how to select a golf driver shaft

How to Choose golf shafts for driver: The Buying Guide

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Full Answer

What is the "ideal" driver shaft length according to height?

This means that the ideal shaft length for his driver will be 45.5 inches. You may also need to make some adjustments to the lie of your driver. Driver shaft length for 5’5” | 5’6” | 5’7” | 5’8” | 5’9” | 5’10” | 5’11”

How to get the right driver shaft?

To ensure that you have the right shaft, you should consider the following factors:

• flex preference
• weight
• length of the shaft
• torque rating

How heavy should your driver shaft be?

Iron shafts are available in three weight categories, lightweight for shafts under 90g, mid-weight for shafts between 90g and 110g, and heavyweight for shafts over 120g. Driver shaft weight can vary from 65g to 130g. Golfweek reported that steel shafts can weigh up to 125g and extra-heavy shafts up to 139g. On the opposite side of the spectrum, graphite shafts generally do not weigh more than 90g.

What flex of shaft should I use on my driver?

You can estimate what type of driver you need from your carry distance:

• Under 180 Yards - Ladies
• 180 to 200 Yards - Senior
• 200 to 240 Yards - Regular
• 240 to 275 Yards - Stiff
• Over 275 Yards - Extra stiff

How do I know what 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).

What shaft is right for my swing speed?

In general, golfers with a fast swing should use a stiff shaft and slowed swings should use a regular flex shaft. To check your swing speed a shot tracking device will be the most accurate method. Based on your swing speeds here are our recommendations: 80-95 mph swing speeds should use regular shafts.

Do I want a lighter or heavier driver shaft?

In theory, a golfer should be able to swing a lighter shaft faster than he or she can swing a heavier shaft. But some golfers will not increase their swing speed with a lighter shaft. While it seems to go against the laws of physics, giving a golfer a lighter shaft can actually cause his or her speed to decrease.

What shaft flex is right for me?

– 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 flex should my driver be?

In general, golfers with driver swing speeds over 95 mph should play stiff flex shafts, and those under 95 mph should play regular flex. Shafts also come in extra stiff (105+ mph) and senior flex (under 85 mph).

What happens if driver shaft is too soft?

Incorrect flex A golfer using a shaft that is too flexible may experience a ball flight that is too high, a ball that spins too much, or a shot pattern that has inconsistent dispersion.

How do I know if my driver shaft is too heavy?

A shaft that's too heavy will cause a “labored golf swing.” A shaft that's too light will hurt your ability to make solid contact. When you find the right shaft weight, you'll experience a “high energy swing” with uniform contact.

Is a 70 gram driver shaft too heavy?

A 70-gram driver shaft is considered to be pretty heavy but not the heaviest. It falls into the middle but is still on the heavier side when you consider you could go with 50 or 60 grams instead. Those 10 grams sometimes make a significant difference.

What swing speed requires a stiff shaft for irons?

Who should use stiff flex irons? The starting point for this is swing speed, if you swing your driver between 90-105 mph then you will probably need a stiff shaft. This will benefit you by delivering great control of your club during your swing and stop you spraying it everywhere.

How do I determine my swing speed?

Divide the ball speed by 1.5 to get the estimated swing speed for your drive. Alternatively, you can divide the carry distance by 2.3 to estimate the swing speed at impact, but the result will not be as accurate.

What golf shaft flex is right for me 7 iron?

Find the Correct Golf Shaft Flex for Your Swing Speed 8-iron or 9-iron: You'd likely want an “X” or extra stiff flex shaft. 6-iron or 7-iron: You'd likely want an “S” or stiff flex shaft. 5-iron or 6-iron: You'd likely want an “R” or regular flex shaft.

What swing speed should use graphite shafts?

Graphite shafts are often used by golfers with slower swing speeds (less than 75 mph), like women, senior men golfers or juniors.

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.

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.

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 the kick point of a golf shot?

The shaft kick-point – also known as flex-point – is the point where the shaft bends and affects the trajectory of the shot. Although the effect is only small, it is still measurable.

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.

What is the kick point on a golf driver shaft?

The kick point, which is also referred to as the flex point or bend point, is simply the point along the shaft where it starts to flex the most under load in the downswing. Golf driver shafts of the same overall flex or stiffness can have different kick points. Manufacturers can locate the kick point by varying ...

What is the resistance of a shaft to twist around its own axis when a force is applied to the

Simply put, the resistance of the shaft to twist around its own axis when a force is applied to the clubhead (see diagram). Manufacturers apply a set force to a clubhead and the resulting rotation is measured in degrees.

What are the physical properties of a golf driver shaft?

The physical properties of best golf driver shafts that should be considered are length, weight, torque, kick point, and flex . All these properties combine to produce a balance and a feel to a driver and can greatly affect the overall performance of the club. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

How much does a graphite shaft weigh?

Weight Of The Shaft. Graphite shafts are manufactured in a variety of weights ranging from the sub-40-gram category up to about 90 grams, with the most common being in the 65-gram vicinity. The shaft weight has a major effect on the overall weight of the driver.

What happens if a golf shaft is too stiff?

Using a shaft that is too stiff for your swing will most likely result in a lower ball trajectory and loss of distance, as well as an open face at the impact that will push the ball to the right, or the fade side.

What happens if you use a golf driver with an improper shaft?

Using a golf driver with an improper shaft can adversely affect the distance, accuracy, and trajectory of your drives. The shaft is often mistakenly referred to as the “engine” of a golf club. In fact, it is more the “transmission” as the power, which is supplied by the golfer’s arms and body, is transmitted through the shaft to the clubhead.

What is shaft flex?

Simply put, shaft flex is a rating given to the golf shaft’s ability to resist bending under load during the golf swing.

Why do you need a shaft in a golf club?

The shaft is a critical component of the golf club. The shaft is used to transfer the energy of your swing to the golf ball. You should not pick a shaft solely based on the popularity of a brand name or on what type of shaft your old clubs had. By taking the time to pick a shaft to match your golf swing, you can ensure your clubs will help improve ...

Where is GolfSmith located?

GolfSmith: Golf Club Shafts. Writer Bio. Based in Memphis, Jackson Lewis has been writing on technology-related material for 10 years with a recent emphasis on golf and other sports. He has been freelance writing for Demand Media since 2008.

What is the highest point of a golf shaft?

Bend-point is the highest point of the shaft when it is bending by applying pressure to both ends of the shaft; kick-point is the highest point the shaft is bending, measured by clamping down the grip and applying pressure to the clubhead, like in the swing.

Why do golfers change their shafts?

Often golfers change the shaft on their driver for reasons other than fitting the best shaft. The reason could be as simple as the golfer likes the look of the shaft or a favorite professional golfer uses the shaft. The detrimental effect on your game can be avoided by visiting a professional club fitter.

What is the difference between lighter shafts and lighter shafts?

Lighter shafts typically result in increased clubhead speed. In addition to the weight, its center-of-mass or balance point can play a role in performance. Heavier shafts promote less spin with a lower left-to-right trajectory while lighter shafts promote higher ball flights with more right-to-left trajectories.

What is shaft flex?

Shaft flex is the factor in a driver shaft that most golfers understand in broad terms. However, it is far more intricate than the letter on the shaft indicating the flex. The holistic description of the flex of a shaft is something called an EI profile. This presents the stiffness of a shaft, from one end to another.

What is torque in golf?

Torque is the twisting movement of the shaft during the golf swing measured in degrees and shown as a rating. The more the shaft twists, the higher the rating, and the more the shaft twist. It is the torque that also determines how the shaft feels. This means that the higher the rating, the softer the shaft will feel.

What is a stepped steel shaft?

You will find stepped steel shafts on most irons. A steel strip is rolled into a tube, mechanically drawn, step pattern formed, and the walls are made thinner at the tip and thicker at the top.

Why is it important to have the right shaft?

Having the right shaft plays a huge role in improving your game to the highest level that you can achieve. However, there are so many factors involved that not all golfers are aware of.

How many yards can you add with a golf club shaft?

To set the record straight, with the right shafts, you could add an additional 20 to 25 yards to your game as well as improve your accuracy.

What does flex mean in golf?

Simply, flex refers to the amount a shaft will bend while you swing. If you choose the wrong flex, the club head will not hit the ball squarely which will have an impact on your distance and the trajectory of the golf ball. Although there are no standards established, there are 5 different levels of flex: Ladies, Senior, Regular, ...

How many levels of flex are there?

Although there are no standards established, there are 5 different levels of flex: Ladies, Senior, Regular, Stiff and Extra Stiff. If your drives carry less than 200 yards, you should probably have Ladies shafts, and if your ball carries between 200 and 225 yards, you should buy clubs with Senior shafts.

Can you swing a golf club with a lighter shaft?

The weight of a club is a matter of preference. Generally, you can swing a club with a lighter shaft faster, thereby increasing your distance. But you most likely will sacrifice some accuracy. Length is also a personal matter, and clubs with longer shafts generally hit the ball further. But clubs with shorter shafts are easier to hit ...