TAKING THE TOUR BY STORM

We speak to Fujikura’s Marshall Thompson about what makes the brand’s shafts so popular among the world’s best players and unearth some top fitting tips for amateurs

- MICHAEL WESTON

Often It’s said that the shaft is the engine of the golf club. Simply put, it’s a crucial piece of equipment – the timing device for the swing. No one understands this better than Fujikura, the most trusted wood shaft brand on the PGA Tour. Since its inception in 1994, the company has been at the forefront of design and development to produce the world’s best golf shafts, helping golfers of all levels get the best performance from their clubs.

Every Fujikura golf shaft is precisely designed through the use of its Enso 3-D motion capturing system – the first club fitting system that measures information both before and after the ball is hit. As a result, the club and shaft are dynamically measured and recorded throughout the entire swing.

Marshall Thompson, fitting and tour representative, has been with Fujikura for 15 years, during which time he has witnessed many a scientific breakthrough. If we’re nearing the ceiling in clubhead design, the same cannot be said of shafts. We caught up with Thompson to find out more about how Fujikura is setting new standards in shaft design and performance.

Tell us about your role working for Fujikura…

I started out as an intern in the tour department. I remember my interview phase and being asked whether I knew how to fit. I said no, and they asked me whether I knew how to build clubs. I said no. They looked at me and said, “Good, we’re going to teach you the right way!”