MITSUBISHI DIAMANA
By Russ Ryden, A Golf Digest America’s 100 Best Clubfitter
Fit2Score, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas
Mitsubishi Diamana ‘ahina
The successor to the Diamana White Board, the Diamana ‘ahina is a low launch, low torque shaft. The softer butt allows players with a drop style transition to load the shaft at the beginning of the downswing. The firm midsection is an important design aspect, delivering control of the stiff tip. The new Multi Dimensional Interlay fabric from Mitsubishi creates a more stable and stiffer tip. This stability is seen in both linear and radial directions. The mid-tip profile is designed to deliver a low launch similar to the Diamana White Board.
The overall torque of the ‘ahina ranges from 3.3 in the 60R to 2.5 in the 80X. The tip torque of this shaft is among the lowest we have measured. The Diamana ‘ahina profiles are consistent from weight to weight and flex to flex. The radial profiles are excellent; the shaft can be used in any orientation.
Mitsubishi Diamana ‘ilima
The successor to the Diamana Red Board, the Diamana ‘ilima is a high launch, low torque shaft. The softer butt allows players with a drop style transition to load the shaft at the beginning of the downswing. The MDI fabric from Mitsubishi creates a stable, stiff tip. The ilima launches higher than its design partner, the ahina. The feel of the tip is noticeably stiffer than the Red Board.
Unlike the Red Board, the butt of the ilima closely matches the ahina design. The ilima is unique, bringing low torque to a high launching shaft. The ilima is a spectacular fairway golf shaft. I have sold countless numbers of fairways with the Diamana ilima. The reaction is always the same, ‘awesome’.
The overall torque of the ‘ilima ranges from 3.3 in the 60R to 2.7 in the 70X. The tip torque of this shaft is among the lowest I have measured in high launching shafts. The Diamana ilima profiles are consistent from weight to weight and flex to flex. The radial profiles are excellent; the shaft can be used in any orientation.
Mitsubishi Diamana Kai’li
The successor to the Diamana Blue Board, the Kaili like other shafts in the second generation of Diamanas has a stiffer tip and compensation in the low mid to maintain a similar flight to the Blue Board. The multi-dimensional interlay tip fabric, referred to in Mitsubishi’s publications results in smoother profiles. The Kai’li became one of my most popular the day it was introduced.
The overall torque of the Diamana Kai’li ranges from 3.3 in the 60R to 2.7 in the 70X. The MDI material in the tip provides a very low torque, while the butt torque is relaxed to create more feel.
The MDI material in the tip provides a very low torque, while the butt torque is relaxed to create more feel. This design, a stiff butt, is well suited to a fast tempo, hard transition swing. The smooth transition to a relatively soft mid section provides a controlled release of the load created by a hard transition. This design is a classic found in many of what I might dare to refer to as game improvement driver shafts. This shaft logo has been used in a few off the rack golf clubs. The volume of off the rack clubs vs aftermarket shaft sales is not overlooked at Mitsubishi. High torque versions of the Blue Board profile are available from many shaft brands, Mitsubishi included.