Equipment
Don’t call it a comeback: Graphite Design retains marquee presence on Tour
To put it modestly, Graphite Design, maker of high-end aftermarket shafts, had a really good year.
The company famous for manufacturing the Tour AD-DI line of shafts retained its strong presence on the major professional tours during a company restructuring period that the media (including GolfWRX) openly criticized.
In November of 2012, Graphite Design consolidated its business operations in the U.S., granting exclusive distributorship rights to Pro’s Choice Golf Shafts headed up by Wayne Ageno, who at the time was the chief financial officer and a long time employee of Graphite Design. However, sources speaking on the condition of anonymity told GolfWRX that the company was removing its shaft representatives from the PGA Tour in 2013 and ending its current contracts in North America.
A little over a year later, it still isn’t clear if Graphite Design had a change of heart about what amounted to a thinly-veiled exit plan or if consolidation was the strategy all along. What we do know is that Graphite Design International, with headquarters in San Diego, was forced to close its doors, and some jobs were eliminated in the process. Pro’s Choice, comprised of only four employees at that time, began taking product orders out of San Diego almost immediately after.
“It wasn’t by any means a ‘vacate of North America’,” says Bill McPherson, vice president of sales at Pro’s Choice. “[Graphite Design] decided that reducing their footprint in the U.S., if you will, was a better idea than continuing on with Graphite Design International.”
Ageno said that the company didn’t lost “any real presence” or players on tour in 2013, either.
“We’ve been able to keep all the relationships with OEMs and aftermarket accounts,” he said.
Graphite Design shafts factored into 14 wins on the PGA Tour in 2013, with nine of these wins based on players gaming a Graphite Design shaft in their driver. Some of the most notable wins came in majors. Adam Scott took down Angel Cabrera in a playoff to win at The Masters using a Titlelist 913D3 driver (9.5 degrees) fitted with a Graphite Design Tour AD DI-8 shaft.
In May, Stacy Lewis made a notable change swapping out her Mizuno JPX-800 driver in favor of a TaylorMade R1 with a Tour AD shaft. It was a disappointing year by her standards, but she did win the Ricoh Women’s British Open, a pretty good consolation prize.
Graphite Design’s most impressive victory, however, occurred off the course, specifically via the financial markets. Over the past year, the Japanese shaft maker has been the darling of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
At the time the company announced it’s intention to close Graphite Design International, the average shareholder price was 300 Yen. Since then the stock has risen dramatically, reaching a 52-week high of 900 Yen.
The company’s financial health correlates directly to their operating efficiency. Graphite Design’s Total Revenue and Gross Profit took substantial hits compared to the previous 12-month of period in 2012. But these losses were more than offset by a reduction in total operating expense (2,659.7 million Yen in 2013 down from 3,243.0) and an increase in net income (up 58.9 percent over 2012).
Similarly, the company’s debts and liabilities fell sharply in 2013, while total equity grew in equal measure. Given that the company tightened their belt and lowered their financial risk, it isn’t surprising that a consensus recommendation in a Reuters financial report urges investors to buy shares and expects the stock will outperform analyst predictions.
Although Pro’s Choice wouldn’t reveal specific details, they indicated that their sales numbers were inline with forecasts.
“We exceeded all of our expectations,” Ageno said. “I think Graphite Design Japan would tend to agree that Pro’s Choice is doing very well after the negative press came out.”
With the annual PGA Merchandise Show returning to Orlando in January, Pro’s Choice is once again focused on promoting their new product offerings.
The aforementioned Tour AD brand of shafts is being further expanded with the inclusion of the MT line. The new shafts will be available in 50, 60, 70 and 80-gram options. These shafts feature a stiffer mid section and slightly softer tip for mid-launch conditions with low to mid ball spin.
“The MT (Maximum Energy Transfer) is our flagship shaft for 2014,” says McPherson. “There’s similar technology in the MT to the DI, but it’s going to produce a little bit of a different ball flight. As far as what would compel someone to play it … it’s just a matter of what that player is looking for. If they’re making a head change and they want a shaft that brings a little bit more spin into the ball flight, the MT could be a shaft to consider.”
Graphite Design is also expanding their mid-price-point product, the G-Series line. The new G-Silver, designed for lower handicap players looking for a more penetrating ball flight, will be available in 60- and 70-gram models. Graphite Design is also introducing a 75-gram G-Hybrid model as well as three new models (73, 83, 93 grams) to their iron lineup.
With new products and operational stability in place in the U.S., Pro’s Choice has every reason to believe they’ll build on their success from last year.
“At their peak, there were about 300 employees at Graphite Design International,” says Ageno. “Pro’s Choice is doing mostly the same things but with a lot fewer employees.”
Translation – it’s business as usual for Pro’s Choice and Graphite Design.
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
View this post on Instagram
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Double C
Mar 24, 2014 at 12:47 pm
Does anyone know of if there is a GD modern replacement for Purple Ice, or anywhere I can find NOS?
Christosterone
Aug 27, 2014 at 6:38 pm
There is one on ebay for $39..
I just searched it for you:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Graphite-Design-65X-Purple-Ice-Graphite-Wood-Shaft-335-Tip-46-Length-/390917162861?pt=Golf_Clubmaking_Products_US&hash=item5b047a876d
Milton
Jan 25, 2014 at 4:57 am
Im just glad I got one before all this stuff hit the fan!
DanP
Jan 19, 2014 at 8:21 am
“Purple ice” was one of the most under rated fairway wood shafts ever.
M
Jan 19, 2014 at 2:28 am
So it WAS shrink to consolidate? Obviously.
Dan
Jan 18, 2014 at 5:37 pm
Still rocking a Pershing x 65. That will never come out of the bag.
Sébastien D'Amour
Jan 17, 2014 at 7:03 pm
I love the feeling of the whip in the hitting area when I tested this shaft out but my dispersion was 2.5x bigger than with the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 72 S. I have since ordered and got the Diamana shaft built for my SLDR. Loving the dispersion pattern of 7 yards with it 😛
Billy
Jan 17, 2014 at 2:45 pm
GD shafts are one of the best out there, Love my AD DI.
Anyone have reviews on the BB compared to the AD DI?
Dan
Jan 17, 2014 at 3:56 pm
What about A guy named tiger using a DI?
Matt
Jan 17, 2014 at 4:25 pm
I was about to say the same Dan
Scott
Jan 17, 2014 at 6:47 pm
Tige isnt using a GD shaft anymore. Mitsubishi Diamana is his current shaft of choice.
DB
Jan 19, 2014 at 2:29 pm
Yeah, Tiger ditched the AD-DI, and it seems like he’s hitting more fairways now.
andy
Jan 19, 2014 at 3:10 pm
it always amazes me the people our comment on tiger wood equipment and clearly no nothing about club fitting!
Matt
Jan 20, 2014 at 4:39 pm
I think we all know that, I think the point (at least my point) was to say Tiger was using the Tour ad di at one point