Shaft Shift

Could Fujikura’s new Axiom cause a significant shift in the number of graphite shafts we see in irons?

by Tony Dear

Golf shafts have drifted in and out of the conversation for decades. There have been periods, some lasting months, when people, experts even, insisted your shaft was by far the most important part of your club, while we can go for years and hear relatively little about them. It’s understood, however, by anyone who’s ever hit a club with an L or A-flex then swapped it for an XS-flex, or a 75 gram shaft then one weighing 125 grams, that the flex (rigidity) and weight of your shafts have a huge bearing on the outcome of a shot no matter how expensive or technologically-advanced the head.

There are other factors at play certainly, but if the shaft is too stiff you’ll have trouble squaring the clubhead prior to impact and likely hit a weak, low, block to the right. This shaft will feel like you’re swinging a fire poker. By contrast, too flexible a shaft for the speed at which you load/unload it at the top of your backswing, and in the transition to the downswing, will cause it to release too early, the result usually being an uncontrollable, skied shot to the left. This one feels like swinging a brick or lead weight on the end of a piece of string.

Seasoned golfers will know all this, of course, but it never hurts to provide a simple reminder for those new to the game. A clubfitter is trained to identify the correct combination of flex, weight, torque and length for your static measurements and swing dynamics helping you get the most out of your club and swing. A good fitter is worth their weight in gold and will help you hit consistently better shots and, thus, enjoy the game more than you already do.

Another important aspect of a shaft is the material with which it’s made, of course. Ash or hazel gave way to hickory in the late 19^th century, and though some steel shafts were being played as early as 1890, it wasn’t until the 1920s when British fishing-rod manufacturer Apollo made a set that they began to gain some popularity. Connecticut firm Bristol Steel quickly improved their design, however, and they became legal in USGA competitions in 1924 – putters only. True Temper joined the fray in 1929 introducing hugely superior steel shafts, and that company has really led the way in steel shafts since.

In the late 1970s, graphite debuted and was a quick hit though it wasn’t long before it was sidelined because of durability issues and the huge amount of torque it created. While lighter and, thus, faster than steel, the earliest graphite shafts were hard to control. Manufacturers began adding stiffer boron to the graphite to reduce torque and by the mid-1980s graphite was re-established as the preferred material in woods.

And that is where we are today – steel hugely favored in irons, graphite in woods. For a time many golfers, including Tiger Woods, still felt they could control their driver much better with a steel shaft but, as graphite continued to improve, it became clear that by sticking with steel you were likely giving up too much distance. Because precision and distance-management is considered more important than flat-out distance with irons, however, steel has remained dominant as players can achieve a much tighter dispersion pattern.

With its new Axiom Shaft, however, Fujikura is hoping to see a significant shift toward graphite in irons. Borrowing some of the company’s Ventus driver shaft tech, the Axiom features VeloCore which Fujikura describes as a “multi-material bias core construction technique that delivers ultimate stability through transition and impact (maximizing clubhead MOI).”

The different carbon materials are layered in differing directions making the shaft less liable to twist and, therefore, helping you hit the ball more solidly whatever iron you’re hitting. You probably won’t see much difference in how far you hit your irons but these shafts are designed to keep you on the green, and get you closer to the hole, more often.

Price – $105-$125
Flexes – Regular to eXtra-Stiff
Weights – 75 grams, 105 grams and 125 grams
Available in three lengths – 2-4-iron, 5-8-iron, and 8-iron-PW to help the fitter minimize tipping and therefore maximize the amount of VeloCore that remains in the shafts when cutting to length.
Dealers – 12 in Denver including three certified dealers (Club Champion at Highlands Ranch and Westminster, and Gott Golf
fujikuragolf.com

Locate Denver dealers HERE.

---

Want to read more instruction articles like this one? Visit our INSTRUCTION PAGE.

Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram