Looking for a good mid launch / mid spin shaft for my driver

[therod]

Ok, so we're still playing wheel of fortune with my driver. Sort of. I bought a new TSI3 a few weeks ago. It came with the Tensei Raw White shaft, which I would presume is a very good shaft. It also seems to be designed to be a fairly low launching, low spinning shaft. I also have an Xcaliber Pro T6+, which is also designed to be a low launcher. For years, I played a low bend point, high launching shaft, because I liked the higher ball flight. But I also faught the hooks with a low bend point driver shaft. When I bought the TSI3, I demoed a standard black HZRDUS. And I couldn't hit anything but bananas with it. I still hit fades with the Tensei, but it was no problem keeping it in play. I would still like to hit the ball on a slightly higher trajectory, so I am looking at mid-launch shafts. I have looked at the Ventus, a Lin-Q purple, a white Evenflow (which is probably still lower than I want to hit it) and I've almost pulled the trigger on a blue Aldila Rogue Elite, mostly because they're less expensive. I don't want or need to break the bank, so I'm not going to throw $200-300 on a shaft. But I would like to have a good shaft for a good driver. Let's say I don't want to spend over $150 on a shaft. And I'm not at all concerned about brand. Any suggestions?

[RickyBobby_PR]

Shafts don’t spin or launch. All that comes from how you deliver the club. You need to find a shaft that from a weight perspective feels good you and from a profile perspective gives you the ball flight you want.

Anyone who posts here is going to be making as good of a guess as you.

Lin-q purple is a really good shaft. It’s counterbalanced so it’s going to have a higher kick point. The hzrdus smoke rdx blue is going to be similar and will possibly give you want you want that was lacking in the hzrdus black.

Rogue max is a good shaft that fits well with titleist heads.

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Came across this post on wrx this morning when trying to it shaft

 

[Bunker Snot]

I've had good luck with the Ventus Blue econo model, just the 4T core, nice medium high ball flight, good feel and stable.  Gaming in my Titleist TS2

[chisag]

... Well, you're in my wheelhouse as mid/mid/mid has always been a great shaft for me. When I play high bend tip stiff shafts I just don't get the release I am used to. When I play low kick soft tipped shafts I get more release than I want. But like Goldilocks a mid/mid/mid shaft gives me the feel and trajectory I like because it matches my timing.  Currently playing a Graphite Design AD-MT and have a '22 Tensei AV Blue 55 on the way that tested best for me in my last fitting. Shafts in the mid/mid category that have worked well for me are Diamana Blue and latter generations, Tensei Blue, Rogue Black, Even Flow Blue and Atmos TS Blue. That said there is certainly no one size fits all and I find some "mid" shafts work much better for my swing than others. These are all good shaft to "demo" if you get the chance but a fitting is the only way to know which one works best for your swing. 

[Thin2win]

On 3/28/2022 at 10:49 AM, therod said:

And I'm not at all concerned about brand. Any suggestions?

Motore F1/F3 probably comes close to what you are looking for too. 

[funkyjudge]

9 hours ago, Bunker Snot said:

I've had good luck with the Ventus Blue econo model, just the 4T core, nice medium high ball flight, good feel and stable.  Gaming in my Titleist TS2

+1 on that shaft.  There's no VeloCore in this shaft, but it is still a decent quality golf shaft at a reasonable price.

[GolfSpy BOS]

Titleist makes a great shaft adapter.  Use it to set to a higher loft and try again, then with the TSi3 you can move the weight around the back to if you find you're going a little more left than you'd like.

But if you're hitting some lower fades with the current setup and like everything about it other than that, just try tweaking the head setup.  It's going to have a much bigger impact on flight than the shaft, generally speaking anyway.  There's exceptions to every rule I'm sure.

[pakman92]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_BOS said:

Titleist makes a great shaft adapter.  Use it to set to a higher loft and try again, then with the TSi3 you can move the weight around the back to if you find you're going a little more left than you'd like.

But if you're hitting some lower fades with the current setup and like everything about it other than that, just try tweaking the head setup.  It's going to have a much bigger impact on flight than the shaft, generally speaking anyway.  There's exceptions to every rule I'm sure.

Changing loft using sleeve can have one of two consequences (as well as a mix of both).  1. loft increases.  2. face angle closes.    You get 1 if you are a player you manipulates the head at set up to make it sit square.   you get 2 if you are a player that let the club sit at set up the way it wants to.

Changing the sleeve to higher loft will help with face angle being more closed.  However, that's only helpful if your shot start right and goes further right.  If you are already starting left and letting it work back.  It may make it worse or make it a pull left. (a double cross...)

my 2 cents.

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

11 minutes ago, pakman92 said:

Changing loft using sleeve can have one of two consequences (as well as a mix of both).  1. loft increases.  2. face angle closes. 

That’s not a matter of can it’s actually what happens when adding loft via the adapter. Vice versa for removing loft. 
 

What the golfer does at setup is a compensation for what they see at address.

[GolfSpy BOS]

11 minutes ago, pakman92 said:

Changing loft using sleeve can have one of two consequences (as well as a mix of both).  1. loft increases.  2. face angle closes.    You get 1 if you are a player you manipulates the head at set up to make it sit square.   you get 2 if you are a player that let the club sit at set up the way it wants to.

Changing the sleeve to higher loft will help with face angle being more closed.  However, that's only helpful if your shot start right and goes further right.  If you are already starting left and letting it work back.  It may make it worse or make it a pull left. (a double cross...)

my 2 cents.

 

That's exactly why I recommended trying it.  The OP seems to have a ball flight that is lower, and more fade biased than desired.  It didn't sound like any of the complaints were around how the shaft was feeling, loading, or working with their swing.  That's why I suggested trying to use the loft sleeve to adjust the ball flight to see if they can get higher launch and a more neutral flight.

 

[pakman92]

31 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

That’s not a matter of can it’s actually what happens when adding loft via the adapter. Vice versa for removing loft. 
 

What the golfer does at setup is a compensation for what they see at address.

The word 'can' was chosen with some care.  'Can' is the right verb, because for those who square up the club face at set up, it's loft that changes.  For those who let the club sit, it's the face angle that changes.  

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

42 minutes ago, pakman92 said:

The word 'can' was chosen with some care.  'Can' is the right verb, because for those who square up the club face at set up, it's loft that changes.  For those who let the club sit, it's the face angle that changes.  

 

When loft is increased the face closes. There’s no if or can. What one does at address doesn’t change the fact that loft up closes the face and loft down opens it. 
 

Again whatever someone does with how they setup is just a manipulation of the club face either thru their grip or how they set the club then grip.

[pakman92]

3 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

When loft is increased the face closes. There’s no if or can. What one does at address doesn’t change the fact that loft up closes the face and loft down opens it. 
 

Again whatever someone does with how they setup is just a manipulation of the club face either thru their grip or how they set the club then grip.

Well, you are an experienced fitter.  I know that.  This is matter of geometry and physics.  You respectively have to say, you are wrong in this case.

[HDTVMAN]

You have to hit the shafts, you can't just look in the catalogue. Remember, the $100-$150 Ventus, Diamona, etc, are not the same shafts as the $300-$500-$700 shafts. They are all low-end basic consumer shafts, and most are very similar. You won't get anything close to what the pro's have for what you're spending.

[THEZIPR23]

14 minutes ago, pakman92 said:

Well, you are an experienced fitter.  I know that.  You are wrong in this case.

I can find 100's of articles that all say the clubface closes when you add loft so genuinely curious how you came to this conclusion. 

[pakman92]

28 minutes ago, THEZIPR23 said:

I can find 100's of articles that all say the clubface closes when you add loft so genuinely curious how you came to this conclusion. 

It does indeed

[ChuckZ]

Go see a certified fitter and try some different shafts until you find one that meets your specs and needs.  I am a  big fan of Fujikura Speeder shafts and that is based on being fit and their recommendations.   Coming up on 76 this year,  I need all the extra pop I can get.  With all due respect, I go to my expert to ensure I am getting the best out of my equipment.  

[John S]

On 3/28/2022 at 1:49 PM, therod said:

Ok, so we're still playing wheel of fortune with my driver. Sort of. I bought a new TSI3 a few weeks ago. It came with the Tensei Raw White shaft, which I would presume is a very good shaft. It also seems to be designed to be a fairly low launching, low spinning shaft. I also have an Xcaliber Pro T6+, which is also designed to be a low launcher. For years, I played a low bend point, high launching shaft, because I liked the higher ball flight. But I also faught the hooks with a low bend point driver shaft. When I bought the TSI3, I demoed a standard black HZRDUS. And I couldn't hit anything but bananas with it. I still hit fades with the Tensei, but it was no problem keeping it in play. I would still like to hit the ball on a slightly higher trajectory, so I am looking at mid-launch shafts. I have looked at the Ventus, a Lin-Q purple, a white Evenflow (which is probably still lower than I want to hit it) and I've almost pulled the trigger on a blue Aldila Rogue Elite, mostly because they're less expensive. I don't want or need to break the bank, so I'm not going to throw $200-300 on a shaft. But I would like to have a good shaft for a good driver. Let's say I don't want to spend over $150 on a shaft. And I'm not at all concerned about brand. Any suggestions?

I am not sure about a shaft recommendation as there are a lot of variables in play,  Swing speed, tempo, how you load the shaft.  A qualified fitter may be able to help with the recommendation.  The Tensi Raw white is a low launching shaft that is somewhat "strong".  Not the easiest shaft to hit.  If you have swing speeds around 100 you should be fine, lower than that and this shaft may be a bit of a struggle.   I would spend the money and get a qualified fitter to define your specifications.  Typically the specs you get will be good for several years so the process is a reasonable investment.  Once you have the specs from the fitter you can really dial in a shaft that will optimize your swing.  You may "stumble" on a shaft

that works for you ( I actually did) but it can be a long,expensive and frustrating process.   Someone like Club Champions or Ture fit should be able to narrow your search and get you on the right track

[fetch29]

It's a fitting question but generally speaking, Speeder Evo III is a great pick, especially for the price.  Can be found new from reputable sellers on eBay just over $100.  I went to it from Tour AD HD in a similar style head and do not see myself going back.  

[therod]

On 4/1/2022 at 1:48 AM, chisag said:

... Well, you're in my wheelhouse as mid/mid/mid has always been a great shaft for me. When I play high bend tip stiff shafts I just don't get the release I am used to. When I play low kick soft tipped shafts I get more release than I want. But like Goldilocks a mid/mid/mid shaft gives me the feel and trajectory I like because it matches my timing.  Currently playing a Graphite Design AD-MT and have a '22 Tensei AV Blue 55 on the way that tested best for me in my last fitting. Shafts in the mid/mid category that have worked well for me are Diamana Blue and latter generations, Tensei Blue, Rogue Black, Even Flow Blue and Atmos TS Blue. That said there is certainly no one size fits all and I find some "mid" shafts work much better for my swing than others. These are all good shaft to "demo" if you get the chance but a fitting is the only way to know which one works best for your swing. 

I actually was looking at a Tensei AV Blue over the weekend. I'm going to play the white I have first. I have a pretty aggressive transition, so the higher bend point shafts work better to fight the hook. But I like hitting it a little higher. So we'll see. I've also wanted to try an Evenflow. So who knows right now. But I'm going to try the white I have first and go from there. 

[Landy]

Has anyone considered the KBS TD in this category?  

[vandyland]

1 hour ago, Landy said:

Has anyone considered the KBS TD in this category?  

Isn't that shaft close to $350? To me, that is a tad expensive. 

[Landy]

Yes but you can find a new one for around $200.00...GLWS

[03trdblack]

I'm positive that Instagram records what I read on forums now because I read this post this morning and got this post later today.  Creepy... 

So maybe the UST Lin-q M40X TSPX

[warbirdlover]

Xcalibur Mystic or Avalon.  Absolutely the best shaft for the money.  They come in different weights then those bellow.

https://xcalibershafts.com/collections/avalon-series/products/avalon-5-wood

https://xcalibershafts.com/collections/mystic-series/products/mystic-5-wood

These replaced a Tensei AV Blue 55

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by warbirdlover
link won't work

[therod]

That LIN-Q M40X was the last shaft I looked at, and am considering one. We'll see, I have too many shafts to begin with, but that probably won't stop me...

[chisag]

4 hours ago, therod said:

That LIN-Q M40X was the last shaft I looked at, and am considering one. We'll see, I have too many shafts to begin with, but that probably won't stop me...

 

... Such a good shaft! I think it is a real under the radar shaft. Performed a little better for me than the Tensei AV Blue, although still close but the Lin-Q is just a little tighter and has a wonderful feel. 

[funkyjudge]

6 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Such a good shaft! I think it is a real under the radar shaft. Performed a little better for me than the Tensei AV Blue, although still close but the Lin-Q is just a little tighter and has a wonderful feel. 

I will have to try one of those Lin-Q shafts. The Tensei AV Blue is among my two or three favorite shafts, along with the Ventus Blue TR, and the Fujikura Motore Speeder Evolution 661 (I can’t remember which Evolution number it is, but I believe it is the Evolution II). I have a Royal Blue one that was a special issue Open Championship commemorative model and it gets alternated with my Ventus Blue TR in my Titleist TSi1 driver.  I find the 75 gram Tensei AV Blue shaft in a stiff flex to be the perfect fairway wood shaft for me, and I have them in three fairway woods. I also like the Tensei AV Blue 65-S in drivers.

One thing that I have noticed about the Tensei AV Blue shafts is that they play about 1/2 flex softer than comparable Ventus Blue (TR and non-TR versions). Because of this, I play the Ventus Blue shafts in either R-flex tipped 1/2” or if available in a S/R (stiff regular) flex, untipped. However, I play Tensei AV Blue shafts in stiff flex, regardless of the weight. The only Ventus Blue shafts that I like and play in stiff flex are their 70 and 80 series hybrid shafts.

[funkyjudge]

On 10/14/2022 at 1:10 PM, Landy said:

Has anyone considered the KBS TD in this category?  

Those shafts play pretty stiff vs the stated flex. I normally play stiff or stiff regular shafts in everything, and I needed to drop down to a regular flex in the KBS TD driver shaft.