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Bought a set of Callaway X-18, 1* upright, Rifle 5.5 shaft.

Love em, except they feel a bit stiff, 8 iron 150yds

Set I played before these were X-12 graphite shafted with RCH firm flex.

I am wondering if anyone knows specs on SwingSpeed ranges for the shafts mentioned above.
Thinking I should have gone with Rifle 5.0 but still remember the soft feel in the graphite firm flex I had.

More stuff.. normally hit a lower ball flight than others I play with, even if they hit my own irons.. low irons always on line drive flight UNLESS on a par 3 where I can tee it up.
maybe its the hardpan we play on here in Central Alabama local courses. I hit the ball higher around the gulf where you can actually take a divot.

anyway.. any ideas?? are appreciated.. If you like the clubs but not the feel, would you trade or reshaft? I have done a few club building projects and think I could pull it off but I dont know the specs on the firm flex Callaway uses in the graphite plus I hear of a special taper Callways uses in the hosels.

If I went with graphite, any thoughts to match the Firm flex they use in stock shafts and how to do it ?

Thanks..

Rifle 5.5 are about a True Temper R400 equivalent in terms of flex. If you are hitting your 8 iron 150 you are doing well. The question you have to ask yourself is how far are you hitting the 3 iron. I hit my 8 iron about the same and I'm satisfied with that.

Graphite shafts are great for distance but not too great for accuracy especially with the irons. I would stick with the steel because it sounds like you are hitting them just fine. Rifle shafts are known for their hard feel. I used to have a set of 6.0's on some blades and they were good shafts but I noticed a real difference when I replaced them with R400 True Tempers much less of a hard feel. Stick with them for a few rounds and see if you get used to the change from graphite. If not you would be as well trading them in for a set with a stiff graphite shaft.

This is another topic dealing on a certain level with the obsession with length. Theres no point being able to hit your Wedge 140 yards if you play a course where you regularly leave yourself 100 yards out. In an ideal world you would set your clubs up with the gap wedge at 100 the wedge at 120 the 9 at 130 and so on, right up to a 3 at about 210 with the bigger gaps being between the long irons.

Too many guys out there hear about Tiger Woods etc hitting 8 irons 185 or more but remember these guys are whipping it out there at clubhead speeds of 120+ and every piece of their kit is tailored to them including the ball.

Give the steel a chance remember you might have to hit the ball a little harder with steel shafts than with graphite. If you struggle for height try using a lighter shaft (True Temper TX-90 are a really good superlight steel shaft) but you might just be a low hitter of the ball. Its not a bad thing, especially in the wind. Dont go to lengths to change it unless its affecting your scoring.

D.

Appreciate the responses.
For now I am stuck to hitting what I have

I will likely either trade or reshaft in the future.
I know I will never like the feel of these shafts 5.5 rifles.
In the cally X-18 I am hitting with D5 Sw.. they are too stiff.
I have hit the 5.5 before in other irons and they were not too stiff.
makes me wonder if they are really 5.5 or just 5.5 labels that cally put on them.....
I cant stand the flex in these even though I just got back from shooting a 76 on my home course.. but thats no biggie when its driver 8 iron at most off the tees, often driver SW... but its golf........and I love it

I would like to just be able to go to a demo fitting one day.. hit several name brands and get fitted with what I like best.

There is always that idea of a perfect head shaft combo out there that keeps us looking I guess... I just know the rifle 5.5 in cally x-18 head isnt it for me. I read on another forum, that rifles in cally with bore thru hosel play stiff than labels.. not sure if this is true...

Thanks again

Mike

Mizunoman, Would the bore thru design of the Callaway head make the shaft play to a stiffer flex?

I have a new set of X-18 Pro series irons. I ordered them with TT X100 shafts. They feel very very stiff and extremely heavy.They dont feel like the clubs I tested at the Pro shop. I am reshafting them with TX-90. I hope this fixes them