Who Benefits From Flighted Shafts?

[Tour50]

Carlton responded with an excellent mini-review of the Project X's and TT DG when I first posted a question about Project X vs. Rifle Flighted. Here is his response:

You can really feel the difference between the Black Gold and the ProjectX (non-flighted). The Flighted Px shafts feel very much like the original Rifle Tour Flighted but with just a bit more feel ie harsher on bad hits.

The original Px shafts imparted less spin on the ball which gave it its lower and flatter trajectory. The Flighted Px shafts were designed with a more aggressive variable kick point throughout the set to help get the ball up quicker on the long irons and keep the trajectory lower on the shorter irons. The spin is supposedly less than the regular Tour Flighted Rifle shafts.

With the Px Flighted and TT Black Gold, you can really feel the shaft "kick" or flex. With the Black Gold it feels like the flex point is closer to the grip area and stiffer in the tip section. With the Px Flighted, the shaft feels like it is flexing nearer the tip section ie softer tip. With the original Px shaft the flex feels more uniform if anything more butt stiff.

Just my personal opinion having hit all 3.

But, now that I'm quickly approaching the purchase of some new irons I'm even more interested in questions that go beyond Carlton's mini-review. If I restrict my choices to the Project X line I still have to choose between flighted or non-flighted. This begs the question of who benefits from a flighted shaft? I'm a mid to high handicapper. How would I react to a flighted shaft?

Regards,
Dan

[luv2golow]

Re: Who Benefits From Flighted Shafts?

As I understand it, a "flighted" set has a progressive shaft kick point throughout the set. That is to say, it will have softer tips in the longer irons to promote a higher ballflight, and a higher kick in the shorter irons to have a slightly lower ballflight. Ideally, the shafts are made to try to give every iron in the bag a consistient trajectory, similar in ball flight throughout the set. If you hit your long irons low and your 9 iron really high, then these shafts may be what you are looking for. If my info is incorrect then please correct me those with more knowlege....

[laxgolf]

Re: Who Benefits From Flighted Shafts?

As I understand it, a "flighted" set has a progressive shaft kick point throughout the set. That is to say, it will have softer tips in the longer irons to promote a higher ballflight, and a higher kick in the shorter irons to have a slightly lower ballflight. Ideally, the shafts are made to try to give every iron in the bag a consistient trajectory, similar in ball flight throughout the set. If you hit your long irons low and your 9 iron really high, then these shafts may be what you are looking for. If my info is incorrect then please correct me those with more knowlege....

That sounds right. Balls hit with flighted shafts should apex the same with all irons. Personally, I think preference has alot to do with it. For myself, I like a mig range ball flight so I prefer the flighted irons (had flighted 6.0's in my old MP30's. I was on a launch monitor last week with my X-Tours (shafted with S300), and X-Tours shafted with Project X Flighted 6.0's. My observation was that the PX Flighted were lower spin, with much better dispersion. I found the balls to hold their lines better with the PX Flighted. I believe the PX Flighted is the stock shaft that the X-Forged are shipped with.

[TLT Dan]

Re: Who Benefits From Flighted Shafts?

Flighted shafts are exactly that. They are built by taking 3 different stiffnesses - say a rifle 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 and moving their bend point by tip trimming. This brings them back into line to create the same flex through the set, but with high bend point in the short irons (lower flight) and low bend point in the long irons (higher ball flight). These shaft patterns typically help the average player control the ball better. They are a good idea. Rifle typically have a fairly harsh (stiff) feel to them.
Dynamic golds are a feel players shaft, with far less harshness that transferes into the hands. They are 2 completely different shafts.
Both are proven winners on every tour.
I have had feedback from players that did not like the Rifle feel, but never had any replys back about the Golds.
Keep in mind I have players that will play nothing but Rifles, so there is many who do enjoy these and swear by them.
Dynamic golds are high bend point (lower flight) with a stiff tip, but keep in mind, the bend point can be manipulated in these as well.

As I understand it, a "flighted" set has a progressive shaft kick point throughout the set. That is to say, it will have softer tips in the longer irons to promote a higher ballflight, and a higher kick in the shorter irons to have a slightly lower ballflight. Ideally, the shafts are made to try to give every iron in the bag a consistient trajectory, similar in ball flight throughout the set. If you hit your long irons low and your 9 iron really high, then these shafts may be what you are looking for. If my info is incorrect then please correct me those with more knowlege....

[Carlton]

Re: Who Benefits From Flighted Shafts?

Good replies from the guys here. Sorry Dan, I've been in Montreal all week for work and haven't had much time to roam TGN.