Shafts

Best driver shafts

A driver shaft changes the club's weight and how high the ball launches and spins; the head does the forgiving. By need: for a slower swing, UST Mamiya's Helium NCT 4, 44 to 45 g with a high launch; for more height, Mitsubishi's Kai'li Dark Waves Red 50, the highest launching of its family and the stock shaft on 3 of the forgiving drivers we cover; for a mid flight, Mitsubishi's TENSEI 1K Pro Blue 50; and the lightest, Mitsubishi's VANQUISH VV 3 at 39 to 45 g. Every figure is the shaft maker's own, read on 15 Oct.

A slower swing: UST Mamiya Helium NCT 4

The lightest shaft here with a printed A and L flex and a speed chart behind them. UST Mamiya calls it a premium ultra-lightweight shaft for more clubhead speed, with a high launch; its chart puts the A flex at 70 to 85 mph of driver speed and the L under 70 (UST Mamiya's page).

  • Weight and flexes: L 44 g, A 45 g and R 45 g; Helium NCT 5, 52 to 56 g in A, R and S.
  • Flight, in UST Mamiya's words: high launch.
  • Torque: 6.2°.

More height: Mitsubishi Kai'li Dark Waves Red 50

The highest launch in Mitsubishi's Kai'li family, at about 52 to 56 grams. Mitsubishi gives it the softest tip section and the highest launch and most spin of its Kai'li shafts, for anyone looking for more launch with stability (Mitsubishi's page).

A mid flight: Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue 50

A mid launch and mid spin at a similar weight, firmer under the hands. Mitsubishi pairs a very stiff handle with a stable tip, for a mid launch and mid spin, for golfers who want a little more ball speed and the ability to shape shots off the tee (Mitsubishi's page).

  • Weight and flexes: R 52 g, S 54 g, X 55 g and TX 57 g; TENSEI 1K Pro Blue 60, 70 and 80.
  • Flight, in Mitsubishi's words: mid launch, mid spin.
  • Torque: 4.8° to 4.9°.

The lightest: Mitsubishi VANQUISH VV 3

39 to 45 grams in its lightest model, from R3 to X. Mitsubishi calls it an ultra-premium lightweight shaft built to help golfers generate more clubhead speed without giving up consistency (Mitsubishi's page).

  • Weight and flexes: R3 39 g, R2 39 g, R 40 g, S 42 g and X 45 g; VANQUISH VV 4 (48 to 52 g) and VV 5 (54 to 59 g).
  • Flight, in Mitsubishi's words: mid+ launch, mid spin.
  • Torque: 8.8° to 9.2°.

Choose something else if your drives already fly low

Mitsubishi's TENSEI 1K Black 65 is a low launch, low spin profile for powerful swings, sold in stiff and stronger only, and PING G440 MAX, PING G440 SFT, Mizuno JPX ONE and PING G440 K offer it as one of their stock shafts. If your drives fly low and short, ask for one of the higher launching options instead.

Every shaft compared

Each driver shaft's flight, flexes, weight and torque, from its maker's page
ShaftFlightFlexesWeightTorque
UST Mamiya Helium NCT 4High launchL, A, R44 to 45 g6.2°
Aldila Ascent PL 40Not statedW, A, R42 to 44 g6.7° to 6.9°
Mitsubishi VANQUISH VV 3Mid+ launch, mid spinR3, R2, R, S, X39 to 45 g8.8° to 9.2°
Mitsubishi Kai'li Dark Waves Red 50High launch, mid spinR2, R, S52 to 56 g6° to 6.2°
Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue 50Mid launch, mid spinR, S, X, TX52 to 57 g4.8° to 4.9°
Mitsubishi Kai'li Dark Waves Blue 50Mid launch, mid spinR, S55 to 57 g5.3°
Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Black 65Low launch, low spinS, X, TX67 to 69 g3.5° to 3.6°

From each maker's own page, read on 15 Oct: the lightest model of each family. Flex letters are each maker's own, so an R from one is not the same as an R from another; the shaft flex chart sets their swing speeds side by side.

The stock shafts on each forgiving driver

The stock graphite shafts each forgiving driver we cover is sold with, from its maker's page
DriverStock shafts
Tour Edge Hot Launch Max DAldila Ascent
Tour Edge Hot Launch Max D Women'sAldila Ascent 45L (L flex, 53 g)
Tour Edge Hot Launch MaxAldila Ascent
Cobra OPTM MAX-KMCA Kai'li Dark Waves Blue 60; MCA Kai'li Dark Waves White 60; MCA Kai'li Dark Waves Red 50; Project X Denali Blue 60 Frost CB 60
Cobra OPTM MAX-DMCA Kai'li Dark Waves Red 50; MCA Vanquish 40
Cobra OPTM XMCA Kai'li Dark Waves White 60; MCA Kai'li Dark Waves Blue 60; MCA Kai'li Dark Waves Red 50; Project X Denali Black Frost 60; Project X Denali Blue 60 Frost CB 60
Srixon ZXi MAXMitsubishi Kai'li Dark Waves Red CB 50; Project X Denali Red 5
PING G440 MAXPING ALTA CB Blue 50; PING Tour 2.0 Chrome 65; PING Tour 2.0 Black 65; Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black 65; Project X Denali Red 50; Project X Denali Red 60; PING ALTA Quick (HL build)
PING G440 SFTPING ALTA CB Blue 50; PING Tour 2.0 Black 65; PING Tour 2.0 Chrome 65; Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black 65; Project X Denali Red 50; Project X Denali Red 60; PING ALTA Quick (HL build)
Titleist GT1Fujikura Air Speeder Next Gen (35/40); Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue (55/65/75); Project X Denali Red (40/50/60); Graphite Design Tour AD DI; Graphite Design Tour AD UB; Graphite Design Tour AD VF
Mizuno JPX ONEMitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 55; Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black 65
TaylorMade Kalea GoldKalea Gold Ultralight Graphite 40
Wilson DYNAPWR Max+UST Mamiya Lin-Q Power-Core Blue
Callaway REVA RiseUST Mamiya LIN-Q LTE 40
PING G Le4PING ALTA LE D Lite (47 g); PING ALTA LE D Ultra Lite (42 g)
Cobra Women's OPTM MAX-DMCA Vanquish 40 (L flex, 42.5 g)
PING G440 KPING ALTA CB Blue 50; PING Tour 2.0 Chrome 65; PING Tour 2.0 Black 65; Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black 65; Project X Denali Red 50; Project X Denali Red 60; PING ALTA Quick (HL build)
Callaway Quantum Max DProject X Denali Frost Silver 50; Mitsubishi Vanquish 40
Callaway Quantum MaxProject X Denali Frost Silver 50/60; Mitsubishi Vanquish 40
Callaway Women's Quantum Max DMitsubishi Chemical Eldio 40
Srixon ZXi RKT MAXMitsubishi Kai'li Dark Waves Red CB 50
TaylorMade Qi4D MaxMitsubishi REAX 50 High Rotation Red; Mitsubishi REAX 50 Mid Rotation Blue; Mitsubishi REAX 60 Low Rotation White
TaylorMade Qi4DMitsubishi REAX 50 High Rotation Red; Mitsubishi REAX 50 Mid Rotation Blue; Mitsubishi REAX 60 Low Rotation White; Mitsubishi REAX 40 Mid Rotation Blue
Titleist GTS2Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White RIP (65/75/85); Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue RIP (55/65/75); Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Red RIP (45/55/65); Project X Titan Black (60/70/80); Graphite Design Tour AD DI; Graphite Design Tour AD VF; Graphite Design Tour AD FI
Callaway Quantum Max FastMitsubishi Chemical Vanquish 40
Callaway Women's Quantum Max FastMitsubishi Chemical Eldio 40
XXIO 14 LadiesXXIO 14 Ladies MP-1400L Carbon
XXIO 14XXIO MP1400

From each driver's maker page, as its page here records it.

Before you change a shaft

Find your flex first: the shaft flex chart reads each maker's own chart at your driver speed, and the senior flex guide explains what a softer, lighter shaft changes. Then order the shaft with the head: Srixon's order page for its ZXi RKT MAX, for example, lists about 100 shafts from eight shaft makers, among them Fujikura, Mitsubishi, Project X and UST Mamiya, some of them at $250 to $400 extra. A fitting tells you whether the change is worth it; the fitting cost guide lists what each fitter charges.

The most forgiving driver page compares the heads these shafts go into.

Questions buyers ask

Will a new shaft make my driver more forgiving?

Forgiveness comes from the head, whose size and weighting keep a mishit straighter. What a shaft changes is the club's weight, how high the ball launches and how much it spins, and a lighter shaft can be swung faster for the same effort. That is why the picks here are by weight and flight, not by a claim of yards.

What is the best driver shaft for a senior?

Choose by swing speed, not age. A slower swing usually does best with a light shaft in a softer flex: UST Mamiya's Helium NCT 4 weighs 44 to 45 g and UST Mamiya's own chart puts its A flex at 70 to 85 mph of driver speed. The shaft flex chart reads each maker's chart at your speed.

What does torque mean on a shaft?

Torque is how much the shaft twists under load, in degrees: the higher the number, the more it twists. In the shafts here the lighter ones twist more, from 3.6° on the 67 g TENSEI 1K Black 65 to 9.2° on the 39 g VANQUISH VV 3. A fitting shows whether it changes your flight.

Should I change the stock shaft in a new driver?

Most golfers buying a forgiving driver do well with a stock shaft in the right flex and weight; each maker offers one or more stock shafts, listed for each driver below. Change it when a fitting shows a different weight or flight works better for you, and order it with the head: club makers fit other shafts when you order, some at no charge and the premium ones for more.