Project X Denali Black Shaft

Project X set out to create the “the ultimate in feel and performance”, and after 18 months of R&D between their engineers and Tour team, the Denali shafts were born. Available in two different profiles, the Denali shafts have a firm butt section with a straight taper mid section to create that combination of feel and stability they set out to deliver. The Project X Denali Black is designed for low-launch, low-spin performance with a smoother energy transfer.

The Looks

Like the Denali Blue, the Project X Denali Black features an arctic theme in its upper half. The top portion of the shaft features a snowy/icy white and silver graphic calling on an inspiration of the Denali mountain tops. At the mid-section, the icy white gives way to a metal-flake black finish. Branding is fairly minimal aside from a mechanical-esque Denali wordmark and small “specification” notation around the middle of the shaft. Near the tip section, there’s a classic Project X logo.

How Does it Feel?

Interestingly, there are a lot of similarities between the Project X Denali Black shaft and its Blue counterpart when it comes to feel. Both shafts share a firm grip section with a straight taper mid section, and really only separated themselves in the third quarter (toward the tip section) of the shaft. At least that’s my opinion. The Denali Black and Blue are both stable in the tip section, but I felt like the region between the mid and tip section of the Black was more stout. This is where I feel quicker swingers seeking lower launch and spin will really feel the difference.

As I said in the Denali Blue review, I felt the biggest difference in feel came down to the load and release of energy. The Denali Black is definitely more stout and takes a bit more to load up and release at impact. This is to be expected from a low launch/spin profile. It’s certainly not quite in the realm of HZRDUS Black, but there’s more body to it that makes it more stable and requires a bit more “mmmph” to optimize. More aggressive club swingers will feel more able to really just swing away than the Denali Blue, which is really saying something.

On-Course Performance

Interestingly, the Project X Denali Black and the Denali Blue are pretty similar from a control and dispersion perspective. See, this isn’t typically the case for me between two different launch and spin profiles. My general interaction will have fairly different results, but in the case of Denali, it really did just come down to them launching and spinning differently. Both had plenty of stability and a tight dispersion. That said, I seemed to swing a little more “free” with the Denali Black because of its “stoutness”. As a result, I got a little more speed which rewarded me with more distance. But take a look at my launch and spin. Still stayed low. My flight was piercing and powerful. It also seemed more controllable in windy conditions.

Final Thoughts – Project X Denali Black Shaft

The Project X Denali Black shaft is a good option for golfers who are looking for a really stable low-launch, low-spin shaft that still has a really a good feel. However, it’s not as “stout” as many other low-launch, low-spin shafts on the market, so it may be a good option for golfers who aren’t quite built for the HZRDUS family. I would say that if you’re looking to flight something a little higher, the Denali Blue is your friend. If  you have a moderate tempo and want low spin, low launch, the Denali Black delivers that with strong stability and a responsive feel.

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