Nippon NS Pro Zelos 7 Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight
The Zelos line of shafts from Nippon are all about making the accuracy of steel shafts more accessible to lower swing speed players.
I recently tested and reviewed the NS Pro Zelos 8 and I was impressed at how light and stable it was.
And as you may have guessed, the NS Pro Zelos 8 is an 80g weight class shaft. Even after getting my mind blown by the Zelos 8, I was still skeptical that the NS Pro Zelos 7 (a 70g weight class shaft) could hold up in terms of accuracy. Does the NS Pro Zelos 7 deliver on its promise of steel-like accuracy with graphite-like weight? Read on to find out.
Nippon NS Pro Zelos 7 Shaft Overview
I find the color scheme of the entire Zelos line to be very refreshing.
I’m used to red/polished chrome from Nippon so it’s cool to see that they went with a blue/polished chrome palette instead. The NS Pro Zelos 7 is a stepped steel iron shaft that overall, looks very traditional.
The first thing that struck me when I swung this shaft was how smooth it felt and how easy it was to get it to load. Even on a light swing, I could feel the shaft load and release. Like the NS Pro Zelos 8, the NS Pro Zelos 7 feels active from tip to butt. The kick point is near the tip and the shaft gets progressively stiffer as you move up to the butt.
And yes, the NS Pro Zelos 7 feels very light in the hands and on the downswing. Perhaps a bit too light. I’ve got a fast swing speed with a moderately fast tempo so I felt like I was losing the shaft on some swings. My face angle was never atrocious which is a testament to the steel they used to make this shaft (or the manufacturing?); but the launch monitor data was better than what I was feeling in real-time.
In the end, I think I’m simply not a good fit for a shaft this light. After all, at 70 grams, the NS Pro Zelos 7 is as light as some graphite iron shafts which, at this point in my golf career, I am no longer used to.
Why is the NS Pro Zelos 7 So Popular?
Despite my trouble with the weight of this shaft, it is accurate.
I was able to hit fades and draws at will or keep the ball straight as needed. Slow swing speed players will likely be able to expect the same, making this shaft an elusive combo of playability and accuracy.
How Does the NS Pro Zelos 7 Perform?
I did a solo test session with the NS Pro Zelos 7 at the range.
After realizing I wasn’t the target demo for this shaft, I made sure I brought alone a slower swing speed tester for the course session. Again, the launch monitor gave me stellar figures despite how my swing felt. With the NS Pro Zelos 7 plugged into my 7-iron, I got an average of 251.6 yards after three swings. My testing partner averaged 244.8 yards. Solid distance overall despite our differing swing speeds.
Spin rates were a bit higher than what I usually get which led to wider dispersion. But my testing partner was getting much tighter dispersion with a more controlled swing. This was the most stark difference in our numbers: my off-line divergence was 16.7 yards on average, his was just 9.9 yards. Further proof that the NS Pro Zelos 7 prefers a moderate tempo.
Nippon NS Pro Zelos 7 Shaft Specs
Specs | NS Pro Zelos 7 |
Available flexes | R2, regular, stiff |
Weight | 73.5g, 74g, 77.5g |
Butt | .570” |
Tip | .355” |
Length | 35”-38.5” |
What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?
R2 would probably work for 65-75 MPH swingers. Regular may fit 76-80 MPH swingers. Stiff should be relegated to 81-85 MPH swing speed players.
What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?
The 73.5g version should be tried out by players in the 65-75 MPH swing speed range. If you’re in the 76-80 MPH swing speed range, try the 74g version. For 80+ MPH swingers, I would recommend the 77.5g version.