shaft flex. is it all that???

[Richuk123]

An open question. Are any of you hooked up in/confused and undecided about what type of shaft flex is right for you.

I'm looking at a new driver and I really can't decided on shaft flex. My swing speed through impact is on avr 103 . I hit the regular flex version more consistant and landing in a similar area. I hit the stiffer one further by some 20 yards but was far more spread out.

I left more confused than when I entered.

 

[kinhell]

It's all in the shaft and you'll be surprised how much difference it makes. Go to a shaft specialist and get the right one for your swing. I live close to you and I went to http://www.macleonard.co.uk/ in Hollywood next to Gay Hill golf club. He has a huge range of shafts and will get the right one for your swing speed and dispersion choice. Well worth the effort.

 

[drawboy]

So if I have read this right....There is a huge range of shafts of various stiffness at Gay Hill GC. There's a surprise

 

[Richuk123]

So if I have read this right....There is a huge range of shafts of various stiffness at Gay Hill GC. There's a surprise

 

[lyden]

I switched to a low launching, low spin x-flex from a stiff and the difference is massive. I swing at 115-116 and sometimes the stiff would give me an unexplicable flight after i thought id put a good swing on it. Now if i swing out of my skin i know the shaft will hold up, distance is similar in carry but i get more roll out of the x. The feel through impact is completely different and i dont think many people would enjoy it but now atleast if i mishit i know its me not the shaft.

 

[CMAC]

shaft is everything..........read my sig

 

[Foxholer]

If you are using the same head, I'd suggest that you could well be (unconsciously) adjusting your swing to the shaft flex, so hitting the Regulr flex at less than the 103 that you are hitting the Stiff one. That would explain the loss of distance. Alternatively, the launch and spin with the R could be such that there's a loss of distance.

Did you only try the 2 shafts? Were they just different flexes of the ame shaft? It's quite possible that other attributes of the shafts either suit you or not. An additional 20 yards should result in a slightly greater left/right dispersion, but only marginally.

Swing speed of 103mph would pretty much guarantee Stiff as the appropriate flex to me (though I know someone who has 112-118 who finds R works best!). All you really need to do is find the most appropriate shaft of that flex - or forsake that 20 yards!

 

[harpo_72]

There is more to it than just flex, there are a few things that need to be looked at. You can go stiffer and have less torque or vice versa and these will generate different sensations. The kick point will affect the ball flight. So yes the shaft flex is important as are the other stuff mentioned here.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Stiff and regular mean nothing. There are no standards so reg from one manufacturer cold be firmer than a stiff from another. The shaft is everything but you need to go to a decent fitter to find the right one.

 

[ScienceBoy]

The right shaft is the one that is correct for you.

If you hit a stock shaft well then fantastic, great news, if not then you could try a fitting.

 

[USER1999]

It could be that the regular generates more back spin, and more height, which might keep it straighter, but not roll out as far. The stiff could be lower launching with less spin, but it might wander a bit.

Who knows?

 

[Snelly]

It could be that the regular generates more back spin, and more height, which might keep it straighter, but not roll out as far. The stiff could be lower launching with less spin, but it might wander a bit.

Who knows?

Ethan probably. Certainly not me. I am a golf equipment luddite.

 

[timchump]

My swing speed is around yours... and i have always been recommended the standard off the shelf stiff option.
Not sure why you are getting better results with a regular shaft i'd say you're definitley in stiff swing speed category

I've only personally been able to distinguish differences in driver shaft feel and performance into 3 categories.

1) Regular off the shelf feels very soft, launches high, a little inconsitent for me
2) Stiff off the shelf, still feels soft, launches a bit lower than 1, more consistent in direction
3) Real deal custom stiff shafts, feels stiff, boardy, not an overly nice feeling, launches much lower, consistent in direction.

 

[garyinderry]

i usually use a stiff kali in my 910. i had a go with my mates reg kali. the only way i can describe the feeling is that it seems collapse through impact.

my mate went 4 a driver fitting last week. turns out he has 103 swingspeed. he has orderd a new callaway razor extreme with aldila stiff.

the diff in spin rate is nite and day frm the numbers on flightscope!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

My swing speed is around yours... and i have always been recommended the standard off the shelf stiff option.
Not sure why you are getting better results with a regular shaft i'd say you're definitley in stiff swing speed category

I've only personally been able to distinguish differences in driver shaft feel and performance into 3 categories.

1) Regular off the shelf feels very soft, launches high, a little inconsitent for me
2) Stiff off the shelf, still feels soft, launches a bit lower than 1, more consistent in direction
3) Real deal custom stiff shafts, feels stiff, boardy, not an overly nice feeling, launches much lower, consistent in direction.

I've always been told I need "regular" shafts but never found a driver I can hit consistently that doesn't have a "stiff" shaft. On the contrary, the guy who fitted me at Titleist told me with his SS he should have a "stiff" shaft, but actually plays one that is softer than the one he fitted me for. Get a fitting, get the numbers and use what comes out best, it doesn't matter if it's a scaffold pole or a piece of wet spaghetti if the numbers stack up.

 

[Foxholer]

I've only personally been able to distinguish differences in driver shaft feel and performance into 3 categories.

1) Regular off the shelf feels very soft, launches high, a little inconsitent for me
2) Stiff off the shelf, still feels soft, launches a bit lower than 1, more consistent in direction
3) Real deal custom stiff shafts, feels stiff, boardy, not an overly nice feeling, launches much lower, consistent in direction.

You are probably the type for which 'custom' shafts are not a huge benefit. And #3 indicates that either you haven't been shown a huge variety of shafts or you aren't particularly sensitive to different shafts. Lack of sensitivity isn't a criticism as it's partly swing driven - and it can make life much simpler (and cheaper).

Quite a few OEMs actually supply 'proper' shafts - as opposed to price-point ones - these days anyway.

Key is to audition a prospective Driver and purchase the one that works best for you - not a 'same spec' one.

 

[timchump]

You are probably the type for which 'custom' shafts are not a huge benefit. And #3 indicates that either you haven't been shown a huge variety of shafts or you aren't particularly sensitive to different shafts. Lack of sensitivity isn't a criticism as it's partly swing driven - and it can make life much simpler (and cheaper).

Quite a few OEMs actually supply 'proper' shafts - as opposed to price-point ones - these days anyway.

Key is to audition a prospective Driver and purchase the one that works best for you - not a 'same spec' one.

i went to a callaway driver fitting a few months back, tried the standard aldila trinity stiff (OEM), the grafalloy red stiff, and a matrix black tie stiff, the standard aldila stiff was the best for me, higher launch gave me a bit more carry (though more roll on the real deal stiffs) i also like the soft feeling, i think harder shafts speed up my tempo.

i've subsequently bought a titleist 913 with a aldila phenom stiff, its supposed to be a real deal stiff according to titliest's website but still feels soft and fits into my category 2 shafts as did the aldila trinity stiff in the callaway which was also supposed to be a "real deal"

 

[CMAC]

You are probably the type for which 'custom' shafts are not a huge benefit.

.

Think I'm in that category, I was 'fitted' by 2 'expert' fitters for over 2 hrs each time and neither found a driver shaft that 'suited me' and they had some serious shafts incl some reserved for tour players. I tried one that he said "you won't be able to hit this" and I hit it the same as the other shafts according to his laptop stats but I didn't like it's weight or boardyness

Best way really - for me - is just to try and see what 'feels' right

 

[JPH]

Ethan's the man for shaft advice ; D

 

[Ethan]

An open question. Are any of you hooked up in/confused and undecided about what type of shaft flex is right for you.

I'm looking at a new driver and I really can't decided on shaft flex. My swing speed through impact is on avr 103 . I hit the regular flex version more consistant and landing in a similar area. I hit the stiffer one further by some 20 yards but was far more spread out.

I left more confused than when I entered.

Same shaft, just different flex?

Swing speed is a useful starting point for determining flex, but it is only a starting point. Feel preferences, release and tempo, distance vs control and other factors all matter. As a general rule, the faster your tempo, (Nick Price versus Luke Donald), the stiffer you need. On the other hand, many smooth tempo players can use a broader range of flexes than average club golfers. A pro with a good consistent smooth swing could probably knock it round in 68 just as easily with L flex or X flex clubs.

At 103 driver, probably middle-upper 80s 6 iron, I would have thought that the starting point for you would be a set of irons with Stiff flex,TT DG S300, KBA S flex, PX 5.5 or thereabouts. In a driver, even more likely to be stiff. Many more people play Stiff driver/regular irons than the converse.

I have 100mph driver speed and about 85 6 iron, and if I use the KBS online fitting tool, the suggested shaft is KBA C-taper R+. But when I demoed them, I preferred C-taper S and now have those, and they may be the best shaft I have ever used.

Perhaps the issue is that you swing the clubs differently, and try to force the stiff irons more, and lose control as a result. With the regulars you may smooth them more and not force mistakes.

At the end of the day, use what works best. If that is a set of ladies graphite with little ribbons, or a set of iron bars, whatver gets you round the course in the fewest shots is what I would choose.