Shaft Review – Nippon Modus 3 Tour 130 Iron Shaft

By: Matt Saternus
Nippon has long been a favorite iron shaft among those in the know, carrying a tremendous reputation for tight tolerances and great feel.  So why aren’t they more prevalent?  One reason is certainly a lack of marketing, but another big reason was the lack of options for “better players.”

Nippon was primarily known for lighter weight steel that launched the ball high.  Even the Modus3 Tour 120, while heavier in weight, was a higher launching shaft similar to a KBS Tour.  But now, with the Modus3 Tour 130, Nippon has a shaft that aims to compete with the kings of the hill, Project X and Dynamic Gold.  Does it hit the mark?

Specs, Price, and Manufacturer Notes

The Nippon Modus3 Tour 130 is available in both .355” taper tip and .370” parallel tip.

It will be available in Regular (121 grams), Stiff (124 grams) and X (129 grams)

Bend Profile:

Tip Section – Soft to increase launch

Mid Section – Stiff to promote control of launch and spin

Butt Section – Stiff to promote control and solid feel at impact

You can expect to find the Nippon Modus3 Tour 130 at retail for about $40/shaft.

Looks, Feel, and Miscellaneous

The starkest difference between a Nippon shaft and any other steel shaft on the market is feel.  There’s a crisp and clean feel that is the signature of a Nippon, and no other steel shaft that I’ve tried can match it.  The Modus3 Tour 130 is no exception.

It should also be noted that the balance point of the Modus3 Tour 130 is higher than Dynamic Gold, leading to a club that feels lighter than it is.

In the looks department, the Modus3 has bold, red graphics printed directly on the shaft.  In this golfer’s opinion, that’s the single biggest “Looks” upgrade a steel shaft can have: no one likes wrinkly shaft stickers.

Finally, I want to mention that, just like with the Modus3 Tour 120’s that I tested, the tolerances are amazing.  I weighed each of the eight shafts and none weighed less than 123.5 grams and none more than 124.5 grams.  For the club builder or the spec-obsessed, choosing Nippons is a no-brainer.

Performance

For the Performance testing, I installed the Nippon Modus3 130 shafts into a set of Wilson FG Tour V2 heads.  They were tested against a set of Dynamic Gold S300 shafts that were installed in the exact same heads.  Testing was done on a FlightScope X2 launch monitor.

In head to head testing in the lab, the Modus3 Tour 130 matched the Dynamic Gold shot for shot.  Launch was virtually identical throughout the set as were the spin rates.  There was also no discernible difference in accuracy: good swings resulted in good, predictable shots.  Bad swings produced similar results as well.

Additionally, I had the chance to play 36 holes with the Modus3 while vacationing away from snowy Chicago.  The transition to playing the Modus3 was non-existent.  All my irons went the same distance as they do with Dynamic Gold, shots flew on the same trajectory, and the dispersion was excellent (even smacked a pin).

Tim’s Take

Golfspy Tim also had a chance to test the Modus3 Tour 130’s.  Here’s what he found:

Graphite? Who needs graphite….

(seriously, I’ve never found a graphite iron shaft that liked me)

Having been playing Nippon shafts for more than 6 months now, I’ve fallen in love with their soft feel. The same rings true with the N.S. Pro Prototype shaft – launching probably a bit lower than my current gamers – the 950 GH. The N.S. Pro Prototypes require just a bit more loading than the 950 GH and wouldn’t let me get away with a lazy swing.

I’m already a huge fan of Nippon and this shaft continues my appreciation of their crisp sound and feel on impact.

Conclusion

With the addition of the Modus3 Tour 130, there’s now a Nippon shaft for absolutely everyone.  While some might flinch at the price, I think that the feel and the unmatched tolerances make Nippons well worth the money.  Whether you’re upgrading some old heads or getting fit for a new set of irons, make sure Nippon is on your list of “Must Try” items.

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