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how to tell if what flex you need golf shaft

by Prof. Mercedes Moen Jr. Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  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. ...

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.

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. ...

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How do I know what shaft flex I need?

Take a look at the distance you hit your driver. This is a good, but very general, indicator. If you carry you driver 250 yards or more, go with Stiff; 230-250 yards, Regular; 200-230 yards, Senior; less than 200 yards, Ladies. Only the biggest of the big hitters is going to need Extra Stiff.

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

What flex should my golf clubs be?

The most common flex, regular, is designated as "R" on the flex chart and is recommended for golfers who regularly drive the ball 210 to 240 yards and have a swing speed between 75 and 84 mph. Steel and graphite shafts are available in regular flex, which is appropriate for men with mid to high handicaps.

How do I know if I need a stiff or regular 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. 90-105 mph swing speeds should use stiff shafts.

Will I lose distance with a stiff shaft?

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

What happens if a 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 far should you hit a 7 iron?

Average 7 Iron Distances are following: Beginning golfers- 100 yards (men) or 60 yards (women) Intermediate golfers- 135 yards (men) and 75 yards (women) Advanced golfers- 165 yards (men) or 140 yards (women)

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 ...

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.

Do any pros use regular flex shafts?

None of the top 100 PGA Tour pros uses regular iron shafts. It is only among the wedge shafts selected by the pros that you finally see the majority of them using slightly 'softer' flex shafts but as we can see below a healthy number still continue to choose extra stiff shafts in their wedges.

What swing speed requires a stiff shaft for irons?

between 90-105 mphWho 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.

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.

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.

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.

What Shaft Flex Should You Use for The Driver?

It would be best if you choose the stiffest shaft flex for your driver because it is often the club that has the maximum swing speed. Since it carries the maximum swing speed, you may consider choosing the most accurate shaft flex.

How to Determine the Right Flex for Your Iron?

Choosing the right flex for the iron depends on the club you use for hitting a 150-yard shot. If you’re about to take a 150-yard shot, consider using these flex for your irons.

Final Thoughts

When selecting a flex for the shaft in your clubs, the tradeoff is between accuracy and distance. Choosing a senior flex helps you to achieve greater distance due to its flexibility but at the cost of lower accuracy.

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What is the best mph for senior flex?

Between 72 and 83 mph signifies you need to be hitting senior flex. Ladies – By no means do all women’s golfers will fall in this category, but this is where many of the recreational women’s players find themselves.

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.

Impact Of Shaft Flex On Your Game

A lot of people think magnets are something magical until they get a better grasp of the physics behind them.

Types of Golf Shafts

Now that you’ve got all this new information about shaft flexes, let’s also take a quick look at the different types of material your club shaft can be made out of.

Final Thoughts

Here we are, at the end, and the question still looms, “What golf shaft flex is right for me?”

Why does my golf ball flex when I swing down?

When you swing down, the shaft will flex as a way of storing up energy. When that energy is released into the back of the ball, you will be able to launch the ball into the air as a result of what the shaft is doing. Of course, that will only happen when you have the right shaft. If you have a shaft that is the wrong flex for your swing, ...

Why is my golf club face closed down?

Without enough swing speed to properly bend the shaft on the way down, the club face will usually be closed down at impact – leading to that low and left pattern. In this case you will also have trouble generating backspin, meaning that you may not be able to hold greens easily when hitting iron shots.

Why does my golf ball fly high?

When you are using a club shaft that is too soft for your swing speed , the ball will consistently fly high and will often be pushed to the right. Rather than a powerful high shot that travels a great distance, shots hit with a shaft that is too soft will just float up into the air as a result of a high spin rate.

What are the two categories of golfers?

Leave a Comment. Golfers can generally be divided up into two categories – those who obsess over equipment, and those who completely ignore it. It seems that the average golfer is either concerned with every last detail of the clubs they use, or totally disinterested in even learning about the basics. In other words, some golfers feel that ...

Does shaft flex make you a good golfer?

Good equipment isn’t going to make you a great golfer – but it can help you become the best version of yourself on the course. Specifically, finding the right shaft flex for your clubs can help you to create a nice trajectory with a reasonable spin rate from your driver on down through your wedges. Take the time to figure out which shaft flex works ...

Can a stiff shaft cause a bad swing?

Just as a shaft that is too soft can cause trouble, a shaft that is too stiff can lead to disappointing results as well. However, the ball flight patterns that you notice are going to be completely opposite when the shaft is too stiff for your swing. Most likely, you will find yourself hitting low shots that are frequently pulled to ...

Do you need to monitor your golf swing?

Instead, you are going to need to monitor the status of your equipment on an ongoing basis for as long as you are a golfer. Your swing is going to change over time, so you need to make sure your equipment adapts to those changes.

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.

How to determine golf shaft flex?

Another way to determine which golf shaft flex you need is based on your current distances. 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 ...

How important is flex in golf shaft?

How Important Is Flex In A Golf Shaft. The flex of a golf shaft is probably just as important, if not more important than the clubhead itself. Flex is what will make or break a golfer. Even if your golf swing is near perfect, you won’t be able to perform correctly with the wrong flex in the shaft. If you told a golf professional ...

How fast should a golf shaft be?

Some golfers will decide which shaft they need based on swing speed alone. If your swing speed is between 75 and 85 miles per hour, then you will need a senior shaft. If you are between 85 and 95 miles per hour, then the regular shaft will be the best choice. You can get your swing speed measured at a local golf fitting center.

What are the different types of golf clubs for men?

Golf clubs for men come in four basic flex es, extra stiff, stiff, regular and senior. The regular and senior flex shafts are for the slower swinging player. Some golfers have a hard time deciding if the regular or the senior is going to be the better fit for their game. We have put together some great information about senior ...

How many percent of golfers keep the shaft the same?

If you told a golf professional that they had to play with new clubs, but they could keep the clubhead or the shaft the same, ninety-nine percent would choose to keep the shaft the same. With all of the variables in the game of golf, it is so essential to make sure that your golf shaft is appropriately fitted to your swing.

How does a golf shaft affect performance?

Without the proper golf shaft in place, you will notice that you have trouble controlling the flight of the golf ball, the distance of your shots, and the path of the ball as well . The proper golf shaft will help to keep you hitting the ball straight with just the right amount of ball flight as well.

What happens if a golf shaft is too stiff?

If a golf shaft is too stiff for a player, there could be a decrease in distance and accuracy as well. The most common miss with a shaft that is too stiff is a slice. If you have tried everything to learn how to fix your slice, it could just be that the equipment you are using does not fit you properly.

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.

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.

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.

Can you lose clubhead control with a graphite shaft?

For anyone with lower swing speeds, graphite shafts will only make you lose clubhead control. Therefore pick a golf club with a steel shaft since it is stiffer than the graphite shaft and offers more control on the clubhead.

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.

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.

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.

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