Shingo’s New Irons – ONOFF Plus with Roddio Protytpe Shafts

Even pros switching brands have some sort of adjustment period as they get accustomed to their new gear. Back in the spring it was big news that Shingo Katayama had moved from Nike to ONOFF, DWD and Asics. It was easy for him to get used to his new golf wear and shoes but the clubs have taken longer. Katayama played the Masters with his new ONOFF 46D driver and Roddio Tri-Cross Prototype Driver Shaft but he still had his Nike OS irons with Graphite Design Black Prototype graphite in the bag. He’s played with these irons for the first few months of the season while practicing with ONOFF Plus Forged irons on the side. It looks like he is finally ready to make the change over.

Katayama’s bag has been seen sporting the new ONOFF Plus Forged with “SHINGO” engraved in the sole. Katayama has always been very big on forgiveness as I noted in my previous posts about all the forgiving gear he has carried. The ONOFF Plus Forged has always been considered a forgiving player’s cavity, and while small and compact, not that difficult to hit. Katayama’s focus, as is with any golfer, was finding the right setup with the ONOFF Plus.  The new irons are shafted with Roddio Prototype Graphite iron shafts based on the Roddio I-10. The Roddio I Series Iron shafts feature the Pentacross carbon weave in the butt section of the shafts which make the shafts perform like steel but feel like graphite.

Playing the 105g I-10 Model is said to be equivalent to playing a steel shaft up to 120g in weight. Torque is higher in this graphite shaft at 2.3-2.4* but what this translates into is feel which many people prefer over steel shafts with lack of feel.

I took a picture of the butt end of the I-6 shafts I have in my irons and you can clearly see the carbon weave (picture below). The I-6 is a 62-64g shaft said to be a replacement for up to 85g weight steel shafts. Personally these feel very stout, as stiff as 850GH and even 950GH Steel from Nippon. I thought they would be hard to load but not at all. They load, kick well but are accurate like steel. I made the move to I-6 shafts based on Katayama’s comments in several publications of wanting an iron shaft with the perfect package. He believed the Roddio are it and so far I am inclined to believe him as these out perform my old Axiv, Tour AD and Mach Line shafts.

Lets hope that Katayama can perform well in the latter part of the season hear in Japan with his new irons and shafts. Anyone else who wants to join me on the Roddio bandwagon can find their iron shafts here!