Equipment
TESTING: Fujikura Atmos “Tour Spec” Red vs Atmos Red driver shafts
For an average golfer, what’s the difference between a regular Fujikura Atmos Red shaft and a “Tour Spec” Atmos Red? That’s what we wanted to find out.
In our new club testing series, average golfers will be hitting either different shafts or different club heads, testing them against each other. The process will simply be to hit an equal number of shots with each shaft or club head, eliminating any outliers, and then report the numbers. These are all one-variable tests. Since the club tests are all done at Club Champion in Royal Oak, Michigan, the testing is under direct supervision of professional fitters.
First, some information about both shafts in this test.
Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Red 6S facts
Fuji says: “New for 2017, the Atmos Tour Spec line is geared towards the performance golfer looking to keep the ball flighted down with low spin. Continuing with our iconic ‘Tour Spec white’ paint, Atmos is a true tour flighted line of shafts with a simple color coding – red as the higher launching, blue as mid launch, black as the lowest launch – similarities include keeping the handle flexes the same for feel, but adjusting mid and tip sections for launch and spin to achieve your desired ball flight.”
Specs
Fujikura Atmos Red 6S facts
Fuji says: “New for 2018, we’re excited to introduce the higher launching and softer profile Atmos. The Atmos has a similar design profile to the Tour Spec version, but is geared towards fitting a wider spectrum of golfers. The Atmos has a consistent, smooth feel, and has the red launch profile to signify the higher flight and spin… the blue profile is for mid launch and spin performance.”
Specs
The Test
We had two testers each hit the Fujikura Atmos Red Tour Spec 6S against a Fujikura Atmos Red 6S. Player A is a lefty and a 17-handicap. Player B is a righty and a 9-handicap. Both fight shots to the left (one being a slice, one being a hook, respectively). Here’s what happened when they both hit the shafts:
Player A
| Atmos Red TS Red 6S | Atmos Red 6S | |
|---|---|---|
| Club Speed | 91.6 mph | 91.4 mph |
| Ball Speed | 128.3 mph | 127.1 mph |
| Smash factor | 1.40 | 1.39 |
| Spin Rate | 5339 rpm | 5194 rpm |
| Side | 129.8 L | 143.9L |
| Launch | 14.8 degrees | 16.0 degrees |
| Carry | 186.6 yards | 185 yards |
| Total | 198.4 yards | 196.1 yards |
| Height | 92 feet | 97 feet |
| Attack Angle | -3.6 degrees | -3.4 degrees |
Player B
| Atmos TS Red 6S | Atmos Red 6S | |
|---|---|---|
| Club Speed | 103.4 mph | 104.3 mph |
| Ball Speed | 150.2 mph | 150.8 mph |
| Smash Factor | 1.45 | 1.44 |
| Spin Rate | 2652 rpm | 2915 rpm |
| Side | 74.1 L | 65.8 L |
| Launch Angle | 12.1 degrees | 11.4 degrees |
| Carry | 246.5 yards | 242.7 yards |
| Total | 272.0 yards | 267.2 yards |
| Height | 88 feet | 89 feet |
| Attack Angle | -0.9 degrees | -2.0 |
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- Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X
6-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC 2011 (4-PW)
Shafts: Project X Denali Blue 105 TX (3), Project X 6.5 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50-12F), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F), Callaway Jaws Raw (60-08C)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (50), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (56, 60)
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Mini DB
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy PistolLock 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Daniel Berger’s clubs in the forums.
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What are the driver and shaft combinations of the best golfers in the world? For gearheads, it’s an endlessly interesting question — even if we can only ever aspire to play LS heads and 7 TX shafts.
At this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, GolfWRX got in-hand looks at the driver setups of a wealth of players.
Check out some of the most interesting combos below, then head to the GolfWRX forums for the rest, as well as the rest of our galleries from New Orleans.
Rory McIlroy
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alex Fitzpatrick
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Daniel Berger
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees @9)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Wrap
Rasmus Hojgaard
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
Grip: Golf Pride MCC
Alejandro Tosti
Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees @10.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75 6.5
Grip: Golf Pride MCC Plus4
James Nicholas
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (8 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Kevin Streelman
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Sang-moon Bae
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (9+ @8)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Russ Cochran
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke (9 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD TP 6 X
Grip: Golf pride MCC Align 
MJ Daffue
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (10.5 degrees @9.5)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 65 TX
Grip: Golf Pride ZGrip Cord Align
Check our more photos from the Zurich Classic here.
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- Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Prototype (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Utility: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 85 TX
Irons: Callaway Apex Pro (3), Callaway X Forged (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 130
Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S, 56-10S, 60-06C)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X
Putter: Odyssey Ai One Milled Eight T DB
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Hojgaard in the forums.
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Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
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Jim Giles
Aug 24, 2018 at 12:03 pm
I was curious on the significant change in Attack Angle for Player B . Did the shaft cause this ? Cuz I am no expert, but wouldn’t that have a lot to do with the resulting Launch Angle (thus flight) being so different. Player B’s stats confused me.
Someone
Aug 24, 2018 at 11:19 am
Need more data. Greater sample size. Two players is insignificant especially considering the skill gap.
Bark Chuck
Aug 24, 2018 at 1:31 am
Did I miss the type of club head, loft, etc.?
CrashTestDummy
Aug 24, 2018 at 1:25 am
For any strong consistent swings, the standard Atmos Red will feel like a noodle and most likely have poor dispersion groupings compared to the TS Atmos Red. Those shafts are polar opposites in specs except for the name.
james
Aug 23, 2018 at 3:59 pm
Based on these numbers, one would think the stock shaft is really, really good!. why spend $300+ for the tour spec? does not seem worth it.
Kevin
Aug 23, 2018 at 1:01 pm
So even a “mid” and a “high” handicap golfer hit the tour spec shaft further…minimally, but further. If this is truly legit data it would seem there is no need to make both versions. Just make the tour spec and let everyone hit it a little further…
Jim Giles
Aug 24, 2018 at 12:01 pm
for a Manufacturer in making it, your comment is correct… .but for a consumer, these things are hundreds of dollars different. So I think it provides validation that for the weekend golfer you don’t need to spend $$$ on the Tour Spec shaft to get similar results.
Josh
Aug 25, 2018 at 1:00 am
Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding
The Club Nut
Sep 3, 2018 at 12:00 pm
They’re really not that different in price. If youre comparing the Atmos that comes “stock” in the M4 with the shaft they tested, you’d be comparing two different shafts. The graphics may be more similar than any Fujikura stock offering in recent years, but the final product is different. Having physically tested a stick Atmos red and an aftermarket Atmos red, the stock option is lighter flex (at same marked rating) and more tip soft.
Picky
Aug 23, 2018 at 11:49 am
You lost me at .620 butt diameter. I’m not spending hundreds of dollars on a shaft that I can’t have a standard size cord grip on.
The Club Nut
Sep 3, 2018 at 12:01 pm
You can stretch it, or have an undersize built up to standard.
Dan
Aug 23, 2018 at 11:31 am
This is a tiny sample size and TXG did a better version of this where they show how it affects the flight
Francis
Aug 23, 2018 at 11:31 am
Love this concept. I know you said that the object of the experiment was for “average” golfers, but it would have been even more interesting if you threw in a scratch since the TS is designed for “performance golfer.” I would have liked to have seen the performance difference (if any) between the three handicap levels. Great work!