Graphite Design Tour AD EK: Is It the Right Upgrade for Your Driver?

“Extra Kick” is an intriguing name, but a premium shaft should earn its place in your bag by solving a specific problem. Before ordering the Graphite Design Tour AD EK Wood Shaft, ask yourself: What do I want to change about my current driver? Which configuration should I consider? And what would make this a genuine upgrade rather than simply a different feel?

This guide is for golfers who are past the browsing stage and want to make a thoughtful buying decision. The goal is not to convince everyone to play the EK. It is to help you decide whether it belongs on your shortlist and what information you need to choose your build.

What is the Tour AD EK designed to offer?

The EK's “Extra Kick” name points toward its responsive performance concept. Our product listing describes a stiff butt, firm midsection, and stiff tip, with a mid/high-launch and low/mid-spin design target.

Those descriptions are a starting point for fitting, not a guaranteed ball flight. A shaft's launch category does not tell you exactly how high you will hit it, and its spin category does not promise a particular spin number. Your delivery, strike, head, loft, and finished build still matter.

Likewise, “kick” is a feel description, not a promise of extra yards. The useful question is whether the shaft's response helps you deliver the club more consistently.

Who should put the EK on their shortlist?

The EK is worth discussing if you want to explore a more responsive feel or a profile with a mid/high-launch design target. It may also be worth testing if your current setup feels difficult to load and you are trying to improve carry without simply increasing driver loft.

Start with a clear goal. “I want a better shaft” is hard to fit. “I want more playable carry while keeping my left miss under control” gives the conversation direction.

If you already hit the ball too high, struggle with excess spin, or like a very firm-feeling setup, do not buy the EK just because it is new. First identify why your current flight looks the way it does. A different shaft may help, but it may not be the first adjustment your build needs.

Your current shaft is the most useful comparison

Before comparing product names, write down your current shaft model, weight class and flex, driver head and loft, finished playing length, usual miss, and the improvement you want.

If you play Ventus Blue VeloCore+, Ventus Black VeloCore+, or Tour AD DI, use that setup as your baseline rather than assuming the EK is an automatic step up. Ask what you like about your current shaft and what you would change. You might want a different loading sensation without changing flight much, or you might need a meaningful change in launch or consistency.

There is no useful universal ranking of these shafts from best to worst. A familiar premium shaft that fits your delivery can be a better choice than a newer premium shaft that does not. Test a specific EK build against a specific current build, not one brand's reputation against another.

How should you choose EK weight and flex?

The configurations offered in our EK listing include 4S, 4X, 5R1, 5S, 5X, 6S, 6X, 7S, and 7X. Check the product page for current availability.

Start with the weight and flex you already play successfully. That does not mean you must stay there; it gives you a reference point. A lighter option is not automatically faster in a useful way, and a heavier option is not automatically more accurate.

Consider how you change direction at the top, whether your swing is smooth or forceful, how well you sense the clubhead, and whether your contact stays consistent as you swing harder. Swing speed helps narrow the discussion, but it should not make the decision alone.

Do not assume a flex label feels identical across different shaft models or brands. If you are deciding between two EK configurations, explain your current build and your tempo before choosing based only on the letter printed on the shaft.

What would prove the EK is an upgrade?

Compare it with your current shaft under reasonably matched conditions. Keep the driver head, loft setting, ball, and playing length consistent where practical. If the builds differ, note those differences so you do not attribute every change to the shaft.

Look beyond your longest drive. Useful comparisons include:

• Typical carry: Does the improvement show up across ordinary swings?
• Dispersion: Are shots finishing in a more useful pattern?
• Strike location: Is contact becoming more repeatable?
• Launch and spin: Do the numbers support the flight you need?
• Miss quality: Are imperfect swings producing more playable results?
• Feel and timing: Can you make your normal swing without fighting the shaft?

One exceptional shot is exciting. A repeatable improvement is a stronger reason to buy. If the main difference is feel, ask whether that feel gives you better timing or confidence, rather than assuming it must also add distance.

Can the Tour AD EK be used in a fairway wood?

Our Tour AD EK listing supports both driver and fairway-wood applications. But a successful driver setup is a baseline, not a prescription for your fairway wood.

A fairway wood may need to perform from the turf, off the tee, or both. Its role should guide the weight, finished length, and build decisions. Follow Graphite Design's model-specific trimming guidance instead of guessing at tip trimming or copying another shaft's instructions.

Tell us the exact club and how you intend to use it before ordering a fairway-wood build.

What should you confirm before ordering?

A shaft model is only part of the purchase. Before finalizing your build, confirm:

• Clubhead and adapter: Your exact head model and compatible adapter.
• Handedness: The correct setup for your club and adapter system.
• Finished playing length: The assembled club length you want, not just the loose shaft length.
• Grip: Your preferred model and size.
• Trimming: Any requested changes, checked against manufacturer guidance.
• What is included: Whether your selected order is uncut or configured, and which components and services are included in the displayed price.
• Timing and returns: Availability, assembly lead time, and the terms that apply to your selected custom build.

If anything is unclear, ask before ordering. It is easier to settle the specifications before a shaft is cut and assembled.

Our recommendation: buy for the fit, not the name

The Tour AD EK deserves consideration if its intended profile lines up with your goal. It does not need to be the right shaft for everyone to be the right shaft for you.

Start with your current build, identify the change you want, and choose a configuration with a clear reason behind it. Then judge the result by repeatable performance and playable misses, not a single best shot.

Considering the Tour AD EK? View the Graphite Design Tour AD EK options, or call John at (515) 341-6733 for a complimentary fitting conversation. Have your current shaft, head and loft, playing length, usual miss, and improvement goal ready. We will help you decide whether the EK belongs on your shortlist and which build to consider.

Don't see what you need? Contact John directly at (515) 341-6733 for custom orders, help with fitting, or answers to any questions. Whether you need a configuration you don't see listed or want guidance before ordering, John is here to help.