Anybody Try the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer, yet?

[Richie3Jack]

For those who don't know, Mizuno has a fitting club where it can diagnose the shafts that would fit you best.

Basically, you hit this Mizuno club that has an attachment on the shaft. You hit it with actual golf balls (I think it's a 6-iron club) and then it will tell you the clubhead speed then read out some numbers to diagnose things like shaft droop, tempo, shaft kick angle, etc. Then you just plug those numbers into the computer and it will tell you what shafts are best for you.

For instance, it said that I should get the KBS Tour Stiff Flex, soft-stepped once.

Just curious to know if anybody else has tried it yet.




3JACK

 

[canuck_duffer]

Hey 3Jack,
Thanks for this info. I'm currently in the process of trying different shafts for my MP-14s. I think it's terrible that most premium clubs come standard with TT DG S300 shafts. Anyhow, my 6 iron swing speed is around 85 mph, which would dictate that I use a stiff shaft, but quite frankly, I find that my best shots only occur with a full bore swing. Which as we all know isn't a good idea. Anyhow, I recently played with a buddy who had blades with Rifle 5.0 shafts, and wow what a difference! Unfortunately, reshafting with Rifles will cost almost as much getting used clubs online ebay. Nonetheless, I'm determined to keep my MP-14's, and get the right shaft for my swing.
Incidentally, I'm in Canada, do you know where I can find someone who uses this Mizunoo Shaft Optimizer?

 

[savydan]

Did it yesterday. 90 mph. Said I should use a x-stiff shaft soft stepped once. Thanks but no thanks. That seems like too much work.

 

[Richie3Jack]

Did it yesterday. 90 mph. Said I should use a x-stiff shaft soft stepped once. Thanks but no thanks. That seems like too much work.

Soft stepping is pretty easy. Not a real tough thing to do.



3JACK

 

[Richie3Jack]

Hey 3Jack,
Thanks for this info. I'm currently in the process of trying different shafts for my MP-14s. I think it's terrible that most premium clubs come standard with TT DG S300 shafts. Anyhow, my 6 iron swing speed is around 85 mph, which would dictate that I use a stiff shaft, but quite frankly, I find that my best shots only occur with a full bore swing. Which as we all know isn't a good idea. Anyhow, I recently played with a buddy who had blades with Rifle 5.0 shafts, and wow what a difference! Unfortunately, reshafting with Rifles will cost almost as much getting used clubs online ebay. Nonetheless, I'm determined to keep my MP-14's, and get the right shaft for my swing.
Incidentally, I'm in Canada, do you know where I can find someone who uses this Mizunoo Shaft Optimizer?

Look for anybody or any club that has a certified Mizuno fitter with the Mizuno fitting cart. My club has a Mizuno fitter there and just got the Shaft Optimizer as well.

I've found over the years that clubhead speed doesn't factor nearly as much into what shaft flex you need as most people think. This makes a bit of sense and is probalby why you hit the ball better with 'weaker' flex shafts despite a good clubhead speed.




3JACK

 

[TROYNYGOLFER]

Look for anybody or any club that has a certified Mizuno fitter with the Mizuno fitting cart. My club has a Mizuno fitter there and just got the Shaft Optimizer as well.

I've found over the years that clubhead speed doesn't factor nearly as much into what shaft flex you need as most people think. This makes a bit of sense and is probalby why you hit the ball better with 'weaker' flex shafts despite a good clubhead speed.




3JACK

Exactly! According to clubhead speed charts, I should be playing an very stiff, but not X driver shaft and stiff iron shafts. I get my best ball flight and accuracy from a Firm driver and R flex shafts.

 

[savydan]

Soft stepping is pretty easy. Not a real tough thing to do.



3JACK

Thanks. I was totally amibiguous I realize. I meant that it seemed like a lot of "work" to play with an x-stiff shaft.

 

[Richie3Jack]

Thanks. I was totally amibiguous I realize. I meant that it seemed like a lot of "work" to play with an x-stiff shaft.

It's really not an X-Stiff. When you soft-step it, the shaft flex becomes weaker. Probably in between a Stiff an X-Stiff. Of course, it depends on the shaft you're using. Rifles tend to play very stiff compared to Dynamic Gold. I basically tried it out since I wanted to figure out what KBS shaft I should be using.





3JACK

 

[savydan]

Thanks. Currently using a ZZ65 shaft which frequencies between a stiff and x-stiff, so I am probably alright.

Pretty cool how that little gadget can measure how you load a shaft as well as swing speed.

Think it's pretty accurate?

 

[Richie3Jack]

Thanks. Currently using a ZZ65 shaft which frequencies between a stiff and x-stiff, so I am probably alright.

Pretty cool how that little gadget can measure how you load a shaft as well as swing speed.

Think it's pretty accurate?

Yeah, soft stepping means that they basically take for example your 6-iron, they'll put in a 5-iron shaft and just cut it to the length you want the 6-iron at. That 'softens' the shaft a tad and turns an X-Stiff into between a stiff and an X-Stiff. The opposite of that is 'hard stepping.'

That's what is pretty unique about this shaft optimizer thingy, it goes beyond talking about just what flex, it can go into more detail like soft stepping or hard stepping.

It's 'claim to fame' is that they had Luke Donald swing the shaft optimizer and it read out exactly the shafts to a tee for what he uses now. However, you could also say that whatever technology Mizuno used to fit Luke Donald they could have just put into the new shaft optimizer.

But yeah, I think it's probably pretty accurate. Seemed accurate for me. Told me I needed stiff flex soft stepped once, which is what I use right now.






3JACK

 

[canuck_duffer]

Just curious, has anyone here tried the new True Temper GS95 shaft? And any thoughts on the Rifle Flighted shafts be it Project X or just plain Rifle?

 

[Richie3Jack]

I play the Flighted Rifle and I think it's still a pretty good shaft. But just about everybody I've talked to says that you should stay away from Project X just because the quality control is bad. I've known people that love PX shafts, but from clubfitters I talk to, they are not big fans of PX.




3JACK

 

[canuck_duffer]

Thanks for the advice/warning 3Jack. So basically, I've narrowed it down to the Rifle Flighted 5.0's or the new TT GS95's in R300. I've actually hit my friend's Tommy Armour blades with the Rifle 5.0's and loved the feel. I'm considering the TT's because of the weight, and also the price. The Project X were rather expensive anyway.

 

[Richie3Jack]

Thanks for the advice/warning 3Jack. So basically, I've narrowed it down to the Rifle Flighted 5.0's or the new TT GS95's in R300. I've actually hit my friend's Tommy Armour blades with the Rifle 5.0's and loved the feel. I'm considering the TT's because of the weight, and also the price. The Project X were rather expensive anyway.

Dunno if you've tried the shaft optimizer, but you should give it a run. It will tell you what Rifles and what TT's to use.




3JACK

 

[rogerdodger]

I would never buy another set of rifle shafts without having the frequency independently measured after the clubs are delivered. I purchased a set of very nice Bridgestone forged irons last year with rifle x shafts factory installed at 5.0. I had a heck of a time even getting them in the air until I had the frequency checked by a local clubfitter. They were actually measured at a frequency between 6.5 and 7.0, which is extra stiff. Their quality control is really questionable, it cost me a lot of money to find this out. I would also look at nippon shafts, if you are thinking of the gs-95.

 

[canuck_duffer]

thanks for the cautionary words regarding Rifle shaft frequency Roger. As for Nippon Shafts, they are $54-$125 each! a wee bit more than TT GS95 at $19 7 shafts + labour=$1025 +tax potentially, cost prohibitive to say the least. might as well buy new set of irons altogether.

 

[Richie3Jack]

thanks for the cautionary words regarding Rifle shaft frequency Roger. As for Nippon Shafts, they are $54-$125 each! a wee bit more than TT GS95 at $19 7 shafts + labour=$1025 +tax potentially, cost prohibitive to say the least. might as well buy new set of irons altogether.

KBS Tour shafts are really popular as well. They run at $25 a shaft. The Mizuno fitting cart should have attachable KBS Tour shafts in there as well.




3JACK

 

[softconsult]

I play Project X 5.5. Bought a set of Titleist 695CB's on eBay about 2 years ago, then had my clubmaker purchase the shafts and install. He frequency matched the set.

His comment was that the Titleist heads, in his experience, met weight tolerances for each head. He said clearly not the case with many other iron heads.

It wasn't cheap, but they play very nicely.

 

[mgranato]

Did a Trackman session yesterday and noticed the clubfitter had the Mizuno Optimizer system. I asked what his thoughts were. He said they worked great for hitting, but they have yet to be able to "match-up" how the optimizer plays with how the inserted shaft plays. Meaning the shaft sleeve changes the characteristics of the shaft compared to the same exact shaft installed without the sleeve. For what it's worth, you may want to hit a normally shafted club in the same shaft before making a final decision.

 

[Richie3Jack]

Did a Trackman session yesterday and noticed the clubfitter had the Mizuno Optimizer system. I asked what his thoughts were. He said they worked great for hitting, but they have yet to be able to "match-up" how the optimizer plays with how the inserted shaft plays. Meaning the shaft sleeve changes the characteristics of the shaft compared to the same exact shaft installed without the sleeve. For what it's worth, you may want to hit a normally shafted club in the same shaft before making a final decision.

Makes sense.




3JACK