Overview/Technology-
47% off Nippon N.S. Pro 900XH 5 Iron R Flex
Nippon shafts for irons have been around a long time. With that length of time comes accumulated knowledge of how a shaft should perform. They know shafts, because they’ve been in the trenches coming up with new technology and offering to the golfing public.
I was browsing their website recently and came across this on their home page which I whole heartedly agree:
“The shaft is one of the most important yet most overlooked elements of golf equipment. The fact is,the proper shaft can make a major difference in club performance and in your enjoyment of the game of golf.”
That said, Nippon is without a doubt a leader in the golf shaft market, especially the iron shafts. Nippon shafts come standard in many of the top golf club manufacturers including Cleveland, Mizuno, Nike, Ping, and Srixon. That says a lot for the trust factor of Nippon.
Nippon offers many models and we will delve deeper into each of their models individually in later reviews.
Check price and availability here – Nippon N.S. Pro 900XH 7 Iron R Flex
The Nippon Models-
Nippon 750GH- The Lightest of the Nippon steel shafts, designed for a stable, fluid swing.
Nippon 850GH- Rapidly growing in popularity, pegged as “attacking” shaft. Still an ultra-lightweight model that features an easy contact thanks to their light weight and consistent directionality.
Nippon 950GH- Nippon’s top-selling model and probably the favorite among golfers of most all levels looking to take their game to the next level.
Nippon 1050GH- A heavier model made for golfers that like to hit hard.
Nippon 1150GH Tour- Another shaft made for golfers that hit hard. The 1150GH TOUR Steel shaft for irons (Semi-lightweight type) the semi-lightweight steel shaft.
Nippon 950 GH WF- The long irons combine easy-swinging light weight with easy contact — plus the kind of distance you have to experience to believe. Short irons provide a slightly heavier feel for stability.
Nippon V90- Inherits likened performance of the 950GH but while further reducing weight to 90 grams and using a lower center of gravity.
Check price and availability here – Nippon N.S. Pro 1100
Actual Feedback-
“Nippon 990 Uniflex in my irons and they are the best steel shafts I’ve used”
Pros/Positives-
Nippon is certainly one of the top steel shaft makers around and it shows. They have a loyal following that swear this is the best steel shaft available.
Cons/Negatives-
Probably not as well known as Rifle and True Temper due to it’s basically an Asian shaft, but nevertheless retain a large market.
Overall Rating-
I would confirm Nippon are among the best, if not the best iron shafts available today. They provide a wide variety of options/models and have a strong following. I recently did a Poll on the favorite steel shaft and Nippon came in a close second to Rifle ahead of True Temper!
After playing several types of Nippon shafts, I will never go back to Dynamic Gold shafts. Nippons are just as accurate and have a much more lively feel. They do not give more distance, but the feel is more noticeable. The tour pros seldom use Nippons – or at least do not admit it. But a large number of LPGA players use Nippons, and their swing speeds are closer to the average male recreational player. A cheap way to see if you like Nippon shafts is to buy a used set of Cobra FP or S9 irons. Cobra has used Nippons for several years, and the design of the heads is compatible with the weight of the Nippons. (Note: Cobra builds their irons with a very upright lie, so you may want to have a fitter check your fit. I had to have a set of FPs made flatter by 4 degrees!)
That’s an excellent point Tim – Rifle and True Temper dominate the PGA tour. The LPGA tour on the other hand is filled with Nippon users. The one that immediately comes to mind is the Japanese Ai Miyazato. Karrie Webb does, or at least used to use Nippon as well.
I currently play X-100s… but my last set of clubs had Nippon 1150 GH Tours. I love my new clubs, but I definitely miss the Nippons. They seem to feel much better through impact. I am seriously thinking of reshafting my new clubs with a set of Nippons.
Your comment about the Nippon 850 GH shaft is spot on. Being a lefty I had to do it the hard way…….Bought a couple of ex-demo 6 iron heads and tried just about every worthwhile shaft. Nothing came close to the Nippon 850s in either steel or graphite. Having said that, I’m well into my senior years – I opted for the regular flex – swingweight DO – 5 iron swing speed is around the 70mph mark – my 150 yard club is the 6 iron. The Nippon Pro 850 GH Shafts were by far the smoothest, most consistent shaft of all the shafts I tried.
Ray Holland
I have a set if Mizuno MP57’s with Dynaminc Gold S300’s and have been toying with the idea of swapping out my shafts . I was thinking of KBS regular flex .
Now I have to /must consider the Nippon shaft . I am a 9 handicap and my 150 club is 6 irin sometimes 7 .
Any suggestions
I have read the other reviews. I also absolutely love the Nippon 1150 GH Pro Tour shafts. I used the Dynamic Gold S300 for several years in different sets of irons. As I got physically older, I started to tire before the end of the round. I still hit pretty hard (my 6 iron is 170 to 175 yards). Some of my friends suggested lighter weight shafts. I demo’d several different shafts and found that I couldn’t go too light, because the shafts didn’t engage my large muscles. I tried the 1150’s and found the best shaft that I have ever used. This shaft is “buttery” smooth. It transfers all of the information and feel needed even when it is hit hard. I changed my wedges to the Nippon WV 115’s. The tips are lively without losing any accuracy. The drop of the 15 grams in the static weight of my clubs made a large difference in my stamina. I definitely reccommend the Nippon shafts!
Grant Maas
I would shoot within the mid-low 80’s on a regular basis. We have tried both Titleist and Callaway clubs for upwards of a decade. I continue forward and backward. Well, last fall I switched to Callaway again because my handicap wasn’t going down.