It’s time to countdown the top selling and most popular shafts currently in the Japanese market. As always these rankings are based on a number of criteria including TSG sales as well as sales throughout Japan, user reviews and feedback, media hype, and overall buzz and demand. Here are the shafts that have been grabbing all the attention in the first 4 months of 2010!
1. Graphite Design Tour AD DI Series: The new DI series from Graphite design stands for Deep Impact. It sure has made a deep impact on the charts as it has taken the top spot in the rankings based Japan tour dominance and huge sales all over Japan. The DI is the latest and greatest performance control shaft in the GD’s premium Tour AD line. The key feature of the DI shaft is the use of nanomaterial in the tip area of the shaft which allows it to square to the ball quickly and accurately. It’s balanced performance of both distance and control has made it a top choice of most Japanese OEM’s as the step up shaft upgrade for their drivers. It seems to have also helped that some guy named Tiger played this shaft in his driver at the Masters.
2. Crazy Longest Yard Series: Crazy Shafts and their higher prices are no doubt not for everyone, however they still take second place in the rankings due to support from golf enthusiasts and smaller shops and independent testers around Japan that choose Crazy as the choice performance brand thanks to the shafts ability to produce optimal smash factor. Compared to most mainstream brands, Crazy shafts use the highest grade carbon in their shafts including 40t, 45t, 46t, 50t and 80t which creates optimal energy transfer and release and predictable impact. This has translated into superior control and distance performance which has caught on with those demanding the best.
3. Diamana ‘ilima Series: the Diamana ‘ilima has displaced the ‘kaili in the charts as the top ranking shaft from Mitsubishi Rayon. The ‘ilima features a stiffer mid section with softer butt and active tip section promoting a higher launch than the kai’li but still with low controlled spin. On the Japanese tour many have not only chosen the ‘ilima as a driver shaft but have found the ‘ilima to excel in fairway woods as well thanks to the shafts stability and accuracy using Mitsubishi Rayon’s Multi-Dimensional Interlay (MDI) Technology.
4. Quadra Fire Express Series: The Fire Express from Quadra Composite Techno has quietly been rising in the charts over the past 12 months. The Fire Express simply gets the job done. Quadra is another company that uses premium 50t and 80t carbon like Crazy which produce predictable controlled performance shafts. To add to the shaft’s popularity Quadra has released a 55 model in addition to the Fire Express 65 and 75. The Fire Express 55 features mid 50g weight and softer flexes for the average golfer and slower swinger wanting a premium performance shaft.
5. Bassara Griffin Series: Mitsubishi’s Griffin continues to hang around the charts as a premier choice for those players wanting a ultra lightweight performance shaft. Premium distance AND control from a 40 and 50g range shaft can be hard to find but the Griffin does it well which has kept it as a great choice for average to even athlete golfers wanting lighter weights. It will be interesting to see if Crazy’s Longest yard Series which is also in the 50g range continues to take share from the Griffin.
6. Fujikura Motore Speeder VC.1 Series: The new Blue Motore Speeder features Fujikura’s Quadra Axis Composite and Triax Woven material and like last years Red VC.0 creates the world’s first 7 axis desgin. This uniformity throughout the shaft eliminates rounding and deformation and provides max feel through out the swing, for maximum energy transfer and stability. The Blue VC.1 features lower torque numbers than the Red Motore Speeder from last year and have a slightly stiffer tip section for more control and lower spin which has helped its popularity grow especially among better players.
For more information or specs available on all these shafts, please check out our pro shop!
Hi, can you recommand a crazy shaft that suit me, currently using a matrix hdtp 6 with 260cpm, my swingspeed is around 108 – 110 mph. I hit an AP2 7 iron with S200 hitting 150 meters. I like a 70g shaft. Like to get more distance with control. Love to feel shaft get an extra kick upon impact. Felt that on a HD blacktie on my fairway wood, also felt that on a HDTP but not on my normal HD 6. I am wondering if it is the heavier shaft that cuase the sort of feel or the material used, please enlighten me. Thanks