Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White Graphite Shaft

Soft, strong and oh so long. Words: Daniel Owen

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The toughest piece of a golf club to write about is the shaft. First it looks like a stick, hell it is a long stick. That is exactly what it is, a long, hollow stick. If it wasn’t for the paint job or stickers on them they would all look pretty much the same to the naked eye. But despite that, if you ask me they’re the most important part of the golf club.

The club head might have all the visible technology in it, and be responsible for much of the distance a club can produce, but without the right shaft you’ll struggle to hit the fairway. It’s often called the engine of the club, which isn’t quite right, its more the gearbox. You can drive a car in the wrong gear, and you can hit a drive with the wrong shaft, but hit a drive with the right shaft and it’ll feel as smooth as a seven speed German auto.

So what makes this new Mitsubishi Rayon Tensei White different to all the other graphite shafts then? It helped Pat Perez get his first win in 7 years, and more importantly it won an Olympic gold…

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 14: Justin Rose of Great Britain plays his shot from the first tee during the final round of golf on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Golf Course on August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Justin Rose has picked up a lot of distance over the last few years. In 2012 he was 80th in driving distance, averaging 290.9 yards. This season he has averaged 303.9 yards and was the 16th longest driver on tour. That’s a huge increase. Especially when you consider that the number one spot on tour has leveled out out around the 315 mark. Obviously working out is large part of hitting the ball further but properly fit equipment is key. And the Tensei White shaft has been powering those drives this season.

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What is the shaft designed to do then? Launch low and spin low. This is a shaft for harder hitters, who most of the time have the higher swing speeds too. How does it do that? By mixing 11 different materials, and using them in the correct place.

The butt of the shaft (the end with the grip on) features a Kevlar/Carbon Fiber weave which increases stability. Good if you have a fast transition from your back swing into your downswing.

It uses Boron in the tip to strengthen it it and help get the club back at impact consistently every time.

In between the two end of the shaft a material called Low Resin Content Prepeg is used. While this sounds a bit weird, there is more carbon fibre and less glue, making it lighter but stronger than typical graphite.

CHASKA, MN - OCTOBER 02: Justin Rose of Europe hits off the second tee during singles matches of the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club on October 2, 2016 in Chaska, Minnesota. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

The thing with graphite shafts is there are so many different models for different golfers. This shaft could be brilliant for your game, but it might not be. Go get a proper club fitting to find out shafts work for your game. And if you’re a strong hitter who needs to launch it lower, this may be the shaft you’ve been searching for your whole golfing life.

(Shared from GolfPunk)