Matt Saternus Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Graphite Designs AD-DJ Shaft Review Introduction The AD-DJ by Graphite Designs is the shy little brother to the limelight-hoarding AD-DI. Where the AD-DI is lauded as a “spin-killer,†the AD-DJ is billed as being a bit more moderate with the spin and might be a perfect fit for players with more moderate swing speeds or transitions. Does its performance merit a spot in the same family as the AD-DI? Read on, spies… Notes, Feel, and Miscellaneous Though both the AD-DI and the AD-DJ are billed as “Mid-Kick,†there is a definite difference in terms of the way they feel. The AD-DJ is much less demanding and is easier to load. This gives it an overall smoother feel, though it is still stout in comparison to the vast majority of shafts out there. Like the AD-DI, the AD-DJ has an excellent balance to it: it is neither butt-heavy nor tip-heavy. The AD-DJ shares the same overall look with its brother the AD-DI. The only really difference is a slight color change: the AD-DI is orange, the AD-DJ has a slightly more reddish hue. Finally, like the AD-DI, the AD-DJ is offered in flexes from senior to X-stiff and in weights ranging from 50 to 80 grams. Performance Since it's freezing here in Chicago, the Performance section only includes launch monitor testing for this review. For the launch monitor testing, I put the AD-DJ up against my Matrix RUL, both in an R9 460 9.5 head. I hit 10 “good†shots with each shaft, changing frequently so that fatigue was not an issue, nor did I get grooved with one shaft to the detriment of fairness. I went through this process three times and averaged the two sets of data. I did the testing of the AD-DJ at the same time as the testing of the AD-DI and G Series, so all three sets of data can be compared. For anyone interested in the swing that produces these numbers: my clubhead speed is usually between 100MPH and 110MPH, my biggest problem is getting quick/out of sync from the top, and my miss tends to be a block right. DATA *Each metric shows low, average, and high. For dispersion and sidespin, L represents left or hook spin, R represents right or slice spin. RUL: Ball speed: 152 Distance: 267-291-327 Launch Angle: 10.3-12.5-15 Backspin: 1851-2651-3026 Sidespin: 100 Dispersion: 10L-5L-10R AD-DJ: Ball speed: 150 Distance: 272-284-312 Launch Angle: 11.8-14.4-17.7 Backspin: 1600-2300-3000 Sidespin: 450 Dispersion: 25L-10L-15R ANALYSIS High launch: check (though, surprisingly, slightly lower than the AD-DI). Low spin: check (slightly higher than the AD-DI, as advertised). Truth in advertising? Hard to believe, but it seems to be the case. Kudos, Graphite Designs. While not as straight as the RUL, I would certainly be very happy with the dispersion that I got from the AD-DJ. At the risk of being a broken record: don't let the comparison to the RUL turn you off the AD-DJ. The RUL is simply a killer for me. If I didn't have the RUL, I could very happily put the AD-DJ in my gamer. Value I'm going to lazily copy and paste what I wrote about the AD-DI since they share the same price tag: At $380, the Graphite Designs AD-DJ is at the very high end of shafts. While on one hand, I'm a bit aghast that shafts are now breaking through the $300 price barrier, there's a part of me that says, “In for a penny, in for a pound.†AS ALWAYS: go get fit. There's no value in a shaft that doesn't perform for you. I could have re-written essentially the same thing, but you wouldn't have been fooled, right? Conclusion Once again, I am very pleased to report that the Graphite Designs AD-DJ does exactly what it is billed to do: launch high and spin slightly more than the AD-DI. For the player who doesn't need uber-low spin, or who wants a little more “kick,†the AD-DJ is a great alternative to the AD-DI. Alternately, the AD-DJ could be a great fairway shaft for the guy who loves the AD-DI in his driver. Either way, these are top-tier shafts that should definitely get a look when you get fit for your next driver or fairway wood. VISIT WEBSITE: http://www.gdintl.com/ FOLLOW ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/.../GraphiteDesign FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook...90355904?v=wall Follow me on Twitter: @MattSaternus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skihippy Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 WOW thanks for the review, I was about to bid on a AD DI. Whats in the bag: Titleist 910D2 10.5 Graphite Design Y7-S Adams 1600 proto 14.5 Graphite Design AD DJ Titleist 910F 17 Ust Tour Black Titleist 910H 22 Diamana Kali Adams Idea Pro A12 4-9 KBS C Taper Titleist Vokey SM4 46 degree w/ DG Spinner Mizuno MP R12 50-54-58 DG spinner Ping Redwood ZB Ball Nike 20XI-X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandwagon Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I have this shaft on the way paired with a J40 driver. I can't wait to try out that combo. I think it should be near perfect for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Saternus Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 WOW thanks for the review, I was about to bid on a AD DI. Glad to be of service. I have this shaft on the way paired with a J40 driver. I can't wait to try out that combo. I think it should be near perfect for me. Wow. With what I've heard about the J40, you will be hitting some knuckleballs! If your golf cart isn't fast, you might never catch up to the ball. Follow me on Twitter: @MattSaternus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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