Shaft Flex - Doesnt matter?

[spawn_ukuk]

Hey all hoping most of you have seen the 3 videos with Mark Crossfield named Shaft Flex Makes No Difference or Does It?

I recently went for a fitting for a new driver because my SLDR S I never did get on with, it was the 1st driver I couldn't learn to hit well.

I took some swings with my SLDR S hit it OK with a few decent ones and the fitter said to me with my swing speed lets try the clubs I wanted to try in stiff flex.
My swing speed was only 95mph and I thought it wasn't fast enough really to be trying a stiff flex. Ive only ever used Reg

I first tried Nike Vapor speed in the stiff and I hit it straighter, longer and increased club speed (slightly) very surprising to me,
Then I wanted to try the Ping G30 SF and on that day when I came there was only a tour stiff available shaft for the Ping driver, and once again I hit it longer, straighter and better club speed too, same as the Vapor went, But the G30 head looks massive and the SF tech I felt like its very hard to hit it right. So I went with that driver, Why wouldn't I?
We not talking huge distance gains was only 5 yards but straighter and felt so much more solid to hit.

So Ive gone from a Reg shaft to a tour stiff, I always believed shafts make big difference but I now think that difference is minimal. Its all about how it feels and the stiff shafts felt better to me and I think thats why I got the better stats

From now on I'm not going to be as picky about flexes. I do admit for me the stiff did give me that little bit more just because I didn't get on well with the SLDR S, But the vapour stiff and Ping tour stiff no difference the only change is how it felt and it felt better to me

 

[Region3]

I'm not sure I follow this.

Your reason for deciding shafts don't make a lot of difference is because you hit longer straighter shots with a different shaft?

 

[spawn_ukuk]

I'm not sure I follow this.

Your reason for deciding shafts don't make a lot of difference is because you hit longer straighter shots with a different shaft?

I didn't get on well with the SLDR S , I hit the others longer straighter because of that, the flex didn't really make much difference, and stiff tour stiff there was no difference in that.

It felt better that's the only real difference i think

 

[Deleted member 18121]

I heard Mark Crossfield say this once too....that a shaft would only make 400 rpms difference with no noticeable difference in results. For me (personally) its night a day between a regular and stiff shaft. To me it makes ALL the difference.

 

[john0]

Did you not try the Ping or Nike in a regular flex also?

 

[Region3]

I didn't get on well with the SLDR S , I hit the others longer straighter because of that, the flex didn't really make much difference, and stiff tour stiff there was no difference in that.

It felt better that's the only real difference i think

Ah, I didn't read the OP properly.

 

[Foxholer]

I didn't get on well with the SLDR S , I hit the others longer straighter because of that, the flex didn't really make much difference, and stiff tour stiff there was no difference in that.

It felt better that's the only real difference i think

I don't believe you are actually correct to compare the Stiff and Tour Stiff as significantly differently flexes, but you are if you had compared either with your original Regular!

Ping Tour Stiff is not a major step up in Stiffness from a Stiff. It's a heavier, lower torque and shorter shaft to their 'standard' Stiff.

 

[Ethan]

A. That isn't what Crossfield said or showed, although he didn't accurately describe what he had shown.

B. Try hitting a 4 iron with an X flex shaft and get back to us.

 

[hovis]

I was at the belfry recently and one of the fitters (the pro in my usual pro am group) said shafts are sooooo over rated and misunderstood. Having just spent 120 on a shaft for my sldr i disagreed.

As part of his pga tutoring course he has access to a bunch of blank shafts with no markings what so ever.

I hit 10 balls with 5 different shafts not knowing what was what. The track man results where amazing. I got the most distance with the ladies shaft by 3 yards and the spin only changed by 200 + or - Through all 5 shafts. Needless to say i was jaw dropped. He said its the same everytime he does the test.

We then done a similar test with the same flex but different weight. Shafts started at 50g to 115g. This is where the difference was. Each weight produced massively different numbers.

i also saw with with my own eyes the results from over 10 pga pros and they all proved the same point

 

[Foxholer]

I was at the belfry recently and one of the fitters (the pro in my usual pro am group) said shafts are sooooo operated and misunderstood. Having just spent 120 on a shaft for my sldr i disagreed.

As part of his pga tutoring course he has access to a bunch of blank shafts with no markings what so ever.

I hit 10 balls with 5 different shafts not knowing what was what. The track man results where amazing. I got the most distance with the ladies shaft by 3 yards and the spin only changed by 200 + or -. Needless to say i was jaw dropped. He said its the same everytime he does the test.

We then done a similar test with the same flex but different weight. Shafts started at 50g to 115g. This is where the difference was. Each weight produced massively different numbers.

i also saw witg with my own eyes thw the results from over 10 pga pros and they all proved the same point

My Pro mate told me a similar story about the #experiment' he did with 3 of his Pro mates - and got the same results. Of course, they all kept their tipped XX Flex ones though! He uses Regular shafts as he hooks anything stiffer - hands and head 'over-correct' was the conclusion!

Flex is much more about 'feel' than anything else, though a stronger flex will probably also bring the flight down a bit too. So if you are happy with the feel of a Stiffer shaft (oo-er missus) than a Regular one, then, like me normally, that's the one to go for.

 

[Ethan]

I was at the belfry recently and one of the fitters (the pro in my usual pro am group) said shafts are sooooo operated and misunderstood. Having just spent 120 on a shaft for my sldr i disagreed.

As part of his pga tutoring course he has access to a bunch of blank shafts with no markings what so ever.

I hit 10 balls with 5 different shafts not knowing what was what. The track man results where amazing. I got the most distance with the ladies shaft by 3 yards and the spin only changed by 200 + or -. Needless to say i was jaw dropped. He said its the same everytime he does the test.

We then done a similar test with the same flex but different weight. Shafts started at 50g to 115g. This is where the difference was. Each weight produced massively different numbers.

i also saw witg with my own eyes thw the results from over 10 pga pros and they all proved the same point

Weight of the shaft matters a lot. Some specialist fitters would say it matters more than flex. Flex matters too, although perhaps less so for good players who can adjust their swings to suit different feels. I have seen Michael Campbell have a X flex heavy graphite in his driver swapped for a light L flex shaft and he hit it almost the same, except when he leaned on it a lot. But the avergae duffer can't make those adjustments and give them a heavy stiff shaft, especially in a long er iron., and they will struggle to get the ball in the air.

 

[MendieGK]

I didn't get on well with the SLDR S , I hit the others longer straighter because of that, the flex didn't really make much difference, and stiff tour stiff there was no difference in that.

It felt better that's the only real difference i think

Shaft flex is so much more than swing speed. So i would suggest that although your speed isnt overly quick, the way you release you club is....

Read these articles on GolfWRX and it will make more sense -

http://www.golfwrx.com/44239/wishon-taking-shaft-fitting-from-guessing-to-specifics/

 

[hovis]

Weight of the shaft matters a lot. Some specialist fitters would say it matters more than flex.

This was the point my friend was trying to make.

I have recently baught a rbz 5 wood with a ladies flex. My friend is giving me his nippon fairway shaft but i have to admit...... I hit it great with the ladies flex. Nothing a permanent marker wont fix though

 

[Ethan]

This was the point my friend was trying to make.

I have recently baught a rbz 5 wood with a ladies flex. My friend is giving me his nippon fairway shaft but i have to admit...... I hit it great with the ladies flex. Nothing a permanent marker wont fix though

Weight is important, but flex still matters. If you have a smooth swing with good tempo, you can use a wide range of flexes. But give a flex that is too stiff to a player who doesn't have the right release or tempo and they will be able to hit it well enough.

 

[hovis]

Weight is important, but flex still matters. If you have a smooth swing with good tempo, you can use a wide range of flexes. But give a flex that is too stiff to a player who doesn't have the right release or tempo and they will be able to hit it well enough.

I think the biggest point he was trying to make was people's misconceptions. He often hears handicap golfers saying things like. " i dont like a diamana blueboard, i prefer the whiteboard as it comes out much lower " when in fact the difference is nominal

Or " i hated this shaft as its waaaaay to spinny for me"
Nothing to do with him hitting 4 degree down with his driver though!!!!!!!!

 

[duncan mackie]

I think the biggest point he was trying to make was people's misconceptions. He often hears handicap golfers saying things like. " i dont like a diamana blueboard, i prefer the whiteboard as it comes out much lower " when in fact the difference is nominal

Or " i hated this shaft as its waaaaay to spinny for me"
Nothing to do with him hitting 4 degree down with his driver though!!!!!!!!

pure heresy :clap:

 

[spawn_ukuk]

My Pro mate told me a similar story about the #experiment' he did with 3 of his Pro mates - and got the same results. Of course, they all kept their tipped XX Flex ones though! He uses Regular shafts as he hooks anything stiffer - hands and head 'over-correct' was the conclusion!

Flex is much more about 'feel' than anything else, though a stronger flex will probably also bring the flight down a bit too. So if you are happy with the feel of a Stiffer shaft (oo-er missus) than a Regular one, then, like me normally, that's the one to go for.

yes I agree , its what i was trying to say really.

I dont believe its much more about feel, It was the first time I ever tried a stiff flex and I'm pretty happy with it

And Ive just come across this from Ping what do you think of it http://pinggolf-blob.ping.com/pingg...s/shaft_page_content/driver_flex_chart_gb.png

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The shaft is the engine. I was hitting the Titleist driver ok at Silvermere and then they put a different shaft in (Alidia black rogue?) and it was like a different animal, longer and striaghter

 

[SVB]

And Ive just come across this from Ping what do you think of it http://pinggolf-blob.ping.com/pingg...s/shaft_page_content/driver_flex_chart_gb.png

I guess all other things being equal it is somewhere to start but I don't think PING are suggesting this equals a fitting.

 

[One Planer]

The shaft is the engine. I was hitting the Titleist driver ok at Silvermere and then they put a different shaft in (Alidia black rogue?) and it was like a different animal, longer and striaghter

Not a dig at you Homer, but I've never understood that saying.

Surely the engine of the whole unit is the golfer as he provides the power.

I would, in this instance, liken the shaft to the gearbox transmitting the power to the ball.

You could put the gear box from a Robin Reliant in a BMW, but I bet it wouldn't work properly