Equipment
The 3 most popular driver shafts used by the top-50 golfers in 2023
The story below seeks to answer the question: “What are the most commonly used driver shafts by the top-50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings?”
The story below does NOT answer the question: “What driver shaft should YOU use?”
It’s an important distinction to keep in mind before continuing.
Golfers at the top level of the game are, of course, some of the most influential tastemakers in the sport. Their equipment decisions, fashion choices, and even swing changes help to shape the golfing decisions of the general public, whether it’s for the better or worse. For some golf fans, the equipment that the top players in the world use help to determine the clubs and shafts they test or buy for themselves.
The mentality goes something like, “Hey, if it’s good enough for Rory McIlroy or Jon Rahm, it’s probably good enough for me.”
The flaw in that line of thinking, at least when it comes to driver shafts, is that McIlroy currently averages 326.2 yards off the tee on the PGA Tour so far in the 2022-2023 season, and Jon Rahm averages 311.5 yards. The AVERAGE driving distance on the PGA Tour in 2022-2023 is 298.7 yards, and the AVERAGE ball speed off the tee is 172.95 mph.
The top golfers in the world do not play golf, or swing the golf club, anything like an everyday golfer who pays greens fees.
In reality, PGA Tour players don’t swing like each other, either. Even though most of them hit the ball over 300 yards on the regular, they each have different speeds, swing transitions, release patterns, angles of attack, launch angles, spin rates, and they even have different goals in mind for how to achieve maximum efficiency with their driver swings.
The point is, it’s extremely likely that your personal golf swing, and launch monitor data, looks nothing like any of the players on the list below.
I know…but you drove it 330… on that one hole… during that one round… a couple weeks back. Great drive, and I hope you made birdie, but I do hope you understand that driver fitting works to help minimize your typical misses and optimize your average drive – not to fuel a sense of pride by playing a shaft that’s too stiff and too heavy for you because you caught the speed slot on hole 14 last month and now you think you’re knocking on top-20 PGA Tour speed.
I’m not trying to be mean, either. I’m trying to say the best driver shaft for you is the one that actually helps you hit it long and straight, not the one that most closely resembles a PGA Tour player’s driver setup.
So, my suggestion is to use this story as either pure entertainment, or as a starting point of information gathering on what shafts you would like to test during your next fitting or testing session. I’ve provided a link to each shaft in the story so you can explore the shaft profile and see if it’s in your wheelhouse to test.
Every single golfer on this list is using the driver shaft they’re using because they hit a multitude of shafts with varying lengths, weights, flex profiles, torque profiles, and a myriad of other characteristics. They tested various shaft offerings with the help of a fitter, and they tracked each shot with a launch monitor, ultimately determining that a particular shaft best suits their game and preferences, and works in conjunction with their driver head and grip of choice.
Everyday golfers can most easily find their perfect driver shaft by getting with a fitter and trying out different models for themselves. It’s also important to keep in mind that each model comes in different flexes and weights, and each family of shafts typically has different design categories. For example, maybe the low-spinning “Fujikura Ventus Black” flies a bit too low for your swing and speed, but maybe the higher-spinning “Fujikura Ventus Red” is right in your window. There’s a lot of moving parts when it comes to shafts, which is why I so strongly suggest consulting a professional fitter.
OK, now, with that being said, let’s get into the results.
The scientific process for this story was simple: I looked up the top-50 golfers in the Official World Golf Rankings, and then cross-referenced each player with the extensive GolfWRX.com WITB database to see what driver shaft each player has used most recently. The full list is down at the bottom of the story, and the shafts that appeared most often in the top-50 list were awarded the “most popular” tag below.
Hopefully this list can provide a jumping off point for your next driver shaft testing session!
1) Fujikura Ventus TR Blue (6-of-50 players)
According to Fujikura, the Ventus TR Blue is a mid-launch, low-spin shaft
“A powerful combination of stability and feel, TR Blue maintains an ultra-stiff tip section for superior control at impact,” Fujikura says. “Increased torsional stiffness creates a profile with enhanced load capabilities for more aggressive swings while maintaining a smooth overall feel.”
- Rory McIlroy (No. 3): Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Cameron Smith (No. 9): Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Justin Rose (No. 28): Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Adam Scott (No. 37): Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7X
- Harris English (No. 41): Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Patrick Reed (No. 47): Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
2) Fujikura Ventus Black (5-of-60 players)
According to Fujikura, the Ventus Black is a low-launch shaft.
Fujikura speaks on the Ventus technology: “The exceptionally engineered Ventus is designed to significantly tighten shot dispersion and maximize ball speed especially on off-center shots. Ventus is a Tour-inspired profile and the first to include Fujikura’s all-new VeloCore Technology in an accelerated taper, ultra-stiff tip profile. Maximum energy transfer from the tip section boosts the clubhead’s performance and a straight taper design enhances loading and feel.”
- Scottie Scheffler (No. 1): Fujikura Ventus Black 7X
- Keegan Bradley (No. 24): Fujikura Ventus Black 6X
- Si Woo Kim (No. 30): Fujikura Ventus Black 6X
- Tom Hoge (No. 36): Fujikura Ventus Black 6X
- Ryan Fox (No. 42): Fujikura Ventus Black 7TX
T3) Fujikura Ventus Blue (4-of-60 players)
According to Fujikura, the Ventus Blue is a mid-launch shaft, and is constructed with the same VeloCore technology as the aforementioned Ventus Black.
Fujikura explains more about VeloCore: “A multi-material bias core construction that delivers ultimate stability through transition and impact (maximizing clubhead MOI) – increasing velocity and smash factor. The multi-material core is crafted with full-length, ultra-high modulus Pitch 70 Ton Carbon Fiber — 150 percent stronger and more stable than T1100g — for ultimate stability, and 40 Ton bias layers ensure incredible feel.”
- Jordan Spieth (No. 10): Fujikura Ventus Blue 6X
- Sam Burns (No. 14): Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X
- Denny McCarthy (No. 35): Fujikura Ventus Blue 6X
- Chris Kirk (No. 39): Fujikura Ventus Blue 6TX
T3) Graphite Design Tour AD-DI (4-of-60 players)
According to Graphite Design, the Tour AD-DI (which stands for “Deep Impact”) uses NanoAlloy material and aerospace-quality carbon fiber t0 promote shaft stability and greater speed without the loss of feel. It has a soft mid-section to create load, but a stiff tip section to encourage high launch and low spin.
- Sungjae Im (No. 19): Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7X
- Hideki Matsuyama (No. 25): Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 8TX
- Joaquin Niemann (No. 34): Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 6X
- K.H. Lee (No. 46): Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6X
5) Honorable mention
*Each of these shafts appeared more than once on the top-50 list:
- Fujikura Ventus TR Black (Will Zalatoris: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7X, Billy Horschel: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6X)
- Mitsubishi Diamana ZF (Patrick Cantlay: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60TX, Justin Thomas: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60TX)
- Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue (Emiliano Grillo: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX, Taylor Moore: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX)
- Mitsubishi Diamana D-Limited (Tony Finau: Mitsubishi Diamana D-Limited 70TX, Brooks Koepka: Mitsubishi Diamana D-Limited 70TX)
- Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited (Shane Lowry: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX, Collin Morikawa: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX)
The Full Top-50 List of Driver Shafts
- Scottie Scheffler: Fujikura Ventus Black 7X
- Jon Rahm: Aldila Tour Green 75TX
- Rory McIlroy: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Patrick Cantlay: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60TX
- Viktor Hovland: Fujikura Speeder 661 TR X
- Xander Schauffele: Mitsubishi Diamana PD 70TX
- Max Homa: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black 65TX
- Matt Fitzpatrick: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Orange 65TX
- Cameron Smith: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Jordan Spieth: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6X
- Will Zalatoris: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7X
- Tony Finau: Mitsubishi Diamana D-Limited 70TX
- Brooks Koepka: Mitsubishi Diamana D-Limited 70TX
- Sam Burns: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X
- Justin Thomas: Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60TX
- Tyrrell Hatton: Mitsubishi Diamana TB 80TX
- Cameron Young: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro White 70TX
- Collin Morikawa: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60TX
- Sungjae Im: Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 7X
- Kurt Kitayama: Graphite Design Tour AD UB 7TX
- Tom Kim: Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Black 6X
- Jason Day: TPT Prototype
- Tommy Fleetwood: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage XTS 70X
- Keegan Bradley: Fujikura Ventus Black 6X
- Hideki Matsuyama: Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 8TX
- Shane Lowry: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70TX
- Sahith Theegala: Project X HZRDUS Black 60TX
- Justin Rose: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Corey Conners: UST Mamiya Elements LIN-Q M40X 6F5
- Si Woo Kim: Fujikura Ventus Black 6X
- Russell Henley: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70TX
- Wyndham Clark: Accra TZ Six ST 60 M5
- Sepp Straka: Mitsubishi Kai’li White 60TX
- Joaquin Niemann: Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 6X
- Denny McCarthy: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6X
- Tom Hoge: Fujikura Ventus Black 6X
- Adam Scott: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7X
- Billy Horschel: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6X
- Chris Kirk: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6TX
- Brian Harman: Graphite Design Tour AD-IZ 5S
- Harris English: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Ryan Fox: Fujikura Ventus Black 7TX
- Emiliano Grillo: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60TX
- Rickie Fowler: Mitsubishi Diamana Prototype 70X
- Seamus Power: Accra TZ6 Proto 65
- Kyoung-Hoon (K.H.) Lee: Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 6X
- Patrick Reed: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6X
- Adrian Meronik: Fujikura Speeder 661 Evolution IV X-Flex
- Taylor Moore: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60TX
- Pablo Larrazabal: Fujikura Pro 63
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% |
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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. ...
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geohogan
Jun 8, 2023 at 10:05 am
First very stiff tip and butt sections with soft mid section was
the Nunchuk, patented back ca 1990… one shaft for juniors, men, women and pro’s.
Gavin
Jun 7, 2023 at 3:14 pm
Can we have a similar list for LPGA?
MCA
Jun 7, 2023 at 12:25 pm
I feel like D-Limited and D+ are the same shaft which would put it in #3 but it is also accurate to list them as different model names.
Sincerely,
A Diamana D Limited Fan
Edward g Bardoe
Jun 7, 2023 at 11:06 am
ONE OTHER CAVEAT, EVEN IF YOU BUY THE BRAND AND MODEL LISTED, YOU MAY NOT BE GETTING THE SAME SHAFT AS THE PRO USES. ESPECIALLY IF IT CAME INSTALLED IN A DRIVER ASSEMBLED IN THE HOME OF ALL GOLF CLUBS, CHINA. EVEN IF YOU GET IT FROM A FITTER(SALESMAN) AT THAT GOLF STORE, THE SHAFTS AVAILABLE TO HIM MAY ONLY BE COSMETICALLY THE SAME AS THE PRO PLAYERS EQUIPMENT.
Boydenit
Jun 7, 2023 at 5:26 am
Great read with one glaring omission! You should have added what country each of these shafts is manufactured in, to better understand the true cost of a +$400 shaft.
P Kessler
Jun 6, 2023 at 7:35 pm
What’s Annika Playing??
That’s where I am at these days.
Kim
Jun 7, 2023 at 11:09 am
Would be more interested to see top 50 LPGA shafts. More applicable to my game