MEMBER TESTING: Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi shafts. Read reviews here!

10 GolfWRX Members are testing the new KURO KAGE SILVER DUAL-CORE TiNi Series shaft before it's available to the general public! Read their reviews below.

ABOUT THE KURO KAGE SILVER DUAL-CORE TiNi

Featuring both an “outer” and “inner” wall of Titanium Nickel (TiNi) Wire in the tip-section of the shaft,

this new series is designed to deliver even more stability, power and control than its predecessor. The

elastic nature of the Titanium Nickel (TiNi) Wire also provides outstanding feedback and feel.

KURO KAGE™ Silver with Dual-Core TiNi Wire’s “classic”, smooth, mid launch and mid/low spin,

bend profile is extremely versatile and will be available in 50, 60, 70 and 80-gram weight offerings. It

features the same technologically advanced Low Resin Content (L.R.C.) prepreg as the original KURO

KAGE™ Silver Series - which utilizes up to 15 percent more carbon fiber and significantly less resin

(20% vs. 33%) than standard prepreg, and has fewer gaps and voids than traditional prepregs. LRC

prepreg enhanced with TiNi Wire creates even more consistent performance, increased stability and a

better feel at impact.

“The KURO KAGE™ Silver Dual-Core TiNi Series features the same “smooth” bend profile as its

predecessor,” says Mark Gunther, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for MRC GOLF. “We’ve

taken performance feedback from players all around the globe and found a new way to deliver

increased control and stability at impact by adding a second layer of TiNi Wire to create the Dual-Core

TiNi Tip technology.”

Updated at bottom

What is this? Fancy box.

Would you look at that...more than just a shaft. The hat has a great look to it and the shirt is very comfy. Nice, soft cotton. Props to MRC Golf for the added gifts.

70g, x-stiff, 45.5" playing length, M2 adapter, no tipping, standard setting, Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip. Everything was just as ordered except for one tiny detail. I was sent a TX instead of X. I am not complaining at all though. I originally asked for a 60g version, but when MRC called to get my shirt size I asked if they could send a 70g shaft instead. They were more than happy to oblige. The main difference between the X and the TX is the bend point of the TX being slightly higher. Or at least that is what their documentation states.

Here is what I will primarily be testing with/against.

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Right off the bat, I probably need to cut down the butt end of the Kuro about 1/2" due to the D5 swingweight the current configuration dictates. It makes releasing such a stout shaft somewhat troublesome. That should get me back to a more reasonable D2-ish swingweight without making the shaft too stiff. But for now, I'll just choke up a bit.

I have two more rounds of golf coming up in a few days so I will hold off on my initial comments/comparisons, except to say that I gained distance. So stay tuned.

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Current GHIN handicap index - 1.5

Swing speed - 108 to 110

Aggressive transition

Relatively flat AoA

Usual ball flight is mid height and straight

Current setup - M2 9.5* head with Motore Speeder 7.3 x-stiff, 45", no tipping

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1st round update...

Yesterday was a good day to test as there was plenty of range time before the round. Weather on the range was 50ish with a 10mph tailwind. It took a while to figure out how to hit the shaft because of the club's new D5 swingweight. I had to move the ball forward off my front toe and close the clubface a couple degrees to give the clubhead time to release.

The first thing I noticed was that all swings resulted in a tight shot pattern on the center of the clubface. I can tend to be a bit sporatic so this a nice change.

The second thing was the ball didn't fall out of the sky with the tailwind. The ball seemed to carry forever. With the Motore, I had to rely on roll to get max distance.

As far as feel is concerned, the shaft is stout but manageable. Feedback on contact seems heavyish, but not boardy. Maybe because of the heavy swingweight, maybe not. Kind of hard to describe. But this feeling is on every shot, crushed drives and slight mishits. The shaft is very consistent.

Things got interesting when the round started. The weather took a turn for the worse with the sun going away and the wind speed going to around 15. My swing speed was noticeably lower but it didn't change the way the shaft performed. Even when I was cold and slow, the shots seemed to be identical. Maybe not as far as on the range, but the ball launched and carried just fine. Most importantly, shots into the wind didn't balloon. My drives carried farther past my elder playing competitors than normal. Additionally, shots off the deck carried a good distance. That might a product of the M2 head, but

the results were good.

Overall, I don't see downsides to the shaft. At least not when compared to the Motore.

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Had some range time today after cutting the shaft down 1/2". Swingweight is now D2.5. The feel of the shaft is no longer overly stout. Everything is smooth as silk. The biggest thing I notice is that I can swing any speed and have the shaft return to where it's supposed to. When I'm cold, when I'm warmed up, I can still hit a solid, straight ball. Once I grab the pic off my phone you can see the dispersion on the club face. Hitting the center on the driver has always been the worst part of my game. Maybe I just had a good session but this is a game changer for me.

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Summary:

Looks - Classy. Matches the M2 head very nicely.

Feel - Stout, but not boardy. Every shot feels the same, not at all harsh on mishits.

Launch - Mid height (for me)

Spin - Right on the button. Lots of carry downwind and no ballooning into the wind.

The shaft just showed up this week, looks great. Thanks to MRCGolf and GolfWRX for letting me be lucky enough to be a tester for the Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi shaft. Over the next few weeks/month I'll add more and more to this post as I get more time with the shaft.

A little background on me and my game, I'm 33 and I've played golf pretty much my whole life. I typically hover between a 0 and a 3 handicap wise and my swing speed is typically right around 110. I'm a pretty active lurker on GolfWRX so there is plenty of golf ho in me and I love to test/try new equipment if I think I can find something better than what I've been gaming. That being said, I've been much better the last 18 months and just stuck with a driver that works and quit trying to chase distance.

MRC sent me a 70TX which will play 44.75" in my driver which is the exact same length as I normally play. I'll be the first to admit, I didn't know much about the MRC Kuro Kage line of shaft other than the Pros that use(d) them in their drivers recently. I've always gamed a whiteboard in my 3W and it's been an outstanding performer for me over the years. Since being selected, I've read up on the Kuro Kage line and think I have a pretty good idea of the differences between them and between the other MRC lines.

Right now my current driver is a Titleist 917D2 9.5* with an MRC Diamana LTD D+ 70X shaft which is pretty new and I only have about 5 or so rounds with the new stick and some range sessions. For most of the last few years I gamed a 915D2 9.5* with a Fuji Pro TS 73X so I'll use that as a comparison as well shaft wise. I've also owned at some point of myriad of different shafts at some point (AD-DI, Kiyoshi Purple, Devotions, Speeder 7.2, 7.2TS, 6.3TS, RIP alpha, Rogue Silver and others I can't even think of right now). I was fitted for my 917/D+ combo and my launch numbers were pretty ideal for me.

I live in VA so winter can be pretty hit or miss as far as how much I get to play or practice this time of year, I took the Kuro Kage out yesterday for it's maiden voyage on the range but it had been 2-3 weeks since I'd touched a club and it wasn't pretty which had absolutely nothing to do with the shaft. I will get more time with the shaft and test it against my gamer.

I have pretty easy access to get on Flightscope both indoors & outdoors so I plan to do side-by-side launch monitor testing and compare the KKDC to my gamer. I'm not a huge launch monitor guy, I'll typically get as close as I can to ideal launch numbers and then find the shaft that feels the best to me and most importantly the one that performs out on the golf course.

More pics to follow as I get more time with the shaft and see how it performs!

1/1 - Update:

I finally got a good solid range session over the long weekend and spent a lot of time hitting the D+ LTD vs. the KKDC to see any differences. Feel wise it's definitely smoother through impact, which is something I can definitely get used to. The D+ feels good in it's own right but it's much firmer into impact and the Dual Core just felt much smoother. Trajectory wise the two are similar again, I actually seemed to hit the dual core a little lower which I didn't think would happen. To the naked eye the Dual Core did not look overly spinny compared to the D+ but distance wise the D+ seemed to win going away. I'm not really sure what the culprit is, whether it was too much spin or not enough but the KKDC would look nearly identical off the driver and get out and then just kind of fall out of the sky shorter of where my D+ was flying. I've seen no spin knuckleballs in the past so I don't think it was too little spin but it also didn't look to be really spinny either. I'm going to have to hit them both on Flightscope to see why that is happening because good for good the two shafts gave me very similar trajectories and the Dual Core would just get out there and kinda drop straight down. It was really strange.

I'll continue to test as I get more and more range time and hopefully get on Flightscope soon to post some data.

Big thanks GolfWRX and Mitsubishi Rayon! The test subject provided is the Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi 60 Stiff.

Here are some photos to start. Full review below.

Review added 1/3/17:

I wanted to give thanks and kudos to MRC for a great job on finishing the test shaft. The grip is aligned perfectly and the installed shaft plays exactly at my desired length of 44.5" in the G30LS. The package from MRC was an awesome Xmas bonus!

About me: To help give some insight on what type of work-out I’m giving the KK Dual-Core (“KKDC”), think of M. Crossfield. I watch his videos because his swing speed is somewhat similar to mine and I believe his tempo and transition is quite similar as well. Clearly I’m not Mr. Biggs, but I can definitely load-up a shaft if it’s a reasonable fit for me.

Also for reference, the shaft I’ve been playing for the past 6 months or so is the Nippon Regio Formula MB (“FMB”), which replaced a Speeder VC 6.2 (“Speeder”). For me, it really seems to depend on the driver-head but a sample of other shafts I’ve been fit into include the Black Tie 60M4, Diamana S+ and D+, Speeder 757, Kiyoshi Black, Rogue Silver, and a few others. I honestly like all of them but generally seem to favor a stiffer tip section.

Some specs: The MRC assembled KKDC weighed in at 116.5g. In comparison, my FMB and Speeder are 125.4g and 118.2g. The KKDC and FMB play exactly 44.5” installed in the G30LS, while the Speeder plays 44.25”; resulting in measured swing-weights of D5.5, D4, and D4, respectively.

Initial thoughts and data: My first session with the KKDC was on the driving range. Straight away, I was impressed by a nice kick through impact. More pronounced than either the FMB or Speeder and, in my opinion, somewhat similar to the Diamana D+. Overall a smooth and powerful feel.

From previous fittings, I recall the original Kuro Kage feeling a bit “harsh” compared to the Diamana line. This perception might have been influenced by the sound of the driver being tested because this time, I notice no harshness or boardiness with the KKDC paired with my G30LS.

On a GC2 launch monitor with range balls, all three shafts produced nearly identical ball speeds. Here’s a summary of average launch and spin with the Ping adapted installed in the standard setting:

KKDC - 17.0* @ 2000

FMB - 15.5* @ 1950

Speeder - 15* @1700

On course: I managed to play one round of golf in time for this review. It had rained in the morning so it was quite wet for most of the round and temps were in the low 60’s. The slightly heavier swing-weight with the KKDC wasn’t a problem after a couple of holes once I became acclimated.

As expected from the watching balls on the range and the launch monitor data, balls were flying higher than my norm. This resulted in good carry distances on a wet day and overall the distance gap relative to my buddy remained consistently good.

The shaft proved to be stable, consistent and confidence inspiring. Mis-hits worked out great and the feel of the shaft just made me want to keep swinging all-out. I can’t tell yet if balls go any further with this shaft vs the others, but the KKDC appears to be well suited for when I want to max out carry. I kept thinking to myself that lowering the loft with the adjustable hosel is all that’s needed to make the KKDC an all-star.

Last words: I originally wanted to compare the Dual-Core with my Diamana LTD S+ and D+ shafts, both of which have Titleist adapter tips installed. However, as of late, I've been playing the G30LS almost exclusively and unconsciously requested a Ping adapter instead. So depending on how it goes, I may give this post another update if I end up installing a Titleist tip adapter.

Okay, the big black box finally arrived at my house late last week, so I can dive into this review. Due to the weather in the DMV and my schedule, I have not yet had it out to the course, so this post will be first impressions with a much more thorough review to come. I will get this bad boy out by the end of the weekend at the latest and I am working to set up a trackman session next week.

As with the other reviewers, I was welcomed with a letter, a branded hat and shirt to accompany the new Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi 70 TX (what a name, I will abbreviate it as DC for the rest of the review). At first glance, the DC has a familiar look. The KK Silver of years past had the same distinctive split of white/black with the graphic split on the new DC being higher toward the handle. It is an objectively great looking shaft. This is obviously personal preference, but one thing I do not care for is the graphics on both the top and bottom of the shaft. The "bottom" has the familiar Kuro Kage logo and shaft info. The "top" now has "Silver Series" and the Dual Core logo (see installed photo below). No matter how the shaft is oriented, there are graphics that will be face up. That may not bother some people, but it really stuck out to me.

I pulled my current gamer, Kuro Kage XM 70 TX, from my M2 and popped the new DC in. The build from MRC appears exactly as requested. I will check the swing weight to make sure each set up is as close as I can get them, but it felt good in hand. I know this may seem extremely nit picky, but the grip on the new DC is a standard Black/White NDMC and not my gamer NDMC Plus 4, so it feels a little funny with a smaller lower hand. I'll probably end up getting it re-gripped so that there is one less variable in the testing.

I am really looking forward to getting this shaft out on the course and on trackman. I have been a long time MRC fan and have played the KK line extensively. The KK XT and KK XM have been my gamers for the vast majority of the last two years, so I'm very interested to see what improvements have been made to the DC and if it can hang with my current gamer.

The box.

The goods.

Installed in my Tour Issue M2

My gamer, for comparisons sake.

Any of the testers out there that has used or still uses the original KK XT to compare to the new Dual Core?

Any of the testers out there that has used or still uses the original KK XT to compare to the new Dual Core?

From what I have read, the new DC XT proto launches about the same as the current XT but spins less and has a tighter tip leading to better dispersion and better feel.

Any of the testers out there that has used or still uses the original KK XT to compare to the new Dual Core?

 

From what I have read, the new DC XT proto launches about the same as the current XT but spins less and has a tighter tip leading to better dispersion and better feel.

Bullseye.

Any of the testers out there that has used or still uses the original KK XT to compare to the new Dual Core?

You do realize they are testing silver tini, and NOT the XT version of the dual core. XT is Tour only at the moment. Silver tini will be the stock shaft in the new M2 series.

Any of the testers out there that has used or still uses the original KK XT to compare to the new Dual Core?

 

You do realize they are testing silver tini, and NOT the XT version of the dual core. XT is Tour only at the moment. Silver tini will be the stock shaft in the new M2 series.

Ah... My mistake, just went back through the posts and realized that the poster was saying he received the TX flex, not the XT model. Must have reversed the sequence of the letters in my head the first time I read it.

It is by far the best shaft I have ever owned it's incredible thanks Toll

It is by far the best shaft I have ever owned it's incredible thanks Toll

You're very welcome. Mitsubishi has an amazing lineup of ultra low spin shafts with phenomenal feel. By far the best in golf imo.

Thank you Golfwrx and Mitsubishi Rayon. Review coming but first a couple pictures

Looking forward to this! Went out and bought an XTS because I wasn't selected hah

First of all, thank you to MRC Golf and GolfWRX for the opportunity to put this shaft to work. I was in Ohio with my family for Christmas and returned to Florida today to find the black Mitsubishi Rayon box on my porch. The hat and shirt were a nice added bonus!

Aesthetically, I think this is a great looking shaft. It's a very simple design which I like. I am currently gaming an Aldila Rogue M-AX shaft which reminds me of something out of a comic book. The KK > Rogue M-AX in the looks department. This shaft would look good in just about any head.

A little about my game...I'm an 8.7 index and have been trending down since picking up the 917 D3. My controlled swing speed is in the 108-113 range depending on how stiff I am feeling on any given day. I have a quick transition which is why I opted for the X flex in this shaft.

My plan of attack is to get to the range this weekend and hopefully out on the course within the next couple of weeks. I have a 1 year old girl who keeps me busy so it's not as easy to get out as it used to be. Whether it's sooner or later, I will be sure to get some on course data including dispersion, distance and flight as soon as I can. I may also be able to get on a Trackman in the next month or so to get some numbers. Here are a few pics I thought I would share in the mean time. Congrats to those of you who were selected!

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Update on 1/5:

It was a beautiful 70 degree day here in Florida today so I made a trip to the range to get some swings in. I made my normal progression through the bag (PW, 7, 4, D). I saved the last 25 or so balls for a driver comparison. I started with about 10 swings with the Rogue M-AX and then finished with the Kuro Kage Dual TiNi. I must admit that my main concern by going to the X flex in the KK was my ball flight being too low. When I get on launch monitors, I am generally around 10 degrees launch and would like to be in the 12-13 range. I have been working on my tilt at address and trying to catch the ball on the up and have seen nice improvement in ball flight.

The main improvement that I have noticed with this shaft over the rogue M-AX is stability, especially in the tip section at impact. The only way I can describe it is very solid with very minimal "kick" at impact. I have played a few stout shafts over the years with one of my favorites being the original Grafalloy Blue which was very "boardy." I now prefer a slightly smoother feeling shaft and I think that the KK Dual TiNI is exactly that. My ball flight was outstanding and didn't show any sign of too much or too little spin for me. When I put a good swing on it, I was achieving that higher launch angle that I have been after which was a relief to see.

The range that I go to has hitting areas at both ends so I can get a good gauge on distance depending on where it ends up relative to the other side of the range. Let me just say that I hit two that carried to the other end of the range with the KK and had one with the Rogue that rolled out to where the KK was carrying. My best drives generally just creep out to the 300 yard range (+/- a handful of yards) in normal conditions. I use a Garmin S2 Approach or SkyCaddie SGX to mark my drives.

I will check back in with another update after I get out on the course to get some data with real golf balls and not range rocks. I am going to try to get out tomorrow afternoon or Sunday. So far, so good!

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Update on 1/13

I now have 36 holes on the course with the KK Dual TiNi Tour X flex shaft in my 917 D3. I didn't check in with a review after the first 18 holes because I struggled to find the center of the face that day and was hitting the majority of my shots out on the toe. That was with any club driver to wedge. Just wasn't a good day for whatever reason but I was surprised at how well the shaft/917 combo did on balls hit on the toe. Trajectory wasn't nearly as low as I would expect from the low spinning toe shots.

Today was a much better day. I have now hit enough balls where I am comfortable swinging this club and am confident it will give me the results that I am trying to achieve. I played a course today that is 6,500 yards and a 124 slope. I have played this course more than any course since moving to Florida 10 years ago so I know it well. From this set of tees, I don't hit a ton of drivers but more 3 woods and hybrids than I would on most courses. I hit driver on 7 holes and hit 4 fairways. Two misses were just off the fairway that lead to birdies and the other miss was just over cooked and left. I ended up shooting 78 with bogey on the 18th. Before today, my best score on this course was 81 and I have probably played it over 100 times.

My handicap dropped .6 today after just my 5th 70's round since picking up the game 11 years ago. It is now official that the KK will be in the bag and I will be saying adios to the Rogue M-AX. Distance is fantastic, dispersion is tight and I can flight it high or low if needed with a nice mid trajectory on normal swings. MRC has a real winner with this shaft and I am very grateful to have been given a chance to test it. I truly believe this shaft has transformed my game for the better.

Updated my first post above.

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1423030-member-testing-mitsubishi-rayon-kuro-kage-silver-dual-core-tini-shafts-read-reviews-here/#entry14713452

First and foremost I really appreciate MRC Golf and GolfWRX the opportunity to test-drive this shaft! First I would like to give Mr. Joe Hamada at MRC golf a huge shout out! Joe was fantastic in keeping me in the loop on the shaft and details of the order...TOP KNOTCH customer service. There is a little problem with the order but Joe is currently working on it and I should have resolution next week. My original post requested a 70 gram STIFF but after talking to Joe we decided on a X-STIFF based on SS and desired results. He was very helpful and even though he was under the weather he was willing to take questions and make sound recommendations. Second thing that changed from my original post was the driver; I had some disagreements with Callaway Golf so I switched to Nike. Customer service goes a LONG way with me so you can see why I was so delighted with MRC Golf and Mr. Hamada. Once I get back from deployment the wife is going to send me to Taylormade for a KINGDOM fitting so I wasn't worried about Nike equipment...plus the VAPOR FLY PRO is LONG...just watch Rick Shiels YouTube video.

CURRENT SET UP:

Nike Vapor Fly Pro

Tensei CK Blue 50 X-STIFF

45.5

11.5 degree and draw

Little bit about my game: I currently play to a 1.8 HCP but that is largely based on my scrambling and putting game. The ONE part of my game that is inconsistent is the driver, so you can imagine why I jumped at the chance to give this shaft a go! It is probably inconsistent due to me being one of the biggest GolfWRX "ho's" on this site, just check out my feedback and that’s all primarily trades!

I have a pretty steady back swing and a REALLY deliberate down swing, which I think, gets me into trouble. My SS can top out at 110 but it normally ranges from 105-107 with a CONTROLLED swing around 102 or so. You are asking yourself how do I know this, well my really good friend works at a golf shop and I go in and use his stuff. That is going to be PART 2 of my evaluation of this shaft, maybe next week!

YESTERDAY CAME HOME TO THIS:

Lets see what’s in the box:

The box is cool enough!

Its contents:

Kind of sad I didn't get a personalized letter but the HAT and SHIRT made up for it...see the smile (I don't smile much)!

I took a couple of swings in the back yard and it really feels smooth! I little butt stiff but the tip really feels active...cannot wait until tonight when I hit the range. Going to REDO the pictures in landscape later when I get home.

UPDATE:

Still gaming the two shafts but I replaces the tip and through both into a PING G LS driver head. So far the Tensei is winning the battle but by a VERY SMALL margin.

The KK feels really good but I am trying to smooth out my swing so the TENSEI feels a little better. When I try to go at it, the KK is where this shaft shines. The tip is SO STABLE that it doesn't allow the club head to get ahead of the shaft. More to come.

Two solid days of rain have hampered my testing abilities. Shaft testing will be pushed to the next weekend.

First and foremost I really appreciate MRC Golf and GolfWRX the opportunity to test-drive this shaft! First I would like to give Mr. Joe Hamada at MRC golf a huge shout out! Joe was fantastic in keeping me in the loop on the shaft and details of the order...TOP KNOTCH customer service. There is a little problem with the order but Joe is currently working on it and I should have resolution next week. My original post requested a 70 gram STIFF but after talking to Joe we decided on a X-STIFF based on SS and desired results. He was very helpful and even though he was under the weather he was willing to take questions and make sound recommendations. Second thing that changed from my original post was the driver; I had some disagreements with Callaway Golf so I switched to Nike. Customer service goes a LONG way with me so you can see why I was so delighted with MRC Golf and Mr. Hamada. Once I get back from deployment the wife is going to send me to Taylormade for a KINGDOM fitting so I wasn't worried about Nike equipment...plus the VAPOR FLY PRO is LONG...just watch Rick Shiels YouTube video.

 

CURRENT SET UP:

Nike Vapor Fly Pro

Tensei CK Blue 50 X-STIFF

45.5

11.5 degree and draw

 

 

 

 

Little bit about my game: I currently play to a 1.8 HCP but that is largely based on my scrambling and putting game. The ONE part of my game that is inconsistent is the driver, so you can imagine why I jumped at the chance to give this shaft a go! It is probably inconsistent due to me being one of the biggest GolfWRX "ho's" on this site, just check out my feedback and that’s all primarily trades!

 

I have a pretty steady back swing and a REALLY deliberate down swing, which I think, gets me into trouble. My SS can top out at 110 but it normally ranges from 105-107 with a CONTROLLED swing around 102 or so. You are asking yourself how do I know this, well my really good friend works at a golf shop and I go in and use his stuff. That is going to be PART 2 of my evaluation of this shaft, maybe next week!

 

 

YESTERDAY CAME HOME TO THIS:

 

 

 

Lets see what’s in the box:

 

The box is cool enough!

 

 

Its contents:

 

 

Kind of sad I didn't get a personalized letter but the HAT and SHIRT made up for it...see the smile (I don't smile much)!

 

 

I took a couple of swings in the back yard and it really feels smooth! I little butt stiff but the tip really feels active...cannot wait until tonight when I hit the range. Going to REDO the pictures in landscape later when I get home.

Let me know how that shaft interacted with the vapor fly pro. I just picked one up to see if it will kick my vapor flex out and curious about the shaft and driver combo. My driver is my weakness in my game (play to a +1.8) but lately it's been spot on since cutting the driver to 44. Glad to see someone get to test this shaft in a Nike driver

I went to the range today but I am going to hold off for one more range session later this week before sharing my initial thoughts and before getting out on the course. The range I went to today uses limited flight range balls which don't tell the story.

Update in my original post above with my first solid range session with the Dual Core.

Updated at bottom

 

 

What is this? Fancy box.

 

 

 

Would you look at that...more than just a shaft. The hat has a great look to it and the shirt is very comfy. Nice, soft cotton. Props to MRC Golf for the added gifts.

 

 

 

70g, x-stiff, 45.5" playing length, M2 adapter, no tipping, standard setting, Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip. Everything was just as ordered except for one tiny detail. I was sent a TX instead of X. I am not complaining at all though. I originally asked for a 60g version, but when MRC called to get my shirt size I asked if they could send a 70g shaft instead. They were more than happy to oblige. The main difference between the X and the TX is the bend point of the TX being slightly higher. Or at least that is what their documentation states.

 

 

 

 

Here is what I will primarily be testing with/against.

 

 

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Right off the bat, I probably need to cut down the butt end of the Kuro about 1/2" due to the D5 swingweight the current configuration dictates. It makes releasing such a stout shaft somewhat troublesome. That should get me back to a more reasonable D2-ish swingweight without making the shaft too stiff. But for now, I'll just choke up a bit.

 

I have two more rounds of golf coming up in a few days so I will hold off on my initial comments/comparisons, except to say that I gained distance. So stay tuned.

 

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Current GHIN handicap index - 1.5

Swing speed - 108 to 110

Aggressive transition

Relatively flat AoA

Usual ball flight is mid height and straight

Current setup - M2 9.5* head with Motore Speeder 7.3 x-stiff, 45", no tipping

 

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1st round update...

 

Yesterday was a good day to test as there was plenty of range time before the round. Weather on the range was 50ish with a 10mph tailwind. It took a while to figure out how to hit the shaft because of the club's new D5 swingweight. I had to move the ball forward off my front toe and close the clubface a couple degrees to give the clubhead time to release.

 

The first thing I noticed was that all swings resulted in a tight shot pattern on the center of the clubface. I can tend to be a bit sporatic so this a nice change.

 

The second thing was the ball didn't fall out of the sky with the tailwind. The ball seemed to carry forever. With the Motore, I had to rely on roll to get max distance.

 

As far as feel is concerned, the shaft is stout but manageable. Feedback on contact seems heavyish, but not boardy. Maybe because of the heavy swingweight, maybe not. Kind of hard to describe. But this feeling is on every shot, crushed drives and slight mishits. The shaft is very consistent.

 

Things got interesting when the round started. The weather took a turn for the worse with the sun going away and the wind speed going to around 15. My swing speed was noticeably lower but it didn't change the way the shaft performed. Even when I was cold and slow, the shots seemed to be identical. Maybe not as far as on the range, but the ball launched and carried just fine. Most importantly, shots into the wind didn't balloon. My drives carried farther past my elder playing competitors than normal. Additionally, shots off the deck carried a good distance. That might a product of the M2 head, but

the results were good.

 

Overall, I don't see downsides to the shaft. At least not when compared to the Motore.

 

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Had some range time today after cutting the shaft down 1/2". Swingweight is now D2.5. The feel of the shaft is no longer overly stout. Everything is smooth as silk. The biggest thing I notice is that I can swing any speed and have the shaft return to where it's supposed to. When I'm cold, when I'm warmed up, I can still hit a solid, straight ball. Once I grab the pic off my phone you can see the dispersion on the club face. Hitting the center on the driver has always been the worst part of my game. Maybe I just had a good session but this is a game changer for me.

 

 

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Summary:

 

Looks - Classy. Matches the M2 head very nicely.

Feel - Stout, but not boardy. Every shot feels the same, not at all harsh on mishits.

Launch - Mid height (for me)

Spin - Right on the button. Lots of carry downwind and no ballooning into the wind.

The shaft just showed up this week, looks great. Thanks to MRCGolf and GolfWRX for letting me be lucky enough to be a tester for the Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi shaft. Over the next few weeks/month I'll add more and more to this post as I get more time with the shaft.

 

 

 

A little background on me and my game, I'm 33 and I've played golf pretty much my whole life. I typically hover between a 0 and a 3 handicap wise and my swing speed is typically right around 110. I'm a pretty active lurker on GolfWRX so there is plenty of golf ho in me and I love to test/try new equipment if I think I can find something better than what I've been gaming. That being said, I've been much better the last 18 months and just stuck with a driver that works and quit trying to chase distance.

 

MRC sent me a 70TX which will play 44.75" in my driver which is the exact same length as I normally play. I'll be the first to admit, I didn't know much about the MRC Kuro Kage line of shaft other than the Pros that use(d) them in their drivers recently. I've always gamed a whiteboard in my 3W and it's been an outstanding performer for me over the years. Since being selected, I've read up on the Kuro Kage line and think I have a pretty good idea of the differences between them and between the other MRC lines.

 

Right now my current driver is a Titleist 917D2 9.5* with an MRC Diamana LTD D+ 70X shaft which is pretty new and I only have about 5 or so rounds with the new stick and some range sessions. For most of the last few years I gamed a 915D2 9.5* with a Fuji Pro TS 73X so I'll use that as a comparison as well shaft wise. I've also owned at some point of myriad of different shafts at some point (AD-DI, Kiyoshi Purple, Devotions, Speeder 7.2, 7.2TS, 6.3TS, RIP alpha, Rogue Silver and others I can't even think of right now). I was fitted for my 917/D+ combo and my launch numbers were pretty ideal for me.

 

I live in VA so winter can be pretty hit or miss as far as how much I get to play or practice this time of year, I took the Kuro Kage out yesterday for it's maiden voyage on the range but it had been 2-3 weeks since I'd touched a club and it wasn't pretty which had absolutely nothing to do with the shaft. I will get more time with the shaft and test it against my gamer.

 

I have pretty easy access to get on Flightscope both indoors & outdoors so I plan to do side-by-side launch monitor testing and compare the KKDC to my gamer. I'm not a huge launch monitor guy, I'll typically get as close as I can to ideal launch numbers and then find the shaft that feels the best to me and most importantly the one that performs out on the golf course.

 

More pics to follow as I get more time with the shaft and see how it performs!

 

1/1 - Update:

I finally got a good solid range session over the long weekend and spent a lot of time hitting the D+ LTD vs. the KKDC to see any differences. Feel wise it's definitely smoother through impact, which is something I can definitely get used to. The D+ feels good in it's own right but it's much firmer into impact and the Dual Core just felt much smoother. Trajectory wise the two are similar again, I actually seemed to hit the dual core a little lower which I didn't think would happen. To the naked eye the Dual Core did not look overly spinny compared to the D+ but distance wise the D+ seemed to win going away. I'm not really sure what the culprit is, whether it was too much spin or not enough but the KKDC would look nearly identical off the driver and get out and then just kind of fall out of the sky shorter of where my D+ was flying. I've seen no spin knuckleballs in the past so I don't think it was too little spin but it also didn't look to be really spinny either. I'm going to have to hit them both on Flightscope to see why that is happening because good for good the two shafts gave me very similar trajectories and the Dual Core would just get out there and kinda drop straight down. It was really strange.

 

I'll continue to test as I get more and more range time and hopefully get on Flightscope soon to post some data.

First and foremost I really appreciate MRC Golf and GolfWRX the opportunity to test-drive this shaft! First I would like to give Mr. Joe Hamada at MRC golf a huge shout out! Joe was fantastic in keeping me in the loop on the shaft and details of the order...TOP KNOTCH customer service. There is a little problem with the order but Joe is currently working on it and I should have resolution next week. My original post requested a 70 gram STIFF but after talking to Joe we decided on a X-STIFF based on SS and desired results. He was very helpful and even though he was under the weather he was willing to take questions and make sound recommendations. Second thing that changed from my original post was the driver; I had some disagreements with Callaway Golf so I switched to Nike. Customer service goes a LONG way with me so you can see why I was so delighted with MRC Golf and Mr. Hamada. Once I get back from deployment the wife is going to send me to Taylormade for a KINGDOM fitting so I wasn't worried about Nike equipment...plus the VAPOR FLY PRO is LONG...just watch Rick Shiels YouTube video.

 

CURRENT SET UP:

Nike Vapor Fly Pro

Tensei CK Blue 50 X-STIFF

45.5

11.5 degree and draw

 

 

 

 

Little bit about my game: I currently play to a 1.8 HCP but that is largely based on my scrambling and putting game. The ONE part of my game that is inconsistent is the driver, so you can imagine why I jumped at the chance to give this shaft a go! It is probably inconsistent due to me being one of the biggest GolfWRX "ho's" on this site, just check out my feedback and that’s all primarily trades!

 

I have a pretty steady back swing and a REALLY deliberate down swing, which I think, gets me into trouble. My SS can top out at 110 but it normally ranges from 105-107 with a CONTROLLED swing around 102 or so. You are asking yourself how do I know this, well my really good friend works at a golf shop and I go in and use his stuff. That is going to be PART 2 of my evaluation of this shaft, maybe next week!

 

 

YESTERDAY CAME HOME TO THIS:

 

 

 

Lets see what’s in the box:

 

The box is cool enough!

 

 

Its contents:

 

 

Kind of sad I didn't get a personalized letter but the HAT and SHIRT made up for it...see the smile (I don't smile much)!

 

 

I took a couple of swings in the back yard and it really feels smooth! I little butt stiff but the tip really feels active...cannot wait until tonight when I hit the range. Going to REDO the pictures in landscape later when I get home.

First and foremost I really appreciate MRC Golf and GolfWRX the opportunity to test-drive this shaft! First I would like to give Mr. Joe Hamada at MRC golf a huge shout out! Joe was fantastic in keeping me in the loop on the shaft and details of the order...TOP KNOTCH customer service. There is a little problem with the order but Joe is currently working on it and I should have resolution next week. My original post requested a 70 gram STIFF but after talking to Joe we decided on a X-STIFF based on SS and desired results. He was very helpful and even though he was under the weather he was willing to take questions and make sound recommendations. Second thing that changed from my original post was the driver; I had some disagreements with Callaway Golf so I switched to Nike. Customer service goes a LONG way with me so you can see why I was so delighted with MRC Golf and Mr. Hamada. Once I get back from deployment the wife is going to send me to Taylormade for a KINGDOM fitting so I wasn't worried about Nike equipment...plus the VAPOR FLY PRO is LONG...just watch Rick Shiels YouTube video.

 

CURRENT SET UP:

Nike Vapor Fly Pro

Tensei CK Blue 50 X-STIFF

45.5

11.5 degree and draw

 

 

 

 

Little bit about my game: I currently play to a 1.8 HCP but that is largely based on my scrambling and putting game. The ONE part of my game that is inconsistent is the driver, so you can imagine why I jumped at the chance to give this shaft a go! It is probably inconsistent due to me being one of the biggest GolfWRX "ho's" on this site, just check out my feedback and that's all primarily trades!

 

I have a pretty steady back swing and a REALLY deliberate down swing, which I think, gets me into trouble. My SS can top out at 110 but it normally ranges from 105-107 with a CONTROLLED swing around 102 or so. You are asking yourself how do I know this, well my really good friend works at a golf shop and I go in and use his stuff. That is going to be PART 2 of my evaluation of this shaft, maybe next week!

 

 

YESTERDAY CAME HOME TO THIS:

 

 

 

Lets see what's in the box:

 

The box is cool enough!

 

 

Its contents:

 

 

Kind of sad I didn't get a personalized letter but the HAT and SHIRT made up for it...see the smile (I don't smile much)!

 

 

I took a couple of swings in the back yard and it really feels smooth! I little butt stiff but the tip really feels active...cannot wait until tonight when I hit the range. Going to REDO the pictures in landscape later when I get home.

 

Let me know how that shaft interacted with the vapor fly pro. I just picked one up to see if it will kick my vapor flex out and curious about the shaft and driver combo. My driver is my weakness in my game (play to a +1.8) but lately it's been spot on since cutting the driver to 44. Glad to see someone get to test this shaft in a Nike driver

We talked via PM! I loved the shaft in this head! I did not miss a fairway a few days ago....don't hesitate getting this shaft!

First and foremost I really appreciate MRC Golf and GolfWRX the opportunity to test-drive this shaft! First I would like to give Mr. Joe Hamada at MRC golf a huge shout out! Joe was fantastic in keeping me in the loop on the shaft and details of the order...TOP KNOTCH customer service. There is a little problem with the order but Joe is currently working on it and I should have resolution next week. My original post requested a 70 gram STIFF but after talking to Joe we decided on a X-STIFF based on SS and desired results. He was very helpful and even though he was under the weather he was willing to take questions and make sound recommendations. Second thing that changed from my original post was the driver; I had some disagreements with Callaway Golf so I switched to Nike. Customer service goes a LONG way with me so you can see why I was so delighted with MRC Golf and Mr. Hamada. Once I get back from deployment the wife is going to send me to Taylormade for a KINGDOM fitting so I wasn't worried about Nike equipment...plus the VAPOR FLY PRO is LONG...just watch Rick Shiels YouTube video.

 

CURRENT SET UP:

Nike Vapor Fly Pro

Tensei CK Blue 50 X-STIFF

45.5

11.5 degree and draw

 

 

 

 

Little bit about my game: I currently play to a 1.8 HCP but that is largely based on my scrambling and putting game. The ONE part of my game that is inconsistent is the driver, so you can imagine why I jumped at the chance to give this shaft a go! It is probably inconsistent due to me being one of the biggest GolfWRX "ho's" on this site, just check out my feedback and that’s all primarily trades!

 

I have a pretty steady back swing and a REALLY deliberate down swing, which I think, gets me into trouble. My SS can top out at 110 but it normally ranges from 105-107 with a CONTROLLED swing around 102 or so. You are asking yourself how do I know this, well my really good friend works at a golf shop and I go in and use his stuff. That is going to be PART 2 of my evaluation of this shaft, maybe next week!

 

 

YESTERDAY CAME HOME TO THIS:

 

 

 

Lets see what’s in the box:

 

The box is cool enough!

 

 

Its contents:

 

 

Kind of sad I didn't get a personalized letter but the HAT and SHIRT made up for it...see the smile (I don't smile much)!

 

 

I took a couple of swings in the back yard and it really feels smooth! I little butt stiff but the tip really feels active...cannot wait until tonight when I hit the range. Going to REDO the pictures in landscape later when I get home.

WHAT - NO LETTER? My guys are slipping...... someone is going to get fired! :busted_cop:

Really not that big of deal...I was joking! Mr. Hamada is great and I couldn't have been happier for his customer service!

Still waiting on the shaft to arrive, but I'll chime in after it gets here and I'm able to schedule the Trackman time.

From the reviews already posted it sounds like a solid performer.

Post #15 updated after today's trip to the range.

Still waiting on the shaft to arrive, but I'll chime in after it gets here and I'm able to schedule the Trackman time.

 

From the reviews already posted it sounds like a solid performer.

Me too @Ron your av is mesmerizing...gheesh! :taunt:

edit: still waiting as I rec'd shaft but with wrong tip...hope to have it in the next couple of days!

I would love to hear how this compares to the Tensei White or Tensei orange.