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what are the different shaft flexes in golf

by Dr. Garland Lynch Sr. Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Golf Shaft Chart

Shaft flex Average driver swing speed (mph) Average driver ball speed (mph) Average driver Carry Distance (yards)
Ladies flex (L) Under 75 >100 Under 180
Senior flex (A) 75 – 85 100-110 180 – 200
Regular (R) 85 – 95 110-139 200 – 240
Stiff (S) 95 – 110 140-160 240 – 275
May 14 2022

There are five flex ratings for golf clubs--extra stiff (X), stiff (S), regular (R), senior (A) and ladies (L). Generally, the faster your club speed, the stiffer the shaft, but use care when selecting a flex.Feb 7, 2020

Full Answer

What shaft flex should I use?

A label like "Regular" or "Stiff" itself does not say much. Every manufacturer and every shaft series is different here. A Stiff shaft from shaft A can be significantly softer or harder than a Stiff shaft from shaft B. The flex can also vary with different weights. For example, a Nippon Modus 120 in Stiff can be harder than a Modus 105 in Stiff.

How to choose shaft flex?

What are the best golf shafts? Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 60 Driver Shaft + Adapter & Grip Matrix OZIK X5 White Tie 50 Driver Shaft + Adapter & Grip Accra New Tour Z 55 Counter Balanced CB Driver Shaft + Adapter & Grip Aldila Rogue Black 60 Graphite Wood Shaft Fujikura Vista Pro 55 R-Flex Shaft + Ping G / ...

What are the different flex in golf clubs?

6 rows · Aug 31, 2021 · Golf club shafts are available in 5 flex options namely X (extra stiff), S (stiff), R ...

What Golf Club shaft stiffness should I use?

Jun 12, 2020 · 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 …

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How do you determine what shaft flex you need?

Some General Guidelines About Shaft Flex
  1. Take a look at the distance you hit your driver. ...
  2. If you have a very smooth swing, you might benefit from a softer flex even if you swing fast. ...
  3. If your drives go left, you might benefit from a stiffer flex; if your drives go right, you might benefit from a softer flex.
Sep 21, 2018

What does shaft flex 5.0 mean?

Regular Plus
Regular Plus – 5.0. Stiff – 5.5. Stiff Plus – 6.0. Extra Stiff – 6.5. Extra Stiff Plus –7.0.

What is the difference between regular flex and senior flex?

Senior flex shafts are appropriate for golfers who swing between 75 and 90 mph and carry a driver about 180 to 200 yards. Regular flex shafts are designed for golfers who swing 90 to 100 mph and carry a driver about 200 to 240 yards.Dec 11, 2018

What do shaft flex numbers mean?

Higher rated torque numbers means the shaft twists more but it also has softer feel. An example is a 5 degree torque vs a 3 degree torque. The 5 degree torque will feel softer compared to the 3 degree torque which will feel much stiffer.

What happens if a shaft is too stiff?

If your driver's shaft is too stiff, the clubhead may not square with the ball at the point of impact, causing slices and fades. If you can't feel the weight of the clubhead loading through the shaft, it's probably too stiff, and can cause errors and issues associated with accuracy such as these.Aug 31, 2021

What does FCM mean in golf?

* FCM stands for Frequency Coefficient Matching. The FCM system is based on cycle per minute (CPM) data from golf shaft oscillation tests. The higher the cycles per minute, the stiffer the shaft.Sep 30, 2012

Is soft regular the same as Senior Flex?

In general, the slower your swing speed, the more flexibility you want in your club's shaft. With a relatively low swing speed, the senior flex helps you square the clubhead at impact and generate more power. PING recommends its “soft regular” shaft flex for players who swing their drivers at 90 mph or less.Dec 11, 2018

When should I switch to regular flex shafts?

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.Jun 12, 2020

How far should a senior golfer hit a 7 iron?

Some golfers have 3 wood, some have 5 wood, and some even have 7 wood.
...
Average 7 Iron Distance By Age.
Age RangeAverage 7 Iron Distance
40-50146 yards
50-60139 yards
60+128 yards
All Golfers145 yards
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What is Fujikura R2 Flex?

Googled Description: The R2 is the equivalent of the modern day A-flex. Instead of calling it amateur or senior flex which is ability or age related, the R2 is simply a softer shaft than a standard regular flex for those with reduced swing speeds.Nov 30, 2020

What flex should my irons 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).Apr 13, 2021

How do you tell what flex your irons are?

"L" is the most flexible shaft and "X" is the stiffest shaft:
  1. "L" denotes "ladies flex"
  2. "A" or "M" denotes "senior flex" (might also be designated "AM" or "A/M," or "Senior")
  3. "R" denotes "regular flex"
  4. "S" denotes "stiff flex" (might also be designated "Firm")
May 28, 2019

Regular vs. Stiff shaft - the comparison

In this test we want to equip two players with different shafts and clubs. Player A received a 7 iron and player B a 3 wood, each with a hard and a soft shaft. These are the same shafts and shaft weights only with different flex.

Flex not equal to flex

It is also important to note that we have tested two identical shafts with different flexes. A label like "Regular" or "Stiff" itself does not say much. Every manufacturer and every shaft series is different here. A Stiff shaft from shaft A can be significantly softer or harder than a Stiff shaft from shaft B.

Player A with a 7 iron

We have equipped this player with a regular shaft for testing purposes only. This is obviously much too soft and as you can see the results were quite clear. The player was able to accelerate the shaft better with 2mph more clubhead speed - but the Smash Factor of 1.28 was much lower and the variance in the strike pattern was also much lower.

Player B with a 3 wood

With our second player, however, things looked quite different. The trend in terms of club head speed and efficiency was the same. This player was also able to accelerate the regular shaft better, but overall he hit it slightly worse. So much so that the ball speed was higher with the stiffer shaft and the carry length was 11m longer.

Our conclusion

Both players demonstrate how important the right flex is. Especially with player B the results are so different that the clubs and shafts could be completely different. But apart from the flex we have not changed anything.

How to determine golf shaft flex?

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 shafts do golfers use?

For most golfers, a graphite shaft works great. Most iron sets are made with graphite shafts as well so you get that material type by default usually unless you specifically seek out steel shafted irons. With steel shafts, you may find that golf shots are easier to control.

Why use steel shafts in golf?

With steel shafts, you may find that golf shots are easier to control. Steel shafts place a greater focus on accuracy as opposed to distance. Since they don’t get as much distance as graphite shafts, steel shafts require faster swing speed to make up for the loss of distance compared to graphite.

What is the difference between a steel shaft and a graphite shaft?

Steel – A steel golf shaft is usually stronger and more durable (less likely to snap) than a graphite shaft. It’s also less expensive and sometimes stainless steel is used in the creation of the steel shaft. There is also two variations, stepped steel and rifle steel. Stepped is the use of steps down the shaft or ridges you see while rifle is smooth all the way.

What is a multi material shaft?

Multi-material – this shaft uses both steel and graphite to create a multi-material that offers the best of both worlds. Usually the shaft is steel with graphite at the tip to help limit whip. A multi-material shaft can be found in both irons and drivers.

What is titanium shaft?

Titanium Shafts – this is a newer material type being used to build golf shafts with. It’s much lighter in weight as compared to steel but still offers that same strong support you get from steel compared to graphite.

How much does a golf shaft weigh?

Shaft weights typically range between 50 grams and 85 grams with the 50-60 numbers being pretty common as seen in the example shafts above. Shaft Weight is important because it can help you generate club head speed and increase the distance you hit the golf ball.

What is shaft flex?

Shaft flex refers to the shaft’s ability to bend once force is applied to it in the form of a golf swing. Swing speed and force applied on the shaft are directly correlated. More speed equals more force applied which in return will cause the shaft to bend more. To maximize performance optimal shaft flex is required to ensure ...

What is the role of the shaft in golf?

The golf shaft connects the clubhead to your hands and it plays a very important role in terms of feel, distance, ball flight, and accuracy with both your irons and woods. More often than not golfers overlook the importance of playing with the correct shaft in their irons and woods.

Is shaft weight important in golf?

To learn more about the importance of having the correct lie angles on your clubs click here . Shaft weight is a very important factor to consider. Additionally, the combination of shaft weight and clubhead weight is equally important.

What is the kick point of a golf shaft?

Kick Point. The shaft kick point refers to the part of the shaft the bows the most in the downswing and at impact. Kick point is very important since it had a direct impact on both the accuracy and trajectory of your shots. Low kick point shafts promote a higher ball flight and high kick points a lower trajectory.

Is a golf shaft created equally?

All golf shafts are not created equally. Golf shafts are different in terms of material, weight, flex, and a host of other different features. What shaft a player should play with differs based on the player’s swing speed, ball flight biases, and trajectory.

What is shaft torque?

Torque. Shaft torque refers to the shaft’s resistance to twisting and it is measured in degrees. Torque is very important when looking at graphite wood shafts but when we look at steel iron shafts torque becomes less relevant based on the construction difference of these two shaft types.

What is shaft weight?

Shaft weight is the actual weight of the shaft in ounces or grams and swing weight refers to how heavy the clubhead feels when you swing the club . Swing weight will differ based on the relationship between the shaft and clubhead weight. Swing weight is measured using a swing weight scale.

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 does flex mean in golf?

"Flex" refers to the ability of a golf shaft to bend as forces are applied to it during the golf swing. Those forces are generated by the type of swing that you have: fast or slow, smooth or jerky.

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").

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