Different Shaft Based on Iron Loft?

[DJ Mico]

Currently, I play an ancient set of Titleist DCI 762 irons with very traditional lofts (34º 7 iron, 27º 5 iron). The irons have True Temper DGS300 shafts, which are stated to be low launch and low spin. I hit my irons great, but I am well overdue for an upgrade. Recently I had a club fitting and got fit into Ping i500s with Nippon Pro Modus Tour 105 Stiff shafts. In my post-fitting research, I've realized the i500s' lofts are all a club longer than my current set—the i500 7 iron is the same loft as my 6 iron. I've also found that the Nippon shaft is rated as mid-high launch and mid-high spin.

Overall, I loved hitting the i500s. The ball exploded off the face, and the irons look great. I tried many different irons, but I got a little awed seeing myself carry a 7 iron 170 yards. I am not crazy about the feel or sound of the i500s, and don't feel like I should purchase something I am not in love with. I've gone back and demoed more irons and paid more attention to my dispersion with different clubs I've tested, and I feel being able to put my shot where I want will be better for improving my game than being able to hit a 7 iron 20 yards farther.

The irons I have been keying in on are the Wilson Staff FG Tour V6—a MGS favorite I've learned—but I've also been thinking of saving up for the new Wilson Staff CB's due out after the New Year. I've noticed these irons have traditional lofts that are basically the same as my current set. I was curious how much I should consider the characteristics of the shaft if I were to purchase a set of irons with more traditional lofts compared to the strong-lofted i500s? I do like the feel of a lighter shaft like the Nippon 105, but if it is a higher launch compared to the DG, am I going to end up hitting towering shots that lose out on distance or tight dispersion? I feel I should find a shaft that matches my swing, but should I also try to match characteristics to the lofts of the club?

Thanks in advance for the help!

[jddaigneault]

If you’re serious about getting the right shaft for the irons, get that information through a fitting. While some people (myself included) tend to always end up in the same shaft even when changing iron heads, you always want to confirm it through a fitting. You may find that something else fits with that clubhead better. I would imagine the Wilson and i500 have different clubhead weight, as especially the cbs are likely to be heavier. That will change the swingweight with the Modus 105s, and could result in you loading the club differently. 

Getting fittings can be pricey, but considering the cost of irons it is always worth the investment. Even if it is just to remove the doubt. You want to have rock solid trust that the club in your hands is the right one for the job. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Shafts will launch different for different people. You will find people that the Nippon shafts launch low for and other they launch high for. It’s all based on the persons swing and to an extent the club they have them paired with.

The best thing to do is get fit. I’ve used the same shaft in CB heads and in a players distance club and had no issues. I used a shaft in a cb/my combo from one brand and it didn’t work well for me in a different brands cb model and didn’t work for me in a  players distance club.

The amount of information available today can lead one down a rabbit hole and have them questioning their fitting, the fitter and asking a lot of what if’s.  If you are looking at different brands and/or different club styles from the same brand it’s best to find a place that carries everything you are looking for and finding what 1) gives you a look appealing to the eye 2) the consistency you want whether it’s in dispersion or distance. People get hung up on the lofts and distances (lots of threads hashing that all out including actual interview with designers on why it’s down) but the key is that whatever distance they go they do that distance consistently 3) they fit what you are trying to do on the course

[ejgaudette]

The shaft that worked for the i500s, but not for the Wilsons, but as many people have mentioned fitting is the best way to find out. What @jddaigneault mentioned is true for many as the shaft generally plays the biggest role in timing and delivering the club and less about launch and spin compared to the differences in club heads. Best to get fit to confirm with that club type and head weight of the Wilson CBs which shaft will work for you.

Also as @RickyBobby_PRmentions about consistent distance with either clubs, make sure you pay attention to spin and know a golf ball change can really help up the spin. When people talk about the odd long ball form a club like the i500 or P790 its generally that for that player the spin on that club is borderline playable which leads to strikes where the spin drops below playable and the ball just jumps and goes way too far. Of course this does not happen to everyone, I play the i500s and have no spin issues with my delivery. Just something to keep in mind about that distance consistency.

[Kansas King]

Your shaft choice will be impacted by your swing and the head. The clubhead weight (generally similar among brands) and rearward center of gravity (RCOG) are going to impact how the shaft plays. If the clubhead has a more rearward COG, that will likely cause the club to have an increased amount of dynamic loft at impact and launch the ball higher with more spin. To determine the shaft you need, the best option is to get properly fitted.

Regarding the i500, I think it is a poorly designed club in terms of how it plays. I've spent some time hitting the i500s and they're very hard to hit solid. Part of this is likely caused by it's very high vertical center of gravity that will make it difficult to hit the ball solid. I think there is a reason you don't see very many conversations about the i500 on MGS or other parts of the web. They look nice but it's challenging to hit them solid, a rare miss by Ping. I've not hit the Wilson irons but they also have a high vertical COG but not as high as the Pings. 

[DJ Mico]

15 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Shafts will launch different for different people. You will find people that the Nippon shafts launch low for and other they launch high for. It’s all based on the persons swing and to an extent the club they have them paired with.

The best thing to do is get fit. I’ve used the same shaft in CB heads and in a players distance club and had no issues. I used a shaft in a cb/my combo from one brand and it didn’t work well for me in a different brands cb model and didn’t work for me in a  players distance club.

The amount of information available today can lead one down a rabbit hole and have them questioning their fitting, the fitter and asking a lot of what if’s.  If you are looking at different brands and/or different club styles from the same brand it’s best to find a place that carries everything you are looking for and finding what 1) gives you a look appealing to the eye 2) the consistency you want whether it’s in dispersion or distance. People get hung up on the lofts and distances (lots of threads hashing that all out including actual interview with designers on why it’s down) but the key is that whatever distance they go they do that distance consistently 3) they fit what you are trying to do on the course

I am down that dreaded rabbit hole lol. When I got fit, I narrowed down a lot of my irons based on looks initially. My current 762s are quite compact and narrow, and I wanted something with a similar profile, which is how I wound up really liking the i500 and Wilson V6.

I am having second thoughts because of how inconsistent I was at my fitting. I feel like I was "fit into" the i500s because my fitter wanted me to get added distance and then tried to tune the shaft to help narrow dispersion. But, when I tried the Wilson V6s, they felt like they "just fit" if you know the difference I am getting at. 

With all stock specs, I had 3 shots with the V6s all with a very tight dispersion at around 155 yards. Despite the tight dispersion, my fitter suggested I go toward the newer models and with clubs like the i500 that would added distance to help my game. Currently playing around a 10-12 handicap, I don't think distance is where I lose strokes but rather when I'm way off target. When I struck the i500 right, it went a long way, but my shots were all over the map, and I don't want to be all over the place.

[jddaigneault]

17 minutes ago, DJ Mico said:

I am down that dreaded rabbit hole lol. When I got fit, I narrowed down a lot of my irons based on looks initially. My current 762s are quite compact and narrow, and I wanted something with a similar profile, which is how I wound up really liking the i500 and Wilson V6.

I am having second thoughts because of how inconsistent I was at my fitting. I feel like I was "fit into" the i500s because my fitter wanted me to get added distance and then tried to tune the shaft to help narrow dispersion. But, when I tried the Wilson V6s, they felt like they "just fit" if you know the difference I am getting at. 

With all stock specs, I had 3 shots with the V6s all with a very tight dispersion at around 155 yards. Despite the tight dispersion, my fitter suggested I go toward the newer models and with clubs like the i500 that would added distance to help my game. Currently playing around a 10-12 handicap, I don't think distance is where I lose strokes but rather when I'm way off target. When I struck the i500 right, it went a long way, but my shots were all over the map, and I don't want to be all over the place.

A big part of the fitting process is how you feel about the clubs. It seems like you want the Wilson’s. Get the Wilson’s. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

7 hours ago, DJ Mico said:

I am down that dreaded rabbit hole lol. When I got fit, I narrowed down a lot of my irons based on looks initially. My current 762s are quite compact and narrow, and I wanted something with a similar profile, which is how I wound up really liking the i500 and Wilson V6.

I am having second thoughts because of how inconsistent I was at my fitting. I feel like I was "fit into" the i500s because my fitter wanted me to get added distance and then tried to tune the shaft to help narrow dispersion. But, when I tried the Wilson V6s, they felt like they "just fit" if you know the difference I am getting at. 

With all stock specs, I had 3 shots with the V6s all with a very tight dispersion at around 155 yards. Despite the tight dispersion, my fitter suggested I go toward the newer models and with clubs like the i500 that would added distance to help my game. Currently playing around a 10-12 handicap, I don't think distance is where I lose strokes but rather when I'm way off target. When I struck the i500 right, it went a long way, but my shots were all over the map, and I don't want to be all over the place.

A key part of the fitting is to let the fitter know what you are looking for. Distance is a big seller for most golfers and there are fitters that know most golfers want to hit it further and will have the golfer in a club they can hit further and hopefully straighter. People who have lots of club head speed may not want that added distance but if that person doesn’t tell the fitter they don’t want to hit it further than they do now the fitter won’t know that.

Even if the golfer doesn’t state what they are looking for a good fitter will ask and not assume. The demo days and scheduled fittings I’ve had with either titleist Thursday or at Pga superstore the first question the fitter asked is what are we trying to achieve. Based on my answer they picked the head they thought would achieve the results I wanted and we went from there to dial in the optimal setup.

If you aren’t happy with the results of the i500 fitting I wouldn’t buy them and would suggest you find another fitter that has the various options you are looking for. The problem you are going to have is finding a place that carries the v6 irons to get fit. The other will potentially isnyou will be making a blind buy of a head and shaft combo that may or may not work for you based on fitting with another head or from recommendations of golfers on the internet based on their experience.

the other suggestion is if you were happy with the results of the v6 club you tested but that set as is and play it