Diamana ZF vs GT?

[JohnnyHangs]

Curious if anyone has played around with the ZF and GT side by side for some feedback?

 

Switched from a ventus black 6x to ZF 60x and love it, but sometimes can miss it left. Can feel a bit loose when trying to step on one, 116-120 SS.  Just picked up a GT 70 TX to test, but haven't been able to get out to compare just yet. 

[zrheisler22]

GT will feel a bit tighter than the ZF.

[JohnnyHangs]

1 hour ago, zrheisler22 said:

GT will feel a bit tighter than the ZF.

Thanks, any noticeable difference between the X and TX if you know? Im afraid the 70 TX I have could be a bit too heavy, I do like the weight of the 60's 

[phizzy30]

I had the ZF and have the GT in my driver and 3 metal.  Big time upgrade for me.  GT is more stout and stable than the ZF.  Definitely more anti-left.  I have the TX and it's more stable IMO and lower torque than X.   

2 hours ago, JohnnyHangs said:

Thanks, any noticeable difference between the X and TX if you know? Im afraid the 70 TX I have could be a bit too heavy, I do like the weight of the 60's 

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by phizzy30

[Darth_Fader]

On 4/29/2023 at 8:33 PM, phizzy30 said:

I had the ZF and have the GT in my driver and 3 metal.  Big time upgrade for me.  GT is more stout and stable than the ZF.  Definitely more anti-left.  I have the TX and it's more stable IMO and lower torque than X.   

 

 

 

Did you have a chance to test and compare Diamana GT to Ventus TR Blue or even Diamana PD? I was fit into the Diamana ZF but a few misses were left too. So I figure GT maybe the ticket. Do you also you GT in your 3 wood, or something else?

[phizzy30]

Just now, Darth_Fader said:

 

 

Did you have a chance to test and compare Diamana GT to Ventus TR Blue or even Diamana PD? I was fit into the Diamana ZF but a few misses were left too. So I figure GT maybe the ticket. Do you also you GT in your 3 wood, or something else?

I've tested the TR Blue and had the PD.  TR Blue is simliar to the GT in terms of launch/spin.  GT feels more linear and has less kick to it.  Very smooth.  Diamana PD launches lower and spins less than either.  It's very linear and stout.  It's similar to the Ventus Black in terms of feel.  GT holds it's line better and curves less than the ZF for me.  It doesn't have as much kick either.  I would recommend it over the ZF.  It's still in my 3 metal and I don't plan on changing it anytime soon.  

Edited July 5, 2023 by phizzy30

[Darth_Fader]

3 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

I've tested the TR Blue and had the PD.  TR Blue is simliar to the GT in terms of launch/spin.  GT feels more linear and has less kick to it.  Very smooth.  Diamana PD launches lower and spins less than either.  It's very linear and stout.  It's similar to the Ventus Black in terms of feel.  GT holds it's line better and curves less than the ZF for me.  It doesn't have as much kick either.  I would recommend it over the ZF.  It's still in my 3 metal and I don't plan on changing it anytime soon.  

 

Ok awesome, thanks so much for the detailed reply. I really appreciate. Did you tip the GT TX the same as you would for a Ventus X? I ask because I'm right around 115 SS with driver and not sure what to tip driver and 3 wood for these shafts.

 

Btw, were both GT and PD similar in terms of dispersion?

 

Cheers

[phizzy30]

Just now, Darth_Fader said:

 

Ok awesome, thanks so much for the detailed reply. I really appreciate. Did you tip the GT TX the same as you would for a Ventus X? I ask because I'm right around 115 SS with driver and not sure what to tip driver and 3 wood for these shafts.

 

Btw, were both GT and PD similar in terms of dispersion?

 

Cheers

GT is tipped an inch.  I have a TR Black in driver that's tipped half inch.  I'm 118 ss but I don't like to excessively tip my shafts.  It's a feel and spin thing.  PD is super anti-left.  I can still turn the GT over easily but rarely does it turn into a hook unless I put a crappy swing on it. 

[Darth_Fader]

15 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

GT is tipped an inch.  I have a TR Black in driver that's tipped half inch.  I'm 118 ss but I don't like to excessively tip my shafts.  It's a feel and spin thing.  PD is super anti-left.  I can still turn the GT over easily but rarely does it turn into a hook unless I put a crappy swing on it. 

 

Perfect, I'll probably just tip mine 1/2" as I'm not as fast as you.

 

Thanks again!

[mbart]

Does anybody know how the BF kicks compared to the ZF? Does ZF kick more? I’ve got a BF 70x I’m thinking of putting in a fairway wood but concerned if it will kick as much as the ZF 60x that I tried in driver (I don’t play the ZF because it kicks too much). Thoughts?

Edited March 15 by mbart

[Hitru]

I’ve played the BF70x tipped 0.5” in my TSR2 4wd for a few months and it does kick a little more than a ZF70x tipped 0.5” I have in it now. The kick feels subtly different, like it kicks a few inches further down the shaft, where the ZF kick feels more “settled” in the middle of the shaft. Felt like I got a little more height with the BF but currently liking the more stable feel of the ZF and the height difference is something I can work with, if not barely noticeable to me now that I’m accustomed to it.

[mbart]

5 hours ago, Hitru said:

I’ve played the BF70x tipped 0.5” in my TSR2 4wd for a few months and it does kick a little more than a ZF70x tipped 0.5” I have in it now. The kick feels subtly different, like it kicks a few inches further down the shaft, where the ZF kick feels more “settled” in the middle of the shaft. Felt like I got a little more height with the BF but currently liking the more stable feel of the ZF and the height difference is something I can work with, if not barely noticeable to me now that I’m accustomed to it.

Thanks for that comparison. I agree with you and feel the same thing that the ZF kicks right in the middle, which might be part of the reason I didn’t like it. I think I’d actually like the lower kick of the BF. I’ll probably install it, which will also be in a 4 wood. I normally tip everything to manufacturer spec but maybe I’ll tip the BF to 1” for my 4 wood. 

[Hitru]

Let us know how it goes. Might be worth it for me to tip the BF another 0.50” down the road. That is, if my other experiments with the ZF 80S and GT 80S in the 4wd don’t pan out.

[mbart]

26 minutes ago, Hitru said:

Let us know how it goes. Might be worth it for me to tip the BF another 0.50” down the road. That is, if my other experiments with the ZF 80S and GT 80S in the 4wd don’t pan out.

I will. It’ll be a few weeks before I get around to building and hitting it. 

[mbart]

On 3/15/2025 at 6:44 PM, Hitru said:

Let us know how it goes. Might be worth it for me to tip the BF another 0.50” down the road. That is, if my other experiments with the ZF 80S and GT 80S in the 4wd don’t pan out.

I finally got around to installing BF 70x into my 4 wood (tour edge exotics CBX119 16.5* playing a touch under 43”, tipped 1”) and got to the range. Not an apples to apples comparisons since my ZF was a 60x in a driver, but the BF felt much more stable for me. I agree with your take that the ZF kicks in the middle and the BF kicks lower, I felt that exact same thing. The BF also kicked “less” to me than the ZF but again different weights in different clubs so not a perfect comparison.
The BF kicked just enough, felt lively and crisp, but not whippy, and I was able to time it really well. Hit every shot right out of the middle. The ZF I could not hit on the screws for the life of me, just could not time that shaft at all.

I have the exact same 4 wood with the stock shaft (EvenFlow Blue 70 6.5) that I was able to hit along side the BF, and the BF produced a much more consistent strike for me than the EvenFlow. I would say the BF launched a touch higher to my eye but I have no data to support that.

I used to play an old Cleveland HiBore XLS 3 wood with a first gen Mitsubishi Diamana Kai’li and the BF felt very similar to that, which I suppose is no surprise. I really liked the Kai’li. 

All in all, really enjoyed the BF and it has earned a spot in the bag. 

Edited April 15 by mbart

[ignitewvu]

ZF is absolutely more loose/soft in the middle and you will feel a "Kick"

 

IMO The ZF series in heavier weights is goated in fairway woods.  It produces great launch & spin in fairway application.
The GT Series is better in driver applications as it is more linear than the ZF.  The GT will hold the ball more middle and less left.

Edited March 30 by ignitewvu

[bear87]

I went from a Diamana ZF to GT in my driver and agree the GT is a little harder to turn over than the ZF.  For me, I might prefer the ZF as it is easier for me to work the ball both ways with that shaft.  ZF closer to Blueboard for me, GT closer to Whiteboard...

[phizzy30]

On 3/30/2025 at 5:16 AM, ignitewvu said:

ZF is absolutely more loose/soft in the middle and you will feel a "Kick"

 

IMO The ZF series in heavier weights is goated in fairway woods.  It produces great launch & spin in fairway application.
The GT Series is better in driver applications as it is more linear than the ZF.  The GT will hold the ball more middle and less left.

ZF definitely has more load/bend than GT.  ZF wasn't quite stable enough for 3 metal which is why GT replaced it.  GT wasn't stable enough for driver which is why the VF is in the bag even though both are supposedly very similar EI profile wise according to Russ Ryden.  VF is more stable/anti-left and has a slightly stiffer tip.  Your driver/3 metal setup is great if you need more spin and like a little bit of bend/load in fairways.  

[Hitru]

That’s awesome to hear @mbart!

 

Currently enjoying the GT 80s with 0.5” tipping in the 4wd. It’s got an awesome smooth feel that is plenty stable for a stiff flex in that club. Getting a little more consistent height without too much work that I felt I had to do with the ZF 70x (no LM data to confirm, just by eye).

 

Also really liking the ZF 80x in my 7wd!

 

Can’t wait to hear back from my 75 year old dad about the ZF 50s I got him to try in his driver. He’s pretty excited to try it even though he’s got a TR Red 50s that is working pretty damn well for him right now.

 

These Diamana’s are so good.

[mbart]

1 hour ago, Hitru said:

That’s awesome to hear @mbart!

 

Currently enjoying the GT 80s with 0.5” tipping in the 4wd. It’s got an awesome smooth feel that is plenty stable for a stiff flex in that club. Getting a little more consistent height without too much work that I felt I had to do with the ZF 70x (no LM data to confirm, just by eye).

 

Also really liking the ZF 80x in my 7wd!

 

Can’t wait to hear back from my 75 year old dad about the ZF 50s I got him to try in his driver. He’s pretty excited to try it even though he’s got a TR Red 50s that is working pretty damn well for him right now.

 

These Diamana’s are so good.

I agree. If you find a Diamana profile that times up with your swing it’s a really incredible feeling shaft. The BF makes me wonder why I stopped playing the old Diamana Kai’li. Guess I re-learned that the Diamana blue profile works really well for fairway wood for me. 
 

As far as driver shaft, I’ve been playing the Fujikura Pro 6X for like 8 or 9 years now, but just recently got a Tour AD-XC 6X that might just be replacing the Fuji. The AD-XC feels maybe a touch more active down low versus the Fuji Pro and I’m just feeling I’m timing it really well and hitting it out of the middle. The AD-XC feels very smooth throughout without much obvious kick in one spot, and has far less kick/hinge than the Diamana ZF60x that I tried in driver. AD-XC is billed as a low/low but I think that’s just relative to Graphite Design’s lineup as it feels and is behaving every bit a mid/mid or even mid-high/mid-high for me. Fuji Pro has been a great shaft but if I have one complaint it’s that at 68 grams it can be a little heavy towards the end of the round or a day of 36, and the AD-XC at 65 grams while feeling a touch more active down low might just be easier to swing and elevate at the end of those long days. Now resisting the urge to try a Diamana blue profile in driver since I’m really liking the AD-XC!

[phizzy30]

4 hours ago, mbart said:

I agree. If you find a Diamana profile that times up with your swing it’s a really incredible feeling shaft. The BF makes me wonder why I stopped playing the old Diamana Kai’li. Guess I re-learned that the Diamana blue profile works really well for fairway wood for me. 
 

As far as driver shaft, I’ve been playing the Fujikura Pro 6X for like 8 or 9 years now, but just recently got a Tour AD-XC 6X that might just be replacing the Fuji. The AD-XC feels maybe a touch more active down low versus the Fuji Pro and I’m just feeling I’m timing it really well and hitting it out of the middle. The AD-XC feels very smooth throughout without much obvious kick in one spot, and has far less kick/hinge than the Diamana ZF60x that I tried in driver. AD-XC is billed as a low/low but I think that’s just relative to Graphite Design’s lineup as it feels and is behaving every bit a mid/mid or even mid-high/mid-high for me. Fuji Pro has been a great shaft but if I have one complaint it’s that at 68 grams it can be a little heavy towards the end of the round or a day of 36, and the AD-XC at 65 grams while feeling a touch more active down low might just be easier to swing and elevate at the end of those long days. Now resisting the urge to try a Diamana blue profile in driver since I’m really liking the AD-XC!

None of the 5th gen Diamana shafts match up EI profile or feel wise the XC.  PD is billed as having a softer handle, but it's still plenty stiff, IMO.  1k pro orange/Kai'li white(MCA family) would both be pretty close to the XC in terms of feel, IMO, however launch a bit lower.  I would just keep rocking the XC unless you really wanna just tinker around for craps and giggles.