50 Words or Less
The Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue shaft is a supremely controlled version of the classic Blue profile. Mid launch and spin. Extremely consistent.
Introduction
With two shafts in my 2023 bag [details HERE], Mitsubishi’s TENSEI 1K Pro family has clearly stood out from the pack. The TENSEI 1K Pro White has been my gamer since I got it in for review, and the 1K Black [review HERE] has been a perfect counterpart in my “mini” driver.
After almost two years, the 1K Pro family now includes the most popular model: TENSEI Blue. With a mid-launch, mid-spin profile, this is the do-anything shaft. Can it unseat its older brother in my driver? I tested it to find out.
Looks
The Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue carries forward the same aesthetic package as the 1K Pro Orange [review HERE], and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. This shaft is more workhorse than eye-candy, but it’s not visually dull.
Above the branding, you can see the carbon weave beneath Mitsubishi’s Multi-Material logo. The thick blue band denotes the shaft model before your eyes hit the iridescent TENSEI logo. This is my favorite part of the shaft – a subtle upgrade over the standard TENSEI that’s only visible in the right light. The lower portion of the shaft is all black to create a distraction-free address look.
Feel
The Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue has the most action of any 1K shaft, but it’s extremely controlled. Swinging it brought to mind a kung fu master firing a kick that stops an inch short of the student’s ear. There’s an explosion of energy in the middle of the shaft, but it’s never out of control.
That added control is what separates the TENSEI 1K Pro Blue to other from other Mitsubishi Blue profiles. I’ll add that you also need to give this shaft a solid effort to get it to kick. Where a shaft like the Kai’li Blue [review HERE] loads with almost any effort, 1K Blue needs to feel some speed to get switched on.
Performance
With the weather now beautiful, I started by testing of the Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue on the range alongside my gamer, the 1K Pro White [review HERE]. Both were built to the same length with the same grip and used in my PING G425 MAX driver.
The first thing that stood out is that, for me, the Blue and White produced slightly different shot shapes and patterns. With the White, a good swing is anything from a straight ball to a small push, so my shots are center to center-right. With the 1K Blue, my shots were straight to a very small draw, basically taking my shot pattern and shifting it left. What I like about the 1K shafts is that, in both models, they’re incredibly consistent. The only time I got a bad result was when I made a bad swing.
Find higher launch with the TENSEI 1K Pro Red HERE
I’ve been trying to take a lot of the “hit” and aggression out of my swing [big thanks to the GForce trainer, review HERE], and, with that smoother swing, the TENSEI 1K Blue felt more versatile than the White. I can hit all kinds of shots with the White, but the Blue was easier to draw while still retaining the ability to shape the ball right.
Moving to the launch monitor, my numbers were similar with the Blue and White. When I hit a perfectly straight ball, the TENSEI 1K Pro Blue did launch and spin slightly more than the White. However, on average, the Blue was slightly lower in launch and spin because it favored a draw over a push. This is a pattern I’ve seen frequently in my years of shaft testing, and one of the big reasons why I emphasize that you can’t fit a shaft on paper.
The Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue is offered in four weights – 50, 60, 70, and 80 grams. At both 50 and 60 grams, there are four flexes: regular, stiff, X, and TX. In the 70 and 80 gram versions, there are three flexes available: stiff, X, and TX.
Conclusion
The Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue takes the beloved blue profile and adds a noticeable level of consistency and control. From the local muni to the Tour (2 PGA Tour wins and counting), this is the TENSEI 1K that will fit the widest range of players. Test it with your local Mitsubishi fitter to find the right weight and flex to elevate your driver.
Visit Mitsubishi Golf HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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9 Comments
Well Matt …………..Did the 1k Blue unseat the 1k White shaft in your driver ?
Scott,
No, the 1K White remains in my bag.
-Matt
Hi Matt,
Great review.
Without going back over previous shaft reviews, how would you say this stacks up against other “blue profile”, high end shaft offerings? V blue and TR blue, RDX blue, Kai’li blue, Diamana GT.
Cheers mate
Nick,
I’m not sure what you mean by “without going back over previous reviews”.
I think the TENSEI 1K Pro Blue is excellent and objectively on par with anything you mentioned. Beyond that, it’s a matter of preference and fit.
Best,
Matt
Hello there. I am swinging around 115 mph. Should I go TX or X? moderate tempo.
Sorry Stephen, there’s just no way to accurately answer that question. You need to hit them both and see which performs better for you.
– Meeks
I’m a glider type swing with a swing speed between 103 to 108. I found my sweet spot on a TSR2 @ 50x playing length 45.5. My typical shaft is an S but this shaft LoAds big. Anectotal evidence only, would have me recommend the TX for 115. Especially if you’re playing the 50 or 60 g shaft
You should try and get your hands on a 50x or tx Matt, I’ve actually gained around 8 to 10 tards by going lighter and slightly longer, anyway great review thank you
I started gaming the 1K Pro White in a TSi3 this year. I was fitted at club champion but couldn’t afford the $1,000+ for a TSR3 build they quoted me. There were a couple of these shafts on eBay in the $200-250 range ($450 through CC), and I ended up taking a gamble on a 60 tx. As soon as I placed the order I started regretting it, thinking it would be way too stiff for me (my driver ss usually averages around 108 indoors on Trackman, but tends to be a bit higher on outdoor launch monitors and can get up around 110-115 if I go after it). I have to say, this shaft feels truly amazing in that it never feels boardy but at the same time, I never question whether it’s “stiff enough”. My previous shaft was a project x smoke yellow 6.5 and while that shaft is plenty stout enough for me on paper, it felt a little wild when I really went after it. With the 1K I can swing as hard as I want on the range and it will always keep up. At the same time, it still feels just fine with fairway finder swings – there’s plenty of action there.
My point is, I think this is a fairly unique shaft that is a good fit for “tweeners” so if you’re in that 108-115 ss group, and like the x version of this shaft, tx is worth considering. It’s really interesting to me that this shaft can perform for such a broad group of people (Cam Young and Gordon Sargent, both 190 mph ball speed guys, play this shaft in tx) but fitting involves so much more than swing speed.