VA Shafts VYLYN Shaft

Drawing inspiration from Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, Victor Afable of VA Shafts set out to create an advanced shaft that would also catch the eyes of anyone’s playing partners.  The end result is the new VA Shafts VYLYN.  This new shaft from VA aims to deliver a lower-spinning shaft with a mid-high launch angle.  If you’re a player with a smoother swing and average load, it’s definitely worth getting to know the VA VYLYN a little bit better.

The Looks

I’ve been fortunate to know Victor Afable for a few years now, and believe it or not, we don’t always talk golf.  Getting to know Victor, you’ll quickly realize he’s also very into the creative arts and imagery around his brand is very important to him.  When the VYLYN was in its final stages of development, Victor told me he really wanted to make something that would jump out and really set itself apart from any other shaft on the market.  The Warhol/Lichtenstein-esque comic book graphics certainly accomplish this goal with clever use of the VA Shafts logo.

My favorite touch is when you flip the shaft label down, the “VYLYN” face is looking back at you.  What a slick touch with the graphics.  I like the theme of “playing the villain” – almost like you’re playing a character with this shaft in your driver.  Whether the VYLYN is for you or not, it’s certainly one of the coolest looking shafts out there.

How Does it Feel?

First, let me make what might be an extremely no-brainer comment here – much of how a shaft feels is determined by how it’s constructed and the quality of materials used.  Profound, right?  Unsurprisingly, VA Shafts used superior materials in the VYLYN.  To make sure each shaft has the correct feel throughout the swing, each layer of material is laid by hand in a multi-direction pattern.  This controls the torque of the shaft as well making sure the flex profile is consistent all the way through the swing.  Though time consuming, this process is imperative in delivering VA’s superior quality.

If there’s one thing I can say about the VA VYLYN, it’s that it’s one incredibly smooth feeling shaft.  Though it’s a smoother shaft with a gradual bend profile, you can still jump on it a little bit too.  You can really feel the energy load and then release at impact!  I will say it’s possible to overdo it if you get too jerky and aggressive, but a smoother player that can step it up a notch will be able to do so with no problems.

On-Course Performance

A good portion of my performance testing of the VA Vylyn was based on what was happening in the “Feel” section of the review.  Swinging the VYLYN almost felt like a “safety net” which made me more confident on the tee box.  I knew I would be able to get enough distance, but most importantly, I knew I would be safe if I put a good swing on the ball.  The shaft’s consistent feel made me more confident to just swing away on the tee and let the club do the work.

Now, VA Shafts has the VYLYN listed as a low spin, mid-high launch shaft.  Keep in mind that this will largely depend on the player, but I felt my numbers generally confirmed this.  13.9º isn’t exceptionally high launching, but I would certainly consider that above “mid launch” for me.  Spin rates are going to be very responsive to your specific swing.  I’ve had a slightly steep angle of attack lately, so 2625 for me is a decent spin average with driver.  The only time I felt like spin rates got away from me were on bad swings where the shaft wasn’t even a factor.  Overall, I would say the VYLYN is very easy to launch with controlled spin that gets strong distance with great accuracy.

Final Thoughts

Finding a way to combine creativity and a high standard of performance in a golf shaft is what makes Victor Afable unique in the golf world.  He makes world-class performing golf shafts and his graphics are easily some of the best in the industry.  The VA Shafts VYLYN is one of his best yet.  Pop-art influenced graphics, confident feel, and strong performance make the VA VYLYN a total package that could be a good fit for players of all skill levels.

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