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Need help with a new shaft

Nippon Shafts
OK, did a loooooot of testing today. Tried these (didn't have any Diamanas):
RIP Gamma 60 S
Rip Beta 60 S
Rip Beta 60 X
Project X 6.0
Ozik HD6

I did some Flightscope testing with range balls beforehand and my numbers were good. Launch angle around 12.5 on average and SS close to 110 on average. For some reason I get higher SS with stiffer shafts? Maybe I feel like I can let it rip a bit more but if anyone knows why, feel free to explain. Due to them being crappy range balls, ballspeed, smash factor and carry are pretty vague numbers. For example with our range balls you get a smash around 1.35 with a good drive, so I grabbed the above shafts, borrowed a cart and went out to an empty hole on the course.

I hit three balls with each drive and here're the yardages (carry, too wet to get any roll):
RIP Gamma 60 S: 278 276 276
RIP Beta 60 S: 274 275 273 (high flight, low spin)
RIP Beta 60 X: 274 270 281 (best flight, would've added plenty of roll)
Project X 6.0: 275 269 269 (inconsistent flight)
Ozik HD6: 267 276 281
Blur 60 S: 259 265 280

I did some more testing with the RIP shafts and the Ozik. Those're by far the best. The RIP Beta 60 X felt very consistent in terms of ballflight, so I'm leaning towards that one now. We'll see what I end up with, TM were kind enough to lend me all their demo shafts. They don't need them anymore since they're not holding any more demo days this year. :D
 
Pete it was cool to read your personal testing. I have tested quite a few shafts in my R11 and have some thoughts as well. I currently play the ahina 60X shaft and I really love it, just wish it was slightly higher launching. The others that I have tried and had good results with are the Ozik HD6 and HD7, and the Fubuki 73S. However my all time favorite shaft is the Graphite Design Tour AD DI7 and the DI6. This is a mid launching low spin shaft that just feels like heaven. It us hard to find and super expensive, but you have hook ups and may be able to get a hold of one.
 
I had some good numbers with the Ozik but it lacks torque. Felt a bit whippy compared to the RIP shafts.

Still strongly considering ordering the Diamana 'ahina.
 
Any update about how you're testing is going Pete or have you settled on the RIP?
 
(Finally) got a time booked with TM at their Performance Lab. October 10th, 10am. Me, one of their reps, a bunch of shafts and Flightscope. I just hope we have good weather.
 
OK, here's the lowdown on the testing session. Spent about 90 mins going through shafts, different settings on the R11 etc and somewhat perplexingly we ended up with this...

1. I was hitting my FT Tour with way too little spin. Around 1500 on average. It's obviously very good in a headwind but not so much when the wind is in your back. Also a mishit goes virtually nowhere. I still ended up gaming it in the tournament last week since it was a windy course and distance wasn't that big a factor.

2. I got the best results out of my current driver with the Blur shaft. We tried some different settings (loft at 8.5, weight in heel, ASP closed & standard 9 deg with weight in toe, ASP open) and landed on a 9* with weight in toe as the best setting.

I hit it good with other shafts but didn't get the same consistent results as with the Blur. Still a bit...I dunno, unsure if it's really the right thing. Then again, I changed my transition a fair bit after my driving-problems and I was hitting it decidedly good. I guess I'll have to trust the Flightscope and the rep, the proof was plain to see.
 
Good luck pete. Hope all goes well and it really starts translating into some fantastic scores! (You already have fantastic ones, I mean more fantastic)
thepete said:
OK, here's the lowdown on the testing session. Spent about 90 mins going through shafts, different settings on the R11 etc and somewhat perplexingly we ended up with this...

1. I was hitting my FT Tour with way too little spin. Around 1500 on average. It's obviously very good in a headwind but not so much when the wind is in your back. Also a mishit goes virtually nowhere. I still ended up gaming it in the tournament last week since it was a windy course and distance wasn't that big a factor.

2. I got the best results out of my current driver with the Blur shaft. We tried some different settings (loft at 8.5, weight in heel, ASP closed & standard 9 deg with weight in toe, ASP open) and landed on a 9* with weight in toe as the best setting.

I hit it good with other shafts but didn't get the same consistent results as with the Blur. Still a bit...I dunno, unsure if it's really the right thing. Then again, I changed my transition a fair bit after my driving-problems and I was hitting it decidedly good. I guess I'll have to trust the Flightscope and the rep, the proof was plain to see.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Thainer. I wish my driving was the key, lol...

Thainer said:
Good luck pete. Hope all goes well and it really starts translating into some fantastic scores! (You already have fantastic ones, I mean more fantastic)
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I'm at a bit of an odds to be honest, when it comes to the "ideal numbers". I prefer less spin in my driver, because I hit it straighter and I feel like I can kill it without fearing a big curveball. That's the big benefit with the low-spin drive to me. I hit it long and friggin' super-straight with the Callaway that was "spinning too little". It just cuts through wind and doesn't drift much sideways. I'm still pondering purchasing a Diamana Blueboard or similar.
 
thepete said:
Thanks Thainer. I wish my driving was the key, lol...



I'm at a bit of an odds to be honest, when it comes to the "ideal numbers". I prefer less spin in my driver, because I hit it straighter and I feel like I can kill it without fearing a big curveball. That's the big benefit with the low-spin drive to me. I hit it long and friggin' super-straight with the Callaway that was "spinning too little". It just cuts through wind and doesn't drift much sideways. I'm still pondering purchasing a Diamana Blueboard or similar.
Click to expand...

I am the exact same way. Have you tried the superdeep head at all? I bet itd change your perspective off the tee. I used the ft tour and loved it. But this is hands down over and above that by miles.

It is a low spin head, but you can pair it with a shaft to get the spin up of need be.
 
Thainer said:
I am the exact same way. Have you tried the superdeep head at all? I bet itd change your perspective off the tee. I used the ft tour and loved it. But this is hands down over and above that by miles.

It is a low spin head, but you can pair it with a shaft to get the spin up of need be.
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No, and I think they're pretty much impossible to get ahold of these days...unless you check the used market
 
thepete said:
No, and I think they're pretty much impossible to get ahold of these days...unless you check the used market
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Are you sure you even like the R11 head pete? I'm just throwing it out there cause I loved the R9 head, but I hated the R11.
 
Good luck with your decision! I hope whatever you choose works out for the best!
 
coolbreeze said:
Are you sure you even like the R11 head pete? I'm just throwing it out there cause I loved the R9 head, but I hated the R11.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I love it. It's my driver alright.
 
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