Accra i123 M3 Graphite Shafts Meet Callaway Steelhead XR Irons

[wcdixon]

Hi all:

New here first post so be gentle. Golfed my whole life except for the past 6 years until I decided to get back into game end of this summer. Had a new set of Titleist blades stiff steel shafts for 20 years starting out, then a set of Callaway Big Bertha X-12's with Memphis 10 steel shafts for 20 years, and now looking at getting another new set of irons but boy, has the game and equipment changed. Hybrids, head sizes, innumerable types and styles of shafts and grips to choose from not to mention ball speed, smash factor, spin rates, trajectory...very different from the old days of: "these sticks feel okay...they hit the ball alright...okay I'll take them.

Getting older with nagging golfers/tennis elbow and figured it's time for regular graphite shafts - rusty 10-ish handicap...driver swing speed around 93-94mph average...6 iron swing speed around 80-81mph average.

Anyway in the past month I purchased a demo Srixon z585 driver with HZRDUS 65 reg graphite shaft, Callaway XR 16 3 wood w/Fujikura Speeder Evolution 565 reg graphite shaft, a couple of Cobra F8 hybrids (19, 22) w/Aldila Rogue Pro 75 reg graphite shafts and a demo Taylormade GAPR Hi 4 (23) w/KBS HYB reg graphite shaft - all on sale or store/proshop demos...all felt good and hit okay. Now onto the irons...thanks for bearing with me.

Most interested in a Like New set of Callaway Steelhead XR irons from 2016//mostly because they seem the most like the X-12's but with all the contemporary bells and whistles....and price is good. But they are outfitted with with Accra i123 M3 graphite shafts and I cannot find out very much about these shafts (other than Accra is a very well-regarded brand and people seem to be satisfied with theirs). Of course I am ordering them sight unseen but figuring "how bad can they be, right?"

I guess my long-winded question is - anyone with experience with these shafts and with what clubs and how were they? And is there any way can they be easily adjusted after receiving - as in take out shaft and remove any weights in shaft or head if there are any if it feels too heavy? 123gram shaft seems pretty heavy for graphite...and what little I've read about the i123's is they can be firm-stiff feeling. I know it's hard to tell much until actually swinging/hitting them or any club...but just trying to get as much insight or info ahead of time to make informed online purchase - any and all advice or info welcome!

 

 

Thanks

[Vinsk]

52 minutes ago, wcdixon said:

Hi all:

New here first post so be gentle. Golfed my whole life except for the past 6 years until I decided to get back into game end of this summer. Had a new set of Titleist blades stiff steel shafts for 20 years starting out, then a set of Callaway Big Bertha X-12's with Memphis 10 steel shafts for 20 years, and now looking at getting another new set of irons but boy, has the game and equipment changed. Hybrids, head sizes, innumerable types and styles of shafts and grips to choose from not to mention ball speed, smash factor, spin rates, trajectory...very different from the old days of: "these sticks feel okay...they hit the ball alright...okay I'll take them.

Getting older with nagging golfers/tennis elbow and figured it's time for regular graphite shafts - rusty 10-ish handicap...driver swing speed around 93-94mph average...6 iron swing speed around 80-81mph average.

Anyway in the past month I purchased a demo Srixon z585 driver with HZRDUS 65 reg graphite shaft, Callaway XR 16 3 wood w/Fujikura Speeder Evolution 565 reg graphite shaft, a couple of Cobra F8 hybrids (19, 22) w/Aldila Rogue Pro 75 reg graphite shafts and a demo Taylormade GAPR Hi 4 (23) w/KBS HYB reg graphite shaft - all on sale or store/proshop demos...all felt good and hit okay. Now onto the irons...thanks for bearing with me.

Most interested in a Like New set of Callaway Steelhead XR irons from 2016//mostly because they seem the most like the X-12's but with all the contemporary bells and whistles....and price is good. But they are outfitted with with Accra i123 M3 graphite shafts and I cannot find out very much about these shafts (other than Accra is a very well-regarded brand and people seem to be satisfied with theirs). Of course I am ordering them sight unseen but figuring "how bad can they be, right?"

I guess my long-winded question is - anyone with experience with these shafts and with what clubs and how were they? And is there any way can they be easily adjusted after receiving - as in take out shaft and remove any weights in shaft or head if there are any if it feels too heavy? 123gram shaft seems pretty heavy for graphite...and what little I've read about the i123's is they can be firm-stiff feeling. I know it's hard to tell much until actually swinging/hitting them or any club...but just trying to get as much insight or info ahead of time to make informed online purchase - any and all advice or info welcome!

 

 

Thanks

Let’s page @Adam C and @Typhoon92.

[Typhoon92]

18 hours ago, wcdixon said:

Hi all:

New here first post so be gentle. Golfed my whole life except for the past 6 years until I decided to get back into game end of this summer. Had a new set of Titleist blades stiff steel shafts for 20 years starting out, then a set of Callaway Big Bertha X-12's with Memphis 10 steel shafts for 20 years, and now looking at getting another new set of irons but boy, has the game and equipment changed. Hybrids, head sizes, innumerable types and styles of shafts and grips to choose from not to mention ball speed, smash factor, spin rates, trajectory...very different from the old days of: "these sticks feel okay...they hit the ball alright...okay I'll take them.

Getting older with nagging golfers/tennis elbow and figured it's time for regular graphite shafts - rusty 10-ish handicap...driver swing speed around 93-94mph average...6 iron swing speed around 80-81mph average.

Anyway in the past month I purchased a demo Srixon z585 driver with HZRDUS 65 reg graphite shaft, Callaway XR 16 3 wood w/Fujikura Speeder Evolution 565 reg graphite shaft, a couple of Cobra F8 hybrids (19, 22) w/Aldila Rogue Pro 75 reg graphite shafts and a demo Taylormade GAPR Hi 4 (23) w/KBS HYB reg graphite shaft - all on sale or store/proshop demos...all felt good and hit okay. Now onto the irons...thanks for bearing with me.

Most interested in a Like New set of Callaway Steelhead XR irons from 2016//mostly because they seem the most like the X-12's but with all the contemporary bells and whistles....and price is good. But they are outfitted with with Accra i123 M3 graphite shafts and I cannot find out very much about these shafts (other than Accra is a very well-regarded brand and people seem to be satisfied with theirs). Of course I am ordering them sight unseen but figuring "how bad can they be, right?"

I guess my long-winded question is - anyone with experience with these shafts and with what clubs and how were they? And is there any way can they be easily adjusted after receiving - as in take out shaft and remove any weights in shaft or head if there are any if it feels too heavy? 123gram shaft seems pretty heavy for graphite...and what little I've read about the i123's is they can be firm-stiff feeling. I know it's hard to tell much until actually swinging/hitting them or any club...but just trying to get as much insight or info ahead of time to make informed online purchase - any and all advice or info welcome!

 

 

Thanks

i saw your post on Golf wrx from November 30.  You might have wanted to add that according to what you wrote there you bought the clubs already.

Accra i123 M3 graphite shafts meet Callaway Steelhead XR irons

---

Hi all: New here first post so bear with me. Golfed my whole life except for the past 6 years until I...

 

[Typhoon92]

One thing I will add is if your swing speed is 80-82 with a 6 iron, I doubt u hit it 196.

Hit outside and check some more places for launch etc... but don’t do anything to the clubs yet.

Edited December 12, 2019 by Typhoon92

[Typhoon92]

Launch monitor could have had 1.5 as a fixed smash factor which gave u longer distances.  I’ll plug that into ours tonite if I remember.  With irons you’d be more at 1.35.

How far do I normally hit them?

[Adam C]

I have not personally used those Accra iron shafts before but I would say that you have in fact already bought them, then I would give them some time before you make any decisions about alterations. At least 5-10 range sessions and a few rounds with them.

If you haven't bought them, I would say that 123g graphite shafts are really heavy and probably not best suited for someone with your speed. They may help with the joints but they aren't going to offer anything to help with speed or distance. I would be looking in the sub 90g range.

If you do own them, you would need to change the shafts more than just change swing weights from removing possible tip weights.

[wcdixon]

22 hours ago, wcdixon said:

Hi all:

New here first post so be gentle. Golfed my whole life except for the past 6 years until I decided to get back into game end of this summer. Had a new set of Titleist blades stiff steel shafts for 20 years starting out, then a set of Callaway Big Bertha X-12's with Memphis 10 steel shafts for 20 years, and now looking at getting another new set of irons but boy, has the game and equipment changed. Hybrids, head sizes, innumerable types and styles of shafts and grips to choose from not to mention ball speed, smash factor, spin rates, trajectory...very different from the old days of: "these sticks feel okay...they hit the ball alright...okay I'll take them.

Getting older with nagging golfers/tennis elbow and figured it's time for regular graphite shafts - rusty 10-ish handicap...driver swing speed around 93-94mph average...6 iron swing speed around 80-81mph average.

Anyway in the past month I purchased a demo Srixon z585 driver with HZRDUS 65 reg graphite shaft, Callaway XR 16 3 wood w/Fujikura Speeder Evolution 565 reg graphite shaft, a couple of Cobra F8 hybrids (19, 22) w/Aldila Rogue Pro 75 reg graphite shafts and a demo Taylormade GAPR Hi 4 (23) w/KBS HYB reg graphite shaft - all on sale or store/proshop demos...all felt good and hit okay. Now onto the irons...thanks for bearing with me.

Most interested in a Like New set of Callaway Steelhead XR irons from 2016//mostly because they seem the most like the X-12's but with all the contemporary bells and whistles....and price is good. But they are outfitted with with Accra i123 M3 graphite shafts and I cannot find out very much about these shafts (other than Accra is a very well-regarded brand and people seem to be satisfied with theirs). Of course I am ordering them sight unseen but figuring "how bad can they be, right?"

I guess my long-winded question is - anyone with experience with these shafts and with what clubs and how were they? And is there any way can they be easily adjusted after receiving - as in take out shaft and remove any weights in shaft or head if there are any if it feels too heavy? 123gram shaft seems pretty heavy for graphite...and what little I've read about the i123's is they can be firm-stiff feeling. I know it's hard to tell much until actually swinging/hitting them or any club...but just trying to get as much insight or info ahead of time to make informed online purchase - any and all advice or info welcome!

 

 

Thanks

UPDATE

I took plunge and ordered anyway - 5-PW...received and will admit being immediately thrown off by overall weight of club/shaft - much heavier than I imagined or was used to. And the i123's shaft is so much thicker or with such a larger circumference than my old Memphis 10 steel shafts....with next to no tapering down near the clubhead which I found very odd, or odd to look down at at any rate. I'm now betting they were custom fitted and built for someone with tips trimmed or stepped who then didn't want them and exchanged for something else...but I was still able to buy as new.

Swung a few in the living room and felt like I was swinging a thick steel pole...heavier and next to no flex or whippiness - I was bummed. But not wanting to give up took the PW, 8 iron, 6 iron over to Golftown and had them weigh each (D4 was swingweight of each which the club guy there thought was on heavy side...my old clubs (I took one) was measuring a D1). And no one there knew anything about Accra shafts other than well regarded but didn't think they could be removed to reduce weighting or if shafts could even be removed at all....something about blind bore heads or something. Very discouraging.

At any rate as I was there I decided to hit a few into the screen...and then confusion ensued. Six PW shots - straight and averaging 126-130 yards. Six 8 iron shots - straight and average carry 145-148 yds. And six 6 iron shots - straight and averaging 190-196 carry (I was stunned...seemed too long - maybe the machine/screen was off - definitely need to hit outside). Now I know I felt I had to swing firmly and deliberately (as opposed to swinging easy and loose) and still felt stiffish and heavier but must say it felt pretty good coming off the clubface and was loving the ball flight (especially with the 6 iron).  I hit those numbered irons decently before with my X-12's with yardage close and relatively straight with the PW and 8, but my old 6 iron would top out at 170 and less consistent. Unfortunately now have to wait for spring to try them out on the course but now wondering if I maybe should have been swinging a heavier slightly stiffer shaft than what I had been using all along.

Might trim the butts a 1/3 of inch to reduce overall weight feel slightly but looking like I will practice with them indoors over the winter and hopefully get more used to the weight and stiffness because i'll take those results if consistent. Thanks again.

3 hours ago, Typhoon92 said:

Launch monitor could have had 1.5 as a fixed smash factor which gave u longer distances.  I’ll plug that into ours tonite if I remember.  With irons you’d be more at 1.35.

How far do I normally hit them?

I will take a look again at that launch monitor smash factor settings...yes that 6 iron seemed to long.

With X-12's shafted with Memphis 10's I always hit higher irons pretty good - remembering those older clubs are higher lofted than new clubs:

PW - 125

9i - 136

8i - 150

Now is where it really dropped off..

7i - 160

6i - 168

5i - 176

I put away the 4i and 3i this year as found hitting hybrid much more consistent.

Edited December 12, 2019 by wcdixon

[Typhoon92]

Yup, I copied your wrx post already to here.  I agree with Adam as well about the shafts being too heavy for your swing speed which is why I questioned it.

A few other questions, age, physical limitations, transition.  If what you said about speed is right, then they should be too heavy.  An overall weight issue, swingweight can be tricked

[Typhoon92]

10 minutes ago, wcdixon said:

UPDATE

I took plunge and ordered anyway - 5-PW...received and will admit being immediately thrown off by overall weight of club/shaft - much heavier than I imagined or was used to. And the i123's shaft is so much thicker or with such a larger circumference than my old Memphis 10 steel shafts....with next to no tapering down near the clubhead which I found very odd, or odd to look down at at any rate. I'm now betting they were custom fitted and built for someone with tips trimmed or stepped who then didn't want them and exchanged for something else...but I was still able to buy as new.

Swung a few in the living room and felt like I was swinging a thick steel pole...heavier and next to no flex or whippiness - I was bummed. But not wanting to give up took the PW, 8 iron, 6 iron over to Golftown and had them weigh each (D4 was swingweight of each which the club guy there thought was on heavy side...my old clubs (I took one) was measuring a D1). And no one there knew anything about Accra shafts other than well regarded but didn't think they could be removed to reduce weighting or if shafts could even be removed at all....something about blind bore heads or something. Very discouraging.

At any rate as I was there I decided to hit a few into the screen...and then confusion ensued. Six PW shots - straight and averaging 126-130 yards. Six 8 iron shots - straight and average carry 145-148 yds. And six 6 iron shots - straight and averaging 190-196 carry (I was stunned...seemed too long - maybe the machine/screen was off - definitely need to hit outside). Now I know I felt I had to swing firmly and deliberately (as opposed to swinging easy and loose) and still felt stiffish and heavier but must say it felt pretty good coming off the clubface and was loving the ball flight (especially with the 6 iron).  I hit those numbered irons decently before with my X-12's with yardage close and relatively straight with the PW and 8, but my old 6 iron would top out at 170 and less consistent. Unfortunately now have to wait for spring to try them out on the course but now wondering if I maybe should have been swinging a heavier slightly stiffer shaft than what I had been using all along.

Might trim the butts a 1/3 of inch to reduce overall weight feel slightly but looking like I will practice with them indoors over the winter and hopefully get more used to the weight and stiffness because i'll take those results if consistent. Thanks again.

I will take a look again at that launch monitor smash factor settings...yes that 6 iron seemed to long.

With X-12's shafted with Memphis 10's I always hit higher irons pretty good - remembering those older clubs are higher lofted than new clubs:

PW - 125

9i - 136

8i - 150

Now is where it really dropped off..

7i - 160

6i - 168

5i - 176

I put away the 4i and 3i this year as found hitting hybrid much more consistent.

No drop off really, you have a 10 yard difference between clubs more or less in the 5,6,7 and 8.  The 6 iron speed around 80 will give you what you just posted.  The gap around the 9 iron I think is the way you hit those clubs.

The heavier weight shafts, if you can keep your distance and get more accurate from the club staying on path better than that’s good.  That happened with me...105 gram and 120 gram shafts went the same distance etc... but better accuracy and ball flight with the 120g.

If u want more distance, than yes, a 95 gram is probably better.  But try them outside first.  Also I wouldn’t spend the money taking them apart, I’d sell them as is and pick up another set.  Callaway pre owned is a great site for that.

[wcdixon]

6 minutes ago, Typhoon92 said:

Yup, I copied your wrx post already to here.  I agree with Adam as well about the shafts being too heavy for your swing speed which is why I questioned it.

A few other questions, age, physical limitations, transition.  If what you said about speed is right, then they should be too heavy.  An overall weight issue, swingweight can be tricked

58. Slim. 5'11". Not a lot of muscle/upper body strength...need full body coil release

Beginnings of golfers elbow but seemed to get it under control with some stretching and wearing an arm band end of summer. Otherwise fortunate yet to be too limited physically (but it will come I'm sure haha)

Not sure what transition means.

Yes they are probably a little too heavy but I am trying to find some way to modify even slightly to make them work as opposed to starting over with new clubs/shafts etc.

[Mr22putt]

OP

As others have mentioned...don't do anything to the irons until next spring when you can hit them on the course on real grass....golf isn't played in a sim.

If you end up not liking the irons...sell them as is...and look for another set with different shafts.

The XR's have jacked up lofts....if your driver speed is accurate at 93-94....then a 6 iron carry at 190-196 is unrealistic.....many of Golftown sims are fixed at a 145-150 smash factor.

I also hit the ball far on the Golftown sims....but don't expect the same distances out on the course.

Yes....a D4 SW is heavy....as other have suggested....a heavier grip with decrease the SW because of the counter balance effect....again...if you don't like the irons just sell the irons as is vs. spending money on experimenting on a set of irons you may never like.

I'm 58, a 7 cap with a driver SS of 95-98 mph and I like the KBS Tour 120 gm steel stiff shafts in my newly acquired Rocketbladez Tours irons with a D2 SW...PW & AW SW are D3 and I do find these 2 wedges just a tad heavy.

I wanted to try the KBS Tour 110 gm regular shafts and bought a set of Adams XTD A Tours paired with these shafts...but I found the 110 KBS just a bit too light and a bit too whippy....I sold them after a year playing them 50% of the time.

I've also had 95 gm stiff steel shafts and found them too whippy and light.

In the spring....play with the clubs for at least 5-8 rounds and additional range time too...if you don't like them .....sell them....don't try to force yourself to play them if you don't like them.

[Typhoon92]

Ok so you’re not old and have any physical issues.  I had Golfers elbow from doing pull-ups and it eventually went away.  Funny thing is it never hurt when I played golf, go figure.

Like we’ve said, get them outside but I’m the meantime if you get on a launch monitor, bring your callaway Memphis 10 and the new ones and hit them side by side.  That will tell you a lot even if the monitor is not working right...it’ll compare both clubs.

[Adam C]

2 hours ago, Mr22putt said:

OP

 

Yes....a D4 SW is heavy....as other have suggested....a heavier grip with decrease the SW because of the counter balance effect....again...if you don't like the irons just sell the irons as is vs. spending money on experimenting on a set of irons you may never like.

Just as a side note since it does not sound like the OP was considering this option, but using a heavier grip to "lower" the swing weight is not a good idea and doesn't really do anything to make the club more playable. You are only tricking the swing weight scale because of the fulcrum location. All you have really done is increase the static weight of the total club which is going in the opposite direction of the goal of a lighter club.

[Mr22putt]

49 minutes ago, Adam C said:

Just as a side note since it does not sound like the OP was considering this option, but using a heavier grip to "lower" the swing weight is not a good idea and doesn't really do anything to make the club more playable. You are only tricking the swing weight scale because of the fulcrum location. All you have really done is increase the static weight of the total club which is going in the opposite direction of the goal of a lighter club.

Agree.

I discussed SW because in the WRX thread...a member suggested a heavier grip.....the OP didn't know why...so I explained that a heavier grip could help reduce SW via counter balance.

 

Yup.....when I bought a set of Adams XTD Tour irons from Global Golf Canada..there were no pictures....I was surprised when I opened the box to see heavy 92 gm Secret grips installed with 5 layers of tape.....although I could smash the odd 5 iron shot....but it felt weird playing irons that had approx 50 gms more weight vs. standard overall weight.

Took them off after a few rds and found some cheap Adams grips from Hurricane Golf for only $1.49 each...free shipping to a US location too....Black Friday free shipping special.

[wcdixon]

18 hours ago, Mr22putt said:

Agree.

I discussed SW because in the WRX thread...a member suggested a heavier grip.....the OP didn't know why...so I explained that a heavier grip could help reduce SW via counter balance.

 

Yup.....when I bought a set of Adams XTD Tour irons from Global Golf Canada..there were no pictures....I was surprised when I opened the box to see heavy 92 gm Secret grips installed with 5 layers of tape.....although I could smash the odd 5 iron shot....but it felt weird playing irons that had approx 50 gms more weight vs. standard overall weight.

Took them off after a few rds and found some cheap Adams grips from Hurricane Golf for only $1.49 each...free shipping to a US location too....Black Friday free shipping special.

Wow...that's some crazy amount of grip weight - online sight unseen surprises...the worst haha. What did Adams grips weigh that you replaced with? And hit clubs good now with new grips and more balanced weight?

[Mr22putt]

On 12/13/2019 at 9:56 AM, wcdixon said:

Wow...that's some crazy amount of grip weight - online sight unseen surprises...the worst haha. What did Adams grips weigh that you replaced with? And hit clubs good now with new grips and more balanced weight?

The Adams grips are 50 gms.

I liked my friend's Mizuno JPX 825 Pro's with KBS Tour 120 gm stiff's....I won an ebay auction....got a set of the same Mizuno's in mint shape in Canada for only $165.....but after a year I felt the KBS's played a bit stout and sold them for $380.

I thought the KBS Tour 110 regs might be a good shaft for me and found a set of Adams XTD A Tours with the regular KBS shafts for only $135....found the shafts too whippy and just sold them 2 weeks ago for $190.

So I was playing my friend's Mizuno's this past year...but only the 6-9 iron..he broke the 5 irons and gave away the PW & GW.

I found a used mint set of Rocketbladez Tour's with KBS Tour 120 gm stiff's last month...the shafts feel great...and really hitting these irons great..except for the GW...for some reason it's feels a bit stout and I tend to hit the GW a bit chunky.

As per reviews...I'm also obtaining a nice high trajectory with the RBZ irons.....they are a cast club...but feel ok.