I can tell you I am 67 years old. I hit the ball between 185 to 200. I got the autoflex and after I got used to the shaft, (about 50 balls on the range) my drives now are average about 218, with several going over 240. My golf buddies all 15 to 20 years younger are absolutely surprised at my distance. I then combined the shaft with the new pxg head and I have hit a few drives now right at 250. It is a dream come true. Oh yes my ball speed is averaging about 88 mph.
Talking to the Guys at TXG the Autoflex shaft needs to be fitted correctly to unleash the "Magic Sauce". A number of friends who just bought the shaft and banged it into their existing driver (without adjusting the swing weight) had some pretty disappointing outcomes. As with anything in life, if you have the money and feel the benefits justify the outlay, do it!
When TXG did this testing they made mention that swingweight and length sensitivity came into play. It’s important to note that the gains are marginal, but as noted “it’s something” if fitted correctly.
I would give that last hole to the auto flex. You do take an aggressive line when you feel you will benefit from it and the ball was not that far in. Plus it gives what appears to be, one club less. The one big negative I see is the price. One would get better with that shaft with practice and I suppose you would constantly gain the extra length but, I cannot see past the price tag. If one were to spend some iron's time on the range with an instructor in tow....Well I feel that would be a few hundred dollars better spent to help round out one's golf game.
I have used this shaft and it works. The cost can be a bargain if you look at it logically. I got 20 yards more carry, so I think that is 4 iterations of my current driver, if each new driver cost £550 then that is £2,200, so the autoflex is cheap. Also it is straighter as the shaft makes you feel that you can swing it easily and still get extra distance.
i actually played with someone with a 1.8 handi with the autoflex recently, and what he was saying the auto flex works when you swing with tempo. and said if you can manage a nice smooth swing with nice tempo the shaft will always square the face up meaning you hit it better and find more fairways, it was pretty amazing to see in person
I games the AutoFlex during the entire 2021 season and absolutely loved it!! Obviously it’s not for everyone and it was a gamble to spend $800 on a shaft but I am extremely happy with the results I’ve seen. I know it sounds cliche but seriously I got more distance, higher launch and straighter/more fairways…for me it’s seriously just easier to hit, idk if it’s a confidence thing knowing how it’s performed for me but like James mentioned, I can swing nice and smooth and still see drives that are personally ‘bombs’ for me.. Also note, prior to gaming the AutoFlex I did get professional fit for a driver in Feb 2021 and did see gains on top of my old driver before the auto flex, after adding the AF I did see a tighter dispersion and better results as mentioned above. I also have a swing weight scale to make sure I was within AF recommended headweight which is very important!
James that camera placement is so good it’s on point keeps the viewer engaged and it is awesome thank you for the extra work you put in to getting the audio to line up and the camera positioning it’s so much work but the end result is👌
I have an SF505x in my Ping G425 Max. You have to get the head weight down a bit to see anything significant (I replaced the 26g stock weight for an 11g weight... eBay's finest... which got it into the right range for me). With the head weight adjusted it stops feeling quite so crazy and just starts to feel quick. I added about 10mph ball speed, I think that weight adjustment (as per TXG) matters a lot.
I tried the autoflex in multiple set ups. Had a few eye openers! Overall I always struggled from the autoflex to normal shafts in my other clubs. I went fitted shaft
It would be great to see if you could get the shaft dialed in with respect to SW etc. I have mine dialed in and it's been longer, straighter and higher. But i you don't get it in the D1 , give or take, you'll have a tough time hitting it
Very interesting video James. Surely the next step is to get the Autoflex "fitted" - head weight / swing weight likely needs to be reviewed with such a light shaft, and given the launch window you're getting you can likely knock the loft down slightly to further tweak those spin and ball speed numbers. From what I've seen the Autoflex is a bit of a Marmite shaft - some love it, some hate it, and most of that is to do with the feel and having to adapt to the shaft a little. Given you've got a smooth swing and clearly can adapt, and that I think there's some left in the tank for that combo, it may be worth persisting with the Autoflex for a bit - especially given the fitted driver seems a damn good option to "fall back on". Keep up the good work pal. Cheers
I'd bet that 99% of those that hate it never bothered to get the swing weight to a D1 or D0. Its everything....without this one adjustment the comparisons are just not even necessary.
Less loft will generate more ball speed, the shaft will stop any crazy deliveries as well. Need to review your decent angles as well as that would determine roll out differences.
I play with a guy every week who spent about $800 on the shaft and there is not any discernible difference in his distance but the placebo effect is real for Sam! He now hits his driver on most holes where before he would only hit 3W or hybrid before. Definitely a huge amount for a shaft!
I've never heard anyone say anything negative about the Autoflex shafts, and my inner golf nerd REALLY wants to try one, but with the way I'm swinging my driver of late, I'm better off spending the $800.00 CAD for it on more lessons than a shaft.
I have had this for over a year or so.....got my hands on it early before it made it to the states in mass. I haven't taken it out of the bag and wont. I have been fit and have the premium shafts and they just cant do what the Autoflex does. The key is that you have to get the swing weight to D1 or even a D0 which I did with my M6 by taking out the back weight on the driver and putting a midsize tour wrap to get it to a D1.
There's a ton of negative if you actually look into what the golf industry as a whole is saying about it, not just social media people. Most fitting companies won't carry it because you do have to modify your swing to play it if you have faster club head speed and that is not what club fitting is about. The shaft that does what the Autoflex claims to do best is probably the Ventus with Velocore. I would recommend a blue or red 5s since thats about the weight of the Autoflex shaft and is half the price.
Easy decision, auto flex. It’s a matter of upside. You pretty much said it yourself. You’ve been gaming your fitted shaft for a while and are very familiar with it. While, by your own admission, you are just starting to understand how to swing the auto flex, and the results are pretty much identical. You’re not going to get much more out of your fitted shaft, while you’ve only just begun to unlock your potential with the auto flex.
I got one last year with my eBay transactions .. wife couldn’t moan as it was a space thing! I had it installed in a rogue 9 degree head. I worked it out and got an improvement but my swing was poor. What this shaft gave me was consistency. In my heart I knew I was playing the wrong driver head so I got an Epic and that was adjusted to me .. it had the hzd smoke shaft in and was a regular. This overcame all of my issues, I swung it confidently and I have not put the autoflex in it .. I may have a go at it during this summer, but the current set up is really working and I am getting what I want from my driver, plus improving my technique. So I will give it a go again but it will have to deliver a few more mph in ball speed and tighter dispersion - otherwise it goes on eBay for someone else to have a go with.
I have been using the Autoflex 405 with my Ping 425 Max for about 2 years now and found the shaft to provide about 20Y+ with better dispersion (carry distance ~2300Y). I use a 10cm tee with 11.5D flat loft. I am about at 10 handicap with about a 90MPH driver swing. I think it benefits the lower swing speed player (also getting along in age and losing musculature) much more than a 100+MPH player.
Mad, Helicopter blade technology has obviously been around a very long time, this tech was also used in fiberglass Ski's and snowboards 15 years ago (the slower the more flexible, the faster it stiff'ens up. Now it's finally reached golf.. very pricey but I guess the first company to do it sets the price tag
I never understood swing weight and how can I determine what I have with my driver? I just bought the new Cobra LTDX and the fitter never mentioned what weight I'm at.
@@BloodySoup74 You can not find the swing weight without a balance. It is a ratio between clubhead, grip and shift. It has nothing to do with deadweight of the club. C7 swingweight feels light, D7 feels heavy. If you swop the weights in a driver head from 12g to 24g you will substantially increase the swing weight as the clubhead is heavier. Take weight out and that lowers swing weight.
Key to the autoflex is getting in the right model for your swing speed and the swing weight. I have been gaming one for over a year and it's awesome. You really want the swing weight around D0 but do that through head weight, not adding weight to the butt. The only people I have seen struggle are the aggressive transition swingers. If you swing like you would with an Orange Whip, that seems to produce the best results. Adam Scott, Louis Oosthasen (Masters) and Brendan Grace are a few guys I have seen put it in play. Brendan Grace used it all last season.
The autoflex shaft is really interesting to me. A friend of mine (a +3 golfer) has one in his Titleist TSi3 driver and smashes it miles. I took about 10 swings with his driver (me being a 3 handicap) and the weight threw me off. I was able to hit it far but not as consistent as my SIM2 with the smoke shaft.
The reason for that, as shown in this video, is that you need to swing in a way that optimises that extra kinetic energy that is being put into the club head on the back swing.
I’ve been using the SF405 in a Sim Max head for the last year and love it . I changed the weight at the back of the club head by 8 grams to lower Swing weight down to the recommended D0 swing weight.
I too have the SF405 in a Sim2 Max head and I changed the back weight by 8 grams. Average driving distance up by 10yds. The trick for me is to not overswing and try to hit it hard. Smoother swings are the way to go.
I suggest you do not change your swing, only a setting on the club. If that is a 9 degree driver change it to the next lower setting which will bring your spin rate down slightly with a more penetrating ball flight. TXG did a side by side test against the new Brava shaft, the Brava won the initial test and after they adjusted the setting the autoflex won easily. The tester was Michael who has a swing speed of just over 100 mph and was getting them in the 290 yard range.
I think the fitted will do you better in the long run bc its what youre used to & "bought in" to 100%. The autoflex would probably grow on you but you mentioned several times that youd have to "unlock it" first. That tells me you're not bought in therefore stick with what you know and like.....oh and of course send the autoflex driver (with Taylormade Stealth) my way. #Bamabound #sendit Looking forward to that video with your scratch golfer friend but the banter CD does make things interesting on your channel. Cheers!
I have switched my driver and 4-PW to Autoflex shafts and haven't looked back. My drives went from 220 to 260 plus. They don't suit everyone, but for me, they are game-changers. I used to hit my 7 iron 150 carries; now I'm hitting 170 carry. No more extra swinging power is required.
A few Autoflex lessons from someone a year in. BTW I am playing a SF405 at 47" with a Ping G425 head standard weight. It benefits slower swing speeds more than fast. You need to adjust YOUR swing to IT. By that I mean if you do not have a smooth tempo and transition you need to work on it to get the most out of this shaft. Again, for slower swing speed players this is usually an easier transition. There is a benefit to the smoothness, it creeps into the rest of your game. for me that was huge. While different, it is not entirely different than a G7 training aid or an orange whip in this regard. Early on there was a push to limit the weight of the driver head to a D-0 swing weight. Now that it is more commonly used, I have found the most successful users are the ones who just put a standard head on the shaft, with the standard weights and let it rip. The D-0 swing weight is super difficult to feel and control, and I believe a lot of early adopters opted out because they were following the internet instructions and got frustrated. It is light (47g) and feels whippy when you waggle. You can feel it load at the top and it does not require much to bring it back down. It seriously feels like the shaft is doing all the work. At impact the thing is solid, and very straight. If you try to wing this thing around like an XXX Smoke shaft it will not work. You can go fast, just smoothly. I went from 220 avg to 250+ with some bombs thrown in there (for me lol). I recently played 3 rounds. I missed 3 fairways and not by much. It has changed golf for me. Knowing I can be in the fairway, and within a reachable distance to the green changed everything. My handicap has plummeted. Golf is much much more fun. Finally, I ask you as I have asked myself. How much are you willing to pay for 30 yards+ and more fairways? I have chased a lot of golf "gadgets" in the past. Looking for that magic thing to make me better. For once something actually worked. So my answer is yes, I will pay 1K (more if you include the head) for more distance. I would do it again too.....
James, just putting an Autoflex shaft in a std clubhead is NOT the best way to really compare the shafts. Because the Autoflex shaft is so much lighter you will really mess up your swing weight and balance point without altering your weights in your clubhead. Also, the Autoflex shaft is designed to be played at 46 inches which again will radically change swingweight from a stock shaft (which are almost always shorter). Therefore you need to get the club “fitted” for an Autoflex shaft to see maximum gains. I’ve played an Autoflex shaft for about a year now and have yet to see another driver I can hit within 15 yds of my Autoflex shafted Titleist driver!
Go with Autoflex! Supposedly the Autoflex are better with the wear and tear on your wrists which is why Michelle Wie and other tour players have been on board with them.
I just subscribed after watching your videos for a while. Why? because I’m so impressed with your hard work on these dailies. Oh, and the self confession about being a "Golf Perv”. Me too. My game isn’t good enough for fitted clubs so I play off the rack Callaways. Keep up the work load. Thanks.
The Autoflex wins the best of 3 holes, but the fitted shaft wins the studio shots. Yes, the ball speed was increased, but that didn’t equate to more distance due to the spin increase with the Autoflex. Since you are such a skilled golfer, I wonder if you have maxed out on performance. Would we see a huge improvement if someone like Foxy was comparing the shafts? Like to see that!
IMO fitted shaft did not win the studio shots, I would call it a draw as carry was the same, but even if you go on total distance the difference is not statistically significant. If anything I would prefer the slightly higher spin rates from the autoflex shaft, but whether those numbers represent a real difference or are statistically meaningless is tricky
@@justinstephenson9360 - I would have to disagree that the fitted shaft didn’t win in the studio. A shaft that costs $1000 should do something spectacular compared to a stock shaft or a special upgrade. The Autoflex did NOT do anything spectacular. Therefore, it lost.
I think it's all relative - the price point doesn't detract from the numbers - it was a draw on paper. Those outside factors of price boils down to the individual.
I replaced my Evenflow riptide CB 50g shaft in my PXG 0811X+ driver with an Autoflex 405, set to swing weight of D0 as recommended, I have found that my drives are much more consistent than with the originally fitted shaft more fairways hit, I do find that on average they are a little longer but it is the consistency that I like.
I would say if you want to hit a golf ball further, it's certainly worth pursuing. If you want to score better....no value at all. It's the next shot that matters.. Like a few comments show, hard to get past the cost! Love the content of your videos!
It seems more like it helps on dispersion than distance. Also, like you mentioned James, it makes a difference on how well you’re swinging the club that particular time possibly. … hmmm
Serendipitous. I just built this combo yesterday for myself! Although mine is the standard stealth. Picked up almost 20 yds of carry. I struggle with low launch/low spin so even though Im up near 150 ball speed I was only getting 220-230 carry. Instantly went into the 250 carry range.
I remember a $1000 shaft black Matrix Ozik coming out some 7/8 years ago and saw it in the hands of a guy called Simon from Precision golf - great in his hands rubbish in mine🙂 drive and gap wedge on par 5 14th on Sunningdale Old - guess this will be the same! Good vid James👍
I have tried all 3 flex. The secret to this shaft is the smoother you swing, the farther it goes. Your mph might drop 2-4, but it goes the same distance. Just more chance of sweet spot and still go the same distance.
James, did you not change the swing weight? If not......there is a LOT in that AutoFlex you haven't tapped into. I have had the AF for over a year now and got my swing weight to a D1 with my M6 by taking out the rear weight and moving up my grip to the midsize tour wrap and that did the trick. It really important to get the swing weight right or it really hampers the AF's performance
@@JamesRobinsonGolf Awesome, I kind of thought you did as you were hitting it pretty well. Those that I have seen who don't get it down lose it to the right and don't give it a second look. We got it in the hands of a couple tour guys and they hated it right away but did no adjusting to swing weight. My Stealth is on its way and cant wait to see how it works with the AF. Have it in the M6 right now and love it.
Drives were pretty consistent across both shafts. Hard to justify a $1,000 shaft when you’re getting the same results with a stock fitted shaft. The Hzrdous RDX Smoke Red is a stock shaft for the Stealth.
The AutoFlex is an amazing shaft..for those that see a good level of performance gain over their fitted shaft; in addition, to their ability to afford it, I say "more power to you." Having said that, one also has to consider their other woods, i.e. 3-wood and/or also other woods they use off the tee...should they seek to maintain a consistent feel with the club. Such a change is without question VERY Costly...thus, does the additional 10-12 yards justify the $2000 price tag. Personally, I rather hit an extra club and put the funds toward other key equipment...or a nice golf vacation. As fat as which club won on the 18th hole...any club that splits the fairway and is the short-stuff...I give that the win.
Strokes gained has conclusively proven that this approach leads to worse scores. The gaps in results for each successive iron is substantial. The extra yardage off the tee is EXTREMELY valuable. Everyone's different but I don't get the "consistent feel" argument. My driver swing is different from how I swing every other club and I've never had the same shaft in driver and 3-wood in 30 years of playing golf. Just my $0.02
I have used this shaft and it works. The cost can be a bargain if you look at it logically. I got 20 yards more carry, so I think that is 4 iterations of my current driver, Titleist TS2, if each new driver cost £550 then that is £2,200, so the autoflex can be seen as a good buy. Also it is straighter as the shaft makes you feel that you can swing it easily and still get extra distance.
What swingweight was your driver with the autoflex? Swingweight is very important for the autoflex to properly work. I have my 505xx at D1.5 and it hits straight bombs.
@@JamesRobinsonGolf You really need to be dialed in on the Autoflex for it to work its magic. Recommended Swingweight for the 505x is D1-1.5. Also, in the summer when the ground is firmer -- rollout will be much more noticeable vs. a traditional graphite shaft. I'm not sure how they do it but its magic.
You'd have to do the analysis on whether it gives enough bang for the buck. I mean if the shaft that is fit for you with a price you can stomach, keeps you in the fairway, feels like you want it to feel, and goes as far as you want it to go then figure out if this $1000 shaft gives you, for me, it would have to show me mass amount of benefits to swallow the price tag.
You can get one for $600 if you poke around the AutoFlex Facebook group. Plenty of aftermarket shafts are $500. It's not that much more $. I got meaningful gains going from a fitted Ventus to Autoflex (head adjusted to match swingweight). I've never been more long or more accurate. It's not for everyone but it's been a monster for me.
Awesome review! I think it would be cool to see a high handicapper try the auto flex shaft and also would like to see you tinker with your lie and loft with that shaft.
As others commented, would be good to see the Autoflex fitted. For this test (on course and in studio), hard for me to rationalize the extra money versus your existing setup based on this video. I thought the last Autoflex drive would be way farther down, but in reality the last shot was in the fairway, had as good or better an angle, and wasn't that much farther back. I'd give the nod to your current setup and save the cash.
If the change in swing with autoflex doesn't mess with the rest of your bag, go with it, but it seems not much of a difference, so the price doesn't seem justified. Is that shaft already yours to keep?
Great video ,love your Honesty, why not ,,,I love change I get bored with golf very fast just my personality, one thing I noticed is you grab the tee out of your back pocket that might not mean anything to some people but to me it makes all the difference especially when I'm in a rush , no bother rip.it right out of back pocket no fuss,, idk sounds strange but I notice certain things, do an IQ test I bet your numbers are up to par!! lol Thanks man Autoflex I'd go with for the feel no other reason. Thanks again great stuff,
Very interesting about the auto flex shaft I think if golfers could afford it they would have it. I am 68 and like you love golf never better than 11 handicap. Just bought rogue with a 1 shorter shaft like the driver. Also I suffer from athiritis in fingers on both hands thinking of looking at the thicker grips that are getting reviewed on other channels have you tried these please have I missed this one.??
My guess is spin goes up too high with that Stealth, should try it with the Cobra LTD-X - LS. Be dropping bombs ! I put one in play middle of last season. Loving it, and just got it fitted into the new Cobra LTD-x. I got it as I'm early 50's, and no doubt my swing speed will be headed south as I get older, so wanted to get something I could "grow old with". Its light weight will allow this old fella to keep up with the kids for a few more years I hope ! :-)
Great comparison James. I think the question here is the money and gains. Do the Pro's who hit the ball long use these type of shafts or not??? Cause MONEY in NO ObJECT to Them....How much gain would a average golfer see.. Like building a race car...The point of diminishing returns....Nice review.....
Genuinely in the hands of someone as good with the driver as you James I see no gains or benefits wither on the course or the simulator. I struggle to think that a Normo would see gains either and would actually see a big loss... in their bank balance. Better to have a good fitting and lessons to improve the swing and consistency rather than expecting a miracle at £600+
All depends. If you have played multiple rnds with fitted and only just started with autoflex, then auto wins easily. Once you get comfy with it and learn the tricks i see it outperforming fitted. Real question is does ot outperform worth $1000? I doubt it.
It looks like your hitting both on average the same and even if the auto flex is possibly a bit longer it probably isn't going to make a difference in club selection for your second shot it's not like it is 30-40yards difference so for me would be a waste of money and would just stick with the fitted option as it obviously works. Long drives are nice but for me the most important part of the game is approach shots.
I would love to see you get fitted for the auto flex shaft mate to see if it gets you even more distance,accuracy and consistency like you have with your fitted shaft. If you like the shaft and can afford the shaft then why not treat yourself you work hard enough
Really interesting to see you hit the auto flex. Would be good to know what swing weight you were playing it at with the stealth as may have been too light in the head. What would the difference be at recommended swing weight.
Imo, the autoflex seems to be a really good shaft and it won today. If I ever get near to scratch and this can help me get to scratch, then I’ll get it. Until then I’ll just get regular shafts through fittings…. Golf’s expensive enough without that much money going into a shaft.
Hey I have the wooden shaft version of that from back in the day it's pretty awesome. I think it was called the limbershaft back then. I hit it once I think but I'm to scared to break it
Strokes Gained would give it to the Autoflex, but I reckon it is marginal in that configuration. As others have said though, it isn't a fair comparison unless you have the AF properly fitted. Even then, the shaft/head combo might not be optimal. I'd need to see at least an extra club (12+ yards) of straighter distance and/or at least 1.0 SG per round, to even consider such an outlay.
For the money I think one would be better to put 3 new Vokey wedges in the bag and a couple dozen Pro V1s, for the same price as a pink shaft! Just my opinion.
Has to be the Autoflex for a couple of months then switch back to the stock shaft you have. Then compare scoring averages. Maybe. What feels best for you
Your high ball speed hit with the Autoflex was 47 y left. As everyone has said you need to play with the head weight of the stealth. Also as a club builder I am interested to hear what other shafts you tried at your TM stealth fitting? I thought the Smoke RDX red was the stock shaft in the stealth plus head? Don't get me wrong it is a great shaft, I also think based on your indoor data (270+ carry) and your short backswing with quick transition you should try something stiffer than a 6.0 flex.
What is the optimal weight of the stealth plus for the autoflex 505x? My current set up is a tsi3 driver head with all the weights out. It weights in at 186 grams. The stealth plus with the 10 gram slider weight removed is 186 grams. Curious what you do?
@@qwerty553422 for me it’s more about swingweight. I have built a few Autoflex shafts and kept the swing weight down to D0-D1 which is probably where you are with a 186g head.
If I am you save the $1000. Yes the 164 ball speed is tantalizing but it was a pull shot. We all know Those pull shots fly farther. Even though your ball speed was higher with autoflex you were getting more out of ur driver and that’s probably bc of strike. I think the autoflex would maybe work with more senior golfers who already play a regular or senior flex. That would be an interesting video to see if they pick up big yardages. Great video.
What if you turned the loft down .5° with the Autoflex? Would that give you a more similar spin and launch angle to the Stealth shaft with a longer carry distance?
So I did a significance test to see if there was a difference in some of the data you provided from the launch monitor. I saw you had 13 shots for one of the shafts, so I’m assuming that’s how many you took with the other. When I ran a test, I saw no significant difference in any of the stats you showed other than ball speed. The auto flex does provide a faster ball speed on average than the fitted shaft you have. But carry and total distances were not significantly different. So if you think that higher ball speed is worth $1000, then go for the auto flex, otherwise just stick with the fitted one! Granted this only applies to you and others might find more improvements in their game from the shaft, but I’d be happy with a shaft that doesn’t cost as much as an entire quality bag of clubs haha
This shaft is just a lightweight Senior flex shaft marketed as a different flex shaft for your ego lol. It’s like when you can fit into a Medium shirt that’s really a large 😉. I kind of made the discovery of the autoflex shaft concept by accident. I went to my local big box golf store to hit some of the new drivers and I grabbed what I thought was an “S” (stiff) flex shaft on a Ping g425 driver. In the bay I was hitting some really great drives (and some wild ones as well lol) but overall the driver was performing very well. When I looked at the shaft more closely it turns out it was an “SR” shaft (soft regular), my aging eyes didn’t catch that extra letter lol. It stands to reason that a lighter shaft that you can swing faster and load easier will go further than a heavier and stiffer shaft once you get the timing down. It’s just our ego that keeps us from playing a Ladies flex or A flex or Senior flex or however each manufacturer labels that profile. So what’s the solution…change the label to from Senior Flex to Stiff Flex lol. You should also know that autoflex has very strict criteria as to what the swing weight should be for each of their “flexes”. It’s usually in the D1-D2 range I believe, which is also something that helps them (and you) achieve greater swing speed. Save your money. It’s just marketing. PS - I know two players who played this shaft and ended up taking it out of the bag. The good shots were great but the bad ones were too offline and they found it difficult to time it right every time.
The key thing about this is what he mentions about allowing the shaft to flex a little at the top. The extra flex is putting some kinetic energy into the club head, so therefore , producing a swing which uses that energy will certainly give more head speed. I’ve never understood why there is this theory that the higher the speed the stiffer the shaft. I would think you would want the shaft not to twist, but allowing it to bend would be a good thing, as shown in this video
For me this would have to be something you buy much later in your progression. I’m a beginner and it’s just not worth the price tag. I’ve spent that much on my whole bag and I’m driving 300 yards with a used Taylor made from second hand store. But if you have the money, spend it… that’s what it’s there for
I can tell you I am 67 years old. I hit the ball between 185 to 200. I got the autoflex and after I got used to the shaft, (about 50 balls on the range) my drives now are average about 218, with several going over 240. My golf buddies all 15 to 20 years younger are absolutely surprised at my distance. I then combined the shaft with the new pxg head and I have hit a few drives now right at 250. It is a dream come true. Oh yes my ball speed is averaging about 88 mph.
What shaft flex did you purchase
So 405.. for 80 to 100 mph swing
Damn son!!! Nice work
@@tuplakid I smell something fishy
Suppose to be sf405.. I missed hit letter...
Talking to the Guys at TXG the Autoflex shaft needs to be fitted correctly to unleash the "Magic Sauce". A number of friends who just bought the shaft and banged it into their existing driver (without adjusting the swing weight) had some pretty disappointing outcomes.
As with anything in life, if you have the money and feel the benefits justify the outlay, do it!
When TXG did this testing they made mention that swingweight and length sensitivity came into play. It’s important to note that the gains are marginal, but as noted “it’s something” if fitted correctly.
Definitely need a lighter swing weight in that shaft to make it work better , try hitting it in a C9 or D,O weight
FINALLY! A video with a control test and then the auto flex. Love the effort and work that went into this. Thanks Jimbo!
the autoflex doesn't work as a "plug n play" shaft. you need to get the swing weight dialed in to D0-D1 for it to work to its potential.
Oh a shaft that much. That’s 4 times what’s in my bag .. great video. Impressed how you’ve showed this … thanks James. 👍🏻⛳️
Thanks buddy. Appreciate your time
I would give that last hole to the auto flex. You do take an aggressive line when you feel you will benefit from it and the ball was not that far in. Plus it gives what appears to be, one club less. The one big negative I see is the price. One would get better with that shaft with practice and I suppose you would constantly gain the extra length but, I cannot see past the price tag. If one were to spend some iron's time on the range with an instructor in tow....Well I feel that would be a few hundred dollars better spent to help round out one's golf game.
I have used this shaft and it works. The cost can be a bargain if you look at it logically. I got 20 yards more carry, so I think that is 4 iterations of my current driver, if each new driver cost £550 then that is £2,200, so the autoflex is cheap. Also it is straighter as the shaft makes you feel that you can swing it easily and still get extra distance.
i actually played with someone with a 1.8 handi with the autoflex recently, and what he was saying the auto flex works when you swing with tempo. and said if you can manage a nice smooth swing with nice tempo the shaft will always square the face up meaning you hit it better and find more fairways, it was pretty amazing to see in person
I games the AutoFlex during the entire 2021 season and absolutely loved it!! Obviously it’s not for everyone and it was a gamble to spend $800 on a shaft but I am extremely happy with the results I’ve seen. I know it sounds cliche but seriously I got more distance, higher launch and straighter/more fairways…for me it’s seriously just easier to hit, idk if it’s a confidence thing knowing how it’s performed for me but like James mentioned, I can swing nice and smooth and still see drives that are personally ‘bombs’ for me..
Also note, prior to gaming the AutoFlex I did get professional fit for a driver in Feb 2021 and did see gains on top of my old driver before the auto flex, after adding the AF I did see a tighter dispersion and better results as mentioned above. I also have a swing weight scale to make sure I was within AF recommended headweight which is very important!
Thank you for your comments of autoflex shaft.
The fitted shaft wins because the only discernible difference between the two shafts is the outrageous price of the autoflex.
James that camera placement is so good it’s on point keeps the viewer engaged and it is awesome thank you for the extra work you put in to getting the audio to line up and the camera positioning it’s so much work but the end result is👌
Thanks buddy appreciate that, not as easy as people think! 😂
i'm an avid player and have a Tour AD BB shaft in my driver.. i've never even heard of that shaft! great content
That looks like a wonderful way to start a morning. I think I would give it to the Autoflex... just for showing up. Cheers mate.
I have an SF505x in my Ping G425 Max. You have to get the head weight down a bit to see anything significant (I replaced the 26g stock weight for an 11g weight... eBay's finest... which got it into the right range for me). With the head weight adjusted it stops feeling quite so crazy and just starts to feel quick. I added about 10mph ball speed, I think that weight adjustment (as per TXG) matters a lot.
Swingweight was brought down to ~D0, that said Ping driver heads are heavy, Stealth might not need as much of a diet.
I tried the autoflex in multiple set ups. Had a few eye openers! Overall I always struggled from the autoflex to normal shafts in my other clubs. I went fitted shaft
Really enjoyed this video James. Mark Crossfield plays a 46g shaft and compared against heavier shafts with very interesting results 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I’ve got the autoflex in my sim driver and it’s a game changer for me it’s given me so much confidence with the driver now and it’s added distance
This is your best video in quite awhile. Great content and tech info.
Thanks mate. Appreciate tjat
It would be great to see if you could get the shaft dialed in with respect to SW etc. I have mine dialed in and it's been longer, straighter and higher. But i you don't get it in the D1 , give or take, you'll have a tough time hitting it
Very interesting video James. Surely the next step is to get the Autoflex "fitted" - head weight / swing weight likely needs to be reviewed with such a light shaft, and given the launch window you're getting you can likely knock the loft down slightly to further tweak those spin and ball speed numbers. From what I've seen the Autoflex is a bit of a Marmite shaft - some love it, some hate it, and most of that is to do with the feel and having to adapt to the shaft a little. Given you've got a smooth swing and clearly can adapt, and that I think there's some left in the tank for that combo, it may be worth persisting with the Autoflex for a bit - especially given the fitted driver seems a damn good option to "fall back on". Keep up the good work pal. Cheers
Fully agree. Would love to see that Autoflex fitted (SW, hosel setting, sole weight postion, etc.) in your stealth and then compare again
Agreed with everything here
I'd bet that 99% of those that hate it never bothered to get the swing weight to a D1 or D0. Its everything....without this one adjustment the comparisons are just not even necessary.
Less loft will generate more ball speed, the shaft will stop any crazy deliveries as well. Need to review your decent angles as well as that would determine roll out differences.
I play with a guy every week who spent about $800 on the shaft and there is not any discernible difference in his distance but the placebo effect is real for Sam! He now hits his driver on most holes where before he would only hit 3W or hybrid before. Definitely a huge amount for a shaft!
Love the "slow motion" takeaway. You can certainly see a huge difference between the two shafts.
I've never heard anyone say anything negative about the Autoflex shafts, and my inner golf nerd REALLY wants to try one, but with the way I'm swinging my driver of late, I'm better off spending the $800.00 CAD for it on more lessons than a shaft.
@@Handletaken4 Nah I'll just stick with my old faithful Project X Evenflow Riptide
“It’s not the Bow it’s the Archer”
You can find an AF for $800 cdn? Mind sharing where?
I have had this for over a year or so.....got my hands on it early before it made it to the states in mass. I haven't taken it out of the bag and wont. I have been fit and have the premium shafts and they just cant do what the Autoflex does. The key is that you have to get the swing weight to D1 or even a D0 which I did with my M6 by taking out the back weight on the driver and putting a midsize tour wrap to get it to a D1.
There's a ton of negative if you actually look into what the golf industry as a whole is saying about it, not just social media people. Most fitting companies won't carry it because you do have to modify your swing to play it if you have faster club head speed and that is not what club fitting is about. The shaft that does what the Autoflex claims to do best is probably the Ventus with Velocore. I would recommend a blue or red 5s since thats about the weight of the Autoflex shaft and is half the price.
Red Bull and a stupid expensive auto flex shaft review. Most excellent. Good morning, James.
😂😂😂😂
Myself using the SF505. And I got more fairways than ever. Distance wise also smashing.
TXG determined that the auto flex reacted significantly different with different weighted head. It was an interesting video.
Easy decision, auto flex. It’s a matter of upside. You pretty much said it yourself. You’ve been gaming your fitted shaft for a while and are very familiar with it. While, by your own admission, you are just starting to understand how to swing the auto flex, and the results are pretty much identical. You’re not going to get much more out of your fitted shaft, while you’ve only just begun to unlock your potential with the auto flex.
I got one last year with my eBay transactions .. wife couldn’t moan as it was a space thing! I had it installed in a rogue 9 degree head. I worked it out and got an improvement but my swing was poor. What this shaft gave me was consistency. In my heart I knew I was playing the wrong driver head so I got an Epic and that was adjusted to me .. it had the hzd smoke shaft in and was a regular. This overcame all of my issues, I swung it confidently and I have not put the autoflex in it .. I may have a go at it during this summer, but the current set up is really working and I am getting what I want from my driver, plus improving my technique.
So I will give it a go again but it will have to deliver a few more mph in ball speed and tighter dispersion - otherwise it goes on eBay for someone else to have a go with.
I have been using the Autoflex 405 with my Ping 425 Max for about 2 years now and found the shaft to provide about 20Y+ with better dispersion (carry distance ~2300Y). I use a 10cm tee with 11.5D flat loft. I am about at 10 handicap with about a 90MPH driver swing. I think it benefits the lower swing speed player (also getting along in age and losing musculature) much more than a 100+MPH player.
You’re getting 2300 yards? Damn son, I’m running out tomorrow to buy that shaft 😂
10 cm tee with 11.5D flat and a 4inch Weiner?
Mad, Helicopter blade technology has obviously been around a very long time, this tech was also used in fiberglass Ski's and snowboards 15 years ago (the slower the more flexible, the faster it stiff'ens up. Now it's finally reached golf.. very pricey but I guess the first company to do it sets the price tag
It's designed to work between D0 and D2. You can get away with weight down to C8.
I never understood swing weight and how can I determine what I have with my driver? I just bought the new Cobra LTDX and the fitter never mentioned what weight I'm at.
@@BloodySoup74 You can not find the swing weight without a balance. It is a ratio between clubhead, grip and shift. It has nothing to do with deadweight of the club. C7 swingweight feels light, D7 feels heavy. If you swop the weights in a driver head from 12g to 24g you will substantially increase the swing weight as the clubhead is heavier. Take weight out and that lowers swing weight.
Key to the autoflex is getting in the right model for your swing speed and the swing weight. I have been gaming one for over a year and it's awesome. You really want the swing weight around D0 but do that through head weight, not adding weight to the butt. The only people I have seen struggle are the aggressive transition swingers. If you swing like you would with an Orange Whip, that seems to produce the best results. Adam Scott, Louis Oosthasen (Masters) and Brendan Grace are a few guys I have seen put it in play. Brendan Grace used it all last season.
Fuzzy played it at the PNC and let Charlie Woods mess around with it on the driving range.
The autoflex shaft is really interesting to me. A friend of mine (a +3 golfer) has one in his Titleist TSi3 driver and smashes it miles. I took about 10 swings with his driver (me being a 3 handicap) and the weight threw me off. I was able to hit it far but not as consistent as my SIM2 with the smoke shaft.
The reason for that, as shown in this video, is that you need to swing in a way that optimises that extra kinetic energy that is being put into the club head on the back swing.
I’ve been using the SF405 in a Sim Max head for the last year and love it . I changed the weight at the back of the club head by 8 grams to lower Swing weight down to the recommended D0 swing weight.
I too have the SF405 in a Sim2 Max head and I changed the back weight by 8 grams. Average driving distance up by 10yds. The trick for me is to not overswing and try to hit it hard. Smoother swings are the way to go.
Should be playing but wife not well so stuck in looking after her and watching vlogs earlier than normal!😂
I suggest you do not change your swing, only a setting on the club. If that is a 9 degree driver change it to the next lower setting which will bring your spin rate down slightly with a more penetrating ball flight. TXG did a side by side test against the new Brava shaft, the Brava won the initial test and after they adjusted the setting the autoflex won easily. The tester was Michael who has a swing speed of just over 100 mph and was getting them in the 290 yard range.
I think the fitted will do you better in the long run bc its what youre used to & "bought in" to 100%. The autoflex would probably grow on you but you mentioned several times that youd have to "unlock it" first. That tells me you're not bought in therefore stick with what you know and like.....oh and of course send the autoflex driver (with Taylormade Stealth) my way. #Bamabound #sendit Looking forward to that video with your scratch golfer friend but the banter CD does make things interesting on your channel. Cheers!
I have switched my driver and 4-PW to Autoflex shafts and haven't looked back. My drives went from 220 to 260 plus. They don't suit everyone, but for me, they are game-changers. I used to hit my 7 iron 150 carries; now I'm hitting 170 carry. No more extra swinging power is required.
so u spent $8k+ on all autoflex shafts? Right…
@@sub_second_life3174 Sorry I only switched my driver and 4-PW. I love my golf and I'm fortunate enough to have the money to spend.
A few Autoflex lessons from someone a year in. BTW I am playing a SF405 at 47" with a Ping G425 head standard weight.
It benefits slower swing speeds more than fast. You need to adjust YOUR swing to IT. By that I mean if you do not have a smooth tempo and transition you need to work on it to get the most out of this shaft. Again, for slower swing speed players this is usually an easier transition. There is a benefit to the smoothness, it creeps into the rest of your game. for me that was huge. While different, it is not entirely different than a G7 training aid or an orange whip in this regard.
Early on there was a push to limit the weight of the driver head to a D-0 swing weight. Now that it is more commonly used, I have found the most successful users are the ones who just put a standard head on the shaft, with the standard weights and let it rip. The D-0 swing weight is super difficult to feel and control, and I believe a lot of early adopters opted out because they were following the internet instructions and got frustrated.
It is light (47g) and feels whippy when you waggle. You can feel it load at the top and it does not require much to bring it back down. It seriously feels like the shaft is doing all the work. At impact the thing is solid, and very straight. If you try to wing this thing around like an XXX Smoke shaft it will not work. You can go fast, just smoothly.
I went from 220 avg to 250+ with some bombs thrown in there (for me lol). I recently played 3 rounds. I missed 3 fairways and not by much. It has changed golf for me. Knowing I can be in the fairway, and within a reachable distance to the green changed everything. My handicap has plummeted. Golf is much much more fun.
Finally, I ask you as I have asked myself. How much are you willing to pay for 30 yards+ and more fairways? I have chased a lot of golf "gadgets" in the past. Looking for that magic thing to make me better. For once something actually worked.
So my answer is yes, I will pay 1K (more if you include the head) for more distance. I would do it again too.....
Good input. Mind telling us where you got fitted?
James, just putting an Autoflex shaft in a std clubhead is NOT the best way to really compare the shafts. Because the Autoflex shaft is so much lighter you will really mess up your swing weight and balance point without altering your weights in your clubhead. Also, the Autoflex shaft is designed to be played at 46 inches which again will radically change swingweight from a stock shaft (which are almost always shorter). Therefore you need to get the club “fitted” for an Autoflex shaft to see maximum gains. I’ve played an Autoflex shaft for about a year now and have yet to see another driver I can hit within 15 yds of my Autoflex shafted Titleist driver!
Go with Autoflex! Supposedly the Autoflex are better with the wear and tear on your wrists which is why Michelle Wie and other tour players have been on board with them.
I’ve got one in my LST driver. Given me more yardage & good dispersion. Brilliant shaft. Gave me more club head speed. It weighs like 45g 😂
Keep using the auto flex maybe swing tempo and firmer conditions will show more gains
I just subscribed after watching your videos for a while. Why? because I’m so impressed with your hard work on these dailies. Oh, and the self confession about being a "Golf Perv”. Me too. My game isn’t good enough for fitted clubs so I play off the rack Callaways. Keep up the work load. Thanks.
The Autoflex wins the best of 3 holes, but the fitted shaft wins the studio shots. Yes, the ball speed was increased, but that didn’t equate to more distance due to the spin increase with the Autoflex. Since you are such a skilled golfer, I wonder if you have maxed out on performance. Would we see a huge improvement if someone like Foxy was comparing the shafts? Like to see that!
I'd echo this! Skill cap is real, it's why the pros are constantly tweaking their tech to get that extra edge....let Foxy make the decision :D
IMO fitted shaft did not win the studio shots, I would call it a draw as carry was the same, but even if you go on total distance the difference is not statistically significant. If anything I would prefer the slightly higher spin rates from the autoflex shaft, but whether those numbers represent a real difference or are statistically meaningless is tricky
@@justinstephenson9360 - I would have to disagree that the fitted shaft didn’t win in the studio. A shaft that costs $1000 should do something spectacular compared to a stock shaft or a special upgrade. The Autoflex did NOT do anything spectacular. Therefore, it lost.
I think it's all relative - the price point doesn't detract from the numbers - it was a draw on paper. Those outside factors of price boils down to the individual.
I replaced my Evenflow riptide CB 50g shaft in my PXG 0811X+ driver with an Autoflex 405, set to swing weight of D0 as recommended, I have found that my drives are much more consistent than with the originally fitted shaft more fairways hit, I do find that on average they are a little longer but it is the consistency that I like.
What is the weight you used for D0 on the PXG driver?
James - choose the one that hits the fairway, regardless of distance :-)
Good stuff as always, keep it up.
I would say if you want to hit a golf ball further, it's certainly worth pursuing. If you want to score better....no value at all. It's the next shot that matters.. Like a few comments show, hard to get past the cost! Love the content of your videos!
It seems more like it helps on dispersion than distance. Also, like you mentioned James, it makes a difference on how well you’re swinging the club that particular time possibly. … hmmm
Your swinging it great lately James , fair play to you man 👍👍👍👍
Serendipitous. I just built this combo yesterday for myself! Although mine is the standard stealth. Picked up almost 20 yds of carry. I struggle with low launch/low spin so even though Im up near 150 ball speed I was only getting 220-230 carry. Instantly went into the 250 carry range.
Lovely!
That is a great word Jacob.
I remember a $1000 shaft black Matrix Ozik coming out some 7/8 years ago and saw it in the hands of a guy called Simon from Precision golf - great in his hands rubbish in mine🙂 drive and gap wedge on par 5 14th on Sunningdale Old - guess this will be the same! Good vid James👍
I have tried all 3 flex. The secret to this shaft is the smoother you swing, the farther it goes. Your mph might drop 2-4, but it goes the same distance. Just more chance of sweet spot and still go the same distance.
James, did you not change the swing weight? If not......there is a LOT in that AutoFlex you haven't tapped into. I have had the AF for over a year now and got my swing weight to a D1 with my M6 by taking out the rear weight and moving up my grip to the midsize tour wrap and that did the trick. It really important to get the swing weight right or it really hampers the AF's performance
Yes mate swing weighted at D3
@@JamesRobinsonGolf Awesome, I kind of thought you did as you were hitting it pretty well. Those that I have seen who don't get it down lose it to the right and don't give it a second look. We got it in the hands of a couple tour guys and they hated it right away but did no adjusting to swing weight. My Stealth is on its way and cant wait to see how it works with the AF. Have it in the M6 right now and love it.
@@dominicfrank77 how did you tweak you stealth plus?
Drives were pretty consistent across both shafts. Hard to justify a $1,000 shaft when you’re getting the same results with a stock fitted shaft. The Hzrdous RDX Smoke Red is a stock shaft for the Stealth.
The AutoFlex is an amazing shaft..for those that see a good level of performance gain over their fitted shaft; in addition, to their ability to afford it, I say "more power to you." Having said that, one also has to consider their other woods, i.e. 3-wood and/or also other woods they use off the tee...should they seek to maintain a consistent feel with the club. Such a change is without question VERY Costly...thus, does the additional 10-12 yards justify the $2000 price tag. Personally, I rather hit an extra club and put the funds toward other key equipment...or a nice golf vacation. As fat as which club won on the 18th hole...any club that splits the fairway and is the short-stuff...I give that the win.
Strokes gained has conclusively proven that this approach leads to worse scores. The gaps in results for each successive iron is substantial. The extra yardage off the tee is EXTREMELY valuable.
Everyone's different but I don't get the "consistent feel" argument. My driver swing is different from how I swing every other club and I've never had the same shaft in driver and 3-wood in 30 years of playing golf. Just my $0.02
this guy keeps his tees in his back pocket... thats the golf version of a mouth breather!!!
🤣🤣🤣only kidding.
I've got one on my Pxg proto driver 0811x I gained 25 yards love it
The Autoshaft will carry 20+ yards further. It is fantastic invention.
I have used this shaft and it works. The cost can be a bargain if you look at it logically. I got 20 yards more carry, so I think that is 4 iterations of my current driver, Titleist TS2, if each new driver cost £550 then that is £2,200, so the autoflex can be seen as a good buy. Also it is straighter as the shaft makes you feel that you can swing it easily and still get extra distance.
What swingweight was your driver with the autoflex? Swingweight is very important for the autoflex to properly work. I have my 505xx at D1.5 and it hits straight bombs.
I’m D3 mate, might try it a bit lighter!
@@JamesRobinsonGolf You really need to be dialed in on the Autoflex for it to work its magic. Recommended Swingweight for the 505x is D1-1.5. Also, in the summer when the ground is firmer -- rollout will be much more noticeable vs. a traditional graphite shaft. I'm not sure how they do it but its magic.
@@fabricatedindc did you take out the 10 gram sliding weight on the stealth plus? Or what is your configuration?
@@qwerty553422 I have it in a TSi2 and use a 5 gram weight.
You'd have to do the analysis on whether it gives enough bang for the buck. I mean if the shaft that is fit for you with a price you can stomach, keeps you in the fairway, feels like you want it to feel, and goes as far as you want it to go then figure out if this $1000 shaft gives you, for me, it would have to show me mass amount of benefits to swallow the price tag.
You can get one for $600 if you poke around the AutoFlex Facebook group. Plenty of aftermarket shafts are $500. It's not that much more $. I got meaningful gains going from a fitted Ventus to Autoflex (head adjusted to match swingweight). I've never been more long or more accurate. It's not for everyone but it's been a monster for me.
I think the swing weight is really important to unlocking the potential on the shaft. Did you check that?
Yes mate
Awesome review! I think it would be cool to see a high handicapper try the auto flex shaft and also would like to see you tinker with your lie and loft with that shaft.
On that last shot the hazrdus shaft put you on the fairway & looked like a better line into green.
Excellent point
Well done James 👏
HAH! Golf perve......nailed it!
😂😂😂
As others commented, would be good to see the Autoflex fitted. For this test (on course and in studio), hard for me to rationalize the extra money versus your existing setup based on this video. I thought the last Autoflex drive would be way farther down, but in reality the last shot was in the fairway, had as good or better an angle, and wasn't that much farther back. I'd give the nod to your current setup and save the cash.
Thanks for watching buddy
If the change in swing with autoflex doesn't mess with the rest of your bag, go with it, but it seems not much of a difference, so the price doesn't seem justified. Is that shaft already yours to keep?
Great point buddy!
Great video ,love your Honesty, why not ,,,I love change I get bored with golf very fast just my personality, one thing I noticed is you grab the tee out of your back pocket that might not mean anything to some people but to me it makes all the difference especially when I'm in a rush , no bother rip.it right out of back pocket no fuss,, idk sounds strange but I notice certain things, do an IQ test I bet your numbers are up to par!! lol Thanks man Autoflex I'd go with for the feel no other reason. Thanks again great stuff,
Thanks Kevin, appreciate your feedback and words mate
Very interesting about the auto flex shaft I think if golfers could afford it they would have it. I am 68 and like you love golf never better than 11 handicap. Just bought rogue with a 1 shorter shaft like the driver. Also I suffer from athiritis in fingers on both hands thinking of looking at the thicker grips that are getting reviewed on other channels have you tried these please have I missed this one.??
My guess is spin goes up too high with that Stealth, should try it with the Cobra LTD-X - LS. Be dropping bombs !
I put one in play middle of last season. Loving it, and just got it fitted into the new Cobra LTD-x. I got it as I'm early 50's, and no doubt my swing speed will be headed south as I get older,
so wanted to get something I could "grow old with". Its light weight will allow this old fella to keep up with the kids for a few more years I hope ! :-)
Great comparison James. I think the question here is the money and gains. Do the Pro's who hit the ball long use these type of shafts or not??? Cause MONEY in NO ObJECT to Them....How much gain would a average golfer see.. Like building a race car...The point of diminishing returns....Nice review.....
Genuinely in the hands of someone as good with the driver as you James I see no gains or benefits wither on the course or the simulator. I struggle to think that a Normo would see gains either and would actually see a big loss... in their bank balance. Better to have a good fitting and lessons to improve the swing and consistency rather than expecting a miracle at £600+
I don't see a reason for you to change unless you get a great amount of confidence from it. Your swing looks better than usual.
All depends. If you have played multiple rnds with fitted and only just started with autoflex, then auto wins easily. Once you get comfy with it and learn the tricks i see it outperforming fitted. Real question is does ot outperform worth $1000? I doubt it.
I have a Autoflexs on 4 driving iron really like it a lot.
You just need to be smooth an the ball takes off.
It looks like your hitting both on average the same and even if the auto flex is possibly a bit longer it probably isn't going to make a difference in club selection for your second shot it's not like it is 30-40yards difference so for me would be a waste of money and would just stick with the fitted option as it obviously works. Long drives are nice but for me the most important part of the game is approach shots.
I would love to see you get fitted for the auto flex shaft mate to see if it gets you even more distance,accuracy and consistency like you have with your fitted shaft. If you like the shaft and can afford the shaft then why not treat yourself you work hard enough
Interesting video james from what I've picked up less loft Is required to get the benefits
Really interesting to see you hit the auto flex. Would be good to know what swing weight you were playing it at with the stealth as may have been too light in the head. What would the difference be at recommended swing weight.
You should test the Dream 7 and get your swingweight dialled in to their recommended weight.
What course is this James please. Looks excellent condition for this time off the year
Imo, the autoflex seems to be a really good shaft and it won today.
If I ever get near to scratch and this can help me get to scratch, then I’ll get it. Until then I’ll just get regular shafts through fittings…. Golf’s expensive enough without that much money going into a shaft.
Is Woolley your local ?
I live 15 minutes away from there 🤣🤣
Nice to find a golf channel closer to me if it is 🤣
Hey I have the wooden shaft version of that from back in the day it's pretty awesome. I think it was called the limbershaft back then. I hit it once I think but I'm to scared to break it
Strokes Gained would give it to the Autoflex, but I reckon it is marginal in that configuration. As others have said though, it isn't a fair comparison unless you have the AF properly fitted. Even then, the shaft/head combo might not be optimal. I'd need to see at least an extra club (12+ yards) of straighter distance and/or at least 1.0 SG per round, to even consider such an outlay.
For the money I think one would be better to put 3 new Vokey wedges in the bag and a couple dozen Pro V1s, for the same price as a pink shaft! Just my opinion.
Has to be the Autoflex for a couple of months then switch back to the stock shaft you have. Then compare scoring averages. Maybe. What feels best for you
Thanks for watching mark!!
@@JamesRobinsonGolf My young lad has asked if you want some tees :-)
A softer shaft can feel like it’s going further. Maybe do a test with a light senior shaft up against the auto flex.
$1000 dollars shaft should hit every green on par 4s from the tee for that amount..should be a miracle shaft tbh lol
Your high ball speed hit with the Autoflex was 47 y left. As everyone has said you need to play with the head weight of the stealth. Also as a club builder I am interested to hear what other shafts you tried at your TM stealth fitting? I thought the Smoke RDX red was the stock shaft in the stealth plus head? Don't get me wrong it is a great shaft, I also think based on your indoor data (270+ carry) and your short backswing with quick transition you should try something stiffer than a 6.0 flex.
What is the optimal weight of the stealth plus for the autoflex 505x? My current set up is a tsi3 driver head with all the weights out. It weights in at 186 grams. The stealth plus with the 10 gram slider weight removed is 186 grams. Curious what you do?
@@qwerty553422 for me it’s more about swingweight. I have built a few Autoflex shafts and kept the swing weight down to D0-D1 which is probably where you are with a 186g head.
If I am you save the $1000. Yes the 164 ball speed is tantalizing but it was a pull shot. We all know Those pull shots fly farther. Even though your ball speed was higher with autoflex you were getting more out of ur driver and that’s probably bc of strike. I think the autoflex would maybe work with more senior golfers who already play a regular or senior flex. That would be an interesting video to see if they pick up big yardages. Great video.
What if you turned the loft down .5° with the Autoflex? Would that give you a more similar spin and launch angle to the Stealth shaft with a longer carry distance?
So I did a significance test to see if there was a difference in some of the data you provided from the launch monitor. I saw you had 13 shots for one of the shafts, so I’m assuming that’s how many you took with the other. When I ran a test, I saw no significant difference in any of the stats you showed other than ball speed. The auto flex does provide a faster ball speed on average than the fitted shaft you have. But carry and total distances were not significantly different. So if you think that higher ball speed is worth $1000, then go for the auto flex, otherwise just stick with the fitted one! Granted this only applies to you and others might find more improvements in their game from the shaft, but I’d be happy with a shaft that doesn’t cost as much as an entire quality bag of clubs haha
This shaft is just a lightweight Senior flex shaft marketed as a different flex shaft for your ego lol. It’s like when you can fit into a Medium shirt that’s really a large 😉.
I kind of made the discovery of the autoflex shaft concept by accident. I went to my local big box golf store to hit some of the new drivers and I grabbed what I thought was an “S” (stiff) flex shaft on a Ping g425 driver. In the bay I was hitting some really great drives (and some wild ones as well lol) but overall the driver was performing very well. When I looked at the shaft more closely it turns out it was an “SR” shaft (soft regular), my aging eyes didn’t catch that extra letter lol. It stands to reason that a lighter shaft that you can swing faster and load easier will go further than a heavier and stiffer shaft once you get the timing down. It’s just our ego that keeps us from playing a Ladies flex or A flex or Senior flex or however each manufacturer labels that profile.
So what’s the solution…change the label to from Senior Flex to Stiff Flex lol.
You should also know that autoflex has very strict criteria as to what the swing weight should be for each of their “flexes”. It’s usually in the D1-D2 range I believe, which is also something that helps them (and you) achieve greater swing speed. Save your money. It’s just marketing.
PS - I know two players who played this shaft and ended up taking it out of the bag. The good shots were great but the bad ones were too offline and they found it difficult to time it right every time.
The key thing about this is what he mentions about allowing the shaft to flex a little at the top. The extra flex is putting some kinetic energy into the club head, so therefore , producing a swing which uses that energy will certainly give more head speed. I’ve never understood why there is this theory that the higher the speed the stiffer the shaft. I would think you would want the shaft not to twist, but allowing it to bend would be a good thing, as shown in this video
Last shaft I heard cost that much had Marilyn Manson attached
For me this would have to be something you buy much later in your progression. I’m a beginner and it’s just not worth the price tag. I’ve spent that much on my whole bag and I’m driving 300 yards with a used Taylor made from second hand store. But if you have the money, spend it… that’s what it’s there for
Good morning James! Chicks dig the long bomb so 💣 s away!