earlier notions it was that I did not think in general that the shaft made that big a difference from brand to brand given they had similar flex. However that changed when I got my PXG driver. I immediately noticed I had much better control and the club felt better than my prior drivers with UST shafts. The other exception is with Mitsubishi Kuro Kage shafts. They seem to be more whippy in Regular flex than what I am accustomed to and the one club I have with a KK shaft in S flex feels right. So if anything I am looking forward to see how this premium shaft performs. The idea that a shaft can cost more than what I would pay for any one club is foreign to me. And as a high handicapper I don’t see the return on investment. It will be interesting to read the perspectives of lower handicappers or scratch golfers who are looking for incremental improvements.

 My goal is not only to evaluate a new shaft but to hopefully solidify my hybrid game. I have been avoiding carrying a hybrid only because of how wildly inconsistent I am with them. If I can regain confidence in my ability to swing it this club will remain in my bag, no question. Most important first is just how confident I am with it in my hand. Then dispersion – am I firing balls all over the place or will I have a consistent miss? Can I use it off the tee and off the deck? And last, distance. Am I getting the distance I expect from this club?

•  I do not own or have access to a launch monitor so unfortunately I won’t be able to provide stats. My review will be primarily an objective comparison of how this shaft compares to the UST shaft it replaced.
• Over several range sessions (5-6) I am able to tell this shaft provides me with much more confidence and better dispersion. It is quite a bit heavier than what I am used to, and that is a good thing with this smaller head.
• Unfortunately, due to the Covid limitations and time constraints I have mostly been playing my usual 9 hole course and executive 18. Neither is a good candidate for me to use the hybrid for more than a couple of shots per round at best. I try to use it in situations that I would even when I am not reviewing it. However, I can report that I definitely have more success off the tee and the deck with the GOST shaft than I did with the original shaft. Again I believe the weight and flex actually work better for me, in spite of the fact that I have a slower, more moderate swing speed than the intended user.

 

Grading
 

Looks (8 out of 10 points)

Describe the following:

●      Coloring / Graphics

The matte black is a nice touch. Typically graphite shafts are glossy, which I prefer, but in this case I appreciate the contrast. Only 8 of 10 because nothing in the graphics really stands out to me.

●      How does the overall look come together? What does it remind you of?

In general I think it looks really good. Again, I do prefer the glossy graphite shafts with a bit of color for accent, but this is not a bad look.

●      Is the coloring likely to match a variety of clubs?

The matte is not likely to match a lot of other graphite clubs, unless that becomes a thing. But I don’t think it matters that much for a hybrid.

●      Other unique details:  N/A

 

Feel (9 out of 10 points)

Describe how the club sounds and feels

●      How is the weight? Balance? Can you feel the clubhead in your swing?

The weight is a bit heavier than I am used to for my typical graphite shafts, but that does not detract from the feel or performance for me. I can feel the clubhead and I actually prefer this shaft to the one it replaced.

●      How does it load? What is the kick like when swinging?

It’s a bit hard to articulate because it’s all based upon feel. But I seem to feel where the clubhead is at all times with the stiffer shaft. Maybe the original shaft was whippier than I realized, But I feel like I can deliver the clubhead to the ball more accurately now. That alone gives me more confidence, which helps me to strike the ball better.

●      Talk about stiffness, flexibility, and stability.

I always play regular flex shafts, since I have a moderate to slow swing speed. A flex is a bit too whippy for me. This shaft is considered stiff but I don’t notice a huge difference between it and my typical R flex shaft. The biggest difference is the weight. As for stability, I think this probably has more than I am accustomed to. The torque appears to be less than with my usual shafts.

 

Basic Characteristics (16 out of 20 points)

Describe the following compared to your current gamer:

●        Trajectory – High, low, or somewhere in between? Is it the height you want?

My trajectory is still low, but not necessarily in a bad way. I would prefer a slightly higher ball flight with this club.

●        Accuracy – Are you able to consistently hit your target?

So far I am considerably more accurate than with my original shaft. My ball flight is straight to a slight draw, whereas I never was able to draw the ball with anything else. So that is a nice benefit. Occasionally I will just block it right, but it doesn’t slice, just straight right.

●        Distance – Raw distance regardless of direction

I am getting the desired/expected distance with this club. As I gain more confidence and experience with it I hope to be able to increase my average distance with it. It gets me into that critical 160-175 range which I just didn’t have before.

●        List these data points compared to your current setup: ball speed, distance (carry/total), launch angle, backspin, sidespin, dispersion

(N/A unless I can gain access to a launch monitor)

●        Pressure – When you step up to a difficult tee box with something on the line (money, best score, danger on all sides) can you execute the shot you need to put yourself in position?

I would still consider it to be a pressure shot for me with this club off the tee. But at least now I would consider hitting it off the tee. Prior to swapping shafts I would have elected for a different club entirely merely because I would not trust myself to get a solid strike off the tee with it. In the few rounds where I was able to hit off the tee with it I struck the ball well.

 

On-Course / LM Performance (25 out of 30 points)

 

Final Performance Comments:

●      Overall, how did it perform?

There is no question that this is a superior shaft to what I am accustomed to. In spite of the erratic nature of my hybrid game I am hitting the ball more consistently, straighter and longer than with my original shaft.

●      How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of Nippon?

I didn’t really have an impression of Nippon prior to this test. For me the idea of buying an aftermarket shaft was not a consideration due to price and perceived value (for me). That being said, I can see how a professional or scratch golfer looking for an edge or a chance to shave another stroke or two off their average would consider a shaft upgrade like this.

●      What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model?

None. Just continue doing what you ae doing.

●      What feature do you really like, and would most like to see continued or evolved in future models?

The matte finish is actually nice.

●      Did it help improve your scores? By how much?

I can’t say it helped improve my scores because I did not have enough opportunities to use it. I believe it could save me as many as one or two strokes in the future since it fills a critical gap for me.

Miscellaneous (10 out of 10 points)

The little things matter, and this section will capture them. You can make this section about whatever you please and talk about the things that don’t fall neatly into one of the other categories. Some examples are: packaging and protection, speed of shipment, customer service interactions, accessories, personal touches, or comments made by playing partners.

 

• Overall I was pleased with everything related to the delivery of this shaft. I had Roger Dunn swap out my old shaft for this one and put a grip on. It took about a day to get it back in spite of the curbside only service. Painless under the circumstances. Initially I was concerned that I would not be able to get it built, since we began this right around the time that the pandemic started.

Play it or Trade it? (16 out of 20 points)

For this section, consider that all things are equal and you’re choosing whether or not you would put this shaft in play for a big tournament. Does it help you play your best? Or is it just another spoke in the revolving door? Do you think the asking price is fair for the product? If you could change some of your spec choices, would you? Finally, what type of golfer do you think this product would fit the best? If it’s not you, explain why.

• For me personally this shaft is not a good fit. At my level of play, especially with hybrids it would not make sense to upgrade to such an expensive shaft. I definitely see an improvement in my shot making and distance with it, but it’s only a marginal gain at best. It would be the best shaft in my entire bag, but not necessarily the best “for me”.
• It would appear to be geared toward scratch golfers and professionals who are seeking more control, less torque and possibly a few more yards. Points I took off for this are a reflection of the fact that the GOST would not be a fit for me, not based upon any perceived flaw in the product itself.

 

Conclusion

Consider this your TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read). If a member reads nothing but this paragraph, they should be able to get an idea of your thoughts. Summarize your review in a storytelling way that captures the main points from each section.

The Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Hybrid Shaft combines steel and graphite shaft technologies to produce a true “hybrid”. If graphite is not your preferred material for shafts I would urge you to consider this shaft. It has the benefits of both steel and graphite and I don’t really perceive any downside. Your hybrid is a specialty club, so why not pair it with a specialty shaft?

Final Score: (84 out of 100 points)

This is a fantastic after-market shaft, no question. I will continue to carry it in my bag. My rating of 84 out of 100 is based purely on how it fits with my game. As a high handicap player I would not see myself trying to upgrade to a shaft like this. The cost is prohibitive and would not provide me with enough improvements to my game to justify it. That being said, I can see why a more skilled player would want to add the GOST to their bag. Especially if you prefer the feel of steel to graphite. It would appear to provide the benefits of both in one shaft. It not only provided me with better dispersion but also the distance I am seeking from my hybrid. But the one intangible it really offers me is confidence. I feel greater confidence using the same club off the tee or in the fairway than I did with the original shaft. I have played with regular flex graphite shafted irons for quite some time so the difference in feel of the GOST is very noticeable. I can see myself possibly experimenting with different shaft flexes and materials in the future base upon my experience during this review.

I look forward to sharing some additional details of my experiences with it this summer.

     

GOST next to the original shaft. Graphics are nice, but nothing special. However I do like the matte finish.

Hole #2 Brea Creek 9. Par 3 hole. Most people get on in 2 (or worse). The Hole is diagonally across the creek, in the middle of the picture. Typically a hole that messes with people’s heads off the tee. I was able to hit a fairly accurate tee shot to the front fringe on the right side.

 

More range Day pics

I requested the graphics down.

Closeups of the graphics right after I received it.

Edited June 18, 2020 by tehuti

[Dr Strangelove]

Nippon G.O.S.T Hybrid Shaft – Official MGS Forum Review by Dr. Strangelove

Intro

I could not be more excited to review the Nippon NS Pro Modus G.O.S.T shaft.   

Like Phil Mickelson, I just turned 50.  Unlike Phil, my driver swing speed is only 100 MPH.  I am average height and weight and have average athletic ability.  I’m a smooth swinger with an even tempo.  At my lowest, I was a 9 handicap.  But I haven’t been below a 15 in years.  I currently sit at 18.  I have most fun playing a course around 6,400 yards.

Living in Michigan, I play about 3 times a month during the summer and a total of about 20 rounds a year.  And always before 7AM.  Practice?  Shmactice!  NEVER.  Pitching and chipping only which I do for about 5 minutes every other day.  My family and my job take priority and what’s left is split between golf and computers.

This past winter was an exception.  I signed up for the George Gankas course and also purchased a Skytrak which I worked with over the winter.

Irons are the strength of my game.  Chipping and pitching are the weakness.  I have the heebee-jeebies you see and a whiff on a short pitch on a real tight lie is not out of the question.  On full shots, I fear the wild left shot most.  Like Trevino said, “You can talk to a slice, but a hook won’t listen.” 

I subscribe to the rule promoted by Tom Wishon that amateurs should not be playing irons with less than 26 degree loft.  For that reason, I carry a 4 and 5 hybrid and start my irons at 6.  I change my irons very frequently.  I’m currently playing Ping G25s and have some PXG 0211 on the way.  I have not been able to replace my Callaway XR hybrids. I have been playing these for at least five years. Nothing gives me more confidence than the XR 26* 5-hybrid.  Crappy lie? The 5-hybrid.  Gotta put it in play and get decent distance? The 5-hybrd.  Need to stick it close… REAL close? The 5-hybrid.  I play it with the stock shaft, the Project X LZ in stiff, albeit at 38.5 which is the same length my 5 iron would be.

This review will evaluate two exactly spec’d Callaway XR hybrids.  The challenger NS Pro G.O.S.T. takes on the champion Project X LZ in my favorite club.  Can this shaft make my favorite club even better?  It’s a tall order.

 

First Impressions

I am a big fan of Nippon shafts.  And nothing fits my game better than the NS Pro 950GH.  So much that I won’t really consider another shaft for my irons.  It’s a bit of a problem given how often I change them.  So I was real excited about the NS Pro Modus G.O.S.T.  G.O.S.T. stands for Graphite on Steel Technology.  Nippon claims that this combination offers the best of steel shafts (consistency) and the best of a graphite shaft (weight and ability to engineer characteristics).

My thinking was that it’s a Nippon so it has to be good and favor a smooth swing like mine.  And it sounds like it should be more accurate than my gamer.  It just might have a chance to make my 5-hybrid even better!

My initial impression upon receiving the shaft was positive.  The NS Pro Modus G.O.S.T. is a good-looking shaft.  The matte paint and muted color give it a look of a shaft that would be played by a better player.  I’m not a fan of the label however.  It’s quite large and busy like it’s Pro Modus steel iron shaft counterpart.  

I much prefer the low-key labeling of the old NS Pro 950GH by comparison.  Typically, I prefer to play the shaft labels facing up as proper alignment with the clubhead gives me a sense of confidence that my club is aimed square.  I wouldn’t do it with this shaft.  This one will be face down if it’s a keeper.

I chose the NS Pro G.O.S.T. in a Stiff as it most closely (real closely) appeared to match the characteristics of my NS Pro 950GH Stiff iron shafts.  I thought the Tour Stiff would be too much.  I had demoed the NS Pro Modus Tour 105 Stiff iron shafts previously and they weren’t a good fit.  I suspected the story would be the same for the G.O.S.T. shaft in Tour Stiff.

 

The Evaluation

I know my 5-hybrid well.  I’ve had it many years and it’s one of my most consistent clubs.  The objective of this evaluation is to see whether the NS Pro G.O.S.T. can make my favorite club even better. 

This evaluation was conducted side by side using two clubs that were the same, save for the shaft. The clubhead used is the Callaway XR 26* 5-hybrid.  One was fitted with the stock Project X LZ 6.0 stiff shaft with which it came.  The other was fitted with the Nippon NS Pro Modus G.O.S.T. in stiff.  Both clubs were measured at 38.5” in length and a C9 swing weight.  Note: 38.5” is shorter than stock.  I like my 5-hybrid to match a 5-iron length. 

Numerical testing was performed on a Skytrak using 2018 Titleist Pro V1 golf balls.  Greatest weight was given to distance consistency and tightest dispersion.  When hitting a hybrid, I am concerned with accuracy not length.  

Historically, 175 has been my magic number.  When I get this yardage, I KNOW I’m going to get it close.

On course testing was side by side.  It focused more on noting playability characteristics.

 

Grading
 

Looks (0 out of 10 points) 

Looks are subjective and they don’t matter to me at all unless they are so outlandish as to be embarrassing.  As such, I did not give any points to the champion, Project X LX, or the challenger, the NS Pro G.O.S.T.

 

I prefer the looks of the Project X LZ overall.  It’s because I don’t care for the large label on the G.O.S.T. as I mentioned.  I prefer the matte paint of the G.O.S.T. over the LZ, though.

Winner: Tie

 

Feel (2 out of 10 points)

All things equal I would normally rate feel a little higher.  It is important to me.  But it is a binary thing.  It’s either acceptable or unacceptable.  I won’t play something I don’t like the feel of.  I lowered the weighting to 2 during this comparison since I liked the feel of both of them.  There were slight differences, but I found both playable.

The G.O.S.T. felt more butt-stiff too me.  I was fitted into a VA Vylyn shaft for my driver this year.  The Vylyn is a butt-stiff shaft.  This shaft is not that butt-stiff, but stiffer in the grip than the LZ by comparison.  Overall, it felt more controlled than the Project X LZ.  The LZ’s kick was more pronounced. 

Winner: G.O.S.T.

 

Distance Consistency (3 out of 10 points)

Without doubt, The G.O.S.T. was longer than the stock LZ.  I took out three shots that were over 200 yards, including the outlier below, so as to eliminate shots well above or well below a halfway decent shot.  Similarly, there were a couple of knee high fizzers with both clubs that were excluded.  

 Overall, the G.O.S.T was .3 yards longer in carry and .4 yards longer overall.  That said the key measure here is the standard deviation.  The LZ was about .5 yards tighter.  I don’t know that this is statistically significant. However, add in the long outliers and the difference becomes more pronounced. 

 Winner: LZ

Accuracy (3 out of 10 points)

I’m not proud of these results.  I told you this is one of my most consistent clubs.  If you’ve made it this far, you are laughing at these numbers.  Battle shots left you say?  Consistent?  I’m telling you, on the course it’s a different story.  Honest!

The numbers suggest that the LZ was tighter.  Truth is I hit some wild-ass ones with both clubs.  More with the G.O.S.T. though.  I think it’s closer than the numbers show, but I would have more confidence with the LZ.  Maybe it’s because I’ve played it so many years.

Winner: LZ

On-Course and Other (2 out of 10 points)

The numbers show that I hit the LZ higher.  The G.O.S.T. has a more penetrating flight.  This didn’t seem to influence the results on a simulator much, but it could in real life.  In particular if you play in the wind.

“Real life” testing on the course validated that the G.O.S.T. had a more penetrating flight.  I hit many shots from the same distance side by side.  The G.O.S.T. felt tighter and a little longer.  Like a couple of yards.  I did not find the variability in accuracy to be notable.  At least visually.  I did not have statistically reliable measurement equipment on the course.

Winner: G.O.S.T.

Conclusion

I would consider the G.O.S.T. in a new hybrid.  If your swing is similar, I would recommend giving the G.O.S.T. a look.  Nippon claims that it combines the playing characteristics of steel and graphite.  And it did feel tighter than my LZ.  And longer.  

 The numbers didn’t note enough of a difference to make a switch though.  On the sim, the numbers for consistency and accuracy if statistically significant were slightly worse.  

I will stick with the LZ in my current 5-hybrid.  I’ve played the Callaway XR hybrid stock for many years and I’ve become accustomed to it like a glove.  I’ve built too much confidence with it as-is to make a change based on my testing during these sessions.

 Conclusion: Trade It

 

 

[MDGolfHacker]

Join me in congratulating our 4 testers of the Nippon G.O.S.T. hybrid shaft:
@Jmikecpa
@Bucky CC
@tehuti
@Dr Strangelove

Fairways and greens gentlemen!

 

Congratulations Guys!  Looking forward to your reviews.

 

MDGolfHacker

[GolfSpy BOS]

Good luck guys!  Really interested to see how this one goes! 

[sirchunksalot]

Congrats fellas!

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[Berg Ryman]

Good group to join the testing 2020 wave. Have fun gents!

[fixyurdivot]

Congratulations! Looking forward to your reviews.

[russtopherb]

Congrats testers! Looking forward to your reviews.

[Bucky CC]

Awesome! My course may be closed at the moment but I can’t wait to fire away on my Skytrak!


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[Jmikecpa]

Thanks MGS, this should be fun.


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[Shankster]

Congrats fellas!

[bens197]

Great group...congrats testers.

[MaxEntropy]

Congrats, guys!

[Craig G.]

Congrats to our testers! Really looking forward to hearing your reviews and findings. I love my Pro Modus 105's and am curious if the GHOST shaft is a good compliment.

[daviddvm]

Congratulations guys should be a good group, look forward to your journeys and reviews  

[Rtracymog]

Really loving my shot at reviewing now! What club are you all throwing this in? Hopefully you can get on the course soon!


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[yungkory]

Congrats everyone, excited to see these get tested!

[Bucky CC]

13 hours ago, Rtracymog said:

What club are you all throwing this in? Hopefully you can get on the course soon!

I'll be using the Nippon G.O.S.T. shaft in my Cobra King F9 3 hybrid.  I have Arccos data from about 100 shots with it last year plus a few Skytrak sessions already this spring as I wait for the golf courses in Wisconsin to open up.  Should be a great baseline of numbers for a direct comparison to what the GOST shaft can provide.

[Bucky CC]

Hey @Jmikecpa, @tehuti, and @Dr Strangelove; what's everyone hoping to get out of these shafts?  Did you just want a reason to post a ton of Pac-Man ghost pictures? 

Right now I think my order would be:

1. improved dispersion
2. ghost pictures
3. eliminate hooks
4. hold more greens
5. distance

 

[Jmikecpa]

Hey [mention=604]Jmikecpa[/mention], [mention=76027]tehuti[/mention], and [mention=71159]Dr Strangelove[/mention]; what's everyone hoping to get out of these shafts?  Did you just want a reason to post a ton of Pac-Man ghost pictures? 
Right now I think my order would be:

1. improved dispersion
2. ghost pictures
3. eliminate hooks
4. hold more greens
5. distance

 

To tell you the truth I really don’t know at this point. I have played about six rounds with my entire bag and still trying to feel out the new sticks. My hybrid was built to launch low and stay low but I can launch it up if I need to. I would say tighter dispersion is always on my list to improve and having it hit the yardage that I need it to hit. Definitely not chasing distance with it.


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[Peaksy68]

Really interested in how these shafts perform. I struggle with long irons, and have never liked a stock shaft in any hybrid I've played. My favourite shaft of all time is the Grafalloy Epic, which was a combined material shaft too, but opposite layering to this one, thin metal layer over graphite.

Hope you guys get to get out and see how they perform for you.

[null]

Pretty cool video TXG put out today around Hybrids and how they are using the GOST shaft more in their fittings

 

[dlow206]

Can't wait to see the reviews on this shaft. I love Nippon shafts, I think they are the best irons shaft maker out there. Shafts are so smooth.

[Jmikecpa]

Can't wait to see the reviews on this shaft. I love Nippon shafts, I think they are the best irons shaft maker out there. Shafts are so smooth.

I hit them when I did my last fitting and liked them but liked the KBS a bit more. The Nippons for me had a tendency to overdraw even in the heavier and stiffer shafts. Now what I like about the GOST is it is a hybrid shaft for me that will be over 100g which is perfect weight to not worry about anything left.


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[JScott]

4 hours ago, jlukes said:

Pretty cool video TXG put out today around Hybrids and how they are using the GOST shaft more in their fittings

 

Thanks for sharing

[tvangel]

Congratulations to the chosen testers.  I have been interested in these shafts and I am eager to hear how the testers review these shafts.  Good luck and be safe out there everyone!

[Bucky CC]

As we wait on the new shafts I thought I would spend some quality time with my Skytrak to get a current baseline with my club.  After a decent warmup I fired up the 3 hybrid with a goal of hitting 15 shots (no deletions).  As a reminder I'm hitting a 19° Cobra F9 hybrid with Fujikura Atmos 7 Stiff shaft.

Overall I would say this is a pretty accurate representation of my club.  Distance is pretty solid but I have a two way miss.  I hit one shot 30 yards left of the target followed by a 37 yard shot right of the target.  Of course my two most offline were back to back after I tried to over-correct from the big hook.

Averages for the session were 218 carry, 232 total, and 7 yards right of the target.