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Soft stepping Project X

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  • Soft stepping Project X

    The past two years I've been using KBS stiff shafts in my irons. The previous two years I had irons wth Project X 6.0 shafts.

    Both have felt good to me but after this season I started wondering if one of the reasons my iron play wasn't quite as good the past two seasons was because of the difference between the KBS stiff and the Project X 6.0 shafts (no, I was not fitted).

    Reading about the shafts the past two years, I've learned that the Project X are more butt stiff than the KBS --- something they probably is an asset for me as I have an aggressive downswing and was fitted for a shaft wth a stiff butt in my driver a few years ago.

    So I started thinking about soft stepping the Project X shafts and last week put my Project X 6-iron shaft into the 7 iron if my current set and compared it to the 7 iron (wth the Prject X shaft) of my old set at Launch earlier this week,

    The newer iron head with the soft-stepped shaft had a bit more kick, flew a bit higher and farther and was just as accurate as the 7 iron from the old set.

    So this afternoon I've put the Project X shafts --- soft-stepped --- into my current heads.

    Now --- of course they are now 1/2" longer.

    I've read that the lie will therefore be 1 degree more upright. I wonder how much of a difference that will make for me?

    I'm 6'3" though I've been playing standard length irons my entire life.

    I guess I'll eventually find out in a few months.

  • #2
    Re: Soft stepping Project X

    I softstepped my PX shafts on a set of irons just to experiment and I didn't notice a difference with the extra 1/2".

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Soft stepping Project X

      Good to know!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Soft stepping Project X

        Originally posted by Cdntac View Post
        The past two years I've been using KBS stiff shafts in my irons. The previous two years I had irons wth Project X 6.0 shafts.

        Both have felt good to me but after this season I started wondering if one of the reasons my iron play wasn't quite as good the past two seasons was because of the difference between the KBS stiff and the Project X 6.0 shafts (no, I was not fitted).

        Reading about the shafts the past two years, I've learned that the Project X are more butt stiff than the KBS --- something they probably is an asset for me as I have an aggressive downswing and was fitted for a shaft wth a stiff butt in my driver a few years ago.

        So I started thinking about soft stepping the Project X shafts and last week put my Project X 6-iron shaft into the 7 iron if my current set and compared it to the 7 iron (wth the Prject X shaft) of my old set at Launch earlier this week,

        The newer iron head with the soft-stepped shaft had a bit more kick, flew a bit higher and farther and was just as accurate as the 7 iron from the old set.

        So this afternoon I've put the Project X shafts --- soft-stepped --- into my current heads.

        Now --- of course they are now 1/2" longer.

        I've read that the lie will therefore be 1 degree more upright. I wonder how much of a difference that will make for me?

        I'm 6'3" though I've been playing standard length irons my entire life.

        I guess I'll eventually find out in a few months.
        People miss-understand this all the time. Round hole, round post - no change in lie. It's simply a longer club.

        If you continued to play out of the exact same address position - then yes - the club will seem to be 1 degree more upright as the toe will sit slightly more up. However, if the club was previously slightly to short for you (and you being tall) you are now allowed to stand slightly taller - effectively making the club fit you better - and with your taller address there is no effective lie change - only a better fit.
        Regards
        Dan

        True Length Technology TM
        Awarded 'Best New Fitting Idea - 2007 AGCP'
        True Frequency Technology TM
        - Developer / Owner

        Maltby Clubmaking Academy
        - Master
        Golf Clubmakers Association (GCA)
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        - Class 'A'

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Soft stepping Project X

          Originally posted by danscustomgolfshop View Post
          People miss-understand this all the time. Round hole, round post - no change in lie. It's simply a longer club.

          If you continued to play out of the exact same address position - then yes - the club will seem to be 1 degree more upright as the toe will sit slightly more up. However, if the club was previously slightly to short for you (and you being tall) you are now allowed to stand slightly taller - effectively making the club fit you better - and with your taller address there is no effective lie change - only a better fit.
          Thanks Dan. That's actually what I was thinking --- I just hadn't completely done the math yet.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Soft stepping Project X

            What is meant by soft stepping a shaft, and what is its effect?
            This isn't a dress rehearsal. Enjoy yourself. There's no do-over.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Soft stepping Project X

              Originally posted by mpare View Post
              What is meant by soft stepping a shaft, and what is its effect?
              Putting a 4-iron shaft into a 5-iron head, 5-iron shaft into a 6-iron head, etc.

              The reverse (5-iron shaft into a 4 head, 4-iron into a 3 head) is hard stepping.

              This --- evidently --- allows you to play a shaft in between flexes.

              The chart below shows measurements somebody made comparing different shafts at normal, soft-stepped, soft-stepped twice, hard-stepped and hard-stepped twice.

              My KBS irons feel good --- I like the kick they give me --- I just want to see if the Project X 6.0 shafts I have would be better since they are more butt stiff.

              But KBS stiff is not quite as stiff as Projext X 6.0 so if I soft-stepped the Project X 6.0 they become pretty close to the KBS stiff.

              As a trial I soft-stepped the Project X into my 7 iron last week and I liked it.

              The extra 1/2" of shaft length, I'm hoping, will be a benefit to me since I'm 6'3" (obviously my irons now are 1/2" longer since the shaft from one club up is now in a lower club).

              Of course now that my irons are 1/2" longer, the swingweight has gone up. I'll have to add a bit of lead tape under the grips to get them down to D4.

              Winter tinkering is kinda what it comes down to.

              Last edited by Cdntac; Jan 1, 2017, 08:47 AM.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Soft stepping Project X

                Thanks. That was very informative.

                Originally posted by Cdntac View Post
                Putting a 4-iron shaft into a 5-iron head, 5-iron shaft into a 6-iron head, etc.

                The reverse (5-iron shaft into a 4 head, 4-iron into a 3 head) is hard stepping.

                This --- evidently --- allows you to play a shaft in between flexes.

                The chart below shows measurements somebody made comparing different shafts at normal, soft-stepped, soft-stepped twice, hard-stepped and hard-stepped twice.

                My KBS irons feel good --- I like the kick they give me --- I just want to see if the Project X 6.0 shafts I have would be better since they are more butt stiff.

                But KBS stiff is not quite as stiff as Projext X 6.0 so if I soft-stepped the Project X 6.0 they become pretty close to the KBS stiff.

                As a trial I soft-stepped the Project X into my 7 iron last week and I liked it.

                The extra 1/2" of shaft length, I'm hoping, will be a benefit to me since I'm 6'3" (obviously my irons now are 1/2" longer since the shaft from one club up is now in a lower club).
                This isn't a dress rehearsal. Enjoy yourself. There's no do-over.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Soft stepping Project X

                  If I had $$ to burn I'd love to get shafts of the same brand and see what difference it actually makes --- have one set soft stepped, one hard stepped and one regular.

                  Granted, I suppose that's what Modern Golf is for. Lol.

                  I was going to go to Modern Golf with both of my iron sets (before pulling them) and do an iron fitting to see the Trackman numbers, find out which were perfect for me and have them set me up correctly.

                  But then I spent the Xmas $$ I was given on a new guitar so I changed my mind and decided to just go the soft-stepping route. Lol.

                  I figure the worst case scenario is that with the extra 1/2" my irons fly a bit higher and a by farther. And that shouldn't be a bad thing.

                  Now I just wait until the GT and Golfworks grip sale and my tinkering is done for the winter.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Soft stepping Project X

                    Originally posted by Cdntac View Post
                    If I had $$ to burn I'd love to get shafts of the same brand and see what difference it actually makes --- have one set soft stepped, one hard stepped and one regular.

                    Granted, I suppose that's what Modern Golf is for. Lol.

                    I was going to go to Modern Golf with both of my iron sets (before pulling them) and do an iron fitting to see the Trackman numbers, find out which were perfect for me and have them set me up correctly.

                    But then I spent the Xmas $$ I was given on a new guitar so I changed my mind and decided to just go the soft-stepping route. Lol.

                    I figure the worst case scenario is that with the extra 1/2" my irons fly a bit higher and a by farther. And that shouldn't be a bad thing.

                    Now I just wait until the GT and Golfworks grip sale and my tinkering is done for the winter.
                    I found the following website http://www.golfshaftreviews.info/ to be a great source of information on the characteristics of different iron shafts.

                    Regards,
                    Dan
                    What's in the bag......

                    Big Bertha V w Attas Rockstar
                    TEE Fairway Wood
                    Razr 4 and 5 Hybrid
                    TLT'd Srixon Z745's 6-PW MODUS3 TOUR 105
                    Scor 4161 Wedges

                    Odyssey Works Versa

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Soft stepping Project X

                      Yeah, he has some good info on there. Gotta winder how many people pay the $10 he asks for in order to see more reviews.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Soft stepping Project X

                        Originally posted by mpare View Post
                        What is meant by soft stepping a shaft, and what is its effect?
                        It's putting a shaft that is tip trimmed for one head into a heavier head. Moving the 4i shaft to the 5i head is softstepping once, to the 6i head is softstepping twice.

                        As you know, iron shafts are trimmed progressively more at the tip for trajectory control and accommodate increased weight and loft of heads as you move from 3i to PW.

                        Softstepping is a technique that clubmakers use to fine tune ( increase) trajectory control . Likewise, hard stepping has a similar effect but by using a bit stiffer tipped shaft ( move 5i shaft to 4i head) to lower trajectory.

                        It has the effect of changing flex by ~ 1/3
                        "Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened "

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Soft stepping Project X

                          Originally posted by Weirfan View Post
                          It's putting a shaft that is tip trimmed for one head into a heavier head. Moving the 4i shaft to the 5i head is softstepping once, to the 6i head is softstepping twice.

                          As you know, iron shafts are trimmed progressively more at the tip for trajectory control and accommodate increased weight and loft of heads as you move from 3i to PW.

                          Softstepping is a technique that clubmakers use to fine tune ( increase) trajectory control . Likewise, hard stepping has a similar effect but by using a bit stiffer tipped shaft ( move 5i shaft to 4i head) to lower trajectory.

                          It has the effect of changing flex by ~ 1/3
                          I was surprised at Wishon's take on this,
                          "The main reason for soft stepping or hard stepping is to change the feel of the shaft for golfers who really want their shafts to feel just right. The second reason is to try to change the launch angle and trajectory of the shot or to reduce or increase spin. A ½ inch can exhibit the beginning of a ‘feel’ difference. At an inch, some golfers who have a very consistent swing will start to notice some difference in launch angle and/or spin. But in my experience, soft stepping or hard stepping is done far more for the purpose of image than for real performance purposes."
                          Regards,
                          Dan

                          What's in the bag......

                          Big Bertha V w Attas Rockstar
                          TEE Fairway Wood
                          Razr 4 and 5 Hybrid
                          TLT'd Srixon Z745's 6-PW MODUS3 TOUR 105
                          Scor 4161 Wedges

                          Odyssey Works Versa

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Soft stepping Project X

                            I've seen that Wishon comment before.

                            I could have easily just swapped heads into the corresponding shaft but making the PX a bit closer in flex to the KBS as well as having an extra 1/2" intrigued me.

                            If need be I'll try the PX straight in after some spring rounds.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Soft stepping Project X

                              Originally posted by Cdntac View Post
                              Yeah, he has some good info on there. Gotta winder how many people pay the $10 he asks for in order to see more reviews.
                              It's $10 a year. My thoughts were if you look at all the work that goes into, and the information on that website, it's a bargain.

                              Regards,
                              Dan
                              What's in the bag......

                              Big Bertha V w Attas Rockstar
                              TEE Fairway Wood
                              Razr 4 and 5 Hybrid
                              TLT'd Srixon Z745's 6-PW MODUS3 TOUR 105
                              Scor 4161 Wedges

                              Odyssey Works Versa

                              Comment

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