EMAIL

New Diamana 'ahina Shaft

Mitsubishi Rayon is set to release their all new Diamana 'ahina shaft in Japan on October 16th.  The Diamana 'ahina features a similar bend profile to the original white board and  utilizes the same Multi-Dimensional Interlay technology (M.D.I) as the more recent Kai'li model.  The combo produces a very stable low launch low torque shaft designed for maximum stability and control.

The 'ahina shaft maintains great feel via a very soft butt section and keeps its control characteristics from a stiff tip and center section.  It's the natural progression after the white board and kai'li and appears to be targeting PGA Tour players or the strong amateur level golfer.

The new Diamana 'ahina will be available in three weight configurations 60, 70, and 80 grams with a variety of flexes.  Diamana says the lighter weigh 60 gram model is a good choice for players with a smooth tempo looking to create more head speed off the tee.  The 70 and 80 gram versions will feature more stability via a stiffer tip section for the more powerful player.

Interested in more info?  What doe's 'ahina mean? We have trajectory, bend profile and fitting information after the Jump...

Above there are two charts, one showing the bend profile of the new Diamana'ahina shaft, the chart shows that of the 'ilima and kai'li the new 'ahina features the softest butt section and stiffest tip section. In other words expect great feel and a tight trajectory.

The second chart shows the 'ahina starts out just as high as the 'ilima yet notice that it stay's on a flatter more stable trajectory to eventually end up the lowest of the bunch.

What does 'ahina mean?

The next generation Diamana 'ahina is named for a rare Hawaiian Silversword flower which grows only on Mount Haleakala. This plant, found only on the island of Maui, lives on the slopes of the dormant Haleakala volcano and is literally called 'ahinahina in Hawaiian. The Silversword is most noted for its Silver Bloom and has been considered an endangered species since 1922.

 

 

 

 EMAIL

( Oklahoma State Diamana Custom Shaft )
image via golf.com

 EMAIL

This is our first official Shaft review here at GolfToImpress, we have done quite a few golf club reviews and although feedback shows us to be brutal in our judgements and results we feel its very fair and honest. We try to put to the side the honeymoon phase that most golfers go through, we have no loyalty to write glowing reviews for any brand. If the products is good, we tell you, if it stinks ( in our opinion ) we will tell you that as well.

Today's review is on the Mitsubishi Diamana i'lima shaft new to the Japanese & U.S markets.  The concept of the new i'lima is based off of a challenge from Mitsubishi USA  to it's Japanese engineers and designers to create  the next generation Diamana Red Board. 

In our opinion the original Diamana Red Board is a very underrated shaft, its release was announced on the PGA Tour 4 years ago yet dwarfed by the White Board release that was rushed to retail quickly because Tiger, Phil, and VJ putt it into play.  This created a huge buzz for the white board making many average players gravitate to what the worlds best players were using while the shaft that would provide the better results for most golfers in America was indeed the red board as it had a profile and spin rates that benefit the average to scratch level golfer.

You know how it is, many golfers stateside want what the fast swingers use and what the top players bag.  This in my opinion is a bad way to select golf equipment, often the player ends up with shaft that is too stiff and the wrong type of shaft profile to enhance the players best attributes.

Anyhow back to the i'lima, the challenge was set to Mitsubishi's top designers and what they came out with was similar to the red board but updated with a new way of layering materials called MDI, this is the same technology used in the Kai'li.  To sum it up it's ultra thin layers layed 360 degrees using 50 micron or thinner prepeg. Whats that do?  Well it creates a firmer profile in the butt and tip yet even more importantly it is overall a much better structure for today's higher MOI club heads. 4-5 years ago Drivers were not where they are at today.

As for performance, you will notice it spins quite a bit less than the original redboard, it best fit's a smoother to semi aggressive player and is an excellent choice for a driver or fairway wood. While testing it I found it to have similar characteristics as the red board but much more stable, better feeling, and a lot more stability with less spin. That's it in a nutshell, its far superior to previous diamana shafts in regards to performance and technology, now the real question one should ask is if that type of profile sounds like it will suit their swing...

In regards to distance this shaft has BIG CARRY without going ballooning you and I attribute that to its near perfect spin rates for my tupe which also helps. The feel is very good also I would rank it a little more numb in kick when compared to the original but the benifit is well worth it. We feel the stiffend up the butt section may have something to do with that.

keeping dispersion in check. When you have too much spin you got issues and this shaft helps in that category. For a player who swings 110mph with a fast tempo its not the best choice but if you have a semi agressive or even smooth tempo and swing anywhere within the flex range of R -S I find it to be in the top 3 or even #1. It's a well balanced and designed shaft, if its your sort of profile I really think it will improve your game

I forgot to mention that the shaft has really cool graphics, one side is this red orange that looks insane and the graphic is multiple flower bands around the shaft, the other side of the shaft has a dark grey ION finish. Diamana continues to produce the best graphics in the shaft industry in my opinion.

Check out the Gallery, like the pics? just picked up a new lens... 

 EMAIL

I posted a few weeks ago about the spotting of a new Diamana Red prototype on the Japanese tour. After speaking with Diamana Japan, they did in fact confirm that that prototype would be going retail in October. So the news is now official and we have Mitsubishi Rayon's new Diamana 'ilima shaft. As Mitsubishi said when the red proto was first spotted, the very successful first generation Diamana series was released with Blue, Red and White Boards in that specific order. Diamana then moved to a new method of manufacturing and design with the Blue Kai'li. So following that pattern a Red model is next in line.

This new generation Red Diamana, the 'ilima, follows a similar pattern with the original M Series Redboard. While it is not another Redboard it is a mid kicking low spin driver which provides a higher trajectory than the typical Diamana shaft. It's meant for those who want control but need or want more carry.  As with the kai'li, Mitsubishi designed these new Diamana's with focus on not only  the way the shaft bends but the torsional rigidity of the shaft. By focusing on how a shaft ovals and returns to original shape, Diamana creates performance oriented and tour proven shafts that maximizes energy transfer at impact with minimal twisting.  Stability and balance are the keys to the new 'ilima which feature a more rigid mid section and firm tip which result in great control and lower spin.

The explosive performance of the new Diamana 'ilima is thanks to Mitsubishi Rayon's second generation manufacturing process and the use of  M.D.I. or Multi Dimensional Interlay Technology.  The layering of cross axis carbon with rings of additional carbon create minimal ovaling and a shaft that returns to its original shape quickly for a controlled whip like performance.

The new 'ilima is named after the orange Hawaiian flower which has 5 petals and a series of stamens in the center. This flower was worn by Hawaiian goddesses in ancient myths providing protection. It is still a popular flower today in Hawaii and you can see the the ilima on the new Diamana 'ilima's flowerband design.

The new Diamana 'ilima will be available in 60, 70 and 80 models featuring lower torque and a 50% balance point with mid kick. Pre order for the new 'ilima begins later this week in the TSG Pro Shop!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

A new Mitsubishi Diamana prototype sporting the Ion red colors of the old Diamana Redboard and the flowerband of the new Kai'li have appeared on the Japanese tour. This new prototype is currently being tested in the driver of Mizuno pro Toru Suzuki and in the driver and fairway wood of PRGR pro Azuma Yano. Mitsubishi Rayon Composites explained it this way:

The very successful original Diamana series was released with Blue, Red and White Boards in that specific order. Diamana then moved to a new method of manufacturing and design with the Blue Kai'li. So following that pattern a Red model is next in line.

Mitsubishi goes on by saying that this will be different from the previous Redboard. The Blue Kai'li like the old Blueboard is a lower launching low spin control shaft. The new Red Prototype is based on feedback from pros on the Japanese tour wanting a shaft with max carry coupled with accuracy. The Red Board was the highest launching Diamana so we can probably assume a mid launch, low spin, low torque shaft. On the first day of testing, PRGR Pro Azuma Yano used the Red Proto 70 in his driver and gave feedback that the shaft has exceptional distance and was very good at unloaading to the square position at impact without having to make any effort at timing the shaft. He proceeded that same day to re-shaft his fairway woods with the Red Proto as well.

Lighter weight 60 Protos are being tested on the JLPGA while the heavier 70 and 80 series are being tested on the JPGA. We'll report back as we get more info on this shaft.

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

With July drawing to a close its time to update the Golf to Impress/Tourspecgolf Shaft rankings. These rankings are based on a number of criteria including sales, user reviews and feedback, media hype, and overall buzz and demand. This list is a part of our regular Golf Club Rankings Page here.

Golf to Impress and TSG Top 11 Shaft Rankings for July 2009. Previous Months Ranking in (-).

1. (1.) Diamana Kai'li - The Kai'li  does not look like it will be removed from the top spot any time soon. Since its release early this year, popularity has continued to surge as pros and recreational golfers alike flock to this smooth feeling, lower launch and spin, performance control shaft.

2. (6.) Bassara Griffin - The Griffin climbs the rankings big time. Ultralight shafts have long had a reputation as being great for distance but lacking control. The Griffin changes all that.  Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and the Griffin is living up to its reputation as a stable lightweight shaft with great feel and yes true to flex (if there is such a thing!)

3. (2.) Graphite Design Tour AD EV Series - Graphite Design's top shaft slips another notch. Could the focus on high launch max carry be a thing of the past? Still the EV Series holds its own with featuring a great kick with tight dispersion and low spin.  Mitsubishi Rayon is really putting the heat on Graphite Design this year and competition is great for the consumer!

4. (4.) Fujikura Motore Speeder - Fujikura does it again with a Japan only launch packed with technology. Golfers are embracing the world's first 7 ply design and the Motore Speeder is staying near the top. More feed back  is available on this shaft now and the Motore Speeder is giving golfers what they want, feel and a nice mid boring trajectory.

5. (3.) Fujikura Rombax F Series - The F Series continues to hold its own and take care of business quietly. This all around performance control shaft has been replaced however by the Motore Speeder as the focus for Fujikura's top performers.

6. (5.) Diamana Whiteboard - The Whiteboard is the veteran of this list and it is amazing how it has held its own for nearly two years?  Its great feel, lower launch and lower spin have long made it a fan favorite but the competition is heating up and it could be time for others to take its place.

7. (NR) Diamana Stinger Prototype - This shaft is hot. People are buzzing in Japan about this jet black beauty with a stiff profile and all boron composition. The new Stinger equals low spin, low launch and ultra tight control in a premium tour level shaft. The following weeks will tell us if it lives up to the hype!

8. (7.) Bassara Hawk - The Hawk has long been underrated and has never made it higher than 6 on our rankings which is too bad because it is a great shaft and truly under appreciated for its stout feel and performance. Hey see above.... this is an ultralight too, didn't people notice?

9. (8) Graphite Design Tour AD MD Series - What was pretty much the shaft of 2008 has begun its downward descent. Still one of the best at eliminating those nasty hooks. Some have decided that the MD spins more than they might like. I guess that obsession with low spin is really the big craze.

10. (9) Quadra Fire Express - 80T for under $500.00. That alone warrants a top 10 position as no other premium 80t carbon shaft comes within 50% of this price point. Price aside, this shaft looks to be very tight and have very very good distance. The Quadra slips a spot in the rankings, probably not due to performance but rather a lack of marketing and recognition from relatively unknow Composite Techno.

11. (NR) Ozik HD Series - Things have been quieter for Ozik lately, has the hype died down? Frankly they still make some of the best shafts in the golfing world and we expect the HD to climb. Matrix is still trying to make a dent in the ultra high end market in Japan. If they could do it expect sales to shoot on upwards.

Outside the Top 11 but still considered rocking!: Ozik X-Con Series, NGS Mach Line Proto, Mamiya Axiv X, Bassara Falcon, Graphite Design P9003, Crazy Black 80LS, Diamana Blueboard, Roddio Tri-Cross

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

Today a very pretty Diamana box showed up at our Chiba office and in it was the all new Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana Stinger Prototype. This full boron shaft as we reported before is the ultimate in high end materials from Mitsubishi Rayon.  When I first posted about this prototype, we were unsure about the name. While it is still being referred to as "Prototype", the word "STINGER" is engraved on the shaft. This shaft is a beauty, with a jet black gloss like finish it looks like it is all business.

Being able to hold these shafts in my hands, first impression is that they have a very stiff profile. Full Boron is meant to be very firm and stable and that is what the Stinger Prototype feels like.  To recap what I described the shaft as earlier:

This new shaft features a profile and specs just like the new Diamana Kai'li with the difference being the material. Boron is a premium lightweight fiber that is 5 times as strong as steel. It is often used in parts of shaft manufacturing due to its high modulus characteristics to increase strength of a shaft and overall stability. This new Diamana Full Boron Prototype will be all boron creating a shaft that compared to the typical graphite shaft, has thinner walls for feel but is considerably stronger equaling no energy loss and very very tight dispersion.  This new prototype shaft will load and unload without twisting creating very low spin and very accurate drives thanks to its ability to quickly return to its original shape.

This is considered Diamana's most high end premium shaft and is aimed at the tour player. We do have a few in stock so let us know if you are interested!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

We've just been told by Mitsubishi Rayon Japan that an all new full boron prototype shaft will be released to only specially chosen dealers in Japan. Lucky for us we are one of them!  Could this prototype be the the 2009 version of the legendary tour Stinger shaft?

This new shaft features a profile and specs just like the new Diamana Kai'li with the difference being the material. Boron is a premium lightweight fiber that is 5 times as strong as steel. It is often used in parts of shaft manufacturing due to its high modulus characteristics to increase strength of a shaft and overall stability. This new Diamana Full Boron Prototype will be all boron creating a shaft that compared to the typical graphite shaft, has thinner walls for feel but is considerably stronger equaling no energy loss and very very tight dispersion.  This new prototype shaft will load and unload without twisting creating very low spin and very accurate drives thanks to its ability to quickly return to its original shape.

Each prototype shaft will be individually numbered and will be available in 60 Stiff (273cpm), 70 Stiff (278 cpm)  and 70 X-Stiff (288 cpm) and torque numbers of 3.4 2.8 and 2.8* respectively with a mid-high kick for a lower trajectory.  Tourspecgolf will have a limited number of these prototypes in stock in early August so look for them in our pro shop or contact us for more details!

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

Bassara Griffin Prototypes
I would like to thank our contributors on the JPGA Tour for helping us source some very rare and unique Tour Issue Mitsubishi Bassara Griffin Prototype Shafts.  The Bassara Griffin Prototype has become my gamer ever since first hitting it a couple of weeks ago.  Main reason being that not only did I see a very noticeable increase in distance but the shaft itself which is only 56 grams had a great feel and tight dispersion dispite its higher torque rating of 4.4 in Stiff flex. 

If you follow the reports and the trends on the USPGA and JGPA tours professional players are now using much lighter shafts than they did only several years ago. For example the main staple on the U.S tour used to be 90+ gram shafts then in the last 5 years you saw a movement to shafts in the 80 gram range and now the most common weight is  mid 70's due to the advancement in shaft technology.

More Distance & Consistancy
For an average player like myself 70 grams just feels heavy and non responsive, and mid to high 60 gram shafts just dont provide the same distance that lighter shafts do now days. I really can't tell that the shaft is only 56 grams when im playing or swinging the club.  It feels  exactly the same as a mid 60 gram shaft but the distance is longer. This has also allowed me to back off in power improving my timeing and consistancy with the driver and 3 woods yet still gaining over heavier shafts in distance.

Technology Leap's and Bound's
Things sure have changed and while many in the Golf Industry say things are maxed out I know for a fact that high end shaft technology is making it's biggest gains in recent years and specifically now nearing 2010. Cool part is that the CPM's are a bit stiffer than your average Stiff flex and that for a light weight shaft Mitsubishi has made stiffer flexes available like the Tour Spec ( thats right not Tour Stiff, Tour Spec ) at 273 cpm's which is stiffer than your average X flex. I can only assume that they hiked up the stiffness rating and added a tigher tip section to stabalize this light weight shaft to produce more distance than a mid 60g range shaft yet maintain the same tight dispersion.

The Bassara Griffin Prototype has the same 2 tone effect but no distracting graphics. It's pretty common for Tour Players to request lest graphics on a shaft for that very reason.

For More High Resolution Images of the Mitsubishi Bassara Griffin Prototype Click Here or Keep Reading....

 EMAIL

I've been writing a lot about shafts lately and for good reason. There are just so many good shafts out there to choose from. Today Yamato dropped by and delivered the new Mitsubishi Bassara Griffin that we have been talking about on GTI as well as the highly touted Fujikura Motore Speeder. These two new summer 2009 releases could very well be the shafts of the year. Will these shafts live up to the hype?

While the Griffin was just officially released today to big fanfare in Japan, the Motore Speeder has been out now since late April. It was first previewed by us way back in February at the Japan Golf Fair at Tokyo Big Sight. Our initial impression back then was that the had a very nice kick and feel to it though we only had a chance to test it in the nets at the show. Talking with the Fujikura reps at the time they described the Motore Speeder as being a great feel shaft made for distance and most reviews out in Japan seem to have proclaimed the same positive feedback.

Fujikura claims that the Japan only Motore Speeder is the most advanced shaft they have ever made, featuring the world's first 7 PLY cross axis design. The Fujikura 7 Axis technology (a special 3 axis design layered with a special 4 axis weave) minimizes energy loss and creates a shaft with little to no rounding during flex. This creates great feel and kick as the shaft unloads with full force creating even more head speed for the golfer. Stability is placed at an equal importance to distance for the Motore Speeder and the shaft produces minimal twisting for accuracy in addition to distance. The Motore Speeder is designed for low spin, high ball speeds and mid to high launch for maximum carry and run out.

The Motore Speeder with its feel, gives the impression that it is softer than the Motore F1 which we confirmed that it slightly is. This however does not make it any less accurate because of its design and technology, this is one stable and tight shaft even with all its feel. Using a VC5.0 paired with a forgiving and easy head like my PRGR GN502, creates an automatic driver. Just swing and the Motore Speeder does its work to make sure the head meets the ball flush at impact. I found this to very much be a user friendly shaft with the VC5.0 providing a good kick with a mid to higher trajectory for max carry but still giving good run out. The VC5.0 and 4.0 are definitely the distance models in the Motore Speeder lineup, great shafts for higher handicappers or those slower swingers who want more distance. More advanced players or harder hitters should look to heavier weights and stiffer flexes of the Motore Speeder. If you look at the specs of the entire Motore Speeder lineup you will see that the bend profiles for each model become stiffer overall as weight increases.

READ MORE OF THE REVIEW AND CHECK OUT MORE PICS!

I was very happy with the feel of the Speeder and those who believe golf is all about feel will love this shaft. I am not a fast swinger but sometimes I can get quick at the top and my hands get to far ahead for the head to catch up resulting in an open face at impact. This is amplified when a shaft is really too soft. This was not the case with the Speeder as its 7ply design seemed to mesh and match with whatever tempo swing I threw at it. So its about finding the right balanced between a soft shaft that provides enough feel and kick for distance but is still accurate and has the ability to retain its shape by transferring energy quickly and efficiently on the down swing. This is definitely the best Fujikura shaft I have ever hit and also the most red looking one. (^_^)

The new Bassara Griffin is one hot looking shaft in person. I preferred its looks to the all red Speeder. Some may find the graphics too busy but I found them to be cool and aggressive looking. The middle of the shaft features a pearl like gold finish that gradients toward a silver metallic finish towards the tip. The butt has a royal crest featuring what looks like a lion with eagles wings and flanked by like a web like patterned design.  I've already discussed the Bassara specs in earlier posts but just to remind you, the Griffin is a sub 60g shaft that is designed to create a overwhelming sense of acceleration on the downswing, creating increased swing speeds and ball speeds with the end result being more distance. The Griffin features a new Super Elastic Fiber tip which accelerates the head to meet the ball at proper loft and impact. The Griffin creates a low spin trajectory for big carry and roll out. Mitsubishi considers this their longest lightweight carbon shaft ever. The Super Elastic Fiber features a special titanium alloy which has a property that allows the shaft to retain its original shape immediately after being loaded (flexed) with energy. What this translates into is a high rebound release with no loss of energy on the downswing.

I am a big fan of lightweight shafts as are many average golfers in Japan. A lighter weight driver is easier to swing for those with mere mortal swing speeds and can equal more distance and forgiveness. Of course many make the mistake of going to a shaft too light which then equals a shaft too soft and poor performance. Manufacturers must make the walls of their shafts thinner in order to bring weight of the shafts down for the lightweight models. This naturally gives lightweight shafts more flex.  The Griffin has mid torque numbers and speaking with Mitsubishi, this translates in to feel not less control or accuracy unlike what many may think when they see higher torque numbers.

I also tested the Griffin, the G53 model in a PRGR head and it was just as easy to hit as the Motore Speeder.  Trajectory was a touch lower, perhaps a bit more penetrating and control was very good thanks to the stiffer butt section. When trying to get handsy with this shaft, it had no problems meeting the ball at impact and still providing a very straight ball flight. The G53 is 4 grams lighter than the Speeder with almost the same torque numbers 4.5 vs 4.4 so spec wise they are very comparable. Distance wise they were very close with the Griffin getting more roll and overall distance.

For now I am going to stick to the Griffin for its mid trajectory. Also in the past I was NOT a fan of stiff butts as I felt they did not match slower swingers and took away feel but not with the Griffin. The Griffin still has great feel and the butt only adds to the control.

From initial testing, both these shafts are winners. Any one wanting a lighter weight shaft with kick and feel without sacrificing accuracy can definitely play either. Your choice may come down to preference for looks and whether you want a higher max carry type trajectory with the Speeder or slightly more penetrating one with the Griffin.

I'll be testing them more in the next week or so and will provide more feedback once the honeymoons are over.

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.

 EMAIL

Tourspecgolfer broke the word on the new  Bassara Griffin series earlier but with its official launch in 3 days, I thought I'd share some more information now that the shaft has been added to TSG's offerings. But let's take a step back to last year first where it all started.

A New Focus on Elasticity for Mitsubishi results in the Kai'li

Mitsubishi,  has in the last year, changed some of its manufacturing processes to focus on new technologies and materials and making better shafts than ever by controlling elasticity and energy. This started with the Ali'islei Special Edition shaft which is no longer available. Some of us feel that the Ali'islei was more of a trial venture into this new direction as it was a mixed bag of performance and in a way it is good that it was limited. Diamana learned from the Ali'islei and followed up with the Kai'li which to this point may be Diamana's greatest shaft ever. A lower torque control shaft that is called the new and improved Blue Board, the Kai'li maintains amazing accuracy but still provides wonderful feel, with low launch and low spin.  Because of this, Diamana's popularity in Japan has grown considerably this year. I've noticed more and more pros on the Japanese tour moving to the Kai'li. Sales of Kai'li are at the top or near the top every month since its release.

The Longest Bassara Ever

As for the new Griffin, the Bassara line has always filled the gap for Mitsubishi when it comes to lightweight and ultra light shafts.

The new Griffin Series not only looks good with its all new stunning graphics (a Royal Emblem featuring a Lion with Eagles Wings on a Yellow/Gold shaft) but for the first time, Mitsubishi has released a mainstream shaft with more flexes to meet the needs of a wider range of players who want a lighter performance shaft.

The Griffin is a sub 60g shaft that is designed to create a overwhelming sense of acceleration on the downswing, creating increased swing speeds and ball speeds with the end result being more distance. The Griffin features a new Super Elastic Fiber tip which accelerates the head to meet the ball at proper loft and impact. The Griffin creates a low spin trajectory for big carry and roll out. Mitsubishi considers this their longest lightweight carbon shaft ever.

The Super Elastic Fiber features a special titanium alloy which has a property that allows the shaft to return to its original shape immediately after being loaded (flexed) with energy. What this translates into is a high rebound release with no loss of that stored energy on the downswing.

The Griffin with its strong kick and performance still emphasizes control. With mid range torque numbers that translate into feel NOT loss of accuracy, the Griffin has a stiffer butt than the Falcon and Hawk which equal more control. Overall profile is shown in the chart below with a tip flex between Falcon and Hawk, a softer mid section which produces that distance and kick and feel, and the stiffer but for control.

The Griffin is available in two ranges, the G53 and G43 and for the first time as far as I can remember they actually have a Stiff/Regular flex to fill in the void many golfers fall into between Regular and Stiff flex.  The G53 also features a Tour Spec flex instead of an X-Flex made for those more agressive or faster swingers which Stiff just won't be enough.

I have a Griffin going into my driver and Egg Spoon. I cannot wait to try them out and report back.

Tario (aka gocchin) joined Tourspecgolf back in 2008 after spending over a decade in technology and business operation roles at a major Canadian financial institution. Before joining TSG and following his dream of moving to Japan, Tario and Chris (aka Tourspecgolfer) hit it off though their similar passions for Japanese culture. Chris hired Tario to manage TSG online operations, sales and marketing. While those are Tario's primary responsibilities, he has also taken up the role of blogger and custom club tester and fitter along the way. Tario's hobbies include golf (of course), gadgets and technology, cars, Japanese pop culture and idols, photography, sweets and walking the dog.