One of those golf phrases or comments that is almost always positive is hitting something on a rope.  That generally has to do with a very straight, laser like shot that has a very strong trajectory.  This is what I found with the Adams Pro Black Hybrid and new Matrix Radix hybrid shaft.



Since this shaft is so new, there wasn’t a lot of information about it on the Matrix website so I wasn’t sure about the proper tipping for a 20* hybrid with my swing speed.  So I sent a message off to Frank Viola of Ace of Clubs.  He got back to me very quickly with the short and sweet answer of the exact amount to tip the shaft.  Like any time I’ve ever contacted him in the past, his information was spot on.  I would highly recommend contacting him about any club work that you need done.  If you are not a club builder yourself, send it off to him with confidence the build will be perfect.


After cutting the shaft and getting it all ready to go, I stuck it in an Adams Idea Pro Black 20*.  The blue color of this shaft in contrast to the black head is stunning.  The blue is different than any other blue on the market.  It is much lighter and brighter than most others.  Matrix also has a variety of graphics on the shaft in white with just a little red on the word Radix.  This shaft is really a looker.  I was also able to pull the original Adams grip off the stock shaft and put it on the Radix.  I have been playing an Adams Idea Pro Gold 20* hybrid with a Matrix Altus shaft and nothing has been able to kick it out of the bag, until now.  The problem I would sometime have with the Altus was too high of launch and the wind would knock it down or off line.  The Radix on the other hand just hit on a rope.  It is a much lower flight and a much stronger flight.  It also seemed to have lower spin, because I hit a few runners up some hard fairways 30 yards longer than my other combo.  But yet off the tee, I have still been able to stop the ball on long par 3’s right on the green, as I need to.The weight of the Radix is comparable to the Altus, both are in that 90gram hybrid range, while the Radix is just a couple grams heavier.  It helps keep the club on plane and really steadies out some inconsistencies in my swing compared to the lighter weight hybrid shafts.  The feel is pure Matrix, with just a little less hinge feeling.  I think it is just the right combination of smooth yet firm.   The shaft played perfect to flex, again making sure it is tipped properly will help with that.  The HD technology that they added to the Radix line really makes for a consistent flex feeling and a tight, flat ball flight.

While the rope trajectory is perfect for my needs, some might need more elevation with their hybrid so the Altus might be a better fit.  But if you want to flatten your flight and tighten things up a bit, the Radix will hit shots on a rope all day long.

For more information: http://matrixshafts.com/en/00Home/index.php
Or
Frank at Ace of Clubs: http://www.aceofclubstp.com/