how to tell if a golf shaft is to stiff

^{How to Tell if Your Golf Shafts are Too Stiff (5 Key Tips)}

1. Find Your Swing Speed. To determine which shaft flex is best for you, you have to find out what your normal swing speed is.
2. Assess Your Driving Distance. If you have a fundamentally sound swing with adequate speed, yet you still struggle to get enough distance, there might be an issue with your ...
3. Feel Your Clubhead. A lot of the time, golf instructors will tell you to feel the clubhead. ...
4. Consider Your Shot Shape. Do you struggle with a slice? If so, it’s very likely that you’re using club shafts that are too stiff.
5. Take Personal Preference Into Account. Finally, consider how you like to play and what you like to feel when you’re swinging the club. ...

What happens when a golf shaft is too flexible?

When a golf shaft is too flexible, you will not be able to hit the ball straight. You will also end up losing a bit of distance. When a golf shaft is too flexible, it isn’t easy to control the clubface and get it to square up at impact. Faster swinging players are the golfers that need to worry about a shaft that is too flexible.

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 happens if shafts are too stiff?

What Happens If My Shaft Is Too Stiff?

• Struggle To Hit The Ball Far And High. One of the most significant indicators of a too stiff golf shaft is that you struggle to hit the ball high.
• Hitting Slices And Fades. ...
• Decreased Swing And Ball Speed. ...
• Inconsistent Contact. ...

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 do you know if you need a stiffer shaft?

When To Move To A Stiffer Shaft?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.You ball spins to much on the greens when you approach with your irons.Your accuracy has dropped.You start hitting hooks.More items...

What happens if shaft flex is too stiff?

The shaft will flex during a swing, which changes the position of the club head. When you select the right flex, the club face will be square on the ball improving accuracy. If the shaft flex is too stiff, you lose loft and won't control your shots easily.

What swing speed requires a stiff shaft?

between 97 and 104 mphStiff – This range is still considered fast, but you most likely won't be out on Tour anytime soon. 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.

What happens if 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.

Does shaft stiffness really matter?

faster swing speeds equal stiffer shafts. slower swing speeds equal weaker shafts. A softer flex gives you more “kick” and ballspeed. A stronger flex makes the ball fly straighter.

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.

When should I switch from stiff to regular?

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. 90-105 mph swing speeds should use stiff shafts.

Will a stiffer shaft lower spin?

So the stiffer the shaft and/or more tip stiff the shaft in relation to your clubhead speed and point of release, the less the shaft bends forward at impact and the more that shaft becomes a lower launch and lower spin shaft.

What happens if your golf shaft is too stiff?

One of the biggest indicators that your golf shaft is too stiff is that you are having trouble hitting the ball high. If you have a low swing speed and the shaft is too stiff, any well-struck ball will have a limit on the shot trajectory and the carry distance.

What happens if you play with a golf shaft that has too much flex?

If you play with a golf shaft that has too much flex, you can find yourself hitting draws with a lot of spin on them. Any golf shaft that has too much flex for your style will flex too much from the start to the finish of the swing, and this allows for inconsistent release points.

How does a club shaft flex affect your swing?

During your swing, your club’s shaft will flex, changing the club head’s position. When you pick the right flex for your swing speed, the clubface lands squarely on the ball, helping to improve your accuracy and maximize your distance. A shaft flex that is too stiff will result in less lag throughout the swing and at impact, ...

Why does my golf ball fade?

A leaking ball flight or fade because you won’t be able to flex the golf shaft enough when you swing to create a square impact position on the ball. A low ball flight, resulting in less distance. Inconsistent contact – your swing won’t feel solid, even when you get center hits.

What is the shaft of a golf club?

The golf shaft is the part of the club that provides the power that is transferred to the head of the club and eventually the ball every time you swing. The flex of your golf club’s shaft is the thing that will directly dictate how your club transfers power, so getting a shaft with too much or not enough flex can significantly affect your ...

How to feel when swinging a golf club?

If you prefer a “springy” feel, consider opting for a more flexible shaft. If you don’t like to feel the clubhead moving during your swing, a stiffer shaft will likely feel more comfortable for you.

Why does my golf ball fly so high?

If the course is wet, your ball will fly too high, the distance will be shorter, or it can limit roll out because it can plug when it lands. You can experience: A ball that tends to misses or pulls mostly to the left on each swing for right-handed golfers and to the right for left-handed golfers. A draw flight.

How to tell if your golf club shaft is too stiff?

There are a few telltale signs that might give you an indication that your club shafts are too stiff. If you have a good swing, but your distance is lacking it may be the shaft is too stiff. It may also be that you tend to either slice the ball or fade towards the rough on the right of the fairway, for the same reason.

What is stiffness in golf?

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 looks of their clubs. What most golfers fail to appreciate is the effect that ‘swing speed’ has on selecting the correct amount of flex of the shaft.

What to use to reduce fade off tee?

Mix and Match. There is nothing wrong with the idea of mix and match and is becoming more common. Using graphite shafts on your driver, woods and long irons will help reduce the fade off the tee, increase the distance and soften the feel if you are to slightly miss-hit.

How many irons do you need to hit 150 yards?

If you can hit 150 yards with a wedge, 9, or 8 iron you probably need stiff shafts. Using a 6 or 7 iron on 150 yards, go for a Regular flex, and 5 iron or more than Senior or Ladies shaft flex would be the way to go.

What is the shaft of a golf club?

The golf shaft is known as the ENGINE of the golf club. On the downswing, as the hips rotate, the weight transfer takes place and the body uncoils, the shaft of the club bends. This bend is also known as flex, and as this flex straightens out, power is transferred from the shaft to the club head and through to the ball.

How fast can a pro swing?

Pros are top athletes and would have a swing speed of 110 mph on average, while amateurs would be swinging between 80 to 95 mph. There are various ways to determine your swing speed, from clip-on devices, iPhone Apps, range monitors, and at the pro shop.

Who is the founder of GolfSpan?

Golf Shafts – The Ultimate Guide – All You Need To Know To Choose The Right Shaft. Nick Lomas. Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world.

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.

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.

Can you change shafts in golf clubs?

Can I Change The Shafts In My Clubs. Absolutely yes. Changing shafts in a driver is a little easier than irons, as nowadays the shafts in Drivers can be screwed out, this makes it easy to chop and change different options. Iron shafts are a little different, firstly you have to buy 7 or 8 depending on your set make up, ...

Why is my golf shaft weak?

Swinging with a weak shaft flex can hurt you in both windy and wet conditions. Because the spin is so high when you hit it with a weaker flex, the wind will magnify the spin and decrease your distance and accuracy.

What is the shaft of a golf club?

Golf shafts are the engine of the golf club. But what does that mean? Since the very first golf clubs, club makers have considered how much or how little a golf shaft flexes; the golf shaft provides the power that is transferred to the clubhead and, ultimately, to the golf ball. Because the shaft flex directly facilitates this power transfer, your shaft choice can make or break your game.

What is a slice in golf?

Typical Miss: Slice (left to right for right-handed golfer) If your golf shaft is too stiff and your swing speed is too slow, your well-struck shot will be limited on both carry distance and shot trajectory; a too-stiff golf shaft will most often lead to weak fades or slices.

What is graphite shaft?

Graphite is typically the best material for amateur golfers, though some low-handicap players and professionals enjoy the vibrations they can feel in their hands after hitting a golf ball with a steel shaft.

Do golf clubs pair with shafts?

No matter what you play with, it is important to pair your golf clubs with the right golf shafts. Insider Tip: Swing Tempo Matters A person’s swing tempo will correlate with how he/she will “load” the golf shaft during the swing.

Do all golf shafts bend the same?

As golf shaft technology continues to advance, manufacturers are experimenting more with bend profiles within golf shaft flex segments; in other words, not all stiff golf shafts bend the same.

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.

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.

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.

What does low smash factor mean?

Sometimes you will cover very long distances and other times relatively short distances. Low smash factors are relatively consistent with highly flexible shafts. This scenario means that your shaft and club head combination was not synchronous, hence you lose distance.

What happens if your golf shaft is too heavy?

If your shaft is too heavy, then you’ll probably experience these side effects: You get less wrist-snap when you swing. You have decreased swing speed. Your golf ball speed is decreased. You get less spin on your golf ball. You lose distance on the course.

Why is my iron shaft stiff?

This is because there’s very inefficient energy transfer from your club to your golf ball unless you hit your shot just right. The feeling you get is too firm.

What is a firm flex shaft?

A firm flex golf shaft is just that, a golf shaft that’s firm. They’re also called stiff shafts and are the preferred shafts of golfers that have a fast swing speed that regularly hit their golf ball out 250 yards or more. These golfers that tend to use firm flex golf shafts usually have club speed of about 90mph to 105mph.

How fast should a swing shaft be?

You can either get your swing speed professionally evaluated or you can use DIY tools to help get a decent estimate on your swing speed. If your swing speed is between 90 to 105 miles per hour, go with a stiff flex shaft.

What is the difference between a heavier shaft and a heavier shaft?

The heavier shaft has a weighted feel which gives you better control over your golf club, Heavier shafts have lower torque which keeps your club face more stable . The heavier shaft has a lower launch angle which helps you from hitting your golf ball too high.

How far can you drive a golf ball?

A good rule of thumb is that if your swing speed is 80 to 95mph but you aren’t able to drive your golf golf ball 200 to 220 yards, you have a shaft that’s too stiff.

How fast should a golf swing be?

If your swing speed is between 90 to 105 miles per hour, go with a stiff flex shaft. If it’s between 80 to 95 miles per hour then go with a regular flex shaft. Know your driver distance. This refers to how far you usually hit your golf ball from the tee to where the ball lands while using a driver or woods.

What Happens If Your Driver Shaft Is Too Stiff?

Playing with the correct shaft in your driver is incredibly important. With the correct shaft flex you will be able to deliver the club at optimum speeds, and produce the correct numbers in terms of launch and spin on the golf ball.

What is Shaft Flex, And Why Is It Important In Drivers

Shaft flex is how much the shaft bends while you swing the club, if you swing it slowly you will need a more flexible shaft, while if you swing it fast you will need a stiffer shaft.

What Are The Signs Your Driver 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 the course.

Will You Adapt Your Swing To The Incorrect Shaft Flex

Yes you will, if your shaft is too stiff you will adapt your swing in more ways than one.

How Does Weight, Kick Point And Torque Affect Shaft Flex

90% of the time shaft flex is impacted by weight, the heavier the shaft is the stiffer it is, and the lighter the shaft is the more flexible it is.

How Does Swing Speed Affect What Shaft Flex You Should Use?

Swing speed is the main influencer in what shaft you should use. The faster you swing the more the shaft will bend, so the more you need to control it.

How To Discover Your Swing Speed?

By using a very fancy piece of machinery called a launch monitor, you are able to track how fast your swing speed is. The most popular companies are Trackman, Flightscope and GC Quad.

How to choose shafts for golf?

Choose shafts that simply “feel” good to you. While there are technical ways to match shafts with clubs based on how you play , at the end of the day, the correct choice is one that gives you confidence. If there are doubts about which shafts to buy, hit some shots with various types of shafts to see which feel the most comfortable to you.

What does stiffness mean in golf?

Stiffness of a shaft indicates how much it will bend during a shot; different types of golfers require shafts with different stiffnesses. If you swing the club with little speed and your ball travels a short distance, you probably need a shaft that will bend a lot when you hit the ball.

How far can you hit a senior golf ball?

If you hit the ball about 200 to 225 yards, Seniors shafts are probably right for you. If you routinely can hit it about 250 yards, pick Regular shafts. But if you hit it longer, choose Stiff ones. And unless you pound the ball 300 yards or more, stay away from shafts that are Extra-stiff.

How far can you hit a golf ball with a driver?

For example, if you strain to make the ball fly about 175 yards, you probably should have Ladies shafts. If you hit the ball about 200 to 225 yards, Seniors shafts are probably right for you.

Do you have to have the same shafts on every golf club?

Realize that you don't have to have the same shafts in every club. For example, you might benefit from a less rigid shaft in your driver and possibly your hybrid clubs for more distance, but you may pick a stiffer shaft for your mid-irons and wedges where you place a great premium on accuracy and less on distance.

Stiffness Or Flex

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