how to determine the proper shaft flex for a golf club

1. Determine your overall swing speed by visiting your local golf shop if it is equipped to provide swing speed measurements.
2. Identify the golf shaft flex point, which is where the shaft primarily bends when hitting the golf ball.
3. Pick a shaft torque rating that decreases with the increased stiffness of the shaft flex. Extra-stiff shaft flex ratings will normally have a torque rating approaching 2.
4. Hit practice shots with clubs shafted to the same flex rating but made by different manufacturers before making a purchase.

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 flex should I have on my golf clubs?

If you're between 97 and 104 mph with the driver, you need a stiff flex. Regular – Now we are getting into the range where a majority of recreational golfers fall, and also where many LPGA pros fall. If you're between 84 and 96 mph, regular is going to be best for you.

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...6- or 7-IronRegular Flex (R)5-Iron/Hybrid or 4-Iron/Hybrid(Male or Female)Senior Flex (A/M)Any Iron/Hybrid lower than 4 or any Fairway Wood (Females or Juniors)Ladies Flex (L)1 more row•Apr 6, 2022

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

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.

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.

What shaft flex do I want?

– 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

What happens if shaft flex is too soft?

If a golfer is using a shaft that is too flexible, here are the likely results: 1. The ball will possibly fly higher for any given loft. If the golfer is using the proper loft for his or her swing mechanics, this could cause a slight decrease from the golfer's maximum potential distance.

What swing speed requires a stiff shaft for irons?

What swing speed requires a stiff shaft? Golfers at driving speeds over 90 mph should generally use a stiff shaft.

Will I lose distance with a stiff shaft?

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

What weight of golf shaft is right for me?

In general, golfers with slower swing speed and tempo can and should play a lighter shaft. Golfers with very fast speeds and tempo should play heavier shafts. Driver shafts typically weigh 55-60 grams for men and 45-50 grams for ladies. Iron shafts can be as light as 55 grams in graphite, and 130 grams in steel.

Do pros use stiff or regular shafts?

Most PGA Tour pros will use stiff or extra stiff in their shafts. It is rare to find someone swinging a regular shaft with the amount of swing speed those guys have.

Can a high handicapper use stiff shafts?

Stiff shafts are appropriate for men with single-digit handicaps as well as some with handicaps 10 to 15 who have high clubhead speed. Stiff flex is available in graphite or steel.

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 ...

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.

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.

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.

What is extra stiff flex?

Extra stiff flex is for players with a swing speed over 100 mph, and their shots cover the 300-yard range. This flex is the right choice for professionals.

How many different shaft flex categories are there?

These are the five different shaft flex categories. You can select the right shaft flex as per your requirements.

Why is it important to have the right golf equipment?

Every golfer knows that having the right set of golf equipment is essential to unleash the best performance on the course. Players often underestimate the shaft flex and use the golf shafts that were not suitable for them.

What happens when a golf shaft is too stiff?

A too flexible shaft causes a nasty hook or a pop-up, whereas an extra stiff shaft pushes the golf ball onto the next fairway.

What is a golf shaft flex point?

Identify the golf shaft flex point, which is where the shaft primarily bends when hitting the golf ball. Low flex points will result in higher ball trajectories with less difference observed across steel shaft flex options than with graphite shafts.

What is the shaft of a golf club?

By Jackson Lewis. With the improvement in golf club technology since 200, the golf club shaft has become one of the most important components of any club. The shaft is the primary instrument by which the swing energy is transferred to the club head when striking a golf ball.

What clubs hit the golf ball from 150 yards?

If there is not a facility convenient to your location, the rule of thumb measures to use for clubs that are used to hit the golf ball from 150 yards are: Ladies Flex for a 3 iron or wood; Senior Flex for a 4 iron; Regular Flex for a 5 or 6 iron; Stiff Flex for a 6 or 7 iron and X-Stiff Flex for a 8 or 9 iron.

How to maximize energy transfer during club head impact with the golf ball?

To maximize the energy transfer during club head impact with the golf ball, the shaft flex must be matched to the golfer's overall swing speed.

Can you hit the same flex rating on the same golf club?

Hit practice shots with clubs shafted to the same flex rating but made by different manufacturers before making a purchase. Because there is not a U.S. Golf Association mandate for shaft flex ratings, you may see a noticeable difference on the practice range between shafts of the same rating.

What is the X stiff range?

X-stiff – This is the range where most high-level players fall. If you’re swinging the driver above 105 mph, it might be time to get some X stiff shafts in your set.

What is the average speed of a senior swinger?

Senior – Slower swingers fall into this category. Between 72 and 83 mph signifies you need to be hitting senior flex.

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.

Is True Spec Golf affiliated with 8AM?

Our friends over at True Spec Golf shared some data with us that illustrates the shaft that’s right for you based on your swing speed throughout the bag. ( True Spec and GOLF.com are affiliates of 8AM Golf ).

What is the best way to choose the proper amount of flex in your golf clubs?

A clubfitting with a golf professional is the recommended way to choose the proper amount of flex in your golf clubs.

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").

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 happens if your flex doesn't match your swing?

Having a flex that doesn't match the needs of your swing will result in the clubface being misaligned at impact, causing your shots to go off-target.

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 happens if your drives go left?

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 important to think about in golf clubs?

It's important to think about the shafts in your golf clubs, and specifically whether you are playing the right amount of flex. David Cannon / Getty Images

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 is the first thing to decide on golf shafts?

The first thing is to decide is what type of golf shafts you would prefer, followed by shaft flex, kick-point, torque rating and length. Each of these different aspects of golf club shafts that can influence the performance of your club, and each must be carefully considered before you put in an order. Read on to find out all about how ...

What is flex in golf clubs?

Put simply, the flex determines a golf club shaft’s ability to bend during a swing, affecting the distance and direction. Therefore, getting the right flex in your golf clubs is important.

How to know if you have picked the wrong shaft?

If you have picked the wrong shaft, you will immediately know. When you go to swing the club, you will find that the ball won’t go as far as it should, and you may hit the ball off-centre. You may also find that the club may feel “dead” if the shaft is too heavy or stiff, or alternatively it can feel too soft and weak – both can significantly impact your game. Therefore, if you don’t know what to do, don’t guess, because you may end up with the wrong shaft for you and it can be costly to rectify if you have to buy more shafts or new golf equipment.

What is a multi-material shaft?

A recent addition to the market are multi-material shafts which are used on both irons and drivers. This type of shaft incorporates steel and graphite into one shaft to get the best of both worlds for each player, to suit all playing types. Generally, the shaft is made using a steel shaft that has a graphite tip.

How long should a 5-iron shaft be?

The following lists what length of shafts you should consider for certain heights. 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.

How much does graphite shaft weigh?

Graphite shafts are much lighter, less durable and more expensive in comparison to steel shafts, and weigh between 50 and 85 grams – around half the weight of a steel shaft! These light-weight shafts help to provide a greater swing speed for more power, however, it sacrifices control due to the flex generated in the swing.

What is the difference between steel shafts and graphite shafts?

Steel shafts are much heavier, more durable and are generally less expensive than their graphite counterpart s. They are often made from carbon steel, but stainless steel is sometimes used, and start at 120 grams.

How is Shaft Flex Measured?

The most common way is to clamp the butt end of the shaft, attach a weight to the tip, displace it, and measure the CPM (cycles per minute) or frequency that the shaft oscillates. This can also be done in reverse – clamp the tip and weight and displace the butt.

What is Shaft Flex?

If you think this is a basic question, you’re wrong. The top shaft manufacturers in the game can’t even agree on a simple definition!

What is the benefit of playing the right shaft flex?

All the manufacturers concur. Fujikura said the benefit of playing the right flex is, “Consistency!” Mitsubishi told us it will “optimize a player’s performance.” And Nippon said, “The correct shaft flex will optimize distance, spin, and dispersion control.”

Is shaft flex firmer in a Nippon?

Nippon: As swing speed increases, shaft flex should be firmer.

Is flex only one part of the equation?

While they didn’t agree on much, every shaft manufacturer that we spoke to said that flex is only one part of the equation . MRC noted that torque values will vary widely from model to model, and that has a big impact on performance.

Is there a standard way to measure flex?

Given that there’s not a standard way of measuring flex, you can correctly assume that there is no standard for labeling flex either. What one manufacturer calls “stiff” might be “regular” to another. This is why they universally emphasize the importance of fitting.

Is a shaft X stiff or flex?

Regardless of the semantics, we’re talking about the flexibility of the shaft . A shaft that’s X-Stiff will be very rigid and hard to bend. A shaft that’s Senior or A-Flex will be very loose and easy to bend.

What is flex in golf clubs?

Flex – the most critical component, this is where many golfers are mismatched with their shafts. Beginners may acquire clubs from friends or family and not consider the flex of their shafts. Shaft options include senior, ladies, regular, firm, stiff, x-stiff. Length – shafts can be cut different lengths – for most beginners, ...

What is in a golf shaft?

What’s in a Shaft? A golf shaft seems so simple but is actually very complex. There is a lot of technology in the modern golf shafts and if you review the specifications, you will find things like material (steel/graphite), flex, length, weight, tip flex, butt flex, torque, spin, and launch. Wow, that’s a bit much!

What is the best shaft for golf?

What’s in a Shaft? 1 Material – steel or graphite – this can vary, but a good rule of thumb is your driver and woods should have graphite, your irons should be steel. 2 Weight – while the weight of a shaft will only vary by 10-50 grams, this will make a difference in how fast you swing the club and how it feels. 3 Flex – the most critical component, this is where many golfers are mismatched with their shafts. Beginners may acquire clubs from friends or family and not consider the flex of their shafts. Shaft options include senior, ladies, regular, firm, stiff, x-stiff. 4 Length – shafts can be cut different lengths – for most beginners, standard length is fine, unless you are an abnormal height. The key with length, if you bought used clubs, did the previous owner adjust them?

How does swing speed affect shaft flex?

Your swing speed will determine the appropriate flex and weight of a shaft. The faster you swing, the stiffer your shaft flex needs to be. This is where a lot of beginner’s get mismatched. For example, if you are a younger player with an aggressive swing, but you have a senior shaft in your driver, it will be tough to consistently hit ...

What are the key things to consider when choosing a golf club?

The average/beginner golfer doesn’t need to worry about all of these – the key things to consider are material, weight, flex, and launch.

When you hit the ball solid, is it high or low?

When you hit the ball solid, is it high or low? The correct shaft can help you – if you tend to hit the ball low, you probably want a high launch shaft. This will help you get the ball in the air and it will travel further. If you tend to hit the ball high and lose distance, a low launch shaft could help.

Can you get a demo golf club for free?

There are ways to achieve this without spending a ton of cash. Many club manufacturers will hold demo days for free at local courses. You will end up hitting all their new clubs, but they will have a monitor there and you can learn things about your swing. Ultimately, they will also tell you the flex of shaft you should have, and you can compare it to your current set.