UST Mamiya Custom Recoil Shafts - #BestLookingGear

By: @SPYZINGER

In golf, it’s not always about performance.  Sometimes it’s cool just to have good looking gear, too.  Or better yet, the combination of the two.  For this installment of our #BestLookingGearInGolf, we took a look at the latest in beautiful custom shaft offerings from UST Mamiya.  When it comes to all things beautiful, I am the resident expert. 
 
UST Mamiya launched the Recoil Prototype iron shafts at the 2013 PGA Show in Orlando.  A project, which at the time, had been in production for two years.  UST Mamiya had then been making graphite shafts for 20 years.  Their engineers in research and development asked themselves a question:  Why do players use graphite shafts in their woods and hybrids, but not in their irons?  The answer was “ovaling.”

​Ovaling is the process by which a shaft transitions from round to oval, then back to round again through the dynamics of a golf swing. At the time, traditional graphite iron shafts didn’t oval because the layers of the shaft were too thick.  As a result, there was a loss of energy transfer or “recoil.”  UST Mamiya set out to design a graphite iron shaft that performed like a steel shaft.  If they could design a graphite iron shaft that ovaled like a steel shaft, the transfer of energy would be more efficient.  67% more efficient to be exact.  The results were a shaft that was designed with more spring effect, higher ball speed, better materials, greater distance, tighter dispersion, all with better feel.
 
A product that performs better than steel with all the playability benefits of carbon fiber.  That’s Recoil iron shafts.

When UST Mamiya launched Recoil 5 years ago, they took a conservative approach in their finish selection.  The iridium or chromed finish they chose for their prototypes looked nearly identical to steel shafts.  From the tee box, or on a fairway, your playing partners would have no idea you were playing a graphite shaft.  This, no doubt was a marketing tool to dampen the preconceived notions players had about traditional graphite iron shafts.  The original recoils hid in plain sight.
 
Five years post-launch, Recoil is the #1 graphite iron shaft in golf.

The golf equipment landscape has evolved over the past five years.  There has been a movement into customization for the average golfer.  For years, golf manufacturers have been providing players on golf’s professional tours with equipment that is not available to consumers.  From one off prototypes, individual stamping, custom paint-fil, you name it, touring professionals have been getting things personalized for many years.  Behind the scenes access through social media platforms from both golf manufacturers and touring professionals have exploited these special pieces.  Some of which are analogous to forms of modern art.  Now, the common muni chop with an Instagram account wants his day in the customized world too.
 
The Recoil Custom Shafts are the next evolution in the Recoil line-up from UST Mamiya.  If you follow the UST Mamiya social media platforms, you have seen the depth of their custom work for special giveaways and auctions.  They’ve often been paired with wedges from Callaway Golf’s Anthony Taranto.  UST Mamiya recently launched the availability of custom colors to the average consumer through their network of TSPX dealers.

The matte black shafts with the contrasting gold colorway is absolutely stunning in person.  With many of the manufacturers offering variations of black iron finishes, these would combine to make an amazing combination that not only looks good, but performs.  Without reservation, these are without a doubt the best looking iron shafts in golf.  

The Recoil Custom Shafts are only available in the Recoil Prototype 95, 110, 125, as well as the Recoil Wedge Proto’s.  All of the custom work is done in-house at UST Mamiya headquarters in Fort Worth, TX.  The average turnaround time is about 7-10 days.  To start, UST Mamiya will be offering them in 10 color options on either gloss or matte black shafts.  The custom shafts will retail for $120/each.