*Graphite Design Lovers Anonymous* Tour AD UB vs IZ vs XC and NOW vs TP! ...and HD....and VR

[phizzy30]

2 hours ago, third-times-a-charm said:

Pulling a switcheroo on my wife in her driver. Taking out the GP and dropping in this new UB to see if I can get the ball up in the air a little bit more. 
 

Im either going to get yelled at for the GP to come back or nothing will happen and she’ll quietly enjoy the UB. I will, however, not get any thank yous 🙄

 

 

I found the UB and GP to be about the same launch wise.  UB spun just a hair more though.  I love the feel of the UB though as it's smoother than the GP.  Gotta VF coming in sometime this week and will post here. 

[phizzy30]

Just now, JourdanM said:

Any non ventus black users try the VF yet?

Have the TR black in driver currently and have a VF coming in this week. 

[third-times-a-charm]

Just now, phizzy30 said:

I found the UB and GP to be about the same launch wise.  UB spun just a hair more though.  I love the feel of the UB though as it's smoother than the GP.  Gotta VF coming in sometime this week and will post here. 

 

The R2 models have a different softer profile so it bumps them down in their intended launch/spin characteristics from the R/S/X models.

 

We'll see how it goes with her swing. The GP is a medium/soft/soft profile in the R2 flex so for all intents the user is still swinging the whole shaft with a high bend point and on paper providing low launch. But is still a mid/low shaft according to GD.

 

The UB is a medium/medium/stiff in R2 and more of a mid/mid, but we'll see.

[third-times-a-charm]

It looks like Graphite Design published a new spin/launch chart.

 

https://proschoicegolfshafts.com/launch-vs-spin-chart/

 

 

[hwturner17]

I never would have thought that the XC was the lowest launch and spin prior to the VF. Interesting chart

[rlb4]

Has anyone tried the MAD standard? I haven't seen too many reviews on it.

[hambone1124]

selling my GP 7x or TP 6x if anyone wants to try - BST listing live 

 

 

[phizzy30]

Got the VF today.  Planning to go to the range tomorrow if I have time.  If not, then I'm playing Sunday so I will post a review either way. 

[phizzy30]

Got out last night but only had an hour to hit balls.  Wife wanted me back home for dinner on time, lol.  It was one of those places that had a top tracer LM.  Managed to hit 20 balls with driver due to the time constraint.  Here's the verdict.  It's really smooth as expected from a modern GD shaft.  Very linear and pretty stout although it feels a little softer than the Ventus/TR Black.  I was seeing a little higher launch compared to the TR Black and ball speeds were average for me.  It's on the stable side although not quite as anti-left as the TR Black.  Definitely easier to hit a cut with the TR Black without having to manipulate my setup and swing too much compared to the VF.  I'm very excited about taking the VF out for a spin out on the course Sunday and will post again. 

 

11-14* launch

174-181 ball speed

100 ft average apex

 

These things don't measure spin which is a bummer.  I'm satisfied overall with the performance.  However, I will have to do some more testing to determine which shaft stays and which one goes so lookout for one of these shafts on BST in a couple weeks guys.  

Edited October 20, 2023 by phizzy30

[JourdanM]

54 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

Got out last night but only had an hour to hit balls.  Wife wanted me back home for dinner on time, lol.  It was one of those places that had a top tracer LM.  Managed to hit 20 balls with driver due to the time constraint.  Here's the verdict.  It's really smooth as expected from a modern GD shaft.  Very linear and pretty stout although it feels a little softer than the Ventus/TR Black.  I was seeing a little higher launch compared to the TR Black and ball speeds were average for me.  It's on the stable side although not quite as anti-left as the TR Black.  Definitely easier to hit a cut with the TR Black without having to manipulate my setup and swing too much compared to the VF.  I'm very excited about taking the VF out for a spin out on the course Sunday and will post again. 

 

11-14* launch

174-181 ball speed

100 ft average apex

 

These things don't measure spin which is a bummer.  I'm satisfied overall with the performance.  However, I will have to do some more testing to determine which shaft stays and which one goes so lookout for one of these shafts on BST in a couple weeks guys.  

Look forward to your continued feedback - thank you! 

[weavs2]

Can anyone compare the vf to the xc and gp?  Description looks like a gp with the mid section of the xc

[phizzy30]

Just now, weavs2 said:

Can anyone compare the vf to the xc and gp?  Description looks like a gp with the mid section of the xc

VF launches the lowest out of the bunch.  I'd say the VF is a beefed up GP in that it's more stable, launches lower and spins less.  VF has a stiffer handle compared to the XC so it feels more stout overall to me.  The best way to describe the VF is that it's more of a whiteboard profile in terms of stability and performance, but smooth like a blue board. 

[nitram]

1 hour ago, phizzy30 said:

 The best way to describe the VF is that it's more of a whiteboard profile in terms of stability and performance, but smooth like a blue board. 

Now you have my undivided attention.

[B.Easy]

4 hours ago, nitram said:

Now you have my undivided attention.

lol. Don't act like it has a shot against your X17!

[phizzy30]

Went out to play Los Amigos yesterday which is pretty open from the tee box.  The VF performed reasonably well.  I hit one really bad shot drive where it hooked, but that's because I got too quick(medium long par 5)but still stayed in play.  The next hole requires a fade which I was able to pull off.  Unfortunately, I hit it a bit heel side and it cut more than I had intended but it got the job done.  I suspect that it wouldn't have curved as much if I hit on the sweet spot.  Other drives were 2 to 5 yard draws with a couple low off the face, but those stayed straight and manage to creep out there.  VF feels really smooth for such a stout and linear shaft.  Dispersion pattern seems to be a little wider than the TR Black, but it feels better/smoother.  It's like a slightly beefed up TR Blue which I mentioned earlier.  I will need to do more testing to make a final decision.  

Edited October 23, 2023 by phizzy30

[absoludicrous]

I tried a few different driver shafts recently and the AD-IZ 6S was so good for my swing throughout the various new driver heads. I liked it better than the Ventus TR Blue. I was using an Atmos Blue Tour Spec and wasn’t getting as much height and slightly lower launch. The IZ was giving me much better flight consistently. I tried the HD and wasn’t hitting it in the middle as easily as the IZ, which was very hard for me to miss that day. I love the IZ.

 

I’m also playing an Atmos Blue Tour Spec 7S in my 3HL and thought I would try the IZ in 7S because my consistency hasn’t been where I hoped and ball flight has been consistently low like my driver issues. I felt like I needed to change something up as I’ve been unhappy with my 3HL lately. I had cut the shaft down to 43.5” playing length and measured the swing weight to D0. I had kept it that way for over a year thinking I would get used to it, but it’s been hit and miss. Since my driver and hybrids are D3-D4, I thought I should try to get my 3HL closer to see if it would help.

 

I added some lead tape and got it up to D3 and now my ball flight is much higher to where I want it. But it also looks like I’m putting more spin on it. I haven’t been able to get on a launch monitor to confirm, but I can see from the ball flight that it doesn’t look quite right. I’m pretty happy with my Atmos now. But since I’m a typical WRXer, I still want to try something new. Has anyone played the Atmos Blue TS and know of something comparable in a fairway wood? I was thinking that the HD may be a good shaft to start with. Now that I’m getting much better launch, I don’t think I want to try an IZ or DI like I originally planned.

 

I’m going to play with it more on the course and see what kind of distance and performance I’ll get with the new swing weight. Maybe I’ll start experimenting with my hybrid shafts instead. This thread has so much information that I have plenty of options to keep me busy for months. 🤣 

[phizzy30]

15 hours ago, absoludicrous said:

I tried a few different driver shafts recently and the AD-IZ 6S was so good for my swing throughout the various new driver heads. I liked it better than the Ventus TR Blue. I was using an Atmos Blue Tour Spec and wasn’t getting as much height and slightly lower launch. The IZ was giving me much better flight consistently. I tried the HD and wasn’t hitting it in the middle as easily as the IZ, which was very hard for me to miss that day. I love the IZ.

 

I’m also playing an Atmos Blue Tour Spec 7S in my 3HL and thought I would try the IZ in 7S because my consistency hasn’t been where I hoped and ball flight has been consistently low like my driver issues. I felt like I needed to change something up as I’ve been unhappy with my 3HL lately. I had cut the shaft down to 43.5” playing length and measured the swing weight to D0. I had kept it that way for over a year thinking I would get used to it, but it’s been hit and miss. Since my driver and hybrids are D3-D4, I thought I should try to get my 3HL closer to see if it would help.

 

I added some lead tape and got it up to D3 and now my ball flight is much higher to where I want it. But it also looks like I’m putting more spin on it. I haven’t been able to get on a launch monitor to confirm, but I can see from the ball flight that it doesn’t look quite right. I’m pretty happy with my Atmos now. But since I’m a typical WRXer, I still want to try something new. Has anyone played the Atmos Blue TS and know of something comparable in a fairway wood? I was thinking that the HD may be a good shaft to start with. Now that I’m getting much better launch, I don’t think I want to try an IZ or DI like I originally planned.

 

I’m going to play with it more on the course and see what kind of distance and performance I’ll get with the new swing weight. Maybe I’ll start experimenting with my hybrid shafts instead. This thread has so much information that I have plenty of options to keep me busy for months. 🤣 

HD is a really good fairway shaft.  Like you, it didn't jive with me for driver as my tempo/transition is more aggressive with it but worked very well for 3 metal.  If you wanna stay in the GD family, I'd also recommend the TP as well. 

[absoludicrous]

Thanks for enabling my addiction! 😂

 

I am looking forward to trying these out. 

[HillbillyHoma]

34 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

HD is a really good fairway shaft.  Like you, it didn't jive with me for driver as my tempo/transition is more aggressive with it but worked very well for 3 metal.  If you wanna stay in the GD family, I'd also recommend the TP as well. 

Love the HD in my 5 wood.

[zap311]

A few months ago I got the TSR3 5 wood with the GD AD IZ 8S shaft...shout out to @phizzy30 and @third-times-a-charm for the great advice on shaft weight. This club has become an absolute monster for me...I'm hitting it pure off the tee, on par 5 approach shots, and even recovery shots.

 

Naturally, this got me thinking that maybe I should consider the AD IZ in my 3 wood or driver (both Stealth Plus heads). I currently game Ventus Blue in both, which are great shafts. However, I can't help but wonder why this shaft is working so well and how I might repeat the magic. Let me know if anyone has run into a similar situation and what you think.

[RCGA]

What's the heaviest 0.335 shaft GD makes? 80g? 

[phizzy30]

Just now, zap311 said:

A few months ago I got the TSR3 5 wood with the GD AD IZ 8S shaft...shout out to @phizzy30 and @third-times-a-charm for the great advice on shaft weight. This club has become an absolute monster for me...I'm hitting it pure off the tee, on par 5 approach shots, and even recovery shots.

 

Naturally, this got me thinking that maybe I should consider the AD IZ in my 3 wood or driver (both Stealth Plus heads). I currently game Ventus Blue in both, which are great shafts. However, I can't help but wonder why this shaft is working so well and how I might repeat the magic. Let me know if anyone has run into a similar situation and what you think.

Really depends.  Do you swing more aggressively with driver compared to your fairway metals?  I know for myself that I can't have the same profile shafts in my driver and fairways as I have much more aggressive transition with driver.  

[HillbillyHoma]

2 minutes ago, RCGA said:

What's the heaviest 0.335 shaft GD makes? 80g? 

9x in the DI

[zap311]

3 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

Really depends.  Do you swing more aggressively with driver compared to your fairway metals?  I know for myself that I can't have the same profile shafts in my driver and fairways as I have much more aggressive transition with driver.  

Good point! Driver swing is definitely more aggressive, but 3 wood swing is pretty similar. 3W is typically a fairway finder on shorter par 4s or a par 5 approach to get it up near the green. 

[NHenson815]

9 hours ago, jbeer7375 said:

9x in the DI

There are heavier ones available (not through normal outlets, but can find on E-bay).  I have a UB in 9TX and I’ve seen an HD in 10X or TX a while ago (can’t remember which specifically).

[nitram]

On 10/21/2023 at 1:21 AM, B.Easy said:

lol. Don't act like it has a shot against your X17!

Yeah, you're right . . .

[RCGA]

Anyone have trouble buying GD shafts off ebay sellers in Japan? 

[Honeybadger]

If you have a Callaway head, go to CPO for great deals on GD shafts. I got a UB for $140 with free shipping. It has completely changed my Driver game with my Paradym head- hitting sweet baby draws on demand with it. It feels so powerful and stable. Hope this lasts. 

[third-times-a-charm]

21 hours ago, Honeybadger said:

If you have a Callaway head, go to CPO for great deals on GD shafts. I got a UB for $140 with free shipping. It has completely changed my Driver game with my Paradym head- hitting sweet baby draws on demand with it. It feels so powerful and stable. Hope this lasts. 

Thanks! Picked up a UB 6 for $116 shipped! Crazy good deal. I havent looked at the shaft section in quite a while. Wonder by the UB's are so much cheaper? All the others are like $200-350

 

 

[Puttersaurus Rex]

37 minutes ago, third-times-a-charm said:

Thanks! Picked up a UB 6 for $116 shipped! Crazy good deal. I havent looked at the shaft section in quite a while. Wonder by the UB's are so much cheaper? All the others are like $200-350

 

 

Demo shafts.  I picked one up a few months ago when it was closer to $170.  Would have loved to pay $116!