Equipment
A Tour Favorite: Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage XT Shaft

When a prototype shaft becomes popular with big name players on the PGA Tour, it’s destined for retail.
Such was the case with Mitsubishi Rayon’s new Kuro Kage XT shaft, which has been used by some of the world’s best golfers including, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia.

Mitsubishi Rayon’s Kuro Kage XT (below) and Kuro Kage Silver TiNi.
Mitsubishi calls the profile of the Kuro Kage XT “extreme,” because of its extremely stiff tip and butt sections that tend to perform well for golfers with faster, or more aggressive swings.
The XT is produced in the company’s facilities in Toyohashi, Japan, with several technologies that make it the stiffest and lowest-torque shaft in the company’s Kuro Kage family:
- It’s made with Low Resin Content Prepreg (LRC), which gives the shaft a higher density of carbon fiber to make it stronger and improve feel, without adding extra weight.
- Like the Mitsubishi’s Kuro Kage Silver TiNi shaft, the Kuro Kage XT has titanium-nickel (TiNi) wire prepreg in its tip section that is elastic, but also very strong. That allows the TiNi wire to stretch, and then regain its original shape for improved energy transfer and control. The XT also gets an extra-long section of TiNi — 13 inches, according to the company.
- The XT uses high-modulus 40- and 46-ton carbon fiber in its tip section, which makes the tip-stiff shaft even stiffer without adding extra weight.
The Kuro Kage XT ($400) has an ion-plated finish and is available in the following flexes and weights:
- Kuro Kage 60XT: R, S, X and TX flexes
- Kuro Kage 70XT: S, X and TX flexes
- Kuro Kage 80XT: S, X and TX flexes
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Equipment
Rounding out the lineup: Fujikura Ventus TR Red, Black

What you need to know: Fujikura introduced the second-generation of its Ventus line with Ventus TR Blue in January. As expected, and as was the case with the original Ventus Blue, Fujikura is now adding Ventus TR Red (mid-high launch), and Ventus TR Black (low launch) to the family.
What’s new
Spread Tow: Improving on the original Ventus Red and Ventus black design, and like Ventus TR Blue, TR Red and TR Black feature “Spread Tow” fabric in the butt-end section to increase torsional stiffness. Spread Tow, essentially, is a checkerboard-like design that weaves fibers together to increase strength and reduce weight. According to Fujikura, the torque is 10 percent stiffer in the section that uses this design.
Additional technology
The Ventus family’s secret sauce is still “VeloCore,” which is a multi-material construction that uses ultra-stiff Pitch 70 Ton carbon fiber to increase stiffness. This enables players to hit the center of the face more often due to a reduction in twisting and droop on the downswing.
Per Fujikura, Enso analytics continue to shown one of the highest stress points of the shaft is the mid/handle section during the transition and downswing. Accordingly, engineers focused on this section of the shaft in the development of Ventus TR with the goal of minimizing twist and ovalization — and maximizing consistency and stability.
In terms of feel, Fujikura says feel is similar to the original Ventus Red and Black but with increased stiffness and lower launch/spin.
- We have a testing opportunity for GolfWRXers: Fujikura VENTUS TR Black and Red Shafts! 4 Testers Needed!
- See what GolfWRXers are saying about the new Ventus TR Red, Black shafts here.
What Fujikura says
Fujikura’s Product Marketing Manager, Spencer Reynolds, explains exactly what Spread Tow is and why it’s effective:
“Essentially, there’s a standard carbon weave and then there’s a Spread Tow carbon weave. What a Spread Tow does is it takes all these individual strands of carbon and irons them flat into a tape, and then weaves those over-under, over-under almost like a checkerboard pattern. So there’s very little space for resin to accumulate, you get super low resin content, and then you also get a lot of strength in varying directions. It can take pull and load in multiple directions. Another benefit is that it’s super lightweight. You’re getting an incredible amount of strength, in an ultra-lightweight package.”
Read much more about Spread Tow and the Ventus TR profile in our Ventus TR Blue launch piece.
Regarding the line extension, Reynolds said:
“Any time we incorporate a new technology into a shaft offering, it’s always in the conversation to expand and integrate that technology into additional profiles. The immediate adoption, success, and performance gains we saw from VENTUS TR Blue led us to enhance the line with additional profiles. Expanding VENTUS TR offerings provides fitters more options in the VENTUS line to fit, and ultimately help a wider range of players improve the performance of their drivers and fairway woods. With six VENTUS profiles available with varying performance characteristics, the VENTUS line is truly firing on all cylinders.”
Pricing and availability
MSRP: $350 through 600-plus authorized Fujikura Charter Dealers and select OEM custom programs
Available at retail: End of August
Flexes: TR Red (R2-X flex, 59 grams – 89 grams), TR Black (S-X flex, 59 grams – 89 grams)
- We have a testing opportunity for GolfWRXers: Fujikura VENTUS TR Black and Red Shafts! 4 Testers Needed!
- See what GolfWRXers are saying about the new Ventus TR Red, Black shafts here.
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Whats in the Bag
Sungjae Im WITB 2022 (August)

- Sungjae Im what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2022 Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSi2 (8 degrees, 0.75 degree flat lie)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (15 degrees, 0.75 degree flat lie)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 X
Hybrid: Titleist 818 H2 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X
Irons: Titleist T100 (3-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 (48-10F @47, 54-08M @53, 60-04L)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Scotty Cameron Flowback 5 Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Traxion 1.0PT
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
More Sungjae Im WITBs
- Sungjae Im WITB 2022 Genesis Invitational (forums)
- Sungjae Im’s winning WITB: 2021 Shriner’s Open
- Sungjae Im WITB (2020 Masters)
- Sungjae Im WITB (2020 Tour Championship)
- Sungjae Im WITB 2020
- Sungjae Im’s winning WITB: The Honda Classic
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Whats in the Bag
Joohyung Kim’s winning WITB: 2022 Wyndham Championship

- Joohyung Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Kim’s decision between 2-iron, 3-iron, hybrid is course dependent. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, A1)
Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist TSR3 (13.5 degrees, A1)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro White 70 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (2-3), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX (2), Project X 5.5 (3), Project X 6.0 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (52-12F, 56-10S), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-A)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Scotty Cameron TourType GSS Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Traxion Tour 2.0
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride MCC, Golf Pride MCC Align (2-PW)
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Pingback: MRC Shaft Shootout: Tensei CK Pro White, Kuro Kage XT and Diamana BF-Series – Swing Update
Justin
Sep 8, 2016 at 2:50 pm
I had no idea Mitsubishi was even in the golf game?!
mb
Mar 6, 2015 at 6:49 pm
the real question is how many MSI is it
Speedy
Mar 5, 2015 at 7:35 pm
Only $400? hahaha
theo
Mar 5, 2015 at 10:44 am
I don’t have experience with this shaft in particular – but it shares bloodline with the KuroKage Silver TiNi which worked well for me. It wasn’t overly stiff and I found the center of the driver face more often with it. If a shaft doesn’t fit I won’t find the middle.