- Fujikura introduces Axiom, a new composite iron shaft.
- Available in three weights: 75, 105 and 125 grams
- MSRP is $105-$125/shaft
Question: What would happen if you took Fujikura’s VeloCore technology and put it in an iron shaft?
Answer: Fujikura Axiom.
The Fujikura Ventus family of wood golf shafts is class-leading. And VeloCore (velocity at the core) technology is what makes Ventus, well, Ventus. It’s also Fujikura’s best-selling shaft ever and the “it” shaft on professional tours and in the after-market over the last four years.
But popularity comes with a hefty price tag. A Fujikura Ventus or Ventus TR wood shaft runs roughly $350 without installation, adapter tip, or grip.
Similarly, the Fujikura Axiom iron shaft likely isn’t for the cost-conscious golfer. Companies often prefer the term discerning, which is a nice way of saying the target consumer is one who will pay a premium to explore every available avenue in search of additional performance.
And let the record reflect that Fujikura isn’t hiding from that.
Axiom is an expensive part and Fujikura knows that will likely dissuade many golfers from giving it a second (or perhaps, first) thought. Depending on the number of irons in your set, upgrading to Axiom is a $700-$900 commitment.
If that evokes some sort of price rage, you’re not the target consumer. And that’s OK.
With apologies to Bob Dylan, if the price tag is too steep, “It ain’t you, babe.”
Fujikura Axiom With VeloCore
What is VeloCore and what can it do in an iron shaft? The basic explanation is that VeloCore is a proprietary construction that makes a shaft more resistant to twisting over the length of the shaft than conventional designs. Less twisting results in improved face delivery and ultimately more centered contact. Ultimately, this leads to more consistent ball speeds and improved downrange accuracy (dispersion).
You can also think of VeloCore as a synergistic technology. It’s a shaft architecture that allows the clubhead to perform more optimally. Conceptually, it’s like filling up your tank with gasoline that gives you a couple of extra miles per gallon.
Fujikura Axiom Claims
Fujikura isn’t making any bold distance assertions or suggesting outlandish performance benefits. But based on extensive research and player testing, Fujikura believes Axiom will give you a bit more carry distance and, most importantly, better dispersion.
Let’s take a closer look at each potential benefit. Distance is all the lowest-hanging fruit in the marketing-pitch talking points. It’s a simple concept, where it seems reasonable to think that more is always better. When it comes to playing better golf and shooting lower scores, distance is a factor. But for some golfers, it’s not the most important one. All that aside, it’s fair to say you can’t probably name anyone who is looking to hit the ball shorter.
The second element is where Axiom really has my attention. I have to think that every golfer could shoot lower scores with more consistent iron play. It’s the weakest part of my game. And we appear to be in the midst of a trend where manufacturers admit that iron performance deserves a holistic analysis—one which includes ball speed, trajectory, spin, direction, peak height and descent angle. If Axiom can help golfers become more consistently accurate, it feels like the sort of advancement that could serve as an inflection point in the time-old debate of graphite versus steel iron shafts.
To be clear, dispersion isn’t simple an “east-west” piece of data, though we often think of accuracy as the difference between our shot direction and the intended target. It’s also a “north-south” consideration. Each iron has a minimum and maximum distance. For example, my average 7-iron distance is +/- 170 yards. But my total 7-iron range is 160–175 yards. If Axiom can help me hit more shots closer to my target distance, that’s a compelling performance advantage.
Fujikura Axiom Tech and Details
The Fujikura Axiom is available in three weights (75, 105 and 125 grams). Each weight consists of three shaft blanks, long-irons (2-4), mid-irons (5-7) and short-irons (8-PW).
The tip of each Axiom shaft is .370” which might not seem like an important detail. Here’s why it might be. Most iron heads accept a .355” taper tip iron shaft. In order to fit a .370” parallel tip shaft, the club fitter has two viable options: bore out the hosel to make room for the larger .370” shaft or remove material from the tip area of the shaft to fit the existing .355 taper tip hosel.
I’d think club builders would prefer the .370” option as it’s theoretically easier to hit precise spec/flex targets. But if you’d like the option to potentially switch back to a different shaft make/model, it likely makes more sense to trim the shaft rather than remove material from the hosel.
STRAIGHT $$$ HOMIE
My initial reaction is that Fujikura’s pricing is a little clumsy. The stock answer is that Axiom uses exotic materials and heavier weights require more of the top-shelf ingredients, thus the higher price. On paper, that makes sense. A one-carat diamond is more expensive than 0.9-carat diamond, right?
However, Ventus and Ventus TR wood shafts use the same VeloCore structure as Axiom and come in a range of weights and flexes. Yet all carry a single price tag of $350. The risk is that having three prices for essentially the same product is potentially confusing to consumers. And my hunch is that $10 one way or the other isn’t the decision point for the target consumer.
My $0.05
I’ve been hearing about Axiom for a fair bit and, at times, I thought the more appropriate name would have been Godot. (If you know, you know.) But here it is and though it’s not intended for the masses, it’s potentially an important step forward in composite iron shaft design. In a sense, Axiom is a concept product that I expect to inform and influence future Fujikura iron shafts. At some point, Fujikura will update the Vista Pro (and possibly MCI and Sakura) and whatever that new shaft is will be more advanced because of what Fujikura learned from the process of developing and bringing Axiom to market.
Put differently, more golfers will benefit from Axiom golf shafts in the future than in the next year.
The “graphite versus steel iron shaft” conversation is also a proxy for the quest to find little bits of improvement. If a golfer pays $600 for a driver that gets them a couple of extra yards off the tee, should they consider a pair of shoes that could yield the same benefit? If an iron shaft can save you a stroke or two throughout a tournament, what is that worth?
We will save the topic of the limitations of isometric steel constructions for a later date. But what’s clear is that the future of iron shaft construction is in composites, not steel.
Pricing and Availability
Fujikura Axiom is available beginning in March and only through authorized Fujikura retailers
Pricing is specific to each weight
125 gram – X-Stiff – MSRP: $125
105 gram – Stiff; X-Stiff – MSRP: $115
75 gram – R2; Regular; Stiff – MSRP: $105
For more information, visit fujikuragolf.com.
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