Reader Review #1
Name: Brent Smith
Handicap: +1.7
Current Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max 19*
Previous Hybrid Shaft: KBS Tour Proto 95X
How does the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft feel: Very stable and smooth
Have you gained distance with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: Yes, 8 yards
Have you improved your accuracy with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: Yes, tighter dispersion both right to left and front to back.
Has your ball flight changed with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: Yes, flatter with more direction and less curve.
Additional notes: Finally a hybrid shaft that allows me to play the hybrid more like a long iron and not like a fairway wood. Very impressed with the shaft both on Trackman comparison and also on course performance.
Will the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft be your new gamer: Yes, definitely.
Reader Review #2
Name: Tim Buma
Handicap: 4.3
Current Hybrid: Titleist TS3 19*
Previous Hybrid Shaft: Graphite Design AD-DI 95X
How does the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft feel: Compared to my gamer this shaft feels a little more stout and tip stiff. Definitely can be as aggressive as you’d like with the Nippon and never seemed like you’d overpower the shaft.
Have you gained distance with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: I wouldn’t say I gained any distance with this shaft. I did see very consistent results.
Have you improved your accuracy with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: This shaft is very predictable and I’d say my accuracy has slightly increase with this shaft compared to my gamer.
Has your ball flight changed with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: My ball flight with this shaft is noticeably lower and slightly more fade biased.
Additional notes: If anyone fights a hook and hits their hybrid too high this is definitely a shaft to try. I struggled with getting it elevated and to turn it over.
Will the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft be your new gamer: After going back and forth with my gamer, I’ve decided to keep my ADDI in my hybrid. I struggle with height and the ADDI hits that window I like to see. Just for me the Nippon was a little too low and I struggled to be able to work it both ways. But if someone needs to lower their height and hates seeing their hybrids draw/hook this is definitely a must try
Reader Review #3
Name: Colin O’Neil
Handicap: 7
Current Hybrid: TaylorMade M3, 19 degrees
Previous Hybrid Shaft: Aldila NV 2KXV Green 85X
How does the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft feel: Impact feels very solid. The sound it produces is a much duller “thwack” compared to the all graphite shaft. I don’t think I can feel the head throughout the swing quite as well compared to my Aldila shaft; however, there’s more of a sense of connection from the hands to the ball at impact with the Nippon. It’s a very satisfying feeling at impact. The Nippon shaft is around 14 grams heavier than my gamer so it took a bit of adjustment in terms of tempo and shaft loading. After several rounds and range sessions, I figured out how to swing it. I think the extra weight forces me to smooth out my tempo.
Have you gained distance with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: Yes, mainly due to lower spin and flatter flight, producing a bit more carry and roll-out.
Have you improved your accuracy with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: About the same. I did notice that if I got tired, the heavier Nippon shaft took more focus to swing well.
Has your ball flight changed with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: Yes, the Nippon shaft definitely knocked off spin and flattened the ball flight. It launches slightly lower too. I found thin shots low on the face did not spin up as much with the Nippon as opposed to the Aldila, which helped maintain distance if it was a smaller miss, but made it less forgiving if I caught it very low on the face.
Additional notes: I play Nippon Modus Tour 125X ss1 in my irons so I am familiar with this shaft profile and a heavier weighted shaft.
Will the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft be your new gamer: Undecided. It took me a few rounds to get used to the weight and figure out how to load the shaft properly. Now that i can hit it fairly consistently, I see this as more of a weapon off the tee as opposed to a green stopper from off the deck. I may swap it out depending on the course. If I expect to hit a lot of tee shots with the hybrid or if it’s windy, I will go with the Nippon. If I expect to need to elevate the ball and have it stop quicker, I will go with the Aldila. I will continue to play with the NIppon and see if I improve with it even more. I am also flirting with the idea of putting it into my driving iron as I think it would complement that head very well.
Reader Review #4
Name: Bob Shirck
Handicap: 7.3
Current Hybrid: PNIG G30
Previous Hybrid Shaft: Alta S Flex 70
How does the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft feel: Very solid, stiff, and heavy. Changing from a 70 to 90 gram shaft was important in my case. It took a while on the driving range for me to adjust. Then it was so different from my irons (Ping i500 with XP95 shafts) that going back and forth was a big change.
Have you gained distance with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: No and yes. A very good strike made for good distance, but off-center hits not as good as with a lighter shaft.
Have you improved your accuracy with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: No.
Has your ball flight changed with the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft: On the driving range, yes. But for a round of golf with non-perfect lies, it was more difficult to get a desirable result. Perhaps not the club, but me with such differently weighted irons and driver.
Will the Nippon Modus Hybrid shaft be your new gamer: No, I prefer the G410 #2 hybrid with the Alta graphite shaft. The difference is shaft weight is important to me. When playing, I’m really conscious of the weight change. Shaft weight is more in line with my other clubs. My misses are better. Also, the #2 hybrid is used in place of a 3- or 5-wood. It’s used to go as far as I can, not stop on a green.
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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