Equipment
Mitsubishi unveils 2015 Diamana shaft lineup
Few graphite shaft makers can claim the success of Mitsubishi Rayon’s Diamana shafts, which have been used to win more than 100 events on golf’s major professional tours since 2004. That makes it a big deal when the company tests a new line of Diamana shafts, as it is doing this at the Quicken Loans National.
The most well-known of the company’s Diamana shafts are its original S-Series and D-Series models, known as a “Blue Boards” and “White Boards,” respectively, and they’re used by a staggering amount of the world’s best players.
Tiger Woods uses the original Blue Board shafts in his driver and fairway woods, while Gary Woodland plays the Diamana S+ Series shafts in his driver and fairway wood. Jordan Spieth, on the other hand, plays an original Blue Board shaft in his driver and a Diamana D+ Series shaft in his fairway wood.
The new models are the second-generation of the company’s Diamana +Plus Series that are played by Woodland and Spieth. They’re called the S+ and D+ Series, and use new technologies that make the shafts a viable option for everyone from the best golfers in the world to the weekend player.
The profiles of the first-generation and second-generation Diamana +Plus series shafts are similar, which means that they should produce close to the same launch and spin characteristics for most golfers. There are material differences between the shafts, however, which will make the second-generation shafts a better fit for many golfers.
Mitsubishi Rayon’s second-generation Diamana +Plus Series shafts have a matte gray finish, making them a better fit for many of today’s colorful driver, fairway wood and hybrid heads. The first-generation Diamana S+ and D+ shafts had matte blue and black finishes, respectively.
The second-generation Diamana +Plus shafts expand the company’s Multi-Dimensional Interlay (M.D.I.) technology throughout the length of the shaft, where it was previously only used in the tip. That allows each shaft to be made about 3-to-4 grams lighter without affecting the shaft’s bend profile, said Mark Gunther, Mitsubishi Rayon’s vice president of sales and marketing. Unlike the original Diamana shafts, it also allows Mitsubish to tune the torque of each shaft to a specific flex, giving softer-flex shafts a little more torque and stiffer-flex shafts a little less torque.
What’s also new is that the the second-generation S+ Series shafts are counterbalanced, which means that they have a higher balance point that allows today’s heavier driver, fairway wood and hybrid heads to be played at a standard length or a longer-than-standard length without a drastic affect on swing weight.
The S+ Series shafts are slated to be released in more flexes and more weight options than ever before as well, with an emphasis on going lighter. Golfers will be able to get a 52-gram S+ Series (R and S flexes) for the first time, as well as more standard-weight options: a 62-gram model (R, S, X, TX), a 72-gram model (R, S, X, TX) and an 82-gram model (X, TX).
TX-flex shafts, which are available in each 62-gram, 72-gram and 82-gram shaft model, use special 46-ton carbon fiber materials that allow the shafts to be stiffer and have less torque than X-Flex shafts.
The D+ Series, which launches lower than the S+ Series, will also be available in a 52-gram model for the first time (R, S and X flexes), as well as a 62-gram model (S, X, TX), 72-gram model (S, X, TX) and 82-gram model (X, TX). It will not be as counterbalanced as the S+ Series shafts, however, because of its target audience. Golfers who tend to be a fit for the D+ Series often want their woods to have either a shorter length, heavier swing weight or both, which generally negates the benefits of a counterbalanced shaft.
Golfers looking for an aggressively counterweighted shaft from Mitsubishi Rayon will be pleased to hear that along with the company’s recently-released Fubuki J shafts, it will release a new Diamana M+ Series shaft, which is inspired by Mitsubishi’s original Diamana M-Series “Red Board” shaft. It’s the highest-launching of the three shafts and is expected to hit the PGA Tour for testing in October. It will be available in a 52-gram model (R, S), a 62-gram model (R, S, X, TX) and 72-gram model (R, S, X, TX).
Like the rest of the line, the M+ Series will be available in limited quantities this fall and will sell for about $300.
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Whats in the Bag
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2024 (April)
- Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX
Irons: Ping iCrossover (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 9 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 56-12D, 60-08M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Bettinardi SS16 Dass
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Fitzpatrick’s clubs here.
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Equipment
What’s the perfect mini-driver/shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss
In our forums, our members have been discussing Mini-Drivers and accompanying shafts. WRXer ‘JamesFisher1990’ is about to purchase a BRNR Mini and is torn on what shaft weight to use, and our members have been sharing their thoughts and set ups in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- PARETO: “New BRNR at 13.5. Took it over to TXG (Club Champ but TXG will always rule) in Calgary for a fit. Took the head down to 12, stuck in a Graphite Design AD at 3 wood length and 60g. Presto- numbers that rivaled my G430Max but with waaaaay tighter dispersion. Win.”
- driveandputtmachine: “Still playing a MIni 300. The head was only 208, so I ordered a heavier weight and play it at 3 wood length. I am playing a Ventus Red 70. I play 70 grams in my fairways. I use it mainly to hit draws off the tee. When I combine me, a driver, and trying to hit a draw it does not work out well most of the time. So the MIni is for that. As an aside, I have not hit the newest BRNR, but the previous model wasn’t great off the deck. The 300 Mini is very good off the deck.”
- JAM01: “Ok, just put the BRNR in the bag along side a QI10 max and a QI10 3 wood. A load of top end redundancy. But, I have several holes at my two home courses where the flight and accuracy of the mini driver helps immensely. Mine is stock Proforce 65 at 13.5, I could see a heavier shaft, but to normal flex, as a nice alternative.”
Entire Thread: “What’s the perfect Mini-Driver/Shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/26/24): Artisan 0521 custom putter
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for an Artisan 0521 custom putter
From the seller: (@Nobody2): “$775 -Artisan 0521 custom putter PVD (black finish) with sweep neck hosel. There are no personal stampings other than my player # in very small print on the side of the hosel (all Artisan products have this along with the date it was made). This putter looks absolutely amazing and has only been used for 3 rounds. It has a black steel shaft and has a very Cam Smith look to it. The putter looks new and has no wear marks anywhere on the putter. It comes with extra weights (one set of of 5 gram weights and one set of 15 gram weights). The head cover is a a navy blue ‘quilted blade putter cover.’ If you are wondering why I am selling…I flat out have the yips and the only thing saving me is a broomstick. New, this putter is $1085, so if the specs work for you (grip, length and lie can certainly be tweaked) it will save you some good money and 2 month wait time.
Specs:
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Artisan 0521 custom putter
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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brett w
Nov 18, 2014 at 7:39 pm
Anyone know what the torque is going to be on the D+ White 70 TX?
DENNIS C. BURNS
Jul 1, 2014 at 12:35 pm
WHAT DOES (X5CT) ON THE SHAFT MEAN? DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND WHY.
John Muir
Aug 13, 2014 at 7:53 am
Hi Dennis:
From their FAQ page:
The Mitsubishi Rayon logo is comprised of three diamonds. Diamond weight is measured in carats and there are 5 carats in one gram. Therefore these making signify the approximate shaft weight in carats. (e.g. 63 x5ct means 63 x 5 carats = 315 carats = 63 gram
John Muir
Mizunopure
Jun 28, 2014 at 2:22 am
I’ll take an O.G Blueboard for 90. Thank you!
billm311
Jun 26, 2014 at 9:05 am
I wish Mitsubishi would release lighter flexes in the heavier weights. My swing fits the whiteboard profile perfectly, but I usually can’t get maximum benefit from Diamana’s when it comes to weight v flex. Can I get a 60 Regular or 70 regular please?
Killing me.
Chuck
Jun 26, 2014 at 7:43 am
With all of the interest in heavier-weight shafts (including but not limited to Tiger Woods’ earlier move to a 103g Diamana), I sort of expected that if Mitsubishi was going to do anything new, that they would include such choices. Too bad that that appears not to be the case.
West
Jun 24, 2014 at 5:09 pm
The matte silver finish does look nice. But how do they stack up against the B and W series?
Joe Golfer
Jun 26, 2014 at 2:47 am
I like that chrome ion plated finish that is just coming out. Not sure which version of the Diamana shafts it is though.
If you read the FAQ’s (frequently asked questions) on the Mitsubishi Rayon website, it mentions that this particular finish has already been around in their Japanese market but hasn’t made it to America yet.
@West asked how this article’s shafts stack up against the B and W series.
I honestly can’t say, but the Mitsubishi Rayon website does discuss some of that stuff, so one can go there http://www.mitsubishirayongolf.com/product.php?cmd=thirddia&lang=en
and look up the info and hope you can decipher all their lingo.
Under the “products” section they list each of the types of shafts.
Once you get to the shaft, you can read their description of what makes them different, and they provide their specs as well as an EI chart, which is their shaft bend profile from butt to tip.
Hope that helps.
west
Jun 27, 2014 at 4:55 pm
Thanks for your help, but the site doesn’t actually list these products.
But after rereading, it looks like these 2nd gen shafts are really just counter balanced versions of the 1st gen shafts for the heavier, lower CG heads, and also with that MDI weave through out the shaft. Wonder how that will affect the “feel” of the shaft???
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JJ
Jun 23, 2014 at 5:52 pm
Ummmmm Delish!!!!
Steve Barry
Jun 23, 2014 at 5:28 pm
I like the throwback look to the OG Blueboards and Whiteboards.
Clemson Sucks
Jun 24, 2014 at 4:24 pm
+1