Are Custom Shafts Overrated?

Folks

I'm watching the UBS HK Open and cannot help but notice that
- Michael Campbell is using the r11s with stock shaft (based on graphics on shaft)
- Fedrik Andersson Hed is using RBZ wood with stock shaft (based on graphics on shaft)

Makes me wonder the above question
Or could it be stock shafts are getting better?

I read in some US golf forums that TM may give their staff player TM clubs with after market shafts but they will change the shaft graphics to look more like TM. Hence you see some eBay seller claiming the shafts is 'tour issued' and the 'real deal' despite having TM graphics.

But Campbell and Hed are not TM staff players, so they use whatever TM club they like...
And there was a story about Phil Mickelson using the RBZ wood recently but he sprayed it matte black!!

Anyway, looks like Jimenez is running away with the title!

Mickelson in BSO recently was using a old titleist 3 wood. Not sure is it stock, but I assume most players using TM would be the TP series, the tp series suppose to be using better quality of shafts. whether is it the aftermkt shafts which is spray to the requirement of the TM not so sure.

pocketace wrote:

Folks

I'm watching the UBS HK Open and cannot help but notice that
- Michael Campbell is using the r11s with stock shaft (based on graphics on shaft)
- Fedrik Andersson Hed is using RBZ wood with stock shaft (based on graphics on shaft)

Makes me wonder the above question
Or could it be stock shafts are getting better?

I read in some US golf forums that TM may give their staff player TM clubs with after market shafts but they will change the shaft graphics to look more like TM. Hence you see some eBay seller claiming the shafts is 'tour issued' and the 'real deal' despite having TM graphics.

But Campbell and Hed are not TM staff players, so they use whatever TM club they like...
And there was a story about Phil Mickelson using the RBZ wood recently but he sprayed it matte black!!

Anyway, looks like Jimenez is running away with the title!

There is nothing stock on these guys' shafts. You said it yourself, they are the real deal painted in TM's R11s and RBZ graphics to look like they are stock.

I got some of these shafts from a buddy working in tour vans also from the rep of the manufacturers themselves, and I can assure you they are indeed the real deal in TM's graphics. It doesn't matter if they are TM staffers or not, they will still give them TM graphic shafts unless the player has his/her own preference.

However, some of TM's custom offerings (such as their TP lines) use the real deal shaft. Especially ones you have to custom order. I got a customer with one RBZ fairway and an RBZ hybrid custom ordered from Cathay the other day. When I removed the grip, there are Matrix's labels indicating what shaft they really are. And yes, they are the real deal.

But some customers come with off-the-rack RBZs and their shafts are what we call the made-for shaft.

Bottom line is, you gotta know what you are getting and your sources. And no, custom shafts are definitely NOT overrated. Especially if you know what they give you as standard shaft.