When it debuted in 2009, the Fujikura Motore (in Italian, the term means “engine”) featured a lively tip section to help golfers increase their clubhead (and ball) speed. Its secret? The inner walls of the tip were made thinner by efficiently using less material. The second-generation Motore, in 2012, had a similar tip-driven speed story.
For its 10th Anniversary, the Motore received a complete engine overhaul. The Motore X generates more speed than ever. Yet, the tip is no longer its main source of power. Instead, the R&D team made enhancements to the grip section of the shaft.
Fujikura’s R&D efforts are supported by Enso®, a proprietary 3D motion-capture system. With the Enso system, the company gets specific, tangible data during player testing. In evaluating today’s drivers, significant energy loss occurs when the grip end of a shaft twists during the swing. Consequently, Motore X is constructed with a torsionally stiff butt section to reduce (or eliminate) twist throughout the swing.
Enso captures data on thousands of swings. Armed with this IP, company officials believe Motore X is one of the fastest ball-speed shafts on the market. In player testing, it delivers more speed and stability than Fujikura’s Pro 2.0 series. Plus, a majority of golfers generate more speed with Motore X than the popular Ventus shaft. Both the Motore X and Ventus have multi-material cores with stable, stiff tips.
Not to get overly techy, but Motore X tapers at a faster rate than many competitive models. Since the butt section is engineered to bend (flex) easily, golfers of all abilities can fully load the shaft, which leads to more energy transfer. Confused? Think of it this way. The tip section torques and flexes during the swing. Well, so does the butt section. By limiting torque (twist) in the butt while it flexes, players can see gains in clubhead speed and ball speed.
As in previous iterations, the Motore X comes in multiple launch options, F1 and F3. The F1 is a low-mid launch version for faster swingers who benefit from low-mid spin. The mid-high launch F3 is a mid-spin shaft that suits golfers with moderate swing speeds and smooth tempo. The full lineup has a broad range in weight (57 to 85 grams), flex (R2, regular, stiff, extra-stiff) and torque (5.2° to 3.3°).
Early returns for Motore X are positive. “The original [Motore] was great and this is better—very stable yet easy to load, and it feels much better, too,” says Nick Sherburne, founder of Club Champion Golf, the industry’s largest high-end custom fitter with 70 locations nationwide. “The super-stable tip promotes more ball speed and straighter shots, while the softer butt section allows for more load and ball speed. Motore X is different because many stable-tip shafts don’t have a soft-butt section so they don’t work for most average golfers.”
Interested in finding whether Motore X can add speed to your game? Fujikura has more than 600 authorized dealers worldwide. Click here for a club fitter near you.
Images Courtesy of Fujikura