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What We Tried
AXIOM. A premium graphite iron shaft from Fujikura.
Your Fujikura AXIOM Tester
Tony Covey. MyGolfSpy Editorial Director, gear junkie, occasional sufferer of tennis elbow and a religious believer within the potential of graphite shafts for each membership within the bag.
The Requisite Background
As a man who routinely matches into iron shafts with a nominal weight of 120 grams or extra, I’m always looking out for severe graphite shaft choices in my weight class. And whereas they’re admittedly few and much between, expertise with merchandise like UST Recoil and Mitsubishi’s MMT has given me hope for a high-performance, vibration-reduced future on the hyperlinks (and in an indoor golf league).
Whereas they’ve by no means generated the thrill of Ventus, Fujikura has provided graphite iron shafts for so long as I’ve been within the trade. For all of the noise from guys in my swing velocity demographic (and above) about not having any viable graphite choices, choices of 115 grams and extra have been a continuous a part of the Fujikura catalog.
About Fujikura AXIOM Graphite Iron Shafts
AXIOM is Fujikura’s newest graphite iron shaft providing. It’s the primary iron shaft from Fujikura to characteristic the VeloCore know-how that makes a real-deal (that’s for you, JB) Ventus a Ventus.
It’s admittedly a little bit of an odd providing in that Fujikura elected to forgo a taper-tip design in favor of three discrete size (lengthy, center and brief irons) parallel-tip choices.
AXIOM is obtainable in three weights (75, 105 and 125 grams) with a number of flexes provided at every weight besides 125 (X solely).
In keeping with Fujikura, AXIOM shafts “ship final consistency, stability and unmatched workability to present golfers excessive confidence with each swing.”
The Setup
My Fujikura AXIOM shafts (125x) had been put in in PXG 0317 T heads. I performed the 0311 GEN5 T all final season (and completely beloved it) so I used to be anxious to strive the up to date mannequin. Since PXG heads are among the many few non-game-improvement/tremendous game-improvement designs that may settle for a parallel-tip shaft with out sanding the tip or boring the pinnacle, it appeared like a perfect pairing.
To present me a greater alternative to isolate the contribution of the shaft in efficiency, PXG additionally despatched me an in any other case identically spec’ed 0317 T 7-iron with my gamer shaft (Nippon Professional Modus 120x) put in.
As a part of this evaluation, I attempted the Fujikura AXIOMs on-course earlier than bringing them inside to gather a bit of knowledge with a Titleist Professional V1x and my Foresight GC Quad launch monitor.
On-Course with AXIOM
When it comes to ball flight, nothing particularly stood out with the AXIOM. Anecdotally, the trajectory was much like what I had skilled with the prior era of PXG T irons with my Nippon shafts. Effectively-struck photographs hit the quantity and flew (kind of) how I’d anticipate them to.
I didn’t obtain ball-striking perfection.
The obvious space of distinction with my avid gamers was within the nebulous space of really feel. What I seen instantly was that the Fujikura AXIOM shaft felt heavier and fairly a bit stiffer. A more in-depth have a look at the specs offers a wise clarification.
The AXIOM 125 X is nearer to 130 grams, making it roughly 12 grams heavier than the Modus. Extra knowledge from the Cool Golf equipment S3 shaft-fitting database exhibits the AXIOM to be considerably stiffer within the mid and tip sections.
With that, I’d have anticipated AXIOM to supply an appreciably totally different ball flight. Extra on that under.
Transferring from static really feel to the dynamic stuff (once you really hit a golf ball), a few issues caught my consideration.
First, hitting the AXIOM off mats on a chilly morning (48F after I arrived on the course), I instantly appreciated the vibration discount properties of graphite. If you happen to’ve ever thinned one on a chilly morning (or been struck by lightning), you understand what I’m speaking about.
That’s undoubtedly a “professional.”
Second, and this may go within the “con” column for a few of you, is the truth that to no small extent, vibration is really feel and, whereas lowering vibration will scale back dangerous feels, it could actually additionally masks your misses.
Living proof: I had about 130 in on my strategy on the 15th gap at Saratoga Nationwide. I hit a pitching wedge and felt like I flushed it. Actually, it regarded good within the air … till it landed 15 yards wanting the inexperienced.
WTF?
Did I miss some wind?
Possibly a contact however what I actually missed (practically, anyway) was the a part of the face with grooves on it. Impression was approach out on the toe and, whereas that’s sometimes the sort of factor I’m absolutely conscious of with my gamer shaft, if not for the ball mark on the face, I’d by no means have recognized.
So, yeah, there’s a little bit of a tradeoff right here. Don’t get me mistaken. Pured photographs nonetheless gave me all of the completely satisfied feels however mishits actually aren’t as apparent.
On the upside, for these of you enjoying irons with completely trash really feel, AXIOM will make enjoying them a bit extra nice.
Frankly, I’m nice with all of this as a result of, right now of yr, morning tee occasions begin under 50 levels (typically under 40) and, as we transfer into the winter months, I think vibration discount goes to be helpful for these of us who hit a number of balls off mats as nicely.
The Information
Gathering the info on the Fujikura AXIOM graphite iron shaft was fascinating.
It’s vital to know that I’m completely dialed in with the Modus 120x. My final three PXG fittings, my final two Titleist fittings and an iron becoming I did with TaylorMade final December all landed on Modus 120x.
There’s little doubt that it’s the fitting iron shaft for me.
With that, I’d anticipate it to be troublesome for any shaft (no matter what it’s produced from) to outperform the Modus for me. As famous, the AXIOM is quantifiably heavier and stiffer within the butt and tip sections although it’s value mentioning there are some normal similarities within the EI profiles, notably a extra versatile mid-section paired with a stiffer tip part.
At a minimal, I’d anticipate AXIOM to supply decrease launch, flight and spin.
As an alternative, the averages had been remarkably, maybe even oddly, comparable.
- Ball Pace: .3 MPH distinction
- Launch Angle: .2 levels distinction
- Spin: 15 rpm distinction
- Top: .3 toes distinction
- Descent Angle: .1 diploma distinction·
- Carry Distance: .3 yards (mainly 1 foot) distinction
All of these variations counsel there isn’t really a lot in the best way of variations.
That stated, a few different factors stand out within the knowledge.
I swung the Modus just below one mph sooner. We will most likely chalk that as much as the burden distinction however, as I lined above, I didn’t get a lot in the best way of ball velocity profit for the additional effort.
Taking a look at the usual deviations, AXIOM was extra constant, although solely only a bit, for a majority however not all the metrics.
Probably the most considerable distinction was in dispersion space the place photographs hit with the AXIOM had been extra tightly grouped as a consequence of a narrower front-to-back distribution, albeit with a barely wider left-to-right sample.
In a becoming state of affairs, I will surely level out the tighter dispersion however the whole lot else makes it a case the place I’d be inclined to ask the golfer what he feels extra snug with.
The Takeaway
On one hand, it’s laborious to make a robust argument (at the very least for me) for AXIOM. I’ll take the vibration discount all day lengthy however the worth is roughly thrice that of my beloved Modus for a virtually indistinguishable efficiency profit.
Alternatively, I imagine within the potential of graphite each when it comes to efficiency and its potential to cut back the stress of affect. Whereas graphite iron shafts typically get pigeon-holed as being for senior golfers, it’s by no means too quickly to begin serious about longevity, particularly with indoor golf (extra mats) turning into extra widespread.
I’m technically out of fingers however, if I had a 3rd hand, I’m undecided how I’d maintain a golf membership however, additionally, I’d take into account the truth {that a} shaft I imagine is heavier and stiffer than I needs to be enjoying nonetheless matched the efficiency of my well-fit gamer.
In the end, that’s the rub right here. No matter what a shaft is produced from, the profile nonetheless wants to suit and, whereas AXIOM isn’t wildly off, the 125x isn’t precisely ultimate, both.
What if Fujikura AXIOM graphite iron shafts had been obtainable in a weight-and-flex mixture higher suited to my recreation?
I really feel like there’s one thing there and I’d need to be first in line to search out out.
Right here’s hoping Fujikura expands the lineup (and a taper tip providing could be good).
Fujikura AXIOM graphite iron shafts retail from $105 to $115 every. For extra info, go to FujikuraGolf.com.
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