VA Nemesys Hybrid Shaft
If you’ve been (closely) following this site over the past year, you know I’ve sung the praises of the VA Nemesys shaft in my driver. And if you’re new here…I had an instant connection and it has been my gamer since. The Nemesys is the most counterbalanced shaft I’ve ever experienced in a driver, and truly a unique profile unlike anything I’m aware of. Following that experience of smoother and easier distance, 2021 introduced us to the same technology in a hybrid shaft. I really loved the driver shaft, so I was more than ready to find out how the VA Nemesys hybrid shaft performed.
The Looks
VA utilized the same graphics in the Nemesys hybrid shaft as they did in the driver shaft. The Nemesys is a continuation of VA’s use of art inspired by the “comic book revolution of the 70’s and the Pop Art movement of the 80’s”. We first saw VA do this in the VYLYN shaft before the Nemesys. The Nemesys faces come to life as they grin at you through the shaft graphics and are reminiscent of The Joker from the 70s Batman comics. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear them menacingly laughing at you just like The Joker. The black/copper scheme is slightly less exaggerated in the hybrid purely because of being a shorter shaft.
How Does it Feel?
I know I’ve said it much more than once about the VA Nemesys shaft, but it feels extremely unique. While I’ve hit counterbalanced shafts plenty of times before, I’ve never hit one this counterbalanced. But in a hybrid shaft? I don’t think I’ve ever hit one before in my life! The VA Nemesys hybrid feels naturally fast with an incredibly smooth profile. No harsh kickpoints here, but there’s a definite energy load and release around the middle of the shaft.
VA added tungsten powder to the composite material used in the handle section for a thinner wall. This allowed them to increase the weight in this area, which in turn brings the balance point further up the shaft. Avoiding a thicker wall also prevents the shaft from feeling boardy and less responsive. To make sure the tip of shaft stayed firm against that profile and held up against the added weight in the butt end, VA used a composite material called T1100 which is lightweight and very strong. The use of this composite allows VA to keep the tip section lightweight, but still strong and fast for optimal performance.
On-Course Performance
I want to point out one really important thing to keep in mind here. Given the amount of counterbalance/back weighting in the VA Nemesys hybrid shaft, it WILL lower your swingweight. This is actually by design to allow fitters more room to dial in your swingweight, especially when trimming to different lengths. In “golf layman’s” terms, don’t be surprised if your hybrid now feels or balances lighter and you need to add a little weight to the head. Take it from me, it’s worth exploring, and I’ll tell you why.
Following my experience in my driver, I came into this review a little more educated knowing the Nemesys concept. In theory, the swingweight/balance will allow you to swing the club at the same speed but with more weight in the head. For you physics fans, that’s speed plus more mass which should lead to more distance. Much like in the driver, I had great ball speed and distance with a fairly effortless swing.
What I most appreciated was the versatility I gained with the Nemesys. The resulting speed generally combined with a comfortable medium trajectory giving me a nice piercing shot in the 230-240 yard range. That shot was just smooth and easy to hit, but the Nemesys also has a little higher ceiling. This is what I love about the Nemesys hybrid shaft’s performance. That higher launch characteristic didn’t seem to kick in on my stock shots, but if I needed a little extra help over a tree, some height for a softer landing, or just a ride in the wind, I could call on that shot with no problem. Don’t be fooled however, the extreme control of the Nemesys will still let you rip a low rope under the wind if you ask it to.
Final Thoughts – VA Nemesys Hybrid Shaft
I’ll be honest with you, I feel we’ve only scratched the surface of the VA Nemesys hybrid shaft discussion. We could have covered at great lengths the benefits of the VA Nemesys as a club fitting asset for hybrids with a wider range of players. Or I could have probably filled this whole review just discussing the range of performance I experienced. Overall, I find the Nemesys extremely intriguing in my hybrid, and much like the wood shaft, I’m definitely not going to argue with the performance. The feel is extremely smooth and responsive, and the shot versatility is fantastic. Rest assured, the Nemesys hybrid will contend for a spot in the bag this season.
Thank you for your review(s).
Getting fitted for hybrids today.
I have a VA Slay in my 3 wood.
Going to try both the Nemesys and the Raijin and very much looking forward to the fitting even more based on your reviews. If you had to pick one of the two which would you pick? Seems like you might favor Raijin.
I’ve never hit the Nemesys in a hybrid so I couldn’t tell you. Ultimately, what I would pick isn’t too helpful. It all depends on how your body actually physically responds to and interacts with the gear, right? It’s all going to likely depend on what type of shot you want to play with a hybrid. For instance, I hit a more neutral piercing flight with the Raijin hybrid, but a higher launch/softer landing shot with the Slay hybrid. So if I was looking for bigger distance and a safe off the tee club, I might pick the Raijin. If I was looking for a soft lander for long shots into greens, I might pick Slay.
See what I mean?