It’s a new year, and avid golfers are excited about setting new-year golf resolutions and checking out the latest equipment for 2024. 

Let us introduce you to the new shafts on the block: the Graphite Design Tour AD VF-6S and the Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6S.

The Ventus TR Black has garnered considerable publicity in the last two years as the latest descendant of the popular Ventus lineup, making its way into the arsenal of tour pros such as Will Zalatoris (Ventus TR Black 7X) and Billy Horschel (Ventus TR Black 6X). But the newest Tour AD VFs have been seen in the hands of Justin Thomas (Tour AD VF-5X) and Tiger Woods (Tour AD VF-6X).

Here is our comprehensive review of the Graphite Design Tour AD VF-6S and the Fujikura Ventus TR Black 6S, including bonus shaft tests.

Graphite Design Tour AD VF

The VF-6S is the latest iteration from Japan-based Graphite Design, which is known for incorporating advanced materials and technologies into its shafts, employing multi-material construction and vibration-dampening properties.

The AD VF is manufactured using high-quality, aerospace-grade, carbon-fiber materials, including the proprietary TORAYCA(r) M40X material in the handle and TORAYCA(r) T1100G material in the mid/tip sections.

The shaft likely offers specific torque characteristics, influencing its resistance to twisting during the swing.

Aesthetically, the VF features a ringed, black-and-red color combination, a design consistent with other Graphite Design offerings, in addition to a high-gloss finish that provides a strong, yet subtle look to the setup.

Fujikura Ventus TR Black

Building upon the storied success of the Ventus shafts, Fujikura has made some calculated adjustments to their Ventus TR lineup with the aim of delivering more stability and consistency to a wide range of players.

The Ventus TR is engineered using Velocore® technology, to provide more stability throughout the shaft from transition to impact. Additionally, Velocore® products are manufactured using Pitch 70 Ton Carbon Fiber, which Fujikura indicates is up to 150% stronger and more stable than T1100g.

Aesthetically, the Ventus TR Black has a beautiful woven finish in the handle/midsections, a by-product of Fujikura’s unique, ultra-strong, carbon-fabric implementation, with a light metallic flake/sparkle through the entire shaft.

Commonalities and Differences

Utilizing the data-rich S3 Shaft Comparison tool from Cool Clubs, let’s home in on the precise metrics of these two heavy hitters.

Before we begin, it’s important to understand some basics of shaft-stiffness measurements:

• Cool Clubs can measure the frequency of a given shaft in cycles per minute (CPM). In tandem with the overall length of the shaft, the CPM provides us with an accurate, objective “stiffness value.” For our testing, both the VF-6S and the TR Black 6S shafts have a frequency of 6.8.
• Cool Clubs can also measure the EI of each section of the shaft (butt, middle, and tip). The EI measurement of each section helps us understand why all shafts labeled “stiff,” for example, are not created equal. (If you’d like to learn more about frequency and EI profiles, check out shaft guru Russ Ryden of GolfShaftReviews.com.)

What do these two shafts have in common?

• mass;
• torque;
• frequency; and
• balance point.

How do these two shafts differ?

• Relative stiffness in the butt/handle section of the shaft, with the Ventus TR having a butt EI that’s nearly 35% greater than that of the VF-6S!

Test Results

If you are wondering how some golfers play with the same equipment, but have different results, have a look at the results below, from when our staff put these shafts to the test.

Player 1

Ball: ProV1x

Clubhead: Aerojet 10.5* playing at 9.5*

Ventus TR Black 6S

Pros

• Feels very sturdy throughout—stout but congruent.
• Provides responsive feedback at impact.
• Reliable loading and unloading in transition and through impact.

Cons

• Feels a bit “boardy.”
• Swing weight feels lighter than preferred at address.

Opinion Statement

Generally feels like it kicks better through impact; easier to manage the mass of the club in transition and didn’t feel like mechanical adjustments had to be made to keep the ball in play.

Tour AD VF-6S

Pros

• It was easy to feel the mass of the club on the backswing.
• Great for fairway finder tempo.

Cons

• It was challenging to manage face through impact.
• The handle feels wobbly through impact, making feedback difficult to interpret.
• It seemed to launch a bit higher than the player preferred.

Opinion Statement

Overall, it was a solid shaft profile, but it seemed to launch too high and start more right than preferred. Had to slow down tempo/transition to square it.

Player 2

Ball: ProV1

Clubhead: Aerojet LS 9*

Ventus TR Black 6S

Pros

• Seamless and stable throughout.
• Weight feels very balanced.
• Kick/balance point feels reliable; consistent loft delivery.

Cons

• Too stiff and stout; resulted in low ball flight.
• Spin rate was too low with current ball flight.

Opinion Statement

Good profile, consistent performance, but was too much shaft for my current speed. Hard to load/unload.

Tour AD VF-6S

Pros

• Misses tend to be better.
• Provides high launch without significant technique change.

Cons

• The handle feels wobbly.
• Feedback seems inconsistent.
• It’s tougher to feel clubhead load in transition.

Opinion Statement

It doesn’t provide reliable impact feedback; has to manipulate the handle to get it to load and unload properly.

Player 3

Ball: ProV1

Clubhead: DARKSPEED LS 8*

Ventus TR Black 6S

Pros

• Consistent impact location.
• Responsive feedback—ball flight matched feel.
• Stable and smooth feel for fairway finder and long ball.

Cons

• It’s a bit more rigid and slightly less “feel.”
• Lower launching than preferred.

Opinion Statement

It was easy to be more consistent with strike location, it provided tighter dispersion, and it gave good feedback on strike location and ball flight.

Tour AD VF-6S

Pros

• It feels very light and easy to move.
• It seems more consistent at a smoother, more fluid tempo.

Cons

• Looser, in general; is a bit too lively and active.
• It feels more shaky and seems to be right-biased.
• Tougher to respond to.

Opinion Statement

It is a bit too bouncy in transition and halfway down to impact, and it is more challenging to manage the face.

Player 4

Ball: Chromesoft X

Clubhead: Paradym Triple Diamond 8* set at 9*

Ventus TR Black 6S

Pros

• Consistently feel each swing.
• Responds well when trying to swing harder.
• The handle feels solid and reliable.

Cons

• It feels soft at impact through the mid-section.
• Generally feels a bit too active in mid/tip sections.

Opinion Statement

A generally stable shaft that provides consistent, reliable feedback.

Tour AD VF-6S

Pros

• There is a stiff feel in the handle.
• Lively yet in control.
• Solid feedback at impact.

Cons

• It feels squishy in the lower half of the shaft.
• More effort to square the face.

Opinion Statement

Responsive, with an overall impressive feel, but more challenging to get the face square through impact.

New Year, New Shaft

Generally speaking, the VF-6S performs better for players with a smoother transition move at the top, and creates more linear speed. The Ventus TR Black 6S might be better for golfers who are quicker in transition and subsequently create more angular speed.

Leveraging both data and player feedback is critical to a comprehensive shaft fitting. That is why we strongly recommend amateur and competitive golfers alike go through fittings to determine which shafts will perform best for them.

Contact us today to get a custom shaft fitting, and play with newfound confidence for the new year!