tour ad shaft comparisons

Choosing the Right Graphite Design Tour AD Shaft

And, Webb Simpson won THE PLAYERS 2018 Championship with the new higher launching Tour IZ 5X!

The Tour AD DI model is the first Graphite Design shaft design that was integrated with Toray Company’s original NANOALLOY material technology in the tip section of the shaft. This material technology has now come to be known as “DI Technology”. This unique material technology promotes additionally shaft stability without the loss of feel and allows the player to create greater club head speed and thus greater ball speed while still providing exceptional feel and control.

2018 Graphite Design Shaft Profile Comparison Chart

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Shaft Test: Graphite Design’s new Tour AD-TP versus the famous Tour AD-DI

With a similar profile to the company’s famous Tour AD-DI shaft, and a few new technologies for a slightly different ball flight, Graphite Design’s new Tour AD-TP shaft will surely entice a legion of high-spin golfers.

The new shafts are made for a mid launch and low spin rates, according to Graphite Design’s website, while the Tour AD-DI shafts are made for mid/high to high launch angles and low to low/mid spin rates. Certainly, they are in the same wheelhouse, but for anyone looking to create a slightly more penetrating ball flight with lower launch and lower spin, the new shaft could be their winning ticket.

To accomplish its performance, the AD-TP shafts are made with a faster taper rate from the lower-mid section to the tip of the shaft, and use an all-new graphite material from Toray Industries called T1100G carbon fiber pre-preg. They also use Toray’s Nanoalloy technology in the tip section, which was first introduced in Graphite Design’s Tour AD-DI. It help golfers gain more control of the club face by resisting torque.  Read more about the Tour AD-TP shaft’s tech here .

Here’s the bend profile of the Tour AD-TP shafts, according to Graphite Design’s website:

And here’s how the Tour AD-TP shafts stack up versus the other Tour AD shafts:

As you can see, the Tour AD-TP (top row) compared to the Tour AD-DI (bottom row) will have a firmer mid and butt section, but will also have the familiar stiff tip section.

Personally, I’ve tested just about every new mainstream driver shaft that’s come out in the past three years, and I just haven’t been able to find something that matches my swing like the Tour AD-DI. As a golfer who fights a nasty hook and too much spin, it’s the stiffness and stability of the tip of the shaft that makes me comfortable enough to “go at it.” I’m also a Mets fan, so I like the orange color.

But for whatever reason, my golfing brain finds other shafts to load and unload way differently, either forcing me to flip or block drives, leading to tragic results. So although I often test the latest and greatest golf shafts for you, the GolfWRX readers, I’ve all but given up on other shafts making it into my gamer driver. Yes, other shafts have given me “more optimal” numbers in a Trackman environment, but there’s nothing optimal about feeling like you’re going to duck hook the ball off the planet with OB stakes left.

When Graphite Design announced a new shaft with a similar profile that’s made to create a slightly more penetrating trajectory, however, I’ll admit I was excited to try it. Let’s see how the numbers played out.

The Numbers

I tested my Tour AD-DI gamer shaft (45.5 inches, tipped 1 inch) against a Tour AD-TP shaft (45.5 inches, untipped) and a Tour AD-TP shaft (45.5 inches, tipped 1 inch) in a TaylorMade M1 460 head (10.5 degrees) set to neutral. Yes, I have a bit more swing speed in the tank than displayed below, but it’s also late October and I don’t want to have a blown out back all winter. I conducted my testing at the Launch Pad at Carl’s Golfland on TrackMan 4 using premium golf balls.

Magenta = Tour AD-TP (tipped 1 inch)

Observations

— Shots with the un-tipped shaft trended to the right. It felt like the face was opening on the downswing and I couldn’t turn my shots over. The data solidifies for me that performance matches my feel, and that I do indeed need a tipped shaft.

— The AD-DI shaft had the highest spin (2953 rpm), highest landing angle, most height (122.1 feet) and launched the highest (13.7 degrees).

— The AD-TP (tipped 1 inch) carried 4.9 yards shorter than the Tour AD-DI, but went 3.7 yards longer in total. This shows how much more penetrating the ball flight with a AD-TP shaft can be.

— Spin rate dropped from 2953 rpm with the Tour AD-DI (tipped 1 inch) to 2460 rpm with the AD-TP (tipped 1 inch).

— With nearly identical clubhead speed, ball speed and smash factors, it’s clear the Tour AD-TP was offering better numbers and tighter dispersion for me.

The Takeaway

The Graphite Design Tour AD-TP shaft is currently selling for $500 at retail. Based on the improvement I saw in my numbers, I would say that the new shaft is worth the value for my swing. The profile and new materials are a match for me in regards to ball flight characteristics and feel. I would describe the feel as “smooth-stiff, with a stable tip.”

Of course, it’s important to undergo a proper fitting, as you saw that the un-tipped version of the Tour AD-GP shaft was giving me fits. But, if you’re like me and struggle with high spin rates and inconsistency, the Tour AD-TP shaft may help you find more accuracy… and a bit more distance, too.

Is this TaylorMade’s new M1 driver?

Golfers are going CRAZY over Costco’s new Kirkland Signature golf balls

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

Golfandpuff

Nov 21, 2016 at 7:20 pm

Confidence is worth a ton…so if the shoe fits….

Bottom line find one for a song and play it!

Oct 31, 2016 at 1:36 pm

Andrew, the author of this review, comments about hitting duck hooks because that is his miss when he uses a shaft that doesn’t “fit” his swing style. It is the same issue I fight. The fact he has peppered the right side of the grid would be comforting for him. All in all, Andrew fits the new TP shaft pretty well.

Oct 30, 2016 at 11:57 pm

Some shafts get progressively weaker to the tip (Rogue, AD-DI), many increase stiffness into the tip (most other GD tour AD models, Kuro Kage) To assume all shafts need to be tipped just seems uninformed. Tipping off stiffness in a shaft like a AD-BB is just going to lower the kick point and give you a softer tip; exact opposite of tipping a AD-DI.

Oct 30, 2016 at 11:05 pm

Wow the author tried really hard to say this is better. The chart looks pretty much the same for all three shafts as far as landing zone. Just one leftward (I’m guess more of a hook) shot skewed the oval left. Unless he’s a left hander, none of his shots were hooks, rather either push or slices. Strange for him to say that he’s fighting a hook when he didn’t hit any.

The real difference does seem to be one offering more roll and one more carry due to launch angle changes I’m guessing due to the stiffer mid and butt sections. Worth it? The argument seems a bit thin.

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Whats in the Bag

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• Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos from the event here. 

Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max LS (9 degrees @7.2, 2 grams lead tape heel, 4 grams toe) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (44 7/8 inches, tipped 1 inch)

Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D (9 degrees @7) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15 degrees @13.9) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X (43 inches, tipped 1.5)

• Check out more in-hand photos of Akshay Bhatia’s clubs here.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW Prototype (19 degrees @17.8) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X

Irons: Callaway X Forged UT (21 degrees) Buy here, Callaway Apex TCB Raw (5-PW) Shafts: KBS $-Taper 125 S+

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S @49, 54-10S, 60-08C @61) Shafts: KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X

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Choosing the Right Graphite Design Tour AD Shaft

By DanSueltz August 9th, 2017

Graphite Design Tour AD shafts  have won 32 global professional tournaments in 2017, with over half of those being won with the DI, “Deep Impact” model.  The winners of the 2017 World Golf Championship – Bridgestone Invitational, Senior Open Championship both played the DI in their drivers and in some cases fairway woods and hybrids.  The winner of the Ricoh Women’s Open Championship played a Tour AD GP in her driver

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Golf Shaft Comparison: Graphite Design Tour AD VF-6S vs Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6S

February 13

It’s a new year, and avid golfers are excited about setting new-year golf resolutions and checking out the latest equipment for 2024. 

Let us introduce you to the new shafts on the block: the Graphite Design Tour AD VF-6S and the Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6S.

The Ventus TR Black has garnered considerable publicity in the last two years as the latest descendant of the popular Ventus lineup, making its way into the arsenal of tour pros such as Will Zalatoris (Ventus TR Black 7X) and Billy Horschel (Ventus TR Black 6X). But the newest Tour AD VFs have been seen in the hands of Justin Thomas (Tour AD VF-5X) and Tiger Woods (Tour AD VF-6X).

Here is our comprehensive review of the Graphite Design Tour AD VF-6S and the Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6S, including bonus shaft tests.

Graphite Design Tour AD VF

The VF-6S is the latest iteration from Japan-based Graphite Design, which is known for incorporating advanced materials and technologies into its shafts, employing multi-material construction and vibration-dampening properties .

The AD VF is manufactured using high-quality, aerospace-grade, carbon-fiber materials, including the proprietary TORAYCA(r) M40X material in the handle and TORAYCA(r) T1100G material in the mid/tip sections.

The shaft likely offers specific torque characteristics, influencing its resistance to twisting during the swing.

Aesthetically, the VF features a ringed, black-and-red color combination, a design consistent with other Graphite Design offerings, in addition to a high-gloss finish that provides a strong, yet subtle look to the setup.

Fujikura Ventus TR Black

Building upon the storied success of the Ventus shafts, Fujikura has made some calculated adjustments to their Ventus TR lineup with the aim of delivering more stability and consistency to a wide range of players.

The Ventus TR is engineered using Velocore® technology, to provide more stability throughout the shaft from transition to impact. Additionally, Velocore® products are manufactured using Pitch 70 Ton Carbon Fiber, which Fujikura indicates is up to 150% stronger and more stable than T1100g.

Aesthetically, the Ventus TR Black has a beautiful woven finish in the handle/midsections, a by-product of Fujikura’s unique, ultra-strong, carbon-fabric implementation, with a light metallic flake/sparkle through the entire shaft.

Commonalities and Differences

Utilizing the data-rich S3 Shaft Comparison tool from Cool Clubs, let’s home in on the precise metrics of these two heavy hitters.

Before we begin, it’s important to understand some basics of shaft-stiffness measurements:

• Cool Clubs can measure the frequency of a given shaft in cycles per minute (CPM). In tandem with the overall length of the shaft, the CPM provides us with an accurate, objective “stiffness value.” For our testing, both the VF-6S and the TR Black 6S shafts have a frequency of 6.8.
• Cool Clubs can also measure the EI of each section of the shaft (butt, middle, and tip). The EI measurement of each section helps us understand why all shafts labeled “stiff,” for example, are not created equal. (If you’d like to learn more about frequency and EI profiles, check out shaft guru Russ Ryden of GolfShaftReviews.com .)

What do these two shafts have in common ?

• frequency; and
• balance point.

How do these two shafts differ ?

• Relative stiffness in the butt/handle section of the shaft, with the Ventus TR having a butt EI that’s nearly 35% greater than that of the VF-6S!

Test Results

If you are wondering how some golfers play with the same equipment, but have different results, have a look at the results below, from when our staff put these shafts to the test.

Ball: ProV1x

Clubhead: Aerojet 10.5* playing at 9.5*

Ventus TR Black 6S

• Feels very sturdy throughout—stout but congruent.
• Provides responsive feedback at impact.
• Reliable loading and unloading in transition and through impact.
• Feels a bit “boardy.”
• Swing weight feels lighter than preferred at address.

Opinion Statement

Generally feels like it kicks better through impact; easier to manage the mass of the club in transition and didn’t feel like mechanical adjustments had to be made to keep the ball in play.

Tour AD VF-6S

• It was easy to feel the mass of the club on the backswing.
• Great for fairway finder tempo.
• It was challenging to manage face through impact.
• The handle feels wobbly through impact, making feedback difficult to interpret.
• It seemed to launch a bit higher than the player preferred.

Overall, it was a solid shaft profile, but it seemed to launch too high and start more right than preferred. Had to slow down tempo/transition to square it.

Ball: ProV1

Clubhead: Aerojet LS 9*

• Seamless and stable throughout.
• Weight feels very balanced.
• Kick/balance point feels reliable; consistent loft delivery.
• Too stiff and stout; resulted in low ball flight.
• Spin rate was too low with current ball flight.

Good profile, consistent performance, but was too much shaft for my current speed. Hard to load/unload.

• Misses tend to be better.
• Provides high launch without significant technique change.
• The handle feels wobbly.
• Feedback seems inconsistent.
• It’s tougher to feel clubhead load in transition.

It doesn’t provide reliable impact feedback; has to manipulate the handle to get it to load and unload properly.

Clubhead: DARKSPEED LS 8*

• Consistent impact location.
• Responsive feedback—ball flight matched feel.
• Stable and smooth feel for fairway finder and long ball.
• It’s a bit more rigid and slightly less “feel.”
• Lower launching than preferred.

It was easy to be more consistent with strike location, it provided tighter dispersion, and it gave good feedback on strike location and ball flight.

• It feels very light and easy to move.
• It seems more consistent at a smoother, more fluid tempo.
• Looser, in general; is a bit too lively and active.
• It feels more shaky and seems to be right-biased.
• Tougher to respond to.

It is a bit too bouncy in transition and halfway down to impact, and it is more challenging to manage the face.

Ball: Chromesoft X

Clubhead: Paradym Triple Diamond 8* set at 9*

• Consistently feel each swing.
• Responds well when trying to swing harder.
• The handle feels solid and reliable.
• It feels soft at impact through the mid-section.
• Generally feels a bit too active in mid/tip sections.

A generally stable shaft that provides consistent, reliable feedback.

• There is a stiff feel in the handle.
• Lively yet in control.
• Solid feedback at impact.
• It feels squishy in the lower half of the shaft.
• More effort to square the face.

Responsive, with an overall impressive feel, but more challenging to get the face square through impact.

New Year, New Shaft

Generally speaking, the VF-6S performs better for players with a smoother transition move at the top, and creates more linear speed. The Ventus TR Black 6S might be better for golfers who are quicker in transition and subsequently create more angular speed.

Leveraging both data and player feedback is critical to a comprehensive shaft fitting. That is why we strongly recommend amateur and competitive golfers alike go through fittings to determine which shafts will perform best for them.

Contact us today to get a custom shaft fitting, and play with newfound confidence for the new year!

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Other Factors to Consider

When choosing a golf shaft, it’s important to consider other factors such as weight, length, and grip size. The weight of the shaft can affect the overall balance and feel of the club, while the length can impact your swing mechanics. Grip size can also affect your grip pressure and overall comfort during your swing.

Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 Specifications

Graphite design tour ad di 7 specifications, torque comparison, launch angle comparison, weight comparison.

In conclusion, both the Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 and Tour AD DI 7 are excellent golf shafts that can enhance your performance on the course. The Tour AD DI 6 is best suited for golfers who want maximum distance and stability, while the Tour AD DI 7 is best suited for golfers who want maximum control and precision. By understanding the differences between these two shafts and working with a professional club fitter, you can choose the right shaft for your game and take your golf performance to the next level.

Ray Barnes, our Senior Staff Writer and a Golf Analyst with a PhD in Sports Analytics, is a beacon of insight in the golfing world. With a deep understanding of the sport's nuances, statistical analysis, and a talent for demystifying complexities, he provides in-depth analysis and captivating narratives that engage golf enthusiasts worldwide.

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Graphite Design Tour AD IZ Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight

Graphite Design is a company that should not be overlooked if you are in the market for a new shaft for your driver or woods.

While the company doesn’t have the market share that companies like Aldila and Mitsubishi do, their shafts are steadily gaining in popularity.

The Graphite Design Tour AD IZ is a perfect example of why their shafts are gaining more attention.

This is a shaft that is said to deliver high launch and low spin – a great combination for moderate swing speeds players. So does the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ deliver? Let’s find out.

Graphite Design Tour AD IZ Shaft Overview

We’re not huge fans of the orange and matte black color scheme of this shaft. The colors make it look like this is a Halloween-themed shaft.

But once we got past the looks, we were treated with a very fluid feel. “Fluid” is the best adjective to describe the activity of the shaft.

There is a very subtle kick. In fact, unless you really load up on it, it’s easy to miss any distinct kick point.

Instead, the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ flexes smoothly and easily transfers energy down the shaft and into the ball. The Graphite Design Tour AD IZ was built to have a softer midsection than the butt.

And unless you opt for the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ in its lightest weight class (40g), the tip section is very stiff.

Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 4 has a soft tip section. Overall, this isn’t your typical graphite shaft.

It just doesn’t feel exactly like a graphite shaft. But that wasn’t a bad thing for our testers. After a few swings, they grew to enjoy the unique feel of the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ.

Why is the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ So Popular?

It should be noted that the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ comes in a variety of weights and flexes.

This is one of the things that makes it so popular: there is a version of this shaft for pretty much every kind of golfer.

How Does the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ Perform?

So does the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ live up to the promise of high launch and low spin? Yes and no.

The launch angles were really good. They fluctuated between 14 and 15 degrees. More importantly, it was very easy to achieve those launch angles. However, we were expecting lower spin rates.

During our testing, we couldn’t work the spin rates lower than 2100 RPMs.

This isn’t terribly high spin for a graphite shaft, but so much had been made about how muted the spin of this shaft was that we were a bit let down.

Still, this allowed for better workability. Our better testers were able to affect draws and fades and attack doglegs strategically.

Plus, the mid spin rates made it easier to control rollout. Distance was not a problem. After three swings, our testers were averaging a carry distance of 261.5 yards.

This was very impressive considering that our testing party consists of moderate and fast swingers. The Graphite Design Tour AD IZ was also pleasingly consistent.

On all but severe mis-hits, we were getting tight shot dispersion. In fact, our offline divergence never crept into double digits (yards).

Graphite Design Tour AD IZ Shaft Specs

What flexes are available what swing speeds do they suit.

Lite/senior stiff is for anyone swinging their driver slower than 70 MPH.

Regular, stiff and stiff/regular would be a good choice for swing speeds in the 75-85 MPH range. Stiff and extra stiff are for 86-95 MPH swingers. Tour extra stiff is for 95+ MPH swingers.

What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

The 40g weight class is for sub 70 MPH swingers.

The 50g class is for 75-85 MPH swingers. The 60g class is for 86-90 MPH swingers. The 70g class is for 91-100 MPH swing speed players. The 80g class is for 100+ MPH swingers.

Why is it So Good?

The Graphite Design Tour AD IZ is a good shaft because it doesn’t waste an iota of your swing speed.

You can feel it working but it never feels “jerky” or out of control. Instead, you get a smooth transition of energy from the butt to the club head.

Graphite Design Tour AD IZ First Impressions

Our first impression of the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ was that it had a very unique feel.

After testing dozens of graphite wood shafts, you sort of get tunnel-visioned. You think that all graphite shafts are supposed to feel a certain way.

But the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ has a more controlled feel than most graphite shafts.

Key Features & Performance

The Graphite Design Tour AD IZ utilizes a carbon fiber prepreg in the stiff section to enhance stability.

In terms of performance, this feature makes the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ incredibly consistent.

Graphite Design Tour AD IZ Driver Review

Out of the box, we had the ability to work the ball or shoot it more or less straight.

It’s a great shaft to keep you on the fairway or aggressively attack doglegs.

Graphite Design Tour AD IZ Fairway Wood Review

With our woods, we were comfortable able to avoid hitting the ball too thick. It maintained its fluid feel off the deck.

Graphite Design Tour AD IZ Pros & Cons

• Tight dispersion
• Easy to get the hang of
• Many weight classes
• Mediocre spin rates

Overall Score: 96/100

Check out more reviews here:.

Who Should Buy it?

The Graphite Design Tour AD IZ would be a great choice for anyone who needs to improve their consistency from the tee.

There are so many weight and flex combinations so any kind of player can get in on the fun.

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Graphite Design Tour AD VF Shaft Review

More in reviews:.

50 Words or Less

The Graphite Design Tour AD VF shaft is a low launch, low spin shaft that wants your most aggressive swings.  Excellent dispersion.  Stout, one-piece feel.

Introduction

The Graphite Design Tour AD VF shaft is at the center of one of the happiest coincidences in recent golf equipment history.  Shortly after its introduction, this red and black shaft made its way into the bag of the golfer who made red and black his signature, Tiger Woods .  With the kind of hype that money can’t buy, the VF – which stands for Victory Force – is now available to golfers everywhere.  I tested one to see if it can help power your on course victories this season.

While Graphite Design claims that the Tour AD VF wasn’t made with Tiger in mind, it would be hard to imagine a shaft more perfectly designed for the Big Cat.  The upper is a deep, rich red that is visually stunning, especially in contrast with the jet black lower portion.  It’s a great demonstration of the fact that you don’t need gaudy graphics to be eye-catching if you pick the right colors.

Speaking of graphics, the Graphite Design Tour AD VF sticks to the script of the Tour AD shafts that have come before.  The “Graphite Design” branding is split over the color shift.  On the “logo down” side, there are simply black and red rings.  With the exception of the small “Accuracy & Distance” mark, the lower third of the shaft is free of distractions .

The Graphite Design Tour AD VF sits at the top of the Graphite Design pyramid of stiffness .  This is their stiffest profile, rating a Firm+ (butt), Stiff (mid), Very Stiff (tip) from Graphite Design.  The shaft nearest in tip stiffness is the Tour AD UB [review HERE ] which rates a Stiff+.

Giving the Tour AD VF a wiggle, I felt just a hint of flex in the mid section.  During the swing, that largely went away.  This is a shaft for the player that wants a “one-piece” feel without the shaft bending or kicking noticeably.  It’s not harsh feeling, but it does demand a strong effort from you.

In the past, I’ve described some super stiff shafts as laughing at your strongest swings.  In X-flex (the correct flex for my speed), the Graphite Design Tour AD VF didn’t laugh at me, but I knew I was never going to “win.”  It was like running with a friend who is much faster than you but isn’t trying to hurt your feelings .  When I bumped up to the TX, I did feel laughed at – I don’t have the speed to make that work.

Finally, I was able to compare the Tour AD VF to the modern classic Tour AD DI [review HERE ].  Both shafts are rated low spin by Graphite Design, but the AD DI feels completely different with a smooth, pronounced kick.  This is a great illustration of the fact that not all low spin shafts need to feel the same.

Performance

The calling card of the Graphite Design Tour AD VF is low launch, low spin .  Those were the first two things that I noticed when I started my testing.  Virtually every drive came out on a piercing trajectory and hit the ground running.  If you’re looking to bring down your spin or get more out of drives in a windy environment, the Tour AD VF will deliver.  For players that want low spin without the low launch, you might consider the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ [review HERE ].

As I noted earlier, this is a shaft that wants to be swung aggressively, and it encourages that by keeping the dispersion tight .  What’s unique about the Tour AD VF – at least for me – is that it’s not strictly “anti-left” in the way that some low/low shafts are.  I was able to hit a soft draw or a soft cut equally well.  Where it excels is in keeping those shot shapes gentle.  Unless I made a really poor swing, I didn’t see the ball curving more than I wanted.

When I went to the Graphite Design Tour AD VF in TX flex, it felt much more “anti-left.”  Even with an aggressive swing and a strong intent, I could barely square the face, let alone get the ball to draw.  If you’re seeking a hooker-killer, the AD VF can be it, you may just need a stiffer flex.

I also ran the VF against the Tour AD DI which felt world’s different.  First, I could dial my swing down to sub-100% effort, which was refreshing after numerous all-out swings.  Also, my dispersion shifted left.  I don’t think the AD DI is particularly draw-biased, but compared to the AD VF, it felt that way to me.

The Graphite Design Tour AD VF is offered in weights ranging from 40 to 80 grams .  At the lightest weight, the Tour AD VF is available in stiff, regular, and senior flexes.  Moving up to 50 grams retains those three options and adds the X flex.  At 60 grams, there is a stiff/regular, stiff, X, and Tour X.  The 70 gram model has just stiff and X.  Finally, at 80 grams GD offers X and Tour X.

While I would not typically suggest that recreational players emulate Tiger Woods’s equipment decisions, the Graphite Design Tour AD VF shaft is one that you might consider.  If you’re a high spin player who wants to get into more optimal numbers, this is definitely one to try at your next fitting.

Buy the Graphite Design Tour AD VF HERE

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12 Comments

What kind of numbers are you looking for when testing out a shaft? I tried the VF found your review very similar to my impressions

I’m not sure what you mean. Are you asking what numbers I think are optimal or what metrics I’m using to evaluate the shaft?

Just curious if there’s a certain criteria you look for in choosing a shaft that works for you

Because of my impact dynamics, I’m able to get a lot of distance out of almost any shaft – I don’t need a shaft to reduce spin for me. Because of that, my focus is on feel and dispersion.

I swing about 105mph but generate high spin. I might try this shaft out. Just deciding between the S and X flex. Do you recommend a certain flex at 105MPH?

Thanks for the detailed review.

My recommendation is always to get fit. With this shaft, I think a stiff could easily stretch to 105 MPH depending on the player’s feel preference.

How does the VF feel in the butt section ? I’m a lefty swinging right handed so I pull hard with my left arm in the transition and I always had issues issue with GD shafts that I find too soft (for my swing) in the handle. Curious also to know how it compares to a Ventus Red or Blue feel wise. Thanks

You can find all my previous Ventus reviews here for comparison: https://pluggedingolf.com/?post_type=post&s=ventus

What, no price? Your articles seem to always have a price point. Must be $1k or something crazy like that.

I rarely put the price in shaft reviews because not many golfers buy them online, they get them from a fitter, and prices vary. Graphite Design tends to be $350-400.

Curious how this compares to Ventus black TR? Similar? Thanks!

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

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