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Hogan Apex 5 shafts on 1998 Apex clubs

Hollister

By Hollister,
in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting

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Hollister Well Established Member

Hollister

Hi Hogan-fans,

how does an Apex 5 x stiff shaft from 1998 (on Apex 1999) play compared to up-to-date stiff shafts? Should be a shaft Spalding made or bought...

I currently practice with Apex 4 shafts on clubs from 1988 and my 6i travels the same distance than the stronger lofted 2006 Apex 3 6i.

Is x stiff from 1998 todays stiff? Like the old 7i loft is todays 8i loft?

And yes, I do not know my swing speed...

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  • 1 month later...
Hollister Well Established Member

Hollister

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Here we are again with data for the 6 iron from a TrackMan Range, hit about 10 each with heavy range balls at -2 degrees C (25 F). Distance is completely off, due to range balls, but Pro tells me that the spin should be close to the real values. Hit club no. 1 not that good in the beginning.

Club 1: Apex Redline (1988), steel stiff shaft Apex 4, 33,5 degrees

Club 2: Apex Blade (1999), steel x stiff shaft Spalding Apex 5, 32,5 degrees

Club 3: Apex 50th (2003), steel Rifle Flighted 6.0 shaft, 32,5 degrees

Club 4: Apex ftx (2006), steel regular shaft Apex 3, 30 degrees

According to these stats, would the club 2 shaft be my choice?

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  • 9 months later...
tooc Established Member

tooc

Hollister very interesting, I've a set of 99s and IIs both apex 4 shafts. What's urge opinion on the apex 4 shafts. I hit the 99s very high, I did have set of FTX 4 shafts hit them very low, when took the grip of IIs found this there's only about 1/4 inch longer than standard. 6 iron for me is about 170. I'm just thinking its actually the head rather than the shafts don't want to mess with them if makes no difference.

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Hollister Well Established Member

Hollister

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Ah, another Hogan fan. Great!

The guy who sold the 99s to me said, that the Apex 5 shaft does play more like a stiff shaft (or even less). Comparing the TrackMan numbers you see that the Apex 5 hit balls have the highest trajectory (see height and landing angle).

And yes to the club heads. I always thought that the FTX were more for mid to low handicappers should fly a little higher, but they do not. Next time I take the 7i FTX with 34 degrees of loft.

Regarding the numbers, I will try it again in the next days. I could be that I did not hit the balls that good with a winter parka on, it was freezing back then. See dispersion? I might not have hit the ball high enough on the club face from the frozen mats.

I am a pretty average golfer and am getting about 148 yards in carry from a 6i, roll depending on the course condition.

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tooc Established Member

tooc

Hi thanks for getting back. See photo attached,all 3 irons II one stiff one reg TM are s300 CFT is apex 4 blue tape backs the first step. CFT and 99s have different step pattern. What I'm think is there must be a kick point in a shaft somewhere and the closer to the head the less affect on the face.
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Hollister Well Established Member

Hollister

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Photo is missing...

I had a look at the steps of my clubs - they differ in height. That design would allow to move the kick-point higher or lower. Higher kick-point results in a higher ball trajectory. So, one has to figure who made the shafts in order to compare them (Royal Precision was a long running OEM fitter).

Somewhere I read that Hogan Apex shafts from 1988 and earlier were known to have a lower kick-point than comparable shafts.

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tooc Established Member

tooc

Doesn't seem to like it when I try upload the picture will try from laptop tomorrow, I was hitting the apex II and 99s in the range yesterday, the IIs have been trimmed and this fancy towel in the top to be honest both go same hight but 99s I'd say 5 yard further. I,m very hesitant to pull them out could I'm sure some testing would have been done to optimise the shaft, why go to all that trouble in designing then put in a shaft which doesn't suit
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  • 2 weeks later...
Hollister Well Established Member

Hollister

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Here is a photo of the clubs in the same order I hit them at the range with the TrackMan Range. The golf ball marks the last shaft step.

Club 1: Apex Redline (1988), steel stiff shaft Apex 4, 33,5 degrees

Club 2: Apex Blade (1999), steel x stiff shaft Spalding Apex 5, 32,5 degrees

Club 3: Apex 50th (2003), steel Rifle Flighted 6.0 shaft, 32,5 degrees (no steps, flighted)

Club 4: Apex ftx (2006), steel regular shaft Apex 3, 30 degrees

Club 5: Apex 50th (2003), steel regular shaft Apex 3, 32,5 degrees

Easy to see: stiffer Apex shafts are stepped further down to tip.

I hit the ftx last week and compared it to the Apex 50th (club 4 vs. club 5). The ball flight of the latter is way, way higher. Either the shafts differ in performance or the head itself. Maybe the golfer, too, but I made sure by vigorously switching clubs..

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Hollister Well Established Member

Hollister

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Took those four to the range today and see, how the rifle flighted shaft would compare to the regular (clubs 1+2)

Club 1: Apex 50th (2003), steel Rifle Flighted 6.0 shaft, 32,5 degrees (27 balls)

Club 2: Apex 50th (2003), steel regular shaft Apex 3, 32,5 degrees (14 balls)

Club 3: Apex Redline (1988), steel stiff shaft Apex 4, 33,5 degrees (17 balls)

Club 4: Apex ftx (2006), steel regular shaft Apex 3, 30 degrees (20 balls)

As if I was waiting for it - 2 degrees C (25 F), but new range balls. And wind into the boxes. Wind-chill is overrated when you try to murder the range stone trying to keep worm. At least the ball speeds were 10mph compared to last year, don't look at dispersion, side spin, etc. Been hitting

So, these results are just relative to each other - compare the performance of the club/shaft.

The performance of club 3, the Apex Redline blade from 88, amazes me. Feel-wise, I mishit it a couple of times. Compared to the other clubs the 6i  has a lower loft - I should have taken the 30 degrees 5i to match the loft.

Compared to the Apex 50, the FTX feels harsh or hard when you hit the ball, more like mishitting the Apex Redline. A pitty that I consider the new FTX to be my gamers. I did test the regular graphite shafted Apex Edge from 2001 again these clubs and it did well back then. Might try it next time again.

I was about the sell the rifle flighted shafted clubs (club 2 is a lonely 6i, not a set). But hey, next round I take my would-love-to-make-em gamers, the Apex 99s with me. So far I did not dare to think I am able to hit the Apex 5 x-stiff shaft well enough.

Ahh, that was fun. Winter could be soooo boring :D

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tooc Established Member

tooc

I got a set of 06 apex with DGS300, they are really nice to hit, I would say maybe a little easier than the 99s, but don't look as nice, little more offset there actually very similar to the apex IIs, as far as offset and flange. Shall be bored out for the the fujikura r11 graphites, if it goes wrong have a set of KSB steel shafts to put into. The ftx are only for windy days, have u ever tried the Hogan hybrids there very very good
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Hollister Well Established Member

Hollister

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After a good nights sleep and looking-up the Rifle Flighted 6.0 shaft-flex, which equals a stiff or even stiff+, I do not really understand the correlation of shaft flex and performance of my particular sticks anymore. A too stiff shaft should let me leave ball short (or right?) when not having the appropriate swing speed. A too weak shaft should lead to ballooning balls, as I saw with my regular graphite shafts. Or lead to over-draws?

Clueless. Maybe I should go and get fit for a set...

I got a set of 06 apex with DGS300, they are really nice to hit, I would say maybe a little easier than the 99s, but don't look as nice, little more offset there actually very similar to the apex IIs, as far as offset and flange. Shall be bored out for the the fujikura r11 graphites, if it goes wrong have a set of KSB steel shafts to put into. The ftx are only for windy days, have u ever tried the Hogan hybrids there very very good

FTX for windy days? That would be a luxury problem I'd like to avoid. I go test a higher trajectory ball next time on the course. Or get the shaft measured. Or do the fall into the c

I have a 2 and 3 Hogan CFT ti hybrid with the stock stiff shaft, but I did not dare to take them to the course. Compared to my regular Taylor Made Burner 07 hybrids, they sound a little too dull for my taste, feel harsh and are way harder to hit properly. Struck well, they perform well, but sound unexpected for a hybrid.

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