Terra Forza Golf Shafts - 2024 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

 

Testers Announced!

Can the proper golf shaft for your driver be determined solely by how you use the ground in your swing? As part of this "testers wanted" opportunity with Terra Forza Golf Shafts, we will find out!

About Terra Forza

Terra Forza has taken a new approach to shaft fittings and flexes. In this case, it is best to hear about their claims directly from them.

“Our theory revolved around the idea that how a golfer loads and unloads a shaft is directly correlated to how they use the ground. After many years of studying ground reaction forces (GRF) and pressure traces, Terra Forza Golf was born, validating that theory. After some trial and error, we were able to create a line of golf shafts that matched a golfer's pressure trace and pressure data. Our patented algorithm allows us to recognize those traces, along with all of the pressure data coming from the TF Pressure Plates, and objectively determine the proper shaft for any golfer. We welcome you to the new ERA of fitting shafts, from the ground up.”

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@ChiefMikeOfficer 

@MrBandit 

@GolfSpy BOS 

@tdc1

[ChiefMikeOfficer]

Intro

Thanks to both Terra Forza and MGS for giving me this opportunity! I’ve been golfing in some way pretty much my whole life – starting with plastic clubs and mini golf early, then par 3 courses, evening rounds with dad, and then went “competitive” (not, like, competitive-competitive, but High School, D3, and various local tournaments). I’m currently right around my best handicap ever – the 8-of-20 calculation helps that a bit, because my rounds are wildly inconsistent.

I’m excited for this test, because it’s focused on one my favorite things: driver fittings (and outcomes). The driver is my favorite club to tweak over time (putter is close second, but I’m regularly changing something with the driver) -- there’s always this feeling that it could be at least a little bit better. I generally switch out the driver every ~2 years, but will often use the same shaft with multiple driver heads (assuming it performs well on first trial).

I’m intrigued by the concept – it’s using data that I have not seen used in fittings before (at least not in my own). My past fittings have varied from just looking at lines on the launch monitor, to using some wearable sensors while swinging a special driver to track body/club motion, but nothing with the feet.

So, one of the main things I want to get out of this test is how confident the fitting makes me in the outcome. I can compare/contrast to somewhat recent driver fittings at: Golf Galaxy, GOLFTEC (prior to their execs saying they’ll step up the fitting game), Club Champion, and a TaylorMade Player Development Center (using Gears). Then, in terms of the actual shaft test, I’m planning to put it up against multiple shafts from those fittings (an Accra from CC, a Mitsubishi from TM PDC, and a Graphite Design that I got with my most recent driver just to try, because I was fit into something somewhat similar for my “hybrid”-build long irons). To be up front with it, my main skepticism is that it seems the goal is to fit into the best Terra Forza shaft, of which there are only 5 (and I have a guess at which one I should pick) -- I'm actually curious if the concept could extend beyond the Terra Forza line of shafts. 

First Impression

OK, so I kinda previewed this in some other posts, but wanted to collect all of the parts of what I'm considering a 3-part 1st impression -- the fitting, the shaft itself, and an initial session. 

Fitting: Super cool. I was skeptical (still am a little), but given what I saw about each shaft on their site and what I know from past fittings, it landed me pretty close to what I would've expected (you know, had I known more about things like the + options). I was basing it all off of things like weight and torque, would've picked either Yellow or Red if buying blind, and their foot pressure algorithm put me in the Yellow+ (seems between the Yellow and Red in some ways, but no idea how the foot pressure differentiates). Either way, they were using some kind of data to decide the shaft, not just guess and check like many of my other fittings. First few swings with the Yellow+ at the fitting didn't go well, but then I had a mini session of bombs -- and they were on target. Definitely starting to feel like they're onto something. Sample pic from the fitting, specifically one that landed on Yellow+:

 

Shaft: Not overly flashy, but still very nice. Mostly black, has the look of carbon fiber by the handle, yellow looks pretty slick (honestly, I think the best color combination in the bunch, with white coming in close second). They also go against the grain by not specifying things like flex -- it's just "the Yellow", with different weight/torque/other specs posted on their website. The Yellow+ is the Yellow that's tip-trimmed (common practice, even with other brands), I'm told an inch, but can't confirm. They offered a few customizations: for the grip, it wasn't specifically offered, but I asked -- I basically said "if it's one of these typical stock grips, I'm just going to swap it right away anyway, so pick one of these three if possible, or just send with no grip" (shaft arrived with the first grip in that preferred list, which is awesome). Then, length -- umm...no past fitting has ever addressed that, which I found annoying, so I really wasn't sure. I picked 45.5" as the rough current stock length (even though TM is 45.75"), but since I question everything, I'm now thinking I should've picked 45" (that was the stock length in my college days, back when I hit driver like 15-20yds further). Came with the TM adapter as well, set at neutral (same setting we used at the fitting). 

First session performance: went to a new (incredibly nice) golf sim bar/restaurant for lunch today to give it a go. In the spirit of first impressions, decided to just go for it with this shaft, and save the comparisons to past fittings for the next sim/launch monitor session. Really wanted to come into this first impression post saying that it hits nukes -- but instead, the first set was...odd? Not nukes, not bombs...more like...Bullets? Piss missiles? Definitely not my usual ball flight -- very low spin (we're talking like 1400-1700rpm), very low flight, short carry with 50yds or more of roll, lots of right-to-left curve (well that last one is normal)...but also, consistent. Surprisingly consistent. Unfortunately I'm not savvy enough with the Trackman so I didn't grab all the fancy stats, but here's what I saw with the first few swings (it doesn't show apex, but trust me, it's low. Also don't mind the 2w stat at the bottom - that was my buddy swapping in with some kind of iron, and we just wanted to differentiate his swings from mine): 

All had similar stats across the board - similar carry, similar total, similar flight, all just left of target in the end, but also, that's a very small circle, so it's workable. Later in the session with some minor adjustments, I did get some more "typical" results on some (higher spin and flight, 270-275 carry, just right of target), but still had these low spin bullets come back surprisingly often. 

So, first impression is pretty good. The initial sim results are interesting, but we'll see what happens as we get closer to mid-season form (gotta keep in mind it's still very early -- only played 36 holes so far, and the two rounds were about a month apart). 

Final Review

Lost the template and can’t access the Google Doc that has the details, so shamelessly stealing from Mr. Bandit (pun!). 10 points were missing, so I’ll call it 9/10 First Impression to account for that.

 

Looks (8 out of 10 points):

It’s a good looking shaft – the carbon fiber + yellow color scheme is sharp, but not overly flashy.

Feel (9 out of 10 points):

Initial impression was that it felt light – I don’t think that was necessarily the case, but it was the feel that I had with it. Over time, it felt very sturdy, like it could stand up to any hack at the ball. On course it felt very stable, and when my swing was on, it felt amazing (when my swing was off, it seemed to expose the flaws). I’m as confident with this as I have been with any of my past fitted shafts (or even more so).

 Basic Characteristics (18 out of 20 points):

 I’m a bit conflicted on this – to start, it definitely beat out my past fittings, but it’s possible the Qi10 head is a factor there too (but my prior fitted shafts in the Qi10 didn’t perform as well as the Terra Forza…except that one Accra session, which was a bit of a toss-up). At the same time, in some sessions, it cranked the spin down way too much – that didn’t seem to last, and on-course performance was very good compared to those lower-spin range sessions, but it’s still notable.

Trajectory was a bit lower – I did toggle between a couple loft settings, but ended up shifting back to the lower one, which gave better yardage. Compared to my other shafts (both fitted and kinda-fitted-but-chosen), Terra Forza gave me 8-12 yards total distance (carry was slightly down, but rolled out more). Accuracy was consistent – it felt like I had better accuracy with this, but stats-wise, it’s comparable. Spin seemed to bounce between ideal and way too low, but I think that’s also swing-related (I’m just inconsistent right now).

On-Course / LM Performance (29 out of 30 points)

I’m a bit conflicted on this, but I think my swing has been poor this year compared to the last couple (just not practicing as much), so it’s tough to say. I hit some incredible tee shots with this shaft, in some cases ending up in places I’ve never been (or rarely been). In terms of consistency/accuracy, it was on par with my past shafts/fittings – maybe even better (some of the missed fairways were slight misses or not misses at all, just not taking the right line). Confidence on the tee was high – the shaft felt like it could stand up to whatever I gave it, and it paid off in many cases. I definitely had off rounds with it, but again, that’s more swing-related and I don’t think it’s specific to the shaft.

Play it or Trade it? (19 out of 20 points)

95% sure that I’m going to keep the Terra Forza in the bag, at least for now. I always like to tinker, so I will try a couple rounds with some of the old shafts too re-verify the decision, and I’m sure will try some new ones, but this is my new baseline for driver performance. Honestly though, I’m a bit shocked that this ended up the way it did – I was skeptical on the fitting process, especially considering it was locked into a limited number of shafts, but it came out with something very good for my game.

Final Performance Comments:

Overall, how did it perform? Better than expected. Better than past fittings (including Club Champion, GolfTec, and Gears).  

How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of Terra Forza? Well, I had no impression because I’d never heard of them. Initially it sounded gimmicky – no way that 5 swings on foot pads can optimize a shaft. But…something worked. I’m not 100% sold on it, but there’s something there that’s a big positive in the fitting market.

What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? Extend the shaft offerings – when I did some quick research on the website, I pretty much guessed where I would land, and that’s exactly where I was fitted (“looks like either Red or Yellow” à fitted into Yellow+, which is between the two). The fitting process is most intriguing to me – if you can extend it beyond the limited TF shaft offerings and use the algorithm to pick between 50-100 options, I think that would be super interesting (not sure how realistic that is, but it would be interesting if it’s possible – still skeptical that all golfers will fit into one of the TF shaft options).

What feature do you really like, and would most like to see continued or evolved in future models? Spin – didn’t lose much carry, but gained a lot of roll.

Did it help improve your scores? By how much? Trick question Based on my handicap card, I have 0 scores in 2024 counting toward my handicap (played well for a couple months last year, and currently have 8 consecutive scores last year counting, everything this year getting thrown out). But, this shaft is definitely not the reason that I’m not score well – it’s put me into very good position, I’m just not getting the ball in the hole.

Conclusion

The fitting process seems like a high point – again, I was skeptical, but they kinda made me a believer. I’ve been fitted by 4-5 places in the past, and none have come close to the performance of this one, which was just 5-10 swings measuring foot pressure + other things. I said it in a past post, but the fact that they used some kind of data outside of the typical swing speed / ball speed / etc. gives me some confidence in the process. The shaft itself – overall I think it’s a good fit, and I’m going to continue using it for now, swapping others in/out just to confirm. I really do think it would be cool to extend their fitting process to include other brands’ shafts, but even without that, if you can foot the bill, I’d recommend giving this brand a shot.

Final Score: (92 out of 100 points)

The fitting was great. The shaft seems solid, better than my prior gamers. There were high and low points, but overall I'm feeling very good about where we landed with this. I expected it to come in higher than 92, but I scanned back through, and I think everything’s accurate -  no specific step or category seemed perfect, but at the same time, it delivered. Definitely recommend giving this brand a shot.

Edited July 1 by ChiefMikeOfficer
Added First Impression section

[MrBandit]

INTRO:

I have been golfing for the past 19yrs, started after leaving the military and moving to San Francisco, I never expected to play golf. Everyone in my office played golf and they took me to a par 3 course in San Francisco and I remembering making par on the 4 hole (easy game, LOL) have been hook since.
Once I moved back to NYC, I began to play more and become more competitive and really get hooked on the game. Now living in Texas, my game as become more consistent as I get the play year-round vs 6 months a year when I was in NYC.
Started playing in some of the US AM Tour and Amature Players Tour tournaments again, and this has help my confidence and concentration since every shot counts and cannot just waste a shot if I was just playing around with friends.

My game – Currently at 8.8 HC, up and down, struggle with concentration in the middle of the round causing silly mistakes, which escalates those numbers quickly. Hence my scores fluctuating from 77 to 87. Chipping and putting has help keep my rounds under control, getting up and down from around the greens. Which I considered that my strength of my game. I struggle at times with my mid irons, but I compensate with my wedge game and putting.

My driving has been consistent by hitting lot of Fairways, average 66%, but not much for distance, average carry currently is between 215-220 yds. So, I am looking forward to evaluating this new shaft and hoping that those numbers improve without losing control of the fairway. It is no fun hitting it far, but if its miles left or right and have to punch out or re-tee. Then distance is negated.



 

First Impressions:

The fitting process is the first thing that its unusual from other fittings I have done before. Terra Forza is using their own Patten pressure plates to gather their data “Ground Reaction Forces” which determines which shaft best fits your swing. This considers your body weight, body turn, shift between your feet, plus other Patten data to calculate the shaft for you.

Once you gather the data on the pressure plates, there is no reason to go back, according to Terra Forza "Ground Reaction Forces" data is like your DNA for your swing, is not going to change once you have been fitted with the shaft.

Base on data gather, it was between the Orange and the White shaft. After further testing it was determine that I was more fitted for the White (Black) Shaft.
During the initial Fitting there was a definite increase in ball speed, carry and total yards from my current shaft to the TF White.

Fujikura Speeder NX TCS 50 Original Shaft: Carry/Total yds Avg: 230.1/248.9 -  Ball Speed Avg:142.0 mph - Swing Speed Avg: 95.8
Terra Forza White Shaft:  Carry/Total yds Avg: 239.5/258.1 -  Ball Speed Avg: 144.4 mph - Swing Speed Avg: 97.1





The shaft itself is very clean, with some Carbon Fiber trimming and minimal branding besides the Terra Forza logo in White (Black) which determines the type of shaft. There are no numbers, or labels that will describe the shaft as Regular, Stiff, X-Stiff or weight. This is by designed from the company to allow the data to determine the shaft that works for your swing.
 

Testing the difference between by gamer shaft on my TM Qi10 and the new Terra Forza White Shaft.
Capture the Data using the SC300i unit.

Started with my current game shaft Fujikura NX TCS 50.
Carry/Total/Swing Speed/Ball Speed were solid for my swing. And they were was pretty consistent.


Swapped out the shaft to the Terra Forza White.
Carry/Total/Swing Speed/Ball Speed there was a solid improvement on all of the numbers, which is consistent with my initial session after the fitting.

One thing I have notice and I just need to adjust my setup is that because the swing weight is so different from my gamer (D8) to the Terra Forza (D5) There is more of a left straight pull / draw to the ball flight vs my straight / baby cut that am accustomed of playing.

The shaft feels like I can still give it a harder swing and it doesn't feel like am going to lose the drive. 

Another range session and the numbers continue to improve from my original starting stats and I still feel I could give it more.


And on the course can't asked for better stats than 100% Fairway hits.

Looks (8 out of 10 points):

Describing the following:

• Coloring / Graphics: Simple clean designed with Terra Forza in white letters and carbon fiber trimmings.
• Overall color should work with any driver, it’s not flashy.

Feel (10 out of 10 points):

Describe how the club sounds and feels:

• The weight 65.5 for the Terra Forza White but it didn’t feel as heavier but lighter than my Fujikura NX TCS 50. Reason was the swing weight was at D5 compared to my regular shaft at D8
• The shaft appears to keep the load longer, which shows in the increase balls speeds.
• I was expecting it be stiffer because of the weight, but it was very sturdy feel, comfortable to swing and you feel like you can be very aggressive.
• It’s a different feel and it will take time to get adjusted but once you do, the numbers will show.

 

Basic Characteristics (19 out of 20 points):

 Compared to my current gamer:

• Trajectory – Just a little lower than before, but I have notice that apex increasing as am getting more comfortable with the shaft.
• Accuracy – This is the one area that has dramatically improve and was not expecting it. Went from 66% Fairways hit to 78%
• Distance – Went from average of carry/total yds 230.1/248.9 to average of carry/total yds 244.5/263.5 total yds. That is almost 15yds gain.
• Used a SC300i unit to compare and get base numbers on the following statics:
  Club Speed, Ball Speed, Carry Yds, Total Yds and Smash Factor.

As I shown above on the testing between by current setup and the new one with the Terra Forza can notice the difference right away.
with Fujikura NX TCS 50

with Terra Forza White

• Pressure – This shaft has giving me confidence to go for the tight fairways, carry bunkers and feel like am going to hit my spots consistently. Again, we are just amateurs, and we are going to miss our targets more times but it will be a lot less. 

On-Course / LM Performance (29 out of 30 points)

Played a few tournaments and regular rounds with the new Terra Forza White / TM Qi10 combination, and it was evident to my playing partners that have commented over and over, “well there is another fairway hit” and “you have smashed that drive”. The fear of not hitting a few of those tight fairways have gone as I play more and gain more confidence. At times I found myself too close to the green or water hazard that I was not expecting to be near before or in the position to hit a wedge at times.
I feel I can still tweak my setup even more to get the most out of this combination.
 

Final Performance Comments:

Overall, how did it perform?  This shaft performed better than advertised, numbers do not lie.

How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of Terra Forza? First I never heard of them before until MyGolfSpy opportunity to test the shaft and their unique fitting system. It has made the impression.

What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? I know Terra Forza mention they would have a new model “Blue” that would sit between the Yellow and White Shafts.

What feature do you really like, and would most like to see continued or evolved in future models? Load, Balls Speed and accuracy.

Did it help improve your scores? By how much? I think I gain a couple of strokes so far, probably would be more as I continue to fine tune and play to the new yardages.

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

100% Play it, it’s already a keeper in my current gamer setup. No reason to go back.
As stated above the numbers do not lie and the confidence it has provide me to hit driver on every hole instead of using a 5 Wood is huge. Asking price could be steep, hoping it comes down, but if you are in the market for a new shaft, I would add this one to the list of strong candidates.
This shaft is great from mid to low HC, they should see big gains from their current setup.

Conclusion

Am glad I was able to use a SC300i unit to get numbers that I could compare, keeping track of your fairway hits, left or right and distance with ShotScope V5X. Once you put it all together and you then play at the course where it matters you really can notice the difference and reference back to the numbers and get that AHHHHHH Moment.

Final Score: (96 out of 100 points)

Edited June 19 by MrBandit
Updated Info 6/19

[GolfSpy_BOS]

Terra Forza Driver Shaft Review - BOS edition

We’re back for another BOS edition review!  This time I am fortunate to be able to put the Terra Forza White+ Driver Shaft through its paces to see just how different the Terra Forza fitting process is, and if the results back up their claims.  Terra Forza believes that swings are "built from the ground up" and find that to be the most important aspect of fitting.  How you use the ground will impact which Terra Forza shaft you fit into.  The shafts have no traditional flex or weight rating marked on them, and you're not supposed to think about these shafts that way.  But more on that later!

For those of you who don’t know me; Hi!  I’m Bryan, or as I’m better known around these parts, GolfSpy BOS.  That's me in the photo above and I’m a 36 year old single digit handicap with hopes and dreams of getting to scratch and about 1/18th the time required to put in the practice to do so.

When I’m not golfing or dreaming of golfing I can most likely be found on some youth sports field or carting one of my three wonderful children around to some activity.  Thankfully, my oldest has already taken to the sport and my other two have shown interest as well!  So, It seems I will have some built in golf-buddies for life.

In regards to the current state of my driving game; it's just OK.  I wouldn't say it was good or bad, but I know there room for serious improvement in consistency if nothing else.  Here's a current view of my Arccos stats:

 

Distance is fine, a little down from my best numbers, but I know that will return with a great focus on fitness.  The bigger issue is that I am currently fighting some wayward shots and miss equally in all directions.  I'd like to see the fairway hit % rise, and just generally see if I get in more of a groove with the Terra Forza shaft versus my gamer the Fujikura Motore X F3 6x.  

First Impressions 20/20:

So now comes the time where I'll share some of my first impressions of this shaft after taking delivery and getting some range time. I suppose technically my true first impressions was on receiving the full fitting kit with all the shafts, but we'll look at this from the perspective of someone who didn't fit themselves as that is how the vast majority of customers would fit into a Terra Forza shaft.

The Terra Forza is minimalistic and clean in its branding.  The glossy black finish will pair well with most drivers, including my epic max LS with my black lamkin sonar+ grip.  Black on black seems like it will never go out of style.

The logo and wording are slightly raised and are crisp and cleanly applied.  The shaft has no other marking and has a visible carbon fiber weave which smoothly transitions to all glossy black as you move towards the tip.

 

So we know it looks great? But, how does it perform?  I've had the Terra Forza out to the range twice and have started to see some trends developing as I knock the rust off my swing.  

The Terra Forza White will be going up against the Fujikura Motore X F3 which I have been using for almost 2 seasons and honestly, I'm very comfortable swinging with.  This won't be an easy fight.

In the hand the handle of the Terra Forza feels a little firmer, with both shafts feeling stable down at the tip.  Whether on purpose or not, the Terra Forza White shaft feels to me like a traditional "white" profile with a touch firmer handle.  I have no way of checking but it feels a touch lighter swing weight in my hands.  Overall weight is very close with the Terra Forza weighing in at 126g with tip and grip and the Fujikura coming in at 128g.  So no big difference for me to adjust to there.  

I warmed up well and went through a bunch of balls before officially starting as I've been fighting a low hook to start the year.  Once I got going I hit balls with the Terra Forza and then with the Fuji, and went back to the Terra Forza.  I noticed 2 main things at the end:

• When I first switched to my gamer I was immediately more comfortable and hit more consistently.  I'm not entirely sure what was the cause, but it did feel like I was in sync more.
• The Terra Forza feels plenty stable down in the tip, which is historically where I need it.  Flight with both shafts was strong considering the questionable condition of the range balls, and Feel was really pleasant.  I'm excited to try this on the course with a tour caliber ball.

Then I switched back and had a bit of an "ah-ha" moment with the Terra Forza.  Despite playing 1/2 inch shorter I was seeing the same performance out of it.  Below is a selection of the top 10 with each shaft that I felt were "good" swings.  I extracted the MLM data and put it in this table:

As you can see, not much between the two of them.  All good numbers I'd love on the course.  And now it's time for my little bonus note:

• The Terra Forza shaft had 2 swings which produced the highest swing speeds I've seen in a while at 106.2 and 106.8.  I also got a 158.8 ball speed which I have not had on the Rapsodo MLM2PRO before, so I think there is some meat left on this one for me to try and potentially gain some distance.

And now onto the rest of the final review:

Aesthetics (15 out of 20) 

Alright so it’s time to wrap up my official review, although I’ll be continuing to put the Terra Forza White and Blue through some extended testing, but Terra Forza has left a strong impression on me from a performance standpoint. But we’re not at that part yet, so let’s talk about the all-important aesthetics department.

Here I think Terra Forza does a great job with the printing and the stylized “TF” logo is clean without being too distracting. The glossy black is classic without being distracting and we do get to see a bit of the carbon weave in the top of the shaft near the “TF” logo. It’s clean, and it’s classic… I just don’t love it for Terra Forza.

Now, I want to stress again that it is extremely well done. I have no issues with the branding as it is done. I just think we need something more for Terra Forza to stand out in your bag considering not a lot of people are going to run across this brand, and I think they should. I’d love to see them utilize the “TF” logo printed maybe more on the top half of the shaft and then fade to black if they still wanted a mostly clean look. I think this might bring a little more attention to the brand that they deserve. 
 

On-Course (15 out of 20)

Now we move on to my on-course results with the Terra Forza White. I’ve played with the Terra Forza all season for rounds including the pressure test rounds down in Kingsmill where it did quite well. 

I had my best driving round in recent memory down there and below is a picture of all of my drives that day. As you can see, all were “good” drives by Arccos standards, going towards my stats and I missed 1 fairway with the driver in hand, which was a getable par 4 at 285 yards that I missed in the right rough pretty darn close to pin high. 

I mentioned this a few times already but the shaft feels very stable to me. It seems to follow a pretty classic tip-stiff profile and helped to produce some really strong flights for me. Here’s an “after” summary of my strokes gained and accuracy with the driver for the time period of the review. My strokes gained driving improved by .06 strokes against a 5 handicap (even though I’m currently more of a 6 or 7). As you can see I was marginally more accurate with the Terra Forza in the bag, hitting 48% of fairways versus 46%. That’s pretty good results going up against a fitted club, and I think shows the promise in Terra Forza’s fitting ideology.

  

What I like most about the White is that I don’t lose the head at any point in the swing, and with the un-tipped version I don’t feel like I have to work the shaft at full speed to get output. It has a smooth and really fast feeling when you make good contact, and I get feedback on mishits that’s clear.

Now, this year driving hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. I’ve had an issue where I’ve been hooking the ball far more frequently than I have in the past. This is not exclusive to the driver either, it’s been in all parts of my bag. I think the next time I got to the range my only thought will be “hit a cut” and if that doesn’t work I’ll try to slice a few. 

The numbers don’t quite show it, but I do believe that this has the longer-long shots over my previous gamer. I’ll explain more on that below, but I’ve hit some significant milestones in ball-speed with the Terra Forza White, so the potential is there!

 

The Good, the Bad, the In-between (15 out of 20)

Let’s start off with the good, or well, the great! For the first time in my life, I hit 160 mph ball speed with the Terra Forza White shaft. It wasn’t a fluke either, because I did it multiple times on the Rapsodo MLM2PRO. This shaft has some power in it matched up with my swing. I have to attribute that to Terra Forza’s fitting philosophy and the work they have done with the pressure plates and mapping out swings to fit the best shaft in their lineup. 

It’s also a rather expensive lineup. With now 6 different shafts (Red, Yellow, White, Blue, Orange, and Green) plus different tipping options too. That goes to show you how they feel about the pressure traces and unique profiles that different traces work best with. 

So why 15 points and not 20? I think it is really hard to get enough people to get fitted on the pressure plates. I would love to see Terra Forza evolve their fitting system to be able to reach more consumers, because I feel their stuff is legitimately great, and should be tried. No additional points deducted here, but that also goes along with my comment that the design is just a little too quiet. In my Qi10 driver it looks almost like a stock shaft, which is both good and bad. If they were a large OEM it would be no problem, but it lacks a little “hey, look at me!” that I think it could benefit from. 

I’m curious to see if they could ever use video (maybe a face on and down-the-line view) and reach a similar fit. Maybe with the help of AI they can map the two together so people can submit a video and get a demo shaft. To their credit, Terra Forza has just listed a number of new fitting sites and partners on their social channels, and I’m hoping more people get the opportunity to try them out soon!

 

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

The Terra Forza White is in the bag until something beats it out. Period. I can’t tell you what flex it is, and I don’t care. It’s a weird feeling for me as a data guy, but it flat out has been working for me. This is without a doubt a premium shaft option fitting of the premium price it commands. I just wish it had a paint job that matched the performance!

Conclusion

The Terra Forza White shaft is a strong performer in the premium shaft marketplace. I hit some personal best ball- and swing-speeds with the Terra Forza White in the bag and had some exceptionally strong driving days. For me, the only thing that didn’t live up to the performance was the plain paint job, although that is also done with crisp printing and fine glossy paint, it just needs to be a bit more proud of itself. I think more golfers would benefit from the fitting philosophy that Terra Forza has and I can see some golfers ending up in a shaft that they wouldn’t think was a good fit on paper, only to find greater consistency, and increased performance on the tee.

Final Score (85 out of 100)

[tdc1]

Thanks to MGS and Terra Forza for this opportunity!

The timing could hardly be better since driver tune-up was on my to-do list this spring.  I can't help but wonder if my current set-up isn't under performing.  Really looking forward to the fitting and testing!

A little background on me:  I first started to play golf at 40 and was, by all accounts, a fairly high ball hitter with some power and a generally reliable fade off the tee.  Now, 30+ years later, 40+ pounds lighter, and several failed tries at finding a draw, things are different -- tee shots are shorter, lower, and wilder.  I have not done any testing outdoors with a launch monitor but recent indoor testing with a Uneekor launch monitor produced these results: Club Speed: 89; Ball speed: 125; Apex: 53'; Launch angle: 11.25°; Carry: 185 yds.; and Total Distance: 204 yds.  I was using my Ping G425 10.5° driver with loft and back weight in standard position.  The shaft is a stock Ping Alta CB 55 R-flex.  (One caveat here -- the simulator bay I used is physically large enough for me to swing freely but is psychologically inhibiting so I don't know how accurate the numbers are.)  

I'm hoping that this fitting process can help me find more accuracy over everything else.  Although, I won't turn down a few more yards as well.

First Impressions

My Orange spec Terra Forza shaft arrived late yesterday so these really are shoot-from-the-hip first impressions. 

The shaft is simple and blends from a carbon fiber look to plain black about 7" below the grip.

The graphics on the shaft are not "fussy" or distracting.  The view in standard 10.5° or in the 12° setting is this:

In the 9° setting, however, the larger "Terra Forza" logo begins to become just barely visible.  I don't know if it is enough to become a distraction since I am unlikely to play the driver in that setting.

Uninstalled I sense no real difference in weight between the Ping and TF shafts; with the TF shaft installed, however, the club feels head-heavy -- not excessively so but it can be felt.  I am attributing this to the counter-balance of the Ping shaft but I am also going to try to get a swing weight with each shaft installed.

In my introduction (and in other MGS threads) I have mentioned my psychological struggles with hitting driver in the simulator at my home course (Uneekor system).  I did a short test there today but I'm still waiting for the data to arrive by e-mail.  I will say that I do not think it will be an accurate/fair first test.  There is a new Trackman facility that has just opened in town that I hope to try as well.

Rain continues for the next day or two so I'm not sure when I'll get some on course data.  Last week I started using a Shot Scope V5 to track shots.  I'm hoping that I'll get some good info using it.
 

Mid-Test Update

We're getting close to the midpoint in our Terra Forze shaft test.  I have posted weekly comments along the way but thought I would give a very brief comparison of the shafts so fr.  As you may know, I have struggled with the TF Orange shaft that was originally sent.  Some good, but not consistent numbers, with the TF Orange but I felt like I had to really work to get the shaft to produce results.  I added lead tape (approx. 3 grams) to the butt end of the grip to mimic my Alta CB shaft, I added loft, and I decreased loft with no noticeable performance results compared to the stock TF Orange.  I switched back to the Alta CB shaft for a few rounds to get some comparative data.  And, the fantastic folks at Terra Forza must have seen my struggles so they sent me a second shaft, a TF Green to try (my original fitting suggested Green + although the Orange gave me slightly better dispersion.

Over the past month I have used a combination of the Alta CB, TF Orange, and TF Green for approximately 100 tee shots (heavier on the TF Orange than the other two).  Total yards and FIR (if that is the correct acronym) as of today (29 May):

Alta CB:  195.3 yds.; 35%.    TF Orange:  196.8 yds.; 57%.    TF Green:  204.8 yds.; 42%

The FIR percentage for the TF Green is a bit misleading since, for the sake of the test, I have started to use driver on a short par-4 with water along the entire left side of the fairway so I deliberately aim for the right rough (two pine trees that form a great field goal target with the added bonus of a cart path that runs between them -- have made the field goal but not hit the path yet).

The adventure continues.

Final Review

As some of you may know, I have had the opportunity to test two Terra Forza shafts — the Orange and the Green.  Again, as you may know, I had expected to receive a Green shaft based on my fitting but I was initially sent an Orange.  In the fitting, the Orange was slightly better in terms of dispersion but the Green was better in terms of distance.  And, I struggled with the Orange.  I had some good early success but I felt like I had to really work to get the swing to produce results.  Apparently the good folks at Terra Forza saw my comments and sent me a Green shaft to try as well.

Since my first time out with a Terra Forza shaft on April 30 through today (June 30), I have used the a Terra Forza shaft on course for 35 rounds (a combination of 9- and 18-hole rounds) on 6 different courses, and in 1 Michigan Section PGA Pro Am.  In addition, I visited a simulator three times to gather data.

Aesthetics (20/20)

I absolutely love the simplicity and clean lines of the shaft (see photos in my First Impressions post).  There is nothing distracting or flashy about the graphics nor is the shaft cluttered with information about weight, flex, kick-point, etc.  Minimalism when looking down at the ball that really suits my eye.

The Numbers (20/20)

The numbers above are for the TF Green shaft only which is the shaft I’ve had in use almost exclusively since May 24.  In the middle of testing I did switch out the TF Green for a couple of rounds each with the TF Orange and my stock Alta CB Slate to see how they performed after getting comfortable with the TF Green.  The numbers below are based on some 200 on course shots with Alta CB (10%), TF Orange (30%) and TF Green (60%).

I have been using a Shot Scope V5 watch for data tracking since the beginning of the test.  According to Shot Scope my SG Tee Shot v. 10 HCP has gone from -3.58 to -0.89; the same v. 15 HCP has gone from -2.54 to +0.32.

Again using Shot Scope data, FIR with my stock shaft was 35.5% v. TF Green at exactly 50%.  I was very strict regarding FIR — whether the ball landed two inches into the rough or twenty feet didn’t matter, it was a fairway missed.  If I deleted the drives I deliberately aimed at the right hand rough on #9 at my home course (water all the way down the left and in front of the green), that FIR number would be approximately 4% higher for the TF Green.

Total distance with my stock shaft was 195.34 yds. v. 205.8 yds. with the TF Green.  The longest individual drive with the Alta CB was 233 yds. v. 247 with the TF Green.

I saw definite improvement in all three ares with the TF Green over my Alta CB.  While I’m not going to scoff at getting 10 more yards on average I am most happy with an improvement of 15 percentage point in FIR!

On The Course (18/20)

A the Shot Scope data above shows the TF Green helped me improve in SG Tee Shot, total yards, and FIR.

I experimented freely with the loft sleeve and back weight on my Ping G425 Max throughout the early portion of the test before settling for lofting up 1.5° and placing the back weight into the Fade position.  I also tried using lead tape to mimic the counter balance in my Alta CB but eventually removed it.

While I have gained significantly in my confidence with the driver in its current configuration, there are two areas that still are concerning at times: (1) launch height, and (2) left-side bias.

Over the years my ball flight has changed from a predictable high fade to a low-mid launch pull.  Even with the driver set to 12°, the launch angle with the TF Green can sometimes get disconcertingly low — yes, the ball runs but too often through the fairway.  I know that some (most?) of this is down to operator error.  I have played the last few rounds using a Pro V1x to see if I can improve launch angle (the jury is still out on this and suggestions for high launching balls for slower SS — 85ish — are welcome).

The left-side bias is something that I found to be true with both the TF Orange and TF Green.  Yes, I know that lofting up has closed the face but at 10.5° Neutral, 11.5° Neutral, 11.5° Fade, and 12° Fade — even the wild round at 9.5° Flat Draw — the left side beckons more often than I wish.  The “good” part of this is that I am not hitting big hooks, just longish straight pulls.  And usually on the same 3 holes

The Good, the bad, the in between (9/10)

I honestly cannot come up with anything I would consider “bad” about this experience of the folks at Terra Forza.  Heck, just there willingness to send a second shaft for me to try speaks volumes about how they stand behind their product and want the shaft to fit and work the best it can.

And, the only “in between” is related to the fitting process.  Much of this may be a reflection on my naïveté.  Relative to my last iron fitting the TF seemed a little light on rationale.  Yes, I saw the data from the swings I took; yes, I saw the shaft color the algorithm spit out; yes, my fitter was an extremely pleasant and personal guy.  But, the explanation for why the algorithm made its choice wasn’t presented in much detail.  Is this partly due to my ignorance of how/why TF uses the pressure plates?  Absolutely.  But the general description of shaft profiles I found on the web site was more information than I got during the process. And, although I know that each shaft is available in a standard and plus version, I still don’t know if the shaft I received is Green or Green+.  Ultimately, perhaps, that’s information that I don’t need as long as the shaft works for me.

Play it or Trade it? (20/20)

Play oit!  The TF Green is staying in my driver for the foreseeable future.  Everything about it has made me more confident and more effective off the tee.

Conclusion

At the beginning of 2024 one of my goals was to do a driver tune-up focussing primarily on shaft and loft settings.  When I heard that I had been chosen for this test I was ecstatic.  Now, as the testing period draws to a close, I remain excited at the improvement I’ve already experienced as well as at the prospect for continued success.

The test was difficult for me.  As I noted on several occasions throughout the process, I struggled mightily with the first shaft Terra Forza sent.  How/why I was lucky enough to receive a second shaft to test I do not know.  Maybe someone at TF was keeping track on our posts; maybe one of the MGS Admins contacted TF.  In any case, I am so tickled to have gotten the second shaft.  I immediately felt more comfortable with it and embraced giving it all the opportunities I could.

The fitting process was pleasant and unique.  The quality of the shaft is top notch.  And, my overall results in SG Tee Shots, FIR, and total distance speak for themselves.

Thanks again to MGS and Terra Forza for the opportunity to participate in this test and for the benefits to my game as a result.

Final Score (97/100)

 

 

[Ignore these two photos -- duplicates that just won't let themselves be deleted.]

 

Edited July 2 by tdc1
Added new info; Final Review; Typo

[GolfSpy_APH]

Congrats on the selections! 

This is going to be one of the most interesting reviews based on the methods and more. Best of luck and looking forward to a lot of stories about the experience, how they preform and a lot more!

[Knight017]

On 4/7/2024 at 3:22 AM, GolfSpy_BEN said:

-2 cut line

low AM: jasper stubbs

 

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

 

Testers Announced!

Can the proper golf shaft for your driver be determined solely by how you use the ground in your swing? As part of this "testers wanted" opportunity with Terra Forza Golf Shafts, we will find out!

About Terra Forza

Terra Forza has taken a new approach to shaft fittings and flexes. In this case, it is best to hear about their claims directly from them.

“Our theory revolved around the idea that how a golfer loads and unloads a shaft is directly correlated to how they use the ground. After many years of studying ground reaction forces (GRF) and pressure traces, Terra Forza Golf was born, validating that theory. After some trial and error, we were able to create a line of golf shafts that matched a golfer's pressure trace and pressure data. Our patented algorithm allows us to recognize those traces, along with all of the pressure data coming from the TF Pressure Plates, and objectively determine the proper shaft for any golfer. We welcome you to the new ERA of fitting shafts, from the ground up.”

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@ChiefMikeOfficer 

@MrBandit 

@GolfSpy BOS 

@tdc1

Congratulations guys this review looks really interesting and I am looking forward to seeing the results 

[GolfSpy_BNG]

Congrats guys.  

[Josh Parker]

Congrats guys!  Looking forward to seeing how these work out and the fitting experience. 

[TJ Hall]

Congratulations testers…interested to see how the fitting process works out!

[Willie T]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

 

Testers Announced!

Can the proper golf shaft for your driver be determined solely by how you use the ground in your swing? As part of this "testers wanted" opportunity with Terra Forza Golf Shafts, we will find out!

About Terra Forza

Terra Forza has taken a new approach to shaft fittings and flexes. In this case, it is best to hear about their claims directly from them.

“Our theory revolved around the idea that how a golfer loads and unloads a shaft is directly correlated to how they use the ground. After many years of studying ground reaction forces (GRF) and pressure traces, Terra Forza Golf was born, validating that theory. After some trial and error, we were able to create a line of golf shafts that matched a golfer's pressure trace and pressure data. Our patented algorithm allows us to recognize those traces, along with all of the pressure data coming from the TF Pressure Plates, and objectively determine the proper shaft for any golfer. We welcome you to the new ERA of fitting shafts, from the ground up.”

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@ChiefMikeOfficer 

@MrBandit 

@GolfSpy BOS 

@tdc1

This fitting system does beg to be followed…congrats to the testers…Looking forward to hearing how it all plays out and if the process is as grounded as they claim…

[MattWillGolf]

Congratulations Testers. Shaft tests are interesting follows. And this one in particular with Terra Forza’s approach to fitting.

[rkj427]

Congratulations to this group of testers. 

Looking forward to the comments and thoughts on the fitting process and comments and reviews once these are in play.

[UNCRoss]

Congratulations to the testers, look forward to reading the reviews. 

[nvizble1]

Big congrats to you guys! As someone who has never had a shaft fitted, I’m anxious to see how it helps each player’s game. 

[frazzman80]

Can’t wait to hear about the process and read through the results. Best of luck to everyone!

[David Leighton Reid]

Congrats to the testers.  I look forward to your reviews on these shafts.

[ZackS]

Congrats testers, interested to see the results from this with the different fitting concept. 

[Shrek74]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

 

Testers Announced!

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@ChiefMikeOfficer 

@MrBandit 

@GolfSpy BOS 

@tdc1

Congrats testers!!! I'm really interested in hearing how these do or don't work for everyone. The concept is really fascinating. Good luck to the group and I'm looking forward to learning and hearing more throughout this test.

[Michael.Sandoval33]

Congrats testers! Going to be an interesting follow for sure as I think Terra Forza might be on to something with their study of ground force effects on the swing. But we will see how true (or not) it is!

[EnderinAZ]

Looking forward to reading the results!

[BreakfastBall15]

Congrats testers! Excited to follow along on your fitting/testing journey.

[TSauer]

Congrats, testers!

[goaliewales14]

Congrats testers!!!!!

[GeekedOutGolfing]

CONGRATS ALL!!!  Good luck!

[William P]

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

 

Testers Announced!

Can the proper golf shaft for your driver be determined solely by how you use the ground in your swing? As part of this "testers wanted" opportunity with Terra Forza Golf Shafts, we will find out!

About Terra Forza

Terra Forza has taken a new approach to shaft fittings and flexes. In this case, it is best to hear about their claims directly from them.

“Our theory revolved around the idea that how a golfer loads and unloads a shaft is directly correlated to how they use the ground. After many years of studying ground reaction forces (GRF) and pressure traces, Terra Forza Golf was born, validating that theory. After some trial and error, we were able to create a line of golf shafts that matched a golfer's pressure trace and pressure data. Our patented algorithm allows us to recognize those traces, along with all of the pressure data coming from the TF Pressure Plates, and objectively determine the proper shaft for any golfer. We welcome you to the new ERA of fitting shafts, from the ground up.”

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@ChiefMikeOfficer 

@MrBandit 

@GolfSpy BOS 

@tdc1

Congratulations to all. Really looking forward to hearing about the fitting experience.

[B_R_A_D_Y]

Really looking forward to seeing what y’all think!

[xOldBenKenobiX]

Congrats testers

@ChiefMikeOfficer

@MrBandit

@GolfSpy BOS

@tdc1

[GolfSpy_BOS]

I'm looking forward to checking out this fitting method and seeing what Terra Forza is all about.  

 

For those nearby that want to try them out send me PM.  I have the full fitting kit and pressure plates from Terra Forza.

I'll have to set up some time at a local range and we can all hit some balls and go through the fitting app!

 

[TG8]

Congrats testers.  I will be following along as I am a shaft junkie. 

Edited April 9 by TG8
Typo