Switch from steel to graphite shafts

[RichA]

Good morning.
I'm looking for advice from the middle-aged and older folks or anyone that's made the switch due to injury or health reasons.
I'm in my mid-50s and relatively big, fit and fast but have been struggling over the last year. With early retirement coming in just over a year I'm hoping to be playing more golf in the future, not less.
My problems really start about halfway through a second round in 2 days. I have no specific ache or pain; just a general fatigue in my back and arms. I usually just power through the discomfort, but I have a chronic nerve issue that means I can sometimes cause myself injury that doesn't become apparent until a few days later if I ignore the warning signs (I've spent the last 10 years ignoring the warning signs as they are usually phantom pains and it's difficult to switch off my competitive streak).

I have a couple of sets of steel shafted irons that I blend or rotate - one set is stiff and light, the other regular and medium weight. I don't like shafts where I can feel them flexing during my swing because my tempo can be a little frenetic. Because of this, even though I'm not that fast, I can only get on with stiff shafts in my driver, fairway woods and hybrids.

I know that the sensible advice will be to have a fitting and that is my intention, but I'm not sure that a fitting can replicate the physical stresses of 100 full shots and a 13 mile walk carrying a bag of clubs over 2 days.

Those who have switched:
How light did you go?
Did you go for a softer/same/stiffer flex?
Has it helped, physically?

Thank you.

 

[Golfmmad]

Good morning.
I'm looking for advice from the middle-aged and older folks or anyone that's made the switch due to injury or health reasons.
I'm in my mid-50s and relatively big, fit and fast but have been struggling over the last year. With early retirement coming in just over a year I'm hoping to be playing more golf in the future, not less.
My problems really start about halfway through a second round in 2 days. I have no specific ache or pain; just a general fatigue in my back and arms. I usually just power through the discomfort, but I have a chronic nerve issue that means I can sometimes cause myself injury that doesn't become apparent until a few days later if I ignore the warning signs (I've spent the last 10 years ignoring the warning signs as they are usually phantom pains and it's difficult to switch off my competitive streak).

I have a couple of sets of steel shafted irons that I blend or rotate - one set is stiff and light, the other regular and medium weight. I don't like shafts where I can feel them flexing during my swing because my tempo can be a little frenetic. Because of this, even though I'm not that fast, I can only get on with stiff shafts in my driver, fairway woods and hybrids.

I know that the sensible advice will be to have a fitting and that is my intention, but I'm not sure that a fitting can replicate the physical stresses of 100 full shots and a 13 mile walk carrying a bag of clubs over 2 days.

Those who have switched:
How light did you go?
Did you go for a softer/same/stiffer flex?
Has it helped, physically?

Thank you.

I think what will help you more than anything is an electric trolley.

 

[RichA]

I think what will help you more than anything is an electric trolley.

I have one, but it doesn't help in muddy east Herts between October and March.
And it's not just the carrying; the dynamic activity of the golf shots actually causes more of an issue than the carrying, which only adds to the general fatigue a little.

 

[PJ87]

I have one, but it doesn't help in muddy east Herts between October and March.
And it's not just the carrying; the dynamic activity of the golf shots actually causes more of an issue than the carrying, which only adds to the general fatigue a little.

Do you feel the same way during the rounds in the summer where you have your trolly? Or is it just the heavy walking through wet ground combined with carrying.

I'd say carrying will have more effect than any shaft. Adding to the fatigue will increase any issues you feel.

Have you tried carrying just half a set? That might help

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I've gone from a regular ping steel shaft to a project x cypher seniors graphite shaft, whatever all that means. I also have a 50g seniors shaft in my pxg 2011 driver.

None of the above feel whippy, they just feel lighter. I've hit ladies clubs before and they were whippy, never hit one well. The above are nothing like that.

Now, I would add, my swing is slow so maybe I just don't get the speed to feel whippiness but I think you would be pleasantly surprised at the difference.

Don't be frightened of a lighter shaft, they are not comedy clubs

 

[RichA]

Do you feel the same way during the rounds in the summer where you have your trolly? Or is it just the heavy walking through wet ground combined with carrying.

I'd say carrying will have more effect than any shaft. Adding to the fatigue will increase any issues you feel.

Have you tried carrying just half a set? That might help

It's definitely not just the carrying. I get it in the summer too. Carrying exacerbates the fatigue; the actually aches and pains are caused by the more dynamic activity.
I was carrying a very light bag with just 6 clubs both rounds this weekend.

 

[Burnsey]

I've recently changed TWICE.

First time, was a fitting, but more a 'your swing speed is slow, so let's go graphite' - crap

Second was a proper fitting and night and day results in my game.

So, not focussing on your fatigue, but graphite shafts now are not what they once were. I am in MMT (multi material tech), so a bit of both and sad it has taken me this long to find great shafts. My deriver is only 50g.

At a good fitting you will hit over 100 shots, so the fatigue will set in and you can test as if you were playing - without the walking of course.

 

[RichA]

I've gone from a regular ping steel shaft to a project x cypher seniors graphite shaft, whatever all that means. I also have a 50g seniors shaft in my pxg 2011 driver.

None of the above feel whippy, they just feel lighter. I've hit ladies clubs before and they were whippy, never hit one well. The above are nothing like that.

Now, I would add, my swing is slow so maybe I just don't get the speed to feel whippiness but I think you would be pleasantly surprised at the difference.

Don't be frightened of a lighter shaft, they are not comedy clubs

I'm not just willing but eager to try a lighter shaft.
Keen to hear from those who've switched into a stiff graphite shaft to find out whether it eases the load or if they still have to put a lot of energy into the shots.
I'm not very fast, just fast enough for a regular graphite driver shaft to feel like a length of harden hose.

 

[RichA]

I've recently changed TWICE.

First time, was a fitting, but more a 'your swing speed is slow, so let's go graphite' - crap

Second was a proper fitting and night and day results in my game.

So, not focussing on your fatigue, but graphite shafts now are not what they once were. I am in MMT (multi material tech), so a bit of both and sad it has taken me this long to find great shafts. My deriver is only 50g.

At a good fitting you will hit over 100 shots, so the fatigue will set in and you can test as if you were playing - without the walking of course.

Where was the proper fitting?

 

[VVega]

a fitting can replicate the physical stresses of 100 full shots

A 100 fulls shots per round seem to be quite high but I get the point, however, you’d be certainly hitting over 100 shots in a good fitting so fatigue at the end of the session is real - a good time to test what you are choosing to confirm if you feel the difference.

Must admit given the technology available in graphite shafts today I wonder why not all it iron sets are graphite? If it’s good for Bryson there must be a graphite shaft for everyone.

 

[RichA]

A 100 fulls shots per round seem to be quite high but I get the point, however, you’d be certainly hitting over 100 shots in a good fitting so fatigue at the end of the session is real - a good time to test what you are choosing to confirm if you feel the difference.

Must admit given the technology available in graphite shafts today I wonder why not all it iron sets are graphite? If it’s good for Bryson there must be a graphite shaft for everyone.

"100 full shots and a 13 mile walk carrying a bag of clubs over 2 days".
I'm not good, but I'm not that bad.

 

[VVega]

A 100 fulls shots per round seem to be quite high but I get the point, however, you’d be certainly hitting over 100 shots in a good fitting so fatigue at the end of the session is real - a good time to test what you are choosing to confirm if you feel the difference.

Must admit given the technology available in graphite shafts today I wonder why not all it iron sets are graphite? If it’s good for Bryson there must be a graphite shaft for everyone.

On another hand, just weighted a few clubs from my “collection”. The graphite 7i was 415g total weight and the steel ones varied from 433 to 451g. Now, is 10-30g of weight difference going to be easier on the body?

 

[RichA]

On another hand, just weighted a few clubs from my “collection”. The graphite 7i was 415g total weight and the steel ones varied from 433 to 451g. Now, is 10-30g of weight difference going to be easier on the body?

However much I read, I also struggle to really understand it.
But if a small tungsten 5g weight right right at the bottom of a GI iron head can be proved to get it 10 yards higher in the air then I suppose 30g lighter in the shaft must be significant in some way.

 

[VVega]

However much I read, I also struggle to really understand it.
But if a small tungsten 5g weight right right at the bottom of a GI iron head can be proved to get it 10 yards higher in the air then I suppose 30g lighter in the shaft must be significant in some way.

It’s 30g difference total - a fully built club. I checked the swing weights too and they are within 1-2 (D1-2).

My understanding is that manufactures have different sets of heads (lighter/heavier) that can be used to build a club to a consistent swing weights + further adjustments are available.

FWIW, a tungsten weight at the end of the club does make a difference because it’s the distribution of weights in the club head that matters. However, from a golfer’s physical perspective - you still swinging about the same weight around.

 

[jim8flog]

I made the switch (many years ago) following a serious injury and got on with them fine until one day a pro offer me trial on his new (back then) analyser. He pointed out that my swing speed had dropped to under 70mph.
I made the switch back to lightweight steel and regained the swing speed. I still have the graphite shafted irons and they get given a whirl every so often but quickly realise that I get the hooks with them.

They are so many more choices in graphite shafts these day you may find ones that suit you best.


Re your comments about weight from my understanding from comments made by pros club heads specifically made for graphite shaft are supposed to be lighter

However from some of the club building I have done I have found this not to be the case. Maybe they just add less weights to the head when swing weighting. My old graphite clubs are between D1 and D2 . However the shafts are plus half" as standard. For comparison the irons I currently use with Nippon 105 shafts are D0, my Mizuno forged TT AMT D1 to D2 and my Taylor made with TTDG Superlite D0.
These sort of differences are hardly something you are going to notice in actual play.

 

[Burnsey]

Where was the proper fitting?

I went to Titleist direct.

Obviously, a manufacturer fitting can be baised somewhat, but worked well for me. If I had no preconception of club choice I would go to SSGT.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Might be some useful info in this video from Gary Martin

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Might be some useful info in this video from Gary Martin

No attachment

 

[Mel Smooth]

No attachment

Edited now

 

[Robster59]

When I got fitted for my irons, I tried a range of shafts including graphite. I have always used medium stainless shafts but I had a fitting at Callaway in St. Andrews and after trying them all, the UST Recoil where head and shoulders above all the other options. Straighter with no loss of distance. I would though definitely recommend a fitting (from a good fitter with lots of options) to make sure you have the right configuration for you.

• How light did you go? - No idea. Whatever the UST Recoil 65 iron shaft is.
• Did you go for a softer/same/stiffer flex? - Same flex.
• Has it helped, physically? - They do feel lighter, but not intrusively so. It certainly feels very stable.