Hit a great feeling club at the range today

Sparky

I've been struggling with my Maltby TS2 / Xcaliber Pro95 set, where I pull 75% of my iron shots. The other 25% are double pulls. Bought a set of the new PXG 0211s with 80 gram MMTs, and things were even more left (quickly sold those). So I went out to the range today to work on my usual "swing fix" drills. My swing coach taught me a 60% swing drill that I use whenever things get wonky.

Things just felt awful, even on the 60% drill. Was not hitting at a consistent location at all.

So, I went to the courses land of abandoned clubs. (It's about 40 staff bags packed of old clubs). The Pro has told me many times to take whatever I want. So, I grabbed one to try out.

Tommy Armour 845 6i with the old DG S300 shaft. Wow that club just felt great. Hits were so consistent. Ball flight great. Sure, mishits were harsh, but most hits were solid and felt excellent, even on range balls. The club weight just felt right.

I switched to graphite some 10-15 years ago for elbow pain. Should I risk trying steel again? At the time, I was pounding range mats 3-4 times per week (once per week now), so maybe I can get away with it.

Some pretty good deals in steel these days.
Maltby TS1IM or TS4 on TT Steel $462.
Cobra King Tour MIM (2021) on C-Taper $499.
Wilson Staff D9 forged on DG105S $499.

Mattyv

Sparky

Get yourself a set of steel shafts and throw them in a set of Maltby heads. Give them a try. I always wondered why you played graphite. Your swing seems just fine with plenty of distance for steel.

braveheart

Sparky
Yes. Go back to steel. Just use moderation in practice. I went to graphite for hand arthritis issues and thought after rotator cuff surgery that I needed to stay using them. What I have found is that although they felt nice the lighter weight brought more inconsistency in direction and distance. I am seeing less of that now, since I have gone back to steel. I was using Steelfiber i95 and now am dabbling with some old Hogans with Apex4 shafts.

DonM

Sparky
It might be best to stay in the DG feel. As in, buy those D9 Wilsons. 🤓

Sneakylong

Sparky Should I risk trying steel again?

As someone who has had elbow problems and even had minimum invasive surgery I’d never go back to steel. I’m all graphite and even my putter is mostly graphite. Also, I’d bet dollars to donuts your scores will not change by going to steel. As you can tell I’m a little bias. Lol

sdandrea1

Get a nice used set of Tommy Armour 845 or PING Eye 2 irons in steel. You're welcome. 😉

braveheart

You might want to consider trying out some of the slightly lighter steel shafts that are being used on irons now. That way, it’s more but still heavier without going all in on S300.

Taki27

I’m going to be Debbie Downer for a second. I play a set of TS1s with graphite shafts. I bought a couple of used TS4s with DG shafts. The DG shafts feel much better and much more familiar to what I grew up with. HOWEVER, after a few range mat sessions with the DG I started to feel some elbow pain again.

sdandrea1

Taki27 started to feel some elbow pain again.

Every time I've switched back to steel, I notice the advantages of feel, consistency, keeping club on path, etc., but the pain always returns.

Sparky

Taki27 I’m going to be Debbie Downer for a second.

Always good to remember. I had tried going back to steel one time before, got the pain again.

Maybe I just lead tape the heck out of the TS2 and see how that goes.

AdamMH

Is it the steel or are you just better off with a heavier shaft?

Sparky

AdamMH Is it the steel or are you just better off with a heavier shaft?

I think just the weight. Been playing graphite for 10+ years.

fatshot

What about installing those shock absorbing inserts in the steel shafts....? I've never tried them myself, but......??

https://www.golfworks.com/prosoft-shaft-dampening-inserts/p/ps5003/

KCee

I played Recoil 110 graphite in my irons 2016-2021 and I liked it a lot. I wasn't having much elbow issues, but I had surgery on my right wrist years ago that still bothers me and the graphite helped. I got fitted for new irons again and went with the stock DG105 with VSS (new Sensicore) as I felt I didn't really need the graphite.

I'm ready to go back to graphite though. Most of the time I'm fine, but there are times where I hit off the mats or I get too steep on some shots and I haven't found a steel shaft (even with Prosoft) that dampens shock as well as graphite. I still want it heavier though so it's got to be over 100g.

DC300

I have been debating the same thing. I have Steelfiber 125s in my irons, I don’t like them much to be honest. They are “ok”, but I do like the crispy snap and balance of virtually all steel shafts vs these ones. I am tempted to go back to steel, but I recall all the elbow pain and get REAL hesitant, real quick.

The real PITA for me is finding a heavy graphite with a profile that works for me and isn’t $50+ a shaft. I need to snag a couple of the Logical One shafts to give a run, the price and weight is appealing, yet to verify if the profile is a fit for my swing.

Nat

I have installed those Prosoft inserts in steel shafts for a few friends. They love it. really helps with the shock

I have some left over that I could send to try if interested

Sparky

Nat Thanks Nat, I still have one set worth myself in storage.

Typhoon

DG 105 is a good shaft. Do you think it was the 130 gram weight of the s300 shaft that you liked? If you think it was the 130 gram weight but like the DG profile and think the 105 is still too light, try the Dynamic Gold 120… it’s 114 grams and has the same profile as the heavier s300.

Finding heavy graphite is tough.

Stay away from the ctaper unless it’s the ctaper lite. The OG ctaper migh be tough on the hands and elbows. Also spins low and launches low.

Par4QC

Typhoon Finding heavy graphite is tough.

https://www.diamondtour.com/golf-components/club-shafts/2019-grafalloy-prolaunch-blue-iron.html

https://www.diamondtour.com/golf-components/club-shafts/aldila-nv-iron-shafts.html
https://www.diamondtour.com/golf-components/club-shafts/aldila-nv-iron-shafts.html
https://www.monarkgolf.com/golf-components/shafts/graphite-golf-shafts/apollo-graphite/apollo-shadow-graphite.html

braveheart

Might interest you in his discussion about the weight of a club.

Sneakylong

I remember several years ago I was on the Mizuno shaft optimizer. It recommended heavy stiff steel. 🙄 I said that was a no go because of my elbows. They then recommended heavy stiff graphite. No go as well.

I ended up buying a set of Ping G15 irons with regular stock graphite. Played them for several years and shot my best score ever (par 71) at Fox Hollow.

Oh and they also recommended 1 and 1/2 inch over length and 4.5 degrees upright. Went with Pings color chart for height and arm length (green dot 2 up and standard length) instead and never looked back.

So basically I fit myself.