tour ad counterbalanced

Tour AD DI vs. IZ: Which is Better?

Golf is a game of precision that requires deliberate effort. While every golf accessory significantly influences game performance, shafts rank very high.

They come in different sizes, types, and styles, but the purpose remains the same: allowing players to strike the ball effectively and control ball flight more.

With the wide range of golf shaft options, you need an informed decision to make the right choice.

Graphite Designs shafts are often recommended because of their quality materials, efficient ball control, and excellent feel.

Hence, we’ll compare two of its designs: Tour AD DI and IZ, establishing their similarities and differences to enable you to choose the better one.

Tour AD DI vs. IZ: Overview

Graphite Design is a reputable organization that produces a wide range of shafts for golfers.

The company is one of the front-runners of shaft technology in the industry.

Every year, the brand introduces new designs that offer distinct attributes. The Tour AD shaft lineup is expanding significantly to satisfy both new and experienced golfers.

The Tour AD DI is an earlier shaft design by the brand. The latest release is the Tour AD IZ which features a sleek finish and stealthy appearance.

While some professionals think both shafts have similar specifications and performance, Graphite Designs claim they have different features, but the latest design is not a direct replacement of the former.

According to the brand, the Tour AD IZ lies between the lower launching Tour AD TP and higher launching DI, courtesy of its slightly stiffer tip and midsection and softer butt section.

Let’s establish the differences between the two shaft designs.

Tour AD DI vs. IZ: Differences

Generally, both shaft designs are similar, but Tour AD IZ has a softer tip. It also has a bit higher balance point, which makes it slightly counterbalanced.

As such, it’ll play better in heavier retail heads, plus it will improve the overall ball feel.

It doesn’t kick as its predecessor does. It typically transfers energy from the handle to the golf club head.

Let’s differentiate between them using some factors as follows:

Flex is the amount of bend a golf club gives during a swing session. It directly affects the amount of bend a shaft will have.

The greater the flex, the more the shaft will bend, and vice versa.

The flex option is a significant difference between the two shaft designs.

Both avail different types of flex options. The AD DI features a stiff flex option, while the AD IZ has the Regular option.

Concerning flex, the AD DI will have less bend amount compared to the AD IZ.

If you have a slower swing speed, the flexible shafts will be your best choice, so you should choose the AD DI shaft design.

However, if you have a faster swing speed, stiffer shafts will fit you better. Hence, it would help if you chose the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ.

There’s no difference between both shafts’ launch angles. They both feature a high launch angle, meaning the shaft will assist the golfer in getting quality height on the ball right off impact.

If you’re looking to achieve more ball height, both will be a good deal for you, as whichever you choose won’t make any difference.

The spin attribute is another area where both shafts are the same. They feature the same low spin options, meaning you can keep the ball closer to the course surface.

If you want to achieve this, either shaft option will help you get that. However, if you wish for a higher spin option, you should explore other opportunities elsewhere.

Both shafts seem to exhibit a similar feel. The brand website claims the AD IZ is Firm in the butt, medium in the center, and Firm+ in the tip.

Their midsection is also similar.

Regarding appearance, the AD IZ design features a matte black and orange color scheme which is ideal for almost every season. The AD DI design is the inverse of this style.

The legal status of any golf accessory is another essential factor to consider before buying it.

The USGA has strict equipment rules every golf equipment piece must obey before being deemed legal.

Both shaft designs conform to all these rules, making them legal for use in any golf-level competition.

Both are fantastic golf shafts with similarities and differences, as established above. Realistically, there might not be a better one in all ramifications.

The better one will depend on what each golfer wants and their preference.

As discussed above, they differ in some factors, including flex, feel, and look, making them ideal for different target audiences.

Depending on the swing speed and preferences, players might choose differently. Tailor your wants to the strengths of each shaft design and choose the best one accordingly.

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Graphite Designs Tour AD DI Shaft Review

More in reviews:.

50 Words or Less

The Graphite Designs Tour AD DI shaft feels great and put up some spectacular numbers.  Easy to see why it’s such a hit on the PGA Tour.

Check out the low launch, low spin Tour AD VF HERE

Introduction

The goal of any manufacturer is to build hype around their product organically.  Smothering the consumer with ads is fine, but it’s nothing compared to the consumer seeing all of their friends talking about and using a product.  That latter scenario is what seemed to happen overnight with the Graphite Designs Tour AD DI shaft.

From Charles Howell III to Tiger Woods to Adam Scott, it felt like every PGA Tour pro was playing the orange “Deep Impact,” and every forum was chattering about it.  The momentum continues to the 2016-2017 season as Hideki Matsuyama uses one in his driver to stack up wins.  We put this tour-proven shaft through the paces to see how it performs for those of us without PGA Tour swings.

Love the AD DI but want something new?  Check out the Graphite Design Tour AD UB HERE

Graphite Designs has a formula for the graphics of their Tour AD shafts, and the DI doesn’t vary from it.  It’s primarily one solid color with some rings in the mid-butt area and very simple graphics .  While some of the colors are bold, the graphics are no nonsense.

Unlike most of their line up, the AD DI does come in two flavors: black and the signature orange .  Go stealth or stand out, the choice is yours.

Somehow I missed out on the AD DI craze a couple years ago, but after one swing I immediately understood what all the fuss was about.  This shaft has a tremendous kick to it, but it never feels out of control.  The company’s description is “Medium” in the butt and mid and “Stiff” in the tip, which matches my assessment exactly.  You get a smooth, powerful kick through impact, but the tip doesn’t feel loose or torque-y, even on mishits.

As an aside, kudos to Graphite Designs for taking all the voodoo out of shaft descriptions.  For each of their shafts, they describe the butt, mid, and tip sections on a scale that ranges from “Very Stiff” to “Soft.”  This makes it easy to figure out what you might like and what you want to try next.

Performance

When I love the feel of a shaft, chances are its going to perform well for me.  That was certainly the case with the Graphite Designs AD DI.

I started my testing with the stiff flex version of the AD DI.  The smooth kick made me feel like I was delivering effortless power to the ball, and the results were very solid.  When I bumped up to the X flex, things got even better.  The kick was slightly less pronounced, as you’d expect, but the consistency of the results was through the roof.  Every shot was near the center of the face, and the monitor was showing the same push-draw time after time .

For players who haven’t hit Graphite Designs shafts and can’t make use of their feel chart, I would say that the AD DI is a mix of the Diamana Blue and White shafts.  It has the smooth feel and pronounced kick of the blue with the strong tip of the white.  For me, that adds up to great consistency with tremendous feel .

Prior to this review, my experience with  Graphite Designs  shafts had been minimal, but now the AD DI is making a serious push to go in the bag.  It blends some of the best attributes of my favorite shafts, and the performance simply can’t be argued with.  Waiting to get this into play is just one more reason that this winter is going to feel really long.

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31 Comments

First of all, I thank you for your website. Passionate about golf and about gear of golf , you are for me , the website number one on the subject .

I particularly appreciated your review of the ADDI shaft. GRAPHITE DESIGN being one of my favorite trademarks. I hope that others tests of the range are going to follow. Thank you again ! Excuse-me for my broken English. Patrick

Hey Matt, always enjoy reading your reviews. This GD Tour AD DI is a shaft I keep hearing about and seeing in clubs over the years. It was no surprise to hear you were impressed by it, but it was really interesting to see that you were concentrating on the proper flex for yourself(S vs. XS). With that said, I was wondering what your thoughts are on the Stiff shaft. I know you will ultimately fall back on getting fit….understood. But given what you experienced for yourself, which appeared to be that you need the XS shaft for your swing speed to maximize accuracy, what would you venture the S flex would be good for in terms of swing speed? Assuming a smooth swing and 102-103 mph….S flex? Once again, I know a fitting is absolutely a must, but what swing speed range do you think might benefit best from the S flex AD DI shaft?

The thing that impressed me about the AD DI is that I could have been very happy playing the S, I just preferred the shot shape with the X. The S is also so smooth, I think it could work all the way down to, perhaps 95 MPH. Around 100 MPH is probably the sweet spot.

Matt, surprised it has taken so long to try out this iconic shaft. I am 100 SS and the GD DI 60 Stiff is the shaft I keep coming back to. Best feel yet never seems overpowered. Also agreed with the comment that it sits between the Diamana Blue and White. More stable than the Blue and more feel than the White.

And if you want that next level of stiffness / low ball flight try the BB. I noticed Kaymer just moved from DI to BB in driver, but kept DI in other woods. It also comes in Black which I think was a special order/ request from Adam Scott a few years back.

First of all I thank you for your site !

For me you are the number one ! I particularly appreciated your review of the ADDI ; GD being one of my favorites trademarks I hope that others tests of the range are going to follow

thank you again Patrick ( paris)

We will have a review of the AD TP coming soon and hopefully more to follow after that. Any models in particular that you’re interested in?

Thank you Matt !

a review of the AD TP would be perfect ! AD MT too !

Thanks, Matt. As it is often said the shaft is the “engine” of the club and the key to proper fitting. For us mere mortals, may I presume that this shaft also comes in a “Regular” form for slower swing speeds? Thanks again. Steve

Yes, it’s available in R2 (senior) through X.

I have the AD DI-7s shaft in my TaylorMade 2017 M2 3 wood. It’s the best club I’ve ever owned. My swing speed is around 105mph, yet I feel as if however hard I swing with this shaft, it just copes and continues to deliver. The feel is exquisite. Now all I have to do is see if I can find a driver to put this shaft into!

Hi Matt, I have just purchased a Ping G400 Max Driver…Reg stock stand.shaft. I am 70 yo on 18 h/c. Would I benefit from fitting an Ad Di Shaft ? In a regular form. My swing speed is around 90 to100. Can I buy in Australia?

I’m not sure who distributes Graphite Design in Australia.

There’s no inherent reason why the AD DI would be better than the stock PING shaft. The only way it would be better is if it’s a better fit for your swing, which you could find out by working with a high quality club fitter.

Love the podcast!

Are these averages from the S or X flex?

This was a while back but I believe the X was the better fit.

What was your ball flight with the S?

I’m not going to be able to reliably tell you any more than is in the review, this was written quite a while back.

Great review. How would you compare this shaft to the Tensei series? Also, in the past have you ever put together a shaft comparison chart?

There are a lot of different profiles in the Tensei series, but overall both the Tensei and Graphite Designs shafts are consistent and high quality. I have not put together a shaft comparison chart because we encourage everyone to be fit.

Hi Matt, I have the choice of the Di 60g stiff or VENTUS Black 6 60g in New St200 G, VENTUS is newer to market, what do you think.?

I would suggest getting fit and finding the best option for your swing. If you want to know what fits my swing, you can see my WITB here: https://pluggedingolf.com/about/matt-saternus/matts-whats-in-the-bag/

Hey Matt, Hopefully you still remember the feel of this shaft since it was reviewed a number of years ago…. In the review you stated that the feel was somewhere between Diamana BF and DF. Now I am curious to know whether the feel of the AD DI is similar to the Diamana ZF in your experience since the ZF is considered to be in between DF and BF regarding feel. I know you did the review on the ZF already but maybe I am just looking for a confirmation. Hope you can answer my question, thanks!

Overall, yes, they’re somewhat similar.

would you recommend AD_D1 7x for a senior who’s swing speed is down?

A 70 gram X flex is not something I would recommend for someone whose speed is going down, unless it’s going down from a truly elite level.

Are you able to share what head(s) you had conducted this shaft review with? As always appreciate you and plugged in.

Thanks, Mike

I always test with my gamer, the PING G425 Max.

I demoed the DI-6s with a fitter a while back and he thought it was my best fit from what we had available. However my club head SS is only mid, maybe high 90s, which according to GD suggests a stiff- regular. The fitter doesn’t have a SR with a Ping tip to demo. I’m playing a Ping tour 65 stiff ok right now but the DI was better.

If anything, the DI-6 stiff plays smoother/less demanding than the Ping tour stiff, true? Apparently the DI-6s might play ok down to mid 90s as you mentioned? Otoh worst case, a stiff-regular wouldn’t be flimsy, true?

Thanks for any thoughts…$370 shaft, good grief:-)

Yes, I think the AD-DI will feel softer/smoother than the PING Tour in the same flex. Personally, I would be hesitant to buy anything I hadn’t tested, especially for $370. If you thought the stiff felt good and it worked well, I would stick with that rather than taking a chance on the SR.

Does anyone have experience with the 105x hybrid/driving iron shaft? Thoughts? Is it “too stiff”?

Good morning! I wanted to see if you could share a thought or two comparing the Tour AD DI vs the Ventus TR Red. Thanks

I have a full review of the Ventus TR Red here: https://pluggedingolf.com/fujikura-ventus-tr-red-shaft-review/

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Tour AD CQ Shafts

Designed and manufactured at the Graphite Design Japan factory headquarters, the Graphite Design Tour AD CQ – C ON Q UEST wood shafts are jet black with gold and red accents and finished with a gloss clear coat.

The Tour AD CQ , like the other high performance Tour AD wood shafts, utilizes premium, aerospace quality carbon-fiber materials and are available in 40g R2, R1 and S flex, 50g R2, R1, S and X flex, 60g SR, S, X and TX flex, 70g S, X and TX flex and 80g X flex.

The Tour AD CQ shafts features the new Nitta 2G-Namd carbon-fiber material technology in the butt section of the shaft and has a bend profile of firm in the handle section, firm in the center section and a medium+ tip section to promote mid-high launch angles and mid ball spin rates.  The Nitta 2G-Namd material is based on modern carbon nano tube technology that binds the fibers tighter together than standard carbon materials to aid in a higher degree of energy transfer thru the golf club and a more solid impact of the golf ball than shafts without Nitta 2G-Namd technology.

Visit your local Graphite Design dealer for a fitting and experience what the new Tour AD CQ wood shafts with Nitta 2G-Namd can offer in your C ON Q UEST to gain a Tour level of precise A ccuracy and greater D istance that all Tour AD shafts are so well known for. Revolutionary technology, design and the most advanced materials are trademarks in all Graphite Design shafts, resulting in the highest quality premium golf shafts on the market today. Validating the company’s “Tour AD” logo, all of Graphite Design’s Tour proven shafts are specifically designed to promote a gain in A ccuracy and D istance.

Features & Technology:

• Nitta 2G-Namd Material Technology promoting efficient energy transfer
• 50 ton ultra-premium, high modulus, aerospace quality carbon fiber materials.
• Graphite Design proprietary Material Stiffness Integration (MSI) design philosophy and technology.

Bend Profile:

Performance:

• CQ-4 is designed to promote Mid/High launch angles with Mid ball spin rates.
• CQ-5, -6, -7, -8 are designed to promote Mid/High launch angles with Mid ball spin rates.

Tip Trimming for Standard Bore:

• Pro’s Choice encourages consulting a PGA Professional or qualified club builder to help you determine the correct shaft and length for your swing profile and to meet your goals.
• Always leave a minimum of 0.5″ of the parallel tip section of the shaft above the hosel.  For example, with a hosel bore depth of 1.5″ and the shaft has a parallel tip length of 4.0″, the tip trim length should not exceed 2.0″.
• Improper installation may affect the intended performance of the shaft. Warranty is for material and workmanship of our products. Improper installation voids warranty of product.

Specifications:

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• Golf Shafts for Demo

Graphite Design Tour AD DI: 3-Wood Demo Shaft

Product Description

Graphite Design Tour AD DI (Deep Impact) Golf Shaft

I. Who is the Graphite Design Tour AD DI Golf Shaft For:

This golf shaft is for the player who is seeking a  premium quality High-launching low-spin shaft  with the ultra  smooth “glassy” feel  that has become uniquely intertwined with Graphite Design’s Tour AD brand. This golf shaft fits into the hands of  players who have smooth tempos, a mid release, moderate swing speeds,  desire a higher launching bend profile, ultra low spin rates, want to be able to  get maximum carry distance ,  and get  fantastic roll out!  This shaft has fit phenomenally into many PGA Tour, NCAA, and competitive high-school golfers, and those who know and love the signature feel of a Graphite Design golf shaft!

II. What Do I Need to Know About the Graphite Design Tour AD DI Golf Shaft:  

Far and away the most popular golf shaft EVER made! While some might point out that the original Fujikura Speeder 757 was the first true premium golf shaft and Mitsubishi’s Blueboard and Whiteboard shafts the first to achieve cult following, the Graphite Design Tour AD DI is still actively competing in the market and breaking sales records to the day with no end in site! A lot of this is due impart to the fact that the DI’s bend profile fits 80 percent of golf swings and has that amazing Graphite Design feel and engineered performance designed to maximize carry distance ! This is accomplished by promoting a higher launch angle and a low spin tip section. The Graphite Design Tour AD DI golf shaft is made of a premium proprietary 50-ton Nanoalloy graphite material  that has given the Graphite Design Tour AD DI family its unique and signature feel! The bend profile is one where players will feel the shaft  flex in the mid section,  promoting a  high launch angle  great for maximizing carry distance , and the stiff tip section will help promote an  ultra low ball spin  effect for  straighter drives, amazing feedback, stability  on off-centered shots, and  extra roll out on the fairway!

What sets this shaft apart from others is that it falls into the same category of shafts (high-launch, low-spin) is the  ultra smooth feel that is unique to the Graphite Design Tour AD brand and effortless kick that occurs through impact, and that it has one of the most  stable low-spinning tip  sections of many premium level golf shaft manufacturers. 

Player Profile:  Tempo: smooth, Transition: moderate, Release: mid, Swing Speed: Moderate, Trajectory: high, Spin: low.

III. Other Golf Shafts to Compare to the Graphite Design Tour AD DI Golf Shaft:

-Graphite Design Tour AD TP

-Mitsubishi Fubuki J

-Oban Kiyoshi Purple

IV. Additional Information About the Graphite Design Tour AD DI Golf Shaft:

This orange shaft (also comes in black) was brought to iconic levels in 2010 after Tiger Woods began playing it along with many other PGA tour players following suit. However, this shaft is not just for touring pros. The mid section bend profile and ultra stable low-spin tip section promotes a piercing and towering ball flight that maximizes carry distance and the majority of golfers will benefit from. The DI has a very smooth “bullwhip” like load and release to it, which makes for effortless drives. Players with relatively moderate tempos looking to maximize their carry distance will benefit immensely from the Graphite Design Tour AD DI! A couple other golf shaft to seriously consider is the new Graphite Design Tour AD TP, which is considered a slightly “tighter” version of the DI, The Mitsubishi Fubuki J, which is a counterbalanced high launch low spin shaft that actually has two kick-points and tungsten mesh for stability, and the Oban Kiyoshi Purple, which is a slightly heavier more stable version of the DI.

General Swing Speed Recommendation:  Regular (R1): 86-95mph, Stiff-Regular (SR): 92-98mph, Stiff (S): 96-105mph, X-Stiff (X): 105+mph, 

V. Summary:

If you love the uniquely smooth feel and high performance of Graphite Design golf shafts and want to maximize the carry distance on your drives, this is the shaft for you!

Product Reviews

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Great shaft for getting the ball in the air

Bought a new 3wood with a low trajectory shaft. Wasn't able to consistently get the ball in the air as I would like. Put this on and it was no problem. Great shaft for fairway woods. Able to hit from the tee or the fairway and even the rough. Unknown on 14th Apr 2018

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GolfWRX Members Choice: Best driver shaft of 2021

What is the best driver shaft in 2021? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. Needless to say, that extends to their GolfWRXers views on the best driver shaft of 2021.

The bedrock of GolfWRX.com is the community of passionate and knowledgable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members—the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.

Check out the full results and see what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums. 

Best driver shaft of 2021: The top 5

1. fujikura ventus blue.

What Fujikura says: “A multi-material bias core construction that delivers ultimate stability through transition and impact (maximizing clubhead MOI) – increasing velocity and smash factor. The multi-material core is crafted with full-length, ultra-high modulus Pitch 70 Ton Carbon Fiber — 150% stronger and more stable than T1100g — for ultimate stability, and 40 Ton bias layers ensure incredible feel.”

You can read what other golfers are saying  in the GolfWRX forums , and see our launch piece here .

2. Fujikura Ventus Black

From our launch piece: “The Ventus Black is an extremely stout profile designed for more aggressive players with a stiffer profile in the butt section and especially in the tip section compared to the original Ventus Blue profile.”

3. Fujikura Ventus Red

From our launch piece: “The Ventus Red is designed to achieve slightly higher launch and spin than the current profile of Ventus Blue—which can be both helpful in the driver and fairway woods.”

4. Graphite Design Tour AD DI

From our launch piece: “The Tour AD DI “DEEP IMPACT” is designed to provide golfers with more power and stability in a golf shaft. It is the brand’s first shaft design that was integrated with Toray Company’s original NANOALLOY material technology in the tip section of the shaft. This material technology is known as “DI Technology” and aims to offer players additional shaft stability without the loss of feel.”

5 (tie).  Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX, Mitsubishi Tensei Pro White 1K

What Project X says:  “The HZRDUS brand is a distinguished mark of the aggressive swinger, and that legacy is continued with the new HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX. Built with 100% aerospace materials, Smoke Black RDX is the first shaft to utilize Hexcel’s new HexTow® HM54 high modulus carbon fiber and combines it with high tensile strength HexTow® IM2C carbon fiber to provide the ideal blend of stiffness and stability desired by the HZRDUS player.”

What Mitsubishi says: “Created using extraordinary 1K Fiber that is 3x thinner than Carbon Kevlar for a tighter, more consistent weave. This super premium fiber produces an amazing “1K feel” by transmitting more of the high frequency vibrations needed to feel the true quality of impact. Constructed utilizing the new dual-phase XLINK Tech Resin System for a carbon-rich structure that is both stronger and more responsive. Boron fiber in the tip caps off this exceptional design. Available from 50R to 80TX, giving a wide range of players the opportunity to play a super premium 1K shaft.”

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It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head

From the seller: (@lasallen): “For sale is a BRNR mini 11.5 deg head only in brand new condition.  $325 shipped.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link:  TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head 

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Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.

From the seller: (@DLong72): “ Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.  ? : $1150.  ??   100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.

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Inside Collin Morikawa’s recent golf ball, driver, 3-wood, and “Proto” iron changes

As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.

The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.

On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.

Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship , and the 2021 Open Championship .

At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.

“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.

Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.

“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.

“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.” 

In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.

Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.

On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.

According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.

“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.” 

See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here. 

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Benefits Of Counter Balanced Golf Shafts – Find Out Why The Pros Are Using Them

Every few years, the idea of counterbalancing golf clubs comes up again, and people start to wonder if this is something they need with their golf clubs. This is not a new technology. If you can believe it, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan even counterbalanced their golf shafts. All that has changed is the ability and access to custom fit golf clubs to suit your needs. In this guide, we will discuss counterbalanced golf shafts, how they can have an impact on your game, and whether or not this is something you should consider the next time you purchase some golf clubs.

What Are Counterbalanced Golf Shafts?

Every golf club in your bag has a balance point. This is where you can balance the golf club on your finger and see where it can lie perfectly straight. It is mostly going to be the balance point between the head of the club and the butt end of the club.

If the balance point of the golf club is much closer to the butt end of the golf club, this would be considered a counterbalanced golf club. The counterbalancing adds more weight to the butt end of the club instead of leaving it in the head where it would have traditionally been located.

Since the balance point of the club is so high, the head of the club will feel much lighter. Some players feel as though this helps them to swing the club faster. There are actually quite a few benefits to counterbalancing your golf clubs, and we will get into that next.

What Are The Advantages To Doing It?

So there are quite a few things that could be considered advantages when it comes to counterbalancing your golf shafts. We will break down each one to help you understand a bit better.

Putting more weight near the hands of a player can really help to give you more stability in your swing. As you come into the impact position, there is always some movement that takes place. The clubhead will twist just a bit, and for strong players swinging quite fast, this little bit of twist can result in an ugly shot. With counterbalanced golf shafts, you will be able to keep things stable at impact.

When you can feel the weight in your hands, and the club head of the club feels night and light, you will naturally feel in control of the club. This sense of control will allow you the ability to hit a variety of shots and have some confidence as you get to impact.

Being able to feel the weight in your hands as you swing the club will help you feel as though you can extend the club further. When the club head feels nice and light, you can keep it out away from you and nice and high at the top of your golf swing.

Steady Hands

Do you tend to shake a bit? Do you think this has an effect on your golf game? Holding some extra weight towards the butt end of the club will absolutely help to keep your hands more steady. This really comes into play when you get to the putting green, yes, counter balancing exists even with putters!

Workability: Do you like to manipulate the face of the club when you get to impact. Do you want to hit draws and fades intentionally by trying to hold the clubface a little open or closed? You can do this much easier with a counterbalanced shaft because of the added control that you have over the golf club.

What is a high balance point shaft?

Sometimes you will hear of a high balance point shaft. This is really the same thing as saying that a shaft is counter balanced. You can think of it as the grip end of the club being weighted to make up for the weight of the club head.

Benefits Of Using A Counter Balanced Driver

Now that you understand the advantages of using a counter balanced shaft, you may be wondering if you can hit the golf ball further as well as straighter. Technically speaking, the majority of counter balanced golf shafts are heavier to make up for the club head weight. Since the club is heavier, you should technically be able to hit it further.

We say that technically you should be able to get more distance because if you are not swinging the club fast enough (or are not strong enough) a counter balanced shaft could actually cause you to lose distance. If you swing a heavier object at a higher speed, the impact should result in more yards.

Professional golfers like the counter balanced shafts because they have the swing speeds needed to get the full effect of hitting one of these shafts accurately. If you try and give a slow swing senior golfer a counter balanced heavy golf shaft, they will struggle to get the same kind of feel and distance that the pros will.

What About Counter Balanced Putters?

Yes, putters can be counterbalanced. A popular trend in golf putters is a counterbalanced golf grip. This is simply a heavier grip that helps counteract the weight of the clubhead and gives more control and stability in the hands. This can work for some players, but others may struggle with the club head feeling more light. Many golfers want to feel the weight in the club head of a putter, unlike a driver.

What is a Back Weighted Club?

Back weighting and counterbalancing are essentially the same thing. In the past, counterbalancing a club was called back weighting because lead tape or weight would be put on the back end (butt end) of the golf club to help to make the balance point on the shaft higher.

Does Swing Weight Affect Swing Speed?

Many golfers think that swing weight is how heavy a golf club is. This is not really the case. The total weight of the golf club would be how heavy a golf club is. Swing weight is the head-weight feel of the golf club. If a club has a heavy swing weight, it will feel heavier to a golfer than one with a light swing weight. As far as a balance point is concerned, a club with a lighter swing weight has a balance point that is closer to the butt end of the golf club.

This makes it possible to have a rather heavy golf club that does not feel heavy. This is exactly what a pro is looking for in their golf game. They want the most mass in their hands to get the most distance, while still feeling like they can swing it hard.

So swing weight can affect swing speed if a golf club feels (or is) too heavy for you. You always want to swing with the heaviest club you can, for your swing speed. If you start swinging with a club that is too heavy for you, not only will you lose accuracy but distance as well.

How Can I Tell My Swing Speed?

Most of the time, when you go for a fitting and get on a launch monitor, you can see what your swing speed is. There are also some cool GPS gadget watches that will give you your swing speed and lots of other information about your golf game. It is important to know your swing speed as most shafts have a general swing speed range where they will perform the highest. Although it is good to have an idea of both your iron and driver swing speed, most of the numbers needed to determine correct shaft flex comes from the speed of your driver.

How Can A Shaft Be Balanced?

If you already own a fantastic set of golf clubs and don’t want to have to go out and order a bunch of counter balanced golf shafts to replace them, you do have some alternatives. Local club fitters have swing scales and weights, and they can help to counter balance your golf clubs for you. This is not a very difficult process, it may cost you some new grips, but it is perfectly legal to do. Even with all the regulations out there on golf clubs when they are produced, adding weights to counter balance has been generally accepted as a legal process in the game of golf. One simple way that players used to counter balance their clubs was to put heavy tape under the grips of the club.

What Are Some Counterbalanced Driver Shafts?

If you are in the market for a new counterbalanced driver shaft, here are a few to consider.

Accra New Tour Z 85 Counter Balanced CB Driver Shaft + Adapter & Grip

Check Out Some Reviews Here:

MCA-Golf New Mitsubishi Tensei CK PRO Orange 70 Stiff Flex Driver Graphite Shaft

Mitsubishi rayon kuro kage black hbp 2nd gen 50.335 graphite wood driver shaft – regular flex – 57g.

What Swing Weight Should I Use?

Without going for a complete golf fitting, it is challenging to say what swing weight your shafts should be. There are several factors that will go into swing weight fitting, and each needs to be tested and carefully considered before finding the exact swing weight for your game.

The most important things to consider are the transitions into impact, tempo, and strength. When you consider all of these factors and get on a launch monitor, only then can you correctly determine which swing weight is best for you.

If you are a robust person that has a faster tempo, a heavier shaft is going to be what you need. If, however, you are a weaker golfer with slightly slower swing speed, you will need a lighter shaft. This is why you see many of the female golf clubs and senior golf clubs made with a graphite shaft. This lighter shaft helps get swing speed higher for these players.

What Does Adding Weight To A Driver Head Do?

If you add weight to the head of your driver, you are doing the opposite of counterbalancing. When this happens, you will feel more weight in the head of the club, and the overall weight of the club will feel more substantial as well. Some golfers like the ability to feel the clubhead being heavy. You see this more in iron play than with drivers. A bit of lead tape on the head of an iron or a wedge can give players the feeling they need to stay down and through the golf ball on all shots.

Does Counter Weighting Golf Clubs Work?

Counter weighting golf clubs absolutely works to move the balance point on the club up towards the grip. However, counter balancing does not work for every golfer. It is not a given that counter balancing will make you a better golfer; it is a feel thing that some players will benefit from.

Conclusion – Who Would We Recommend It For?

Counterbalancing is basically a fancy way of talking about proper club fitting and feel. If you go for a custom club fitting the feel of the club head relative to your strength and your swing speed will all be taken into consideration. If counter balancing a shaft gives you more of the feel you need, it will absolutely be considered. We really feel as though lower handicaps, strong players will benefit the most from counter balancing. If you feel as though you are losing power and that you can swing it faster if you had more control, counterbalancing your golf clubs could be a brilliant choice to make.

Hi, I am Matthew, a mid handicap golfer who likes to play as much as possible. I love trying out new gear and this blog is where you can find all the gear I have tested over the years!

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Graphite Design MAD Shaft Review

Graphite Design challenged their shaft designers to create a shaft that would deliver Maximum Accuracy and Distance (MAD, get it?!).  We have tested these shafts and here is what we have found:

Book your fitting here!

Materials and design

• TORAYCA ® T1100G carbon-fiber pre-preg with NANOALLOY ® technology for increased stability in the mid to tip region and unsurpassed feel.
• Premium, ultra-thin, aerospace quality carbon fiber materials.
• Graphite Design proprietary  M aterial  S tiffness  I ntegration ( MSI ) design philosophy and technology .

In our testing, the main difference between these shafts and the Graphite Design TOUR AD series is the feel in the mid section.  The MAD shafts definitely play firmer in the mid-section so it feels like the shaft is an extension of your arm.  No two-piece release here!  

Shaft Profile

The profile as stated on the Graphite Design website is definitely on point.  These are mid to mid-low launch and mid to mid-low spin shafts.   The lighter weight 45 and 55 gram shafts will launch slightly higher with a little softer mid section but still feel like their heavier brothers.  The PRO series is only slightly firmer in the butt and tip sections.

Balance Point

These are high balance point shafts or counter balanced designed for today’s modern heavy weight drivers.  The result will be about a 2 swing weight point reduction (think D2 instead of D4) in a typical 45 inch driver.

Quality and Consistency

In our testing, these shafts have a 94-96% quality index which puts them in the top 5% of all shafts we test.   The quality index is based upon consistency of weight, CPM (cycles per minute) or flex, spine at 7 points along the shaft, torque and balance point.

Fifty three percent, that’s right, 53% of golfers in our poll are having big issues with their driver and fairway woods!  Maybe you should come in and see if one of these MAD shafts can help your game!  Book Your Fitting Here!

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Taylor Swift’s ‘Poets’ Arrives With a Promotional Blitz (and a Second LP)

The pop superstar’s latest album was preceded by a satellite radio channel, a word game, a return to TikTok and an actual library. For her fans, more is always welcome.

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By Ben Sisario

Taylor Swift was already the most ubiquitous pop star in the galaxy, her presence dominating the music charts, the concert calendar, the Super Bowl, the Grammys.

Then it came time for her to promote a new album.

In the days leading up to the release of “The Tortured Poets Department” on Friday, Swift became all but inescapable, online and seemingly everywhere else. Her lyrics were the basis for an Apple Music word game . A Spotify-sponsored, Swift-branded “ library installation ,” in muted pink and gray, popped up in a shopping complex in Los Angeles. In Chicago, a QR code painted on a brick wall directed fans to another Easter egg on YouTube. Videos on Swift’s social media accounts, showing antique typewriters and globes with pins, were dissected for clues about her music. SiriusXM added a Swift radio station; of course it’s called Channel 13 (Taylor’s Version).

About the only thing Swift didn’t do was an interview with a journalist.

At this stage in Swift’s career, an album release is more than just a moment to sell music; it’s all but a given that “The Tortured Poets Department” will open with gigantic sales numbers, many of them for “ghost white,” “phantom clear” and other collector-ready vinyl variants . More than that, the album’s arrival is a test of the celebrity-industrial complex overall, with tech platforms and media outlets racing to capture whatever piece of the fan frenzy they can get.

Threads, the newish social media platform from Meta, primed Swifties for their idol’s arrival there, and offered fans who shared Swift’s first Threads post a custom badge. Swift stunned the music industry last week by breaking ranks with her record label, Universal, and returning her music to TikTok, which Universal and other industry groups have said pays far too little in royalties. Overnight, TikTok unveiled “The Ultimate Taylor Swift In-App Experience,” offering fans digital goodies like a “Tortured Poets-inspired animation” on their feed.

Before the album’s release on Friday, Swift revealed that a music video — for “Fortnight,” the first single, featuring Post Malone — would arrive on Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern time. At 2 a.m., she had another surprise: 15 more songs. “I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you,” she wrote in a social media post , bringing “The Anthology” edition of the album to 31 tracks.

“The Tortured Poets Department,” which Swift, 34, announced in a Grammy acceptance speech in February — she had the Instagram post ready to go — lands as Swift’s profile continues to rise to ever-higher levels of cultural saturation.

Her Eras Tour , begun last year, has been a global phenomenon, crashing Ticketmaster and lifting local economies ; by some estimates, it might bring in as much as $2 billion in ticket sales — by far a new record — before it ends later this year. Swift’s romance with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been breathlessly tracked from its first flirtations last summer to their smooch on the Super Bowl field in February. The mere thought that Swift might endorse a presidential candidate this year sent conspiracy-minded politicos reeling .

“The Tortured Poets Department” — don’t even ask about the missing apostrophe — arrived accompanied by a poem written by Stevie Nicks that begins, “He was in love with her/Or at least she thought so.” That establishes what many fans correctly anticipated as the album’s theme of heartbreak and relationship rot, Swift’s signature topic. “I love you/It’s ruining my life,” she sings on “Fortnight.”

Fans were especially primed for the fifth track, “So Long, London,” given that (1) Swift has said she often sequences her most vulnerable and emotionally intense songs fifth on an LP, and (2) the title suggested it may be about Joe Alwyn, the English actor who was Swift’s boyfriend for about six years, reportedly until early 2023 . Indeed, “So Long” is an epic breakup tune, with lines like “You left me at the house by the heath” and “I’m pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free.” Tracks from the album leaked on Wednesday, and fans have also interpreted some songs as being about Matty Healy , the frontman of the band the 1975, whom Swift was briefly linked to last year.

The album’s title song starts with a classic Swift detail of a memento from a lost love: “You left your typewriter at my apartment/Straight from the tortured poets department.” It also name-drops Dylan Thomas, Patti Smith and, somewhat surprisingly given that company, Charlie Puth, the singer-songwriter who crooned the hook on Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again,” a No. 1 hit in 2015. (Swift has praised Wiz Khalifa and that song in the past.)

Other big moments include “Florida!!!,” featuring Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, in which Swift declares — after seven big percussive bangs — that the state “is one hell of a drug.” Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, the producers and songwriters who have been Swift’s primary collaborators in recent years, both worked on “Tortured Poets,” bringing their signature mix of moody, pulsating electronic tracks and delicate acoustic moments, like a bare piano on “Loml” (as in “love of my life”).

As the ninth LP Swift has released in five years, “Tortured Poets” is the latest entry in a remarkable creative streak. That includes five new studio albums and four rerecordings of her old music — each of which sailed to No. 1. When Swift played SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles in August, she spoke from the stage about her recording spurt, saying that the forced break from touring during the Covid-19 pandemic had spurred her to connect with fans by releasing more music.

“And so I decided, in order to keep that connection going,” she said , “if I couldn’t play live shows with you, I was going to make and release as many albums as humanly possible.”

That was two albums ago.

Ben Sisario covers the music industry. He has been writing for The Times since 1998. More about Ben Sisario

Inside the World of Taylor Swift

A Triumph at the Grammys: Taylor Swift made history  by winning her fourth album of the year at the 2024 edition of the awards, an event that saw women take many of the top awards .

‘The T ortured Poets Department’: Poets reacted to Swift’s new album name , weighing in on the pertinent question: What do the tortured poets think ?  

In the Public Eye: The budding romance between Swift and the football player Travis Kelce created a monocultural vortex that reached its apex  at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. Ahead of kickoff, we revisited some key moments in their relationship .

Politics (Taylor’s Version): After months of anticipation, Swift made her first foray into the 2024 election for Super Tuesday with a bipartisan message on Instagram . The singer, who some believe has enough influence  to affect the result of the election , has yet to endorse a presidential candidate.

Conspiracy Theories: In recent months, conspiracy theories about Swift and her relationship with Kelce have proliferated , largely driven by supporters of former President Donald Trump . The pop star's fans are shaking them off .

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Rock trailblazer Heart reunites for a world tour and a new song

FILE - Nancy Wilson, left, and Ann Wilson, right, of the band Heart perform as Heart is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Nokia Theatre on Thursday, April 18, 2013 in Los Angeles. Heart — the pioneering band that melds Nancy Wilson’s shredding guitar with her sister Ann’s powerhouse vocals — is hitting the road this spring for a world tour that Nancy Wilson describes as “the full-on rocker size.” (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Nancy Wilson, left, and Ann Wilson of Heart perform on opening night of the Heartbreaker Tour at the Cruzan Amphitheater in West Palm Beach, Fla., June 17, 2013. Heart — the pioneering band that melds Nancy Wilson’s shredding guitar with her sister Ann’s powerhouse vocals — is hitting the road this spring for a world tour that Nancy Wilson describes as “the full-on rocker size.” (Photo by Jeff Daly/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Nancy and Ann Wilson of the classic rock band Heart perform in concert at the American Music Theater on Monday, March 24, 2014, in Lancaster, Pa. Heart — the pioneering band that melds Nancy Wilson’s shredding guitar with her sister Ann’s powerhouse vocals — is hitting the road this spring for a world tour that Nancy Wilson describes as “the full-on rocker size.” (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Heart — the pioneering band that melds Nancy Wilson’s shredding guitar with her sister Ann’s powerhouse vocals — is hitting the road this spring and fall for a world tour that Nancy Wilson describes as “the full-on rocker size.”

“I’ve been strengthening. I’ve got my trainer,” she says. “You go one day at a time and you strengthen one workout session at a time. It’s a lot of work, but it’s the only job I know how to do.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers who gave us classic tracks like “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You” and “Alone” will be playing all the hits, some tracks from of their solo albums — like Ann Wilson’s “Miss One and Only” and Nancy Wilson’s “Love Mistake” — and a new song called “Roll the Dice.”

Nancy Wilson, left, and Ann Wilson perform on opening night of the Heartbreaker Tour in West Palm Beach, Fla., June 17, 2013. (Photo by Jeff Daly/Invision/AP, File)

“I like to say we have really good problems because the problem we have is to choose between a bunch of different, really cool songs that people love already,” says Nancy Wilson.

Like “Barracuda,” a sonic burst which first appeared on the band’s second album, “Little Queen” and is one of the band’s most memorable songs.

“You can’t mess with ‘Barracuda.’ It’s just the way it is. It is great. You get on the horse and you ride. It’s a galloping steed of a ride to go on. And for everybody, including the band.”

The tour kicks off Saturday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, and will hit cities including Atlanta, Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Detroit, as well as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado. International dates include stops in London, Oslo, Berlin, Stockholm, Montreal and Glasgow.

The band’s Royal Flush Tour will have Cheap Trick as the opening act for many stops, but Def Leppard and Journey will join for three stadium dates in Cleveland, Toronto and Boston this summer.

Ann and Nancy Wilson will be filled out by Ryan Wariner (lead and rhythm guitar), Ryan Waters (guitars), Paul Moak (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals), Tony Lucido (bass and backing vocals) and Sean T. Lane (drums).

The tour is the first in several years for Heart, which was rocked by a body blow in 2016 when Ann Wilson’s husband was arrested for assaulting Nancy’s 16-year-old twin sons. Nancy Wilson says that’s all in the past.

“We can take any kind of turbulence, me and Ann, and we’ve always been OK together,” she says. “We’re still steering the ship and happy to do it together. So we’re tight.”

The new tour will take them to Canada, which was warm to the band when they were starting out as what Nancy Wilson calls “a couple of chicks from Seattle.” She recalls Vancouver embracing Heart, and touring in one van across Canada in the dead of winter on two lane highways.

The Wilsons at the American Music Theater on Monday, March 24, 2014, in Lancaster, Pa. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP, File)

The Wilson sisters broke rock’s glass ceiling in the ‘70s and Nancy Wilson says they only had male influences to look to, like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Moody Blues.

Now she says she looks out and loves seeing generations of female rockers. “You have boygenius and you have Billie Eilish and you have Olivia Rodrigo and so many amazing women — Maggie Rogers and Sheryl Crow, who calls us her big influence. And then Billie Eilish might have Sheryl Crow as her influence. So it’s a really nice legacy to pass along. I like to say we’re the OG — the original gangsters — of women and rock.”

Heart has made it into the Rock Hall, won Grammys, sold millions of albums and rocked hundreds of thousands of fans but Nancy Wilson has one place she’d still like to shine.

Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of their debut album, “Dreamboat Annie,” which was the same year that “Saturday Night Live” started. “So we’re actually kind of putting it out there — Heart never played on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ But what about the 50th birthday party with Heart?”

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

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Inside AD ’s May 2024 Issue: A Global Tour of the Best in Design

By Amy Astley

Armchair travelers, rejoice: AD took a jaunt around the world for our May International issue, and the pictures are worth a thousand words. If you, too, are working on “everywhere,” consider this a little shortcut. The richly individual residences and projects shown this month are so powerfully evocative that you might feel you have journeyed to Ibiza, Costa Rica, Lagos, the French countryside, Mexico, and even Los Angeles just by turning the pages. Add the passionate language each homeowner uses to describe the singular lure of their chosen locale, and the picture is complete.

Designer Eric Schmitt on horseback in France.

Emma Roberts at home in L.A.

Acclaimed artist Yinka Shonibare, who is based in London, returned to his hometown in Nigeria to build a spectacular artist’s residence that doubles as his own base when in Lagos. “I realized there was a need here; young artists needed to be mentored,” says Shonibare. “We could build 10 of these, and it still wouldn’t be enough.”

The Eco Park in Bacalar, Mexico, by Colectivo C733.

When a New York City family decamped to Costa Rica , in 2020, they hired recently launched LA design studio Years and local architecture firm Garnier Arquitectos to craft a dream house that could withstand the seven-month rainy season. “We wanted to learn how to live in harmony with nature , so we decided that we were going to be okay with the ants and the power outages and all the rest,” says owner Reshma Patel, adding, “You can try to keep it at bay, but the jungle always finds a way in.”

Homeowner Reshma Patel in Nosara, Costa Rica.

Artist Yinka Shonibare in Lagos, Nigeria.

Roberts with me in NYC.

Writer Fred Bernstein profiles the dazzling Colectivo C733, a group of five Mexican architects designing brilliant public spaces in their own country. Their eco park in Bacalar hovers a boardwalk over a fragile lagoon and reef to stunning, artistic effect, proving that “good architecture does not need a building,” as one partner says.

As for our cover star, actor Emma Roberts, she calls her LA nest “my very own grown-up dollhouse,” and adds that when she and her young son moved in, “I just remember feeling like we are exactly where we need to be.” Sometimes everywhere is just one perfect somewhere .

Amy Astley’s letter appears in AD’ s May 2024 issue. Never miss an issue when you subscribe to AD.

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LAB Counterbalancing

By manVSgolf November 13, 2023 in Putters

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Does anyone have any information about the new “Counterbalanced” Putters on the LAB website?    

I noticed I cannot choose a shaft length yet, and my fitted 69* lie is not an option.    

I am absolutely positive that I will buy one as soon as I have more info and my lie angle becomes available.  

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• Created Nov 13
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Took the plunge…

Golfingfanatic

I've had a DF2.1 Broomstick at 46.5" with the Accra shaft and did not find it particularly wobbly to be honest. However, I've got a Mezz Max CB coming at 37.5" with the Accra shaft that should be here

If you are going with that much length, get the TPT and don't look back.

Posted Images

Happy to see that this becomes an option. I have a LAB putter fitting next week, hopefully it his will be an option by then as I believe in counterbalancing.

It looks like they are using a SuperStroke.  I

don’t believe these are specially made with any forward-press.    

I was reading that counterbalanced putters should be 3” longer than your standard.  I assume the lie should stay the same.    

It looks like currently only the Mezz Max (with 16 weights) is available for counter balancing.  I hope they eventually offer more than 68, 70, and 72* lies.  I wonder if eventually the 2.1 will be offered as well.    

LAB (if you see this), if you don’t end up filling in the odd numbers, for a 6’ person, 69* fitted lie - would you recommend the 68* or the 70*?

I just ordered my own version that I'm going to essentially turn into a "Rickie" build. I ordered it at 37" and heavy weight configuration and plan to swap out the grip with the Superstroke 3.0 17" when it arrives.  I ordered the heaviest grip they offer which is the Press 1.L at 75g so the weight difference shouldn't be super far off.

Jeffinplano

5 hours ago, 03trdblack said: I just ordered my own version that I'm going to essentially turn into a "Rickie" build. I ordered it at 37" and heavy weight configuration and plan to swap out the grip with the Superstroke 3.0 17" when it arrives.  I ordered the heaviest grip they offer which is the Press 1.L at 75g so the weight difference shouldn't be super far off.

is the press 1.L long enough, to the superstore 17inch???????  Also the press grip is only 10 inch compared to the 17 inch superstore, so there may be length issues with gripping it...

1 hour ago, TT2017 said: FYI there's a rubber plug in the steel shaft at the top of the grip but it can easily be removed should you need to use a counter weight before you install the super stroke grip. Have fun.

Thanks!  I saw that also in my Link.1 when I changed the grip.  Easy to pop out.

1 hour ago, Jeffinplano said: is the press 1.L long enough, to the superstore 17inch???????  Also the press grip is only 10 inch compared to the 17 inch superstore, so there may be length issues with gripping it...

It'll be longer for sure but it'll be the same as if you install a longer grip on any other putter that has been extended to the longer length.  I'm sure the balance will be close enough.  I may also just end up getting the XL+Plus version as it's the same diameter but only 13.75" instead of 17".  I'm only going to be choking down 2" on the grip as if it was 35" in length so I probably won't need all that extra length of the 17" 3.0 grip.  Interesting though that the XL+Plus 3.0 at 13.75" is 100g but the Zenergy Tour 3.0 17" is 93g.   🤔

Golferclubs23

What was Camilo using this past weekend? Does anyone have specs?

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4 hours ago, Golferclubs23 said: What was Camilo using this past weekend? Does anyone have specs?

https://www.golfwrx.com/726251/camilo-villegas-witb-2023-october/

No detailed specs but it was a longer "Rickie" style Mezz.1 Max that I'm essentially trying to emulate.  No idea the actual length or lie angle, etc.

ChaosTheory

Maybe the rubber plug is to contain the special poon inside the club.  

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tcbringhurst

exact specs here

On 11/15/2023 at 9:13 AM, 03trdblack said:   https://www.golfwrx.com/726251/camilo-villegas-witb-2023-october/   No detailed specs but it was a longer "Rickie" style Mezz.1 Max that I'm essentially trying to emulate.  No idea the actual length or lie angle, etc.

Can we order this build directly from LAB?

On 11/15/2023 at 9:49 AM, tcbringhurst said:   exact specs here

Thank you, is this something we can order?

Did you ask about ordering this from LAB

13 minutes ago, Golferclubs23 said: Thank you, is this something we can order?

Not yet, but I think they will soon. 

16 minutes ago, tcbringhurst said: Not yet, but I think they will soon. 

Ok thank you for letting me know

1 hour ago, Golferclubs23 said: Ok thank you for letting me know

Maybe I spoke too soon as it looks like it’s an option for the custom putters. 

On Nov 22, 20% off LAB custom putters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 minutes ago, Jeffinplano said: On Nov 22, 20% off LAB custom putters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ugh don't remind me.  I just placed my order this week  😡

Just now, 03trdblack said:   Ugh don't remind me.  I just placed my order this week  😡

Cancel it and reorder on that day. That's what I did.. I ordered last week

flubberlange

11 minutes ago, 03trdblack said:   Ugh don't remind me.  I just placed my order this week  😡

Yeah. Me too. LOL. I ordered it Sunday and it arrives tomorrow.

2 hours ago, Jeffinplano said: Cancel it and reorder on that day. That's what I did.. I ordered last week

I could do that, but then I put myself back another few weeks in the line. The turnaround time is already 5 to 6 weeks as is. 

4 minutes ago, 03trdblack said:   I could do that, but then I put myself back another few weeks in the line. The turnaround time is already 5 to 6 weeks as is. 

Go ahead and do it...I have 50 extra putters if you need to borrow one

2 hours ago, Jeffinplano said: Go ahead and do it...I have 50 extra putters if you need to borrow one

10 hours ago, Jeffinplano said: On Nov 22, 20% off LAB custom putters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for info 

On 11/12/2023 at 10:28 PM, manVSgolf said: Does anyone have any information about the new “Counterbalanced” Putters on the LAB website?     I noticed I cannot choose a shaft length yet, and my fitted 69* lie is not an option.     I am absolutely positive that I will buy one as soon as I have more info and my lie angle becomes available.  

From what I read you should get 3-5" longer than your standard fit. Right now lab only makes counterbalance on Mezz max. 

On 11/17/2023 at 2:51 PM, 03trdblack said:   I could do that, but then I put myself back another few weeks in the line. The turnaround time is already 5 to 6 weeks as is. 

Is the wait still 5/6 weeks 

39 minutes ago, Golferclubs23 said: Is the wait still 5/6 weeks 

Mine shipped in 3 days 😳

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