Aretera Golf launch EC1 shaft line for 2025

One of the most interesting new brands in golf releases their ready-for-2025 shaft series

Ever since Alex Dee decided to leave Fujikura Golf and head up his own company at the beginning of 2024, the golfing world has been excited to see what Aretera Golf, his new brand, would produce. Now, as we look towards the latest releases from the biggest manufacturers in club design, you may also need to consider going deeper than just a new head!

It’s usually rare in Golf to receive pre-Christmas news but with the launch of the EC1 Wood shaft series, you may just get the perfect present early.

Who are Aretera Golf?

If you aren’t familiar with Aretera as a brand, let’s talk you through some of the key players that are now working together to open up this brand-new venture into the aftermarket shaft trade. It’s a company that’s been born from the minds of industry veterans and even if you don’t know these guys by name, I guarantee you’ll have played with something that has come from one of their hands or minds at some point in your life.

Before we do introduce you to the names behind Aretera, we should probably explain the name itself though.

Pronounced ‘Ah-Reh-Teh-Rah,’ the company has taken its branding from the Greek word ‘Arête,’ which means the concept of ‘Excellence’ or, more specifically, ‘the full realization of one’s purpose.’ The ‘ra‘ at the end of Aretera was added to make the word into a palindrome and to give the name a cleaner look. I think you’ll agree from looking at the logo, it’s been a decision that’s paid off.

Now here’s the whos-who of Aretera Golf:

Alex Dee – Alex had been at Fujikura Golf as a key part of the design team since 1998, becoming Vice President and Head of R&D during his time there. He’s designed some of the most well-played shafts of the last two decades on the PGA Tour, including the world-conquering Ventus family that you’ll see in the hands of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Ludwig Äberg.

Bill Stiles – A veteran in the industry in his own right, Bill has been involved with multiple different manufacturers and companies over the years as a key part of the procurement and supply chain. He has experience at every level of creation, from initial conception through testing and final production.

Chris Elson – Another industry insider along the lines of Bill and Alex, Chris has worked across multiple brands in the world of golf, including Lamkin Golf as well as numerous aftermarket shaft brands. Alongside Chris’ expertise in the components and composites industry, he’s also one of the best at turning engineering breakthroughs into easily digestible information for the golfing layman.

Michel de Fontaine – A friend of Alex Dee’s at college, Michel is the only non-industry member in the personal but an avid golfer nonetheless. Michel specializes in the organizational side of the business, with a deep history in multiple industries outside of golf, from start-ups to high-growth brands, that will help bring quality to the launch of a new company like Aretera.

What makes the EC1 special?

If you’re a golfer who loves to know more about how equipment is designed and built, you’ll probably have some familiarity with the phrases we’re about to discuss, but let’s break down the traditional method for creating a golf shaft so we know we’re all on the same page.

When building a shaft, the process starts from the inside and moves outwards. Initially, a steel mandrel, used to maintain the shape of the shaft, has layers of Carbon Fiber sheets (known as Pre-Preg, or PREviously imPREGnated—meaning a roll of Carbon Fibers that have been bonded into a composite material using a resin/glue) wrapped around it at various angles to create a particular structure of stiffness in the golf shaft. There are multiple angles that can be used, but the first layer to be applied is called the Bias layer, and it makes up the core of the shaft.

Bias layers are wrapped at a 45º angle to the tooling (the mandrel) and help support a shaft’s resistance to twisting on off-center hits, improving its MOI (Moment of Inertia). This is a phrase you’ll be familiar with from all the 10K drivers on the market now, where a higher MOI can help reduce the ball speed loss from mishits and how far offline shots can go.

The problem with building the Bias layers first is that the core of the shaft is the thinnest part and therefore you can lose strength in the outer layers that are built up over the top of that core, so the exterior layers are made stiffer to retain the strength, which can impact feedback and feel in the shaft.

This is where EC1 and the new ControlCENTR technology make a difference.

ControlCENTR uses advanced geometry in its design but, effectively, the bias core has been spread throughout the shaft’s layers, instead of being grouped together. Think of this like a lasagna – you could put all the pasta on the bottom, but the meat and béchamel sauce on top would be an unstable mess. Alternating the layers creates a stronger overall product, and in the case of the EC1, you’ll be able to make certain areas of the shaft more compliant.

You’ll note the word compliant used above, and not soft. The purpose of the change to the Bias layering means that you can design a shaft that provides the golfer with a stable model yet one easier to launch or deliver back to address or even just offer more feedback and feel, depending on your needs. Aretera describes this feeling as being like a ‘smooth hinge’ during your transition and downswing, something that many golfers will find appealing in today’s market.

Along with the improved feel, the company has finished the shaft in a very appealing silver-grey color called Grigio Silverstone. Ferrari has used this paint on their supercars, such as the 458 Speciale, to provide a serious yet menacing appearance but one that also looks fantastic against their yellow badging – the same is true of the Aretera branding!

Aretera has also done away with traditional flex naming conventions, in a bid to ensure you get fit for the correct shaft instead of making a choice driven by ego. Flexes range from ‘2’ through ‘6’, although if you’re particularly desperate to know where you might sit, ‘4’ would be closest to a ‘Stiff’ model.

You’ll notice two different profiles in the EC1 in the Blue and Grey models. Both shafts are designed in the same way, with the exception of Grey being 10% stiffer in the tip than Blue for additional strength and a slight spin reduction. You’ll be able to see these differences in the three windows pictured on the shafts, with the stiffer section being represented by a fuller bar. These three windows reference the handle, mid, and tip sections for stiffness, respectively.

The company (and I) would still advise you to go and get fitted to find out what works best for your golf game though.

EC1 Blue, in weights from 45-75 grams, is available now at aftermarket fitters, like Club Champion, with Grey soon to follow.

About the author

Lewis Daff

Lewis joined the Today’s Golfer digital team in 2024, having spent more than a decade in both big-box golf retail and independent stores working as a club fitter and builder.

Experienced with every level of golfer, from beginner to professional, he has achieved Master Fitter and Builder status with most major manufacturers, including Mizuno, Taylormade, and Callaway, helping him to cement both a wide and deep knowledge base, ideal for helping guide golfers towards the correct equipment for them. Lewis specializes in Clubs, Shafts, Training Aids, Launch Monitors and Grips.

In Lewis’ bag is Titleist GT3 Driver (9º) with Fujikura Ventus Black, TaylorMade SIM Max Fairway Woods (15º and 18º), Wilson Staff D9 Forged 3-iron, Srixon ZX7 MKii Irons (4-PW), Titleist SM9 Wedges (52º, 60º), Toulon San Diego Putter, and the Titleist ProV1X Left Dash.

Talk to Lewis about why steel shafts are now dead and graphite is the only way forward, or any other equipment you’d like to debate, via his email, Instagram, or Bluesky.