BOUGHT SOME SHAFTS FROM JAPAN BUT....

[3rutu5]

recently i went a little silly on a yahoo Auction and picked up a Tour AD DJ-6, LOOP BW and Fujikura SPEEDER NX GREEN shafts all in the SR flex (which are Stiff-Reg not seniors). 

 

I was noticing that on my Callaway Rogue ST Max build, that came with the Ventus Blue 5R shaft (OEM not Velocore), that i liked hitting it but appeared to have a little twist that made the shots a little inconsistent. My thoughts were i could grab a used shaft using the inbetween flex as i dont beleive my swing speed is enough to warrant S, but the R is too whippy. My irons i grabbed the speeder evolution for CW in the Epic Forged Stars and felt good and decided that it was enough of a test.

 

Try not to laugh, but when i was looking for irons i went to the sim with the OnOff Kuro's and tried to gauge what my swing speed was with the stiff shafts, then ran those results through AI along with listings of golf clubs in Japan. That worked out well as what i ended up buying seemed to play out well, which could have been a fluke.

 

With that being said i started looking for driver shafts and got the Tour AD first, but then found out it was 10-15 years old, but still an upgrade from the OEM. Stumbled across the Loop boutique shaft that is meant to be handcrafted in Japan and then the NX Green which was comparable to the Ventus Velocore Blue with tight dispersion, mid-low flight, low spin. The loop BW shaft has similar or slightly less torque than the OEM Ventus, where the other two have T or 3.4-3.7.

 

I understand there is a bit of a risk using AI to do something virtual but thought i would try it, with the worst case they dont suit and i can then on sell them on FB Marketplace or elsewhere. 

 

Has anyone used any of these shafts after starting with the OEM variants and have any feedback around feel etc? I have to wait a week for the courier, but thought i'd ask. 

Edited May 16 by 3rutu5

[Puttersaurus Rex]

Feel is subjective to the person swinging the club.  AI can only make loose suggestions based on the inputs given.  It also does not swing the club.

 

Good luck with the new sticks, and hope you find something that works.

[BigBlue7]

"Using AI" without understanding what data the AI model is fed is fools gold

[jarediogolf]

32 minutes ago, BigBlue7 said:

"Using AI" without understanding what data the AI model is fed is fools gold

Not all that much different than asking random strangers on the internet what shaft to buy 😂.

[3rutu5]

I must admit its similar to asking people on the net thats for sure 🙂

 

I definately picked well with the irons after just going with some just at the shop telling me i was a stiff shaft decades ago with no launch monitor. I new my lie/lengths already, but not really relevant for my driver. 

1 hour ago, BigBlue7 said:

"Using AI" without understanding what data the AI model is fed is fools gold

agree, i learnt that asking questions and disputing them like it was a cadet (how i sometimes use it for work by challenging it), but was saying i have a slower swing speed (xxxmph), want less twist\torque, mid/high launch and low spin, and it gave me something with higher torque because it is too agreeable, but ended up getting teh Loop Prototype which is for a smooth swing, but has similar torque/twist to my OEM. Lets just say i got caught up in the moment and spent 80 AUD on it. Bit of a stab in the dark, but i got 3 decent shafts for about 250AUD that have grips and 2 need the adaptor added or changed. 

[3rutu5]

1 hour ago, Puttersaurus Rex said:

Feel is subjective to the person swinging the club.  AI can only make loose suggestions based on the inputs given.  It also does not swing the club.

 

Good luck with the new sticks, and hope you find something that works.

yeah it can be sh!t in sh!t out thats for sure. I played two games witth epic stars and i like them and went well, hopefully playing Sunday if it stops raining. 

 

i will say i took some "pro's advice" for my Onoff Kuro 2015 Irons and they dont feel near as nice and i think the shaft doesnt suit, then i landed some Miura HY Special Editions that i found out had a x-stiff shaft and muscle backs are definately beyond my skill set, and had some poor advice from a real person (both within the last 6 months). Even my Ping G20's back in 2011 was someone using their "eye-o-meter" to see what shaft suits. 

Edited May 16 by 3rutu5

[3rutu5]

On the topic of irons after picking up the Kuro's, Miuras, Mizuno Vangards, i have some really nice clubs that i wont be using, so probably wasted some cash, but have some nice pieces for the man cave, so recommend if you have an itchy mouse finger, avoid japanese auctions as there is some nice gear on there.

[PNW]

3 hours ago, jarediogolf said:

Not all that much different than asking random strangers on the internet what shaft to buy 😂.

They’re probably trained off of this forum anyway 

[rx1232]

i have no opinions on the question you actually asked but i'm curious if you get hit with any fees/tariffs when they come in to the states 🙂 . I've held off on any action from the courier sites b/c i'm not sure and not willing to find out. 

[jarediogolf]

1 hour ago, rx1232 said:

i have no opinions on the question you actually asked but i'm curious if you get hit with any fees/tariffs when they come in to the states 🙂 . I've held off on any action from the courier sites b/c i'm not sure and not willing to find out. 

I bought a driver head off eBay that’s shipping from Japan. AI says I probably wont pay tariffs if it’s under $800. But who knows where it was trained to say that 🤷‍♂️ I suppose I’ll find out. 

[rx1232]

There used to be a "de minimus" where if the item(s) are below $800 there are no tariffs. That got removed. Tell AI to keep up 🙂

[jarediogolf]

I’m not too worried about it. The Japanese products on eBay are selling at a big discount to US sellers right now (I guess due to weak yen?), it would still work out cheaper and better condition than the US sellers at the moment. 

[3rutu5]

Im in Australia, so no tarrifs that i'm aware of. Because i had to buy through a proxy, i have to pay VAT (sometimes), local shipping, then international shipping and GST. the aussie dollar has been crap against the USD and others for a few years now, but its sort of worth it as im generally a bargain hunter. 

For example

The Miura's were 220 AUD for the auction, then i ended up paying another 180 AUD for all the shippings and taxes etc so 400 AUD for a rare set of irons 2-9, P, G, SW. 

Or i did buy off Golf Partner JP for the Callaways and they were 350 AUD, no VAT or local shipping, then 100 AUD for DHL 5 day shipping/GST (10%). If i was buying these off ebay it was looking like double that as most of the ebay listings were just drop sellers (same listing sometimes listed multiple times at different prices) as i found the same original auction on Yahoo.  

[WristySwing]

5 hours ago, PNW said:

They’re probably trained off of this forum anyway 

 

Which isn't that much to go off of, really. Look at how much bad advice is given here on a daily basis from stuff that is easily verifiable. My favourite is that the KBS TGI is built off of the C-Taper profile. It gets said here at least once a week. The blurb from the company THAT ACTUALLY MADE THE SHAFT says otherwise. Yet, someone said it once, and it gets repeated constantly when the information is dead wrong.

 

[PNW]

12 minutes ago, WristySwing said:

 

Which isn't that much to go off of, really. Look at how much bad advice is given here on a daily basis from stuff that is easily verifiable. My favourite is that the KBS TGI is built off of the C-Taper profile. It gets said here at least once a week. The blurb from the company THAT ACTUALLY MADE THE SHAFT says otherwise. Yet, someone said it once, and it gets repeated constantly when the information is dead wrong.

 

 

Generative AI summaries are only as good as the content they are trained off of and most don't realize that the most recently crawled content are several months old. So there's a really good chance with the tariff example above someone wouldn't get current, accurate info back. 

 

That said... I respectfully disagree and I am one of those folks here who think TGI doesn't play like their Tour model 😬. I've played Tour 110/120/125 quite a bit as well as TGI 100/110 (check my signature) and TGI does not lose stiffness toward the tip like Tour and TGI is relatively softer in the handle. I've also played Tour V 110 and $Taper 120/125 quite a bit as well, which do have similarities to Tour particularly with a softer tip. TGI feels more similar to C-Taper being high bend point vs low. My opinion, and want to say this respectfully, is that KBS marketing is either being a little bit lazy with that description or they are just trying to lean on the recognition of their flagship product Tour model too much as a reference point. They also say the same thing about Proto Hybrid being the same profile as Tour, which again feels more high-bend profile which Tour is not. Most people saying this here tend to have played them quite a bit. FWIW, Russ Ryden also disagrees with the TGI and Tour similarities with his measurements. But, these are all differences in perceived feel and we feel shafts differently to a degree so my opinion may just come down to this really. 

 

Have you spent much time playing TGI and Tour or CTaper? How did TGI feel to you in comparison? I'm not saying that I'm absolutely right here, but curious to hear your experience with them.

[WristySwing]

3 hours ago, PNW said:

 

Generative AI summaries are only as good as the content they are trained off of and most don't realize that the most recently crawled content are several months old. So there's a really good chance with the tariff example above someone wouldn't get current, accurate info back. 

 

That said... I respectfully disagree and I am one of those folks here who think TGI doesn't play like their Tour model 😬. I've played Tour 110/120/125 quite a bit as well as TGI 100/110 (check my signature) and TGI does not lose stiffness toward the tip like Tour and TGI is relatively softer in the handle. I've also played Tour V 110 and $Taper 120/125 quite a bit as well, which do have similarities to Tour particularly with a softer tip. TGI feels more similar to C-Taper being high bend point vs low. My opinion, and want to say this respectfully, is that KBS marketing is either being a little bit lazy with that description or they are just trying to lean on the recognition of their flagship product Tour model too much as a reference point. They also say the same thing about Proto Hybrid being the same profile as Tour, which again feels more high-bend profile which Tour is not. Most people saying this here tend to have played them quite a bit. FWIW, Russ Ryden also disagrees with the TGI and Tour similarities with his measurements. But, these are all differences in perceived feel and we feel shafts differently to a degree so my opinion may just come down to this really. 

 

Have you spent much time playing TGI and Tour or CTaper? How did TGI feel to you in comparison? I'm not saying that I'm absolutely right here, but curious to hear your experience with them.

 

Thanks for the response. Truthfully, I have zero hands on experience with TGI. I have played PGI and thought it felt really good, which KBS says is similar to the Tour model EI curve as well. I have played Prototype in some hybrids a few years ago and found them quite nice. Not very stout and easy to load. However, I was playing the 85g I think (sorry been so long). I know a big issue with these is a lot of people tend to go too heavy and stout (not saying that is you), but I have seen quite a few people say they went the 100g TGI and it felt like a pole when they are used to playing 110g steel. At that point you'd be 80-90g, IMO.

[PNW]

29 minutes ago, WristySwing said:

 

Thanks for the response. Truthfully, I have zero hands on experience with TGI. I have played PGI and thought it felt really good, which KBS says is similar to the Tour model EI curve as well. I have played Prototype in some hybrids a few years ago and found them quite nice. Not very stout and easy to load. However, I was playing the 85g I think (sorry been so long). I know a big issue with these is a lot of people tend to go too heavy and stout (not saying that is you), but I have seen quite a few people say they went the 100g TGI and it felt like a pole when they are used to playing 110g steel. At that point you'd be 80-90g, IMO.

Yeah I think that’s an easy mistake to make with a lot of graphite iron shafts but TGI in particular. 

[3rutu5]

23 hours ago, WristySwing said:

 

Which isn't that much to go off of, really. Look at how much bad advice is given here on a daily basis from stuff that is easily verifiable. My favourite is that the KBS TGI is built off of the C-Taper profile. It gets said here at least once a week. The blurb from the company THAT ACTUALLY MADE THE SHAFT says otherwise. Yet, someone said it once, and it gets repeated constantly when the information is dead wrong.

 

 

Just putting this out there, all jokes and criticism aside, one of the hardest things I find in Australia is buying clubs online. We just don’t have the same access to second-hand gear like they do in the US. I’ve often wondered if I was misfitted in the past, because I always seemed to be 1–2 clubs shorter than the guys I played with. I think being a 6'2 male its easy for someone to assume you just swing 100mph with irons and need stiff flex.

 

So I decided to test a bunch of different shafts, stiff, X-stiff, regular steel, regular graphite, even some old carbon shafts from 40 years ago, just to try and understand how I swing and how the shaft affects the feel and flight. Something just didn’t feel right and I wanted to figure out why.

 

What I started noticing was how each shaft loaded during the swing. With stiff and X-stiff, I couldn’t feel any load at all, it felt like I had to force the swing and muscle the ball. Regular flex was the opposite, felt way too soft and whippy, like it was unloading too early and messing with my timing.

Then I tried SR (Stiff-Regular) and everything just clicked, it gave me just enough flex to feel it loading properly, but still stayed stable through impact. I’m not chasing speed or distance, I just want something that feels like it’s working with my swing instead of fighting against it.

 

I went through a long assessment process using AI, trying to understand everything that was happening, trawlled through hundreds of different auctions, looking at different brands, shaft pairing, what shafts were considered OEM and stock or average, shaft flex-stiffness, and which ones were seen as higher-tier in terms of flight, spin, dispersion, and overall feel. I ended up settling on the Speeder Evolution SR flex (Stiff Reg Flex isnt even available in Australia) shafts that came with the JDM Callaway irons, and let me just say, I really liked them the first few rounds I played. Much nicer feel and performance than anything I’ve tried in a golf store to date. Maybe I fluked it, but I’d rather do as much research and testing as I can when buying blind and sight unseen. I'm using a similar principal for the driver shafts as well, so hope i'm in the ball park, but worst case i've sourced them cheap enough that i can just resell them if they dont. 

Edited May 17 by 3rutu5

[WristySwing]

14 hours ago, 3rutu5 said:

 

Just putting this out there, all jokes and criticism aside, one of the hardest things I find in Australia is buying clubs online. We just don’t have the same access to second-hand gear like they do in the US. I’ve often wondered if I was misfitted in the past, because I always seemed to be 1–2 clubs shorter than the guys I played with. I think being a 6'2 male its easy for someone to assume you just swing 100mph with irons and need stiff flex.

 

So I decided to test a bunch of different shafts, stiff, X-stiff, regular steel, regular graphite, even some old carbon shafts from 40 years ago, just to try and understand how I swing and how the shaft affects the feel and flight. Something just didn’t feel right and I wanted to figure out why.

 

What I started noticing was how each shaft loaded during the swing. With stiff and X-stiff, I couldn’t feel any load at all, it felt like I had to force the swing and muscle the ball. Regular flex was the opposite, felt way too soft and whippy, like it was unloading too early and messing with my timing.

Then I tried SR (Stiff-Regular) and everything just clicked, it gave me just enough flex to feel it loading properly, but still stayed stable through impact. I’m not chasing speed or distance, I just want something that feels like it’s working with my swing instead of fighting against it.

 

I went through a long assessment process using AI, trying to understand everything that was happening, trawlled through hundreds of different auctions, looking at different brands, shaft pairing, what shafts were considered OEM and stock or average, shaft flex-stiffness, and which ones were seen as higher-tier in terms of flight, spin, dispersion, and overall feel. I ended up settling on the Speeder Evolution SR flex (Stiff Reg Flex isnt even available in Australia) shafts that came with the JDM Callaway irons, and let me just say, I really liked them the first few rounds I played. Much nicer feel and performance than anything I’ve tried in a golf store to date. Maybe I fluked it, but I’d rather do as much research and testing as I can when buying blind and sight unseen. I'm using a similar principal for the driver shafts as well, so hope i'm in the ball park, but worst case i've sourced them cheap enough that i can just resell them if they dont. 

 

Hey, not trying to throw shade on you at all. One of the hardest things you can do as a player is trying to find something that feels right. Most people just accept what comes in the club and are on their way. I too am in a weird spot, I find stuff is either like swinging a telephone pole or feels like a noodle. This is stuff that isn't even that traditionally stout (at least according to some of the people here). Project X is basically unusable for me except in 5.0. PX LZ is hit and miss, the 5.0 is noddle, the 5.5 and 6.0 alternate between feeling good and really stiff depending on the day. I haven't tried KBS Tour in R, it is on my list to give it a go, but the $-Taper and C-Taper, even in their Lite models, are all far too stiff feeling unless my swing is dialed. Elevate Tour a bit too stiff, current Elevate 95 is too soft. MMT 105 likely swinging rebar again, MMT 80, no feel mush that goes everywhere.

 

I have discovered that I am a ~110g softer, easy load guy. I love the feel of Modus 105 and 120 (I know they are different profiles), but those feel like they snap with me at the right time. I can't afford new sticks this year but I am starting a new job in July with a big salary bump, and I will definitely be upgrading everything at that time with the clubs I like. Long winded way of saying sometimes trial and error is really helpful to find what you mesh well with.

[jarediogolf]

On 5/16/2025 at 2:26 PM, rx1232 said:

There used to be a "de minimus" where if the item(s) are below $800 there are no tariffs. That got removed. Tell AI to keep up 🙂

Just an update to anyone buying from Japan on eBay who might be worried. I got my shipment, no tariffs charged. Looks like the rescinded de minimus was China and Hong Kong only I from what I’m seeing. 

 

Who knows when this will all change again though.