If you’re a fan of the brand, the good news for today is that Nippon Shaft announced recently the introduction of the N.S. PRO 950GH neo, which marks the 20th anniversary of their revolutionary N.S. Pro 950GH. If you require context, which is understandable, here it comes: the N.S. Pro 950GH was first introduced twenty years ago and at the time it made for world’s first under 100 gram constant-weight steel shaft. Due to its innovative design and state of the art technology, the N.S. PRO 950GH became an instant hit and a bestseller for Nippon Shaft, earning its place in the golf industry forever.

Basically, in 1999, Nippon Shaft’s 950GH represented a huge leap forward for the golf world, yet a small step for the company (we’re only kidding of course), because today we have a brand new/updated 950GH neo (neo means new in Greek), which comes with an outstanding pedigree and makes for an incremental upgrade over the old school 950GH, making for a homage of sorts to a legendary shaft that sold over forty million units worldwide, which became the weapon of choice for Tour pros looking to win tournaments. Needless to say, the N.S. PRO 950GH was copied right and left after it became the industry benchmark in regard to creating lightweight steel shafts. Okay, imitation is the purest form of flattery, we know that, but since we’re talking about a new generation of a legendary product, here are the features of the new N.S. PRO 950GH neo:

-A tad firmer Tip Section, which promotes a slight spin increase and a 1-2 degree higher launch of mid/high trajectory

-A stiffer Mid Section, which is aimed at stabilizing newer club heads throughout the swing

-A softer Grip Section: Smaller .600” diameter (from .610”) focused at enhancing “NS” feel.

Here’s the marketing and sales director for Nippon Shaft Hiro Fukuda commenting on his company’s latest product:

“Nippon Shaft is proud to introduce the N.S. PRO 950GH neo, which we believe will serve golfers with its enhanced attributes and improve performance and feel”

But we’ve saved the best for last: the 950GH neo will retail for $35 per shaft, according to sources inside the company, and it will become available at retailers worldwide starting with September fifth. Finally, you should learn that Yokohama-based Nippon Shaft is the number one selling steel shaft in Asia, and it makes for a privately-held subsidiary of NHK Spring Co. LTD, which is specialized in manufacturing automobile parts. The HQ of Nippon Shafts in North America is in Carlsbad.