Equipment

Matrix Velox shafts optimize speed through curvature

Published

13 years ago

Oct 9, 2013

Matrix’s new line of Velox shafts are designed to help golfers maximize clubhead speed, regardless of what type of driver setup they play.

In the past, better golfers gravitated toward drivers built to shorter lengths, which offered them more control and consistency than longer clubs. But the creation of larger, more forgiving club heads has led to the use of longer clubs by many golfers, as the wider arc that longer clubs create during the swing can help them generate additional club head speed and thus more distance.

Wider swing arcs have another possible benefit as well. They can help golfers improve their swing path, because wider arcs increase the chance that a golfer will swing the club on an in-to-out path, as well as with an upward angle of attack; a key ingredient to maximizing distance off the tee.

One of the problems with longer-length drivers, however, is that their extended length moves the balance point of the club closer to the club head. That issue is exacerbated by the fact that today’s adjustable driver heads are heavier than past models, tipping the balance point even farther toward the head. The movement of the balance point toward the head is called an increased “swing weight,” which makes the club feel heavier to a golfer.

For golfers who wish to take advantage of longer-length drivers but want to maintain a traditional swing weight, Matrix designed the Velox Sp shafts. The Sp shafts are counterbalanced, which means they have more weight in the butt section of the shaft to balance out the extra length, extra head weight, or both.

The Velox shafts, which also come in a non-counterbalanced St model, were created with much more than proper weight distribution in mind, however.

Tom DeShiell, director of research and development at Matrix Shafts, said his team designed the Velox shafts to help golfers maximize the amount of energy they could transfer into the ball. They did so with deformation of energy (DE) analysis, a study of the curvature of a shaft during the swing and how it affects energy transfer.

“We wanted to optimize that curvature for golfers with different swing speeds,” DeShiell said.

Instead of the traditional R, S and X flexes, the Velox Sp and St shafts are categorized with numbers that relate to a golfer’s swing speed: 85, 95, 105 and 115. The 85 model will work best for golfers with a swing speed around 85 mph, the 95 will work best for golfers with a swing speed around 95 mph, and so on.

“Every different player has a different response to a shaft,” DeShiell said. “So, that’s where we tried to just concentrate on their swing speed.”

According to DeShiell, all golf shafts have a decrease in stiffness from the butt section to the tip section. But the rate at which that stiffness changes has to vary for golfers to get the most energy transfer from a shaft. For that reason, the Velox shafts for golfers with slower swing speeds have a rate of stiffness that decreases more rapidly, while the models for golfers with faster swing speeds decrease in stiffness more slowly.

The Velox shafts are currently being tested on the PGA Tour, and will be available at retail on Nov. 1. The Sp shafts (offered in weights of 50, 60, 70 and 80 grams) will retail for $275, while the St shafts (offered in weights of 60, 70 and 80 grams) will sell for $375.

Related Topics:Matrix shafts

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18 Comments

Stan

Jan 6, 2015 at 9:31 pm

Does anyone have any know what the rated swing speed for volex t49 is?
My swing speed for a driver is 88, will the volex 49 match up for me?

Reply Report comment
hoganman1

Apr 28, 2014 at 6:48 pm

I didn’t see any info about the Matrix Velox T 49. I know it weighs about 50 grams, but is it a high launch shaft? I’ve been using the Aldila NVS 55R. How does the T 49 compare with the NVS?

Reply Report comment
Joe Golfer

Oct 14, 2013 at 1:22 am

The swing speed idea sounds like a good one.
Every company has a different idea of what an R flex is or an S flex is, and torque also plays a factor in how stiff a shaft feels.
One company’s S flex actually feels like an S flex, while another company’s S flex may feel more like an R flex.
That said, I agree with most of those who posted: $275 is too much to pay for a golf shaft. Even if the company has to pay for R&D, employee salaries, healthcare for employees, advertising, etc…, it is still way too expensive. It wasn’t that long ago that shafts cost way way less than that, and companies still had the same expenses as they do now. It just caters to those who think they have to have the very best, latest and greatest thing, and those people who equate cost with quality of fit to their game.

Reply Report comment
Don jan

Oct 10, 2013 at 2:24 pm

Graphite shafts only cost 5.00 / 8.00 to produce per shaft, yes it’s a rip, thank you

Reply Report comment
- Anser
  
  Oct 10, 2013 at 2:43 pm
  
  Don,
  
  Do you know per shaft cost?
  
  Do you have any idea how things like R&D, advertising, shipping, health insurance, and countless many other things all go into the cost?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Xreb
    
    Oct 11, 2013 at 2:56 pm
    
    Are you saying these costs don’t apply to a high end electronic item which ends up costing up costing than a Matrix TP6HD ? Surely you are not going to say the chip manufacturing technology involves less R&D !!
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Hacked90
      
      Oct 14, 2013 at 3:37 pm
      
      The difference is volume; and therefore, the economies of scale of the business. These shafts might sell in the thousands, whereas iPads, and many “chips” for high end electronic items sell in the multi-millions. $100k in R&D may be $10 per shaft or the equivalent of $100MM in R&D for an iPad.
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Xreb
        
        Oct 19, 2013 at 12:07 pm
        
        A well thought out response and you pretty much summed it up, which only goes to prove the case that there isn’t the dollar value worth of technology in these shafts that manufacturers claim there is. The price is simply a reflection of the low volume of sales.
        
        Reply Report comment
  - TJ
    
    Oct 14, 2013 at 1:25 pm
    
    I work for a manufacture in a different field and its not the raw material that makes the product cost a lot of money. R&D is a huge expense at least it is in my field as well as the expenses of running a profitable business.
    
    Reply Report comment
Don jan

Oct 10, 2013 at 2:23 pm

Graphite shafts only cost 5.00 / 8.00 to produce per shaft, yes a

Reply Report comment
Andy

Oct 10, 2013 at 2:34 am

Cause an iPad is so much harder to fit into a club head?

Reply Report comment
- Xreb
  
  Oct 10, 2013 at 8:28 am
  
  Good one !
  
  Reply Report comment
J

Oct 9, 2013 at 9:07 pm

Overpriced.

Reply Report comment
- Xreb
  
  Oct 10, 2013 at 1:46 am
  
  So is every shaft on the market. I would like someone to explain how any of these premium shafts cost more than an ipad ?
  
  Reply Report comment
Mark

Oct 9, 2013 at 3:29 pm

couldn’t a golfer just put in a tour lock weight in the butt to achieve a very similar result?

Reply Report comment
Bama68

Oct 9, 2013 at 11:57 am

What will the total raw shaft length be for these shafts.

Reply Report comment
Big_5_Hole

Oct 9, 2013 at 11:02 am

“Instead of the traditional R, S and X flexes, the Velox Sp and St shafts are categorized with numbers that relate to a golfer’s swing speed: 85, 95, 105 and 155.:

Is 155 supposed to read 115 or 125? Or is that last one made of re-bar and only for use as a chin-up bar?

Reply Report comment
- Zak Kozuchowski
  
  Oct 9, 2013 at 11:56 am
  
  Thanks for the catch. It has been corrected to say 115. And you’re right. If it were 155, it would be one heck of a chin-up bar.
  
  – Zak
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game.

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag.

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026.

Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly.

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo. 4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades. 5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft. Standard Length, Lie and Lofts. These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me. Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules