This probebomber uses a combination of rare LPGA machines
If you search golf courses online every 10 seconds, you'll see some shaft arguments centered around the idea of playing something like the Fujikura Ventus Black or Project X Titan.
These very stiff, low-launch, low-spin shafts are all the rage in the “because that's what the pros do” arenas. Usually, those names include guys like Rory McIlroy, Gary Woodland, Aldrich Potgieter and other top speed players on the PGA Tour.
But we have a new name to add to that list: the LPGA Tour's Auston Kim.
It's rare to see a shaft like the Fujikura Ventus Black out on the LPGA Tour. Overall, the LPGA is not as aggressive as the PGA Tour, and even the most aggressive players will choose something that still gives them a little more help to hit the ball. Something like the Fujikura Ventus Red profile or the popular Mitsubishi Diamana WB with a soft handle and soft center tip would be better shaft profiles for these types of swings.
But Kim is nowhere near the profile of a “typical” woman. He is currently ranked fourth on the LPGA in driving distance, and has a swing that closely mimics something like Cam Young; it's too wide, too long, and adds a little pause at the top of the swing before releasing the transition.
Auston rides with Fujikura Ventus Black Velocore+ 5-S with a few inches. I asked PXG LPGA Tour Manager Scotty Kim how often he tips an inch driver on the LPGA.
He simply replied, “Not often.”
He also said, “Auston could probably play something stiffer than this if he wanted to, but moving the flexible gives him a good combination of giving him the feel he wants with the performance he needs.” Auston simply added, “I'm fine” with a laugh.
Auston pairs his Ventus Velo+ Black with the PXG Lightning Tour, the low-rotation head in the new Lightning lineup. The combination of a shaft that matches his aggressiveness and the speed and spin profile of the Lightning Tour gives him a very stable package that helps him hit that signature cut shot he wants to see off the tee.
And he has all the speed he needs to earn that No. 4 in driving distance on the LPGA Tour. Auston sits in the low 160s for fastball speed, similar to mine, if that's any indication of his size, and he plays with a bit of spin, too. I'm a big proponent of playing with more spin, and with a consistent cut shot, he uses the stability and speed of the Lightning Tour as much as he can.
A good reminder that just because something says what it can do on paper doesn't necessarily mean that this is what that gear will do. As an industry, we often get caught up in trying to bucket equipment into speed and rotary buckets. In Auston's case, it was about consistency and deviation from shot to shot. Something Johnny Wunder and I noticed during our PXG Lightning Tour test back in October.
PXG Lightning Tour Custom Driver
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Some 'solid profile' shafts in LPGA
Another amazing option on the LPGA Tour is getting a ton of use from the Diamana WB. Compared to the Ventus Black, it's a softer profile, but it's still built as a low-launch, low-spin piece for the less powerful player. Something that was in the hands of guys on the PGA Tour like Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland, and Justin Rose.
You might guess a profile like the Diamana BB would be the most popular part of the women's game, but as athletes of all genders get stronger and faster, the need for profiles to match athletic fields is becoming more apparent.
For those of you learning at home, this leads to a discussion about how important it is to find the right golf shaft profile for your game, and then match the weight and flexibility of that profile to the needs of your game.
Making sure you have a profile that works at the right time in your swing is important. The weight and flexibility are there to make sure you squeeze all the performance you can out of it.
In the case of Auston Kim, they decided to stick with a lighter-weight, flex shaft with a one-inch taper. This taper anchors the tip a bit while softening the handle a bit, which is very useful for wide, aggressive turns that stay very connected. Also, think Auston, Rory, Cam Young, or Xander.
They don't swing down the golf shaft during the transition; they keep it wide and long with their stable wrists, and create separation until impact.
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