Equipment

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

Published

3 years ago

Jun 5, 2023

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

GolfWRX members review Axiom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GolfWRX members reflect on their experience at Fujikura

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

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

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

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

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

Our favorite photos from the trip

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

Whats in the Bag

Christiaan Maas WITB 2026 (June)

Published

3 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D LS (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold X100

Wedges: TaylorMade Prototype (50-SB09), TaylorMade MG5 (56-HB12, 60-LV07)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400

Putter: TaylorMade TP Juno

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Check out more in-hand photos of Christiaan Maas’ clubs here.

Equipment

TaylorMade MySpider Tour and Tour X: More customizable build options now available

Published

3 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Alistair Cameron

TaylorMade Golf’s MySpider program underwent a substantial overhaul over the last month. Firstly, the company launched the option to customize the Spider ZT model, and now the program has returned with the MySpider Tour and MySpider Tour X.

The revamped page now gives golfers complete control over every visual and functional detail of their putter on the popular Tour and Tour X head, with every cosmetic idea thought of. In MySpider Tour, golfers can choose from four head finishes, 16 paint fill colors, nine Surlyn face insert colors, three aluminum insert options, six sightline configurations, and four hosel options — L-neck, small slant, double bend, center shaft. Six sightline options are available in MySpider Tour, including the optically engineered True Path alignment system. MySpider Tour X gives builders the option of four head finishes, four hosel configurations, and five sightline options, also including True Path alignment.

One of the more interesting features of the new MySpider program is the availability of three distinct face insert options. Along with the usual Surlyn Pure Roll insert trusted by Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, which can be customized from nine colors, golfers can now also select firmer options. Two are offered with the black aluminum Pure Roll insert, slightly firmer than the traditional insert, or for the firmest feel, golfers can choose from two colors of milled aluminum inserts.

Another fun addition to the MySpider Tour is the ability to use the “Tommy Sightline.” The custom alignment aid design, which was first drawn onto Tommy Fleetwood’s putter by PGA Tour Rep James Holley, is based on the milled sightline on his Spider ZT head. There are five shorter lines on the left and right of a longer central line serving as the traditional short line alignment aid.

See below for the full specifications sheet for MySpider Tour and Tour X:

MySpider Tour

MySpider Tour X

Equipment

Then and now: Comparing Rory McIlroy’s current setup to his record-breaking 2019 Canadian Open victory

Published

6 hours ago

Jun 11, 2026

Alistair Cameron

In Rory McIlroy’s first appearance at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, he crushed the record books to earn his 16th PGA Tour title in dominating fashion, winning by seven shots over Shane Lowry and Webb Simpson.

McIlroy’s score of 22-under-par 258 is the lowest 72-hole score to date at the Canadian Open, and his closing 61 is also the best final-round score in the history of one of golf’s oldest tournaments. Finally, with his win in 2019, McIlroy became only the sixth player to win the career Triple Crown, adding to his victories at the U.S. Open in 2011 and The Open Championship in 2014, joining Tommy Armour, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods in a coveted list.

So, with that, why not compare his current setup to the clubs he used to break all the records?

Driver

2019: TaylorMade M5 (9 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees @8), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7X (45 5/8 inches)

McIroy led the Tour in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in 2019; he’s doing the same in 2026. Between now and then, McIlroy has switched from the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX (a shaft with slightly more feeling in the tip) to the original Fujikura Ventus Black 7X, having just made the change to the heavier version from playing the 60X.

What’s interesting about McIlroy’s 2019 setup is that the weighting on his driver is actually set in the high-draw setting, using the T-Track weighting system, whereas in the Qi4D, he’s currently using a heavily rear-weighted setup. (Two 13-gram weights in the rear and only two 4-gram front weights.)

The TaylorMade M5 driver he played in during his Canadian Open win was the company’s first head that they claimed to design to initially exceed the USGA’s COR limit, and then injected with tuning resin to bring it back in bounds.

Fairway woods

2019: TaylorMade M6 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX; TaylorMade M5 5-wood (19 degrees), Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 90 TX
2026: TaylorMade Qi4D 3-wood (15 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8X; TaylorMade Qi4D 5-wood (18 degrees), Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9X

The TaylorMade M6 fairway wood that McIlroy was using during the 2019 season is still in the bag of some of the best golfers on Tour in 2026. Just check out Justin Rose’s winning setup from the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year. This year, though, McIlroy has still been searching for his top-end-of-the-bag setup, having played both the new Qi4D and the Qi10, which he won the Masters with.

The same shaft swap can be seen in the fairway woods as the driver, along with slightly less loft on the 5-wood.

Irons

2019: TaylorMade P750 (4) Buy here, TaylorMade P730 (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0
2026: TaylorMade P760 (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9), Shafts: Project X 7.0

The biggest difference between McIlroy’s custom set and the stock P730s is the groove design. While the P730s were constructed with 14 MX-9 grooves on their milled faces, McIlroy’s proto heads instead use the higher-spinning, 16-groove layout of the TW2 grooves. Other big differences between the sets are that McIlroy’s 7- and 8-irons have thinner toplines, are 1 degree stronger in loft, and are 1/4 inch longer than the original P730 builds.

With McIlroy’s 4-iron, the switch from P750 to P760 sees a transition to a two-piece construction with Speed Foam in it, which allows McIlroy to launch the ball slightly higher, with more workability.

Wedges

2019: TaylorMade Milled Grind (48-09SB), TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09SB, 56-09SB, 60-LB09), Shafts: Project X Rifle 6.5
2026: TaylorMade MG5 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB, 60-08LB @61), Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)

Between 2019 and 2026, McIlroy’s focus on his short game has been much more apparent. It was the reason why he switched back to the TP5 golf ball, to help with launch, spin and control with his wedges leading up to his career Grand Slam victory in 2025. The most apparent changes to McIlroy’s wedge setup are his lofts and bounce. He’s slowly delofted his pitching to a sand wedge, but has increased the loft on the lob wedge, bending his current 60-degree to 61. With that, adding more loft to his lob wedge also slightly increases the bounce and leading-edge sit point, so, as a result, he plays a lower-bounce lob wedge compared to 2019. The MG5 wedges are also softer than the first Milled Grind option from 2019. McIlroy also no longer plays the full-face grooves found on the Hi-Toe.

Putter

2019: TaylorMade Spider X
2026: TaylorMade Spider Tour X

Notice anything similar. Yes, the copper finish on Rory McIlroy’s Spider X putter in 2019 is a slightly more reflective finish than the recently released torched PVD finish. McIlroy was using the True Path alignment system, but now uses only a single white sightline.

Ball

2019: 2019 TaylorMade TP5 (#22)
2026: 2025 TaylorMade TP5 (RORS)

As mentioned above, McIlroy had transitioned from the TP5 to TP5x golf ball since his victory in Canada in 2019, but now is black with the same style of golf ball as his victory at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

Grips

2019: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
2026: Golf Pride MCC

Interesting, McIlroy actually used Golf Pride’s Tour Velvet Cord grips during his victory in 2019 (it was during a 2+ year switch to the corded TV) as opposed to his usual MCC grips, which he has played for most of his career.