We demand a lot from our iron play.
They are the clubs we are most likely to use in a round to navigate approach shots, tee shots on par threes, and maybe even tee shots on par fours.
We want control of the trajectory and shot shape. We also want consistency in distance gapping and dispersion.
It’s easy to understand how improvements can be made if we employ the latest technology, but we don’t often think about how important the right shaft being fitted to our irons can help tick all the boxes.
Iron shafts are still predominantly steel, even, and with steel, it’s hard to think about technology that can be employed to improve steel.
There are companies out there that are pushing the boundaries of steel technology, pushing the envelope of performance for golfers of every level of playing ability.
One such firm is Nippon.
Nippon has carved out a space in the market for players who understand that playing a shaft that improves feel can help them become better iron players.
Before we go further, let’s clarify one key point.
When we talk about feel, we are referring to how the shaft loads and releases during the swing and how that affects impact.
If you are looking for more out of your iron game as we head into the important summer months, a shaft change, or investing in a new set of irons with Nippon shafts fitted could be the answer, and we’ll help you understand why that might be the case by looking at the following areas:
● What Actually Matters: The Key Components of Steel Shafts
● Who Are Nippon Shafts?
● Introducing the Nippon Shafts Range at Nine By Nine Golf
● How Nippon Shafts Are Winning Favour with Golfers
What Actually Matters: The Key Components of Steel Shafts
When it comes to steel, we tend to make our decisions based on flex and weight.
Stiffer shafts can help to tighten shot dispersion, which we’ve already identified as a key component to better iron play.
Stiffer shafts can also help manage trajectory more effectively, again, another useful trait if you play on a lot of exposed golf courses and want to stay clear of ballooning trajectories that can stall in the wind.
Stiffer shafts can offer more stability, which is good news for players with faster swing speeds or more aggressive transitions, who are looking to maximise clubhead control.
The improved stability of a stiffer shaft can sometimes be mistaken for extra weight, and this is where problems can creep in for some golfers.
If you are a player who struggles to generate clubhead speed, a stiffer shaft will not load or unload properly during the swing, and the feel at impact will seem a little dead.
Regular shafts are softer and offer more kick, which helps get the ball launching better.
They feel light during the swing because they tend to be more active in how it loads and unloads.
You can struggle sometimes to get consistent clubface control with regular shafts if your swing does generate sufficient clubhead speed. The shaft feels overpowered during the swing, leading to a more closed clubface and shots missing left (if you’re a right-handed player).
More manufacturers are offering different weights to their steel shaft options. Choice is good, but if you’re choosing between two sets of irons at your local retailer, and the only difference is the shaft weight, how are you going to know which one will be better for your game?
The only way to really know which weight of shaft is best suited for your game is through custom-fitting.
Why we see Nippon becoming such a major factor during fittings in part comes down to the fact that they have the choice of weight and flex, but golfers consistently talk about how good the Nippon shaft feels when they try it.
That feel is a combination of how Nippon engineers its shafts to load and unload during the swing, and how it helps return the clubface at impact.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the Nippon construction process.
Who Are Nippon Shafts?
Nippon golf shafts were born out of the Japanese firm NHK Spring Co. Ltd., which produced alloy springs for the automotive industry.
The breakthrough direction for the fledgling golf company was to treat the golf shaft like a spring, a device that loads, stores, and releases energy.
This idea has been the foundation of Nippon Shaft’s philosophy on golf shaft production, and what separates it from its peer group.
The design cues you can witness in Nippon Shafts start with the weight.
Nippon identified that graphite shafts had become popular in drivers and fairway woods because of their lighter weight, but that graphite had not converted into irons as successfully.
Nippon used proprietary materials that were lighter than standard steel, helping to create a lightweight shaft that came in under the 100-gram barrier. Lightweight isn’t the only advantage Nippon gained from its proprietary mix; the shafts are durable and will stand up to the demands of hitting thousands of shots.
To create consistency, Nippon engineered shaft weights to be identical, so the four-iron shaft weight is the same as the nine-iron. Something that many other producers were slow to pick up on. But the effect of having a consistent weight helps to build the same feel through each club.
Nippon Shafts also feature variable wall thickness in each section of the shaft. The handle end has thicker walls for structural stability, the mid-section has thinner walls to promote smoother loading, and the tip section features thicker walls to promote increased stability for a more consistent delivery of the clubface.
Nippon takes into account that players with faster swing speeds will place different demands on the shaft compared to slower swing speeds, and tailors for these changes by altering the thickness of each section to provide more or less stability.
Regardless of the shaft profile, Nippon has concentrated on creating a consistent feel and loading pattern through its shafts that transcends weight and flex.
Introducing the Nippon Shafts Range at Nine By Nine Golf
At Nine By Nine Golf, we offer Nippon shafts because we believe they are a high-performing product. Having shafts available for golfers to try is one part of the equation; the other is helping golfers understand why a Nippon shaft may be worth testing in the first place.
In fitting sessions, we have found that there are two standout shaft ranges from Nippon, which cover the widest range of golfers and can be tailored specifically to each player’s requirements.
Modus³ Series
The Modus³ range is performance-focused, designed to help dial in shot dispersion, control trajectory, and support players who want to shape shots more regularly.
Modus³ is a good starting point during fittings because of the choice of different weights we have access to, ranging from 103 grams (Modus³ Tour105 regular flex) to 129 grams (Modus³ Tour130 extra-stiff), which lends itself to a wide variety of players who come for a fitting.
Its construction brings together all the key technologies that Nippon employs to create its signature feel, but the flexibility in choice makes it ideal for dialing in the all-important desired launch and spin rates for each iron in the bag based on the player profile.
N.S. Pro Series
While Modus³ can trace its design philosophy from tour players, the N.S. Pro caters to golfers who require a little more help.
The N.S. Pro Series on paper can be seen as the lightweight cousin to the Modus³, with weights coming in as low as 87 grams (N.S. Pro 850GH), but can go up to 116 grams (N.S. Pro 1150GH).
For players who struggle at the lower end of the weight range, Nippon also offers the N.S. Pro Zelos range, which brings weights down into the 70-gram range
The N.S. Pro Series becomes a good fit for players who need to optimise their spin and launch figures to increase peak height and maximise carrying distances.
What we see through the Modus³ and N.S. Pro Series shafts are a flexibility of functional choice, but understanding which shaft will ultimately suit your game comes down to custom-fitting.
How Nippon Shafts Are Winning Favour with Golfers
Good iron play is about tight shot dispersion, consistent distance gapping, and repeatable results from good and bad swings.
If you want to create a better, more consistent iron game, the custom-fitting process pinpoints the areas where you need the most improvement.
A big part of custom fitting is finding the right shaft, and where Nippon shafts can help is by introducing a key element to your game, which may have been lacking: feel.
When golfers try either a Modus³ or N.S. Pro Series shaft, they are surprised by how good the shaft feels during their swing. For many, they are starting to feel the shaft work properly in their swing, which leads to more consistent shots and growing confidence.
This is often an unexpected discovery for golfers, as Nippon shafts do not carry the same widespread recognition as Dynamic Gold, KBS Tour, or Project X.
But there lies the secret to the success of custom-fitting: numbers are important, and seeing improvements in shot dispersion, ball-striking, and creating better launch and spin rates is one part of the equation. A golfer of any level gains confidence when they feel that the club is better during their swing.
What turns out to be best for a golfer isn’t what they always think when they come in for a fitting session, and with Nippon shafts, that can be the case. Nippon’s renowned feel and lower weights work well for many golfers who make mistakes in shaft selection because they tend to err on the side of thinking they have more speed than they actually do.
So, if you feel there is more potential to unlock in your iron game, you can explore the Nippon Shafts range on the Nine By Nine Golf website. If you know exactly what you need, you can place your order through our online configurator, and our in-house technicians will prepare your Nippon Shafts to your specifications.
If you’re a little unsure of what Nippon shaft would be best for your game, book a fitting session with one of our experienced fitters, who will help you unlock what configuration will work best for you.