Alternate 3w Shaft Options

[adwalkley]

Hello,

I recently got my first club fitting from Club Champion and am trying to decide what I'm going to purchase. I've figured out most of the bag except for the 3 wood. I'm going with the Callaway Rogue ST LS head but need help with the shaft. I'd like to keep the whole club around $500 or less if possible and right now it's pushing $900

The shaft they fit me into is way out of my price range. My fitter only had me try 3 shafts and the one I hit best was an LAGolf DJ Series 75. Unfortunately, this shaft runs $515 on top of the cost of the head ($350). When I told him it was out of my price range he pulled out a 75 gram HZRDUS USA edition and had me hit a few and said it was the closest to the DJ series and was a stock offering. I didn't really care for this shaft and lost about 20 yards and had a wider dispersion than the DJ series. He made it seem like these were my only two options. I'm really just wanting some other opinions and maybe suggestions for another shaft that might perform similarly but be more economical.

Thanks!

Andrew

[Peaksy68]

Unfortunately any advise on which shaft would be an educated guess at best, perhaps just a guess. Did you tell them of budget limit at your fitting?  If you did I would be asking for another no charge session to try more than 3 shafts. Good luck

[fixyurdivot]

+1 ^ (particularly from most on the forum).  That said, we do have a handful of spies that are pretty shaft savvy and they might be able to help with some less pricey options that have like profiles as the LA Golf DJ75.  You might also try searching the it's specs against other popular fairway wood shafts and check back with your fitter on any that match up.

[null]

On 2/28/2022 at 5:32 PM, adwalkley said:

Hello,

I recently got my first club fitting from Club Champion and am trying to decide what I'm going to purchase. I've figured out most of the bag except for the 3 wood. I'm going with the Callaway Rogue ST LS head but need help with the shaft. I'd like to keep the whole club around $500 or less if possible and right now it's pushing $900

The shaft they fit me into is way out of my price range. My fitter only had me try 3 shafts and the one I hit best was an LAGolf DJ Series 75. Unfortunately, this shaft runs $515 on top of the cost of the head ($350). When I told him it was out of my price range he pulled out a 75 gram HZRDUS USA edition and had me hit a few and said it was the closest to the DJ series and was a stock offering. I didn't really care for this shaft and lost about 20 yards and had a wider dispersion than the DJ series. He made it seem like these were my only two options. I'm really just wanting some other opinions and maybe suggestions for another shaft that might perform similarly but be more economical.

Thanks!

Andrew

Can’t help you as I’m not familiar with that LAGolf model, but this is a reminder that one should always discuss budget and component price limits with your fitter prior to being fit

[null]

On 2/28/2022 at 5:32 PM, adwalkley said:

Hello,

I recently got my first club fitting from Club Champion and am trying to decide what I'm going to purchase. I've figured out most of the bag except for the 3 wood. I'm going with the Callaway Rogue ST LS head but need help with the shaft. I'd like to keep the whole club around $500 or less if possible and right now it's pushing $900

The shaft they fit me into is way out of my price range. My fitter only had me try 3 shafts and the one I hit best was an LAGolf DJ Series 75. Unfortunately, this shaft runs $515 on top of the cost of the head ($350). When I told him it was out of my price range he pulled out a 75 gram HZRDUS USA edition and had me hit a few and said it was the closest to the DJ series and was a stock offering. I didn't really care for this shaft and lost about 20 yards and had a wider dispersion than the DJ series. He made it seem like these were my only two options. I'm really just wanting some other opinions and maybe suggestions for another shaft that might perform similarly but be more economical.

Thanks!

Andrew

Can’t help you as I’m not familiar with that LAGolf model, but this is a reminder that one should always discuss budget and component price limits with your fitter prior to being fit

 

edit:  just did some digging and it appears the profile is a bit softer in the butt section and then stiffer in the mid and tip section. It is also high balance point 
 

Hzrdus yellow comes to mind, along with Rogue White 

[adwalkley]

Thank you guys for the advice! I'm supposed to go back for a wedge fitting to finish up the bag. I'm gonna see if we can do some more work on the 3w while I'm there and hopefully find another shaft. I'll be sure to ask about the Hzrdus yellow and Rogue white. 

This is all a bit new to me as I've never been fit for any clubs. I suppose I expected them to either ask about my budget or let me know if I was getting into something on the high end. 

[LeftyMatt89]

I’d also considering getting the fairway wood from a different source than club champion and I know there are people on here who can help with LAGP shafts. You can sell the stock shaft or try to find head only. I know for me, I want what I was fitted in so I don’t have 2nd thoughts. I think you can getnclose to your budget going through different parties than club champion. Happy to send a contact via pm. 
 

 

[adwalkley]

8 minutes ago, LeftyMatt89 said:

I’d also considering getting the fairway wood from a different source than club champion and I know there are people on here who can help with LAGP shafts. You can sell the stock shaft or try to find head only. I know for me, I want what I was fitted in so I don’t have 2nd thoughts. I think you can getnclose to your budget going through different parties than club champion. Happy to send a contact via pm. 
 

 

Thanks for the advice! I'll see where I end up after the last fitting session and may be in touch. I did really like the LAGP shaft so might have to explore other sources if I can't find something comparable. 

[wely324]

From what I’ve read from others, it seems to me that Club Champion really pushes up charge shafts that are not offered as a stock option. I understand everyone wants to make money, but offering a $500 up charge shaft to anyone outside a professional seems ridiculous and to then to give only one other option where the results are no where near as good…

 

I have the dJ fujikura shaft he use to use. Not sure if it’s the same profile, but finding one used might be an option if they have similar profile. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

41 minutes ago, wely324 said:

From what I’ve read from others, it seems to me that Club Champion really pushes up charge shafts that are not offered as a stock option. I understand everyone wants to make money, but offering a $500 up charge shaft to anyone outside a professional seems ridiculous and to then to give only one other option where the results are no where near as good…

 

I have the dJ fujikura shaft he use to use. Not sure if it’s the same profile, but finding one used might be an option if they have similar profile. 

It’s not ridiculous for a couple reasons. Club champion and similar business such as cool clubs, TruSpec and txg offer something you can’t get at most fittings and that’s options, especially shafts that aren’t included in the matrix of most brands.

Second some after market or upcharge shafts work better than the no upcharge offerings from brands. 
 

However as jlukes mentioned talking budget with the fitter before hand will save the golfer from getting fit into options that are outside of their budget.

[RickyBobby_PR]

On 2/28/2022 at 5:32 PM, adwalkley said:

Hello,

I recently got my first club fitting from Club Champion and am trying to decide what I'm going to purchase. I've figured out most of the bag except for the 3 wood. I'm going with the Callaway Rogue ST LS head but need help with the shaft. I'd like to keep the whole club around $500 or less if possible and right now it's pushing $900

The shaft they fit me into is way out of my price range. My fitter only had me try 3 shafts and the one I hit best was an LAGolf DJ Series 75. Unfortunately, this shaft runs $515 on top of the cost of the head ($350). When I told him it was out of my price range he pulled out a 75 gram HZRDUS USA edition and had me hit a few and said it was the closest to the DJ series and was a stock offering. I didn't really care for this shaft and lost about 20 yards and had a wider dispersion than the DJ series. He made it seem like these were my only two options. I'm really just wanting some other opinions and maybe suggestions for another shaft that might perform similarly but be more economical.

Thanks!

Andrew

Assuming that the USA edition shaft was the hzrdus blue rdx shaft that is a counter balanced shaft. That is similar to the DJ series in that this shaft has a high balance point. So you would want to find high balance point shaft. Some options to consider would be the hzrdus smoke yellow or hzrdus yellow which are the previous versions of previous versions of the hzrdus blue and a little stiffer in design. Non hzrdus options would be Aldila rogue silver, black and white. Hzrdus T1100 and smoke green.

UST Elements chrome and chrome+, helium and Lin-q purple.

Fuji 2.0, speeder 757 evolution II

KuroKage tini black 

Diamand blueboard and kai’il.

These are all just guesses based on shaft design of the DJ series. But you would need to hit them to see what works for you.

Also doesn’t mean a different shaft like hzrdus smoke black, evenflow series, fujikura ventus blue or black wouldn’t work 

[HDTVMAN]

Whatever you do, check with a pro shop or GolfWorks regarding the shaft cost. I went with a friend to a fitting and he ordered a Callaway hybrid, which costs $279 for $450 at one of these "fitting" places. The "shaft" they sold him was $40 at GolfWorks, and they marked it up to $150. Their cost was probably $25. I've also fit, and I've seen fittings from these places and I can't believe the markup on these clubs. Just get the club from the manufacturer with a step up shaft if recommended by that fitter, and pay about $400 for the 3W. Any more is nuts! He also paid $800 for a $450 driver from this place. Why? You're not a pro. And you'll never be able to get the equipment the pro's hit.

[Onesavant]

Club Champion is notorious for "up-selling" clubs and shafts (that's their intention).  As a teaching professional, for over 45 years, and having taken many students for club fittings; it all comes down to money.  It's yours, but they want it ... lol  To be perfectly frank, I have NEVER seen any perceptible, noticeable, or actual significant improvement, after many of my students, opened their wallets and emptied on Club Champion's counter.  Hogan, Nicklaus, Player, Watson, etc ... didn't play with exotic equipment, and their accomplishments speak for themselves.  If you'll sleep better at night thinking you're going to magically play better with all of this exotic equipment in your bag, then good luck.  You'd be better served spending your money on playing more, practicing more, and finding the rtight Coach to guide your golf odyssey.  Study the game.  LET THE GAME TEACH YOU!  There, I spoke my piece.  Probably not what you wanted to hear, but I'll bet you that Callaway offers some upgraded in stock shaft additions, that are 90% less expensive (and will get the job done for you).  I mean, I'm 73, and play with all stock, off the wall equipment, and still manage to be a single digit golfer.  Go figure ... lol

[IONEPUTT]

On 2/28/2022 at 3:32 PM, adwalkley said:

Hello,

I recently got my first club fitting from Club Champion and am trying to decide what I'm going to purchase. I've figured out most of the bag except for the 3 wood. I'm going with the Callaway Rogue ST LS head but need help with the shaft. I'd like to keep the whole club around $500 or less if possible and right now it's pushing $900

The shaft they fit me into is way out of my price range. My fitter only had me try 3 shafts and the one I hit best was an LAGolf DJ Series 75. Unfortunately, this shaft runs $515 on top of the cost of the head ($350). When I told him it was out of my price range he pulled out a 75 gram HZRDUS USA edition and had me hit a few and said it was the closest to the DJ series and was a stock offering. I didn't really care for this shaft and lost about 20 yards and had a wider dispersion than the DJ series. He made it seem like these were my only two options. I'm really just wanting some other opinions and maybe suggestions for another shaft that might perform similarly but be more economical.

Thanks!

Andrew

The two best fairway wood shafts I have ever used are the Grallalloy ProLaunch Blue FW and the Epic FW. Both are designed just for woods and NOT the driver. Both cost less than $60 when they came out some 15 years ago. Not sure if you could find either of these' shafts today. One way to find one is to look on E-bay for used woods and see if you get lucky and find the shaft in the wood. It was a great shaft when they came out and it's still a great fairway wood shaft years later. I have FOUR woods in my bag and they all have an FW shaft it them. I can NOT say for a fact that they are the best for every golfer, but I can say for a fact that I have never had a fellow golfer hit one of my woods that didn't love it and prefer my wood to theirs. . 

[John S]

On 2/28/2022 at 5:32 PM, adwalkley said:

Hello,

I recently got my first club fitting from Club Champion and am trying to decide what I'm going to purchase. I've figured out most of the bag except for the 3 wood. I'm going with the Callaway Rogue ST LS head but need help with the shaft. I'd like to keep the whole club around $500 or less if possible and right now it's pushing $900

The shaft they fit me into is way out of my price range. My fitter only had me try 3 shafts and the one I hit best was an LAGolf DJ Series 75. Unfortunately, this shaft runs $515 on top of the cost of the head ($350). When I told him it was out of my price range he pulled out a 75 gram HZRDUS USA edition and had me hit a few and said it was the closest to the DJ series and was a stock offering. I didn't really care for this shaft and lost about 20 yards and had a wider dispersion than the DJ series. He made it seem like these were my only two options. I'm really just wanting some other opinions and maybe suggestions for another shaft that might perform similarly but be more economical.

Thanks!

Andrew

I think you may have ended up working with a "salesman" as opposed to a true fitter.  The LA Golf and Hzrdus USA 75 gram are apples and oranges in my opinion.  You opted not to go with a $900 shaft/head 3 wood build and he went to the stock shaft and tried to sell you the head.  That is unfortunate as Club Champion can do a very good job under the right circumstances.  YOu did the right thing getting fit,  maybe just got unlucky with the fitter.   Make sure you get your specs from them as you may be able to get some decent results with a qualified club repair/builder in your area as long as he has your specific data.   You could also call a manufacturer and talk to them about the fit options based on your specs.

 

[wely324]

I’m all for getting fit, but the major manufacturers normally select a variety of stock shafts that will allow 95% of players to be fit in to one of those shafts. They also offer a variety of upgrade shafts that don’t cost anywhere close to a $500 LAGP shaft. 
Ventus is almost half that cost, and it’s the number one shaft on tour. LAGP are expensive cause they have to pay all these big name pros that invested into the company. 

[Bob Anastasia]

Give Fujikura Vista Pro 2021 55 R2 Wood Shaft a try, it is last year’s model and should be in your price range. Not sure if it will meet your requirements. 

Edited April 2, 2022 by Bob Anastasia