What are the different flex shafts in golf?
1 Overview. The flex in a golf shaft affects the distance, accuracy and trajectory of your golf shot. ... 2 Extra Stiff. Extra stiff shafts should generally be reserved for really long hitters (about 300 off the tee) and this flex can be difficult to find, as it is not ... 3 Stiff Shaft. ... 4 Regular Flex. ... 5 Senior Flex 6 Ladies Flex. ...
What does flex mean in golf clubs?
What does Flex mean in golf clubs? Golf club shaft flex refers to the bend in a club when a player swings and makes an impact with the golf ball. The shaft flex can have a significant impact on a player’s swing and should be selected based on a few different factors identified by a proper club fitting session.
What are the different flex ratings for golf clubs?
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...
How does swing speed affect shaft flex?
A player with a slower swing and aggressive tempo may bend the shaft just as much as a player with a faster swing and slower tempo. This finding supports exactly what golf’s top shaft manufacturers told us about shaft flex HERE.
Which flex is more forgiving?
Senior flex will help you gain every yard possible from your swing, it is the least stiff and most forgiving shaft for loder men. This flex will keep you playing long into the back nine of life. Driver swing speeds of around 75mph will suit this shaft flex.
What Flex is best for a slow swing speed?
Ladies. Recommended for the slowest swinging golfers, the ladies flex is designated as "L" on the flex chart. Golfers who routinely drive the ball less than 180 yards and have a swing speed of 60 mph or less should use the ladies flex.
What Flex is best for golf clubs?
– 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 swing speed is a flex for?
If you're swinging the driver above 105 mph, it might be time to get some X stiff shafts in your set. Stiff – 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.
What flex do I need for my irons?
Should You Use Regular or Stiff Flex Shafts?6-iron Carry Distance6-iron Swing SpeedShaft flex (all clubs)< 130 yards60 – 70 mphSenior Flex131 – 155 yards71 – 80 mphRegular Flex156 – 175 yards81 – 90 mphStiff Flex> 176 yards91 + mphX-Stiff FlexApr 13, 2021
How do I know what shaft flex is right for me?
Some General Guidelines About Shaft FlexTake a look at the distance you hit your driver. ... If you have a very smooth swing, you might benefit from a softer flex even if you swing fast. ... If your drives go left, you might benefit from a stiffer flex; if your drives go right, you might benefit from a softer flex.
How do I know if I need stiff or regular flex irons?
If you have a slower swing speed, you are probably going to want to choose regular shafted clubs because the additional flex will provide a little more power and accuracy. When you swing harder, the stiff flex will be more controlled and give you the punch you need to hit better shots.
What flex should my 3 wood be?
Getting the correct loft and gapping in your fairway woods is vital. The majority of golfers will choose a 3 wood as this can be used as a safety club from the tee or it is a club that can be used for a long second shot. If you have a moderate to high swing speed a 15 degree 3 wood will be perfect.
What happens if golf shaft too flexible?
Having a shaft that is too flexible can also cause the ball to hook uncontrollably, because the shaft bends incorrectly, it will come through with a closed clubface causing the ball to go left, this is because the shaft can't handle your swing speed, and the head is rotating too much.
What golf shaft flex is right for me 7 iron?
6-iron or 7-iron: You'd likely want an “S” or stiff flex shaft.
What shaft should a senior golfer use?
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.
How can I tell 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.
How does flex affect golf?
The flex in a golf shaft affects the distance, accuracy and trajectory of your golf shot. Because the shaft flexes during a swing, the position of the clubhead changes and it is important to select the proper flex in a club so that the clubface will be square on the ball when it makes contact.
What is the softest flex for golf?
Women generally have the lowest club speed of all golfers and should select a ladies flex. This is the softest of all the flex ratings. If you consistently hit the ball less than 200 yards off the tee , this is an appropriate flex. Women who hit further may want to consider either senior or regular flex clubs.
Why is it important to use a more flexible shaft?
The flex in a golf shaft affects the distance, accuracy and trajectory of your golf shot. Because the shaft flexes during a swing, the position of the clubhead changes and it is important to select the proper flex in a club so that the clubface will be square on the ball when it makes contact.
How many flex ratings are there for golf clubs?
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. If you are not certain or in between flexes, it is better to select a softer flex than a stiffer one.
What happens if your golf shaft is too stiff?
It is important to note that if you select a shaft that is too stiff, you will lose loft and control on your shots.
What is stiff shaft?
Stiff Shaft. The stiff shaft is quite popular and should be chosen by those who consistently drive the ball 250 or more yards off the tee. This shaft generally appropriate for mid-low handicaps, but be sure to have your clubhead speed measured before choosing between a stiff and regular flex.
What does Flex mean in golf clubs?
Golf club shaft flex refers to the bend in a club when a player swings and makes an impact with the golf ball. The shaft flex can have a significant impact on a player’s swing and should be selected based on a few different factors identified by a proper club fitting session.
Swing Speed vs. Swing Tempo
Swing speed is measured in miles per hour. It is very easy to measure this, as most golf courses have speed sticks available to members and customers. But speed isn’t everything. The tempo of the swing is very important. For instance, look at the swing of 2021 Masters Champion Hideki Matsuyama compared to the 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson.
Different Club Flex Options
It is important to use the correct flex option that suits your swing. If the shaft is too soft, it will typically flex more through impact and cause the clubhead to close and start the ball to the left with added spin.
Club Shaft Kick Point
The kick point is mistakenly thought of as being a wide variance; the high kick point being up by the grip and the low kick point being down by the clubhead. But this isn’t true. The kick point is actually a small 6” section in the middle of the shaft.
How to Choose the Correct Club Flex
So, let’s take what we have learned from above and apply it to selecting a new driver.
What is flex point in golf?
He notes that a shaft’s flex point, also known as the kick point, is the spot where the shaft will bend the most.
What is the difference between a higher flex point and a lower flex point?
All else being equal, Thomas explains, a higher flex point produces lower ball flight, while a lower flex point results in a higher launch angle.
How does the shaft work in golf?
A golf shaft stores energy when it flexes during the backswing and the start of the downswing. The energy is released at impact when the shaft whips forward. As the Leaderboard website notes, if you put the grip end of a club into a vise, then pull back on the clubhead, you’ll feel tension in the club. This tension is the stored energy, which will spring the club head forward if you release the club. To achieve maximum distance, Leaderboard.com explains, the stored energy must be released at the moment of impact during a golf swing. If the energy isn’t released quickly enough -- in other words, if the shaft is still flexed on impact -- you’ve wasted potential energy. If the shaft straightens prior to impact, the potential energy you have built is gone and, again, you’ll lose distance on your shot.
How fast should a golfer swing?
Longtime USGA technical director Frank Thomas advises golfers with swing speeds of 80 to 95 mph to start ...
What happens if your golf shaft is flexed?
If the energy isn’t released quickly enough -- in other words, if the shaft is still flexed on impact -- you’ve wasted potential energy. If the shaft straightens prior to impact, the potential energy you have built is gone and, again, you’ll lose distance on your shot.
Is there a flex standard for golf shafts?
Unfortunately, as “Golf Magazine” editor Scott Kramer notes, there is no industry standard regarding flex. In other words, two S shafts manufactured by two different companies may have different amounts of flex.
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.
How to make sure your shaft flex is well matched to your swing?
The best thing to do is make sure your shaft flex is well-matched to your swing (by meeting with a clubfitter or at least a teaching pro in a hitting bay when buying new clubs). But when in doubt, always err on the side of more flexibility in the shaft.
What happens if a golf shaft is too flexible?
If a golfer is using a shaft that is too flexible, here are the likely results: 1. The ball will possibly fly higher for any given loft. If the golfer is using the proper loft for his or her swing mechanics, this could cause a slight decrease from ...
Why does a golf shot feel more solid?
3. The shot will feel more solid because impact vibrations transmitted up to the hands along a shaft which is both more flexible and more bent will feel more solid .
Why does my golf ball flies lower?
1. The ball flies lower for any given loft, and possibly shorter in distance, because the golfer's best launch angle for maximum distance cannot be achieved. 2. The ball may tend to "leak" to the fade side of the target because the golfer cannot cause the desired forward bending of the shaft at impact, which helps bring ...
Can a golfer's loft decrease?
If the golfer is using the proper loft for his or her swing mechanics, this could cause a slight decrease from the golfer's maximum potential distance. On the other hand, if the golfer is using too little loft, which is the case with a very high percentage of players today with the driver and 3-wood, the more flexible shaft could bring his launch ...
Where is Matt from Plugged In Golf?
He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
Can your buddies see if you're a soft swinging wimp?
With a quick glance, your buddies can see if you’re playing something “manly” or if you’re a “soft-swinging wimp.”. And because it’s so visible, many golfers choose their shaft flex based on ego. We wanted to know if this matters to the performance of the clubs.
Is flex a variable?
First, flex is only one variable in fitting. Shafts can have the same flex but different weight, bend profile, or torque. Also, the player’s tempo has a big impact on how they load the shaft. A player with a slower swing and aggressive tempo may bend the shaft just as much as a player with a faster swing and slower tempo.
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").
Why is softer flex better for macho men?
Choosing a softer flex often has the effect of forcing macho men to slow down their swings. And slowing down the swing often makes those macho men into better golfers. And the fact is, the harm in hitting a shaft that is too flexible is much less than the harm in hitting a shaft that is too stiff.
What is the key to a club fitting?
The key, short of a club fitting, is hitting lots of different clubs and watching the effect that changing shaft flex has on your shots. If you find a flex that feels good and produces a good ball flight, there's a good chance that's the right flex for you.
What shaft do you need for a jerky swing?
A swing that gets jerky at the top—when transitioning into the downswing—will probably need a stiffer shaft. If your drives go left, you might benefit from a stiffer flex; if your drives go right, you might benefit from a softer flex.
What is a club fitting demo day?
At demo days, you'll be able to hit many different types of clubs with different types of shafts. Or find a good pro shop with swing bays where you can try before you buy. The key, short of a club fitting, is hitting lots of different clubs and watching the effect ...