Why Fujikura’s new Ventus TR Blue+ machine is on fire on Tour

Last season’s winningest driver’s shaft family has a new member – and it’s starting to get hot.

Fujikura’s new Ventus TR Blue with VeloCore+ launched on the international tour in mid-January, but it’s already making its way into the purses of PGA Tour pros.

Danny Walker and Kensei Hirata were among the first to adopt the new shaft. Recently, Harry Hall and Rafael Campos added to the bag. That doesn’t include many players testing the new shaft (like Nicolai Hojgaard).

While it may seem quiet so far, Fujikura Tour representative Marshall Thompson says the new TR Blue is actually ahead of schedule compared to the release of the first Ventus machines to receive VeloCore+ two years ago. A lot of that had to do with timing.

“It’s much better. It’s received a lot,” Thompson told GOLF. “When we introduced [the previous one] it was in the middle of the year, in the middle of July. A lot of guys don’t really do the testing, and a lot of guys in July are locked in for the year.”

This time around, Fujikura introduced a new shaft in January, right when the pros were getting their wallets filled with a deluge of new products from OEMs.

That has led to rapid adoption, but there is still more to come.

“These releases always take time,” Thompson said. “There are pits I build for some players where I think there’s a really good chance to get in, and then I don’t see it for five weeks. Then all of a sudden that player pulls it out of the garage and says, ‘Okay, now I’m ready to really take it to the course.'”

Thompson pointed to the 2024 release of the original Ventus with VeloCore+ as seemingly slow, but now a number of players have updated versions, including US Open winner JJ Spaun and recent converts like Min Woo Lee and Tony Finau.

And although the name is the same as its predecessor, switching to the new version may not be exactly plug-and-play. Thompson said the Fuji team knew how good the original Ventus TR line was and wanted to improve it without going too far.

By adding VeloCore+ to the shaft, the new TR Blue has increased dynamic stiffness (resistance to twisting), which improves stability throughout the shaft and midface contact.

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That extra stability meant that engineers could rearrange the Spread Tow fabric on the grip section of the shaft — a feature that distinguishes the Ventus and Ventus TR lines — to make the handle stronger.

The result is a slightly stiffer slightly softer mid-range handle while maintaining the same very stiff tip. Thompson said they noticed that the stiff grip allows players to feel like they can follow the ball a little more, while the soft center creates a smoother feel during the swing.

That led to a dispersal of the decline of many players.

“When I see 60 to 70 percent of players benefiting and the standard deviation getting tighter across the board, I know we have a really good hole,” Thompson said.

In my personal testing, my first experience with the new TR Blue+ was the day I couldn’t find the face to save my life with my OG TR Blue gamer. We switched to a new shaft and instantly the sound changed, and I could find the center of the face easily. On the Foresight GC Quad, I recorded the shot from the center of the face.

Thompson feels confident about the release, especially this season, when new drivers from OEMs are competing more than ever. There is still a lot of testing going on.

“Even on tour, these young men who are not under contract still have four or five headcovers in their bag and are trying different methods,” he said. “And we’re already into the Florida swing.”

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