It is a well-known fact in golf, propounded by club fitters worldwide, that the shaft is the engine of the club.
Tour players are constantly changing out their shafts so as to enable themselves to eke out an extra 5 to 10+ yards whether it’s on their driver, hybrids, or irons.
Whereas the majority of shafts are built and designed primarily in Japan, the US and China, a new technology from, of all places, Switzerland, has found its way into some of the most technologically advanced graphite shafts available today.
The parent company of TPT–North Thin Ply Technology (NTPT)–is a serial innovator with a track record of producing performance-enhancing solutions in the high-performance sports arena. The Swiss-based company began by developing a process for producing America’s Cup yacht sails, extended its portfolio to products used in the lightweight bodywork of F1 race cars, skis and snowboards, and then moved into materials technology found in satellites and luxury composite watches.
TPT Golf has already achieved six wins on Tour with both Jason Day (Farmers Insurance Open January 29, 2018 and Wells Fargo Championship May 6, 2018) and Vijay Singh (Toshiba Classic March 11, 2018). In addition, TPT has scored victories on the Asian, European and at the World Golf Championships in 2017. Justin Rose, Ricky Barnes, Jamie Lovemark, Camilo Villegas, Jordan Spieth and Bernd Wiesberger are some of the other top golfers playing or testing the TPT shafts.
Jason Day’s TPT shaft was the Prototype 15-LKP-LT-LW. Compared to the 15-LKP-LT-LW, the Prototype shaft has slightly stiffer, slightly heavier profile that can further optimize the performance of the world’s strongest golfers. Like all TPT Golf shafts, the Prototype shaft is created using Thin-Ply Technology and the highest quality carbon fiber. Also, unlike regular shafts, TPT golf shafts do not have seams or spines! Inconsistency in shafts are a thing of the past. The result – better energy transfer, increased stability and unparalleled consistency.
According to Sebastian Sebayang, TPT’s Golf Director, “Thin-Ply Technology is the process we use to create our incredibly thin and precise carbon fiber prepreg material. We manufacture prepreg that’s as light as 15 grams per square meter, which is four-times thinner than a human hair and one-quarter the weight of a page of paper.
The Thin-Ply Winding Method is a specific, patent-pending process that allows us to position our prepreg in the exact locations and orientations necessary to create optimal performance in a golf shaft. This automated process also brings repeatability to our designs, allowing us to create identical shafts time after time”.
Thin-Ply Technology is an automated shaft manufacturing process that uses cutting-edge machinery and robotics to produce golf shafts that are optimized for every type of golfer. All the flexes are labelled by numbers from 15 through 19, with 15 being the stiffest and for swing speeds of 105-120 mph, the 16 is for swing speeds between 90-15 mph, the 17 is for swing speeds of 80-90 mph, the 18 is for swing speeds of 70-80 mph, while the 19 is for slower swing speeds, 60-70 mph.
You will definitely feel the head, your timing will improve and your spin rate will decrease substantially, using a TPT shaft. YOU MUST BE FITTED for the TPT shaft to receive optimum performance. Check TPT’s web site for the closest fitter.
Sebastian Sebayang, TPT’s Golf Director says “With a properly fit TPT Golf shaft, golfers are going to contact the sweet spot more often due to its more axially consistent design. They will also likely swing our shafts a little faster because of their optimized bend profiles. It’s this combination of more consistent impacts and our optimized bending profiles that results in significant distance gains and a tighter dispersion. In fittings around the world, TPT Golf shafts have proven to provide golfers of all abilities with additional club head speed and ball speed.”
Using ‘Thin Ply Technology’ (TPT) carbon fiber materials and a patented manufacturing process developed by its parent company, North Thin Ply Technology SARL, TPT Golf is making waves on the pro tours with several victories around the world, as this high-end shaft company is making a name for itself in the golf community.
The patent-pending manufacturing process that is used by TPT Golf enables golf shafts to be made with exceptionally accurate fiber placement in a highly uniform way around the shaft. This method creates a spineless shaft and overcomes the inconsistencies sometimes seen in shafts produced by the more-traditional table rolling methods. TPT shafts provide exceptional feel, leading to tighter shot dispersion, low spin and increased distance.
The smooth feel and consistency is readily apparent with these shafts, which are known for helping with better control—and hitting more fairways while producing exceptional distance.
Biomechanical specialist Jean-Jacques Rivet has been instrumental in developing this new range of graphite shaft and validating performance. He’s also been a huge influence in developing a custom shaft-fitting process that allows the company to offer fully customized shafts.
Leading golf coach David Leadbetter has also provided strong technical support during the range development, and has entered into a partnership with TPT Golf to establish a shaft-fitting network linked to the David Leadbetter Academies around the world. “In a sport where feel is everything, TPT shafts offer a unique level of feel to golfers,” said Leadbetter. “This is the most technically advanced shaft for distance and direction, and even makes your bad shots better.”
Combining TPT Golf, JJ Rivet and David Leadbetter–all experts in their own field–means that shafts are being looked at in a whole new way. For the first time ever, a shaft can be designed that starts with the physical capabilities of the human body and goes on to reflect the coaching being received in practice.
The range of TPT Golf shafts has been designed to make the fitting process as simple as possible. There are models to suit players with any swing speed.
Our testing group, chosen for their slower swing speed, as am I, absolutely loved our flex, the 19-LKP-MT-SW, particularly the distance we all gained, 10+ yards, the feel (stability) and most of all, the tight dispersion rate. We hardly missed a fairway! We all increased our swing speed, but we did not lose control either.
The 15-LKP-LT-LW joins TPT Golf’s 15 Series shafts that are designed to meet the needs of high-speed golfers. Within the 15 Series, the 15-LKP-LT-LW offers the lightest weight (63 grams). It is also the lowest-torque shaft in the entire TPT Golf lineup. 11 shaft models is fine tuned to meet your exact needs.
There are 11 shaft models, each to be fine-tuned to suit you. Each TPT Golf shaft is created with a highly stable, ultra-precise construction that allows golfers to hit longer, straighter and more consistent drives — many times with a lighter shaft than they’re used to playing.
“Every product we create at TPT Golf is on the cutting edge,” said TPT Golf Technical Director Jeff Meyer. “Our design and manufacturing processes give us a huge advantage over standard industry methodologies. The 15-LKP-LT-LW is a product that was developed to meet the needs of the best golfers in the world.”
So, if you are considering purchasing a new driver and all things being equal, in my opinion, rather spend the money on the TPT shaft for your existing driver. You will have a superior shaft that performs, gets better distance, and more feel and enjoyment from the TPT shaft.
TPT Golf shafts are not sold online. Being properly fit is crucial to optimizing the performance of a TPT Golf shaft. After a fitting, most golfers find that the best TPT Golf shaft for their game is a different model than they anticipated.
Golfers can purchase TPT Golf shafts through our network of more than 100 Authorized Fitters worldwide.
Please visit their YouTube video at:
$495.00 per shaft www.tptgolf.com
Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. Visit www/facebook.com/PGTAA to see all the latest mental strategies and equipment reviews. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers” and his previous book, “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf”, updated for 2011, is still in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s best seller list. His latest book, “The Right Mind for Golf”, is now in its 7th reprint is available on Amazon and at the Torrey Pines golf course
He can be reached at drlotz@cbsgolf.net
