Graphite Design the Japan Tour Leader
Graphite Design has long been the leader for shafts in play on the Japanese tour. Their Tour AD series of shafts have held an over 30% share on the JPGA and JLPGA for 7 years running. With improving technologies and materials, many manufacturers including Mitsubishi Rayon and Fujikura are working hard to increase their own percentages. In recent years we have seen Diamana climb from the 10% range to the high teens and maybe even more this year with their amazing Kai’li shaft, Bassara Griffin and new Full Boron Stinger. Fujikura has shrunk the gap as the number two name on the tour with strong releases such as the Rombax F and Motore series of shafts.
Tour AD for the Fairway Wood
Besides their high launching low spinning Tour AD EV shaft which focuses on big carry with a big kick, Graphite Design released a shaft dedicated to Fairway Woods, the Tour AD SF Series. Most of the time, driver shafts are installed into fairway woods, but with the shafts being cut down to shorter lengths, players are not optimizing the original design of the shaft which are created for driver lengths of around 45″ and sometimes even longer. So when you take that driver shaft and cut it down to say 42″, it slightly changes the playing characteristics of the shaft. Graphite Designs Tour AD SF Fairway Wood shaft is designed to play at shorter lengths and focused on direction and control performance. The SF Series is available in 5 models, all mid kicking to create a stable medium trajectory.
The SF-Series has begun making its presence shown on the Japanese tour, especially with the heavier models perfectly suited for the tour player. The SF-7 and SF8 feature 79g and 89g weights with torque ranging from 2.3* to 2.8*. Then there is the SF-9, a heavy 99g with 1.9* of torque made for the hard hitter and aggressive swinger. Graphite design has said this heavier shaft provides a more piercing trajectory and is very effective in the wind.
For slower and smoother swingers like myself, there are also SF-5 and SF-6 models with lighter weights and more torque.
Though the SF series was first tested and available only on the tour, it is available through TSG for amateur golfers like you and I. The great thing is, for players with a budget its harder to buy several $300+ driver shafts (Most JDM driver shafts retail over 400.00 but sell for prices in the 300.00 range) to cut down for fairway woods. The SF Series Retails at 300.00 but you can get it here at TSG for 229.00.
