Iron shafts

[Marko77]

Interested on thoughts...

Set of irons (new 2008) I got hold of them via e-bay 2016.

I really like the heads however am convinced over the last year I have not been getting same, consistant, distance with them.

In my head I'm telling myself it's the shafts. There's no visible traces of anything wrong. There's the more likely solution it's something with me and the swing but there has been occasions where I have been hitting them well and they have been coming up short of what would be expected taking weather/ground conditions into account.

Was at a driving range last week and had shot of a couple other irons and felt I was getting more consistent distance aiding the doubts about my own clubs. Can't help but feel that assuming clubs were looked after before I got them the shafts should still be good enough within this timeframe?

I am gonna go to local pro shop this week to gauge their thoughts on them but just interested to hear if anyone else has had similar thoughts / experiences

 

[duncan mackie]

What's the question?

 

[patricks148]

i doubt the shafts would have deteriorated that much in 10 years unless they have been seriously mistreated. Ive still a set of MP57 from around that time and still perform well.

Maybe either too stiff or too soft, depends on your club head speed or transition into the ball. could also be a heap of other things, lofts weakened or strengthened, or not the right set up for you.

 

[pendodave]

What are the clubs/shafts in question?

Also, what's your handicap and iron game proclivities?

 

[Hobbit]

Many years ago, in a land far away, I read an article on steel crystal structures and how they change over time. They tend to realign and harden, but in truth thats well beyond the life of golf shafts. Would I trust a steel shaft that is 50 years old? No, but that's more to do with rust on the inside of the shaft.

 

[MadAdey]

It is possible that the molecular structure of the metal can change over time as the constant bending of the shaft will eventually do this. Chances are though unless these clubs have been seeing hundreds of rounds over the last 10 years and lots of practice time the shafts are fine. Unless of course they have just been left to rot in the back of car after playing in the rain so the inside of the shaft has started to rust.

What I'm saying is that the chances are the shafts are fine, it's maybe that your swing has improved and now the shafts aren't correct for you. I know personally even if the shaft has the right flex, if it is a high launching shaft I loose distance because it spends more time going up than forward. I would be tempted to go get your swing checked out and see if the shafts are suited to you or not.

 

[duncan mackie]

On the concept of a worn out steel shaft....most people naturally use one club more than any other over time at the range or practice ground. It's partly habit, and partly malfunction of the place they practice (length, ground or a particular target that they get used to using).

If these shafts were going to show signs of wear then this would show up on that club pretty quickly! Isn't going to happen with normal amateur use and, with the exception of our own beloved pro here, elite amateurs and professionals will be changing clubs long before it does for them :thup: