Highlights from the Fujikura member trip, VeloCore fitting experience at Fujikura headquarters

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Last week, four lucky GolfWRX members visited Fujikura Headquarters in Carlsbad, California, to meet Fujikura's team of product experts, learn about how VeloCore benefits the golfer throughout the bag, and get fit into Ventus woods and Axiom irons. The four WRXers — @Puppetmaster, @hammergolf, @CactusGolf, and @eric61 — enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime experience thanks to Fujikura.

hammergolf: "The Axiom feels different from any of the other graphite shafts I’ve played previously. They feel much more stable and maybe a touch stiffer than my current shafts, however, I ball speed, carry distance, launch, and spin with TIGHTER patterns. I’ve played them all, Steelfiber, Recoil, and now MMT. Hands down Axiom is better."

"My god are these good. We were hitting into the wind on the range so it was a really good test for the shafts. First thing I noticed is seeing a different peak height, and tighter pattern. I hit it side by side with my gamer (PXG Gen3XP MMT 70 R) I really liked my gamers before I hit Axiom. It's just on a different level. Because of the advantage of using Velocore, Fujikura can make a shaft do something that all others I’ve had can't. The Axiom is so stable yet helps me to launch the ball much higher, (my indoor testing showed almost 4* more launch) with more spin (indoor test showed me almost 900rpms more) and a much higher decent angle (indoor test showed almost 5* increase of decent). Well I saw all that with my own eyes outside yesterday. However, here's what crazy. I hit the Axiom side by side with my gamer. I was able to hit the Axiom higher, spin it more, and land it softer but it carried the same distance as my gamer. That was great, but here's what I’m still scratching my head about. It was an even tighter dispersion pattern… Side by side, the Axiom is much more stable and to me feels stiffer than the MMT. I just don't understand how something can feel more stable and stout, but deliver more launch, more spin, and not lose any distance. That's what Fujikura call Velocore. And it wasn't just me, I saw @Puppetmaster, @CactusGolf, and @eric61 all hitting great shots with Axiom. Another thing that amazed me was how four guys with 4 different swings and four different clubhead speeds can have the same great results. I think that's a testament to how Fujikura has designed 3 different weight and profiles to fit anyone.

"The one thing I haven't mentioned is feel. They have a great feel that is not mushy, but just the right amount of feedback, yet no unpleasant shock or vibration. In summary, Fujikura just flat out nailed it. If you’re thinking about switching, or have hand, wrist, shoulder pain, these are an absolute no brainer. Hands down the best performing shaft I’ve ever hit. Can't wait to get them built and in the bag!"

eric61: "The first thing I noticed is that the 75S is more stout than you’d think, and the 125X is more playable than you’d think. The way they’ve managed to separate weight and flex is really impressive.

"The next thing: Axioms for me launched pretty high with relatively high spin. (And not just the 105X that Andrew fitted me into — I found this to be true in the full range.) They didn't have an i230 fitting head, but I was hitting a P790 — Andrew measured my i230 at 34 degrees of loft and the P790 was at 31. The P790 with the Axiom 105X was going 9 yards further, as you’d expect given the loft and head design differences, but it was actually almost identical in terms of peak height and landing angle, and it was spinning only a couple hundred RPMs less than my i230s.

"I’m not really looking for more distance — my home course is 6,700 yards from the back tees, so I really just need control. And what I found in the Axiom 105X was significantly tighter dispersion.

"My swing speed would usually indicate I’m more of an S than an X. But Andrew noticed I looked like I was losing the club head a bit in transition with the 105S, and the 105X really tightened things up quite a lot for me.

"The other thing I liked about them is the profile. They are stout handle, softer mid, stout tip shafts."

"I think the Axiom shafts are going to pair really well with player's distance type irons, where they’ll allow you to get the ball speed and forgiveness those iron heads offer while gaining the height and spin to make them really playable. Lower-spin guys in players’ irons will also love them.

"The other thing I’ll say, for folks who haven't hit graphite iron shafts before, is that they really take the sting out of impact. This is the first time in a while where I’ve had absolutely no wrist pain after a round. And it doesn't come at the cost of the iron heads’ feel. The T100 I mentioned was still buttery soft."

Puppetmaster: "The Tour V, much like my driver post above, did not spin enough, even though to my eye, they still launched decently high. Andrew, who is a fantastic fitter btw, wanted me to get more spin and a steeper descent angle. The Axiom 105 did just that, with a tight dispersion, were easier to load and had the right amount of feel (yes, subjective) for my swing. I think Fujikura is pretty darn close to that holy grail of both stability and feel with the Axiom (and Ventus). The hardstep was to give me more of the firmer feel I wanted, without needing to go into the 105X, which was too much work for me given my transition characteristics.

"Also, I hit a few draws and cuts for giggles after the fitting with the 105S and was able to do that, at least, to the best of my limited ability.

"One more note – I tried the 75S and 125X too, I think all of us did. The 75 did not feel like a 75 gram, felt much more stable than the weight would suggest. The 125X was stout but didn't feel like a pipe. Definitely felt all of the 125 grams, but again, they’ve done a nice job of leaving enough feel in it even though it's stiff, heavy shaft."

eric61: "Just wanted to start by thanking all 24 employees at Fujikura's U.S. operation here in Carlsbad. Spencer, Eric, Marshall and Kelsi were super generous with their time and knowledge. Andrew Hoang was just terrific in our fittings for Axiom iron shafts and Ventus driver shafts.

"One particular highlight for me was the tour Spencer gave us of the behind-the-scenes stuff — showing us how a shaft is made in-house, from raw materials (thanks Kevin, who showed us how shafts are rolled and admitted the Axiom 125s are the toughest to make) to the paint job to shipping the shafts out."

CactusGolf: "This has been one of the best, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I’ve ever had for a multitude of reasons! I want to make sure I think everyone at WRX and Fujikura for the opportunity. I was shocked to have been selected and unbelievably excited to dive in head-first into the fitting and product process."

Puppetmaster: "I just wanted to say again how awesome this was in terms of the experience, education, and the chance to sit around and dialog about shaft design, fittings, and everything else golf related. So much learning – from the design/prototyping process to the actual production to the fitting and everything else in between and beyond."

hammergolf: "First and foremost, thank you again to everyone at Fujikura for making us all feel at home. Spencer, Eric, Marshall, Kelsi, and Andrew were all incredible! The phrase is used too much, but these people and this company just get it. They are all dedicated to make the best product possible to help all golfers play their best golf. Fujikura are first class in every thing they do."

Head over to the thread for more comments, reviews, and future updates. Don't forget to become a member today for future opportunities like this, plus product member testing and giveaways!

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The story below seeks to answer the question: "What are the most commonly used driver shafts by the top-50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings?"

The story below does NOT answer the question: "What driver shaft should YOU use?"

It's an important distinction to keep in mind before continuing.

Golfers at the top level of the game are, of course, some of the most influential tastemakers in the sport. Their equipment decisions, fashion choices, and even swing changes help to shape the golfing decisions of the general public, whether it's for the better or worse. For some golf fans, the equipment that the top players in the world use help to determine the clubs and shafts they test or buy for themselves.

The mentality goes something like, "Hey, if it's good enough for Rory McIlroy or Jon Rahm, it's probably good enough for me."

The flaw in that line of thinking, at least when it comes to driver shafts, is that McIlroy currently averages 326.2 yards off the tee on the PGA Tour so far in the 2022-2023 season, and Jon Rahm averages 311.5 yards. The AVERAGE driving distance on the PGA Tour in 2022-2023 is 298.7 yards, and the AVERAGE ball speed off the tee is 172.95 mph.

The top golfers in the world do not play golf, or swing the golf club, anything like an everyday golfer who pays greens fees.

In reality, PGA Tour players don't swing like each other, either. Even though most of them hit the ball over 300 yards on the regular, they each have different speeds, swing transitions, release patterns, angles of attack, launch angles, spin rates, and they even have different goals in mind for how to achieve maximum efficiency with their driver swings.

The point is, it's extremely likely that your personal golf swing, and launch monitor data, looks nothing like any of the players on the list below.

I know…but you drove it 330… on that one hole… during that one round… a couple weeks back. Great drive, and I hope you made birdie, but I do hope you understand that driver fitting works to help minimize your typical misses and optimize your average drive – not to fuel a sense of pride by playing a shaft that's too stiff and too heavy for you because you caught the speed slot on hole 14 last month and now you think you’re knocking on top-20 PGA Tour speed.

I’m not trying to be mean, either. I’m trying to say the best driver shaft for you is the one that actually helps you hit it long and straight, not the one that most closely resembles a PGA Tour player's driver setup.

So, my suggestion is to use this story as either pure entertainment, or as a starting point of information gathering on what shafts you would like to test during your next fitting or testing session. I’ve provided a link to each shaft in the story so you can explore the shaft profile and see if it's in your wheelhouse to test.

Every single golfer on this list is using the driver shaft they’re using because they hit a multitude of shafts with varying lengths, weights, flex profiles, torque profiles, and a myriad of other characteristics. They tested various shaft offerings with the help of a fitter, and they tracked each shot with a launch monitor, ultimately determining that a particular shaft best suits their game and preferences, and works in conjunction with their driver head and grip of choice.

Everyday golfers can most easily find their perfect driver shaft by getting with a fitter and trying out different models for themselves. It's also important to keep in mind that each model comes in different flexes and weights, and each family of shafts typically has different design categories. For example, maybe the low-spinning "Fujikura Ventus Black" flies a bit too low for your swing and speed, but maybe the higher-spinning "Fujikura Ventus Red" is right in your window. There's a lot of moving parts when it comes to shafts, which is why I so strongly suggest consulting a professional fitter.

OK, now, with that being said, let's get into the results.

The scientific process for this story was simple: I looked up the top-50 golfers in the Official World Golf Rankings, and then cross-referenced each player with the extensive GolfWRX.com WITB database to see what driver shaft each player has used most recently. The full list is down at the bottom of the story, and the shafts that appeared most often in the top-50 list were awarded the "most popular" tag below.

Hopefully this list can provide a jumping off point for your next driver shaft testing session!

According to Fujikura, the Ventus TR Blue is a mid-launch, low-spin shaft

"A powerful combination of stability and feel, TR Blue maintains an ultra-stiff tip section for superior control at impact," Fujikura says. "Increased torsional stiffness creates a profile with enhanced load capabilities for more aggressive swings while maintaining a smooth overall feel."

Read more here

According to Fujikura, the Ventus Black is a low-launch shaft.

Fujikura speaks on the Ventus technology: "The exceptionally engineered Ventus is designed to significantly tighten shot dispersion and maximize ball speed especially on off-center shots. Ventus is a Tour-inspired profile and the first to include Fujikura's all-new VeloCore Technology in an accelerated taper, ultra-stiff tip profile. Maximum energy transfer from the tip section boosts the clubhead's performance and a straight taper design enhances loading and feel."

Read more here

According to Fujikura, the Ventus Blue is a mid-launch shaft, and is constructed with the same VeloCore technology as the aforementioned Ventus Black.

Fujikura explains more about VeloCore: "A multi-material bias core construction that delivers ultimate stability through transition and impact (maximizing clubhead MOI) – increasing velocity and smash factor. The multi-material core is crafted with full-length, ultra-high modulus Pitch 70 Ton Carbon Fiber — 150 percent stronger and more stable than T1100g — for ultimate stability, and 40 Ton bias layers ensure incredible feel."

Read more here

According to Graphite Design, the Tour AD-DI (which stands for "Deep Impact") uses NanoAlloy material and aerospace-quality carbon fiber t0 promote shaft stability and greater speed without the loss of feel. It has a soft mid-section to create load, but a stiff tip section to encourage high launch and low spin.

Read more here

*Each of these shafts appeared more than once on the top-50 list:

Check out GolfWRX.com's full WITB database here

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Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees @9.25)Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 60 TX

3-wood: Titleist TSR3 (16.5 degrees, 0.75 degree upright lie)Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 6.5 TX

Irons: Titleist U505 (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 130 S (2, 4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F, 50-12F, 54-10S, 60-08M)Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 130 S (46, 50), Modus3 N.S. PRO 125 Wedge (54,60)

Putter: Sik Flo C

Grip: Iomic

More photos of Lanto Griffin's WITB in the forums.

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Tour Edge has proven that its Exotics line pushes the limits of club performance over the years. This year, the Exotics line has two new hybrids to suit your game and help you hit more greens or fairways. The E723 is a hybrid designed for maximum forgiveness and high launch while its sibling, the C723, is adjustable and made for players looking to work the ball.

To listen to the full review, click on the YouTube or podcast link below or search GolfWRX Radio on your favorite podcast platform.

The C723 is exactly as Tour Edge describes — compact and adjustable — for the more skilled player who is looking to add a hybrid to the bag. I love adjustable hybrids so you can dial in the performance to your setup with ease. The 19-degree head I was hitting can play between 17.5 and 20.5 degrees of loft with the lie angle ranging between 57 and 60 degrees. Now the loft and lie are not fully separate and some loft settings only have a specific lie, but still very useful.

The C723 went right to the course and on the first hole I noticed a flatter trajectory that had a more boring flight off the tee. Shots off the deck are actually easier to elevate than I thought but again offer that flatter ball flight. Ball speed is great and distance is effortless when you strike it in the center, or close to it. I also noticed impressive distance on shots off the toe when you would expect to see a bigger decline in a smaller club head. Shot shape is very neutral, and the C723 isn't looking to help you draw the ball. Forgiveness on off-center shots is better than you would expect and shots stay online fairly well. Overall, this is a great option for players looking for a players hybrid that offers adjustability and added distance.

If your hybrid needs include distance, higher launch, and forgiveness, then the E723 might be the hybrid for your bag. I might actually like the larger look of the E723 hybrid compared to its smaller sibling, it gives you the confidence that you don't have to hit perfect shots to see great results.

Out on the course, or range, you can immediately see the launch difference as the E jumps up and off the face quickly. The flight is high, and I could tell the descent angle was steeper than the C. The Ryzersole gives you solid turf interaction on tight fairway lies and gets through that nasty rough fairly easily. Just like the C723, this hybrid offers some really good ball speed even when you miss the center. Those off-center shots stay online really well thanks to the weight in the head being back and low. Draws are much easier to hit with the E723 and straight shots wanted to fall just a little left of target.

Sound and feel are great with both heads and shots are met with that familiar stainless steel "ting" that we know so well. I think the E723 fits a wide range of players that can benefit from some extra distance and a little higher launch to reach those greens in two.

Tour Edge has again done a really good job with giving golfers some exciting hybrid options with the new Exotics. Whether you are looking to work the ball and adjust your hybrid to fit your bag or you just want a hybrid that is long and easy on your poor swings, I think you need to try out an E723 or C723 hybrid.

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