Nippon 950GH Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight
Are you looking to make the switch from graphite shafts to steel shafts in your irons?
Are you worried that the transition may be too drastic? If so, then the Nippon 950GH iron shafts should be on your radar.
First and foremost, the Nippon 950GH shafts are advertised to be lightweight. And after testing them for ourselves, we can tell you that this is true.
That’s part of what makes them a good steel alternative to graphite shafts. But there is more that you need to know about this shaft if you are really considering buying it.
So read the following Nippon 950GH review to get the information you need to make the best decision for your game.
Nippon 950GH Shaft Overview
So you might be wondering, ‘just how light are these shafts?’ We’ll get into spec details in a minute but for now, know that the lightest entry in the Nippon 950GH lineup is 94.5 grams.
Now, you may be saying to yourself ‘that’s not as light as my graphite shafts.’ And you’re right. Some graphite iron shafts are 55 grams.
But we’re willing to bet that if you’re gaming 55g graphite shafts, you’re not in the market for steel shafts.
The fact is that the Nippon 950GH shafts are more in-line with what the average golfer is used to in terms of weight.
As such, they would probably suit a wide array of players. The Nippon 950GH has a classic steel shaft design. The polished chrome finish looks clean.
This is a stepped shaft with very little lettering so there isn’t much to get distracted by.
Another thing you should know is that these are low-torque shafts. More importantly though, they don’t feel like low-torque shafts.
The transition is very smooth and you get a very subtle kick near the tip. You can feel the flex of the shaft; but it is very ordered and produces great energy transfer.
The shaft remains very stable thanks to the low-torque. We’re not sure how Nippon did it, but they produced a lightweight steel shaft that flexes perfectly and remains accurate.
Why is the Nippon 950GH So Popular?
We have to imagine that the Nippon 950GH is a popular choice among defectors from graphite to steel shafts.
This is one of the best options out there for such players because the flex and transition is about as graphite-like as you’re going to get from a steel shaft.
How Does the Nippon 950GH Perform?
The Nippon 950GH will help any golfer who struggles to get air under their balls.
This shaft naturally wants to pop high and land steep. In fact, the descent angles we were getting from this shaft were some of the steepest we have seen all season.
It is very easy to get high launch out of these shafts. Just be careful: keeping the ball out of the high wind may be an issue for some.
The shot dispersion was good too – not the tightest we have seen but still very accurate.
What surprised us though, was the fact that our better testers were able to work the ball considerably with this shaft.
At times, the ball flight and control that this shaft produced reminded us of some of the better steel shafts we have tested.
And at other times, the easy swinging and light weight reminded us of some of our favorite graphite shafts.
So the Nippon 950GH is sort of the best of both worlds. Distance was the only thing that was somewhat lacking.
We were averaging 148.9 yards with the 7-iron after three swings apiece. Not terrible; but certainly nothing to write home about.
It should be noted though that the shortest distances came from our strongest swingers who actually lost carry distance because of the high trajectory. This simply may not be a problem for some.
Nippon 950GH Shaft Specs
| Specs | Nippon 950GH |
| Available flexes | Regular, stiff-regular, stiff, extra stiff |
| Weight | 94.5g, 97g, 98g, 104g |
| Butt | .610” |
| Tip | .355” |
| Length | 35”-39.5” |
What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?
Regular and stiff-regular would be good for 80-90 MPH swingers.
Stiff and extra stiff are for 91+ MPH swingers.
What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?
The 94.5 and 97-gram versions would likely suit 80-85 MPH swingers.
Players in the 85-95 ballpark should try the 98g or 104g versions.
Why is it So Good?
The Nippon 950GH is a great combination of accuracy and playability.
Even if you have never gamed a steel iron shaft before, you should have no trouble getting the hang of this shaft.
Nippon 950GH First Impressions
Our first impression was that the Nippon 950GH launched high with very little effort.
This allowed us to attack the pin aggressively with our long irons.
Key Features & Performance
The Nippon 950GH utilizes an “NSGSD665V” steel alloy that makes for a lighter weight steel shaft.
This is indeed a light shaft that is very easy to swing.
Nippon 950GH Irons Review
The Nippon 950GH enabled our better testers to land the green without pulling out their scoring irons.
We are also tempted to say that these are point-and-shoot shafts; but we’ll stop short of that.
Nippon 950GH Wedges Review
High launch is maintained in the wedges.
You get really good stopping power even if you’re an intermediate player.
Nippon 950GH Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Active near the tip
- Fluid transition
- Lightweight
- Easy to swing
- Effortless launch
- Good for players transitioning from graphite to steel
Cons:
- The distance isn’t amazing
- Not good for players who prefer a flatter trajectory
Overall Score: 97/100
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Who Should Buy it?
The obvious answer is, anyone who wants to shift from graphite to steel shafts and make the transition as painless as possible.
But getting more specific, the Nippon 950GH would be good for players who also aren’t chiefly concerned with distance.
These are also great shafts for aggressively attacking the green on long par 4’s and 5’s.
Aidan is a low-handicap golfer who came from over 110 to breaking 80 in less than 1 year.
Aidan has become obsessed with becoming a scratch golfer and plays golf on every possible occasion, even in the snow!
