Equipment

GolfWRX Members Choice presented by 2nd Swing: Best graphite wood shaft of 2023

Published

8 months ago

Aug 14, 2023

We’re proud to partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2023! 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.

What is the best graphite wood shaft in 2023? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. Needless to say, that extends to their views on the best graphite wood shaft of 2023.

The bedrock of GolfWRX.com is the community of passionate and knowledgable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.

You can see the full results for the best graphite wood shaft of 2023, as well as additional comments, in the forums.

Best graphite wood shaft of 2023: The top 5

1. Fujikura Ventus TR Blue (18.63%)

What Fujikura says: “A powerful combination of stability and feel, TR Blue maintains an ultra-stiff tip section for superior control at impact. Increased torsional stiffness creates a profile with enhanced load capabilities for more aggressive swings while maintaining a smooth overall feel.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the irons in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Fujikura Ventus TR Blue here.

2. Fujikura Ventus Blue (9.42%)

What Fujikura says: “A multi-material bias core construction that delivers ultimate stability through transition and impact (maximizing clubhead MOI) – increasing velocity and smash factor. The multi-material core is crafted with full-length, ultra-high modulus Pitch 70 Ton Carbon Fiber — 150% stronger and more stable than T1100g — for ultimate stability, and 40 Ton bias layers ensure incredible feel.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the irons in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Fujikura Ventus Blue here.

3. Fujikura Ventus Black (7.92%)

You can read what other golfers are saying about the irons in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Fujikura Ventus Black here.

4. Fujikura Ventus TR Red (6.21%)

What Fujikura says: “The softest tip section of the TR lineup is ideal for players seeking a mid-high launch profile with controlled spin and increased stability.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the irons in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Fujikura Ventus TR Red here.

5. Graphite Design Tour AD DI (6%)

What Graphite Design says: “Graphite Design Tour AD DI Driver Shafts allow player to release more power through “Deep Impact’ technology and ensures maximum control. Tour AD DI Wood Shafts are available in both black and orange, however, the black model is not available in all flex choices. The Tour AD DI are built from composite material used in aerospace designs and also incorporates NANOALLOY to provide a comfortable feel that helps the golfer maintain control while generating faster club head speed.”

You can read what other golfers are saying about the irons in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop Graphite Design Tour AD DI here.

You can see the full results for the best graphite wood shaft of 2023, as well as additional comments, in the forums.

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Equipment

Rory McIlroy spotted testing a new TaylorMade “PROTO” 4-iron at the 2024 Valero Texas Open

Published

3 hours ago

Apr 3, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Update, 5:30 p.m.: Regarding his prototype iron, McIlroy offered this in his pre-tournament press conference:

“Yeah, I went out, spent a couple of days with the TaylorMade guys at the Kingdom. Yeah, they just produced these couple of proto, I guess like are they the MC replacements maybe…

“They performed really well. It’s just as fast as the 760 that I was using. Launch is a little higher actually, which was surprising, and it’s just sometimes I felt like when I hit my 5-iron in the blade and then the 4-iron in the 760 it was such a different feel. To go from a 5-iron now to that 4-iron, it feels a little closer to what I feel in the 5-iron. So just a little bit more responsive, but didn’t lose any performance from it, which is great. Yeah, it will be in the bag this week.”
————————————————————————-
Now just what do we have here?

On Wednesday at the 2024 Valero Texas Open, GolfWRX.com spotted Rory McIlroy testing a new, mysterious TaylorMade “PROTO” 4-iron.

Clearly, the 4-iron is a prototype, but since it doesn’t say “Rors Proto” or “RM” on it, then maybe it’s a prototype for an upcoming iron release from TaylorMade. Or, maybe it’s an upgrade for a previous or existing iron model from the company.

For reference, the photo below shows what McIlroy’s previous P760 4-iron looks like…

If the new prototype was an upgrade on the former P760 design, that would certainly be a large design departure, aesthetically speaking. It’s not impossible, but the new proto definitely looks significantly different.

McIlroy’s new proto – aesthetically, at least – looks more similar to TaylorMade’s P7MC irons, a model that Collin Morikawa uses for his 5 and 6-irons, as pictured below.

The new proto is also reminiscent of TaylorMade’s old P750 and P770 irons:

So what could McIlroy’s new TaylorMade “Proto” be? Is it a one-off prototype for McIlroy? Is it a re-design of an older model? Is it a harbinger of a bigger release in the future?

What is it?!

Unfortunately, TaylorMade hasn’t yet commented publicly on the prototype iron, so for now, we wait. And enjoy the photos of McIlroy testing it on Wednesday in San Antonio.

Here’s what it looks like from address…

And here’s what McIlroy’s numbers looked like while testing it on the range…

Uhh, yeah. Those are pretty good 4-iron numbers.

Will McIlroy make the switch into the new prototype 4-iron this week? That remains to be seen, but it should be noted that it was the only 4-iron in his bag on Wednesday.

*We’ll update this post as further information becomes available

See what GolfWRX members are saying about the TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron here, plus more photos!

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