tour ad di vs ventus red

Ventus Notes: The rise of Fujikura Ventus on tour

Fujikura’s Ventus shafts swept the top three spots in our GolfWRX Members Choice voting this year , and the popularity of the Red, Blue, and Black shafts extends beyond our membership all the way to golf’s professional ranks.

As a refresher: Ventus relies on Fujikura’s proprietary VeloCore Technology to tighten shot dispersion and enhance performance on off-center shots.

“As swing speeds increase on Tour over the last few years, the Tour player is seeking tighter dispersion to hit more fairways,” said John Hovis, Tour Operations & Technical Services Manager at Fujikura. “We challenged our engineers to develop a stable, low spinning, stiff tip shaft to improve control and ball speeds and the result was Ventus.”

The multi-material VeloCore derives its stability from ultra-high modulus pitch 70-ton carbon fiber (about 150 percent stronger and more stable than T1100g) and 40-ton bias layers that run the full length of the shaft.

Ventus also features an ultra-stiff tip section and an accelerated taper butt section that maximizes energy transfer through the swing. It’s available in weights and flexes ranging from 57 grams to 86 grams and R2 up to X flex.

Fujikura Ventus models

Red: Mid launch, mid-high spin Blue: Low launch, mid spin Black: Low launch, low spin

Fujikura Tour success

A few morsels to speak to the primacy of Ventus…

In the “driver, fairway, and hybrid shafts combined” category Ventus is the most played wood shaft model on the PGA Tour for the 2020-2021 season.

14.5 percent of all wood shafts used this season on PGA Tour are Ventus. 25.84 percent are Fujikura, more generally.

At the 2021 Travelers Championship, there were more Ventus shafts in play (82) than and next closest competitor (63).

Fujikura is the No. 1 wood shaft on LPGA Tour in 2021 with a 25 percent share.

Fujikura is the No. 1 wood shaft on Japan’s JGTO Tour in 2021 at 36.2 percent.

Fujikura is No. 1 wood shaft on the Champions Tour in 2021 at 30.82 percent.

12 players have won PGA Tour events with a Fujikura wood shaft this year, including the 2020 Masters and 2021 PGA Championship winners.

Notable players who have gamed a Fujikura Ventus shaft at some point this season: Hideki Matsuyama, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Louis Oosthuizen, Jordan Spieth, Sergio Garcia, Garrick Higgo, Adam Scott, Lexi Thompson, and Nelly Korda.

A few setups, below.

Jordan Spieth

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X

Phil Mickelson (PGA Championship)

Driver: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond (6 degrees @5.5) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X (47.9 inches)

Rory McIlroy 

Driver: TaylorMade SIM2 (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X

A final word

Ventus is Fujikura’s No. 1 volume top-grossing shaft in the aftermarket in 2021. This is unheard of for the company as it’s a $350 shaft. Historically, Vista Pro or Pro shafts have traditionally been Fujikura’s highest volume movers as they are $125 and $200 respectively.

Fujikura Ventus specs

• Fujikura Ventus: The best Fuji shaft ever?
• Fujikura Ventus: A shaft designed for maximum speed, minimum twisting
• Fujikura Ventus shafts: See what members are saying!
• GolfWRX Spotted: Fujikura Ventus Red
• The new Ventus Black

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (10/26/21): AutoFlex SF505 driver shaft

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (10/25/21): Logan Olson Legacy putter

We share your golf passion. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX , Facebook and Instagram .

Pingback: Fujikura Ventus shafts: How Ventus has become a top shaft on the PGA Tour - Fly Pin High

Pingback: Fujikura Ventus shafts: How Ventus has become a top shaft on the PGA Tour – GolfWRX

Pingback: Who uses Ventus shaft on tour? - Replys-Affected

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

You may like

Whats in the bag, witb time machine: hideki matsuyama’s winning witb, 2021 masters.

At the 2021 Masters, Hideki Matsuyama broke through to claim his first major championship, winning the first major for Japan in the process. Matsuyama’s led by four strokes entering the final day. Ultimately, a final-round 73 and 10-under tally was one better than Will Zalatoris could manage and Matsuyama donned the green jacket.

Take a look at the clubs Matsuyama had in play three years ago below.

Driver:  Srixon ZX5 (9.5 degrees, flat) Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX

Photo credit: Yoshihiro Iwamoto

3-wood:  TaylorMade SIM2 Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX

Utility:  TaylorMade SIM UDI (3) Shaft: True Temper Elevate Tour X100

Irons:  Srixon Z-Forged (4-PW) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Wedges:  Cleveland RTX 4 Forged Prototype (52-10, 56-8 @57.5, 60-08 @62) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (S400 in 52)

Putter:  Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS Grip: Lamkin Deep-Etched Full Cord

Ball:  Srixon Z-Star XV

Grips: Iomic X

• Check out our deep dive into Hideki’s WITB here.

Best irons in golf of 2024: The shotmakers

In our effort to assemble the 2024 best irons, we have again compiled an expert panel of fitters to help you find out which of the 2024 irons is best for your game.

Ultimately the best way to find your personal best iron set is to work with a professional fitter using a launch monitor. The difficult part is a lot of people don’t have easy access to fitters, launch monitors, and club builders — so at GolfWRX, we have done a lot of the work for you.

We are in the era of not just maximizing distance but also minimizing the penalty of common misses for each player — this applies to irons just as much as it does with any other club in the bag. And of course, proper set makeup and gapping is essential. This is why, now more than ever, custom fitting is essential to help you see results on every swing you make.

We want to give you the tools and information to go out and find what works best for you by offering recommendations for your individual iron set wants and needs with insight and feedback from the people who work every single day to help golfers get peak performance out of their equipment.

• Join the discussion about best irons 2024 in the forums!

Best irons of 2024: The process

The best fitters in the world see all the options available in the marketplace, analyze their performance traits, and pull from that internal database of knowledge and experience like a supercomputer when they are working with a golfer.

It’s essentially a huge decision tree derived from experience and boiled down to a starting point of options—and it has nothing to do with a handicap!

Modern iron sets are designed into player categories that overlap the outdated “what’s your handicap?” model, and at GolfWRX we believe it was important to go beyond handicap and ask specific questions about the most crucial performance elements fitters are looking at.

These are the best iron categories we have developed to help you determine which category is most important for your swing and game.

Best irons of 2024: The categories

• Overall performance
• Easiest to launch/Slower swing speed
• Pure enjoyment
• Most technology-packed

2024 Best irons: The shotmakers

Each one of these irons was designed with a single purpose: to provide the ultimate shotmaking weapon. You don’t have to be a tour player to appreciate the pleasure of hitting a well-struck shot with a club engineered to offer superior feedback. This category is all about control — and that doesn’t mean it “has to be a blade.”

Titleist T100

Their story:  The “players iron” of the new T-Series family, the T100 iron features an all-new Tour-designed sole, which was inspired by discussions with both the tour staff and the Vokey wedge design team. It features a new variable bounce sole design, which provides less bounce in the heel and more bounce in the toe to facilitate better turf interaction and improved feel.

Fitter comments:

• “More tech than blades but just as workable. It’s why it gets play on tour. Not a lot of offset and fairly traditional lofts as these want to create some spin for maintaining a steep enough landing.”
• “Number one played iron on tour. It definitely gets the love it deserves for sure…especially from a turf interaction standpoint. It definitely gets to the turf nice and quick compared to some of the previous generations.”
• “Incredible feel and feedback while offering a good amount of forgiveness in this category. Can play it from any lie and hit any shot…one of the most played irons on tour for a reason.”
• “It has good feel. It’s really forgiving for that compact-looking head. It’s got a great sole on it that works really well. It’s got weaker loft, and so therefore it’s going to spin more. It’s really good for the guy with a lot of speed, because it’s not going to jump and go all over the place.”
• “It’s always been one to throw in the mix for that player who comes in looking for a players iron but not quite a blade. They’ve just slowly kind of kept working on that, that product that’s been in their cycle for a while. I don’t want to say it’s kind of gold standard-like, but that’s definitely one that’s going to be in the mix.”

For more photos/info, read our launch piece.

Srixon ZX7 Mk II

Their story: The players iron ZX7 Mk II features PureFrame: an 80-percent thicker portion of 1020 carbon steel forged behind the sweet spot in the body of the iron for soft-yet-solid-feeling impact. Also significant to the design: A refined Tour V.T. Sole Proprietary sole widths, bounce angles, and notches in the heel and toe of the club aid clean contact from a variety of lies.

• “What I love about that is for that guy that hits it, like square on the face of the golf club. It’s, this is the way I kind of explain to customers and they hit it like, it’s not gonna be the longest. It’s probably not gonna be the straightest, but you will hit seven iron in the exact same distance every time you hit it. And, and I think that’s the appeals to that better player because like very rarely do.”
• “I’m a personal fan of it. No hot face. No jumpers, does a great job of controlling the spec which we like a lot…quite forgiving. That’s a, that’s a, that’s a major player in that category.”
• “I mean, two of the five fitters out here play them. I mean, they’re awesome, like they’re still, you know, a small compact players iron, but you still get a lot of help and forgiveness out of them, which I like. You see a lot of these on tour that are non, you know, non-contract guys playing them.”
• “They did a really good job of not screwing up a good thing. ZX7 was fantastic. It seemed like 50 percent of the non-contract guys in pro golf played that iron. It continues to give very consistent numbers. The better player wants a consistent number. They need to know it’s going to go that distance. This club does that very well.”
• “Srixon has been the “sleeper” iron company for a number of years now, but I think the secret is out. The ZX7 Mk II fit many different player types, from tour pro to mid-handicapper. The forging is very soft and forgiving, and the iron is very workable for the player with more ability. They didn’t change the shape from ZX7 to Mk II, and I think that’s a great thing.”

Callaway Apex CB

Their story:  Callaway touts an all-new forged construction in its 2024 Apex CB irons and its associated feel and workability. Forged from 1025 carbon steel in a five-step process, Apex CB ‘24 irons also feature MIM weighting in the toe and similar progressive CG and Dynamic Sole Design to the Apex MB irons.

• “Excellent offering. Clean and easy to aim. Always a great iron.”
• “Yeah, from my understanding, TCB, like that was kind of its replacement. and TCB was not easy to hit, in my opinion. I find that the guys are hitting it. It’s actually, it’s pretty forgiving for what it is. Guys that are looking for more of that just kind of solid piece, they don’t want to get any of that hollow stuff.”
• “I really like it. I think it’s a great club. It’s a little, a little above my pay grade in terms of skill, but a really good feeling club. It seems like it’s a good iron all around for that player who, you know, is looking for that CB or that better-player type club.”
• “I think for that guy who wants something that feels good, that CB just feels fantastic and for how dinky and tiny that thing is, I think it’s not unforgiving. And it just kind of checks all the boxes from a look, sound and feel standpoint. It’s definitely a really good, really good iron for sure.”

Mizuno Pro 243

Their story:  4- through 7-irons are Grain Glow Forged HD from a single billet of 4120 Chromoly steel, while 8-GW are forged from 1024 Elite Mild Carbon steel. 4 through 7 irons feature a Flow Microslot for faster ball speeds and increased launch (thanks to more rebound area. The soles of the 243 irons are equipped with a Wrap Around Sole Grind for better turf interaction as well as increased bounce angle. The Soft Copper Underlay is again present as is the Full Satin Brush finish.

• “Amazing forgiveness and workability in this category. The turf interaction is awesome for those who draw and fade the ball.”
• “Best looking of the shot-making irons.”
• “Minor refinements from the last one. And for the category of iron, it’s pretty forgiving. They cleaned up the cosmetics a little bit. I mean, it’s a really, really, really good iron for sure.”
• “Mizuno, the, the 243, you know, that’s another great one. Forged one-piece golf club that’s super solid — no jumpers, Very similar to the ZX 7 but looks better.”
• “That one continues to be kind of like a unicorn in this category because I like the ball speed…Like almost to the guy, we get more ball speed with that thing.”

Ping Blueprint S

Their story:  Developed after extensive testing with top Ping professionals, the Blueprint S features a forged cavity-back design, influenced by Ping’s existing “S” series irons. The compact shape, thin top line, and minimal offset make it visually appealing to forged club/blade enthusiasts. The forged 8620 carbon steel head has a clean cavity design with a textured pattern and hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish. Precision-milled grooves and a high-density toe screw enable swingweight fine-tuning.

• “These things are pretty looking. The reduced offset and thinner topline makes this look like a blade, but you get the help and forgiveness. These are fast through the turf and are super easy to work.”
• “The performance of the iron, it’s great. It’s a rare forged iron from Ping. It looks good. It’s very forgiving. It’s probably the best-performing iron in its category. We’ve been getting a lot of people asking about it. We’ve seen some guys pair it with a blueprint T, a little bit. It looks really good. It’s their best looking one by far.”
• “I’m a big fan of that iron. I was little surprised by it. I thought it was going to be kind of intimidating from all the tour use and then getting it out on the course. It’s actually a pretty playable iron. It’s been the winner in that category for us.”
• “What you’ve got is a forged golf club that’s designed by Ping where, you know, they’re always going to the performance first and look and feel second and now you’ve got something that’s got the look and feel that a lot of good players want to feel and great performance.”
• “I think it’s something that they needed to fill that niche for that forged kind of guy that’s more compact without going into like the old blueprint or the Blueprint T…super tiny blade.”

Best irons of 2024: Meet the fitters

• Adam Rathe: Club Champion
• Adam Scotto: Club Champion
• Adam Seitz: Club Champion
• Aidan Mena: Club Champion
• Alex Dice: Carl’s Golfland
• Alex Praeger: Club Champion
• Ben Giunta: The Tour Van
• Blake Smith, PGA: True Spec
• Bo Gorman: True Spec
• Brad Coffield: Carl’s Golfland
• Brett Ott: Club Champion
• Brian Riley: Club Champion
• Cameron Scudder: Club Champion
• Carmen Corvino: True Spec
• Christian Sandler: Club Champion
• Clare Cornelius: Cool Clubs
• Dan Palmisano: Club Champion
• Dane Byers: Club Champion
• Darren Joubert: Club Champion
• Dennis Huggins: Club Champion
• Drew Koch: Club Champion
• Eric Touchet: Touchet Performance Golf
• Erik Gonzales: Club Champion
• Evan Morrison: Club Champion
• Gus Alzate: True Spec
• Jake Medlen: Stripe Show Club Fitters
• Jake Woolston: Club Champion
• Jake Wynd: Club Champion
• Jay Marino: Club Champion
• Jeremy Olsen: Club Champion
• Jim Yenser: Club Champion
• Joe Stefan: Club Champion
• Joey Simon, PGA: Club Champion
• Jonathan Kaye: Club Champion
• Jordan Patrick: True Spec
• Jordan Rollins: Club Champion
• Kevin Arabejo: Club Champion
• Kevin Downey: Club Champion
• Kirk Oguri: Pete’s Golf
• Kyle Lane: Club Champion
• Kyle Murao: Club Champion
• Marc Roybal: True Spec
• Mark Hymerling: Club Champion
• Mark Knapp: Carl’s Golfland
• Matt Miller: Club Champion
• Matt Rish: Club Champion
• Matthew Gandolfi: Club Champion
• Mike Martysiewicz: Club Champion
• Mike Weis: Club Champion
• Mitch Schneider: Club Champion
• Nicholas Barone: Club Champion
• Nick Sherburne: Club Champion
• Nick Waterworth: Haggin Oaks
• Preston Vanderfinch: Club Champion
• Rick Lane: Club Champion
• Rob Anderson, PGA: Club Champion
• Russell Hubby: Club Champion
• Ryan Fisher: Grips Golf
• Ryan Grimes: Club Champion
• Ryan Johnson: Carl’s Golfland Bloomfield Hills
• Sam Kim: True Spec
• Scott Sikorski: Club Champion
• Scott Felix: Felix Club Works
• Scott Trent: Club Champion
• Sean Pfeil: Club Champion
• Shaun Fagan: True Spec
• Steve Harrow: Club Champion
• Tad Artrip: Club Champion
• Thomas Mattaini: Pull the Pin
• Tony Rhode: True Clubs
• William Buse: Club Champion
• William Cho: NovoGolf
• William Fields: Club Champion

RELATED: Best driver 2024

WITB Time Machine: Patrick Reed’s winning WITB, 2018 Masters

At the 2018 Masters, Patrick Reed bested Rickie Fowler by a stroke at Augusta National to win his first major championship.

See the clubs Reed used to fire his final-round 71 below.

Driver: Ping G400 LST (10 degrees) Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 110 M.S.I. 70 TX

3-wood: Nike VR Pro Limited Edition (15 degrees) Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 110 M.S.I. 80 TX

Driving iron: Titleist 716 T-MB Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue 120 X100

Irons: Callaway X Forged 2013 (4), Callaway MB-1 (5-PW) Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Artisan Prototype (51 and 56 degrees), Titleist Vokey Design SM5 (61 degrees) Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Odyssey White Hot Pro 3 Grip: Iomic Standard Red Pistol

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

Grips: Golf Pride MCC (All black, installed logo down, with two wraps of double-sided tape)

Tour pro calls Anthony Kim a ‘f*****g idiot’ following Instagram comeback post

John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions

Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why

Anthony Kim WITB 2024 (February)

This Rory McIlroy post-round ‘The Match’ moment is going viral…but all is likely not what it seems

Scottie Scheffler WITB 2024 (March)

Photos from the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Anthony Kim’s speculated LIV Golf sign-on fee may surprise you

Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you

The total sum that Sergio Garcia needs to pay in fines if he wants to return to DP World Tour revealed

At the 2021 Masters, Hideki Matsuyama broke through to claim his first major championship, winning the first major for Japan...

At the 2018 Masters, Patrick Reed bested Rickie Fowler by a stroke at Augusta National to win his first major...

WITB Time Machine: Tiger Woods’ winning WITB, 2019 Masters

At the 2019 Masters, Tiger Woods famously ended an 11-year major championship drought. When Francesco Molinari faltered during the final...

Denny McCarthy WITB 2024 (April)

Denny McCarthy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Valero Texas Open. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, C1 SureFit...

Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters

2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33

Charlie Woods finds it tough going on American Junior Golf Association debut

Addiction, spinal fusion, and scam artists – Everything Anthony Kim revealed in candid interview with David Feherty

Anthony Kim says doctors told him that he ‘may not have much time left’ ahead of LIV return

• What's Albatross Club?

• Search forums

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.

Graphite Design Tour AD VF Shafts

• Latest Posts
• Recent Activity
• All Things Equipment
• Shafts, Grips & Club Fitting

Follow @THPGolf on Social Media

• Aug 4, 2023

Good looking shaft. Probably too low launching for me but would love to give it a try.  

Nice to see some new colors in their lineup. Sounds like it’s for big swingers  

Here for the Conversation

Saw a pic of this on social yesterday, it’s a BEEFY profile for sure based on those specs. Makes me want to swing it more!  

Going back to Cali with Callaway & THP in '24

Love the look! Coining a term from a friend yesterday- they appear "Angry" in profile haha.  

Thrillbilly Jim

Raised on hose water and neglect.

Definitely seems stout.  

OldandStiff

Like the different color scheme. Might have to give this one a try. Sounds like it's a little off what I like.  

Victory Force and red and black.. Wonder where they got that combo idea from? lol the shaft sounds interesting. Lots of high end materials in there. Would love to try it.  

It's a Jersey thiiinngg

Oooo that could be a fun one to try  

Proud 2021 Grandaddy Alum #ReptheG

Hmm this might be worth a try… sounds like a sweet shaft!!  

DANNY LE! WHAT A GUY!

Well-known member

Sounds like a GP profile replacement. Challenger of Ventus Black and TR Black.  

YukonLiving

Team hackers.

Great looking shaft, but probably too low launching for my game.  

looks awesome. probably too stout for me but my eyes likey  

TEEm Tour Edge 2023

I’ve been dabbling with Graphite Design shafts the past year and a half and have tried many of them now and have had outstanding results with the Tour AD DI 7S paired with the Cobra LTDx 15 degree 3 wood set at 16.5. This new one looks like an update of the the Tour AD GP shaft with newer materials. Probably not a good fit for me personally. I expect there are a lot of people out there that would like it though as it is different from a lot of the other shafts in the line up. Will look forward to the reviews.  

2022 Grandaddy Team 5150 member 2020 AZTHP Champ

That looks really nice i like the color combo.  

2021 Titleist Experience!

Sounds and looks good, but low launch and spin is not for me.  

• Aug 22, 2023

Looks like this is the replacement for AD GP which worked very well for me in the past. Awesome color way and instantly my biggest intrigue right now  

Active member

• Oct 4, 2023

The VR's great! To me it feels and plays like a better AD XC. The XC hit some low spin bombs, but was so soft in the handle that it never really worked for me. The VR's tip is stiff, but it's not going to get excessively boardy. The low/low is not super apparent either, but I could flight it lower with a bit more ease, which is nice. It's actually got more of a snap/crack feel at impact, relative to other Graphite Design shafts IMO.  

Golf Shaft Warehouse

• Nov 30, 2023

JB said: The new 2024 Graphite Design Tour AD VF ‘Victory Force’ wood shafts will be available beginning October 6, 2023 through Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts, Inc. and their Authorized Dealer network in the United States, Europe, Australia, Canada, South America, South Africa, and the UAE. Brand new for 2024, the Tour AD VF shafts were designed and are manufactured at the Graphite Design Japan factory headquarters. The Tour AD VF wood shafts are jet black with red and silver accents, and finished with a gloss clear coat. The Tour AD VF, like all the other high performance Tour AD wood shafts, utilizes premium, aerospace quality carbon-fiber materials and are available in 40g R2, R1 and S flex, 50g R2, R1, S and X flex, 60g SR, S, X and TX flex, 70g S, X and TX flex and 80g X flex. The Tour AD VF shaft profile is Firm in the butt section, Stiff+ in the center section and has a Very Stiff tip to promote Low/Mid launch angles and Low-ball spin rates. The Tour AD VF shafts utilizes the modern TORAYCA® M40X carbon-fiber material in the butt section of the shaft to support a stiff, yet smooth feeling kick point and the ultra-high modulus TORAYCA® T1100G carbon-fiber material in the middle thru to the tip section of the shaft for unrivaled shaft stability and precise ball control without the loss of the exceptional feel that Graphite Design shafts are so well known for. Click to expand...

• Dec 6, 2023

I just watched a Club Champion video where Ian hit this in both a 5x and 5s. Even with club speed around 115 (IIRC) and ball speed around 170, he preferred the S. He got about 17 more yards carry, although dispersion was not quite as good. If the 5s was holding up to that kind of club speed, it must be a pretty beefy shaft.  

• Dec 7, 2023

Tenputt said: I just watched a Club Champion video where Ian hit this in both a 5x and 5s. Even with club speed around 115 (IIRC) and ball speed around 170, he preferred the S. He got about 17 more yards carry, although dispersion was not quite as good. If the 5s was holding up to that kind of club speed, it must be a pretty beefy shaft. Click to expand...

shanewu said: 17 more yards carry in S vs X?!? Whoa. Click to expand...

Tenputt said: Yeah, the dispersion was not as good, at least initially, but they got it dialed in at the end with settings on the TSR3 head that Ian was using. The difference in ball speed was quite compelling. Their point was that we need to be careful about trying to fit solely off of the recommended club speeds for each flex that are generally available through the manufacturers. We know that, but this video was exhibit A of its truth. Click to expand...

• Dec 9, 2023

Any updates on this shaft? Last thing I should do is blind order a shaft, but thinking about either 5s or 6s in my TSR2. It’s still trying to find a way to kick out a G430 LST and this might help.  

• Style chooser
• Nighttime Golfing
• Change width
• Terms and rules
• Privacy policy

Graphite Design Tour AD CQ Shaft Review

Graphite design tour ad cq shaft.

Graphite Design has released their Tour AD CQ “ConQuest” with a new carbon-fiber material that offers players a great mid/high-launching and mid-spin option. The new Graphite Design Tour AD CQ features a classy and classic shaft graphic with a dark paint scheme. It’ll be a fabulous color match to some of the most popular driver heads out there, too!

My first impression – this is a perfect match if you’re on the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Graphite Design Tour AD CQ comes in with a mostly glossy black finish that will sparkle in the sunlight. It transitions to a deep gold near the handle and Graphite Design’s distinctive bands have a subtle red accent. I’m always a big fan of that.  Think of the legendary Tour AD DI with the little sprinkle of teal that provides a cool contrast to the orange and white paint. For the AD CQ, you’ve got a shaft that looks really clean from address, now you can focus on the ball.

How Does it Feel?

Graphite Design has been known for a generally smooth, pleasing feel with their golf shafts. The AD CQ will offer no change to that streak. I’ve been able to try pretty much every shaft they’ve released in the last ten years or so. The AD TP (which became available in 2016) has been my favorite and in my bag for the longest period of time, but I’m going to put the CQ near the top. I always liked the sensation of kind of a “tennis ball” feel. It’s kind of a deeper, rubbery feel. Not a lot of snap, and not really a “one-piece” feel either.

With Graphite Design’s description stating FIRM in the hands, FIRM in the middle, and MEDIUM+ in the tip, it seems to me like they’re spot on again. It actually matches much of the design intent here as the AD TP, but has a bit of a softer tip section. I think you can really feel the similarities, however the addition of the Nitta 2G-Namd carbon-fiber gives the AD CQ a slight more stout feel. As we’ve come to expect from Graphite Design, they try to create a full matrix of options. They can for sure offer a feel and a fit for everyone.

On-Course Performance

Like I mentioned above, this one’s my favorite Graphite Design since the AD TP. In my testing, it’s has been pretty much zero transition from other shafts I’d been using.  Plug and play. I do typically like a mid-to-low flight and something that will not spin too much, so on paper, the AD CQ should fit well. In action, I’m seeing a really solid flight and pretty good distance. The biggest thing we all want is to have a piece of golf gear that keeps you in play and lets you hit the shots you want.

Personally, I really dislike side spin. The Tour AD CQ has shown to be useful to me in knocking some of that off. I’ve had a really good time with it hitting reasonable fades, and it’s taken away much of the damage from my big miss (which is a big dumb pull).  That…I like.

I also want to highlight how important having a good fitter is. I’ve been working with mine for a long time know and he knows me and Graphite Design’s products well. When I was on the monitor, he suggested to me to try to lower my launch a bit. That really unlocked the AD CQ. It didn’t change my speeds much, but I was now carrying a bit farther and even more importantly, got my landing angle under control. That added 8 yards over my previous gamer. Sign me up for the AD CQ for 2023!

Final Thoughts – Graphite Design Tour AD CQ

Another great release from Graphite Design ! The AD CQ looks great in its black and gold finish, and should appeal to many players looking for a mid-to-high flight/mid-spin shaft. It’s stable and strong feeling, but responsive and never boardy.  New materials lead to better energy transfer, and as always, you’ll be able to dial in the right fit with this premium brand.

Related Posts:

Leave a Comment Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Address *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Ray Barnes, our Senior Staff Writer and a Golf Analyst with a PhD in Sports Analytics, is a beacon of insight in the golfing world. With a deep understanding of the sport's nuances, statistical analysis, and a talent for demystifying complexities, he provides in-depth analysis and captivating narratives that engage golf enthusiasts worldwide.

View all posts

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Get plugged in…

Graphite Design Tour AD HD Shaft Review

More in reviews:.

50 Words or Less

The Graphite Design Tour AD HD shaft has a smooth feel with a pleasant kick in the mid/tip.  Boring flight with mid launch.

Introduction

As the husband of a school psychologist, the name “Tour AD HD” gives me a laugh every time that I see it.  But in the case of the latest from Graphite Design, the HD stands for Hyper Drive.  With sci-fi images of light speed drives dancing through my head, I took this new offering to the range to see what it could do.

Check out the new Graphite Design Tour AD UB HERE

When I first got the info on the Tour AD HD, I thought, “We’re going to have a problem.”  I am a proud Duke grad, and I do not do light blue.  Thankfully, despite what it looks like in the photos, the Tour AD HD is not powder puff blue, it’s a few shades darker with a pronounced sparkle to it .

The graphics on the Tour AD HD are classic Graphite Design.  There’s modest branding near the grip with wraparound rings of black and blue.  There’s a small “Accuracy and Distance” logo at the tip, but otherwise the shaft is totally distraction-free near the ball.

Graphite Design has been a trend setter in sharing exactly how each of their shafts bends.  They break each model down into “Butt,” “Mid,” and “Tip” and give it a rating from Very Stiff to Soft.  In the past, my sense of each shaft has aligned with this chart, but the Tour AD HD has proven to be a small exception.

Per Graphite Design, the Tour AD HD is, from butt to tip, Firm, Firm, Firm+ (Firm is in the middle of the Graphite Design spectrum).   This indicates that the shaft is stiffest in the tip section.  While I would agree that the shaft has a medium-stiffness overall, I sensed the most kick in the mid/tip .  This is a good example of how feel is subjective and that players will feel differently about a shaft based on their swing.

Performance

Graphite Design bills the Tour AD HD as being “Mid Launch, Mid/Low Spin” which matches the results I saw on both the launch monitor and on the course.  The ball came off the face in my normal window with an extremely strong flight .  Given the kick that I felt, I was expecting slightly higher spin, but every drive bored through the wind unaffected.

Something I enjoyed about hitting the Tour AD HD was the way it responded to more aggressive swings.  When I made an easy swing, the shaft gave a light kick and sent the ball straight down the middle.  If I gave 110%, the shaft kicked harder and produced a tight draw .  I never felt like I was overpowering the shaft, rather I had the ability to hit two different shots just by changing my effort.

One of the big advancements in premium shafts over the last few years is the way softer profiles can handle mishits.  Thanks to advanced materials like Graphite Design’s TORAYCA carbon fiber, shafts can have a smooth feel and also keep poor strikes on line.  I was very impressed by how the Tour AD HD produced respectable results from poor swings .  It took a truly awful effort to produce big slices or hooks.

The Graphite Design Tour AD HD is available in weights ranging from 40 to 80 grams .  At 40 grams, R2, R1, and Stiff are the available flexes.  Everything from R2 to X is offered at 50 grams.  In the 60 gram range, Graphite Design offers the Stiff/Regular, Stiff, X, and Tour X.  The 70 gram family has S, X, and TX.  Finally, the heaviest versions, 80 grams, are available in only stiff and X.

Every year, Graphite Design finds a way to add a new, interesting profile to one of the largest, most complete shaft families in golf.  The Tour AD HD blends a smooth feel with low spin and impressive stability in a way that will win over plenty of players.

Visit Graphite Design HERE

Recent posts.

• The PXG STEM Experience - April 19, 2024
• SQAIRZ SPEED2 Golf Shoe Review - April 19, 2024
• Rain or Shine SwingNet Pro Review - April 18, 2024

23 Comments

I play a mid 70 gram x stiff shaft, which works well enough but might be a tad heavy as I haven’t been to the gym since the Corona regulations made it unenjoyable. How would you compare a 60 gram tx to a mid 70 gram x stiff. I’m just looking for a generalized opinion. I’m not going to go pay 100 bucks to get fit again when that’s probably what I would spend on a shaft on ebay. Current shaft is atmos 7x tour spec, looking for something similar in specs to Tiger’s 60tx. Thanks

As a veteran commenter, I think you know what I’m going to say here. It depends on the individual. It should reduce fatigue across the board, but whether that leads to more draw, more fade, or more speed just depends on the player.

This thing sounds nice….

I would love to see how you felt it compared to the Ventus Blue or Black. let me know your thoughts.

I have full reviews of the Black and Blue here: https://pluggedingolf.com/fujikura-ventus-black-shaft-review/

https://pluggedingolf.com/fujikura-ventus-shaft-review/

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this profile very similar to the XC? If so, can you say which you prefer?

No, I would not agree that the XC is very similar to the HD. I have a full review of the XC here: https://pluggedingolf.com/graphite-design-tour-ad-xc-shaft-review/

Hi Matt Looks like the closest Graphite Design in terms of specs is the TourAD TP Did you get the chance to compare both shafts? Thanks

Yes, I have a full review of the AD TP here: https://pluggedingolf.com/graphite-designs-tour-ad-tp-shaft-review/

i am using tourad Di .what the difference compare to HD

I have a full review of the AD DI here: https://pluggedingolf.com/graphite-designs-tour-ad-di-shaft-review/

Great review Matt, thanks for the insight! Question for you – my typical launch stats mirror those in the above launch monitor data (rarely above 105 swing speed), with exception that my steep swing produces heinous spins that you’d want in a 6I, resulting in my total distance getting killed. I’m in the 50+ club, with shoulder issues, so focus is on playing for many years to come and trading more flexibility for strength. Working with my pro on the swing to change attack angle in my swing, but would like to invest in a GD Tour shaft – how might the AD-HD-6 stack up to either the AD-IZ-6 or AD-VR-6 if I’m trying to improve my launch angle while trying to keep spins rates down? thanks

Unfortunately there’s no way for me to give you a reliable answer to that without having you try them. I could tell you which has the stiffest tip, which in theory would knock spin off, but that shaft might not work for you at all.

My advice would be to get into a place where you’re happy with your swing, then get a fitting where you try everything. Graphite Design is great, but there’s no reason to limit your choices.

Matt, did you have any issues with swing weight with your Ping head or did you like the balance point ?

I didn’t have any particular issues with it.

I’m curious why you swing speed fluctuates so much with certain shafts? I noticed the Tensei 1K White, Diamana TB, etc. your swing speed is up to 109 MPH, but many others you’re at 105 MPH. Are you switching between 6X and 7X shafts for different shaft testing?

Did you look at the dates on the reviews? Plugged In Golf is closing in on eight years of reviews. Over that time, my speed has been up and down due to injuries, training cycles, seasonality, and, in small part, the equipment being tested.

What GD AD shaft would be close to the YS6+ stiff shaft (med, med, med/soft profile). Was looking at AD DI (but tip is stiff) or AD HD (similar but overall a bit firmer). Any ideas? thanks

Graphite Design breaks down all their Tour AD shafts in a chart on their site, which is linked in the review above.

I had a chance to take about 50 swings with the AD HD tonight in an Epic Max LS 9 degree head, and really loved it. Really smooth, nice kick, stable, and the launch was consistently right around what I’m looking for. I would say I felt the kick more in the mid, not the tip, but Matt, as you point out, different swings mean we experience shafts’ characteristics differently, and it was smooth overall. It might have just been a good night, but I felt like I could really go after it with the HD and my swing speed was up about 3 mph from my normal 101-102ish. I’m planning to do a driver and fairway wood fitting this winter, but I expect the AD HD to be in the mix for my driver (and the Diamana BF or TB to be a top contender for my fairway wood).

Graphite Design Tour AD HD Shaft Review – Plugged In Golf

I’m really impressed with the Graphite Design Tour AD HD Shaft. It’s a great shaft for those who are looking for a high performance shaft.

Do you have any recommendations for similar profile mid launch/low spin wood shafts? Ventus blue perhaps?

Appreciate your time. Thanks!

My best advice is to get fit. I don’t know anything about your swing, your game, or why you’re looking for an alternative to the AD HD, so I can’t make an educated suggestion.

Leave a Comment Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Address

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• The PXG STEM Experience
• Golf News – April 19, 2024
• SQAIRZ SPEED2 Golf Shoe Review
• Rain or Shine SwingNet Pro Review
• Golf News – April 17, 2024

Contact Us Advertise Subscribe

Advertise on this site.

Plugged In Golf

Do You Like Free Golf Gear?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and not only will you get the latest reviews, instruction, and more delivered directly to your inbox, you’ll also be entered into regular giveaways for golf clubs and more.

• Remember me Not recommended on shared computers

Forgot your password?

• WRX Club Techs

Ventus blue vs. Tour AD DI driver shafts?

By golfer55082 March 28, 2022 in WRX Club Techs

• Reply to this topic
• Start new topic

Recommended Posts

Golfer55082.

Are the profiles of these two shafts similar in drivers? From some initial research, people say that DI is less stiff than Ventus Blue.   I currently play Ventus Blue 6x shaft and have good results; if I move to AD DI shaft, should I stay at DI 6x shaft or move to 7x shaft, to get similar "swing feel" in sense of swing weight?  Anyone has done side by side comparison for these two shaft profiles and can provide information?  Thanks.  

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

• Created 2 yr
• Last Reply 2 yr

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

phizzy30 1 post

golfer55082 1 post

pugsnotdrugs 1 post

Cactus Jack 1 post

Mar 28 2022

Popular Posts

Cactus jack.

March 28, 2022

I have both and currently play the DI. In my opinion, they play and feel very different with the Blue being noticeably stiffer/less smooth than the DI. Also, for what it's worth, I'm a 170 ball speed

I have had both as my gamers in the past.  They are different shafts in that the DI has more kick and spins a bit more than the Ventus Blue.  Since you're playing the VB 6x, you can go with either DI

pugsnotdrugs

I have a DI 7x in my fairway that I hit great. I tried the Ventus Blue 7x and Red 7x in my fairway and they weren’t for me. The Blue I didn’t time very well and had an 2 way miss. The Red spun to

I have both and currently play the DI. In my opinion, they play and feel very different with the Blue being noticeably stiffer/less smooth than the DI. Also, for what it's worth, I'm a 170 ball speed player and play a stiff flex in the DI. I don't know why, but the shaft just flat out performs and feels great. The faster I swing the more responsive it becomes. I've never hit an Autoflex, but maybe I'm experiencing something similar with the more flexible DI. 

I have had both as my gamers in the past.  They are different shafts in that the DI has more kick and spins a bit more than the Ventus Blue.  Since you're playing the VB 6x, you can go with either DI 6X or 6TX and they would work out fine. 

Callaway AI Smoke Paradym 💎 💎 💎 9* - Tour AD VF-7TX

TM SIM ti 15* - Diamana GT 80TX

TM Tour Issue Rescue 11 TP Deep Face Proto 16* - Ventus Black HB 9TX

New Level NLU-01 21* - KBS Hybrid Proto 105X

New Level 623-M 5-PW - MMT 125TX

Miura Tour 54* HB - KBS 610 125 S+, New Level SPN forged M-grind 58* - KBS Tour 130X

Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport 2

I have a DI 7x in my fairway that I hit great. I tried the Ventus Blue 7x and Red 7x in my fairway and they weren’t for me.

The Blue I didn’t time very well and had an 2 way miss. The Red spun to much and I was getting these floaty risers.

I play a DI 6x in my driver and I love it too.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

×   Pasted as rich text.    Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.    Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.    Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

• Insert image from URL
• Submit Reply

Recently Browsing    0 members

• No registered users viewing this page.

2024 RBC Heritage - Discussion and Links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , Monday at 08:55 PM

2024 Masters - Discussion and Links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , April 10

Rory McIlroy testing a new TaylorMade "PROTO" 4-iron – 2024 Valero Texas Open

atursky posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , April 3

2024 Valero Texas Open - Discussion and Links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , April 1

2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Discussion and links to Photos

GolfWRX_Spotted posted a topic in Tour and Pre-Release Equipment , March 25

Popular Now

By mc2 Started 7 hours ago

By bullrambler Started August 8, 2014

Welcome. Register Here.

Come on in, the water is fine...

Recent B/S/T

apprenti23 · Started 18 minutes ago

Dcmusch · Started 6 hours ago

mission_scratch · Started 8 hours ago

purefish152 · Started 8 hours ago

tonypb57 · Started 8 hours ago

GolfWRX_Spotted · Started December 5, 2023

• Existing user? Sign In

The Bag Room

• Tour & Pre-Release Equipment
• Golf Sims/GPS/RFs/Apps
• Golf Style and Accessories

The Club House

• General Golf Talk
• Classic Golf And Golfers
• Courses, Memberships and Travel
• Groups, Tourneys, and Partners Matching

WRX Academy

• Instruction & Academy
• Rules of Golf and Etiquette
• Swing Videos and Comments

Classifieds & ProShops

• Deal/No Deal

Website Help

• Forum Support
• BST AD Help Forum

My Activity Streams

• BST/Deal Activity
• All Activity
• Unread - No BST/19th
• Subscriptions

Classifieds

• For Sale Forum
• Wanted to Buy
• Mall of Pro Shops
• Where Did My Ad Go?
• Trade In Tool
• Create New...