Project X Titan Black Shaft Review: Is This The Sturdiest Shaft In Golf?
Unmatched rigidity meets sleek stealth in an ultra-stout shaft built for golf's fastest swingers
The Project X Titan Black is an absolute monster built for maximum control and unmatched stability. Featuring an uncompromisingly stout profile, it requires raw speed and aggressive transitions to properly activate. While overly rigid for most golfers, elite speed demons will fall in love with its ultra-tight, bulletproof feel.
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Exceptional mid and tip section stability that effortlessly controls extreme swing speeds.
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Sleek, stealthy all-black aesthetics pair seamlessly with any driver head and grip combination.
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Uncompromisingly stout profile makes it difficult to load or activate without tour-level speeds.
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If you are a golfer who swings for the fences with zero tolerance for a shaft failing to keep up with your efforts, you may have just found your holy grail.
How We Test Shafts
All of our shaft testing is conducted using the same TaylorMade Qi35 core head driver set to a precise 9 degrees (measured), with each shaft cut to an exact length of 45.5 inches, fitted with a Golf Pride Tour Velvet 60R grip. Furthermore, all testing shots are struck from a white castle tee to ensure consistent tee height during testing.
The data is collected and recorded using a Foresight Sports GC3 launch monitor and TaylorMade TP5x golf balls.
Controlling these potential variables allows me to draw accurate and direct comparisons and form a clear picture of each shaft's performance and feel characteristics.
Testing Results
Following on from the extremely popular HZRDUS franchise, the bar for stability and performance was set extremely high. But fear not, the new Project X Titan Black is an absolute monster, looking set to be among the best driver shafts for the faster swingers.
Starting with the looks, some might describe its aesthetic as boring, but I absolutely loved it. As an "all or nothing" kind of guy, I appreciate when a brand commits hard to a theme. Project X certainly did that here: it is black on black on black, looking wonderfully stealthy and mean.
The only splash of contrast is the soft white of the TITAN logo, which pops beautifully against the dark backdrop.
Another advantage of this colour choice is that it pairs well with absolutely any head and grip combination! A small win, but a win all the same.
Diving into the technology, Project X touts its new 'Advanced EI Curve Design', which supposedly features a more elastic handle section that progressively firms up through the mid and tip sections. It also highlights Synex Technology, a multi-axial carbon fiber matrix that reinforces the shaft’s outer structure to increase hoop stiffness and maximize energy transfer.
However, as soon as I waggled this club - I tested the 6.5 flex 60 in my driver and the 6.5 flex 70 in my 3-wood - it was very apparent I was in over my head.
Despite the technical claims of handle elasticity, I certainly couldn't feel it! Even as a consistent 118-120 mph swinger with a mid-to-brisk tempo, this shaft felt uncompromisingly stout to me.
Taking my first full swings, the overall sensation was one of sheer, unfiltered heft. The stability on display here is honestly like nothing else I have ever felt.
When I finally moved it at peak speed, I could detect the merest hint of play under the handle, but this was immediately smacked back into line by one of the tightest, most rigid mid and tip sections I have ever tested. The profile just gets firmer and firmer as you head towards the head of the club.
In fact, I personally struggled to get the shaft "activated" at all. I was left working my hands extremely hard just to try to get the clubhead to catch up to the ball.
Somewhat unbelievably, the 6.5 (X Flex) that I tested isn't even the stoutest offering either! There is a TX flex which sits above that. I shudder to think...
The wider Titan family is just as intriguing.
For players who like the idea of this profile but want to play a heavier head, a longer build, or simply prefer a lighter swing weight feel, the Titan Yellow is the perfect counterbalanced alternative. It boasts essentially the same robust profile as the Black, but with more mass shifted higher up towards the grip section.
Swapping my driver head back and forth between the two profiles, I did momentarily lose my sense of head placement during the swing with the Yellow, but adding a touch more head weight quickly rectified that.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Titan Green is said to be the same profile as the Black but with elevated stiffness in every section - a frankly terrifying prospect that, sadistically, I can't wait to test.
Ultimately, if you are looking for the sturdiest, meatiest shaft on the market, the Titan Black is the perfect place to start.
Expect this profile to make massive waves on the professional tours next year, as many of the world's best will be entering their equipment testing windows over the next few months.
