shaft flex. is it all that???

[Andy808]

It's not just the flex but where the kick point is and shaft weight.
Last year I went to a Callaway demo day and all the shafts I tried where stiff shafts but had different variables within that. I was amazed at just how much difference these variables made to the shots I hit.

 

[Ethan]

It's not just the flex but where the kick point is and shaft weight.
Last year I went to a Callaway demo day and all the shafts I tried where stiff shafts but had different variables within that. I was amazed at just how much difference these variables made to the shots I hit.

Indeed. Kick point is more of an issue with driver and fairway woods. Kick point tends to be mid to highish for most iron sets. Flex is also not just a single measure. The different zones of the shaft vary in flex terms. TT DG tend to be softish in the butt but stiff in the tip. PX are the other way round, so different people perceive the relative flex of TT DG vs PX differently.

 

[CMAC]

Indeed. Kick point is more of an issue with driver and fairway woods. Kick point tends to be mid to highish for most iron sets. Flex is also not just a single measure. The different zones of the shaft vary in flex terms. TT DG tend to be softish in the butt but stiff in the tip. PX are the other way round, so different people perceive the relative flex of TT DG vs PX differently.

That's interesting, what effect would that have on shots with the same player do you feel?

 

[granters]

My take on it just to confuse things

Ive tried loads of shafts, been fitted etc etc. At my iron fitting we couldn't find anything perfect. 6 iron speed was 90 ish. Regular was a no no, went all over the place, tried the kbs tour stiff and I lost 5 yards, so in the end we soft stepped the stiff for some more kick. The fitter was honest and said that I'd probably need fitted again as I hadn't been playing all that long after a break.

He gave me a demo wilson driver with a project x 7.0 to try out for a few weeks and I loved it. Hit it miles,and straight.

So

Over the last year I got into club building. It's really built up my understanding of how shafts work. Must have gone through 20 shafts in that time, buying cheap ones from eBay and trimming to suit. In general,no 2 shafts have been the same. My favourite thus far was a RIP stiff, on a Callaway razr hawk but the head broke and Callaway replaced with my current driver with their all new singing and dancing Trinity shaft in stiff. Got no feel in the driver with it so tipped it an inch and put it in my 3 wood. Perfect combo! Put a heavy Aldila hm 40,95gram, in my 5 wood, tipped an inch again and works like a dream.

Trying a project x 6.0 in the driver now and really liking it so far. Much better flight than the Trinity and a better kick through the ball.

So to summarise

It's taken me a year of experimenting. I much prefer a boardy shaft in my fairways,and something I can go after in my driver. I can see me changing my iron shafts in the next year to something a bit stiffer.

The golf swing is a dynamic,ever changing action. I'm only just getting my consistency back,and thus my swing is almost back to full power. in hindsight I'd have waited a few more months before my iron fitting.

I'm sure a qualified club fitter could have worked all this out in a week but I've had fun trying myself.

 

[Ethan]

That's interesting, what effect would that have on shots with the same player do you feel?

Some players, probably mostly those with smoother swings, find butt soft shafts feel smoother and easy to swing, and those players might find PX rather boardy and harsh. A hard hitter would probably notice less difference.

 

[timchump]

Indeed. Kick point is more of an issue with driver and fairway woods. Kick point tends to be mid to highish for most iron sets. Flex is also not just a single measure. The different zones of the shaft vary in flex terms. TT DG tend to be softish in the butt but stiff in the tip. PX are the other way round, so different people perceive the relative flex of TT DG vs PX differently.

in my limited experience id agree with that, driver shafts with low or mid kick points i thought felt soft and obviously launch higher, only driver shafts with high kick points have felt "boardy" to me