Oban Kiyoshi Gold Shaft Review - Specs, Flex, Weight

Oban Kiyoshi Gold Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight

If you are a fan of the Oban Kiyoshi Black but felt that it was too stout to work for your swing, you need to check out the Oban Kiyoshi Gold.

The Oban Kiyoshi Gold is a sort of middle-of-the-road shaft that goes between the Oban Kiyoshi Black and the Oban Kiyoshi Gold Purple in terms of bend profile.

It is a unique Oban shaft in that it has a softer midsection and stiffer butt section. In today’s review we are going to tell you about our experience testing the Oban Kiyoshi Gold and who should be gaming it.

Oban Kiyoshi Gold Shaft Overview

Another thing that sets the Oban Kiyoshi Gold apart from other Oban offerings is the limited weight/flex availability.

Whereas most Oban shafts come in five different weight classes to appease many different types of golfers, the Oban Kiyoshi Gold is only available in 55g, 65g, and 75g weight classes. Gone are the ultra-light 45g weight classes and the heavy 85g weight classes.

That should give you an idea of who this shaft was made for: players with moderate swing speeds and tempos. Also consider that the torque across all three weight classes ranges from 3.3 to 3.7; not a very wide spread at all.

When we tested the Oban Kiyoshi Gold, we could feel that the kick was contained entirely in the midsection. The kick itself wasn’t jarring like in the Oban Kiyoshi Purple shaft. Instead, it was mild and smooth. It didn’t jump out at you on practice swings. Like more popular and successful graphite shafts, the Oban Kiyoshi Gold has a stiff tip and butt section with a softer mid section.

This allows for good distance with the added bonus of tighter dispersion. In the case of the Oban Kiyoshi Gold, we felt that we had good control over the club head on heavy loads. We could also feel the action flowing through the shaft and transferring all the way into the ball. A very clean, smooth and pleasing feel overall.

Why is the Oban Kiyoshi Gold So Popular?

Even at its premium price-point, the Oban Kiyoshi Gold is showing up more and more in the bags of amateurs, pros and everyday golfers.

The Oban Kiyoshi Gold looks really nice and it has a feel to match. We suspect that the growing popularity is due to this shaft’s mid launch/mid spin that appeals to a wide array of average players.

How Does the Oban Kiyoshi Gold Perform?

As advertised, the Oban Kiyoshi Gold produces middle launch with middle to high spin rates.

What surprised us about this shaft though was that both the launch and the spin could be manipulated to some degree. Our testers were able to flight the ball and keep the trajectory down when needed. Likewise, spin rates could be worked high or kept in the mid-range.

There was a bit of an issue with consistency though. Because this shaft is so versatile, you sometimes don’t know what to expect out of it. We tested the Oban Kiyoshi Gold 65 in extra stiff flex (69g) and we were still left guessing how it would respond to a stronger swing at times.

Most of the time though, it launched the ball high and out with a strong trajectory that never seemed to want to die. The distance we were getting from this shaft was great: 250-260 yards of carry consistently. And the shot dispersion was tight: no more than 11 yards of off-line divergence. The Oban Kiyoshi Gold was producing gentle fades more often than not which was just fine for most of our testers.

Shaft Specs

Specs	Oban Kiyoshi Gold
Available flexes	Regular, stiff, extra stiff
Weight	58g – 78g
Butt	.600
Tip	.335
Length	46”

What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

Regular and stiff flex may be good for 80-90 MPH swing speed players.

Extra stiff may be more suitable for players in the 91-100 MPH swing speed range.

What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

The Oban Kiyoshi Gold 55 weight class will likely suit 70-80 MPH swingers.

The 65g weight class would probably work for 81-85 MPH swingers. The 75g class may suit players in 85-95 MPH territory.

Why is it So Good?

The Oban Kiyoshi Gold is good because it has a very satisfying, controlled kick.

It feels really nice to swing even if you are just taking some practice swings. This is also more or less a point-and-shoot shaft.

Oban Kiyoshi Gold First Impressions

We really liked the looks of this shaft at first glance.

The Gold finish is somehow elegant and understated at the same time. At first sight, you just get the sense that this is a premium driver.

Key Features & Performance

The Oban Kiyoshi Gold boasts a “MultiPlex” design that stiffens both the tip and butt section.

The result is excellent driver head control and a tameable kick that works with your swing, not against it.

Oban Kiyoshi Gold Driver Review

The Oban Kiyoshi Gold works well with game improvement drivers because the controlled activity and stiff tip will keep bulkier driver heads in check without detracting from distance.

Oban Kiyoshi Gold Fairway Wood Review

Flight was a bit inconsistent off the deck. However, we were easily able to loft the ball as needed on various fairway shots.

Oban Kiyoshi Gold Pros & Cons

Pros:

Workable loft
Very nice finish
Controlled activity in the midsection
Great for moderate swing speed players
Smooth transition
Mid spin rates

Cons:

A bit inconsistent
Expensive

Overall Score: 96/100

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Who Should Buy It?

The Oban Kiyoshi Gold definitely works best with a moderate tempo.

This is where you will see the best consistency, distance and dispersion. Our more aggressive-tempo players were met with the most inconsistency but perhaps this shaft wasn’t made for such players. However, if you have a moderate tempo/swing speed and want a good combination of distance and stability, you will likely resonate with this shaft.