Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro Blue Shaft Review - Plugged In Golf (2024)

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 Whitehas 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, the1K 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