Stiff/regular

[Nikki]

I know i should go to a fitting centre, but that is at this moment impossible as my life is kinda up in the air.

Anyway i was hitting a g10 today with stiff shaft and i felt that i had a lot more control than i've had for a heck of a long time. I've hit quite very long shots, but it is quite erratic (have hit 250 meters (280 yards) with a 3 wood but it is a one in a zillion hit). And i felt for the first time that i could place the ball where i wanted it.

Is this the sign that i need a stiff shaft or what???

Any reply's are appreciated.

 

[Ethan]

A stiff shaft will feel more controlled if you have the swing speed to deal with it. But there are huge variations in flex between brands. Some stiff shafts in one make are whippier than regular in another. The stock TFC shaft in the Ping is fairly soft, so most players with a decent swing will have no problem playing it, and it will be too soft for a few.

How far do you carry an average (rather than a one in a zillion) drive or 6 iron?

 

[Nikki]

7 iron goes 150 meters (165 yards) and it isn't one in a zillion (wee too unrealistic) It's more like one in 50

 

[Ethan]

7 iron goes 150 meters (165 yards) and it isn't one in a zillion (wee too unrealistic) It's more like one in 50

An average of 165 for a 7 iron would easily put you in stiff, if you ask me.

 

[Parmo]

I checked with Ping for my fitting and my average carry for a 7i is about 140-145 and they said either stiff or reg but for woods they recommended the stiff shafts. I got the G15 3 wood with Serrano as its like a stiff TFC shaft and its great. I might have to try both reg and stiff when I get fitted for the irons.

 

[ShriekingSheet]

I use the Grafalloy ProLaunch Red (it's black in colour) in a G10 and it's great, but in the stiffer end of S Flexes. Certainly plays stiffer than the ProForce (Yellow) or the Ping (orange) shafts that also come in the G10.

If you're betwix and between flexes, the orange Ping shaft would probably be ideal. I have used X flexes in the past, but find the S flex in the ProLaunch to be perfect for me.

 

[n8dog]

Yea ive got a Ping G10 coming via santa for xmas. I tried out all of the shafts and the tfc+proforce v2 both played very soft (i would have needed X-Stiff) where as the prolaunch red played much better (actually felt like a proper stiff flex). I have gone down a flex from what i already have (slower swing speed for more control). So if you think that you are border line on going to a proper stiff then the standard Ping Tfc probably is in between stiff and regular

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play off 11.7

Callaway FTI 9.5 x-stiff Grafalloy Prolaunch Red
titleist 906f4 18.5 stiff aldila vs proto 85s
ping s59 tours 3-pw s400
Ping Tour W 50* s400
cleveland cg10 54* s400
scotty cameron studio design 1.5

 

[Roops]

Think I am in the same boat, leaning towards stiff shafts for my future hybrid/wood purchases. I have a regular Cobra Hybrid (2/R) and a Ping G10 21 Deg. Hybrid. The Cobra requires me to swing very deliberatley to get the best from it. The Ping on the other hand, while still being a regular shaft is stiffer than the Cobra. This you can be much more aggresive with. So I think I will defo be trying stiffer shafts in the future.

 

[didsbury_duffer]

I thought the decision on stiff or regular was predominantly based upon swing speed, rather than distance. Hence, very slow swing speeds of up to 80 mph (seniors) need a whippy shaft, slow to medium swing speeds of 80 to 95 mph require a regular shaft, and fast swings of 96+ require a stiff shaft. The monitors can then depict the weight and tip of shaft required dependent on the individual's particular swing.

 

[Ethan]

The decision is based on swing speed, spin, trajectory and tempo. A player with a fast but smooth swing can deal with a softer shaft better than a player with the same swing speed but a lot of snap in the swing. A player who can't flight the ball well might benefit from softer shafts.

But what is regular and what is stiff varies enormously between brands and generalities like stiff above X mph is not correct. Some stock shafts in stiff are much softer than other makes in regular. If you want to use a Graphite Design YS6+ shaft (standard in some clubs a couple of years ago), the recommended swing speed for stiff is 88-96mph. But if you want to use a Grafalloy blue, the same range is 100mph+. So someone with a 98mph driver speed would be Extra stiff in the GD and Regular in the Graf.

As a general rule, standard shafts are softer than the ones you can get fitted later, or the ones from the custom options list. Any shaft that says 'made for Titleist/Callaway etc' is softer than the real version of the same.