SCHAUMBURG, Illinois (December 16, 2005) - In a sign of their increasing popularity, Nippon Shaft's famous lightweight N.S. Pro 950GH steel shafts now are available as a custom option to worldwide purchasers of Nickent Golf's new 3DX irons.

In addition, Nippon Shaft's incredible "manufactured-in-Japan" N.S. Pro GT600 graphite shaft now is available at no extra charge in Nickent Golf's Genex 3DX driver and in 3DX DC Ironwoods.

"Nickent Golf is please to offer Nippon Shaft steel and graphite products as custom options for both our iron and wood models," said Michael Lee, president of California-based Nickent Golf. "Nickent Golf and Nippon Shaft share a commitment to make the highest quality clubs so that golfers can have the best possible experience on the course."

For Nippon Shaft, supplying shafts to Nickent is an example of a steadily growing increase in market share in North America, according to Hiroyuki Fukuda, manager of sales and marketing for Nippon Shaft for the Americas.

"Nippon Shaft is honored to have been selected to be a custom option in both steel and graphite shafts for Nickent irons and woods," said "Nickent is a fast-growing and highly respected company and Nippon Shaft is excited to be providing the company and its customers with our industry-leading lightweight shafts."

N.S. Pro 950GH shafts have been available worldwide through Nickent since September 1 (???). Already Nippon Shaft has responded to multiple re-order requests (??). Consumers may custom order the N.S. Pro 950GH in stiff or regular flexes in Nickent's 3DX iron model through green-grass golf pro shops and large golf and sports equipment retailers.

N.S. Pro GT600 graphite shafts have been available in Nickent woods since ???. The 60-gram shaft is manufactured under the tightest quality control standards in the industry at Nippon Shaft's plant in Yokohama, Japan.

"When it was introduced in 1999, the N.S. Pro 950GH - which weighs only 95 grams - was the first constant-weight steel shaft to weigh in at less than 100 grams while maintaining the consistency and accuracy that all golfers demand in the irons," Fukuda said. "Since then, the N.S. Pro 950GH has arguably become the world's most popular shaft with more than 100 touring pros worldwide using Nippon Shaft products as well as millions of amateur golfers throughout the world."

As the industry's first sub-100 constant-weighted shaft, the N.S. Pro 950GH provides players with consistency, because every iron in a player's bag from 3-iron to pitching wedge weighs the same (95 grams). The irons are available in either parallel or taper tips, also unique in the industry.

"It doesn't make sense to have a 3-iron that weighs more than your pitching wedge," Fukuda explained. "The pros want a constant weight throughout their set for consistency. The concept works for mid-tohigh handicappers, too. It just makes sense."

What makes the N.S. Pro 950GH truly appealing to golfers of all skill levels is its unique ability to be both "soft" and "hard" at the same time, meaning that the club is simultaneously pliable and stable.

"Nippon Shaft uses the highest grade materials and manufacturing techniques, specifically in heat treatment," Fukuda said. "The common feedback we get from golfers is that they are amazed at how "soft" the shaft feels and how consistently it performs in terms of consistent length, trajectory and dispersion - characteristics found in heavier or 'harder' shafts. The N.S. Pro 950GH is a shaft for everybody."

Nippon Shaft is the No. 1-selling steel shaft in Asia with more than 80 percent of the market and ranks No. 2 in the North America. Currently, more than 100 touring professionals worldwide use Nippon Shaft products in their clubs, resulting in more than 50 victories in the last three years, Fukuda said. All shafts sold by Nippon Shaft are made in Japan in order to maintain the highest quality labor and technical expertise.

Nippon Shaft is a subsidiary of privately-held NHK, a Japanese automobile parts manufacturer based in Yokohama, Japan. Nippon Shaft's North American headquarters is in Schaumburg, Illinois.