History was made at Portrush as Fujikura made it a clean sweep of winners across all four Major Championships in 2025.

In a season of unprecedented glory and worldwide wins, the position of Fujikura as the consistent choice of champions and the global leader in shaft innovation was confirmed with all four Major winners using VENTUS shafts in their driver – the first time a specialist driver shaft brand has achieved such a feat*.

Fujikura registered its first Major win in 2001, and over the last five years has become the most used driver shaft on the PGA Tour with countless more victories across golf’s biggest tournaments.

The 2025 Major Championship at Portrush demanded the very best in power and accuracy, due to the course’s tight and dog-legging fairways, and greens protected by devilish pot-bunkers and viscous run-off areas.

Ultimately, an ability to control the trajectory of the ball from the tee – as well as being able to attack the par 5s with confidence from the fairway – ensured the winner, Scottie Scheffler, remained in control over the closing two rounds after topping the leaderboard following Friday’s second round.

The win in Portrush was the second Major success of the year for Scheffler, following another runaway victory in the 107th PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. On both occasions, he was able to play with great control from the tee, utilizing the consistency in his long game with a VENTUS Black 7-X in his driver.

The American also trusted VENTUS in his wood shafts, using a VENTUS Black 8-X in his 3-wood (Royal Portrush and Quail Hollow), and VENTUS Black 9-X in his 7-wood (Quail Hollow). It was a shaft line-up that proved critical in delivering two of the most dominant wins of the season across two vastly different layouts.

Fujikura’s journey to making history began in April, with Master’s Champion Rory McIlroy showcasing the ultimate levels of power from the tee and fairway.

Before overcoming the pressure of a play-off, McIlroy had been able to stay in contention and control during regulation play by hitting fairway after fairway with a VENTUS Black 6-X in his driver. The Northern Irishman’s wood shaft line-up included VENTUS Black 8-X and VENTUS Black 9-X (3-wood and 5-wood respectively).

Of all the Major wins in 2025, there was none more thrilling than the third of the year in Pennsylvania, where JJ Spaun claimed the US Open at one of the toughest courses in Major Championship history at Oakmont.

Under the most intense pressure as players struggled with the course’s defences over the back nine on Sunday, Spaun was able to close out victory using the new VENTUS Black 6-X shaft in his driver with tournament-winning birdies at the 71st and 72nd holes, which included driving the green on the 314-yard par-4 17th.

Designed with advanced VeloCore+ technology – Spaun’s victory at Oakmont was the first Major win registered for the new line of VENTUS with VeloCore+ – the VENTUS Black 6-X shaft would provide the stability, accuracy and distance needed to overcome one of the most gruelling tests in golf.

Fujikura also backed up its position as the most used driver and wood shaft among the world’s best players. At the final Major of the year in Northern Ireland, an impressive 43.9% of the field chose the brand’s shafts in their driver (69 out of 157), with 39.3% of players trusting Fujikura in their wood shaft line-up.**

However, across all four Majors, the numbers prove even more impressive, with 44.9% trusting the brand’s shafts in their driver (255 players out of 568), and 40.7% playing Fujikura in their wood line-up.**

Eric Recher, Director of Marketing at Fujikura, said: “We are proud to have made history by supporting the winners of all four Major Championships in 2025.

“It is testament to the innovation and technology that goes into our driver and wood shafts that so many of the world’s best players rely on the consistency of VENTUS when the pressure is at its most intense.

“Fujikura’s success across the 2025 Majors only adds to our storied history of powering global victories across the professional tours. But we believe the innovation that goes into every product we make will ensure there is a VENTUS shaft option for every level of player throughout their woods and utility clubs.

“Whether you are chasing a Major or your best round at your local course, VENTUS and Fujikura’s full line-up of shafts are designed to elevate every player’s game.”

Purchase Fujikura driver shafts from authorized distributor ValueGolf.com

*Records taken from Darrell Survey

**All figures taken from Darrell Survey

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Let’s be honest—we could probably all do with learning how to clean our golf balls and other golf equipment better to make them last longer.

If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place. Golf equipment can be expensive, so it pays to look after it.

How do you clean golf balls?

While most of us leave our balls in the bottom pocket of our golf bags until we let one slip out of bounds, there’s a better way forward, both for the longevity of the ball and its dazzling appearance.

• The most tried-and-tested method is to get a bucket of warm water and mix some soap into it. A wipe with a damp cloth should remove any excess dirt. If you want to try a bit harder, a toothbrush or soft-bristled brush should do the job. One final rinse should have them looking close to new again.
• If that hasn’t worked, soak your golf balls in a bucket of water and add some white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, bleach or OxiClean (a mix of hydrogen peroxide and washing soda). Soak the balls for up to half an hour, but no longer, to avoid them becoming waterlogged. Again, a cloth or a soft-bristled brush should remove any remaining dirt. This method is considered one step up from the more traditional soap and water combination. 
• You don’t have to search very far before finding a photo of a load of golf balls in a dishwasher. But does it actually work? It has been tested many times, and it appears that the placement of the balls in your dishwasher doesn’t matter—the results are great. It should be noted that if you have a ‘Heated Dry’ cycle, it’s advisable to turn this off, as lengthy heat exposure and golf balls aren’t a good mix. This seems a particularly easy way to get old golf balls looking like new again.
• If you’re looking to remove your permanent marker lines, rubbing alcohol, acetone, or nail polish remover is your best bet. Rubbing alcohol is the gentlest of these solutions, while acetone is the harshest. If applying the latter, use gloves and take care when handling it.  

What not to do when cleaning your golf balls

When cleaning your golf balls, don’t…

• Soak the balls for too long 
• Leave them in the sun for too long, as this could change the internal compression, which will impact how the ball reacts off the clubface
• Use undiluted bleach, as this might have an unwanted effect on the ball’s outer layer 
• Use a sharp metal brush or too stiff a bristled brush, as you might scratch the surface of the ball or damage the outer layer, both of which will impact the performance of the ball 

How to clean golf shoes

Proper golf shoes are a significant investment, and with some straightforward care, you can easily prolong their lifespan, feel and performance.

FootJoy is the No. 1 golf shoe brand and offers valuable tips and advice on caring for your golf shoes. Some of the following will be alarmingly familiar…

• FootJoy suggest rotating your golf shoes, as two pairs of shoes will last more than twice the length of time one pair will
• Use a shoe horn when putting on your shoes to protect the heel. Damage to the heel can cause a poor fit and often leads to blistering 
• FootJoy strongly recommend leaving a shoe tree in your shoes when you’re not playing
• Don’t over-tighten your cleats, and check on them after each round 
• Don’t store your golf shoes in the boot of your car, as high temperatures will break down the materials over time

What to do with your golf shoes after a round

Always remove any dirt from your shoes straight after a round. Make the most of the air dryer if possible, and remove any residue, which will make the post-round clean much easier. Wet wipes are also a great way to give your golf shoes a thorough clean. A soft brush and warm water with soap/Fairy Liquid will also reach the tricky spots.

Tip: For optimal cleaning, remove the laces and inner soles to give your shoes the best chance of looking and performing at their best. When drying, place them in an airing cupboard or a well-ventilated area indoors, rather than in direct sunlight. Never use a hairdryer, as excessive heat can damage the uppers and outsoles.

Given that we live in the UK, we often play golf in the rain, so we must take care of our shoes. After cleaning, place a newspaper inside the shoes for approximately 8-10 hours to absorb excess water. Then, use the shoe tree to help the shoes return to their standard shape.

FootJoy offers a Wax Shoe Polish perfect for looking after high-quality leather and giving your shoes a lasting shine. However, remember that this is a polish, not a cleaning product, so ensure your shoes are as clean as possible before applying it.

How to clean golf gloves

Like with your shoes, it’s a good idea to have a few pairs of golf gloves on rotation to extend the lifespan of each of them. 

If you’re hitting balls on the range, there’s not necessarily any need to use one of your finest Cabretta leather offerings for this. Instead, it’s worth considering a synthetic glove for practice, as they’re more resistant to repeated use, and leather gloves certainly lose their effectiveness when used in high temperatures and sweating.

Air your golf gloves out as often as possible. Some golf bags even have a Velcro tab to let you attach your glove, which certainly helps you get the most out of them.

While Tour pros may change gloves every round or so, a decent glove should last you for 15-20 rounds at least. You can achieve this by not stuffing it in the bottom of your bag with the rest of your gear. There’s a chance that it might get punctured on the tees, and when folded up, your gloves will lose their shape and become crusty.

Remember how it felt when you first put that leather glove on? Well, put it back in your bag the same way that it came out. Stretch it back to its original shape and place it flat away from your other bits or, ideally, in the packet it came in.

And when it gets wet, that doesn’t necessarily spell the end of its lifespan. However, never use a hairdryer or put it on a radiator—instead, use your airing cupboard or just let it dry out naturally to help it back to its original shape.

Most leather gloves are not machine washable, either, so only gently hand-wash your favourite leather gloves with a mild detergent, and always air-dry afterwards. 

Specialist golf insurance through Golf Care

In addition to ensuring your golf equipment is kept in top condition, you may also want to consider protecting it with specialist golf insurance.

Through Golf Care, policies include Equipment Cover up to £7,500 and Public Liability up to £10m, so you can play golf with peace of mind. Get an online quote today.

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