how do you know what flex shaft you need in golf

Full Answer

How much flex should your golf shaft have?

Determining which golf shaft flex your need (stiff, regular, senior, etc.) requires club fitting and testing. Start by using a launch monitor to analyze your golf swing speed. If your swing ranges between 85 mph and 95 mph then you should start with a regular flex. If your swing speed is faster than 95 mph, then you should try a stiff shaft.

What happens if golf shaft is too flexible?

• Golf ball flying too high
• Difficulty feeling like you can control where the golf ball goes
• No consistency in shots
• Continually missing shots to the left or hitting hooks
• Feeling like you aren’t getting the full distance potential out of your shots

How to tell if your golf shafts are too stiff?

How To Know If You Need Stiff Or X Stiff Flex. To know what golf shaft you need, you will need to know your swing speed. The faster your swing, the more stiff of a golf shaft you are going to need. When you swing the club fast, the club needs more resistance and a stiffer shaft. Head to a local golf shop and have your swing speed tested.

Should golf beginners play with a stiff shaft?

Stiffness or Flex

• Swing Speed. The stiffness or flex of the shaft is a much-neglected aspect of your golfing equipment as most golfers are more interested in the brand, or technical features, or ...
• Indications. ...
• Over Correcting. ...
• Classification. ...
• Beware, Don’t Over-Compensate. ...

What golf shaft flex do I need?

– Golf Shaft Flex ChartCarry DistanceSwing SpeedFlexUnder 200 yardsUnder 75 mphLadies or Senior200 to 240 yards75 to 95 mphRegular240 to 275 yards95 to 110 mphStiffOver 275 yardsOver 110 mphStiff or Extra StiffOct 15, 2019

How do I know what golf shaft is right for me?

5 factors to help you find the right driver shaft for your swingFlex. Generally speaking, a driver shaft that's too stiff will cause shots to launch too low, with too little spin and low peak heights. ... Weight. The weight of a shaft has a similar correlation to performance as flex. ... Length. ... Kick point. ... Torque.

What golf shaft flex is right for me irons?

Determine the Proper Shaft Flex for Your SwingIf You Can Hit 150 Yards with a...Then Your Optimal Shaft Flex Is...PW or 9-IronExtra Stiff Flex (X)6- or 7-IronRegular Flex (R)5-Iron/Hybrid or 4-Iron/Hybrid(Male or Female)Senior Flex (A/M)1 more row•Apr 6, 2022

How do you determine flex on a golf club?

"L" is the most flexible shaft and "X" is the stiffest shaft: "L" denotes "ladies flex" "A" or "M" denotes "senior flex" (might also be designated "AM" or "A/M," or "Senior") "R" denotes "regular flex"

What does 5.5 shaft flex mean?

StiffStiff – 5.5. Stiff Plus – 6.0. Extra Stiff Flex – 6.5. Extra Stiff Plus – 7.0.

How do I know if I need stiff or regular flex irons?

If you have a slower swing speed, you are probably going to want to choose regular shafted clubs because the additional flex will provide a little more power and accuracy. When you swing harder, the stiff flex will be more controlled and give you the punch you need to hit better shots.

How do I know what driver shaft I need?

Shafts can range anywhere from 40 to 85 grams. Typically, the rule of thumb is that a golfer with a slow swing might use lighter shaft, and he/she would add weight as swing speed increases. The simple fact is that the lighter shafts provide the opportunity to increase swing speed.

Is a 6.0 shaft Stiff?

5.0 out of 5 stars 6.0 62g is VERY stiff! Great shaft! The only thing I would say to someone who is looking at this is if you normally play a stiff shaft you should go with the 5.5 62g variant. the 6.0 62g shaft is extra stiff in my opinion.

What is the best mph for senior flex?

Between 72 and 83 mph signifies you need to be hitting senior flex. Ladies – By no means do all women’s golfers will fall in this category, but this is where many of the recreational women’s players find themselves.

Can you extrapolate your swing speed to driver?

You should consider that your swing speed for your irons might not extrapolate perfectly to driver (and vice versa), so while a certain flex might be right in some clubs, that might not be the case in others.

What Is Shaft Flex?

Shaft flex is the degree to which the shaft will bend or flex during the swing. A more flexible shaft bends easily during the swing and has the potential to produce a longer-ranged shot.

How Does Shaft Flex Impact Your Golf Game?

The shaft flex of your golf club has an immense effect on the game’s outcome as a whole. From high irons to wedges and drivers, you have to make sure they have the correct flex for trajectory, accuracy, and distance.

How to Choose the Shaft Flex for You?

You can know the correct flex for your shaft by evaluating your swing at a golf equipment store. They’ll check all kinds of things like ball speed, distance, clubhead speed, spin, and many other factors. They also try several shafts in the same driver head to give the most accurate results.

What Shaft Flex Should You Use for The Driver?

It would be best if you choose the stiffest shaft flex for your driver because it is often the club that has the maximum swing speed. Since it carries the maximum swing speed, you may consider choosing the most accurate shaft flex.

How to Determine the Right Flex for Your Iron?

Choosing the right flex for the iron depends on the club you use for hitting a 150-yard shot. If you’re about to take a 150-yard shot, consider using these flex for your irons.

Final Thoughts

When selecting a flex for the shaft in your clubs, the tradeoff is between accuracy and distance. Choosing a senior flex helps you to achieve greater distance due to its flexibility but at the cost of lower accuracy.

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What are the different flex categories for golf clubs?

Shafts come in five flex categories: extra stiff (X), stiff (S), regular (R), senior (A) and ladies (L). Generally, the faster your swing the speed, the stiffer the shaft you will need.

What is the best distance to drive a golf ball?

Regular flex may be used by golfers who consistently drive the ball between 225-250 yards and is also a very popular selection. This stiffness is appropriate for mid-high handicappers.

What are the ratings for shaft flex?

There are five generally used ratings for shaft flex: Extra Stiff, Stiff, Regular, Senior and Ladies, usually denoted by the letters X, S, R, A and L ("A" is used for Senior because this flex was originally called "amateur").

What does flex mean in golf?

"Flex" refers to the ability of a golf shaft to bend as forces are applied to it during the golf swing. Those forces are generated by the type of swing that you have: fast or slow, smooth or jerky.

Why is softer flex better for macho men?

Choosing a softer flex often has the effect of forcing macho men to slow down their swings. And slowing down the swing often makes those macho men into better golfers. And the fact is, the harm in hitting a shaft that is too flexible is much less than the harm in hitting a shaft that is too stiff.

What is the key to a club fitting?

The key, short of a club fitting, is hitting lots of different clubs and watching the effect that changing shaft flex has on your shots. If you find a flex that feels good and produces a good ball flight, there's a good chance that's the right flex for you.

What shaft do you need for a jerky swing?

A swing that gets jerky at the top—when transitioning into the downswing—will probably need a stiffer shaft. If your drives go left, you might benefit from a stiffer flex; if your drives go right, you might benefit from a softer flex.

What is a club fitting demo day?

At demo days, you'll be able to hit many different types of clubs with different types of shafts. Or find a good pro shop with swing bays where you can try before you buy. The key, short of a club fitting, is hitting lots of different clubs and watching the effect ...

How to determine golf shaft flex?

Another way to determine which golf shaft flex you need is based on your current distances. If you are hitting your driver 180-200 yards, then you need a senior golf shaft. If you hit your driver 200-240 yards, the regular is going to be a better choice. The one problem with using distance as the only determining factor is ...

How important is flex in golf shaft?

How Important Is Flex In A Golf Shaft. The flex of a golf shaft is probably just as important, if not more important than the clubhead itself. Flex is what will make or break a golfer. Even if your golf swing is near perfect, you won’t be able to perform correctly with the wrong flex in the shaft. If you told a golf professional ...

How fast should a golf shaft be?

Some golfers will decide which shaft they need based on swing speed alone. If your swing speed is between 75 and 85 miles per hour, then you will need a senior shaft. If you are between 85 and 95 miles per hour, then the regular shaft will be the best choice. You can get your swing speed measured at a local golf fitting center.

What are the different types of golf clubs for men?

Golf clubs for men come in four basic flex es, extra stiff, stiff, regular and senior. The regular and senior flex shafts are for the slower swinging player. Some golfers have a hard time deciding if the regular or the senior is going to be the better fit for their game. We have put together some great information about senior ...

How many percent of golfers keep the shaft the same?

If you told a golf professional that they had to play with new clubs, but they could keep the clubhead or the shaft the same, ninety-nine percent would choose to keep the shaft the same. With all of the variables in the game of golf, it is so essential to make sure that your golf shaft is appropriately fitted to your swing.

How does a golf shaft affect performance?

Without the proper golf shaft in place, you will notice that you have trouble controlling the flight of the golf ball, the distance of your shots, and the path of the ball as well . The proper golf shaft will help to keep you hitting the ball straight with just the right amount of ball flight as well.

What happens if a golf shaft is too stiff?

If a golf shaft is too stiff for a player, there could be a decrease in distance and accuracy as well. The most common miss with a shaft that is too stiff is a slice. If you have tried everything to learn how to fix your slice, it could just be that the equipment you are using does not fit you properly.

Why is my golf club shaft so flexible?

Expect misdirected flight paths of the ball. This happens because when a golf club impacts with the ball, the shaft tends to move forward. A right-handed golfer with a flexible shaft will notice that the ball moves towards the left.

How to tell if you need a stiffer shaft?

There are several ways you can use to tell if you need a stiffer shaft. One and the most common is distance and direction. If you tend to hit long balls, but with high inaccuracies, you likely need to have a stiffer shaft.

What factors affect the flexibility of a golf club?

Factors such as your swing speed and the shaft material affect the flexibility of your golf club. If you often lose your direction despite having an impressive distance, then the problem might be that you are using a highly flexible golf club.

What is swing speed?

Swing Speed. First, let’s define swing speed. It is the speed in miles per hour at which the clubhead travels through the hitting area. On that note, it would be great knowing that if you are a fast swinger, a highly flexible shaft is not for you. It makes it difficult for you to control the clubhead.

What to consider when buying a golf club?

When purchasing a golf club, always consider the type of material used to make the shaft. Different materials have different flexes. For instance, graphite shafts tend to be lighter than their steel counterparts. You are likely to have higher swing speeds when using shafts made from graphite than those made of steel.

Why does my golf club slice?

There is a high chance that your stiff golf club will cause a slice. This happens because the face remains slightly opened when it hits the ball. The shaft fails to unload appropriately, leading to a slice. When choosing a golf club, make a point of picking one that is neither too stiff nor too flexible.

Can you lose clubhead control with a graphite shaft?

For anyone with lower swing speeds, graphite shafts will only make you lose clubhead control. Therefore pick a golf club with a steel shaft since it is stiffer than the graphite shaft and offers more control on the clubhead.

What shafts do you need for a slow swing?

Slow swing speeds will generally require softer-flex shafts, while high swing speeds need stiffer shafts; due to variations in swing patterns, however, swing speed is only one portion of finding the right shaft. Briand’s recommendation is to use your current driver shaft as a baseline.

What happens if your driver shaft is too stiff?

Generally speaking, a driver shaft that’s too stiff will cause shots to launch too low, with too little spin and low peak heights. A shaft that’s too weak, on the other hand, may cause shots to spin too much, fly too high, and widen dispersion patterns.

What does low torque mean on a shaft?

5. Torque. A low torque measurement means that a shaft has greater resistance to twisting, while a high torque measurement means it will twist more easily.

What happens if you have a longer shaft?

As Briand says, a longer shaft will cause a less consistent strike on the face, and the golfer will tend to hit the ball closer to the heel. A shorter shaft, on the other hand, will cause a more consistent strike pattern, but impact location will tend to be on the toe. A golfer’s physical size, arm length, swing speed, consistency, ...

How tall is Rickie Fowler's shaft?

A look at Rickie Fowler's fairway wood shaft, which measures 42 inches with 0.5 inches of tipping. Fitting a golfer into the exact right shaft for them over the internet is a tall, if not impossible, task. All driver swings are different, and there are so many options on the current market. Shafts are made with different flexes, lengths, weights, ...

Does tipping a shaft change the bend point?

Remember, though, that tipping a shaft will change the bend point, and it’s also irreversible, so make sure you know the purpose behind tipping your shaft. 2. Weight. The weight of a shaft has a similar correlation to performance as flex.

Does a high bend point lower or raise the ball?

According to Briand, a high bend point will lower ball flight and a low bend point will raise ball flight. So, if you tend to have a ball flight that’s too high, look for shafts that have a high kick point, and vice versa. It’s important to note that variations in length and shaft tipping will impact the designed bend point of a shaft.