
What is stiffness in golf clubs?
Stiffness or Flex 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 do you know 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. This can result in slices or weak fades.
How do you know if your golf clubs are too heavy?
Your club feels too heavy. If you have to put more force than what seems to be appropriate into your shots, your club might feel too heavy for you because your shaft is too stiff. This sign is a bit hard to gauge and notice unless you really have a good grasp on your swing as well as technique.
Should you play with two stiff golf clubs?
Playing with two stiff golf clubs will result in less wrist-snap when you swing, a decreased swing speed, the speed of the golf ball is also reduced, and your shot dispersion will be to the left or right of your intended target.

How do I know if my clubs are too stiff?
Tip 4: Feel the Club Head If your club feels dead when you swing, it is likely the shaft is too stiff. With the appropriate flex, you can tell when the weight of the head has loaded the shaft. If your club feels like a steel rod, it is probably too stiff.
How do I know if my golf clubs are stiff or regular?
What's the difference between regular and stiff shafts? A stiff shaft is firmer and harder to bend than a regular shaft, and so more often than not, they're also heavier in weight.
How do I make my golf swing less stiff?
Start by sitting on your knees meet your elbows together with your forearms on the floor. Reach one arm behind your lower back and focus on rotating through your upper back. Use a deep breath in this rotated position to help increase the stretch.
What happens if your 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 ...
Do pros use stiff 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.
How do I make my golf swing smoother?
0:080:59How To Swing The Golf Club Smooth - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLet's just try and feel like a nice smooth hinging of the wrist we're not forcing it we're justMoreLet's just try and feel like a nice smooth hinging of the wrist we're not forcing it we're just going 10 20 40 60 80 to get to that position at the top and then we can sort of maintain.
What does a good golf swing feel like?
The golf swing should feel effortless, with minimal tension. Think of it like a coiled spring: as you rotate and load into the backswing, you are storing up energy (just as a coiled spring would) before releasing all that energy – in one sweeping downswing motion – through the ball at impact.
How loose should your golf swing be?
4:2811:20EFFORTLESS GOLF SWING - LOOSE OR TIGHT WRISTS? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAre loose all right so see your wrists as a hinge they hinge they re-hinge.MoreAre loose all right so see your wrists as a hinge they hinge they re-hinge.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 Do I Know That My Golf Shaft Is Too Stiff?
A few indicators will help you decipher if, indeed, your golf shaft is too stiff for you. A too stiff golf shaft will rear its ugly head in various areas of your game, and changing to the right shaft will automatically improve your game from the get-go.
What Happens If My Shaft Is Too Stiff?
If any of the following is observable in your own game, it may be indicative that you are using too stiff shafts. Getting your game analyzed on a launch monitor by a professional would be the ideal way to rectify any gremlins concerning your golfing form.
Steel Or Graphite Golf Shafts?
Graphite golf shafts are much lighter than stee l. Choosing this material in golf shafts makes it easier to swing faster, and you will see an increase in driving distance from the tee. Graphite is considered to be the correct shafts for beginners and intermediate golfers.
What Happens When My Shaft Is Too Flexible?
After discussing the indicators of playing with golf shafts that are too stiff, let us look at some indicators that suggest that your golf shafts are too flexible.
Conclusion
Playing with too stiff or too flexible shafts will negatively affect your game. The best advice is to analyze your game thoroughly by seeing a professional, getting fitted when buying new golf clubs, analyzing your swing speed, and more by way of a launch monitor.
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.
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 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.
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.
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, ...
Is golf hard on its own?
Golf is hard enough on its own, so why should you make it harder by playing the wrong equipment? Playing the right shaft in your clubs can be the difference in you flying that bunker with your drive, or hitting a super tight fairway with ease, it can also be the difference in you hitting more greens with your Irons.
Why does my golf club feel heavy?
If you have to put more force than what seems to be appropriate into your shots, your club might feel too heavy for you because your shaft is too stiff. This sign is a bit hard to gauge and notice unless you really have a good grasp on your swing as well as technique.
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.
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.
Why does my golf ball fly low?
Your golf ball flies too low. Your experience loss in distance. Your golf iron feels too firm. Your golf iron feels too heavy. Your golf ball flies low. If your best shots can only go up to medium height then you might have a shaft that’s too stiff for you.
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.
