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how much further should you hit a golf ball with a senior shaft iron than a regular shaft

by Prof. Marlin Bernier Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Drive Distance Around 180
If you are playing a regular golf shaft and hitting the ball around 180 yards, it is likely time to switch to the senior shaft. By going with the higher launching, lighter, softer senior golf shaft, the difference in the distance could be an extra 15-20 yards.
Aug 23, 2021

Full Answer

Do I need a senior or regular golf shaft?

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 that if you are currently playing with the wrong golf shaft than your distances may not be accurate.

How many iron shafts do I Need?

Iron shafts are a little different, firstly you have to buy 7 or 8 depending on your set make up, and they all have to be extracted and then replaced, this is a lengthy process, but it is worth it in the end. If you want to change your shaft, we suggest speaking to your local professional, they will be able to advise you further.

Do you have the right driver and iron shafts for You?

Having the right Driver and Iron Shafts in your equipment can improve your distance and accuracy dramatically. Your swing speed has a big influence on what shaft flex you should play, but it isn’t the only factor, age, handicap, feel and preferred shot shape also have an impact.

Are shorter golf shafts better?

A shorter shaft will be a little stiffer, again think of the lever analogy, but it can actually lead to increased distance as well as accuracy. Shorter clubs are easier to use so you will hit more shots out of the middle which means longer straighter drives. Is a heavier shaft the cure for a dreaded slice?

Does a senior shaft add distance?

Regular shafts, when they can't hit the ball beyond 180 yards, need to be swapped with Senior shafts. This sort of lighter, softer flex in the shaft increases distance by an additional 15 to 20 yards easily.

Is the much difference between regular and senior shafts?

There is not much difference at all between ladies and senior flex. Most of the time, the only difference between a senior flex shaft and a ladies flex shaft will be the length of the shaft. The senior flex shaft can sometimes be a few grams heavier than the ladies, but this all depends on the manufacturer.

When should you use senior flex 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.

Will I hit the ball farther with a regular shaft?

The accuracy of a shaft is determined by different factors including its type, material, and swing speed. If your swing speed is good, consider a stiff shaft to land your ball more accurately on the targeted area. The regular shaft may help in increased distance, but would you want to hit your ball inaccurately?

What is the average swing speed of a senior golfer?

between 72-86 mphWhat is the average swing speed of a senior golfer? According to a study done by My TPI, the average speed for 50-60 year old golfers is between 72-86 mph. For golfers above 60 years old, it's between 71-79mph.

Is senior flex good for beginners?

Senior flex can be an excellent choice for beginners with slower swing speeds and can benefit from this type of technology.

Should senior golfers use graphite shafts?

Are graphite shafts better for seniors in golf? Yes, graphite shafts are the best choice for most seniors. As I mentioned, the shaft plays a major role in ball striking, consistency, and distance. The overwhelming majority of senior players would benefit from using a graphite shaft.

What's the difference between regular and senior golf clubs?

The primary difference between regular golf clubs and senior golf clubs is the shaft in the club. Senior golfers are typically not able to generate the same swing speed as their younger playing partners, but that is the great thing about being able to buy equipment that is built to enhance your golf swing.

How can senior golfers get more distance?

10 tricks to boost your driving distance as you get olderUse your hands and wrists. ... Close your stance. ... Turn early. ... Turn your hips, too. ... Make the club lighter on your backswing. ... Lighter clubs. ... Use more loft. ... Proper ball position.More items...•

Do stiff shaft irons go further?

A stiff flex golf shaft creates more resistance in the swing of a golfer. Therefore when they attempt to hit the ball with a bit more speed, they can get the incredible distance. The clubhead speed for most golf swings is too slow for a Stiff flex shaft.

Will regular shaft give more distance?

A shorter shaft will be a little stiffer, again think of the lever analogy, but it can actually lead to increased distance as well as accuracy. Shorter clubs are easier to use so you will hit more shots out of the middle which means longer straighter drives.

Will I lose distance with a stiff shaft?

If the shaft flex is too stiff, your average distance will remain low.

The Clubs

Firstly, let’s look into driver distance. Technology in golf clubs continues to improve year on year. It amazes me how many golfers, particularly seniors, still use that trusty Driver from 20 years ago. I would encourage you to look at the clubhead on your Driver and then the shaft within the club.

The Swing

Having the correct equipment is essential. However, we need to move correctly to increase our distance.

The Ball

Our final factor for distance is using the correct golf ball. I see many senior golfers using an older golf ball or whatever they found on a round in 2005!

Next Article

An question that’s often asked in the club house on senior days is how far should a 70 year old hit a golf ball. So, we’re going to take a look at that next as we come to the end of our series.

What is the biggest lie in golf?

The first question, the answer to which Max Homa calls the “biggest lie in golf”, is something every golfer should know. Just because you have hit a drive 280 yards one time does not mean you hit your driver 280 yards. That goes all the way down the bag. Take more club than you think, because there’s no pride in leaving 99 out of 100 shots short ...

Is Instagram a good golf guide?

Instagram. It’s not perfect, because it assumes a few things: That you’re hitting the ball consistently well, without much curve and with a driver that’s fit to your swing. But nevertheless, it can provide a good guidepost for golfers.

Do golfers want to hit the ball longer?

As soon as golfers accomplish the act of hitting the golf ball, they want to hit further. It’s only natural and in some ways, inescapable. But while many golfers want to hit the ball longer, there are often two related questions that sometimes escape them: How far do they hit it?

How to increase distance on golf iron?

How to Increase Golf Iron Distance. A simple way of increasing distance when swinging a golf iron is to change to a lower numbered club. For example you can get more distance for a 7 Iron than you can with an 8 Iron. A 7 Iron has a lower loft value which results in extra distance.

How fast is a golf club if it is half an inch shorter?

Aside from distance, speed of the ball is also affected. If your golf club is half an inch shorter, the speed will be reduced by 1.5 to 2 MPH.

How to measure golf distance?

How To Measure Your Golf Distance. The best way to measure your golf distance is to use a GPS measuring device, smart watch GPS or a laser rangefinder. These devices will show a golfer how many yards their ball has travelled as well as the distance an object is from their current location on the course.

How far can a pro golfer drive a golf ball?

The average distances an amateur golfer drives a ball is 200 yards. A pro golfer on the PGA tour hits the ball further, with an average distance of 270 yards off the tee.

What is the best way to measure golf ball distance?

If you’re after a more convenient way of measuring your golf ball distance, a GPS smart watch is the perfect option. Some golfers don’t wish to carry around heavier GPS equipment which makes a watch an ideal alternative.

How many yards should you hit a golf club?

You should hit your golf clubs within 20 yards of the average for that particular club type. This means you should hit a driver at least 200 yards to be considered a good golf player. Furthermore, a 7 Iron shot should send the ball flying at least 120 yards.

How far can you drive a golf ball?

Driving a golf ball 220 yards or more is a good distance which places you in the top 25% of players. A ball travelling 220 yards is further than the average of 195 to 205 yards that an average recreational player will hit a golf ball. When it comes to professional golfers, the 280+ yard mark falls in the “good range”.

What is a senior golf shaft?

When it comes to senior golf shafts, or if you see a golf shaft with a senior rating, it means that the shaft has been manufactured to a lesser stiffness than a regular golf shaft in order to accommodate the generally slower swing speeds ...

How does swing speed affect golf?

Even without taking into account any of the other features of a golf shaft that impact any given player’s performance, swing speed is one of the most important factors that will impact how far a player can hit the ball. All other things being equal, swing speed can influence not only the distance a ball can be driven but also the ball flight.

Why use flexible shafts?

With a slower swing speed, a flexible shaft may be able to impart more clubhead speed which will then impact the ball’s speed. To make short of a long explanation, slow swing speeds benefit from more flexible shafts. In general, a lot of senior flex shafts will be made from graphite instead of from steel.

What is senior flex shaft made of?

In general, a lot of senior flex shafts will be made from graphite instead of from steel. Although graphite shafts are more expensive to produce than steel shafts and are more fragile as well, they can be made much more flexible than their steel counterparts. Some steel shafts can be manufactured to very high stiffnesses which makes them attractive ...

What factors affect the performance of a golf club?

Other factors like kick point and torsion rating can impact a player’s performance as well. For example, the kick point is the point at which the shaft seems to flex, and can affect the angle at which the clubhead contacts the ball. Kick point will vary between shafts, and the only way to determine with certainty if a given shaft works ...

Is there anything wrong with a slower swing speed?

It is also important to note that there is nothing wrong with a slower swing speed; all different players have their own unique skill sets. The fact that there are many different qualities of golf shafts is akin to how there are many different types of baseball bats. Some players prefer a balanced bat and others prefer an end-loaded bat.

Does torsion affect golf shafts?

In addition, torsion can have similar effects, although torsion is the degree to which a shaft will “twist” as opposed to flexing. Also, the sizing of a golf shaft matters just as much as the flex. In order to be effective in your use of a golf shaft, it needs to be sized properly to you, and without the right measurement, ...

Regular Vs Senior Flex Shafts For Irons – Which One Should You Be Using?

One of your biggest enemies in golf is your ego. From trying to hit a club less just so you can tell your friends or playing a stiffer shaft than you should, we golfers are bad for this.

What Regular Vs Senior Flex Is All About

Like “ladies tees”, senior flex is one of those phrases in golf that I hate.

How Does It Effect Performance?

As you can probably imagine, all of these problems above will cause you to lose accuracy.

How To Know If You Need Regular Or Senior Flex In Your Irons?

The answer here is all about swing speed, Do you know how fast you swing you driver?

Swing Speed And Flex Table

From the article in the last paragraph, here is the table from True Spec Golf to help you quickly get an idea of what shaft flex should work best for you.

What Swing Speed Should Use Regular Flex?

If you swing your driver with a speed between 84-96 mph then you should be playing regular flex through your bag.

How Will The Shaft Flex Affect Distance And Accuracy?

Using the wrong shaft can cause you to lose both distance and accuracy. A shaft that flexes too much will cause to

Why is a stiffer shaft better for golf?

Also, a stiffer shaft tends to help reduce dispersion as the club can move less through impact and so be more consistent.

How fast can a stiff shaft hit?

Who benefits from a stiff shaft? A good tip for working out what flex you need is the 150-yard test. If you can hit an 8- or 9-iron 150 yards, comfortably, then a stiff shaft is for you. This means that you will have a driver swing speed of around 100 mph and you will see the benefits of a stiff shaft.

Why use a stiffer shaft in wedges?

Most wedges come with a less flexible shaft as it can improve control for your shortgame.

What does it mean when you get the wrong flex of shaft?

This means that getting the wrong flex of shaft means that you will give up distance and control of the ball with your driver.

What is torque in golf?

Torque is how much a shaft resists twisting during the golf swing. This feature has a huge role to play in how easy it is to deliver the clubface square through impact and therefore how accurate it will be. This isn’t really something you need to know but your pro or fitter will be well-aware of it.

Can regular shafts be used with high swing speeds?

Be open-minded. Like almost anything in golf, there are no hard and fast rules so sometimes certain regular shafts can perform well with high swing speeds. Your tempo and how you load the shaft has an effect on what flex you need so speak to an expert about this too.

Is custom fitting available for golf clubs?

The more you learn about golf shafts the more complicated it can seem, thankfully there are people out there that are real experts on this and are here to help you. Custom fitting is now available to all golfers and you should take advantage of it when buying new gear.

What happens if your golf shaft is too stiff?

When the shaft is too stiff, you won’t be able to get enough spin on the ball, causing it to come out very low, and look like it’s falling out of the sky. If it’s too stiff, your shot shape will be from left ...

How is shaft flex determined?

Your shaft flex will be determined mainly by your swing speed, and then by your ability, age and personal preference. Within each shaft flex there are different weights and kick points (bend points). Shaft flex is very important as it will help with your distance and accuracy.

What is shaft flex?

Shaft flex is how much the shaft bends throughout the swing, someone that swings it slow will need a more flexible shaft, while someone that swings it fast will need a stiffer shaft. You get Ladies, Senior, Regular, Stiff and X-Stiff shafts in Woods and Irons, generally your Woods and Irons will be the same flex.

How to know if you need to go stiffer?

You should move to a stiff shaft once your swing speed moves into the next bracket, if you can’t track your swing speed here are some signs you need to go stiffer. Feels ‘whippy’ in your hands. Feels too light. Your ball is ballooning in the air. Your ball is behind your pitch mark when you hit your driver.

What monitors your swing speed?

These are called launch monitors, they track your swing speed, loads of other parameters. Unfortunately they do cost quite a bit of money, which makes it hard to get your hands on one.

Why does my golf ball go high?

When the golf ball is struck it will generally have too much spin if the shaft is too flexible, this will cause a ‘ballooning’ effect on the shot and it will tend to go quite high. You might have an inconsistent shot shape if the shaft is too flexible.Having a shaft that is too flexible can also cause the ball to hook uncontrollably, ...

How to know if you need to go more flexible?

You should move to a more flexible shaft once your swing speed drops into the next bracket, if you can’t track your swing speed here are some signs you need to go more flexible. Feels to heavy. Feels like a ‘broomstick’ in your hands. You struggle to get the ball up in the air with your driver.

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