Nippon N.S.PRO MODUS3 Review

Here's what blew my mind about the MODUS3 lineup: Nippon managed to create four distinct weight profiles that actually feel and perform differently, not just marginally different numbers on a spec sheet. The Tour 105 starts at a feathery 103 grams in regular flex, while the Tour 130 tips the scales at 129 grams in X-flex. That's a massive range, and it's not just about accommodating different swing speeds.

I spent two weeks with each model (same heads, same grips, same everything else), and the differences were immediately apparent. The Tour 105 felt like I'd found a cheat code for club head speed. My 7-iron went from 158 yards to 164 yards without me trying to swing harder. The catch? I had to really focus on tempo because the lighter weight made it easier to get quick. The Tour 120, which I ultimately gamed, hit the sweet spot for me at 111-120 grams depending on flex. It gave me an extra 3-4 mph of club head speed compared to my old DG S300s without sacrificing that feeling of control through impact.

What really impressed me was how Nippon engineered these different weights without just making the walls thinner or thicker. Each model has its own wall thickness profile, its own balance point, and its own rigidity map. The Tour 110, for instance, has a balance point in the 49% range – the only one in the lineup that does. That might sound like minutiae, but when you're standing over a 6-iron into a tucked pin, that lower balance point gives you a completely different sensation of where the club head is during your swing. It's subtle, but once you feel it, you can't unfeel it.

Let me save you from the marketing BS about kick points. Most of the time, the difference between "high," "mid," and "low" kick points is so minimal that weekend warriors like us can't tell the difference. The MODUS3 series is different. These kick points are engineered to create genuinely different ball flights, and I've got the Trackman data to prove it.

The Tour 105 and Tour 110 both feature what Nippon calls a "grip kick point," which sounds weird until you understand what it does. The shaft actually bends more toward your hands, which keeps the tip section more stable through impact. When I tested the Tour 110, my typical 7-iron launch went from 19 degrees down to 17.5 degrees, and my spin dropped by about 300 RPM. That's not a typo; it's a legitimate, measurable difference that turned my occasionally balloon-like flight into a more penetrating path.

The Tour 120 uses a "mid/high kick point" that sits somewhere between traditional mid and high positions. This is marketing speak for "we put the bend point exactly where it needs to be for ideal launch conditions." In practice, it meant I could hit a 5-iron that actually held its line in the wind instead of getting knocked around like a ping pong ball. The Tour 130, with its middle kick point and low tip rigidity, actually launches the ball higher despite being the heaviest shaft in the lineup. I watched a scratch golfer at my club switch to these because he needed more height on his approach shots, and within two rounds, he was sticking it closer from 150+ yards.

Here's the kicker (pun intended): these kick points work in conjunction with the tip rigidity profiles. The Tour 120 and Tour 130 have intentionally softer tip sections relative to their mid-sections, which sounds counterintuitive if you're used to the "stiff tip equals low spin" mantra. But Nippon figured out that by controlling exactly how much the tip flexes and when it flexes, they could create more consistent launch conditions across the entire set.

When I initially saw the torque ratings, ranging from 1.4° to 1.9°. I thought there was a typo. Most steel shafts hover around 2.0° to 2.5° of torque, and here's Nippon claiming their shafts twist less than some graphite tour shafts. "No way," I thought. "This has to be measured differently."

Turns out, I was wrong. Dead wrong. The MODUS3 shafts genuinely have some of the lowest torque numbers in steel, and you can feel it immediately. Keep in mind that sensation when you catch one slightly toward the toe, and the club head feels like it's twisting? That practically disappears with these shafts. During my testing with the Tour 130 (1.4° to 1.6° torque), I intentionally hit shots off the toe and heel to test the stability. The mishits still went shorter and offline, obviously, but the club face stayed astonishingly square through impact.

The Tour 105, despite being the lightest, maintains torque between 1.7° and 1.9°. For reference, many lightweight steel shafts creep above 2.5° of torque, which is why they often feel "whippy" or unstable. Nippon achieved this through its proprietary manufacturing process that creates more consistent wall thickness throughout the shaft. I'm not an engineer, but I can tell you that when I'm standing over a 4-iron into a par 5 in two, that extra stability gives me confidence that the club face will be square at impact.

What really sold me was testing these shafts on an off-center hit robot at my fitter's shop (yes, that's a real thing). We hit twenty shots with each shaft, deliberately striking the ball 10mm toward the toe. The MODUS3 Tour 120 averaged 3.2 yards less offline dispersion compared to my old shafts. That might not sound like much, but over the course of a round, that's the difference between catching the edge of the green and being in a bunker.

I've been playing golf for twenty-five years, and until I tested the MODUS3 lineup, I honestly didn't think balance point mattered that much in a shaft. Boy, was I wrong. The balance points in this lineup range from 49.7% (Tour 110) to 51.6% (Tour 130), and that seemingly small difference completely changes how these clubs feel in your hands.
The Tour 110's sub-50% balance point creates what I can only describe as "effortless speed." The club head feels lighter during the backswing, making it easier to get to a full turn, but then it wants to release naturally through impact. I gave a set to my 68-year-old playing partner who's been losing distance, and he gained back 8 yards with his 7-iron just from the improved release. The lower balance point fundamentally does some of the work for you.

On the flip side, the Tour 130's 51.5-51.6% balance point creates incredible stability. When you're swinging harder, that higher balance point keeps the club from feeling like it's running away from you. I tested these on a windy day at Bethpage Black (if you know, you know), and the control I had hitting into 20 mph gusts was astonishing. The club stayed on plane better, and I could really lean into shots without fear of losing them right.

The Tour 120 sits at 50.1%, which is probably why it's their most popular model. It's the Goldilocks balance point, not too head-heavy, not too grip-heavy. During my fitting, we tried the same club head with Tour 110, 120, and 130 shafts, and the balance point difference alone changed my attack angle by almost a full degree. The Tour 120 promoted a slightly negative attack angle (perfect for iron play), while the Tour 110 had me hitting slightly up on the ball.

Most golfers don't think about manufacturing tolerances, but with the MODUS3 series, you can actually feel the precision. Nippon claims their weight tolerance is +/- 0.5 grams, and their frequency tolerance is +/- 1 CPM. In layman's terms, that means every shaft in your set will feel virtually identical.

I had my entire set frequency-matched, and the consistency was stunning. My old set had a 4 CPM variance from 5-iron to pitching wedge (which is actually pretty good). The MODUS3 set had a 1 CPM variance. One. That level of consistency means your 8-iron truly feels like it's between your 7 and 9, not like some random club that snuck into your bag. The exacting tolerances that Nippon maintains throughout its manufacturing process deliver the tight dispersion patterns that better players demand.

During a recent member-guest, I played thirty-six holes in a day. By the back nine of the second round, when fatigue sets in and your swing gets sloppy, the consistent feel across the set kept me in play. Every club required the same effort, the same tempo, the same release. Compare that to my buddy's mixed set (different shafts in his long irons versus short irons), and he was spraying it everywhere once he got tired.

The tip diameter options are another overlooked detail. The Tour 110 offers both 0.370" and 0.355" options, which means it can fit virtually any iron head on the market. The shafts feature a standard .355 tip size that's compatible with most modern iron heads, ensuring proper installation and performance. The parallel tip design also means your club builder can tip them to fine-tune the flex profile. My fitter tipped my Tour 120s an extra half-inch in my 4 and 5 irons to bring the kick point up slightly, creating a more penetrating flight with those clubs. Try doing that with a non-parallel tip shaft.

Absolutely, while the Nippon N.S.PRO MODUS3 Shaft is a great product; there are a few pros and cons that you need to be aware of:

Pros:

• Exceptional feel and feedback that rivals shafts costing twice as much

• Four distinct weight/balance/kick point combinations mean there's likely a perfect match for your swing

• Tour-proven performance with exceptional consistency across the set

Cons: 

• Price point ($45-60 per shaft) is higher than basic steel options

• Requires proper fitting to select the right model – guessing could leave you with the wrong shaft

• Limited availability at some retailers means you might need to special order