As I have mentioned in a few posts lately, I have built a few clubs lately and working towards building a set of irons. Among those that I built was a set of KZG woods, driver thru 7, their original maraging face design. (Was on clearance from GolfQuip). I have always loved those woods. I built 2 of the fwy woods with the TT Extra Lite -- a discontinued shaft from True Temper that I love and unfortunately I only had 2 of. The third fwy wood I put in the TX-90 and the driver has a graphite Fujikura Snake Eyes shaft.
So... yesterday I drove and pulled a ball into the rough and it lay about a foot short of the base of a tree. Not much room for follow through.... fine I thought. Been here before many times, never had a problem. It was a par 5, a long way to go to the green. So I took out my 5 wood - I thought if I don't have much follow through, a wood will be my best bet to get some mass behind it and punch it out. I have done that more times than I can count. I was going to use my 3 wood. Now I wish I did! I took my swing, hit the ball beautifully, apparently followed through more than I wanted and hit the tree. I felt fine so I didn't think anything of it... until I looked at my brand new fwy wood. I sheared the shaft right in half with that swing, apart from a small bend mark in the metal that was keeping it together for the moment. I looked inside, not a spec of rust or anything indicating that while it sat in my garage unused for 2 or 3 years that it had weakened. DAMN! I loved that shaft. (I wished I had sheared the TX-90 -- it's too firm for me and would have given me the perfect excuse to try another without tipping it as much.)
I could not believe that I bent the shaft let alone sheared it. I have followed through and hit trees in the past and usually "I" feel the impact not the shaft and the club is unscathed. I haven't so much as dented a shaft doing that in the past.... !!! The walls of this extra lite appear *very* thin which I'm sure is the reason why it didn't take much to bend. Since a tree was involved I doubt there is any recourse for me with True Temper... even though the shaft is brand new in the sense of it not being used (even though I bought it 2 or 3 years ago).
Oh well... maybe I can put the TX90 in the 5 wood and find something else for the 3 wood now!
Jen
PS - I've decided to make a set from Tom W's components. The 550c - ZT shaft combo is sweet.... expensive but I've never hit anything that felt so pure in my life! Can't wait to to that! : )
