Welcome to I Tent It, a GOLF.com series about golf items — apparel, equipment, accessories, and more. — that we recently took out for a spin. We’re here to give our honest and simple opinions on the latest and greatest golf or golf related articles. So scroll down to read about what we love about the newest (or new to us) golf products.
Most golfers are aware that they invest in a complete, professional club can make a massive difference to their game, but the shafts – and the idea of swapping them at will, with the same head – seem to be at their level of intimidating. In my mind, only the bravest of gearheads are willing to attempt to make a shaft switch themselves.
Needless to say, axis confusion is not something I ever use for my game. I consider myself a loyalist when it comes to my gear. I carried the same ping machine in my purse for two decades. After a fit – and I’ve only had a few – I order my prescribed equipment and don’t really think about the components of my clubs. To me, shafts are a package deal with club drivers, and not something to be considered as an individual product.
But last year, I started hearing chatter about Newton’s axes. The name is a nod to Sir Isaac Newton and the company’s commitment to using the power of physics to revolutionize golf equipment design. Newton’s founder and chief technology officer, Aki Yorihiro, first entered the golf market with premium machines and shafts in 2018. In 2022, Newton opened a dedicated shaft manufacturing facility in St. Louis. Joseph, Missouri. When the Newton shafts launched in November of 2023, they were an instant hit, especially on the PGA Tour, where more than two dozen players currently use them.
I was intrigued to try one, but didn’t trust my game enough to make a proper comparison. So I called my husband Paul, a club pro and handicap plus, to try the shaft and report back.
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How do you know which flex is right for you? Newton makes setting easy by using a point system, which is based on swing speed. You can also take a quick online survey to help determine the right score level for you. There are two axes to choose from: Motion and Rapid Motion. Fast Motion shafts are 10 grams lighter than Motion shafts. Each axle comes with an adapter for your driver so you can install it yourself. You can choose your adapter from eight major club manufacturers.
Paul ended up going with 4-Point Quick Drive shaft with a Callaway adapter. One of his assistant pros also had a 5-point, so he had a chance to compare the two bends. Surprisingly, the 5-point ended up being a better fit for him.
“My spin rate was really high with the 4-pointer,” Paul said. “The 5-point made a huge difference and got my spin rate down to where it needed to be, and getting the right distance and distribution that I needed, whereas the 4-point was spinning too much so I would lose distance.”
Paul also said the shaft had a different feel than anything he had used before.
“Overall, for everyone who uses it, the shaft has a more penetrating ball flight,” he said. “Swing speed and ball speed are increased because it’s a lighter shaft. But it’s still very stable, so for most people, they hit the ball longer and straighter because, with more penetrating ball flight and less spin, it also means less left and right spin, so the distribution is tighter.”
That’s exactly what founder Aki Yorohiro set out to do.
“Quite simply, you can hit it straighter, longer, with less effort,” Yorohiro said of Newton’s mass appeal. “If you don’t get performance, then we’ve failed you.”
If, like Paul, you find that a different bend might work better for you, the Newton also has an easy exchange process.
“We want you to be really happy, because happiness is contagious,” Yorohiro said. “And other people will look at them and they say, ‘Oh, maybe I should try a new shaft.’ If you need to get stiffer or softer, you can do that.”
To see if a Fast Motion driver shaft could benefit your game, order yours now via the link below.
Newtonian Fast Motion steering shaft
Drive shafts allow the energy generated during your movement to be stored more efficiently, and then released in a more controlled and consistent manner.
