
Rahm switched to Fujikura’s Ventus Black shaft before the US Open.
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Jon Rahm’s win at LIV Chicago confirmed something we’ve known for some time: the Spaniard is extremely good at his craft. Even more so when he is healthy. After dealing with a foot infection that forced him to skip the US Open, Rahm won two of the last three LIV events – with a runner-up sandwiched in between – to claim the individual title and $22 million in regular cash.
After the victory on Sunday, Rahm was asked to define what changed after his withdrawal from the US Open. A leg injury would have been the obvious choice, but the 29-year-old took things in a different direction.
“(T)was a back and forth between Singapore and Houston when I changed the driver shaft to something that worked a little better with my current swing speed and it made me not compensate as much,” Rahm said. “It felt kind of better, a more natural swing, easier for myself to hit the fade, and that’s when I saw the big difference.
“From Nashville on, my level of golf was a little bit higher, more comfortable, where I didn’t feel like I had to try as hard. At that point, I felt the win was almost at that point just a matter of time and to get it at (LIV UK) was incredible.”
Axle marks rarely get the respect they deserve because they are generally considered a secondary component of the overall build. The head tends to get most of the praise for the technology packed inside. However, if you go back and look at Rahm’s history with the driver, you’ll notice that the shaft has never changed before this year.
During his time at Arizona State, Rahm relied exclusively on Aldila’s Tour Green 75TX steering shaft. Even when he changed the team from TaylorMade to Callawayin 2021, Tour Green remained a constant of a component. Rahm didn’t even think about making an axle change until earlier this year, when he conducted driver testing with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft that he confirmed was a better option for his Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond head.
“For a long time, Jon’s Aldila Tour Green worked well for his timing and swing, but as he got stronger and faster, he found it harder to time his delivery on ball and find his feelings,” Johnny Wunder said. Callaway’s Tour Content Manager. “This led to a larger distribution pattern and a repeated error to the left, and that’s when he knew it was time for a change. He recently spent some time in Carlsbad to test several shafts, including prototype options, to find one that worked best with his swing and helped eliminate the lefty error.
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“The Ventus Black profile helped Jon get a better feel for the clubhead and allowed him to swing at his natural pace without manipulation. This has led to a much better distribution off the tee and has helped eliminate the left error. It was never about raising Jon’s ceiling or adding range since he’s already a good ball handler, but rather raising his floor.”
One of the most popular shaft profiles on Tour, the Ventus Black is intended for higher swing speeds with a noticeably lower launch speed and spin enabled via a reinforced butt and tip section. Toe reinforcement helps stabilize the shaft on impact, especially on heel and toe-grabbing impacts. And when you’re swinging at Rahm-like speeds, the torque reduction can be a massive benefit for players at the higher end of the speed spectrum who are looking for a consistent profile to minimize mistakes.
The head remains the primary component when building a new driver, but if anything can be taken from Rahm’s successful shaft change this season, it’s that you should always be open and willing to try other options on the market, especially when something seems off. it doesn’t work. It worked for Rahm and can do the same for your game.
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