50 Words or Less
The Mitsubishi MMT Putter shaft is extremely stable thanks to the latest in Metal Mesh Technology – SPEEDMESH. Very soft, solid feel. Sharp looks.
Introduction
Over the last year, the putter shaft went from being an afterthought to one of the hottest pieces of gear in the bag. That doesn’t look like it will change any time soon, particularly now that Mitsubishi, one of golf’s preeminent shaft makers, has entered the fray. The Mitsubishi MMT Putter shaft takes Metal Mesh Technology, which the company has applied most notably in iron shafts, and brings it to the green. I tested one to see how it performs.
Looks
The MMT Putter shaft is visually similar to the MMT iron shaft [review HERE]. It’s black from grip to tip with a moderate amount of grey and white graphics. On the “logo up” side, you’ll see the MMT and MCA logos, the “Putter Concept” designation, and a callout for the SPEEDMESH material. If you install the shaft “logo down,” all you’ll see is a small, grey MMT logo below the grip. There’s also a very small MMT/SPEEDMESH logo near the tip along the side.
Overall, the MMT Putter shaft hits the same sweet spot that many Mitsubishi shafts do. It’s aesthetically engaging without being gaudy or attention grabbing. The black base color doesn’t beg for attention on the greens, leaving you to focus on holing putts.
Feel
The first thing you’ll notice about the MMT Putter shaft is the weight. It clocks in at 135 grams, which puts it among the heaviest shafts – steel or graphite – on the green. That said, I found it didn’t feel heavy. The reason is that the weight is distributed evenly throughout the shaft so you don’t end up with a dramatically altered swing weight..
MMT Putter further separates itself from other heavy graphite shafts with a fairly average .610 butt diameter. This is important because it won’t enlarge your putter grip the way a fatter shaft can.
During the swing, the MMT Putter has a very solid “one piece” feel. There’s no bending, twisting, or deflection noticeable, even on the longest putts or ugly mishits. That said, it doesn’t feel overly rigid.
Finally, the MMT Putter shaft makes impact feel more solid and softer. Unlike steel, it doesn’t let any excess vibration get to your hands. All you’ll feel is the ball striking the perfectly supported putter face.
Find the smoothest feel in the Mitsubishi Diamana Putter shaft HERE
Performance
What makes the MMT Putter shaft unique is the incorporation of SPEEDMESH. This new material is a mixture of 304 stainless steel and graphite that’s 75% lighter and thinner than the original Metal Mesh. Because it’s so light, it can be used in the full length of the shaft to minimize deflection and face rotation.
For those that question the value of high end putter shafts, Mitsubishi’s press release on MMT Putter puts it perfectly. “Swing speeds on the green may be slower but the margin for error is nearly none.” Switching putter shafts is never going to have the immediate “WOW!” impact of finding the perfect driver shaft, but it can improve your scores, a few inches at a time.
To that point, Mitsubishi’s own research keeps expectations in line with reality. They tested MMT Putter vs. steel putter shafts on GEARS and noted incremental improvements in tempo, deviation, and face mapping (i.e. how consistently the ball was struck in the middle of the face). I saw the same things in my testing. The heavier-but-balanced feel took any jerking out of my stroke, and the stability of the shaft kept my strikes centered.
At the time of publication, the Mitsubishi MMT Putter shaft is being offered in one weight – 135 grams. There are two tip sizes available – .370 parallel and .355 taper – but it’s meant solely for use in plumbers neck putters.
Conclusion
Improving at golf is rarely the result of one major thing; it’s typically a lot of small upgrades. If you want to make one of those upgrades in the easiest way possible, optimize your putter with a premium shaft like the Mitsubishi MMT Putter.
Visit Mitsubishi Chemical 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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24 Comments
I always see the term “stable” used with these new putter shafts. What does that really mean and why doesn’t a steel shaft feel “stable?” I am interested in the new putter shafts, but how do you know which one you should go with? You describe subtleties picked up on gears, but not everyone has access to gears. Is puttlab a good option? Quintic? Are these type of shafts really targeted for heavier heads to reduce their shaft deflection or are they just as beneficial for sub 350g putter heads? Are these better options for someone that feels the movement of the head of the putter versus someone that feels the movement of their hands
I’ve tried the stability and the stability tour and they were okay, but I didn’t notice anything of significance. That’s why I ask what stable means….
Chris,
You’re asking a lot of great questions. One thing that’s unfortunately true right now is that fitting for putter shafts is lagging behind the release of these shafts because the whole category is so new. I fully expect that we’re going to see Club Champion offer compelling ways to test putter shafts in the future, it’s just not something that’s going to happen in the short term. With that said, I think either of the systems you mention are very good, the more difficult part is finding someone with all the shafts to test.
One thing I can say pretty safely is that there’s a benefit to these shafts at any putter head weight because, as I mentioned in the review, it’s all about reducing or eliminating margin for error.
To your final point/question about noticing significant difference: as I said in the review, changing putter shafts is not going to be a “slaps you in the face” type experience. You’re not going to see immediate gains like you do with a driver shaft. What I feel with a more stable shaft is less twisting on mishits and a more predictable, consistent feel during the swing, but the differences are very subtle. Some people may not notice a big difference because feel is subjective.
To the big question of which one to pick, the lack of fitting options does force you toward the “buy to try” model. We write reviews to try to help you narrow your options, but until putter shaft fitting catches up, upgrading your putter shaft requires a leap of faith and a willingness to experiment.
-Matt
Matt-I hate mushy feeling putts but want a graphite putter shaft that gives a hard,clicky feel. Which would you recommend? I was thinking aerotech steel fiber putter shaft, ust mamiya all in shaft or ? Anything good price that gives it a firm, feel?
Jeff,
I’ve never found a graphite shaft that didn’t soften the impact feel. There are graphite putter shafts that do less to soften impact and shafts that are very firm during the swing, however.
-Matt
Matt – would it work in a Swag Suave Too or similar flow/goose neck putter?
Josh,
No, it only works with plumbers neck putters.
-Matt
Any idea of a good shaft for TM Spider X single bend?
Jeff,
For any putter that isn’t a plumbers neck, the only premium option I know of are the Stability shafts. We have reviews here: https://pluggedingolf.com/?s=stability+shaft+review
Best,
Matt
Mitsubishi announced the MMT Putter Shaft will be: “available in parallel or taper. As of now, only compatible with plumber’s neck hosels.” The inference is that other hosel options may be offered at some point in the future. IMHO there are too many other hostel configurations for Mitsubishi to ignore if they want the MMT Putter Concept to ultimately be successful.
https://www.mca-golf.com/products/mmt-putter-concept
How does this one compare to the LAGP putter shafts? Love the LAGP putter shaft but it’s large price tag makes it tough to try it in different putters. The MMT is a much better price point but not sure how they’d compare.
Nicholas,
I have a full review of the LAGP TPZ here: https://pluggedingolf.com/lagp-tpz-putter-shaft-review/
-Matt
I know. I’ve read that one and have used the LAGP myself. I don’t want to spend $400 per shaft to put it in some of my other putters so I was wondering how you could compare the two of them against each other since you’ve tried both. I don’t have a way to compare the LAGP with the MMT unless I buy one. Thanks!
Nicholas,
I prefer the feel of the MMT and the weight distribution. It doesn’t feel as heavy as it is, and it’s very solid without feeling rigid, to me.
-Matt
Awesome! Love to hear that. The weight of the LAGP135 was my only complaint so the MMT feeling lighter is great news. Will likely get one of these ordered soon! Appreciate it!
Are you still gaming the Fuji MC Putter shaft?
David,
At this time, yes.
Best,
Matt
Right now none of the new shafts offer the double bend option, so if I have a straight back straight through putting through that requires a face-balanced putter, I guess I am out of luck?
Victor,
You could get a long neck plumbers neck if you want something face-balanced that will work with most graphite putter shafts.
-Matt
Hi, Matt. Would a .355 tapered tip MMT fit my Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2? Plumber’s neck of course.
Thank you.
Alfred,
Yes, I believe Scotty uses a .355 plumbers neck.
-Matt
I just had one installed on my Newport 2 and I couldn’t be happier.
Just stumbled on this review, very interesting.
I have a 350g head putter and use a 35” steel shaft, which feels on the heavier side to most putters off the shelf at this length.
Would the heavier shaft make this putter head feel even heavier? Ideally I’d like to keep the weighting and balance pretty similar.
Many thanks
Oliver,
I can’t say for sure because I don’t know the weight or balance point of the steel shaft you have. As I said in the review, the MMT is pretty well balanced, so I don’t think it will dramatically alter swing weight in most cases.
-Matt
Perfect, thanks Matt!