tour player driver shafts

The Best Driver Shafts for Your Swing Speed and Budget in 2023

PGA Tour Superstore, Dick's Sporting Goods/Golf Galaxy

• DESCRIPTION Golf driver shafts
• SOURCE PGA Tour Superstore, Dick's Sporting Goods/Golf Galaxy
• PERMISSION Permission given by PGA Tour Superstore, Dick's Sporting Goods/Golf Galaxy

Driver heads basically sell themselves with all of the great technology you can clearly see. The driver shaft, however, is critically undervalued when it comes to the performance of the biggest stick in your bag. If you're not playing the best driver shaft for your swing speed, you're not getting the most out of your investment. Let's take a look at what features you should consider in a driver shaft and with some options, including budget-friendly models.

What You Should Know About Driver Shafts

Think of your driver head as a heart. It does a lot of the work, but its work is useless unless it has healthy veins to pump blood through. Your driver shaft is the vein. When the head and the shaft work together, you see the best results off the tee.

It's easy to get caught-up in the marketing that surrounds drivers. Manufacturers are trying to sell units and the best way to do so is promoting faster, further, longer, and how you get it from "X" new technology. In many ways, current driver head technology delivers what the average amateur player needs to be long and straight.

If you're looking at purchasing a new driver, you should know just as many aspects of the shaft that's attaching to that head. Overlooking those details can lead to frustration and an early trade-in or eBay sale on your part. Here are some driver shaft aspects to keep in mind, and don't be afraid to ask for details from the person fitting you.

Driver shaft flex, for many years, was pretty cut and dry. You either played regular or stiff flex. Thankfully, present day shaft technology not only allows us to go beyond regular and stiff , it also creates sub-sections of those flexes along with senior, ladies, and more.

Your ideal driver shaft flex is greatly determined by your swing speed. When getting fit for your driver, be sure to ask your fitter what your swing speed is. While, as mentioned, there is grey area to the flex you fit into, here's a baseline of how your swing speed translates to your ideal shaft flex.

Your shot results will show if a flex is right for you or not. While there are certain swing factors and flaws that will play a role, here are some general shot results based on shaft flex:

• Shaft is too stiff: Your drives will typically be too low and produce a block or slice. For right-handed players, that's a shot that goes to the right. Left-handed players, to the left.
• Shaft is too flexible: Your drives will launch too high and will likely travel as a hard hook. For right-handed players, that's a shot that travels hard left. For left-handed players, hard to the right.

Making sure you have the correct shaft flex is the first step in your overall shaft fitting.

Weight plays a huge role in how a shaft performs. Weight affects ball flight, dispersion, spin, and many other aspects. In general, the average weight of a driver spans from 40-65 grams. While typically lighter shafts flex more, thanks to modern shaft technology, there are different flexes that span across different weights. For example, you can find stiff flex shafts in 40 gram weight, and 65 gram shafts in senior flex.

In general, the faster the swing speed the more weight you need to harness that speed and deliver the fastest ball speed possible. You used the table above to determine what flex shaft you should use, now use this table to further categorize the weight of the shaft you should use.

Keep your eye on ball flight during any driver fitting. Many amateurs pay the most attention to distance, swing speed, and ball speed, but launch angle is critically important.

If your drives are flighting too high, you'll likely lose distance because of too much spin. In addition, once the ball lands you will get little to no forward roll. 

It's important to remember that not all lofts are created equal. If you're used to tuning your driver head setting to 10 degrees, but you pair it with a low launching shaft, your drive will likely launch much lower than the head setting. When experimenting with different head and shaft combinations, watch for your launch angle number. This number should appear on any modern launch monitor technology. Here is the number you should look for.

The Truth About Stock Driver Shafts

Depending on the manufacturer or golf retailer that you've chosen to have your driver fitting performed by, keep in mind that stock shafts are adequate for the large majority of amateur golfers. This is especially true today, as club manufacturers make more effort than ever to expand their no up-charge shaft offerings. in many cases, companies such as TaylorMade, PING and Callaway have five or more stock shaft options which the manufacturer has chosen based on what fits best with the given clubhead.

Custom or premium shafts have their place in the golf world, but these shafts usually pair well with the fastest swing speeds or low handicap players. Depending on the up-charge for the custom shaft, the shaft price can sometimes exceed the cost of the driver.

Don't be afraid to go with what works and what delivers the numbers you desire, whether that means you fit into a stock shaft, or an after-market upgrade.

Best Driver Shaft Overall: Project X EvenFlow Blue

• DESCRIPTION True Temper Project X Evenflow blue wood graphite shaft
• SOURCE PGA Tour Superstore
• PERMISSION Permission given by PGA Tour Superstore

SHOP AMAZON

The Project X EvenFlow Blue driver shaft by True Temper is an easy choice for best overall because it fits a wide range of players while producing big results on tee shots.

For the most part, the EvenFlow Blue is right down the middle on most categories, which is why it's so widely used. It has a mid launch and mid spin profile, so players looking for a shaft that doesn't go to the extreme in either category will find this model to be a great fit. The EvenFlow Blue rewards moderate swing speeds with a smooth feel, but players with a slower or faster tempo can easily hit bombs with it.

Whether your backswing is quick or slow, and no matter what your transition pace is, this shaft accomodates and puts your clubface at the best possible impact zone. Pairing the Project X EvenFlow Blue with the right driver head will yield big results for many amateurs.

Best Budget Driver Shaft: Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue

• DESCRIPTION Grafalloy ProLaunch blue graphite wood shaft

If you need a new driver shaft to fit your existing clubhead, the Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue  is a solid choice. At around $60, the investment is minimal when you consider how expensive some golf shafts can be. While some golfers might not consider the price a budget, it's significantly less expensive than replacing the entire driver. We don't judge for the reason you might be searching for a replacement driver shaft in the first place (snap).

The Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue has Micro-Mesh Tip Technology, which is designed to keep your clubhead square at impact. With the exception of exceptionally fast swing speeds, most players fit into this shaft. It produces an ideal launch with Vertical Launch Technology, which varies the shaft flex based on the person swinging, instead of the player having to adapt to the shaft.

Whether you're looking to try something new, or simply need a replacement to pair with your favrite driver head, the Grafallow ProLaunch Blue is a great choice if you don't want to pay $100 or more for a shaft.

Best for Fast Swing Speeds: Project X HZRDUS Smoke

• DESCRIPTION Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 60 .335 Graphite Wood Shaft
• SOURCE Dick's Sporting Goods/Golf Galaxy
• PERMISSION Permission given by Dick's Sporting Goods/Golf Galaxy

When Project X debuted the HZRDUS Smoke  model in late 2018 it was in response to its equally successful counterpart, the original HZRDUS Black shaft. The original was intended for fast swing speeds and produced huge distance, but was certainly an aim-small-miss-small type of shaft with little room for error. That original HZRDUS is still a fantastic choice for fast swing speed and low single-digit handicap players who are accurate with driver.

The HZRDUS Smoke is a much friendlier and accommodating shaft, but doesn't stray from its family of fast swing speeds. This shaft produces a low launch and mid spin to give some room for error. Scratch players will likely find the Smoke model to be a bit too pedestrian, but mid-handicap players with fast swing speeds will find this shaft to be just what they want, producing huge distance gains but also keeping it tight in the fairway.

Best Driver Shaft for Seniors: Graphite Design MAD

• DESCRIPTION MAD Graphite Shaft product image

If you're a senior player looking for a light driver shaft that will help you rediscover your former spot in the fairway, the Graphite Design MAD  driver shaft should be in your wheel house. This shaft is available all the way up to a 75 gram, staff flex option. However, the senior flex version (A flex) is super-light at 45 grams.

The Graphite Design MAD is built to get the ball up in the air quickly, meaning seniors who game this shaft may be able to delay purchasing a higher-lofted driver head. As previously mentioned, the ideal launch angle for your driver should be between 12 and 15 degrees. This shaft can deliver those numbers with ease, but anyone with a moderate swing speed or faster may lose distance because the ball will launch too high.

"MAD" stands for Maximum Accuracy and Distance, and this shaft delivers on all. For slower swing speeds it keeps the clubhead square in transition and at impact, while also allowing the ball to work to the center line. The gain in distance will cost you, as the Graphite Design MAD costs $129.99. The results you'll see on the course, however, will make you forget about the price tag.

Your swing speed should never have to accommodate a golf shaft, it should be the other way around. Thanks to advancements in shaft technology, there is now a shaft that fits every player, no matter what your speed, launch, age, or any other factor may be.

Always be sure to get properly fit by a certified club fitter, whether it be from a manufacturer or at a reputable golf retailer. With the price of drivers hitting nearly $600, your investment should produce the results you want.

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7 Most Popular Shafts on The PGA Tour (2023 Update)

People bag watch for clubs and golf balls that pros use on Tour. But on an average PGA Tour, golf club shafts make just as much of an impact as the club head or the ball. Knowing the most popular shafts can help you select better quality shafts that give your shots the control and distance they need.

In this article, you will learn about the top shaft brands alongside their respective popular shafts.

The 7 most popular shafts on the PGA Tour are:

• True Temper – Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 
• True Temper – Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
• Fujikura – Ventus Black 6 X
• Mitsubishi – Diamana DF 70 TX  
• Graphite Design – Tour AD DI Shafts
• Aldila – Rogue Silver 130 MSI
• Nippon – NS Pro Modus 3 Shafts

And to find out the most popular shafts on the PGA Tour, keep reading!

Most Popular Shafts On The PGA Tour

The most popular shafts on the PGA Tour are True Temper, Mitsubishi, and Fujikura, with Nippon, Aldila, KBS, and Graphite Design also having decent bag placements. A total of 82 True Temper shafts made it onto the Tour, which is a higher number than the bottom five most-adopted shaft brands.

So, let’s start with the most popular.

1. True Temper

True Temper has a legacy in making golf club shafts that date back to the 1930s. The brand rarely backs anything that isn’t world-class. Even its Lacrosse arm is known for being used by professionals. But when it comes to True Temper golf shafts, it upstages every other brand, with 82 PGA Tour players using its shafts.

From Abraham Ancer (ranked #24 in 2022) to Adam Long (ranked #91 in 2022), True Temper’s shafts are present across the PGA leaderboard. If individual shafts were considered instead of shaft makers, most of them would belong to True Temper.

Some players who use True Temper golf shafts on the Tour aside from Tiger Woods are Brendan Steele, Chris Kirk, Kevin Na, Ryan Palmer, and Zach Johnson. Which True Temper Golf Shafts do PGA Tour players use?

True Temper golf shafts used by PGA Tour players include:

• Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (used by 42 pros) 
• Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (used by 52 pros)
• Dynamic Gold S400 (used by 5 pros)
• Project X HZRDUS (various iterations used by 43 pros)

2. Mitsubishi

The competition between True Temper and Mitsubishi is pretty tight, given that the former’s 82-player adoption rate is just a dozen short of Mitsubishi’s 70-player adoption. Mitsubishi is a far wider label than True Temper yet maintains excellence across all industries it operates in. Mitsubishi entered the golf supplies market formally in 2004.

However, the manufacturer was making private-label golf shafts for some of the biggest names in the business. Later, the company decided to come for the credit it deserved for its excellence, and today 70 of the top PGA players use its shafts.

Some players who use Mitsubishi Golf shafts include Rory McIlroy (ranked #3 in 2022), Brendon Todd, Charley Hoffman, Collin Morikawa (ranked #8 in 2022), and Tiger Woods as well.

The distribution of these shafts across a wide range of ranking shows that Mitsubishi shafts aren’t just for the top professionals. You should know which shaft is best for you before purchasing.

Which Mitsubishi Golf Shafts Do Top Professionals Use?

• Diamana DF 80 TX (used by 6 pros) 
• Diamana DF 70 TX (used by 7 pros)
• Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX (used by 2 pros)
• Kai’li 60 TX (used by 2 pros)

Unlike the True Temper shafts, you’ll notice that fewer professionals use the same shafts. This shows that where True Temper excels at making a few shafts that are widely used, Mitsubishi offers a wide range of shafts that are usable across a broader roster of skill and talent.

3. Fujikura

The adoption drop between Mitsubish shafts and Fujikura shafts is almost 1.5 times larger than the drop from True Temper to Mitsubishi. Still, this is not an easily dismissable brand, with 55 PGA Tour players using its shafts.

Older than Mitsubishi and younger than True Temper, Fujikura has been in the shaft-making business since 1995.

Fujikura is known for pioneering the design and development of more efficient shafts, which is why it is fast-rising in adoption despite not having a preexisting footprint like Mitsubishi or a longer history than True Temper.

Currently, players like Cameron Davis, Justin Thomas, Sam Burns, and Tiger Woods use at least one Fujikura shaft each. The player rankings of Fujikura range from top 5 players like Cameron Smith to ones not currently charting.

This diversity shows that the Fujikura shafts are not unidimensional. You needn’t be among the top 10 PGA golfers to use these shafts.

The club shafts used by PGA Tour players include:

• Ventus Black 6 X (used by 10 pros) 
• Ventus Black 7 X (used by 9 pros)
• Ventus Blue 7 X (used by 7 pros)

4. Graphite Design

Graphite Design is a brand exclusively distributed by Pro’s Choice golf clubs. The distribution arm’s title would show where Graphite Design’s priorities lie. It has been in the golf shaft-making business for 3 decades.

Ever since its inception in 1989, Graphite Design has maintained strict quality control that has won the company widespread acclaim.

It is the fourth most adopted shaft maker in pro golfing and has 30 players using its shafts on the PGA Tour in 2022. Among these are players like Adam Scott, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, and Webb Simpson. Its diversity of ranked players and concentrated adoption of a handful of shafts speaks for these shafts’ versatility.

Which Graphite Design shafts do PGA Tour players use?

• Tour AD DI – Various iterations used by 14 pros 
• Tour AD XC – Various iterations used by 4 pros
• Tour AD IZ 7 X – Used by 3 pros

The adoption rate from here falls further, with only 26 players using KBS shafts. Is this because KBS is bad at making shafts?

No. It has more to do with the company’s marketing and sponsorship priorities. Adam Scott, Cameron Smith, Cameron Davis, Shane Lowry, and Ryan Palmer are some of the athletes who have adopted KBS shafts, named after Kim Braly, the product’s creator.

Having launched as late as 2008, KBS even being on the map is awe-inspiring. Its quick growth is primarily due to its high quality and positive word of mouth. KBS doesn’t spend as much on marketing its golf shafts as its competitors.

Still, having top pros use your products on Tour is part of the game all golf equipment manufacturers must play. And many pros choose to include KBS shafts in their bags.

KBS shafts used by PGA Tour players include:

• Tour 130 X (used by 4 PGA players) 
• Tour V (different iterations used by 9 PGA players)

My eldest son has clubs with KBS shafts as shown in the below photo. These combined with TaylorMade P770 heads have increased his distance and allowed him to club down on approach shots thus gaining better accuracy and control. He’s still pretty fond of them to this day.

Nippon is a golf shaft manufacturer who has been in the golf shaft business for a while. Its history dates back to 1959, with manufacturing being based in Japan. Even today, its most sought-after shafts are still made in Japan. The company capitalizes on the connotations between Japanese manufacturing and precision.

However, it doesn’t prioritize marketing enough to buy out a larger chunk of golf bag placements. As a consequence, its high-quality shafts make it to only 21 bags. With a wide range of players with varying records, Nippon’s adoption is all over the rankings charts. But most of them select only a few of the shafts.

Cameron Young, Lucas Glover, Sergio Garcia, and Matt Wallace are some of the players who use Nippon Shafts. The focus of most players seems to be on iterations of NS Pro Modus 3, as you will see below.

Nippon shafts used by PGA Tour players include:

• NS Pro Modus 3 – Various iterations adopted by 20 players 
• NS Pro Modus 3 Tour – Various iterations adopted by 12 players

Aldila is the last among the most adopted golf shaft labels. After Aldila, the adoption rate drops to single digits. This golf shaft maker has been active since 1972. It has made the headlines for being in the winner’s bag in Mexico Open and the Masters. 

It seems like Aldila might not be in the news for having most PGA Tour athletes adopting it. But it is always a candidate for being in the winner’s bag. Rahm, Steele, and Patrick Reed are among Aldila users. Other athletes using Aldila shafts on the PGA Tour include Kevin Streelman, Kevin Kisner, and Talor Gooch. 

The models adopted are partly sporadic and partly concentrated around several variants. This is because three of the top players use more than one type of Aldila shaft.

Chez Reavie uses Rogue Silver 125 MSI 60 TX, Rogue Silver 130 MSI 60 TX, and Rogue Silver 130 MSI 70 TX; Jon Rahm uses Tour Green 75 TX and Tour Green 85 TX; and Patrick Reed uses RIP Phenom Hybrid 100 TX, Rogue Silver 125 MSI 70 TX, and Rogue Black 130 MSI 70 TX.

Including the multiple shaft adoption, the most adopted Aldila shafts on the PGA Tour are:

• Rogue Silver 130 MSI – Used by 3 pros 
• Rogue Silver 125 MSI – Used by 2 pros
• Synergy – Used by 2 pros

Golf Shaft Selection Best Practices

Choosing golf shafts based on the pros’ adoption is tricky. On the one hand, you know that if the best players in the world use a specific shaft, it is of high enough quality. But on the other, you don’t know if the shaft is built for a specific skill level. The following best practices will help you pick out a shaft that works for you.

Avoid Tour Issues if You Want High Flight

Tour Issue in a golf shaft name might make you believe it is meant to be the best shaft a specific manufacturer can make. In reality, the term indicates that a specific shaft was designed based on Tour players’ requests or feedback.

Common issue shafts are good enough for Tour play, which is why most of the shafts covered here don’t include the word ‘tour’ in their respective titles. 

Tour Issue shafts are generally made because expert and advanced players want shafts that will let them launch low-flying balls with higher forward penetration. Most high handicappers, novices, and intermediate golfers don’t need special shafts for that.

Think of Your Needs First

Your favorite golfer might have a different swing. Feel free to copy their wardrobe but keep equipment separate from the player. What a brand making onto the Tour means is that it is good enough for you. It doesn’t matter whether it is in 10 bags or 21 bags. As long as a shaft brand is used by PGA players, it is a good brand. 

Going beyond that into specific shafts used by players you love doesn’t make sense. The only exception is if you have the exact swing or limitation of a PGA Tour player. Then you can copy their entire bag. Until then, think of your needs first. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What material shaft do I need? 
• Do I need shafts for my driver or my iron?
• Do I need a shaft for straighter or slower shots?
• Do I need the ball to spin, or do I need to offset the spin?

Don’t Confine Yourself to a Single Brand

Just because you purchase a Nippon shaft next doesn’t mean you cannot purchase a Mitsubishi after that. Tiger Woods is listed 3 times in this post because he has shafts from at least 3 different brands in his bag. 

Some shafts are stiff, others are flexible, and you might need both at different points of the game. Your driver shafts and the shafts that your iron heads adorn cannot have the same specs. So don’t try to get them from the same brand.

Final Thoughts

True Temper seems to be leading the shaft adoption charts. Their two most popular shafts on the PGA Tour are the Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 and the Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400.

Since Tour Issues are highly specialized for the kind of control top pros need, you shouldn’t get these specific shafts without understanding your needs. But once you know the kind of shaft that will work for you, you can trust True Temper, Mitsubishi, and other well-adopted brands mentioned here.

If you want to know which irons the pros use on Tour, check out this post, 7 Most Popular Irons on The PGA Tour .

Related Posts You May Like:

• 5 Most Popular Putters on The PGA Tour
• 5 Most Popular Wedges on The PGA Tour
• 3 Most Popular Hybrids on The PGA Tour
• 5 Most Popular Drivers on The PGA Tour

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The 8 Best Driver Shafts: Pros, Cons, Reviews

Having the best golf driver shaft can make a massive difference in the direction, consistency, and distance of your drives. To help you decide, we’ll look at the best driver shafts to maximize your potential.

The right shaft is exactly the one that fits your swing speed and tempo, regardless of which shaft your favorite professional or golf buddies use.

Fortunately, the shaft should last for the club’s lifetime unless you get frustrated and break the shaft, which we’re sure you would never do. However, you might want to replace yours as your game progresses, so getting fit with one of the best golf driver shafts is crucial.

Top 3 Best Golf Shafts For Drivers

1. mitsubishi diamana – best overall driver shaft , 2. accra fx 2.0 200 series 260 driver shaft – premium choice , 3. project x hzrdus smoke – most options for driver shafts , 4. project x even flow – good for high swing speeds , 5. fujikura 2021 vista pro 60 – best graphite driver shafts for mid-handicappers , 6. graphite design tour, 7. mitsubishi tensei ck – best driver shafts for control , 8. aldila ripx, why you should trust us, shaft material, shaft weight, shaft length, shaft speed, shaft torque, what shaft is best for my driver, what is the most popular driver shaft on tour, what shaft is best for my swing speed, what shaft is best for a slow swing speed, how do i know what shaft flex is right for me, what happens if driver shaft is too stiff, related articles.

• Mitsubishi Diamana – Best Overall Driver Shaft
• Accra FX 2.0 200 Series 260 Driver Shaft – Premium Choice
• Project X HZRDUS Smoke – Most Options for Driver Shafts

Best Driver Shaft Reviews

Key Features:

• Compatible with Callaway drivers
• Standard length

[Check Price & See User Reviews]

Mitsubishi is a well-known brand internationally for producing motor vehicles, electronics, and sporting equipment. Some of the best golf driver shafts are included in their armory of golfing products, with the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ series having a long history of success.

Diamana D+ Plus Limited Edition is a low-launch and spin shaft designed with Dialead Pitch Fiber in the butt section for maximum stability. This includes the Multi-Dimensional Interlay and the company’s Tough-Qure Resin System for high speeds and a penetrating ball flight.

It is one of the most frequently used shafts on professional golf tours by top professional golfers, as is the DF model. The DF shaft is a low-to-mid launch and low spin shaft designed with a stiff tip section.

Diamana 2nd Generation S+

Diamana 2nd Generation S+ is designed using innovative materials featuring pitch fibers strategically positioned in the shaft for enhanced stability and performance without sacrificing feel.

It is available in various flex and shaft weights, ideally aimed at golfers requiring workability. The mid-kick point promotes medium launch and spin and maximizes distance for golfers struggling with shot dispersion and getting the ball into the air off the tee.

Diamana is graphite shafts weighing 62 – 77 grams available in R, S & X flex options.

• Customizable shaft specifications available
• Pure graphite construction
• Tour velvet 360 grip
• Compatible with major manufacturers (choice of adapters)
• 3 available flexes

[Check Prices & See User Reviews]

Accra is one of the lesser-known shaft manufacturers in the amateur game but has been supplying shafts to professional golfers for decades.

The Accra FX 2.0 200 Series shaft is counterbalanced, offering one of the best driver shafts for low spin. It comes with an adapter for easy plug-and-play, making it a good driver shaft for mid to high-handicap golfers.

Lightweight shafts are explicitly engineered to provide low spin for exceptional distance and stability.

Low spin generates consistent ball flight and shot shape on each shot.

A sleek black and silver finish adds visual appeal combined with a high-quality grip installed before delivery.

• Stable low flex feel
• Budget-friendly
• 60g weighting
• Reliable launch
• 4 different styles to suit every golfer’s swing

Project X HZRDUS Smoke

A lightweight graphite shaft ideal for golfers with slower swing speeds and is considered one of the best driver shafts for distance . It could be the best driver shaft for an 85 mph swing speed.

Project X New HZRDUS Yellow

Project X New HZRDUS Yellow is ideal for high swing speeds and is available in various adapters for maximum versatility. It offers amazing strength throughout the swing with low flex for shaft stability and dependable distance. It comes standard with a quality Golf Pride grip at delivery.

Project X Hzrdus T800 Green

This is one of the most sought-after mid-weight shafts on the market, offering an incredibly solid feel and mid-level spin, promoting extraordinary distance over control. The grip is a quality Golf Pride as standard on all HZRDUS shafts.

Project X HZRDUS Black

This is one of TrueTemper’s best stiff driver shafts currently available. It was designed for high-tempo golfers offering an extra stiff midsection for increased power in the swing. Fast-tempo golfers will produce low trajectories without sacrificing accuracy and control.

HZRDUS shafts between 62 and 75 grams, R, S & X flex options, and a high kick point are available.

True Temper offers a variety of high-quality Project X steel iron shafts as well as graphite driver shafts. It has proven to be the most versatile shaft for low-handicap golfers.

Read more: Stiff versus Regular Flex – which golf shafts should you choose?

• Huge tee-off distance
• 46″ mold (customizable length)
• Satisfying point of impact
• Easy to install with many leading driver heads
• Swing speed improvement design

Another shaft True Temper makes is the Even Flow range designed for efficiently transferring load for the highest energy release at impact.

It offers a mid-launch ball flight and mid-spin, making it ideal for both drivers and fairway woods.

Project X Even Flow Blue Shaft is aimed at golfers with high swing speeds that require an outstanding feel.

The standard length of 46 inches allows room for modification should it be required.

Project X Even Flow Riptide is a mid-spin and mid-launching shaft, including the company’s Torsional Stability Optimization for stability and a smooth feel. The bend and shaft profiles of the Even Flow shaft optimizes energy release during impact.

• Perfect for TaylorMade clubs
• Consistent swing speed
• Ideal launch angle for mid handicappers

Fujikura is a celebrated company that has built a standing for delivering quality shafts for all driver and swing types. It’s one of the best graphite shafts on the market today.

The Fujikura Vista Pro 60 shaft is specifically to upgrade your TaylorMade driver that has lost its snap.

The company’s patented rigid “cage” structure is the basis of this graphite shaft. The thin walls offer a heavier feel without a load of extra shaft weights while promoting a consistent launch angle.

It comes in the standard 45-inch length.

The shaft also is well adept at providing a trustworthy response for more confidence, encouraging you to reach deeper for more strength and ball speed off the tee.

• 5 different choices of kick point
• Huge distance
• Highly accurate
• PGA approved
• Advanced nanomaterial tech

AD-DI (Deep Impact) is designed with Graphite Design’s Nanoalloy technology in the tip section for enhanced stability, high launch, and low spin from the soft mid-section.

AD-BB (Blue Bullet) is a low-to-mid launch and low-spinning shaft with a stiff tip and midsections that is similar to the AD-DI, designed with the company’s Nanoalloy technology in the tip section.

AD DI driver shafts are available in a variety of 5 different kick points (HD-4, 5, 6, 7 & 8) manufactured from high-quality carbon for enhanced rigidity and stability throughout the shaft. This results in stable spin amounts that deliver exceptional accuracy.

Graphite Design driver shafts are the shafts of choice for many golfers internationally and are available in various models for outstanding performance and feel.

Flex options available are Senior, Regular, Stiff, and Xtra-stiff. Regular flex driver shafts are good for most golfers – It’s often thought of as the best driver shaft for golfers with a 95 mph swing speed.

All graphite models come in various weight options ranging between 49 and 88 grams.

• Different options impact ball flight
• Kevlar and carbon fiber construction
• Highly stable
• Pro-level control

Tensei is a Japanese word that translates into transformation in English. The multi-material Kevlar and carbon fiber construction offer smooth Tour-proven shaft profiles while improving feel making it extremely versatile and suitable to most levels of golfers.

It is available in a variety of models. The most popular of which are the CK Blue and CK White; take a look at them below to figure out which is best for you.

Mitsubishi Tensei CK Blue

Tensei CK Blue shaft features a Carbon Fiber/DuPont Kevlar weave for a mid-launch and mid-spin ball flight.

It’s slightly higher launching and spinning than the CK White version listed below.

Mitsubishi Tensei CK White

Tensei CK Pro White shaft is a low-launching and mid-to-low spinning shaft with a stiff tip section. It’s designed to produce a more penetrating ball flight than the Blue version listed above.

• Varying weight options are available
• Added distance off the tee
• TaylorMade compatibility
• Available in 4 different flexions

Aldila is a universally recognized brand used by golfers around the world.

Its trademark Reverse Inter-Laminar Placement (R.I.P) technology marks the return of one of its most iconic shafts offering incomparable stability.

RIPX features Aldila’s Micro Mamba technology moving the weight from the midsection for increased stability and feel.

Graphite shafts are available in various weight options varying between 52 – 97 grams, high kick point, and in various flexes.

Golfspan is independent and not pressured by manufacturers to recommend products. We were not paid for the reviews in this article. Our team has over 100 years of golf experience, has spent thousands of hours reviewing golf equipment, and has hand-picked these driver shafts. We may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase something through our retail links.

How To Buy The Best Driver Shaft For You

Golfers tend to look at the golf shaft flex as an indication of how strong they are and how fast their swing speed is.

There are several factors to consider when selecting the best shafts for drivers . Top driver shafts are manufactured from various materials, weights, flex, length, torque, and kick points. To get the combination correct, you must understand each component’s function.

To learn even more about shafts, you can check out our detailed golf shafts guide.

Club weight is one of the most important factors in the golf swing . This makes the selection of the best golf shaft material crucial.

Although most golf drivers and woods come standard with a graphite shaft, alternative options are available. I will briefly explain the various materials and their impact on the driver shaft.

Steel is the most frequently used material in iron shafts . The progress in quality and strength of graphite shafts are making major inroads into the steel shafts’ stronghold in the market.

Although steel is heavier than graphite, the benefit is that it adds accuracy to your drives. If you however prioritize distance, the lighter graphite shaft will enable you to swing slightly faster, thus adding distance.

Carbon steel, and sometimes stainless steel, are used in the manufacturing process of steel shafts.

Steel results in stronger, more durable, and less expensive shafts that produce less torque and lateral twisting than graphite shafts.

The predominant steel shafts are:

Stepped Steel Shaft

The shaft reduces in diameter from top to bottom via some steps at intervals. One strip of steel is used in the process with a wider diameter at the grip end than the club head end. It is rolled and mechanically drawn to the required length while steps are generated.

These shafts suit many swing types and are most frequently used in irons.

Rifle Steel Shafts

Rifle steel shafts are manufactured using a similar process to stepped shafts but without a reduction in diameter or any steps. This allows for a smooth look and the electronic calibration of flex throughout a set of clubs.

Graphite Shafts

Graphite is lighter than steel, allowing manufacturers to produce lighter shafts, allowing you to add speed to your swing. Higher ball speed results in more distance while sacrificing some accuracy.

Graphite shafts are made from carbon fiber strands for weight reduction. Carbon fiber is more expensive, thus making it more expensive.

Since the material is available in a variety of colors, the major brands can add a variety of descriptions and branding onto the graphite shaft. However, this results in a loss in durability as the shafts can chafe against the sides of the bag, resulting in scratches and paint loss.

Graphite shafts weigh between 50-85 grams compared to 120 grams of their steel counterparts.

Graphite shafts offer greater distances from today’s oversized titanium drivers, allowing shafts to be longer.

NanoFuse Shafts

Nanocrystalline alloy with a carbon fiber composite polymer sublayer is used to manufacture NanoFuse shafts.

The material’s inconceivably tiny and rigid grain structure offers the consistency of steel and the distance and feel benefits of graphite.

As mentioned earlier, the weight of your best driver golf shaft plays a significant role in the speed you can generate in the swing. The shaft weight is calculated before the shaft is cut to the required length.

More weight is required for left to right (draw) trajectory and lower spin, while a lighter shaft will produce the opposite.

Graphite driver shafts are between 0.12 to 0.13 pounds for men and 0.09 to 0.11 pounds for women.

Heavy shafts offer more control, lower torque, and stability in the clubface, leading to lower launch angles and more accuracy and consistency. In contrast, lighter shafts offer more speed and distance with a high launch angle.

The disadvantages of heavier shafts are less speed and lower spin, while light shafts contribute to inconsistent contact on the clubface and high ball flight.

Golf clubs are built around the industry standard for male golfers measuring 5 feet 9 inches and women golfers for 5 feet 7 inches.

Shafts measure 45 inches, with the maximum allowed by the governing bodies at 48 inches.

A longer shaft will increase your swing speed while decreasing the control you can exercise on the path. To achieve the optimum balance of speed and control it is extremely important to have the shaft cut down to the correct size keeping the impact of reducing the length on the shaft characteristics.

This video will give you some insights into the ideal driver shaft length.

The longer the shaft, the bigger the arc you can create and the faster the swing speed you can generate.

Why are all drivers not fitted with the maximum length shaft?

Although a longer shaft generates more speed, it will substantially impact your clubface’s feel and strike point.

Shafts that are too long will cause inconsistent face contact and promote heel-side impact, while shorter shafts generate a consistent strike pattern with impact on the toe.

Every ½ inch off-center contact results in a 7% loss of carrying distance.

The correct length shaft will result in solid contact repeatedly.

Heavier, stiffer shafts are ideal for better golfers for gains in distance and accuracy.

Shaft flex is more than a letter on the shaft that allows you to compete with your playing partners.

Flex is the EI profile of the shaft that defines the stiffness of a shaft from the tip stiffness through the butt stiffness, which is measured at different points in the shaft.

Static flex is the amount the shaft bends when the butt end is clamped and weight is applied to the butt end. The softer the flex is, the more the shaft will bend.

Frequency is the amount of sway in the shaft when the butt end is clamped and pulled to one side before release. The shaft weight can affect the sway, with light shafts having the highest frequency.

Tip flex or retroflex refers to the average stiffness at the club head side of the shaft. This is measured by clamping the tip end and applying weight to the butt end of the shaft. The tip flex affects the launch angle, with a softer tip producing a higher launch angle and spin rate.

Available flex

• Extra Stiff (X) for golfers with a swing speed of more than 110 mph.
• Stiff (S) for golfers with a swing speed between 100 and 110 mph.
• Regular (R) swing speed between 90 and 100 mph.
• Senior (S) / Amateur (A) for young golfers, senior golfers , and beginners with slower swing speeds between 80 to 90 mph.
• Ladies (L) for golfers with slower swing speeds below 80 mph.

Torque is the amount of shaft twist experienced during the golf swing measured in degrees and shown as a rating. More twist equals a higher rating. A higher rating produces a softer than a low rating.

A low ball flight is produced by low torques, and it increases as the torque increases.

Finding the best driver shaft for high swing speed requires less torque shafts, whilst slower swingers and slicers require more torque .

This is the point where the shaft bows most during the downswing and impacts the ball’s trajectory. A low kick point will bow near the clubhead, thus producing a higher trajectory. While a high kick point driver shaft will generate a low ball flight.

Best Driver Shafts 2022 FAQ

There is no blanket answer to which is the best shaft for your driver. It depends on your swing and what you want out of your driver. Extra distance, more accuracy, a high kick point, etc. Most club fitters can get shafts with adaptors to fit the popular drivers on the market.

The highest concentration of a single shaft brand on the PGA tour is Fujikura driver shafts .

If you already have a fast swing speed and want to get the most distance out of it then an extra stiff shaft is best for you. If you need to improve the swing speed itself, a more flexible shaft is more appropriate.

Any shaft that is available in a seniors flex is ideal for low swing speed. The Mitsubishi Tensei is a good example of such a shaft.

Get yourself to a pro shop or a virtual golf course and measure your swing speed. You can use the following table to decide on the right flex for you.

You could start to see faults with your accuracy, especially if your swing speed to too slow for a stiff shaft. If you find yourself slicing or drawing a lot of shots, your shaft may be too stiff.

Final Thoughts

Selecting the right driver shaft is a rather complicated process, with various components playing a significant role.

Custom fitting can be achieved through a standard 4-step process, which is the most reliable way to improve your golf.

This article about the best driver shafts aims to provide you with a better understanding of what to consider in your assessment and some of the best shafts available.

In our assessment, the Diamana range from Mitsubishi stood out as the top driver haft for golfers of all levels, with a suitable option for anyone. All weight options and flex options are included in the range.

• How To Pick The Right Shaft For Your Driver?
• Is Your Golf Club Shaft Too Stiff? Symptoms & Solutions
• Graphite vs Steel Shafts; Which Is Better & Why?

Clint McCormick

Clint is PGA-certified and was a Head Teaching Professional at one of Toronto's busiest golf academies. He was also featured on Canada's National Golf TV program, "Score Golf Canada," twice. He graduated with a degree in Golf Management from the College of the Desert in California and studied under Callaway's co-founder, Tony Manzoni.

He has a handicap index of 6.2 and spends the winters near Oaxaca, Mexico, where he plays twice a month at the Club de Golf Vista Hermosa. He's written over 100 articles at GolfSpan since 2021. You can connect with Clint at   LinkedIn , FB , his website , or [email protected] .

• Best score : 68
• Favorite club : Odyssey White Hot Two-Ball Center-Shafted Putter
• Favorite ball : Titleist Pro V1x
• Favorite food at the turn : Hot dog
• Clint McCormick https://www.golfspan.com/author/clint-mccormick Illegal Golf Ball Markings? Rules & Etiquette Explained
• Clint McCormick https://www.golfspan.com/author/clint-mccormick 5 Fixes To Stop Hitting Behind The Golf Ball
• Clint McCormick https://www.golfspan.com/author/clint-mccormick How To Fix An Over The Top Swing
• Clint McCormick https://www.golfspan.com/author/clint-mccormick Golf Ball Flight Laws: Use Them To Help Your Game

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Best Driver Shafts to Put On Your Clubs: Reviewed & Tested

Are you one of those that don’t pay much attention to your shaft? Well...as we know, drivers already come with a golf shaft upon purchase, so you usually don’t consider buying a new one. However, as you play a lot and time goes by, it wears out, broken, outdated, and needs some upgrade.

Most of the golfers’ common mistake is not looking at the key factors and features appropriate for them. Do you know that the driver shafts also have a significant impact on your swing speeds? Choosing the right driver shaft is also important to have the best shots. Many golfers don’t usually take this into account, but there’s a difference between graphite and a steel shaft. Graphite shaft dominates on the best shaft for drivers while steel usually for iron .

The shaft is not just a mere long tube that connects the golfer’s hand to the clubhead. It is considered the engine of the modern clubhead. The drivers’ shaft must match his speed. Why? The poor shaft can affect the impact of your game. A well-designed driver shaft can result in great swing speed , flexibility, and accuracy.

So today, we are going to explore the top 10 best driver shafts in the market, the key factor that you have to look for when getting one.

• THE Best Driver ShaftS
• AccuFLEX Assassin II Wood Shaft (Best Overall) "AccuFLEX Assasin II was made up of the best driver shafts among the drivers listed. This driver shaft fits golfers with different swing speeds because of its quick recovery and ease of loading features. It delivers more distance without sacrificing control."
• MATRIX NEW Radix-S IV (Best on a Budget) "Even though it is affordable, it can match with the golfers that want to gain more distance."
• Project X Even Flow Riptide (Upgrade Pick) "This shaft has a great feel without sacrificing your performance."
• Project X New HZRDUS Smoke (Best For Low Handicappers)
• Fujikura Vista Pro 60 Shaft (Best Lightweight Shaft)
• Project X NEW HZRDUS Black 6.0 Shaft (Best for Distance)
• Project X PXV R-Flex Shaft (Best for Beginners)
• Dynamic Gold True Temper (Best Steel Shaft for Irons)
• Mitsubishi Tensei Ck Pro (Consistent Shaft For Low Handicappers)
• Accra New Tour Z 85 (Best for Mind Handicappers)

Table of Contents

Accuflex assassin ii wood shaft, matrix new radix-s iv, project x even flow riptide, project x new hzrdus smoke, fujikura vista pro 60 shaft, project x new hzrdus black 6.0 shaft, project x pxv, dynamic gold true temper, mitsubishi tensei ck pro, accra new tour z 85, extra stiff, stiff , amateur/senior , steel shafts, graphite shafts, multi-material shafts, what do you mean by shaft torque, what do you mean by kick point, how can a flex help me, what swing requires a stiff shaft, what is the most popular driver shaft on tour, do pga players use stiff shafts, should i use regular or stiff shafts, flexibility, best driver shafts .

Best Overall

KEY FEATURES

• great looking
• more distance swing
• played on Tour

Accuflex Golf is committed to providing advanced golf shaft to all golfer. With their efforts, their driver shafts become one of the best driver shafts in the market. It is can also be seen being used by Tour players.

The AccuFLEX Assassin II helps you gain more distance and control. It is the most popular A2 shaft entry. This shaft uses and incorporates graphite technology into a tighter-torque version. Another thing that is good for this shaft is the color. It is a great looking shaft with a beautifully polished gloss red textured finished.

This is a golfer’s dream shaft. Aside from being one of the most affordable shafts in the market, it is also a versatile shaft and fits every player with different swing speeds because of its quick recovery and ease of loading. With a weight of 0.14 pounds, this is indeed a very lightweight shaft and is even considered everyman’s shaft. This is a perfect mid-to-large launch shaft with players who have a  semi-aggressive to clean swing .

CLICK TO READ MORE

If you’re struggling with a high handicap, you can take a look at this shaft. This is the shaft that is most preferred by golfers with a high handicap. It has a great high launch angle. This is also available in different kind of flex — A, R, S, X, or 2X.

Winning on WORLD PGA TOURS, PROLONG DRIVE TOUR, AND REMAX COMPETITION, quality is indeed superb, and the value is great. This can fit a wide range of golfers who want easy loading of the shaft. It is one of the best shafts that you can purchase today.

Best on a Budget

• Mid-high spin rate
• mid-high launch

This is the new shaft for Matrix Radix S Series. The word RADIX is Latin which means "base" or "root".

The shaft's weight is 0.10 lbs with 46 inches shaft length. This is suitable for the mid-handicapper golfer. Compare with the regular shaft Radix is faster.  

Another thing that I like about this shaft is the color. It is white with an attractive HD design and has a reasonable price. The contrast of white, black and gold color makes the shaft stand out.

Upgrade Pick

• Attractive design
• Perfect for low launch

Another shaft from Project X that made to our list is the Evenflow Riptide . If you don't mind spending more dollars for your shaft, this is a great option for your old driver shaft upgrade.

Some shafts focus on performance or feel. But this shaft has a great feel without sacrificing its performance. It has a solid feel. This is a great shaft for those who have a higher speed.

This ideal to fit Callaway drivers, from Epic, Epic Sub Zero, XR series and more.

Weighing 1 lb., this shaft comes with uncut 46" mold. This is great for golfers with higher swing speed as it is built for speed. The hitting of the good ball will have a good launch and consistency. For stability and fee, this shaft uses Torsional Stability Optimization.

Best For Low Handicappers

• Lows spin and low launch shaft
• Increase distance

Stability and high quality are a major selling point with the  HZRDUS Black 6.0 shaft . It has a larger wall layer throughout the entire length of the shaft gives more power and consistency to players.

This is a  low-spinning and low launching  shaft and available for both woods and hybrids . You will be surprised by how this performs when it comes to distance especially if you're an aggressive golfer. It has just enough kick to keep the shaft from feeling too stiff without sacrificing the control.

The HZRDUS shaft features increased stiffness along the full length of the golf shaft This shaft will fit your driver as long is has a .355 tip size to match the size of this shaft tip It will give you a high-quality action to keep your swing smooth and stable in the game.

Best Lightweight Shaft

• Custom assembled graphite shaft
• Perfect for Taylormade shaft upgrade
• Wrench not included

Fujikura Vista Pro  embraces the lighter weight category. The aesthetic designs for this shaft were inspired by Tour. This shaft was almost loved by everyone. It provides players with great versatility.

The shaft was made from graphite and can be customized and assembled. This shaft can work on most  TaylorMade adjustable drivers .

Vista Pro 60 uses Fujikura technologies like CAGE, Maximum Fiber Content, and Phantium. It was redesigned with Fujikura technologies CAGE and Maximum Fiber Content.

Fujikura Vista's  technology was called “cage” because the outside of the graphite shaft fibers resembles a cage structure. A lighter shaft wall usually gives control even on the heavy shafts. The maximum fiber content also makes it stiffer and added some strength allowing stability, distance, and feel.

If you're confused with its flex, here's Fujikura's flex designation. R3=Ladies Flex, R2=Senior Flex. If you need distance and high trajectory this is one of the popular driver shafts in the market.

Best for Distance

Best for Beginners

• Comes with an adjustable adapter
• Increase club head speed

Project X PXV R-Flex Shaft  is a top-quality shaft installed in a TaylorMade SLDR shaft adapter. This is the best shaft driver for beginners . Project X PXV is a replacement shaft designed to fit your  TaylorMade  SLDR, R15, M1, or M2 Driver. It is cut with the manufacturer’s standard length. For a standard size Tour Velvet,  there is no extra charge for the installed rubber grip .

This is an out of the box design! It is guaranteed with satisfaction and workmanship. For a regular shaft, this is firm and stable. It can even be customized with a special request. The flex point helps in optimizing speed. This came ready to assemble as it comes with the adjustable adapter.

Project X PVX  is a good driver shaft for beginner and entry-level golfers. This is for players with below 100 mph swing speed. Being a lightweight shaft increases your regular speed. If you like dark colors, you may not like this shaft. It has a striking white color. The PXV line is built for speed. V in PVX means velocity.

Just please take note that the wrench is not included. You must consider this one when you want to upgrade your shaft.

Best Steel Shaft for Irons

• Variable Wall technology
• Step pattern
• Comes without grip

If you're looking to upgrade your irons drivers shaft, the Dynamic Gold Temper shaft is a reliable option in the market For exemptional performance and feel, this shaft uses Variable Wall Technology. this shaft is actually designed for skilled players. Ti has a high-flex with a low ball flight trajectory for more control for irons.

Professionals that are seeking a heavyweight shaft will be delighted with its shaft stability with the swing while enhancing spin control.

Consistent Shaft For Low Handicappers

• Ideal for players with faster swing
• Softest in butt-section
• Mid-low spin

Mitsubishi Tensei Ck Pro is one of the top lines for the best shaft driver . Tensei is a Japanese word that means “transformation” in English. This aims to transform your driver for a better shot. This is also great when it comes to control.

It has the stiffest tip-section compared to the rest of the TENSEI series, but it has the softest in the butt-section. This shaft driver has been used by different professional players like Francesco Molinari and more.

Mitsubishi Tensei is one of the best driver shafts in the market designed as a mid-launch shaft. It has a mid to low spin. When it comes to its performance in the course, this one usually hit the ball higher off the tee with an average launch angle.

This shaft is a graphite wood shaft that is available in three colors —blue, orange and white. If you really wanted to invest in your driver's shaft this worth investing in. It is a versatile driver shaft that is fit for many golfers drivers and Fairwood

Best for Mind Handicappers

• Flex and driver adapter options
• You can choose your flex and adapter
• With Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip

With a sleek black and silver finish, this shaft is lightweight. There are plenty of options and adapters. It is easy to assemble. It is an easy plug-and-play shaft.

This shaft promotes exceptional distance and stability. It gives you better control of your driver. This shaft has a low torque and high kick points that trigger the low trajectory of your ball. However, if you already have a smooth tempo and transition with your swing, Tour Z 85 shaft will give you better control over your driver.

Driver Shaft Flex

The kind of flex affects the golfer's performance. It has a great impact on the distance and trajectory of your shots.

In general, driver shafts are usually categorized into five flex ratings

• X-Extra Stiff shafts
• S-Stiff shafts
• R-Regular shafts
• A- Amateur/Senior shafts
• L- ladies shafts

Extra stiff is the type of flex that is often used by professional players and for those who have a 300 yardage off the tee. There are only a few driver shafts that offer this kind of flex as it is not that popular. This is design for players with more than 105mph club speed. If your speed does not meet with the kind of shaft that you had you can lose control over your shot's accuracy and trajectory.

For golfers who can drive the ball to 250 yards off the tee, you can choose the stiff shaft. This type of shaft is great for mid-low handicap golfers with a fast swing speed. If your speed is around 97 to 105 mph club speed consider choosing the stiff flex for your driver shaft.

This flex is the most popular and the most forgiving golf shaft flex. It is for golfers with high-handicap. If you are driving your ball to 200-300 yards off the tee and has a swing speeds between 84 and 96 mph club speed, then the best driver shaft flex for you is the regular flex. Others also called it average shaft flex. 

This driver shaft flex is for golfers who have slower swing speeds and can reach 200 to 300 yards of the tee and has a club head speed around72-83 mph.

This flex is for those who have a speed lower than 72 mph below. This is the softest flex among shafts. In general, the faster club usually uses stiffer a shaft.

Types of Shafts

Basically, there are two types of shafts. The steel and the graphite shaft. But you may also see this multi-material shaft. You will find it more below.

This shaft is less expensive compare to the graphite shaft. Steel driver shaft is often heavier and is made from carbon steel. Although some brands use stainless steel. When it comes o your swing speeds, you will have better control. The torque on the graphite shaft is not present on steel shafts.

If you have regular swing speeds and have a better grip and control over your swing, you can use this type of shaft. As this shaft emphasizes accuracy, this shaft is the most popular for professional golfers. The steel shaft is firmer and has an average weight of 0.26 lbs.

This shaft is available in 2 designs. The stepped steel and rifle steel shafts.

Compare to the steel shaft, this shaft is lighter. However, this shaft is more expensive and not that durable. If the steel shaft weighs 0.26 lbs, graphite weighs only between 0.11 and 0.19 lbs which is almost half the weight.

As this is much lighter this often appeals to women, beginner and senior golfers who struggle to produce longer drives.

The multi-material shafts are the new type of shaft in the market. This is the combination of steel and graphite to get the best in both worlds for golfers.

Multi-material shafts have a graphite tip and a firmness of steel shaft. This will allow the player to have more control and allows the ball to gain more distance with fewer vibrations.

Since it is still new in the market, there are only a few variations available.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Every shaft has a certain amount of torque which is measured in degrees. Torque refers to the twist of the shaft during a swing. The higher the rating of your shaft it is more prone to twisting. Low torque shaft has less twisting and less stiff feel.

In simpler terms, the shaft kick-point is the flex point where the shaft bends during the swing. This usually affects the trajectory of the shots. Low kick point usually gives high ball trajectory and the opposite for high kick point.

If you're new and would like to straighten your mis-hits you should look for a shaft with a high torque rating.

If you want to get the best of your golf driver clubs, the key is to select the right flex. During your swing, the golf shaft flex. So if you have a faster swing it's better to use stiff flex. Regular and firm flex is popular to men while the senior flex and ladies flex are popular to women and senior who has a slower swing speed.

Understanding your speed is the most important in choosing your best driver shaft flex. A professional golfer swings faster than those who are just entry-level. Based on the custom  club fitting chart of TaylorMade the required speed for selecting Stiff Shaft Flex is 95-110mph and has 240-275 yards of carrying distance.

Mitsubishi Tensei CK is the most popular shaft on the tour. According to “The 8 hottest driver shafts of 2018 on the PGA Tour”, this driver shaft rank no. 1. It was used by Justin Rose, Alex Noren, Sergio Garcia, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Ian Poulter, Charley Hoffman, Haotong Li, and Tiger Woods . This year, Andrew Tursky of PGATOUR.COM, release a list of the top 10 drivers on the PGA tour and still this Mitsubishi Tensei CK remains no. 1.

As a general rule, the more speed you generate, the stiffer your shaft. Most PGA Tour Player professional uses the stiff or x-stiff shafts. This will help them achieve an optimal result from a  swing with a fast tempo . This is the best driver shaft flex for distance.

One of the common problems of the golfers is looking for the right flex for them. If your  carry distance is 200-240 yards and has a swing speed of 85-95 mph  you can choose the regular flex. Regular flex is the  best driver shaft for those who have below 100 mph swing speed This is the most popular flex and best driver shaft flex for beginners . This is usually chosen by high-handicapped golfers. The regular shaft provides additional flex for a little more power and accuracy.

If your carry distance is 240-275 yards and has a swing speed of 95-110 mph you can choose the stiff shaft. It flexes less during the swing than the regular shafted clubs. Professional and seasoned players often choose this kind of flex.

Testing Criteria used for Evaluation

You might  consider some factors before buying the best driver shaft for you. As you can see today there is a lot of best driver shaft that is available in the market with different shapes and designs. Of course, you must also consider some important factors like stability, consistency, and accuracy before buying one.

One of the common mistakes of the beginner golfer is no matching their driver to their club speed. If you want to optimize the full potential of your driver, you must find the right shaft for you.

Most of the driver shaft on the market are made out of graphite shafts. This is often the standard of most driver shafts. This is because these shafts are lighter and have a variety of flex depending on your golf club swing speed.

However, some people prefer steel as they are more comfortable and gives them more power. This is more durable and usually last for a longer time, well not unless you will accidentally break it.

As mentioned above, the flex of your club must match your club swing speed for optimal results. A stiffer flex may generate a lot of speed for the professional golfer but not beginners may find it hard to control. If you want to make the best of your driver you much also consider its flexibility.

Your shaft weights will also have a big impact on your performance. All drivers shafts are weighted, for example, the graphite which weighs around 0.11 - 0.19 lbs and the steel average weight at 0.26 lbs.

If you have slow swing speeds you might start looking to lightweight clubs. However, if you already have exceptional swing speed, a heavier drivers shaft is more appropriate as it will you establish more stability and tempo

Shaft being considered as also the soul of the game must be chosen carefully. Graphite is the most preferred shaft by most players because it is lighter than steel. After choosing the kind of shaft, you must also consider shaft flex. You may be able to choose the right shaft but not the shaft flex. This can still have an impact on your game. On choosing the best shaft driver flex for you, you must consider your carrying distance. Hope our review of the best driver shafts gives you a better understanding of what driver shafts to choose in the future if you are ready for an upgrade.

Denny Putsh

With over 25 years experience in the world of golf, I've dedicated a significant portion of my life to appreciating this sport. From my early days swinging a club at 12 years old to now, my passion has only grown. While I avidly follow the PGA Tour, what truly captivates me is the evolution of golf equipment and technology. Over the years, I've familiarized myself with the latest gadgets, training aids, and golf accessories that enhance the golfing experience. My mission is to share this knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow golf aficionados, ensuring they have access to the best insights and recommendations. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, I'm here to guide you through the dynamic world of golf innovation.

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Which Tour Players Use Fujikura Shafts?

Fujikura has been at the forefront of R&D to produce some of the best golf shafts for many years, which is why its products are trusted by the world's leading players

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Ask a hundred regular golfers to name a shaft brand and it’s safe to say that Fujikura would come out on top. The Japanese brand, which started out as a rubber company over a hundred years ago, has been at the forefront of design and development to produce the world’s best driver shafts since arriving in America in 1994. Today, the brand enjoys success on Tours across the globe on a weekly basis.

There’s a reason why Fujikura is trusted by many of the world’s leading players, as well as club golfers of all levels. Using proprietary technology - such as enso, its revolutionary motion capture system that provides a detailed analysis of how a shaft behaves during the golf swing - Fujikura shafts have set the benchmark in the golf shafts category. It's the reason why it has become one of the leading choices for some of the world's best players.

TOUR DOMINANCE

Fujikura often dominates the field at PGA Tour events when it comes to shaft usage. At the 2023 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in March, for example, Fujikura took the number one spot in both the driver and wood shaft counts. Well over a third (39.1%) of the field used a Fujikura driver shaft, with another 31.8% using a Fujikura wood shaft.

Sam Burns powered to victory at the WGC Match Play with Fujikura shafts

Sam Burns , who knocked out world number one, Scottie Scheffler en route to victory in Austin used VENTUS driver and wood shafts - more specifically: the VENTUS Blue 7-TX in his driver and the VENTUS Black 8-X in his 3-wood and hybrid. Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy , who finished third at the event, played with a new VENTUS, making the shift from his usual set-up of the VENTUS Black 6-X into the VENTUS Blue TR profile. The four-time Major champion was looking to work the ball more off the tee, while aiming for additional spin and a higher launch angle.

After testing numerous shaft variations in both his TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus driver and TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus fairway , the world number two settled on the VENTUS TR Blue 6-X in his driver shaft. With its slightly softer profile and increased stability, the VENTUS TR design provided the desired spin and feel. 

McIlroy also uses the VENTUS TR Blue 8-X in his 3-wood shaft and remained in the VENTUS Black 8-X in his 5-wood shaft. It was clearly a winning recipe - the Ulsterman went deep into the tournament and won six of his seven matches. His driving, which has so often been his biggest strength, made the headlines again, with one particular 375-yard effort that found the green on 18th being described as "one of the greatest drives" .

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has Fujikura shafts in his driver and three wood

TRUSTED BY THE WORLD'S BEST

Through the opening 25 events of the PGA Tour 2022/23 season, 13 winners have used a Fujikura shaft. As it stands, seven out of the top 10 male players in the world are currently using Fujikura shafts in their bag, with six of them using Fujikura in their driver, which also includes Scheffler, the world’s number one player, who plays a combination of the VENTUS profiles in his driver and wood shafts.

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The dominance is mirrored on Tours around the world. At the Drive On Championship on the LPGA Tour , Fujikura claimed the number one spot in the driver shaft count, with a total of 30.8% of the field using a Fujikura driver shaft during the tournament.

15-time major winner Tiger Woods chooses a Fujikura shaft in his driver

Fujikura is the go-to shaft for a host of other Tour players. Other big names to have played with VENTUS at the 2023 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, include Max Homa, Jordan Spieth, Billy Horschel and Will Zalatoris. Meanwhile, world number nine, Viktor Hovland, has opted for the Speeder TR 661 TX in his Ping G425 LST driver . 

And although Tiger Woods only makes fleeting appearances these days, when he plays, his TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver is equipped with the Fujikura Ventus Black 6-X shaft. Given that Fujikura doesn't pay any players to use its products, there is surely no greater endorsement for a brand than arguably the game's greatest ever player choosing its product. 

Michael has been with Golf Monthly since 2008. As a multimedia journalist, he has also worked for The Football Association, where he created content to support the men's European Championships, The FA Cup, London 2012, and FA Women's Super League. As content editor at Foremost Golf, Michael worked closely with golf's biggest equipment manufacturers, and has developed an in-depth knowledge of this side of the industry. He's now a regular contributor, covering instruction, equipment and feature content. Michael has interviewed many of the game's biggest stars, including six world number ones, and has attended and reported on many Major Championships and Ryder Cups. He's a member of Formby Golf Club. 

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Golf Cart Report

#1 Rated Golf Cart Consumer Guide

The 10 Most Popular Driver Shafts On Tour (Updated 2021)

September 18, 2020 by Brittany Olizarowicz Leave a Comment

Many professional golfers will tell you that the golf shaft is more important than the clubhead.

Sometimes, when players have to switch a clubhead because of an equipment contract, they will keep the same shaft in place.

The shaft will help with weighting, launch, workability, and much more.

Golfers on the professional Tour are very particular about the shafts they play, as they should be when you consider all that lies on it.

Amateur golfers can get lots of great information about the best golf shafts from researching what the pros are using.

What Is the Most Popular Driver Shaft on Tour?

1. Accra TZP Prototype

Accra is not a shaft brand many golf amateurs are familiar with, but on Tour, the players know it well.

The Accra TZP is a very interesting shaft model because it is graphite yet is designed to perform like a steel shaft.

For players with lots of speed who want the stability and control that steel provides, the TZP is an excellent choice to consider.

Got Accra’s new TZP shaft in Champions tour member Dick Mast bag this weekend. Pretty good numbers for this player. #clubfitting #flightscope #switchgrips #golfstudio360 #accragolfshafts … https://t.co/G4qeBwPqZs — Golfstudio360 (@GolfStudio_360) January 27, 2019

  View this post on Instagram   Got Accra’s new TZP shaft in Champions tour member Dick Mast bag this weekend. Pretty good numbers for this player.#clubfitting #flightscope #switchgrips #golfstudio360 #accragolfshafts #customgolfclubs #ocngolf #orangecountynational A post shared by Golf Studio 360 (@golfstudio360) on Jan 27, 2019 at 9:35am PST

High swing speeds need more stability than slower speeds, and the Accra allows that.

Even though the shaft is designed to perform like steel, players are still getting plenty of launch and very low spin as well.

The combination of high launch with low spin will significantly increase the yardage you can get with the Accra TZP.

Some golfers who felt like the Accra was a good fit for them include Jason Day and Cameron Champ .

2. Fujikura Ventus

“It’s the total package” Get the lowdown on Fujikura’s Ventus shaft from @jonathanrwall : https://t.co/WWnZvWDwTH pic.twitter.com/VUTPdClPpB — GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) February 21, 2019

Of course, the Tour versions are a little stiffer and a little more high performing than some of the standard versions sold to the masses.

The Tour version of the Fujikura Ventus is built for the higher swing speed golfers.

The very low torque on the club will help reduce some twisting that occurs at impact with the high swing speed players.

D: @TaylorMadeGolf M2 (2017) (9.5*) Shaft: @FujikuraOnTour Atmos Blue Tour Spec 6X 3W: TM SIM Max (15.0*) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7X Driving iron: TaylorMade SIM Max 4-iron (2-iron length, 21*) Shaft: @truetempergolf Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 https://t.co/5bSXtaZgDR pic.twitter.com/RSlUksSSOr — GolfWRX (@GolfWRX) February 10, 2020

Dispersion is how far apart the drives will land when you are playing.

Drivers with lower dispersion rates are going to be considered more accurate than those with high dispersion rates.

Overall, the Fujikura Ventus shaft is one that will very likely be around for years to come.

If you want a chance to try it yourself, you can find it in the new SIM Max line of golf clubs.

3. Mitsubishi Kuro Kage 70XTS

The Kuro Kage shafts have been around for a long time, and they have not lost their status for the golfers on the professional Tour.

The Kuro Kage shafts feature lots of strength in the tip section to allow for much tighter shot dispersion.

The Kuro Kage shafts come in lots of different torque options as well.

For professional golfers on Tour, the low torque options will be the best fit.

Kuro Kage makes fairway wood and hybrid shafts in addition to the driver shafts.

Tommy Fleetwood WITB: 2020 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Driver: @TaylorMadeGolf SIM (10.5 at 9 degrees) Shaft: @MCGolfShafts Kuro Kage XTS 70TX (44.75″) 3-wood: TaylorMade M6 (15 bent to 14.25 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana DF 70TX (42.5″) https://t.co/iUhu4Yji39 pic.twitter.com/2m6Qit1WG1 — GolfWRX (@GolfWRX) January 16, 2020

4. Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black

The Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black has been around for a few years, but it has also been redesigned a few times.

Project X is a low launch and low spin driver.

Sometimes professionals with high swing speeds need a low launching club to make sure they don’t balloon their drive up in the air.

The Project X has a slight counterbalance, and you will find this is a higher torque shaft than some of the others on the market.

1 photo(s) added to TS2 RH Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.0 15 A – https://t.co/oylOmiX85n pic.twitter.com/hQaXYekpAv — V K Enterprise Golf Specialists (@vkgolfmalaysia) July 12, 2020

5. Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana D+ White Board

This is a shaft that even Tiger Woods has played with from time to time .

Would appear Tiger has a new driver shaft. Based on the graphics it looks to be Mitsubishi Diamana D+ White Board. pic.twitter.com/oKBMaRJPHB — Jonathan Wall (@jonathanrwall) August 21, 2018

Mitsubishi Diamana has been a well-known shaft brand on Tour for many years.

This new White Board shaft is a low launching option suitable for the top swing speeds on Tour.

Tiger Woods quickly put this shaft in both his three and five wood, and they have remained there since.

The White Board is also a low spin golf shaft that will help players get plenty of roll once they hit the ground.

For the golfers on Tour, the low spin helps to make sure they don’t get too much spin on a long fairway or driver shot.

With their high swing speeds, there is a chance of creating backspin and getting the ball to back up.

They will want to try and avoid that at all costs.

6. Aldila Tour Green 70TX

The Aldila Tour Green shaft comes in many different flexes that will appeal to golfers, not just on the PGA Tour.

The 70TX is a very stiff shaft, stiffer than an X shaft, built for very high swing speed players.

This is a shaft Jon Rahm was using in his driver.

The Aldila Tour Green is built for distance.

@jonrafman ‘s: M4 Driver | 9.5° | Aldila Tour Green 70 TX M3 Fairway | 17° | Aldila Tour Green 70 TX P790 2-Iron | Project X (6.5) P750 Irons (4-PW) | Project X (6.5) MG Wedges | 52°, 56°|Project X (6.5) HI-TOE Wedge|60°|Project X (6.5) Spider Tour Red Putter TP5x Golf Ball | #10 pic.twitter.com/DpiPL6ldqA — GolfMagic.com (@GolfMagic) June 13, 2018

This is one of those shafts players will say feels like the shaft knows what it is supposed to do.

We love that Aldila makes high-quality options for players of all handicap levels, but the feel and performance will remain consistent.

The Tour Green is made with the brand new Micro Laminate Technology.

This makes the shaft very thin but strong at the same time.

Most golfers who have switched to the Aldila Tour Green are very impressed with the consistency this shaft has to offer.

In addition to this shaft coming in many different flexes, you can choose from several different weights that could work for your game.

7. Mitsubishi Tensei CK White 70TX

The Mitsubishi Golf shafts make our list yet again.

The CK Pro White is a shaft that even Rory McIlroy considers to be high performing enough for his game.

The CK Pro is a multi-material design with a very stiff tip.

This is a lower launching shaft built for a strong player.

Golf: Dylan Frittelli’s winning WITB: 2019 John Deere Classic: Driver: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70TX 3-wood: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero (15 degrees)… https://t.co/0qmCF38w6f https://t.co/dT1Pp2Oyhp #Golf #Portal4Sport pic.twitter.com/IEoQkTtqEF — Portal 4 Golf (@Portal4Golf) July 14, 2019

This helps to increase stability and provide much more feel with this shaft.

Just like many of the other options on our list, there are flex and weight options available in the CK shaft.

The professionals are going to look for the lower torque models as the top performers for their game.

The Mitsubishi Tensei shaft combines more than 11 different materials.

Most shafts only have about five included.

The combination of different materials allows Mitsubishi to pinpoint other areas of performance and take the capabilities of this shaft to a much deeper level.

Overall, the Mitsubishi shafts will continue to pop up on Tour and increase in popularity as time goes on.

Truly, this is a shaft company that knows what they are doing.

8. Grafalloy Bi-Matrix X

The Graffaloy Bi-Matrix X shaft is an option that was made popular by Bubba Watson.

Bubba is always unique when it comes to his equipment choices, and of course, the shaft he played with was pink.

The Graffaloy does come in other colors, and it is a very lightweight and surprisingly affordable golf shaft.

The tip of the Graffaloy has a steel section for extreme distance and control as well.

“Grafalloy Bi-Matrix Rocket Pink X shaft” ✔️ #BubbaGolf #DawgsOnTour @bubbawatson https://t.co/WMp1Ipaxin — Georgia Golf (@UGAGolf) December 9, 2015

The Graffaloy is a bit more of a high launching shaft than some others in this category.

The Graffaloy is about thirty percent higher launching than other comparable models, but it has a very low spin rate.

This high launch/low spin combination provides plenty of distance on the course.

The Graffaloy comes in some unique colors with six total to choose from.

You can get white, black, lime green, pink, neon blue, or neon orange.

If this is something that matters to you when choosing a driver shaft, the Grafalloy is the way to go.

9. Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX

The Atmos Black Tour Spec is a high end and expensive golf shaft which is very popular on Tour.

Again this is a low flighted and low spinning golf shaft.

You will notice that almost all Tour level golf shafts will be designed this way.

If you are a player who struggles to get the ball in the air, be very careful making the switch to a Tour-level shaft.

The Black Tour is the lowest launching of the Fujikura shafts.

The nice thing about the Red, Blue, and Black color coding for launch is that amateur golfers can choose one of these shafts in a higher launch but still get the same performance.

Fujikura is not a new name on Tour, so when you swing this shaft, you are getting years worth of research and product development.

Although you will spend quite a bit of money on the Atmos shaft, they will offer the ultimate in performance.

10. Accra RPG 475

We started and will now end our list with a shaft made by Accra.

Again, the Accra shafts are just starting to gain some more popularity among amateur golfers.

The Accra RPG 475 is a shaft played by the great Gary Woodland.

119th @usopengolf champion @GaryWoodland WITB: Dr: @PingTour G410 @ACCRAGolfShafts RPG 475 M5+ 3-wood: @PingTour G410 LST (15°), Accra Tour Z X4100 M5 Uti: @WilsonGolf Staff prototype (18°), KBS Tour C-Taper 130 X Irons: @WilsonGolf Staff Blades (4-PW), KBS Tour C-Taper 130 X — Rick Young (@YoungerGolf) June 17, 2019

Accra claims that the RPG is the most technologically advanced golf shaft they have ever created.

Although many players on Tour are enjoying the benefits of the shaft, there are models for amateur golfers.

Like most of the shaft offerings mentioned, the Tour Z RPG is available in many weights and flexes.

Overall, this is a very stable and smooth feeling shaft that will likely continue to gain popularity on Tour in the years to come.

As you can see, there is a wide range of options when it comes to shafts for the professionals on Tour.

If you are a very fast swinging player who needs performance like this, you can try out one of these shafts in your driver.

If you want the feel and performance of a tour-level shaft but not the stiffness, then there are other weights and flexes available in almost all of these models.

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About Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt Olizarowicz started playing golf at the age of 7. She played Division 1 College golf at St.Johns University, where she won two tournaments at the collegiate level. After college Britt went on to become a Class A PGA Professional. Her love for the game spans almost her entire life. Today Britt loves sharing her knowledge of golf through her writing. After all, to teach the game of golf, you must first have a love for it.

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Your Questions Answered

Why a shorter-length driver shaft can improve distance and accuracy

Will Zalatoris says switching from a 46-inch driver shaft to a 44.5-inch driver has helped his accuracy without sacrificing distance.

Brennan Asplen

Question: I see some guys on tour using shorter driver shafts than the standard 44.75 to 45 inches. Sounds interesting, but I don't want to lose any distance. Does a shorter driver shaft result in lost distance?

Answer: This is a common misconception. A longer driver shaft can result in extra clubhead speed, but it doesn’t mean the ball is going farther. Center-face contact is a more critical factor for increasing distance, and you’re more likely to find the center of the face using a shorter shaft, which can also lead to greater consistency off the tee. Think about it. The ball doesn’t roll much in the rough but can scoot on the fairway. If you’re finding more fairways with a shorter shaft, your average distance off the tee will likely increase.

“The majority of my driver fittings are at 45 inches or shorter,” says Golf Galaxy’s director of experience and master club fitter Chris Marchini, the author of the company's in-house fitter training manual. “The first thing out of their mouth when you put a shorter shaft in their hands is, ‘Aren't I going to swing this slower?’ What they don’t realize is that a 90-miles-per-hour swing hitting face center with a shorter shaft is going to hit it longer—and straighter—than a 95-mph-swing with a longer shaft.”

RELATED: 9 golf-equipment secrets you can steal from tour pros.

Of course, a shorter shaft doesn’t always result in more distance. It could be the benefit of being in the fairway more often with about the same distance. Take Will Zalatoris, who previously played a 46-inch driver but switched to a 44.5-inch driver this year.

“I'm playing a shorter driver,” Zalatoris said of his 9-degree Titleist TSR2 with a Fujikura Ventus Black TR 7X shaft at Bay Hill. “I played a 46-inch in 2022 when I had a great year. Then I went back to the 44.5. I was never really that great with hitting fairways but so far so good with hitting fairways this year. Even though I'm losing a little distance, I'm hitting more fairways, so I'm kind of netting everything out.”

For some, a shorter driver shaft might lead to more confidence and more control. During a past Golf Digest Hot List summit, we conducted a test with a multiple-time winner on the PGA Tour who hit tee shots with drivers measuring 44, 46 and 48 inches. The best results in distance and dispersion came with the 44-inch club.

Another thing to consider with today’s influx of drivers that have ultra-high moments of inertia (aka weighted for extreme stability on off-center impacts): Although a more stable head might make some of the mis-hits caused by a longer shaft less penal, a clubhead like that with a deeper center of gravity and a longer front-to-back measurement might actually reduce your clubhead speed, especially if you find it difficult to square the face. Also, if you reduce the shaft length, make sure the balance point doesn’t change significantly, unless it turns out that the new balance point translates into better contact. If you shorten the shaft, consider adding a little lead tape or a slightly heavier weight screw to balance out the change (in consultation with a fitter). In the end, the driver that gets you the tightest dispersion and most consistent increase in ball speed—not the random home-run ball—ultimately is going to help you the most.

Nick Sherburne, founder of leading clubfitting-franchise Club Champion, believes 90 percent of average golfers use a shaft that is not optimal for their potential. “They just have a run-of-the-mill golf shaft,” he says, admitting, of course, that part of his business is getting golfers to consider a non-stock, one-size-fits-all shaft. “It’s not that what they have is crap; it’s that it’s not specific. The shaft is the missing link to the best possible performance. Get the right shaft, and your swing becomes more effortless. Let the head design solve direction. The right shaft is going to be all about consistency and speed, speed, and more speed."

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Winner's Bag: Scottie Scheffler goes back-to-back again on TOUR

Winner's Bag

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Scottie Scheffler went back-to-back for a second time this season on the PGA TOUR this time at the RBC Heritage, a week after earning his second green jacket.

Check out the clubs he used in his three-stroke victory below:

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X

Irons: Srixon ZU85 (3, 4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW) Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Hybrid Prototype 10 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50-12F, 56-14F), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X Grip: Golf Pride Pro Only Cord

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Most Popular Shafts Played on Tour

Which Shaft brands and models are the most popular with the pros?

Most Popular Shaft Brands Played on Tour:

Most Popular Driver on LPGA Tour? Top 50 Player Guide (2021)

Written by Graeme Hay | Last Updated: 12/03/2024

This post contains affiliate links.

The game of golf seems to be obsessed with distance these days and when it comes to that topic the conversation typically moves swiftly to the biggest club the bag – the driver.

On the LPGA Tour the distances the top pros are hitting the ball off the tee continue to increase and at this current rate it seems it will not be long before the longest hitter on the LPGA Tour is averaging over 300 yards in driving distance.

But what drivers are most popular amongst the top professionals in the women’s game? To find out we took a detailed look at the driver each of the top 50 players on the LPGA Tour is carrying.

PING’s G425 LST is the most popular driver among the top 50 LPGA Tour players with 6 players choosing it. Titleist’s TSi3 is the next most used model while PING’s G410 Plus driver ranks 3rd. 26% of this elite group play a PING driver with TaylorMade and Titleist driver models being used by 16% and 14% respectively.

The make and model of any driver only tells us so much however and when we looked at the drivers being used by some of the best players in the women’s game it was interesting to see the multitude of different shafts being used and the variance in lofts chosen by the different players.

What was also fascinating to note was that despite all the focus on distance in the modern game two time major champion and former world number 1 – Ariya Jutanugarn – chooses not to carry a driver at all!

Breakdown of Drivers Used by Top 50 LPGA Tour Players

Even just a cursory glance at the average driving stats of the LPGA Tour quickly highlights that the same trend can be seen in the professional women’s game as in the men’s.

The distances the top pros are hitting the ball is steadily increasing and while the great Laura Davies topped the driving charts in 1993 with an average distance of 254 yards such a distance would barely scrape her into the top 100 longest hitters on the LPGA Tour today.

The advances in golf technology, specifically with the driver, has been a significant factor in this increase in average driving distances and when it comes to the elite of the women’s professional game and the top 50 LPGA Tour players it is no surprise to find the majority of them using the latest models from the top manufacturers.

In total we discovered 29 different models of drivers being used by the top 50 players on the LPGA Tour with PING’s G425 LST being the most popular and 6 players choosing it. Indeed PING drivers proved to be the most popular brand also with 13 of the top 50 using their driver models.

The major brands of PING, Titleist, TaylorMade and Callaway dominate the drivers used by the top 50 LPGA players but it is interesting to note that PXG is a far more used brand of driver on the LPGA Tour compared to the PGA Tour with 6 of the top 50 using one.

As with the men’s game however when you look in detail at the drivers being used by the top women pros the fact that they use the same model of driver does not tell the full story as the similarities often stop there with individual players choosing different set ups that suit their swing and game best.

As a result the shaft, loft and lie angle combinations rarely match between different players.

For example even though 6 of the top 50 LPGA Tour players use a PING G425 LST driver not one of those setups matches the other when you take into account the shaft, loft and lie angle choices.

“My ball flight is a bit high so the TSi3 performs better than TSi2 .” So Yeon Ryu, Titleist LPGA Tour player

It is also interesting to note when it comes to looking at the drivers selected by the top 50 LPGA players that former world no.1 Ariya Jutanugarn is excluded from such an analysis.

And the simple reason for this is that she does not actually carry a driver in her golf bag.

Ariya Jutanugarn’s decision not to carry a driver is a fascinating one and indeed triggered her ascent to world no.1. After a string of missed cuts in 2016 her caddie pleaded with her to take her driver out of the bag and after agreeing to do so she moved to be ranked no.1 in the world the following year in 2017.

While today Jutanugarn uses her driver in some practice rounds she has never returned to putting it back in the bag for competitive rounds for the simple reason that she does not feel accurate enough with her driver preferring instead to hit 3-woods and 2-irons off the tee.

And even with this change she still ranks just outside the top 40 for average driving distance on the LPGA Tour so it doesn’t seem to be affecting her too much!

Here is a complete breakdown of the drivers used currently by the top 50 players on the LPGA Tour in the table below.

[Note – if you are interested in checking out how the driver set of the top 50 LPGA players compares to their colleagues on the PGA Tour check out our analysis of the drivers used by the top 100 PGA Tour players here .]

What Driver Shaft Do Most LPGA Players Use?

When it comes to driver shaft choice the top professionals in the world are often very particular when it comes to their preference and the top 50 players on the LPGA Tour are no different.

Not all the individual driver shaft data is available for this elite group with details of the shafts being used by the 21 not being available but for the remaining 28, excluding Ariya Jutanugarn who does not use a driver, we found the following.

As a whole the most common driver shaft flex used by the top 50 LPGA Tour players is stiff. Nelly & Jessica Korda, Nasa Hataoka and Lizette Salas all play stiff driver shafts while Brooke M Henderson chooses to use an extra stiff shaft in her driver. 4 players including Inbee Park choose a regular driver shaft flex.

Driver shaft weights amongst the top 50 vary between 50g and 68g with the most common being 65g and chosen by 5 players in the data set available. Indeed Nelly Korda chooses a 65g driver shaft in the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 6 S shaft she uses in her Titleist TSi1 driver.

In total we found 32 different driver shaft models being used by the top 50 LPGA Tour players with Graphite Design’s Tour AD IZ 6 S shaft being the most popular. Graphite Design is also the most used driver shaft brand followed by Fujikura with 11 users and Mitsubishi shafts with 6 players choosing them.

While Graphite Design’s Tour AD IZ 6 S shaft is its most popular model according to the data available Fujikura’s Ventus and Speeder Evolution ranges of shaft find the most favour among their users.

When it comes to Mitsubishi’s range of driver shafts we found one player each using the following models – KURO KAGE Black 55 R, Tensei CK Pro White 60 S, Tensei CK Pro White 50 S, Diamana BF 60 S, Diamana BF 60 R and Diamana DF 50 R.

What Driver Loft Do LPGA Players Use?

Professional golfers are very precise with their equipment and when it comes to driver loft different players will choose different degrees of driver depending on their swing, how they want to flight the ball in play and also on the conditions.

Modern golf technology also makes it much easier now for players to alter the loft of their drivers and when it comes to looking at the driver set up of the top 50 LPGA players it is clear most of them take advantage of the preciseness modern drivers afford them.

Driver lofts used by the top 50 LPGA players range from 8 up to 11 degrees. The most common driver loft is 9 degrees with 17 players choosing that degree of driver. 10.5 degrees is the next most used loft with 11 golfers opting for that degree of driver with another 5 players each choosing 9.5 and 10 degree drivers.

When looking at the choices of driver loft selected by the best players on the LPGA Tour it was noticeable that there was less variance compared to their male colleagues but it is of course common for the top pros to change the loft of their driver depending on the latest course they are playing.

Below is a breakdown of driver lofts currently used among the top 50 LPGA Tour players.

Other top articles related to this topic:

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• What Golf Balls Do LPGA Players Use? Top 50 Player Breakdown
• Why Don’t Pros Use Coloured Golf Balls? It’s Not Black and White
• Do Golf Pros Wear Metal Spikes? But They are Banned!
• What Clubs Do Pro Golfers Use? Top 100 PGA Tour Player Guide
• What Drives the Senior Tour Pros? Most Popular Driver on Champions Tour
• From Tee to Green: Analyzing What Golf Balls Champions Tour Pros Use
• Should Your Driver Match Your Woods? Don’t Waste Your Money!
• Should Beginners & High Handicappers Use a Driver? Yes & Yes
• What Driver is Most Used On the PGA Tour? Top 100 Player Analysis
• How Do Pros Hit the Ball So Far? It’s Not About the Equipment
• How Often Do Pros Hit Driver? Not As Much As You Think!
• How Far Should You Hit a Driver? FULL GUIDE By Age, Handicap etc.
• What Determines Driver Distance? Skill Triumphs Over All!
• The PGA Tour’s Rising Driver Ball Speeds Mean One Thing – $$

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Graphite Design Tour AD VF Shaft Review

More in reviews:.

50 Words or Less

The Graphite Design Tour AD VF shaft is a low launch, low spin shaft that wants your most aggressive swings.  Excellent dispersion.  Stout, one-piece feel.

Introduction

The Graphite Design Tour AD VF shaft is at the center of one of the happiest coincidences in recent golf equipment history.  Shortly after its introduction, this red and black shaft made its way into the bag of the golfer who made red and black his signature, Tiger Woods .  With the kind of hype that money can’t buy, the VF – which stands for Victory Force – is now available to golfers everywhere.  I tested one to see if it can help power your on course victories this season.

While Graphite Design claims that the Tour AD VF wasn’t made with Tiger in mind, it would be hard to imagine a shaft more perfectly designed for the Big Cat.  The upper is a deep, rich red that is visually stunning, especially in contrast with the jet black lower portion.  It’s a great demonstration of the fact that you don’t need gaudy graphics to be eye-catching if you pick the right colors.

Speaking of graphics, the Graphite Design Tour AD VF sticks to the script of the Tour AD shafts that have come before.  The “Graphite Design” branding is split over the color shift.  On the “logo down” side, there are simply black and red rings.  With the exception of the small “Accuracy & Distance” mark, the lower third of the shaft is free of distractions .

The Graphite Design Tour AD VF sits at the top of the Graphite Design pyramid of stiffness .  This is their stiffest profile, rating a Firm+ (butt), Stiff (mid), Very Stiff (tip) from Graphite Design.  The shaft nearest in tip stiffness is the Tour AD UB [review HERE ] which rates a Stiff+.

Giving the Tour AD VF a wiggle, I felt just a hint of flex in the mid section.  During the swing, that largely went away.  This is a shaft for the player that wants a “one-piece” feel without the shaft bending or kicking noticeably.  It’s not harsh feeling, but it does demand a strong effort from you.

In the past, I’ve described some super stiff shafts as laughing at your strongest swings.  In X-flex (the correct flex for my speed), the Graphite Design Tour AD VF didn’t laugh at me, but I knew I was never going to “win.”  It was like running with a friend who is much faster than you but isn’t trying to hurt your feelings .  When I bumped up to the TX, I did feel laughed at – I don’t have the speed to make that work.

Finally, I was able to compare the Tour AD VF to the modern classic Tour AD DI [review HERE ].  Both shafts are rated low spin by Graphite Design, but the AD DI feels completely different with a smooth, pronounced kick.  This is a great illustration of the fact that not all low spin shafts need to feel the same.

Performance

The calling card of the Graphite Design Tour AD VF is low launch, low spin .  Those were the first two things that I noticed when I started my testing.  Virtually every drive came out on a piercing trajectory and hit the ground running.  If you’re looking to bring down your spin or get more out of drives in a windy environment, the Tour AD VF will deliver.  For players that want low spin without the low launch, you might consider the Graphite Design Tour AD IZ [review HERE ].

As I noted earlier, this is a shaft that wants to be swung aggressively, and it encourages that by keeping the dispersion tight .  What’s unique about the Tour AD VF – at least for me – is that it’s not strictly “anti-left” in the way that some low/low shafts are.  I was able to hit a soft draw or a soft cut equally well.  Where it excels is in keeping those shot shapes gentle.  Unless I made a really poor swing, I didn’t see the ball curving more than I wanted.

When I went to the Graphite Design Tour AD VF in TX flex, it felt much more “anti-left.”  Even with an aggressive swing and a strong intent, I could barely square the face, let alone get the ball to draw.  If you’re seeking a hooker-killer, the AD VF can be it, you may just need a stiffer flex.

I also ran the VF against the Tour AD DI which felt world’s different.  First, I could dial my swing down to sub-100% effort, which was refreshing after numerous all-out swings.  Also, my dispersion shifted left.  I don’t think the AD DI is particularly draw-biased, but compared to the AD VF, it felt that way to me.

The Graphite Design Tour AD VF is offered in weights ranging from 40 to 80 grams .  At the lightest weight, the Tour AD VF is available in stiff, regular, and senior flexes.  Moving up to 50 grams retains those three options and adds the X flex.  At 60 grams, there is a stiff/regular, stiff, X, and Tour X.  The 70 gram model has just stiff and X.  Finally, at 80 grams GD offers X and Tour X.

While I would not typically suggest that recreational players emulate Tiger Woods’s equipment decisions, the Graphite Design Tour AD VF shaft is one that you might consider.  If you’re a high spin player who wants to get into more optimal numbers, this is definitely one to try at your next fitting.

Buy the Graphite Design Tour AD VF HERE

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12 Comments

What kind of numbers are you looking for when testing out a shaft? I tried the VF found your review very similar to my impressions

I’m not sure what you mean. Are you asking what numbers I think are optimal or what metrics I’m using to evaluate the shaft?

Just curious if there’s a certain criteria you look for in choosing a shaft that works for you

Because of my impact dynamics, I’m able to get a lot of distance out of almost any shaft – I don’t need a shaft to reduce spin for me. Because of that, my focus is on feel and dispersion.

I swing about 105mph but generate high spin. I might try this shaft out. Just deciding between the S and X flex. Do you recommend a certain flex at 105MPH?

Thanks for the detailed review.

My recommendation is always to get fit. With this shaft, I think a stiff could easily stretch to 105 MPH depending on the player’s feel preference.

How does the VF feel in the butt section ? I’m a lefty swinging right handed so I pull hard with my left arm in the transition and I always had issues issue with GD shafts that I find too soft (for my swing) in the handle. Curious also to know how it compares to a Ventus Red or Blue feel wise. Thanks

You can find all my previous Ventus reviews here for comparison: https://pluggedingolf.com/?post_type=post&s=ventus

What, no price? Your articles seem to always have a price point. Must be $1k or something crazy like that.

I rarely put the price in shaft reviews because not many golfers buy them online, they get them from a fitter, and prices vary. Graphite Design tends to be $350-400.

Curious how this compares to Ventus black TR? Similar? Thanks!

I have a review of the Ventus TR Black here: https://pluggedingolf.com/fujikura-ventus-tr-black-shaft-review/

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What’s the perfect mini-driver/shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

In our forums, our members have been discussing Mini-Drivers and accompanying shafts. WRXer ‘JamesFisher1990’ is about to purchase a BRNR Mini and is torn on what shaft weight to use, and our members have been sharing their thoughts and set ups in our forum.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

• PARETO: “New BRNR at 13.5. Took it over to TXG (Club Champ but TXG will always rule) in Calgary for a fit. Took the head down to 12, stuck in a Graphite Design AD at 3 wood length and 60g. Presto- numbers that rivaled my G430Max but with waaaaay tighter dispersion. Win.”
• driveandputtmachine: “Still playing a MIni 300.  The head was only 208, so I ordered a heavier weight and play it at 3 wood length.  I am playing a Ventus Red 70.   I play 70 grams in my fairways.  I use it mainly to hit draws off the tee.  When I combine me, a driver, and trying to hit a draw it does not work out well most of the time.  So the MIni is for that. As an aside, I have not hit the newest BRNR, but the previous model wasn’t great off the deck.  The 300 Mini is very good off the deck.”
• JAM01: “Ok, just put the BRNR in the bag along side a QI10 max and a QI10 3 wood. A load of top end redundancy. But, I have several holes at my two home courses where the flight and accuracy of the mini driver helps immensely. Mine is stock Proforce 65 at 13.5, I could see a heavier shaft, but to normal flex, as a nice alternative.”

Entire Thread: “What’s the perfect Mini-Driver/Shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/26/24): Artisan 0521 custom putter

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected] .

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Whats in the bag, alex fitzpatrick witb 2024 (april).

• Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. 

Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X

Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX

Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Fitzpatrick’s clubs here.

Irons: Ping iCrossover (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW) Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 9 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X (4-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 56-12D, 60-08M) Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X

Putter: Bettinardi SS16 Dass

Grips:  Golf Pride MCC

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for an Artisan 0521 custom putter

From the seller: (@Nobody2): “$775 -Artisan 0521 custom putter PVD (black finish) with sweep neck hosel.  There are no personal stampings other than my player # in very small print on the side of the hosel (all Artisan products have this along with the date it was made). This putter looks absolutely amazing and has only been used for 3 rounds. It has a black steel shaft and has a very Cam Smith look to it.  The putter looks new and has no wear marks anywhere on the putter.  It comes with extra weights (one set of of 5 gram weights and one set of 15 gram weights). The head cover is a a navy blue ‘quilted blade putter cover.’  If you are wondering why I am selling…I flat out have the yips and the only thing saving me is a broomstick.  New, this putter is $1085, so if the specs work for you (grip, length and lie can certainly be tweaked) it will save you some good money and 2 month wait time.

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link:  Artisan 0521 custom putter

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here:  GolfWRX BST Rules

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week , McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB  from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007 .

Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week , we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “ Modern Classics: Old vs. New ” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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