Review: I returned from our 2+ week trip Thursday and reality slapped me in the face with a 2-inch snow and sub-freezing temps here for a couple of days, and a lot of catching up on business service work.

I currently game the Wilson Staff D-100 with True Temper SL85 (super light steel) stock shafts. My typical warm-up on the range is a bucket starting with my 7i, then the driver for a few, then my fishing rod with a small component head on the end to try to set the tempo mentally/physically before heading over to the practice green to roll some putts.

The morning I met Eguller at the course in the Myrtle Beach area we were greeted on the range with a brisk wind directly in our faces on a cool (50*) morning. I've only played a few holes here and there since November when our official season ends so I had a lot of rust to knock off. I initially hit some doozies with my 7i including a couple of toppers, fat shots, pulls, and a few in the sweet spot until I felt I was getting there.

So, Dan then hands me the Maltby STi2 with the R flex to swing a few. I hit only 10 balls or so with it and I loved the feel and results - immediately. Of the balls I hit, there wasn't one off-center strike and the only shot I missed was when I really jumped on it trying a knock-down shot into the wind and pulled it 20 yards off the target. 2 of those solid strikes smothered the flag stick. I loved the boring trajectory into the stiff breeze too. There wasn’t any ballooning. My Staffs aren’t in the same league as this combo as I felt I was getting 5-7+ yards of carry with this combo head/shaft, increased feel, and consistent ball striking.

My current irons are dated and I need to start looking for replacements. I haven't swung a component (or knock-off) club since I caved a face on a Great Big Bertha knock-off way back when and I'm not a club builder. But, I'm now starting a shortlist of irons to consider and this Maltby RT Xcaliber combo is my first finalist as I start the list.

I sure enjoyed the pleasurable round with your wife and you, Dan. Sorry that I had to run before we could partake of the 19th hole but I made the ZOOM call with 5 minutes to spare back in Columbia. You are a gentleman and a scholar.

    4 days later

    Update:

    Demo RT A & R shafted 7 irons & the RT 58* wedge were shipped out to Sparky today.

    He should have them around March 8th or so.
    To restate, the RT shafts (as well as the STi2 irons) are very nice, feel great and have good trajectory.
    Easy to hit and elevate. If the matt/satin ones become available, they would be bargains.

    Thanks again Jeff for the opportunity for Buzzers to demo them.

    I think Gatorman is next in line after Sparky. If anyone else wants to try them, speak up. 😁

    I am looking forward to hitting them when its my turn

      Gatorman

      You are next in line, so touch base with Sparky at some point to make arrangements.

      With an A and R flex in the same STi2 head, it is an apples to apples comparison. Cool test.

        5 days later

        colej Any idea Rapid Taper wood shafts will just be driver shafts or will there be a fairway version?

            bad9

            Right now it’s just driver. They’re trying to get that profile down before they move on to fairways.

              Demos are with me now. Should get some time in with them tomorrow and Monday, and then after a short business trip next week.

                @colej

                I'm gonna give the college try to graphite again, in various weights....can you remind me which one of these shafts you are playing and playing characteristics, etc. And anything else you might think it would be good to know, what it might compare to/etc.

                Also what will be/is available from them in heavier/ish weight?

                Thanks

                  ode

                  The rapid taper will be available in the 105 soon. It’s got a nice solid feel to it.

                  The pro 95 is good and feel wise the closest feel wise to steel.

                    I should have 30 105 stiff matte black shafts in about 1-2 weeks

                    7 days later

                    My shipment has come in. My irons are reshafted with the 105 stiff and installed one in my 5 hybrid as well. 😎

                    Any updates Sparky on hitting the RT shafts?

                    New graphics and logo are almost done for the new shafts. They’ll all be on this matte black shaft. Going back to the AXE logo small band around the top of the large part of the taper. Then down the shaft will be Rapid Taper.

                    I’m also testing the prototypes of the Rapid Taper woods (4 different shafts) and the new Spin 110 shaft.

                        Sparky should be along shortly with his take on the demos. 😎

                        colej Any updates Sparky on hitting the RT shafts?

                        Sorry guys, just got back from a business trip. And a dead computer, so I am slowly typing on a 12 year old laptop that was a lame laptop 12 years ago. I've hit them on the range twice, should finally get them on the course Tuesday. I'll post thoughts after that and send them on to tester #3.

                          Eguller

                          The rapid taper irons is what I think he was asking about. I did get some A flex wood shafts in.

                            OK, time for my feedback. My stats - Handicap is 4.5, my 7i is my 155 club. But in reality. my 58 year old brain is having difficulty believing that my 7i is actually my 140 club. I have been playing graphite shafts in my irons for 10 years. My driver shaft is an Xcaliber Avalon 5 stiff, so I have been wanting to try the RTs for a while. However, they are touted as a high launch shaft and I already play a high fade.

                            For 6 months last year, I played the STi2 irons on Aldila NV85 shafts. While I really liked everything about the clubs, the stats showed that I was hitting 1.5 less greens per round with them. So for the last year, I have been on a search.

                            For me, the RTs do exactly as advertised, launch high. I would say the R flex RT launched 1 club higher than my NV85. The A flex was even higher still. Feel of the shaft is very good, even the A flex did not feel whippy at all and I had no problem getting consistent flight with both flexes. Good call on the coming matte finish, I do not like the look of the bands on the taper. I did not get any distance increase with the Rapid Tapers though, as I am already high launch, but I still get the same distance on a higher launch with them.

                            Wedge - was excited to see the TSW/Spin85 combo, as I am looking for new wedges. I bought a couple of Spin100s when I bought the driver shaft - but haven't used them yet. I had previously had some TSW wedges but they didn't win my heart. Once I got the TSW back on the course, I remembered why - to my eye the TSW has a noticeable offset - it's small and probably comparable to most other wedges, but the hosel transition just really catches my eye in the wrong way. It is just a visual kink to me, I have no problems with the performance of the TSW heads. The XCal Spin shafts are really nice - great feel and I get just the right amount of spin with them.

                            I highly recommend the Rapid Taper and XSpin shafts if you are looking for a higher launching iron shaft that doesn't balloon.

                            Thanks to Jeff for getting the demo program going - heading to Gatorman next.