Maltby CT250 with SK Fiber Tour Trac 80

[MGP]

I picked up several Maltby CT250 driver heads (Titanium crown, fixed weights) the last few times The Golfworks had them on sale. I've been wanting to play with some different driver setups and this head comes highly recommended from quite a few Shot Talk members. $45 for a high quality titanium driver head is hard to pass up. My regular "gamer" is a 10.5° TM R580-XD with a YS-6+ in stiff. It's reliable and pretty forgiving but as all of us know, we are always searching for more distance, better feel, etc.

My first go was a 10.5° CT250 and BB Solution 130 shaft R flex in Chrome Ion finish and cut to a playing length of 44.5". As much as I wanted to like this combo I just never got on with the shaft. It feels a bit too soft for me -- I have a swing speed that puts me right between regular and stiff. After experimenting with a few drivers now I've realized I am better off with a "softer" stiff than a firmer regular or regular shaft tipped to a firmer flex. Thanks to Rory at IndaCup golf -- this shaft is a beautiful shaft but just plays too soft for me. I am thinking about selling this club, it's like new and beautiful. I can't see pulling the shaft at this point and it would make a great driver for a male with a slower or very smooth swing speed or possibly a strong female player.

The head itself gave me some hope though so I decided to pick up a couple 11.5° heads as I could use a little higher launch angle. The heads I received both measured 11° and I installed a VS Proto 65S in one and a SK Fiber Tour Trac 80 Stiff in the other. Both were trimmed to 44.5".

Today I finally got to take the two new drivers out and play with them. I left the R580-XD at home to force me to hit the CT250s the entire round. I played with Youngun5 (who's a great playing partner, btw) on a very hilly and tricky little course, Tomahawk Hills. It was about 70° and the wind was howling around 25-30 mph most of the day. The greens were dry and very fast. Millions of leaves everywhere, especially in the rough... yeehah!

I ended up playing all but two drives with the SK Fiber shafted driver. I really like this shaft -- it's very smooth, has a high to mid kick point and matches up nicely with the Maltby head and my swing.

My first couple drives were weak as I hit the ball a little low and towards the heel. I remembered Warbirdlover's tip about this head liking the ball teed high and adjusted my tee hight up about 1/4-3/8". Bingo! I started hitting drives in the center of the face and getting some serious distance. I didn't measure many with the GPS as I was mostly concerned with keeping the ball in play and making solid contact.

I can say that despite the wind, I hit three or four of the longest drives I've hit all year on this course (and they weren't the downwind ones ).

I was most impressed with this club on a short par 4 of about 280 yds. with a blind tee shot over a huge hill . I hit it on the centerline but about 1/2" towards the toe. It felt like one of those weak drives that's only going to go about 200 yds. but it was on a great line at the green.

When we got over the hill I was searching short for my ball and YG said "It's way up here, you smoked that one!" and there it was only about 25 yds. short of the green and just off the edge of the fairway. Considering how far off center I hit the shot I was very impressed with the distance. Very forgiving.

On the 17th hole, a 360ish par 4, I hit probably my best drive of the day. It was high and long and cleared the largest hill in the fairway on the fly. I normally have a hard time carrying that hill. My drive left me an easy half gap wedge to the green.

This was my first time hitting an SK Fiber shaft. I liked the 80gm weight. The shaft just feels very smooth to me and the head very solid (as long as you hit the ball at about the centerline or above). The best part about the shaft? It was $18 new and a real bargain in my opinion. Lyle said he's going to start carrying this shaft line and I predict they'll be very popular for him. I read a few reviews online about this series of shafts and most of them were very positive and said they play a little soft to flex. I would agree with this based on my experience. The stiff Tour Trac 80 fit my in-between swing speed very well.

A great head and a very good affordable shaft that make a solid combo. Highly recommended.

(pics to come -- I just got this driver put together this weekend )

[Youngun5]

you definitely hit that SK Fiber well, I struggled to outdrive you on a couple occasions. no doubt the best you've hit driver since we've been playing together.

I'm sold on SK Fiber's product, and have 2 in my bag, and am considering another one... anyone looking to switch out shafts should definitely give them a look.

[LyleG]

A great product. IMO they play as well as any high end shaft at about 1 tenth of the price.
I just put a pure energy shaft in a driver and a TT80 in a 3 and 5 wood. All 3 shafts cost less than $70 combined. Not a bad deal to say the least.

[NoGimmickGolf]

I work in Columbus and am just about 35 mins. from the Golfworks.

They do make some very good components, I have been able to do a lot with their heads for my customers.

Great stuff!

[warbirdlover]

MGP,

Curious. Did you try teeing the Maltby/Solutions combo up also?

[Youngun5]

hard for the tee height to matter when his hands had cleared the ball and the clubhead was lagging behind at parallel

[LyleG]

The TT80 is a great shaft and I knew you would like it. They are a hard shaft not to like, the pure energy shaft in a driver is the cats ass as well. I like them a lot more than the BB solution shafts which I found a little erratic. The SK fibers are just so darn consistent, this was reason I inquired about becoming a dealer, the price point didn't hurt either.

[warbirdlover]

I like them a lot more than the BB solution shafts which I found a little erratic.

LyleG

By "erratic" you mean...?

[LyleG]

I just never got results with them. They felt good but I really didnt see anything else special. I actually found my dispersion was all over the map after using it for a while.
It just wasnt one of my favorite shafts, thats all.

[indacup]

Great and complete review of a very good package! Both head and shaft are extremely well made and top performers.

The SK's are simply a great product and a better price.