how do golf club manfactures determine what stock shafts to use in their clubs

Golf Club Shafts are the long, thin sticks that connect the golf club head to the golf ball. They can be made of many different materials including steel, graphite

, and titanium. The type of shaft you use will depend on your swing speed and how much power you want when striking at the ball.

Full Answer

Are stock golf shafts the same as aftermarket ones?

It needs to be emphasized that this is not a good or bad thing. Some players need a softer shaft for performance reasons, and others prefer the feel of a softer shaft. At this point, it’s fairly clear that, leaving aside issues of “better or worse,” we can conclude that stock shafts are not the same as their aftermarket counterparts .

How important are golf shafts?

Golf shafts do play an important role in the performance of your golf swing and the success of the ball flying far and straight. During the golf swing the shaft causes deflection (bend) that causes the clubhead to be in a forward and toe downward position relative to the grip of the club.

How much does shaft weight matter in golf clubs?

Shaft weights typically range between 50 grams and 85 grams with the 50-60 numbers being pretty common as seen in the example shafts above. Shaft Weight is important because it can help you generate club head speed and increase the distance you hit the golf ball.

What should I look for when buying a golf shaft?

A simple rule of thumb to remember when buying a shaft is a high kick point rating means low ball trajectory. Low kick point means higher ball flight trajectory. It also may feel like the club is “whipping” during the swing while a high kick point will feel more solid and stiff. Should I Buy Steel, Graphite, or Which Type of Shaft Material?

How do you know which golf shaft to use?

A player with a very fast swing will require a shaft with less flex, while a player with a slower swing will need a shaft with greater flex. Flex is generally rated as Extra Stiff (XS), Stiff(S), Firm(F), Regular(R), Senior(S), Amateur(A) and Ladies(L).

Do golf shaft manufacturers have industry standards for Flex?

There Are No Standards Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth. Over the past several decades we have seen wildly different performance from what is described by the OEM versus what the customer is actually getting. One company's stiff flex could perform exactly the same as another's regular.

How do I know what shaft I need for my irons?

If the crease where your wrist and hand meet to the floor is:29 to 32 inches = irons should be based on a 5-iron of 37 inches.33 to 34 inches = irons should be based on a 5-iron of 37 1/2 inches.35 to 36 inches = irons should be based on a 5-iron of 38 inches.More items...•

Are golf shafts interchangeable between brands?

Yes, most golf Driver shafts are interchangeable. Golf driver shafts can be replaced as long as the new shaft is the same length and made by the same brand of golf club.

Do any tour pros use regular flex shafts?

As a whole 90% of the top 100 golfers on the PGA Tour use either an extra stiff or Tour extra flex shaft in their driver. Only a very small number of this elite group, including Brian Harman and Jason Day, use a 'softer' stiff driver shaft while not one of the top 100 uses a regular or regular+ shaft in their driver.

What swing speed should use a regular shaft?

80-95 mph80-95 mph swing speeds should use regular shafts. 90-105 mph swing speeds should use stiff shafts.

Who should use senior flex golf shafts?

Senior flex shafts are appropriate for golfers who swing between 75 and 90 mph and carry a driver about 180 to 200 yards. Regular flex shafts are designed for golfers who swing 90 to 100 mph and carry a driver about 200 to 240 yards.

What happens if shaft is too stiff?

There are a few tell tale signs that your shafts are too stiff, firstly you will lose the ball to the right, because the shaft is to stiff it will be hard to square up at impact, causing the face to be open when you hit the ball, this is going to produce a fade or slice shot, generally ending up on the right side of ...

What driver shaft is most used on tour?

Fujikura driver shafts are the most used by the top 100 PGA Tour players with 28 players using them including Justin Thomas, Jordan Speith, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Louis Oosthuizen. The Ventus Blue 6X and Ventus Black 6X shafts are the most popular individual driver shafts.

Are Callaway and Taylormade shafts interchangeable?

The other issue is that each company will likely have their own unique connection system so you will not be able to swap a Callaway IS(interchangeable shaft) into a Taylor Made head. Again, there will be no “standard” connection system in the industry.

Can you swap shaft adapters?

It is relatively easier using basically the same techniques as removing the shaft from a head. just heat up the adapter whilst pulling on it*. Remember do not twist the adapter as this will cause the shaft to delaminate and do not overheat the adapter as the shaft may 'explode'.

Can you reuse shaft adapters?

One would be to reuse the existing adapter and the other is purchasing a new adapter sleeve and starting fresh. There are good reasons for either choice. If you do decide on using the original OEM adapter, then that will save money.

Why is it important to choose the right shaft for golf clubs?

It can give you the best chance at striking the center of the face that will result in optimal launch conditions on the course. It absolutely has an effect on how well you can play.

What does it mean to choose the wrong shaft for a golf club?

Choosing the wrong shaft will make it much harder to access the center of the face more consistently on the course , and the last thing we want you to do is to make golf harder on yourself!

How much weight should a golf shaft be?

Weight. Getting the correct weight of your shaft is an important factor to consider as well. Shafts can range anywhere from 40 to 135 grams. Typically the rule of thumb is that a golfer with a slower swing speed will benefit from using a lighter shaft, and you would add weight as swing speed increases. As you might expect at this point, there are ...

Why didn't Nick Price find a stiff shaft?

Regardless of the similarity in their swing speeds, Nick Price couldn’t find a shaft stiff enough for his swing because he would apply such an enormous amount of force, whereas Couples didn’t need as stiff of a shaft because of his smooth tempo.

What is fitting in golf?

When we put a customer through a fitting, we determine the right profile, weight, and flex that is required. Essentially we are writing a prescription for the golfer’s swing, and order the shaft to match what we believe will help them the most.

Why is shaft profile important?

Getting the right shaft profile for your swing is very important. It will greatly affect your ability to hit quality shots on the course . There is a lot of confusion in the golf shaft industry. With no standards for performance, the quality greatly varies, and often you get what you pay for. We hope that we have cleared up some ...

What is the most misunderstood product category in the golf industry?

One of the most misunderstood product categories in the golf industry is shafts . There are plenty of myths and mistruths out there that we wanted to clear up for you in this article and share what we have learned at Pete’s Golf over the past several decades.

What is a golf shaft?

Many consider the golf shaft the "engine of the club". Golf shafts are either made from graphite or steel. Both types have its benefits and disadvantages. Either way, the golf shaft is where power is stored and released at impact. Sitting in between the golf grip and club head, a solid connection is what allows the golf shaft to do its job. So when choosing a shaft, it's important to know what specifications to look for. The golf club head and golf grip will each have their own specifications/measurements as well, and having all this information on hand can guide you to choose the right shaft, as well as ensure the club assembly process goes smoothly. Here are 5 golf shaft specifications you'll want to know:

What size shaft tip for golf club?

The shaft tip size is the the diameter of the tip portion of the shaft. For irons, this will usually be 0.370" (parallel) or 0.355" (tapered). For woods, it will be either 0.335" or 0.350". To choose the tip size needed, you'll want to match it with the ID (inside diameter) of the hosel of the golf club head.

What is shaft flex?

Shaft flex is a description of how much a shaft will bend under the force of a golf swing with a head attached at the tip end. The speed and frequency of your swing will determine what flex you need. There are generally 5 different flex notations (from most bendable to least bendable): A-flex (Senior), L-flex (Ladies), R-flex (Regular), ...

How long is a 0.370" iron shaft?

decreasing in length from #3-PW). 0.370" parallel iron shafts arrive in uncut lengths, usually 41" or 42" for irons or 46" or more for woods.

What happens if you swing too heavy?

If the overall club is too heavy, you can lose swing speed which can result in a loss of yardage. Too light of a club will be hard to guide and control which can lead to mishits. Players with faster swing speeds or more accelerated tempos can benefit from heavier shafts.

What is flex in golf?

Flex: This measures the ability of a shaft to bend under the force of a golf swing. Generally, slower swing speeds find better performance from more flexible shafts (ladies, senior, regular flex), whereas faster speeds need less flex (stiff or x-stiff flex)

What is the kick point of a golf club?

Kick point: This is the area of a shaft that will bend most during the swing. A low kick point is toward the head, a high kick point is toward the grip, and a mid kick point is near the center of the shaft. Kick point will influence how the club feels and what trajectory the ball launches at.

The material of golf club shafts is usually made of graphite, steel, or titanium

Golf club shafts are made of graphite, steel, or titanium. They come in different lengths and flexes. The material is usually what dictates the price of the golf club shaft. If you want to be sure that your clubs will last longer than a year it would be worth paying more for a high-quality golf club shaft like steel or titanium.

Graphite shafts are more flexible than steel or titanium shafts

Golf club shafts are made of steel, titanium or graphite. Graphite is more flexible than steel or titanium and can be advantageous for golfers with a slower swing speed. Steel shafts are heavier than graphite but stronger, while titanium is lighter than steel but also strong. You want to choose the right material for your game!

Titanium has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than graphite but is heavier

Ever wonder what a golf club shaft is made from? Most golf clubs are made of graphite, but titanium has a higher strength-to-weight ratio and is heavier. The two materials have very different properties that affect the way you play your game.

Steel is less expensive than other materials but can be stiffer and heavier

Golf club shafts are traditionally made of steel. Steel is less expensive than other materials but can be stiffer and heavier. Composite shafts, which were introduced in the 1980s, have a lighter weight and lower cost than steel ones, but they break more easily and don’t hold up well in cold weather. The graphite shaft was invented in 1986 by Dr.

A golfer should choose which type of golf club they use based on their individual needs

It may seem like a simple question, but it can be difficult to answer. There are many different types of golf club shafts available on the market today and each type has its own benefits and drawbacks. Choosing which one is best for you will depend upon your personal preferences, playing style, and physical attributes.

The Makeup

To begin with, we have straight-up looks. There’s generally not a lot of visual cues to tell you that a club is stock or aftermarket.

The Results

Speaking of results, PluggedIn Golf conducted a study with Club Champion to show the difference in distance an aftermarket shaft can provide. The study found that aftermarket shafts can be swung faster, have faster ball speeds, and provide more carry distance and overall total distance.

Which shaft is the most played on the PGA Tour?

Companies like Fujikura, Mitsubishi and True Temper each offer hundreds of driver shaft options, sometimes dozens under the same model. Fujikura’s Ventus, which has been the most played shaft on the PGA Tour, is available in 23 versions on its website. True Temper’s Project X HZRDUS has 70 varieties.

What is the implication of these swing varieties and shaft options?

The implication of these swing varieties and shaft options is clear: The vast majority of recreational golfers are playing the wrong driver shaft.

What is the right shaft for a high handicapper?

The right shaft, even for a high-handicapper, lines up with the signature of your swing.”. There are general rules all fitters use: (1) A lighter shaft will be easier to swing faster and is likely to launch the ball higher. But it’s best to match your strength to shaft weight.

What is loading force in golf?

This idea of loading or applying force at various points during the swing is meant to correlate with how the shaft bends in multiple directions and depending on a golfer’s swing, speed and strength. Stories from fitters of golfers with poorly fitting shafts having to compromise their driver swings or work too hard to achieve optimal conditions are common.

How fast can a carbon fiber shaft swing?

For instance, tour-level golfers now swing lighter shafts that maintain their stiffness at swing speeds of 120 miles per hour or more. Some estimate that shafts on tour today can maintain gram weights in the 60s but are twice as stiff as they were a decade ago. For paying customers, technology and material gains mean some graphite shafts weigh half what they once did.

What is the missing link to the best possible performance?

The shaft is the missing link to the best possible performance. Get the right shaft and your swing becomes more effortless. Let the head solve direction. The right shaft is going to be all about consistency and speed, speed, and more speed.”. The challenge is that there are thousands of potential right shafts.

Who makes Project X shafts?

The voyage for a pro starts with a precise fitting, says Don Brown , vice president of innovation and product creation for True Temper Sports, makers of the Project X brand of shafts, which includes the HZRDUS and Even-Flow lines. “Guys can use a launch monitor to dial in tenths of a degree of launch and spin by 50 revolutions per minute to get optimal launch conditions,” Brown says, “whereas 20 years ago, they mostly stood on the range with their caddies and said, ‘Yeah, that looks like the right window.’ ”

What are the complaints about stock shafts?

One of the major complaints that the forum folk have about stock shafts is that they’re “spinny.” Our data on this is mixed.

How to judge consistency of shaft?

To judge consistency, we looked at the left-right dispersion that we mentioned earlier and also the gap between each player’s longest and shortest carry distance. In both cases, the aftermarket shaft performed better 7 out of 10 times. In averaging the whole group, the dispersion was 7.6 yards tighter from left-to-right and 6.9 yards tighter in distance.

How many trials does a stock shaft win?

We then looked at carry distance . From this perspective, the stock shafts were slightly more successful, winning 3/10 trials. However, when we look at the magnitude of the wins, the scale tilts hard toward aftermarket shafts. Stock shafts won their trials by an average of 1.76 yards, a negligible amount. Aftermarket shafts won their seven trials by an average of 9.63 yards.

Why do players need softer shafts?

Some players need a softer shaft for performance reasons, and others prefer the feel of a softer shaft. At this point, it’s fairly clear that, leaving aside issues of “better or worse,” we can conclude that stock shafts are not the same as their aftermarket counterparts .

How much less spin does an aftermarket shaft have?

While, on the whole, aftermarket shafts produced an average of 150 RPM less spin, the mixed results make this another inconclusive myth.

Is stock shaft the same as aftermarket shaft?

That said, just because they have the same name as an expensive aftermarket shaft does not mean they are the same.

Do aftermarket shafts have more distance than stock shafts?

In short, the data we collected shows that aftermarket shafts create more distance than stock shafts.

What is stock golf shaft?

When purchasing off-the-rack clubs, the shaft (s) which come standard are referred to as stock . Generally speaking, stock takes a one (sometimes two or three) size fits most approach, which allows less picky consumers to find something that provides a decent fit and with it, reasonable performance.

What would a shaft business card say?

If the shaft industry had a business card, it would read “ It is what it is, except when it’s not.”

What is the real deal with Taylormade shafts?

Scenario 1– The Real Deal : In some offerings, club OEMs will use an authentic after-market shaft as its stock option. TaylorMade popularized this approach in the early 2000s with its TP line of metalwoods. TP shafts often carried an upcharge, and TaylorMade was fond of using proprietary graphics, but the shafts were the same as their aftermarket namesakes. Using real shafts cyclically falls in and out of favor with the club manufacturers. Last year some took what we’d describe as a step backward, but the on a positive front, there’s more real deal in lineups than in year’s past and most OEM’s offer a menu of authentic aftermarket shafts as no charge upgrade options. Upgrade pricing is often a factor of both the exotic-ness of the shaft and the closeness of the relationship between the shaft and club manufacturers.

What is a T800 golf cart?

The T800 is made for a golfer who would never fit into an actual T1100 or likely anything else in the HZRDUS family, but the idea is for the consumer to think he’s getting something close to what the pros play . No harm, no foul, right?

What is a premium shaft?

Premium or Real Deal aftermarket shafts showcase a shaft manufacturer’s best technology, often utilize so-called premium materials , and are engineered to meet the expectations of touring professionals. Sold through custom fitters, dealers, and as OEM upgrades, they also carry hefty price tags which approach, and sometimes exceed, the cost of an off-the-rack driver.

Can shafts be made from dealers?

As the name implies, such shafts aren’t available from dealers; they’re made specifically for an equipment OEM – with the “winning” shaft company in any given year being the one which can work within the confined margin requirements of the club company. It’s ultimately a price point conversation – so long as the quality is good enough.

Is it risky to buy aftermarket shafts?

The risk in purchasing an authentic aftermarket shaft isn’ t significant, particularly if the brand doesn’t deal in co-branded or made for shafts.