Help me to choose a shaft

[hypergolf]

Let me just first tell you my experiences with the various shafts and probably you guys could recommend the best fit for my style. I have posted a similar topic before but didn't get any good answers so I am reposting again.

I am currently using Prolaunch Red for both my driver and fairway. I am quite satisfied with the performance of my shafts but would like to upgrade to a Diamana with my new clubs which I am going to order. My swing speed is 105-115 and i also currently own Prolaunch Platinum on my back up driver. Though a good shaft, I feel that the Platinum has too much torque and don't really like the feel I am getting.

In the past I have tried the Proforce V2 and didn't really like it. Tried Speeder for Titleist and felt it was pretty good. Never did really care for Aldilas. And really liked the Diamana Blue that came with the TP logo on Rescue Dual TP which I heard was a legit Diamana Blue. I have also tried a few Fujikuras Rombax 6X07 and Rombax 7Z08. Preferred the feel and performance of 7Z08. Didn't like the Graphite Designs YS+ or the Tour Ads.

So here is the summary of my likes with the head combos that I used before:

Likes
1. Ping G10 Driver w/ Prolaunch Red Stiff
2. Ping G10 Fairway w/ Prolaunch Red Stiff
3. Titliest 904F w/ Speeder for Titleist Stiff
4. Taylormade Rescue Dual TP w/ Diamana Blue (TP logo) Stiff
5. Fujikura Rombax 7Z08 Stiff
6. Titleist 905R w/ Speeder for Titleist Stiff

Dislikes
1. Mizuno MP600 w/ Prolaunch Platinum Stiff
2. Titleist 907D2 w/ Proforce V2 Stiff
3. Titleist 905R w/ Aldila NV Stiff
4. Ping Rapture w/ Aldila VS Proto Stiff
5. Fujikura Rombax 6X07 Stiff
6. Graphite Design 906F2 w/ Graphite Design YS 6+ Stiff
7. Graphite Design Tour Ad Stiff
8. 909D2 w/ Diamana Blue Made for Titleist Stiff
9. 909D2 w/ Aldila Vodooo Made for Titleist Stiff.

I am thinking about ordering 909D2 with Diamana White/Blue 73 Stiff and 909F2 or F3 with Diamana White/Blue 83 Stiff. Now the question is, "will the White Board or Blue Board fit my taste better for these orders?" after seeing the list of my likes and dislikes. I would like to demo the shafts but unable to do so. Therefore I need your help on choosing the right shaft combo with my upcoming 909s.

Please give as much feedbacks as you can. Please note that I am planning to order with LEGIT DIAMANA BLUE OR WHITE and not for those Made for shafts. Thank you.

[Laxplayer201092]

You have the BB in a 909D2 under your dislikes, so im not sure how your going to like it anymore than a "real" BB. (whihc by the way, is BS, the Made For shafts, are real shafts, they just paint over them, or tweak them in very miniscule amounts to better fit the clubhead they are stock in. This is truth i have heard from many Reps) SO really, im not sure why your looking at a blue board..

The white board is a lower launch, the blue is mid launch, and the red is high launch.

Look into the Matrix lines, i have never met anyone who doesnt like them, they just dont like the price tag haha.

It certainly seems that you are simply buying shafts rather than finding one you like and sticking to it..unless your swing is changing alot lately, you are really going through alot of shafts..

[hypergolf]

You have the BB in a 909D2 under your dislikes, so im not sure how your going to like it anymore than a "real" BB. (whihc by the way, is BS, the Made For shafts, are real shafts, they just paint over them, or tweak them in very miniscule amounts to better fit the clubhead they are stock in. This is truth i have heard from many Reps) SO really, im not sure why your looking at a blue board..

Thanks for the reply. Haha... I am not simply buying shafts. I will probably go broke if I did. The ones mentioned above were simply some of the clubs that I used to own or extensively tried at the demo. The only extra shaft that I bought was the Platinum which I liked during the demo but did not like when mixed with the MP600. The funny thing about the Blue Board is that I really hit well and liked the feel when it was with TM Rescue Dual TP but hated it and didn't feel the same when I tried the "Made for Titleist" Blue Board. That is the why I was asking. There are split decisions regarding the authentic BB and Made for Titleist BB but my personal feel was that Made for Titty did not perform for me. I was hoping that someone looking at my list of likes and dislikes could recommend which would fit be best. I heard lots of things about Ozik and I can demo them at the Ozik Store nearby so I will do so later this week. Thanks for your input. Please keep your comments coming. Thanks.

[rebby]

I actually just went through this process myself. In August I demoed all three of these shafts (Prolaunch Red, Diamana Blue, and Diamana White). As you can see from my sig, I ended up with the Diamana White.

First a little about my swing. My driver swing speed is roughly 115-120mph, settling in at 118mph for the vast majority of my my swings. For 118mph, my swing is very pretty smooth with a very fluid transition at the top (from my sig you'll notice that I'm currently playing DG S300's in my irons, there is a reason for that). My ball flight is pretty high and that comes with high spin rates. My goal with my woods is to both lower ball flight/spin and increase consistency. My feel preferences lean towards a heavier shaft with very low torque, in fact I even like the feel of steel in my woods.

The shop that I started my driver search in only carried a Prolaunch Red in my desired combo (I-Mix, X flex) so that's what I started out with. This was a huge improvement over my previous shaft (an S flex, "low torque" Callaway shaft; if you can call 5-6' "low torque"). My spin rates instantly dropped as did the ball flight. Spin and launch was still a bit higher than I really desired though. My shot dispersion didn't tighten up as much as I had wanted either. It was a marked improvement, but I felt that it could get better, especially on the feel side. Even though this was a vast reduction in torque, the feel told me that things could get better, this may have been due to the weight as well. My old shaft was roughly 85g, and the Prolaunch Red was only 66g.

I went to another shop in the area that had both the Diamana Blue 73 and Diamana White 73 and gave them a try. I started with the Diamana Blue. This was a very good shaft but I instantly noticed higher ball flight. The feel of this shaft was better though (lower torque and heavier than the Prolaunch Red) and my shot dispersion did tighten up some as well. As a result I swapped out the 9.5' head for an 8.5' and kept hitting it. This combo was better but I still found that the trajectory was a bit high for my liking, with the occasional balloon from time to time. Although I liked the feel of the Diamana Blue better than the Prolaunch Red, I was hitting better shots with the Prolaunch Red (even with the extra shot dispersion).

After hearing my feedback about the Prolaunch Red vs the Diamana Blue the golfsmith swapped in the Diamana White with a smirk saying, "this is it, you don't even need to swing it for me." He was right, the ball flight with this shaft was even lower than with the Prolaunch Red, allowing me to get away with the 9.5' head when/if I choose. Furthermore the shot dispersion tightened up to my liking. The feel was also vastly improved over the Prolaunch Red, I'm guessing that this was due to the additional weight (73g vs 66g) and/or the lower torque of the Diamana White. The shaft still feels light to me but I'm getting used to it.

I tried a few other shafts but don't recall the exact make/models off the of my head. My choices in X flex were pretty limited. So far I've really liked the Diamana White although I wouldn't mind something a bit heavier that gave me even lower ball flight (mainly for windier days and/or tighter courses; I'm more consistent w/a heavier shaft). I've been considering either a Diamana White 83 or even an Aldina DVS 80. Problem is, I'll likely have to pay to try either of these since I haven't been able to find either locally.

Anyway, between the three shafts I'd rank them; 1) Diamana White, 2) Prolaunch Red, 3) Diamana Blue. Keep in mind though, this is how I would rank them based on my game, YMMV.

I'd pose the question of, "What do you want to change about your ball flight vs the Prolaunch Red?" and go from there. If you want slightly higher ball flight, go Blue; slightly lower, go White. Again this is based on my experience, not necessarily what you will experience.

That's my $.02, take it or leave it.

[hypergolf]

I actually just went through this process myself. In August I demoed all three of these shafts (Prolaunch Red, Diamana Blue, and Diamana White). As you can see from my sig, I ended up with the Diamana White.

This is the exactly the kind of detailed reply I was waiting for. Thanks a lot! You helped me to solve a few questions I had in mind. Have you by any chance tried the White Board with the 909D2 head? Once again thanks for your informative reply. You hit it right on the spot.

[rebby]

This is the exactly the kind of detailed reply I was waiting for. Thanks a lot! You helped me to solve a few questions I had in mind. Have you by any chance tried the White Board with the 909D2 head? Once again thanks for your informative reply. You hit it right on the spot.

Sorry, I can't help you on that one. I have yet to try any of the 909's. I've been very happy w/my FT-5 and the only change (head wise) that I can see making would be to get an FT-9 head sometime next spring/summer. I like the 909d3 though so I'll probably swing it a few times. I have yet to see one of these in stock at any of the various golf shops that I've been to with anything but a standard shaft in S flex though.