Aerotech Steelfiber Iron Shafts

[Jhwarren]

Forgive me if this topic has been covered. My search did not yield any results.

I was wondering if anyone out there has tried these shafts in your irons. I am doing some winter time experimenting and this is something on the list. I currently play KBS Tour shafts stiff flex. I am interested in trying the Aerotech 95 gram version. I've ordered one already to try out. I was just curious if anyone has played/tried the Aerotech and, if so, what were your thoughts about them.

[iacas]

I'm getting a set of the i110s in Stiff in my KickX irons here shortly. Really looking forward to it. I too will be coming from KBS Tour stiff (I hear they play to about a 7.0 but feel like a 5.5) or a Project X 6.0, depending on which set of irons I'm using that day (Miura has the KBS, Piranha has the PX).

REALLY looking forward to trying them out. I like the look too, and the technology seems pretty darn interesting. I also wonder if, given how they're constructed, they don't really even have a spine.

http://www.aerotechgolfshafts.com

http://www.aerotechgolfshafts.com/steelfiber_iron.php

[Stuffs]

haven't tried them in the irons but I do have a driver fitted with a Steel Fiber ss75.  They're not bad.  Good company and its fairly stable.  Won't be as stable or accurate as a steel shaft, (I haven't found too many graphite shafts that comes close to steel in accuracy and forgiveness for that matter), but I think for the price, they're good shafts.

[rustyredcab]

Any updates on these Aerotech shafts? How do you like them?

I have some stiff i90's arriving next week. Elbow pain igniting a change from current PX 5.0. I'm planning to keep the clubs the same length -- maybe a quarter inch longer. I know they are lighter but have heard they maintain same swing weight at same lengths.

Aside from any shafting tips, what do you both think of the shafts? What can I expect?

I did not get fit because my tennis elbow in my trail arm is pretty sore. Starting PT today but did not want to wait for elbow to be better, then do fitting, then get clubs resifted. Here in Chicago, golf season is now!

[iacas]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

Any updates on these Aerotech shafts? How do you like them?

I may be able to tell you after Saturday. I've had the PX 6.0s in the KickX clubs I've had for a few months.

[rustyredcab]

Eric,

Looking forward to your thoughts.

I'm going from PX 5.0 to i90 Stiff. I fear they may be too stiff -- they were a great deal on eBay for exactly the clubs I needed -- 5-PW. It will be hard for me to tell as mu elbow is pretty tender so, I'm guessing my swing will be a little different.

Mine are in shop now and I'll have them Monday.

[rustyredcab]

Picked up my clubs today. Had PX 5.0 (I think they are 115 grams) in the same heads and these new Aerotech i95, at same length, added lots to my swing weight. Felt good hitting into a net. I'll need to play some to see if E3.5 - E5 is too crazy heavy feeling.

[Mr. Desmond]

Great shafts, accurate and stable, that tend to run stiff to flex.

[rustyredcab]

Went to PGA Superstore to hit in a bay with launch monitor information and video. I was crazy inconsistent distance and ball striking wise. Clubs felt heavy. Figured I got wrong flex. After an hour of hitting, I was sad. Maybe it is my bad elbow.

As I was leaving, one of the guys who finished the shaft install asked me how I "hit 'em." I said I did not hit them well and thought I might have gotten the wrong flex. I also commented that the swing weights were crazy heavy and felt heavy. I figured I'd get used to that if the flex thing worked itself out. "Just out of curiosity, would you check the swing weight on one of these to see if the guy did it right? E3.5 seems awfully heavy." He did. E3.5. He grabbed the club and held it like he was setting up to hit it. Looked puzzled and raised the club to see which one he was holding. Then he walked over to the length measuring set up and dropped the club in. "How long did you want these? This 8-iron is 2" over standard."

I had ordered them standard length (which is .25" over Mizuno's standard.) Between the guys who installed the shafts, someone messed up and never trimmed them at all.

Chris (my PGA Superstore hero) was horrified. He said he'd fix it right away if I could wait a half an hour. I did. (It took almost an hour.)

Now they are the correct lengths and the swing weights are lower than the were before all of this -- c7-c9.

Because the grips needed to set, I have not hit them yet. I sure hope I hit them better tomorrow.

[Mr. Desmond]

Aerotechs are firm to fflex. You may want to soft step those at least one time. Especially with that light swingweight,, they will feel a bit stiffer than a normal set up

[rustyredcab]

Originally Posted by iacas

I may be able to tell you after Saturday. I've had the PX 6.0s in the KickX clubs I've had for a few months.

And? Full review coming?

[Mr. Desmond]

Rusty - this is what I've been told about Aerotechs. You've got to have someone who knows what they're doing with them and is familiar with them. I introduced my guy to Aerotechs about 6 years ago and they are one of the basic shafts he fits and sells. IOW, it's not the shaft that is the problem. Typically, it's the fitter/installer.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

And? Full review coming?

No. Don't have them.

[rustyredcab]

Finally hit my AeroTechs trimmed to correct lengths -- indoors using a launch monitor. Light swing weight feels great -- to my surprise. Distances were about same as my PX's (according to launch monitor). Felt very good. Good swings felt great. And, again according to launch monitor, I hit them very straight. Sure, I can still chuck a 5-iron 120 yards and very left but, typical swings with every club were on or close to the center line. They get their outdoor debut tomorrow.

[rustyredcab]

After playing these outdoors for three rounds, I am afraid, but not sure, they may be too stiff. My elbow is not healed so my swing is not what it should be. He's what I do know: like the lighter shafts and can live with the lighter swing weights but would be OK if the SW was a little higher too.

Spoke with Aerotech technical support today (try that with most golf shaft suppliers). Told my tale of woe and how I have not been properly fitted because of my bum elbow, but how I think my shafts might be too stiff. I asked what would happen if I soft stepped them but left the shafts at current lengths. IOW, just put the 5-iron shaft, as is, into the 6-iron. They would play 1/2" over standard (I'm more than good with that). I asked what I might expect any softening of the shafts from the soft step and added 1/2" length.

He said I could expect both added length and soft stepping to soften the feel of them a little -- like most other shafts. But, he indicated that I might not even be able to tell. He said that he is a "good player" (I'm guessing if you work in the biz and make that claim, you really are) and that he could not tell the difference when he soft stepped his Aerotechs.

Still, he agreed that it is worth the effort before I decide that I really need regular flex shafts. Before I buy a shaft for the 5-iron, I'll see how these feel. Until then, I'll use a 5-irom with my old PX 5.0 flighted shaft.

[Stuffs]

I recently took the plunge and reshafted my clubs with the i95 on my 4-9 but with the i110 on the PW, all in Stiff flex.  I've been playing the HLS75 and really liked the results so I finally decided to spend the money on these. I've stuck with DGS300 since the late 90s so all my comparisons will be with that.

Reshaft is straight in, tapered set, same length as the steel was (5i @ 37.75").  My steel set was all at D2 with the PW at D5.  I was aiming to make them all D3.  I ended up needing 9g of tip weights on 4-9 and 3g on the PW to reach my target SW.  The tip weights I used had a head of 3mm, which I tip trimmed that same amount to make up for.  So far those wondering about swing weight, they will drop them about 3-3.5 points without any weights.

Flex and feel:  They do feel more firm or stouter than the S300 when you just waggle or bend them, but on the shot itself, they felt a touch softer.  I'm sure the added tip weights helped in softening that up but I doubt by that much.  Distance stayed the same for me on well struck shots, but slight mishits didn't lose as much distance either. But I'm only talking a couple yards here.
They also don't feel quite like a true graphite shaft where its either snappy or smooth.  It almost has a little bit of steel characteristics in there.  Hard to explain but I like it like that. Off the face, it still feels good but nothing will ever feel as nice as steel in that department.  Its only a slight tradeoff I'm more than happy to take.

Trajectory:  The same.  I won't know for sure unless I use Trackman or Flightscope, but from the looks from playing and on the range, I didn't notice anything that stood out and looked very much like the trajectories I've typically hit for years.

Control: It took me a while to get used to it because the lighter static weight got my swing a little out of whack where I was getting very handsy on my way down and through.  But after I adjusted to it, its every bit as consistent as the DG.  Here is the weird part.  I can work the ball a lot easier with these shafts.  I don't know if its the lower weight or what, but I can draw and fade with much more control than before.

Overall, though there are things in steel shafts that I will miss like the very solid feel at impact or the overall weight or feel or it, I'm very happy with these.  I can play 3 days straight (haven't tried 4 yet) without fatigue.  My elbow and back used to be sore after every round.  Not anymore which is the main reason why I went graphite in the first place.  For me, it was money well spent and I don't think I'll be going back to steel anytime soon. (never thought I would ever say that)

[Mr. Desmond]

The Aerotechs are a graphite core but they have microfibers of steel wrapped around the entire shaft - the entire outside is steel. It makes for low torque and an accurate shaft with the benefit of graphite.

The flexes do run firm - so you see a lot of people either soft stepping one time or going down a flex. Do not worry about the flex rating - if you let ego get in the way, you can forget about your golf game.

[rustyredcab]

First time with shafts and a pretty good feeling elbow. They are great feeling. I'd say " smooth." Really like these. With nice swing and divot there is no hash hit feel. More as elbow gets better and better.