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Fujikura MCI Iron Shaft Review

Nippon Shafts
JB

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Very good writeup, Hawk.

I know very little about shaft technology in general, particularly with metal composite shafts. The review gives a really good explanation of the technology and its benefits. The MCIs also seem to respond and perform well.
 
Good review Hawk. This is an interesting shaft IMO. I would really like the benefits of graphite shaft with some of the characteristics of steel. I also like the multiple weight options are available.
 
Hawk really like this review. I'm a big proponent of graphite simply for my aching joints. These seem like a must try
 
Thanks guys.

Shafts are hard to write about without resorting to a bunch of cliches, so hopefully I was able to put together something that made sense.

Bottom line, which I only alluded to briefly in the review since it's sort of irrelevant, is that they are in the bag and staying there long term. At least as long term as anything stays in my bag. I did not expect to finish this season without the RocketBladez in the bag. I'll admit that they took a little time to get used to, but once I did that I found some real comfort there to go along with good performance.

I think these will be a product that appeals more to the steel player looking to make a switch rather than the guy that likes 'traditional' graphite iron shafts, at least in the higher weight ranges like I tested.

I was looking back at my last round and was reminded there really isn't a shot that I can't pull off with these that I could with any other shafts I've had in the bag. First hole I had to keep a 7 iron about 15 feet off the ground and did it. On the 8th hole I had to hit a ball up a hill and over a big pine tree to the green and did that. Now, is that something that couldn't be done with a traditional graphite iron shaft? I really don't know, but my gut tells me yes it could be done with either. Where these sort of stand out for me is that you can get something in a weight range you prefer without losing much of the weighting/balance that steel has at the same time as not getting something that is overly stiff and a chore to swing.
 
ATLGolfer said:
Very good writeup, Hawk.

I know very little about shaft technology in general, particularly with metal composite shafts. The review gives a really good explanation of the technology and its benefits. The MCIs also seem to respond and perform well.
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+1 I am pretty much shaft illiterate but the info here was very easy to understand and thorough. Well done Ryan.
 
Chunkylover77 said:
Hawk really like this review. I'm a big proponent of graphite simply for my aching joints. These seem like a must try
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So true. I had terrible wrist pain. I have little to none since switching to the RBladez with graphite. It's amazing.
 
I'm glad to see more guys get into the graphite/steel composite shaft game. Aerotech had me falling in love with them so more options in the future is certainly a good thing.
 
Iron shafts have me so confused right now. I really can't tell much difference between the steel and graphite offings anymore. This type of shaft just seems to blur the lines even more.
 
You're telling me. Sometimes I feel like I've hit too many this year and it's not always easy to put the differences into words that are even meaningful. I do think you'd notice a difference between these and what you have in the bag right now, but that's just a hunch. I thought there was a pretty big difference between them and the Action Lites in the Altitudes, but I had to handle them side by side to really get a feel for it.
 
Nice review Hawk. I really like how more companies are trying to offer a graphite option in a performance category.
 
It's interesting to me to see what gets buzz and what doesn't. Obivously iron shafts are a bit of a dry subject, but these are one of the more exciting things to hit my bag this year. That's a personal thing of course, but out of all the stuff I've reviewed for the home page, the MCI's are the one thing in my personal bag. Not that being in my bag means ANYTHING in regards to whether a product is 'good', but I still think it's interesting coming from a guy that has never played graphite.
 
Hawk said:
It's interesting to me to see what gets buzz and what doesn't. Obivously iron shafts are a bit of a dry subject, but these are one of the more exciting things to hit my bag this year. That's a personal thing of course, but out of all the stuff I've reviewed for the home page, the MCI's are the one thing in my personal bag. Not that being in my bag means ANYTHING in regards to whether a product is 'good', but I still think it's interesting coming from a guy that has never played graphite.
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It is always fun to see what stays in the bag and what goes from the staffers who try a bunch of stuff. In the end you guys tend to play what works best for your games more than most. Having now made the switch to graphite I see no reason for me to go back. Lighter shafts have given me more distance and less pain.
 
Good review Hawk. Its very intriguing that graphite offerings are becoming more available. In the past one would only think of graphite in irons for seniors or women.
 
Howzat said:
It is always fun to see what stays in the bag and what goes from the staffers who try a bunch of stuff. In the end you guys tend to play what works best for your games more than most. Having now made the switch to graphite I see no reason for me to go back. Lighter shafts have given me more distance and less pain.
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I'm with you. I can't think of one good reason I'd go back at this point. I wish I had a stash of these to put in any irons I review going forward.

jdtox said:
Good review Hawk. Its very intriguing that graphite offerings are becoming more available. In the past one would only think of graphite in irons for seniors or women.
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It's pretty wild. Snedeker, Kuchar, Weekley, and Ken Duke all won with graphite iron shafts this year.
 
Hawk said:
It's interesting to me to see what gets buzz and what doesn't. Obivously iron shafts are a bit of a dry subject, but these are one of the more exciting things to hit my bag this year. That's a personal thing of course, but out of all the stuff I've reviewed for the home page, the MCI's are the one thing in my personal bag. Not that being in my bag means ANYTHING in regards to whether a product is 'good', but I still think it's interesting coming from a guy that has never played graphite.
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It's funny because iron shafts are my biggest interest right now. Thanks for another review, you don't make decisions easy. :act-up:
 
No problemo Scrap. Last night was more of the same. Very consistent ball flight and shot shape for me.
 
I think Scrap Iron should buy these so I have somebody to talk about them with.
 
Poor Hawk, cool new shafts and no one to share them with.
 
Sounds like you need a new set of shafts Howzat.
 
These have my interest for sure but no good reason to switch right now except to have awesome conversations with you buddy.
 
Dangnt hawk, I loved the sound of the shafts so I looked online at a set of 7.

Guess I'll be sticking with steel. From now on I Ann going to need you to give negative reviews of items this high priced.
 
Yea price is a big issue, especially in the absence of a fitting. Not really experiment shafts.

You can get iron sets shafted with them on ebay at some savings, but there is some major sticker shock.
 
Great, great job on these Hawk working with limited public information about them! I really like the fact that they offer such a wide variety of weights in these. I have said numerous times how I want to try a 70-80 gram graphite shaft in my irons and it sounds like these could fit the bill.

Quite impressed to hear about your ability to flight them the way you wanted to as that has typically been a downfall of graphite shafts in irons according to many. Add in the fact that they offered wrist pain relief as designed is another big point, especially as us guys that play a ton rack up the years and need some assistance along the way.

I know you mentioned testing these in the MT’s and TT’s but don’t recall if you tried the stock graphite that comes in the Cleveland’s. If you did, do you have any direct comparison thoughts from a performance perspective?
 
I actually had the Action Lites in both the 3 & 4 Altitudes Cookie. When this was written, I hadn't done it yet, but I now have the MCI in the 4 Alt.

There's quite a difference, but it's one of those things that's hard to put into words. I guess the easiest way to put it is the MCI's feel more substantial, both in terms of weight and some added stiffness. These feel much more like an iron shaft than a hybrid shaft for lack of a better term. Interestingly enough, my biggest concern was adding a heavier shaft messing up the balance of the club and I just never saw that. These are weighted more towards the tip though, so my guess is that has something to do with it.

Didn't really see a substantial difference in ball height. Maybe a little lower, but that's grasping.
 
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