Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight

Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight

Fujikura is one of the most advanced companies in the industry when it comes to shaft research.

Their Enso Technology Lab is a committed facility that analyzes swings, shaft engineering and shaft performance to an insanely meticulous degree.

That’s why their shafts are gamed by some of the best players on the PGA Tour. But what about for the rest of us mere mortals? Does Fujikura make shafts for us? And if so, do they offer the same degree of performance as Tour-level models? To answer this question, I went out and tested what some would call an “entry-level” Fujikura shaft: the Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56.

Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 Shaft Overview

Generally, I’m not a fan of shafts with yellow color schemes unless the yellow is kept to a minimum.

The Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 does a good job of incorporating the color yellow tastefully. Most of the shaft is black. “Fujikura” is spelled out in big block letters with yellow outlining across the middle of the shaft. The “56” lettering is also yellow but it’s confined to a much smaller font near the tip section. So overall, I actually really like the look of this shaft.

As you may have been able to guess by the name, the Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 is a lightweight shaft. At 56 grams, it was designed for players with slow or declining swing speeds. Although I couldn’t get a torque rating for this shaft, my best guess after thoroughly testing it would be that it is a 4.5°-5° torque shaft. The Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 feels pretty lively. In fact, this may be the most active Fujikura shaft I have ever tested.

There is a slight whippy feel in it which I guess, is to be expected with such a light shaft. If you are looking for assistance with club head speed, this shaft will probably appeal to you. But there wasn’t a great deal of control when I really loaded up on it. I felt the club head was getting ahead of my swing. However, the transition still felt smooth and the kick back wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. The same should be true for slower swing speed players.

While I personally prefer a bit more control, there’s no doubt that the Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 feels fast.

Why is the Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 So Popular?

I can imagine that the Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 would be a popular choice among senior players and slow swing speed players.

It is effortlessly fast and gives you the sense that it is actually helping you accelerate the club head through the ball.

How Does the Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 Perform?

I was both surprised and unsurprised at the performance of this shaft.

I was surprised that Fujikura produced such an unwieldy shaft. But then I came back down to earth and told myself, ‘oh yeah, it weighs 56 grams.’ The Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 performed how such a light shaft should perform. The spin rates were high, often exceeding 2900 RPMs for me. And there wasn’t much I could do to lower that figure.

Even when I swung well within myself, the high-torque and the low kick point put a bunch of spin on the ball. As a result, the dispersion wasn’t super-tight. My off-line divergence usually strayed past the 13 yard mark. Still, my average carry when all was said and done was 258.0 yards. Nothing to write home about; but certainly nothing to scoff at either.

In the end, I am not the kind of player this shaft was made for. My 90+ MPH swing speed leaves this shaft in the dust for me. But I was pleasantly surprised by the launch angles. The Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 produces a mid launch that I found, could be worked a couple degrees lower or higher.

Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 Shaft Specs

Specs	Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56
Available flexes	Amateur, regular
Weight	56g
Tip	.335”
Length	44.5”

What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

Regular flex would be good for players in the 75-85 MPH swing speed range.

It also comes in amateur flex which may suit players in the 60-74 MPH swing speed range.

What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

The Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 is a 56-gram shaft. It’s very light and would likely suit players in the 60-80 MPH swing speed range.

Why is it So Good?

The best thing about the Fujikura XLR8 Pro 56 is that  it’s fast.

You can feel it  increase your club head speed which, more often than not, will increase your ball speed.