We got a sneak peek at the new Ventus Blue shaft from Fujikura a few weeks ago, and we are now seeing out on tour for the best players in the world to test.

This week at the Genesis Invitational, the crew from Fujikura is in attendance and excited for the new shaft to make its debut. The new Ventus Blue shaft will have a very similar profile to the current Ventus Blue and should offer players launch and spin numbers that are comparable. What Fujikura has improved is the internal technology, VeloCore, that has made the Ventus and Ventus TR shafts so popular on tour and in fittings all over the world.

We asked Fujikura’s Spencer Reynolds about the new Ventus Blue and VeloCore Plus:

“The key to this one is really new technology…This will be our first profile to feature what we call VeloCore Plus. What we did is we took the original profile of the original Blue we launched…back in 2018 on global tours. So over the last handful of years, we’ve learned a lot about material integration and material layouts and kind of where we can push the envelope a little bit.

“And we wanted to keep a similar profile that gave similar feel, launch, and spin numbers but we wanted to tighten the dispersion and increase the speed. We figured out how to do that and we kinda reengineered VeloCore a bit. We took the key elements…full -length pitch material and then the 40-ton material…we took those key elements and enhanced some of those. We…increased the tonnage and increased the strength of those materials.

“Then we added a third material as a bias core to essentially give it a really solid feel. I think it’s what we’re left with is a profile that bumps up speed, increases accuracy, tightens dispersion, and has incredible feel to it. So what we found in player testing was increases in speed, and a lot of the feedback we got from feel was it just feels tighter than the original — not stiffer, still kind of the same bend profile, softer in the handle, stiff in the mid, ultra-stiff in the tip — but just an overall tighter feeling to the shaft.

“So we tested it. We’re psyched about it. Obviously excited to have it out here on tour, and we’re ready to rock and roll.”

This new Ventus Blue even sports a new matte blue paint that is lighter than the original and has a slightly different “Ventus” text near the center of the shaft. Fujikura also made some slight tweaks to the Ventus logo near the grip, adding some different micro-texture to the silver graphic.

This new Ventus Blue with VeloCore Plus should be out to Fujikura dealers at the end of February.

• Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Genesis Invitational

After last night’s brand launch event, we fully expected Tiger Woods to arrive at Riviera for practice rounds ahead of the Genesis Invitational in Sun Day Red apparel.

What was less certain — perhaps unlikely, depending on who you talked to — was that the 15-time major winner and recent FootJoy Premiere Series enthusiast would sport Sun Day Red footwear.

However, Woods is doing just that, as evidenced by these shots from our tour photographer.

While we don’t have product details for the new shoes — or much in the lineup, really — we do know product will be available at retail starting May 1. Additionally, polos will cost between $115 and $175, cashmere sweaters will be $250 to $350, per a New York Times report.

• More on Sun Day Red here.

Woods and Nike ended their famed 27-year relationship in January. The Genesis Invitational is Woods’ first “non-Nike” tournament.

Check out more photos of Tiger in Sun Day Red here as well as a full WITB look.

 

• Tiger Woods WITB accurate as of the Genesis Invitational. Woods’ 3-wood will be a game-time decision.

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 LS (10.5 degrees @9.75)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 X

3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Titanium (15 degrees @13)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade M3 (19 degrees @18.25)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX

• Check out more in-hand photos of Tiger Woods’ WITB in the forums.

Irons: 2023 TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade P7TW (4-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 Raw (56-12TW, 60-TW11)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

• Check out more in-hand photos of Tiger Woods’ WITB in the forums.

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS prototype
Grip: Ping PP58 Blackout

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B X (2024)

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord 58R

• Check out more in-hand photos of Tiger Woods’ WITB in the forums.

More Tiger Woods WITBs

• Tiger Woods WITB 2023 (November)
• Tiger Woods WITB 2023 (February)
• Tiger Woods WITB 2022 (December) (new in-hand photos)
• Tiger Woods WITB 2022 (July)
• Tiger Woods WITB at the 2022 PGA Championship (with a new 2-iron!)
• Tiger Woods WITB: 2022 Masters
• Tiger Woods WITB 2021 PNC Championship (new in-hand photos)