Older golfers. How light are your iron shafts?

[Joepa324]

12 minutes ago, Soccerrick10 said:

 

To paraphrase a daily soap opera my mom watched as I was growing up:  “Like sands through the hour glass, so is the speed of my downswing”.

 

You are only old if you can tell me the name of that show!

 

Days of our lives!

[dblinden]

In my early 70's and have same or better distance as in past with around a 6 index. Two sets of TM irons: one with DG 95 and one with DG 105. Can't tell the difference. I think an overlooked variable is swing weight of irons, i.e  ability to feel the clubhead in downswing whatever the shaft weight happens to be. Some lead tape can be an asset in this regard.

[colesdad2]

61. Went from S200s I'd played for 25 years to Recoil 95s in 2019.  Modus 115s last August, decided I liked a little heavier.  Coincidence perhaps, but I had a serious elbow injury end of September.  Still not great, but I'm going to play this season.  Just reshafted with MMT 105S SS1X.  Keeping fingers crossed.

[ArGolfHawg]

I'm 56, play MMT 85s in irons and KBS 110s in wedges.  Elbow issues pushed me to the Steelfibers and MMTs

[ChipNRun]

I'm age 72, and spent last season working my way around an arthritic hip and lower back trouble.

 

Through a golf instructor/fitness trainer, I tweaked my swing to emphasis torso rotation and lateral forward-kick. This has stabilized distances, and cut down on pain by minimizing hip turn.

 

So, a history of recent iron shafts:

• 1994-2008: Dynalite Golf S300 / 120 grams (high launch brother of Dynamic Gold) Parallel
• 2009-2014: PX 5.0 Rifle Flighted /115 grams (taper)
• 2014-2018: NS Pro 8950GH, R flex /97 grams (taper)
• 2018-2021: KBS Tour 90, R-flex / ~ 100 grams uncut (parallel)
• 2021- Present: PX Catalyst 65, 5.5 Flex ~ 70 grams uncut /G-S-L wedges reshafted to PX Catalyst 80, 6.0 Flex / 85 grams (Catalysts are graphite)

I like my current MAX irons, but I got them during COVID. The shafts seem to be OK, but the swingweight is in C9-DO range. I had asked fitter to kick up the SwWt to D2, but he said this would disrupt the supply chain (cause planets to collide, etc.), so I took stock build. I like the shafts, but they just feel a bit feathery, hard to tell when I'm at the top..

 

Pre-COVID, Callaway and Ping fitters working with seniors had a solution: Put them in lighter shafts, but add a tip weight to capture their old SwWt. This way feel was similar, but clubhead speed increased due to lighter shaft.

 

Club designer Tom Wishon has noted that players "going light" often go too light the first time.

 

In your case, those Recoil 95 shafts are counterbalanced. The longer iron shafts are lighter than the short irons, which helps with clubhead speed and launch. If your irons work for you - accuracy, reliable yardstick - keep the set-up. If you want more yardage, tweak your driver to shorten length of approaches.

[Klubster]

76 and went from DG to 75 gm graphite last year.  Takes some getting used to the lighter weight at the top.  What is nice is less fatigue and pain at the end of a round.

[jjr]

I can probably hum the opening theme song 🤣

[Climbhard]

Thanks for all the insight.  Im playing around with two right now MMT 80 in stiff which come out about D1 and Steelfiber i95 in reg which come out about D4.   The i95 are playing a little softer (like you'd expect but not in a bad way.  Its been a crappy winter here in Denver so Im going to give it a couple of months before I make a decision.  However, Im sold on graphit in irons.  Either choice is money

[northlake]

71, recoil dart 75s

[denismcg]

I am 61 with 100-103 driver swingspeed with a fairly quick transition.  Last year I switched from ProjectX 6.0 to MMT80 stiff.  At first I found the transition worked very well but as the season went on, I found that on shots were I felt I put a good swing on the ball,  I was losing a few shots to the right, by normal miss is a pull draw to the left.  During the winter, I have been visiting a local sim (trackman) and noticed that the same thing was happening in the sim.  My club path was virtually straight, but the face angle was open.  I decided to switch back to steel and installed PX LZ 6.0.  My last to sim sessions I did not lose any shots to the right.  I don't know if it was the shaft weight or stiffness, but I am happy that I reverted to steel. 

[raggal62]

18 hours ago, larryd3 said:

mid-60s and just went to Accra 70 shafts in irons, accra 80 in wedges.  I also really like Steelfiber 70 in irons.  

Late 60s and play Accra 60s.

[vernon]

22 hours ago, kwcsports said:

Some days I feel 77 😀

No you don't.

 

I used to think that too until I found out what it REALLY felt like!

 

And believe me pain doesn't get better with age!

 

Enjoy the time you have left.......😬

[vernon]

21 hours ago, RSinSG said:

Yup. When I joined one of the men’s leagues I play in one of the (actual) older guys asked me my age. I told him I was 59 and he said “Oh, you’re just a baby.” He went on to say once you hit 70 things start going to s**t. I laughed it off but eventually found out what he was talking about. Thankfully I’m active and healthy and can still play good golf on occasion, but when I hit driver at my range the balls no longer go up the hill at the far end like they did when I was 57, and there isn’t a shaft in the world that will change that.

Man do I hear ya.

 

From 57 to 70 (on the 31st of this month) I lost SEVENTY yards of carry with the driver and two clubs with the irons.

 

Went from a 1.2 from the blacks to a 4.6 from the blue/white combos and probably gonna have to start cheatin' to keep that up!

 

We put up a damn good fight longer than most I guess though so we got that goin' for us.

 

Which is or isn't nice!

[Sparty4202]

I’m 70 and over the last few years I’ve tried Recoils and SteelFibers from 60 grams to 95 grams, never truly loved any of the graphites although the SteelFiber i80s were the best of the group. Never felt I could feel where the club head was.
Last year I demoed a New Level iron with the TT Elevate 95R steel shaft and the swing felt much better so I have switched back to steel…I did add a sensicore insert to help ease the vibration. 

[darkhelmet]

Age 50, Modus 105 stiff now, after a couple shoulder surgeries.

 

Had Project X before, which I loved but at 6.0 were always on the edge of being too much for me.  First got them around 2006-7, and the only options TM had were 5.0 or 6.0 -- 5.5 might have been best if it had been available, but I went with 6.0

 

Feel much more comfortable swinging the 105's, and they don't feel loose at all.  Also have Modus 115 Wedge shafts in my 54 & 58.

[squashgta]

59 - 5 hdcp, just went to DG 105 r300 (95 grams) in new set of g430's.  Coming from Nippon Modus 105's in i210's.  We'll see...

[Swingem]

62, 10.8 hcp. Have played forged w/s300 forever. Had a set of TM M4 iron heads (from a SGI experiment a few years ago) and a set of XP95 s300 shafts sitting around from a shaft swap. I put them together cause I needed a project, and now they're my gamers. I've started going lighter and dropping down a flex at the top of the bag too. My experience has been nothing but upside from distance to dispersion and general ease of use. I've started looking at building a new set of GI or SGI (P770 or Stealth?) with graphite shafts (MMT ?). Can you compensate for age with new gear? I'd have to say yes...to some degree.  

[deadsolid...shank]

It has been a crappy winter OP. I’m just up I25 from you and played my first round of the year on Friday. 
 

60 this summer.  Project X LZ 5.5. I think  they’re 115g. To go much lighter I have so be so mindful of slowing down, amd I usually forget. 

[10undrbogey]

66, play Recoil 460 ESX in irons, about 65 grams

[justasgood]

On 3/14/2023 at 8:06 AM, Climbhard said:

I’m 57 hcp 10.  Down to 95 grams.  My 7 iron carry is 160 in Denver.   I can hit it further.   Definitely lost some swing speed over the years.  Am I missing something going this light?

Just turned 60 2.4hdcp and still using X100 132g. All about transition/Tempo and control.

Edited March 15, 2023 by justasgood

[gioreeko]

57, using MMT 125X, 7 iron carry is around 185. I do use the 115X in my 4 and 5 iron though.

[Ger21]

59, playing 95g Fujikura Pro Iron in Tour Spec S flex. I switched when I was 57, from AMT White. Big weight difference, but I adjusted pretty quickly. I could play 115's, but I got a great deal on the 95's. And I ain't getting any younger.

[Thayneil]

On 3/14/2023 at 10:44 PM, RSinSG said:

Yup. When I joined one of the men’s leagues I play in one of the (actual) older guys asked me my age. I told him I was 59 and he said “Oh, you’re just a baby.” He went on to say once you hit 70 things start going to s**t. I laughed it off but eventually found out what he was talking about. Thankfully I’m active and healthy and can still play good golf on occasion, but when I hit driver at my range the balls no longer go up the hill at the far end like they did when I was 57, and there isn’t a shaft in the world that will change that.

but their is a tee box!

[NRJyzr]

I'm on the young end of the "older golfer" spectrum, at 59.  Two years ago, I was still playing Recoil 125s (which are really about 120g), and dropped to NV105 towards the end of the season, into last year.  I've got a set with 95g shafts that I played last year, but not sure I quite need to drop that far.

 

Ironically, when I initially built that NV105 set in 2017, they were too light for me, even with the swingweight bumped a few points to compensate.

 

Honestly, I think I could still play DG-like shaft weights in irons, having played decently with an experimental set at the end of last year with standard weight steel.  However.....   flex is where I've really been affected.  Only four years ago or so, I could still play Super Peening Blue X, and hit DGX decently, but the next year, that was gone.  It's not just aging, but assorted physical issues taking their toll; my shoulders aren't great, my back doesn't like me, blah blah blah.  My NV105 are stiff flex, and I'm thinking about dropping down to a DGR equivalent.

 

Hitting a friend's Ping G20's with CS Lite regular was eye opening.

 

Amusingly, though my driver swingspeed is down about 10mph, I'm still playing Xstiff graphite, 75g or more.  Was using 85g shaft in driver quite a bit last year, have a 3w with RIP Beta 90.  Part of the reason I am doing that is I'm playing driver at 43.5" these days; the extra weight to the clubhead softens the flex so that it's not the same old Xstiff any longer.

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by NRJyzr

[mustang]

 

Amusingly, though my driver swingspeed is down about 10mph, I'm still playing Xstiff graphite, 75g or more.  Was using 85g shaft in driver quite a bit last year, have a 3w with RIP Beta 90.  Part of the reason I am doing that is I'm playing driver at 43.5" these days; the extra weight to the clubhead softens the flex so that it's not the same old Xstiff any longer.

 

Dang Ed-  you made me feel better about my SLOWING down.   After my shoulder replacement three years ago- A steady decline.   I just built a set of Maltby TS-3 in Reg Flex AXE Rapid Taper in 95 grams.   Two rounds in them.  Certainly not over powering them.

 

I impulse purchased a set of Aldila NV iron shafts as they were closing out the original paint job for new paint and more $$.   I purchased three 75 gram, three 85 gram and two 95 gram to put together a flighted set of the TS-4.   I am golf club poor!

 

Now to driver shafts...  still like the stiff flex Aldila Green.     I'm cheap..  Probably would get a bit more out of a more expensive shaft.    I see John Rahm use the Green though.  

Edited March 16, 2023 by mustang

[NRJyzr]

49 minutes ago, mustang said:

Now to driver shafts...  still like the stiff flex Aldila Green.     I'm cheap..  Probably would get a bit more out of a more expensive shaft.    I see John Rahm use the Green though.  

 

I don't know that you would see gains by using something else.  There's a lot of profile overlap of the last several generations of shafts.  Even the old NV can provide gains if its suited to our game.

 

It *could* be so, but being new doesn't automatically make it better 😉

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by NRJyzr

[BackNine29]

I'm 67 and play to a 4.1. My Callaway Apex Pro 19 irons are shafted with Modus3 130 stiff. I have another set that has Modus3 120 in stiff, and the difference in weight is noticeable. However, I have not played enough with the 130 to know if I get tired towards the end of the round due to the extea weight.  I don't see any difference in ball flight or carry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tagermo]

I am 68 and have switched shafts over the past 3 years continuing to go lighter. three years ago was playing Nippon Modus 105's in R flex then 2 years ago went with Recoil 95s R flex in my Srixon ZX5's.

 

Just a few weeks ago went to an iron fitting and determined needed a higher descent angle on my irons to hold the greens on approach shots, fitter indicated I needed lighter and Senior Flex to help launch and steepr descent angle.

 

I tried the TM P790's with Air Speeder 50 shafts and wow they were great. However, I really liked my Srixon heads so rather than spend $1,050 my fitter pulled the Recoil 95's and replaced with Recoil 660s in Senior F2 flex. Saved over $700 (Recoil shaft & new grip installed $55 per club) versus buying new set.

 

I am now holding greens and swinging with great tempo and letting the shaft do the work, before I was trying too hard to get the shaft to load. No loss of dispersion with going lighter and softer flex.  

 

Glad I made the move. Once again shows the importance of going and getting fit by a Professional fitter. 

[phizzy30]

On 3/14/2023 at 7:48 AM, RSinSG said:

Three 57 year olds who think they are an “older golfer.” 😆 

42 here but I feel like I'm at least 10 years older, haha.  Probably due to the face that I have herniated discs in my back and I'm a 2x transplant recipient.  Otherwise I'm "supposedly" in decent shape according to my doctors as a personal trainer.  Still love heavy shafts in my irons and wedges.  125 grams across the board.  I don't think I'll go lighter for a long while. 

[NRJyzr]

15 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

42 here but I feel like I'm at least 10 years older, haha.  Probably due to the face that I have herniated discs in my back and I'm a 2x transplant recipient.  Otherwise I'm "supposedly" in decent shape according to my doctors as a personal trainer.  Still love heavy shafts in my irons and wedges.  125 grams across the board.  I don't think I'll go lighter for a long while. 

 

You sound a little like me, in terms of shaft preferences (not the health side; I've been much more fortunate).  I largely couldn't go lighter than 125-135 until a couple years ago (59 as I type).

 

You've likely got a good run of heavy ahead of you. 🙂