Second Hand Frustrations

[RandomReload]

Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to be the only golfer not playing stiff flex in my clubs, looking at all of the different second hand offerings I get my hopes up when I notice something nice that would be ideal for my bag only to find that it’s in stiff or extra stiff... and don’t get me started on left handed clubs always looking in better condition and selling for a fraction of the price of their right handed counterpart... and breath, rant over but has anyone else found this and do you share my frustration?

 

[Orikoru]

Left handed clubs are always cheaper, due to lower demand I guess. Frequency of regular or stiff though seems about 50-50.

 

[Crow]

I find that nearly all vintage clubs are regular shafts, maybe you should try some of those?

 

[Garush34]

I'm the opposite, every iron set I like the look of just now seems to be in regular flex.

 

[Chico84]

I’d assume that the wide availability of stiff flex clubs is either players who have got a bit older and lost a bit of swing speed and need a more flexible shaft, or players who thought they were fast enough for stiff flex, got fed up they didn’t work and moved on to their next set of clubs. Caveat: this is a sweeping generalisation

 

[Imurg]

Its also down the non standardisation of shaft flex.
A stiff shaft is only "stiff" when you compare it to the regular or extra stiff of the same model within the same brand
And within the same brand a stiff from one model can be stiffer than an extra stiff in another.
People think they simply need a stiff shaft and when they buy it and try it they find it's too much for them.
Often a heavier regular suits better than a light stiff but it can be such a minefield.
Basically there's no such thing as "stiff" or "regular"

 

[jim8flog]

Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to be the only golfer not playing stiff flex in my clubs, looking at all of the different second hand offerings I get my hopes up when I notice something nice that would be ideal for my bag only to find that it’s in stiff or extra stiff... and don’t get me started on left handed clubs always looking in better condition and selling for a fraction of the price of their right handed counterpart... and breath, rant over but has anyone else found this and do you share my frustration?

Depends on where you are looking for secondhand.
Never seems to be a problem on ebay.

Although you often find the secondhand market for driver shafts is mainly in the stiff category.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

Those of us with senior shafts have an ever bigger problem!

 

[RandomReload]

Depends on where you are looking for secondhand.
Never seems to be a problem on ebay.

Although you often find the secondhand market for driver shafts is mainly in the stiff category.

The issue seems to be specific to eBay, find a nice driver, good condition, includes head cover... read the description and stiff shaft or LH lol! Right handed equipment seems like it’s not been looked after, dings in the club head, looks like they’ve been hitting pebbles not golf balls, missing it’s head cover, damaged grip, you name it it’s usually the case (at least in the budget bracket I’m shopping anyway).

 

[jim8flog]

The issue seems to be specific to eBay, find a nice driver, good condition, includes head cover... read the description and stiff shaft or LH lol! Right handed equipment seems like it’s not been looked after, dings in the club head, looks like they’ve been hitting pebbles not golf balls, missing it’s head cover, damaged grip, you name it it’s usually the case (at least in the budget bracket I’m shopping anyway).

I think the clue is what you say in brackets.

My last 3 drivers (reg flex) have come from ebay but I am not looking at the budget range. When I sell my old drivers they are normally in good to very good condition so they do not start at budget prices.

 

[jim8flog]

Those of us with senior shafts have an ever bigger problem!

That because a lot of seniors hardly ever buy new clubs.

Had a funny a few years ago one guy I knew was complaining about lack of distance when I looked at his driver he was playing S flex - he said he was told the S stood for senior by the pro who sold it to him.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

I’m always buying and selling clubs on eBay in the hope of finding ones that are just right for me ... I’m beginning to think that perhaps the problem might be me and not the clubs. ??

 

[HomerJSimpson]

One of the reasons I am a big fan of place like Golfbidder. It tells you upfront what flex it is, the condition of all components (Head, grip shaft) whether it comes with a headcover and even what type of grip it has on it. I think in general there has been a real shortage of second hand clubs hitting the market since lockdown which has made the problem harder