Tiger Woods is making his PGA Tour return at the 2023 Hero World Challenge this week, which marks the first time we’ll see him tee it up in competition since the 2023 Masters.

On Tuesday, we spotted Woods in the Bahamas using a new, unreleased TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver prototype equipped with a new Graphite Design Tour AD-VF 6 X red and black shaft.

• Click here for more info on TaylorMade’s Qi10 LS and Qi10 drivers

? https://t.co/0pyqrJZKUP pic.twitter.com/iIz0CjZZIQ

— GolfWRX (@GolfWRX) November 29, 2023

Back in September, if you remember, Justin Thomas switched into a Graphite Design Tour AD-VF 5 X shaft in his Titleist TSR3 driver. Thomas wanted a longer driver option, and he found 15 more yards thanks to the new 45.625-inch driver.

This week, Woods showed up with the same shaft model (just slightly heavier and stiffer, due to the shorter length compared to Thomas).

So, what is it about this AD-VF shaft that’s attracting top names such as Thomas and Woods?

According to Graphite Design’s website, the AD-VF metalwood shafts have a “FIRM+” butt section, a “STIFF” mid-section, and a “VERY STIFF” tip section.

The “VF” stands for “Victory Force,” and the design promotes a low/mid launch, with low spin. The shafts, which are designed and manufactured at the Graphite Design Japan Factory, use “TORAYCA M40X” pre-preg material in the butt section, and “TORAYCA T1100G” pre-preg in the mid/tip sections to produce better control, stability, and feel.

Here’s how the AD-VF shaft compares to other shafts in the Graphite Design family, according to the company’s website, and as you can see, it’s as stiff as anything Graphite Design offers across the butt, mid, and tip sections. Reductively, you could call it the “stiffest shaft in the lineup.”

As a reminder, Woods most recently gamed the Fujikura Ventus Black with a TaylorMade Stealth Plus head at the Masters in April.

Woods is set to tee off on Thursday at 11:52 a.m. EST alongside Justin Thomas.

See Tiger Woods’ full WITB at the 2023 Hero World Challenge

• Louise Ridderstrom what’s in the bag accurate as of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Vanquish 5 S

Driver: TaylorMade Stealth (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD

3-wood: Callaway Paradym (15 degrees @16)
Shaft: Fujikura Speeder NX 60 SR

Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (20 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Recoil D.A.R.T.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (23 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Recoil D.A.R.T.

Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (26 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Recoil D.A.R.T.

Irons: Callaway Apex (6-PW)
Shafts: UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F3

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (50-10S, 54-10S, 58-12X)
Shafts: UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F3

Putter: Sacks Parente 54 MC

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

More photos of Louise Ridderstrom’s WITB in the forums.

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 a set of Ping i230 Orange Dot irons with Fujikura Axiom 105s shafts.

From the seller: (@ScottyWaaa): “i230 irons with Fujikura Axiom 105s – $1500. Orange Dot. 1/4 inch long. mcc +4 grips. Mint irons.  Used about 15 rounds. No trades.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping i230 Orange Dot irons with Fujikura Axiom 105s shafts

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