Shingo Katayama spotted testing Griffin at 48 inches!

48″… no it is not the long drive championship

I spotted a picture from a few months ago of Shingo Katayama testing out the new Bassara Griffin.  Interestingly he had his tour prototype shaft installed at 48″!  Shingo has been experimenting with longer length drivers since moving to ONOFF. He is not c0nsidered a long hitter and has always favored forgiveness in clubs as his way of keeping up with the pack.

When moving to ONOFF, he began playing the ONOFF Red (the average golfer model) at 46.75″ with Roddio W-5EX Tri-cross prototype.  With a lighter hand picked tour head from ONOFF Pro Division, Katayama was able to have this driver at 310g and D3 swing weight which us right around the specs he has always liked even when back at Nike.

The Griffin tour proto he tested with ONOFF head at 48″ came in at D7 and 314g. Katayama believes this is still in playable range for him but has professed that anything below 320g is still okay to play for his swing. Pro Division was able to get this driver to D7 with his favorite red Iomic grip.

Is the shaft on the wrong side?

Also spotted in Katayama’s bag at that time was his opposite shafted Rossa Spider putter. Katayama explained that the weight of the putter felt more natural being on the inside of the shaft rather than towards the outside or center.  He is able to putt more naturally this way even though it doesn’t look very natural. I have yet to notice him in play with this putter in Japan but will keep an eye out for it this weekend.