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I have been a user of the Project X irons shafts for some time now, so it only made sense to check out their driver shaft to see how it compared. (Golfers, we can rationalize anything!) Many worldwide wins have been achieved by players with this shaft in their driver, including the 2010 British Open winner. What I found were some similarities, and some differences between the graphite woods shaft and the Project X iron shafts.
I use the Project X 6.5 iron shafts, and opted for the 6.5 flex in the graphite version as well. At 69 grams, it is just a touch lighter than the shafts I typically use. The flex profile is said to be similar to that of the iron shafts, according to the True Temper web site, with a stiff tip section in the 7.0 and 6.5 flexes, a mid-stiff tip in 6.0, and a mid stiffness in the 5.5 and 5.0 flexes. Torque is described as “low.” Some of the more interesting aspects of the Project X graphite are highlighted here:
http://www.royalprecision.com/royalprecision/projectx_graphite_technology.asp
A stiff butt end, complete with cross-sectional ‘weaving’ of graphite materials called “Hex Axial Reinforcement Technology," keeps the area under the grip stable. More of the shaft’s “action” is found through the mid section where it is designed to flex over a greater portion of that section of the shaft. The stiffer tip is said to deliver the head into the ball at a more consistent angle, devoid of added spin and launch angle.
Out on the course, I have to say that I did not see the launch angle I was expecting. That’s not all bad, however. The ball takes off and levels off on just a slightly lower trajectory than the iron shafts do. Just a hair lower than the “window” the ball passes through with the iron shafts. I was equally surprised by the very supple feel of this shaft. The Project X iron shafts aren’t known for being especially supple, rather, they provide good control and launch conditions. The graphite Project X shaft is slightly easier to load than its iron shaft cousins, yet does provide that good launch control and directional control. It is so supple, I wondered if the 7.0 flex might not be more appropriate for me, as I had to keep my tempo in check a little bit to get the most out of this shaft. (That may have as much to do with the slightly lighter weight of this shaft as anything.) Directional dispersion was good with controlled swings. The distances seen and the ease of loading are pretty impressive. Sometimes, I felt like I really didn’t put a very hard swing on the ball, and still saw drives cracking the 300 yard distance. In this respect, it seems to really transfer the energy of the swing into the ball very effectively.
The overall action of this shaft is a ‘hinging’ action, with a lot of the loading feel coming just below the grip. The tip never feels like it is going to be over-powered, and is great at keeping the trajectory strong at a true mid-level. Spin amounts seem to be low, given the run-out I have seen on course. The only change I might wish to see is just an availability of more weights for the public, as tour players have more weights to choose from than the rest of us. A slightly heavier version would have been very welcomed by this golfer anyway.
At around $275, the Project X graphite shaft is not cheap. However, it is in line with other premium wood shaft offerings on the market. If you play the Project X iron shafts, I think the overall feel and performance will seem familiar, if just slightly different. Those seeking a true mid launch shaft, no matter your iron shafts, may find a winner with the Project X. The hot flight, low spin, and ease of loading make for some screaming projectile drives. Michael White is an independent equipment reviewer for GolfDiscussions.com
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