Fujikura Motore Speeder vs. Mitsubishi Bassara Griffin

I’ve been writing a lot about shafts lately and for good reason. There are just so many good shafts out there to choose from. Today Yamato dropped by and delivered the new Mitsubishi Bassara Griffin that we have been talking about on GTI as well as the highly touted Fujikura Motore Speeder. These two new summer 2009 releases could very well be the shafts of the year. Will these shafts live up to the hype?

While the Griffin was just officially released today to big fanfare in Japan, the Motore Speeder has been out now since late April. It was first previewed by us way back in February at the Japan Golf Fair at Tokyo Big Sight. Our initial impression back then was that the had a very nice kick and feel to it though we only had a chance to test it in the nets at the show. Talking with the Fujikura reps at the time they described the Motore Speeder as being a great feel shaft made for distance and most reviews out in Japan seem to have proclaimed the same positive feedback.

Fujikura claims that the Japan only Motore Speeder is the most advanced shaft they have ever made, featuring the world’s first 7 PLY cross axis design. The Fujikura 7 Axis technology (a special 3 axis design layered with a special 4 axis weave) minimizes energy loss and creates a shaft with little to no rounding during flex. This creates great feel and kick as the shaft unloads with full force creating even more head speed for the golfer. Stability is placed at an equal importance to distance for the Motore Speeder and the shaft produces minimal twisting for accuracy in addition to distance. The Motore Speeder is designed for low spin, high ball speeds and mid to high launch for maximum carry and run out.

The Motore Speeder with its feel, gives the impression that it is softer than the Motore F1 which we confirmed that it slightly is. This however does not make it any less accurate because of its design and technology, this is one stable and tight shaft even with all its feel. Using a VC5.0 paired with a forgiving and easy head like my PRGR GN502, creates an automatic driver. Just swing and the Motore Speeder does its work to make sure the head meets the ball flush at impact. I found this to very much be a user friendly shaft with the VC5.0 providing a good kick with a mid to higher trajectory for max carry but still giving good run out. The VC5.0 and 4.0 are definitely the distance models in the Motore Speeder lineup, great shafts for higher handicappers or those slower swingers who want more distance. More advanced players or harder hitters should look to heavier weights and stiffer flexes of the Motore Speeder. If you look at the specs of the entire Motore Speeder lineup you will see that the bend profiles for each model become stiffer overall as weight increases.

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I was very happy with the feel of the Speeder and those who believe golf is all about feel will love this shaft. I am not a fast swinger but sometimes I can get quick at the top and my hands get to far ahead for the head to catch up resulting in an open face at impact. This is amplified when a shaft is really too soft. This was not the case with the Speeder as its 7ply design seemed to mesh and match with whatever tempo swing I threw at it. So its about finding the right balanced between a soft shaft that provides enough feel and kick for distance but is still accurate and has the ability to retain its shape by transferring energy quickly and efficiently on the down swing. This is definitely the best Fujikura shaft I have ever hit and also the most red looking one. (^_^)

The new Bassara Griffin is one hot looking shaft in person. I preferred its looks to the all red Speeder. Some may find the graphics too busy but I found them to be cool and aggressive looking. The middle of the shaft features a pearl like gold finish that gradients toward a silver metallic finish towards the tip. The butt has a royal crest featuring what looks like a lion with eagles wings and flanked by like a web like patterned design.  I’ve already discussed the Bassara specs in earlier posts but just to remind you, the Griffin is a sub 60g shaft that is designed to create a overwhelming sense of acceleration on the downswing, creating increased swing speeds and ball speeds with the end result being more distance. The Griffin features a new Super Elastic Fiber tip which accelerates the head to meet the ball at proper loft and impact. The Griffin creates a low spin trajectory for big carry and roll out. Mitsubishi considers this their longest lightweight carbon shaft ever. The Super Elastic Fiber features a special titanium alloy which has a property that allows the shaft to retain its original shape immediately after being loaded (flexed) with energy. What this translates into is a high rebound release with no loss of energy on the downswing.

I am a big fan of lightweight shafts as are many average golfers in Japan. A lighter weight driver is easier to swing for those with mere mortal swing speeds and can equal more distance and forgiveness. Of course many make the mistake of going to a shaft too light which then equals a shaft too soft and poor performance. Manufacturers must make the walls of their shafts thinner in order to bring weight of the shafts down for the lightweight models. This naturally gives lightweight shafts more flex.  The Griffin has mid torque numbers and speaking with Mitsubishi, this translates in to feel not less control or accuracy unlike what many may think when they see higher torque numbers.

I also tested the Griffin, the G53 model in a PRGR head and it was just as easy to hit as the Motore Speeder.  Trajectory was a touch lower, perhaps a bit more penetrating and control was very good thanks to the stiffer butt section. When trying to get handsy with this shaft, it had no problems meeting the ball at impact and still providing a very straight ball flight. The G53 is 4 grams lighter than the Speeder with almost the same torque numbers 4.5 vs 4.4 so spec wise they are very comparable. Distance wise they were very close with the Griffin getting more roll and overall distance.

For now I am going to stick to the Griffin for its mid trajectory. Also in the past I was NOT a fan of stiff butts as I felt they did not match slower swingers and took away feel but not with the Griffin. The Griffin still has great feel and the butt only adds to the control.

From initial testing, both these shafts are winners. Any one wanting a lighter weight shaft with kick and feel without sacrificing accuracy can definitely play either. Your choice may come down to preference for looks and whether you want a higher max carry type trajectory with the Speeder or slightly more penetrating one with the Griffin.

I’ll be testing them more in the next week or so and will provide more feedback once the honeymoons are over.