A Regular shaft is used by golfers who hit the ball an average or farther than average length. For those long hitters, there are Stiff and Extra-stiff shafts that flex little. A Club Fitter Can Help
What is a flex shaft in golf clubs?
What Is a Regular Flex Shaft? Swedish golfer Richard Johnson tests his club's flexibility. The flex of a golf club refers to the “relative strength (stiffness or softness) of a club shaft,” according to PGA pro Mark Blakemore’s golf glossary.
What do the numbers on a golf shaft mean?
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 does 5.5 mean on a golf shaft? Regular Plus – 5.5. Stiff – 6.0. Extra Stiff – 6.5. Extra Stiff Plus – 7.0. What do the numbers on my golf clubs mean?
What is a senior shaft on a golf club?
The extra stiff shaft is used only by players who consistently drive the ball 300 yards or farther. The senior shaft is a little softer than a regular flex, and male golfers switch to this shaft as they age. Golfers who hit the ball between 200-225 off the tee should choose a senior shaft.
What are the different types of golf shafts?
Golf club shafts come in three other flexes: extra stiff (X), senior (A) and ladies (L). The extra stiff shaft is used only by players who consistently drive the ball 300 yards or farther. The senior shaft is a little softer than a regular flex, and male golfers switch to this shaft as they age.
Who should use a regular golf shaft?
Swing Speed In general, golfers with a fast swing should use a stiff shaft and slowed swings should use a regular flex 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.
Do I need a stiff or regular shaft?
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.
Do any pros use regular shaft?
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.
Do regular shafts go further?
No, not necessarily. Whilst this is a heavier object to strike the ball with and that should make it go further, you have to balance your swing speed with this weight. For many golfers a lighter shaft will allow them to generate higher clubhead speeds.
Will a regular shaft cause a slice?
If you are struggling with a slice you might be playing with a shaft that is too stiff for you. Try a more flexible shaft, when a shaft is too stiff the clubface struggles to turn back to square, which will present the clubface open at impact, causing the ball to slice.
Is regular or stiff flex better?
The regular flex golf shaft is more flexible and easier for slower swing speed golfers to swing than the stiff flex golf shaft. A stiff flex golf shaft creates more resistance in the swing of a golfer. Therefore when they attempt to hit the ball with a bit more speed, they can get the incredible distance.
What swing speed should use a regular shaft?
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.
What kind of shaft should I get for my driver?
Briand's recommendation is to use your current driver shaft as a baseline. If your shots tend to be low and with little spin, try a slightly softer flex. If your shots are ballooning, try a stiffer flex. If you're caught between two flexes, you can “tip” a softer flex to make it stiffer in the tip section.
How do I know what golf shaft to use?
Which flex rating you use will depend on the type of swing you have. For example, beginners and those with less powerful swings tend to use a shaft with greater flexibility to propel the ball more. On the other hand, if a player has a high and powerful swing speed, they will require a stiffer shaft with less flex.
What flex should a beginner golfer have?
But if a beginner player already has a decent swing motion and generates clubhead speed between the range of 95 to 110 mph or more, then a stiff shaft or extra stiff shaft could be justified to be used by a beginner golfer.
What swing speed requires a stiff shaft?
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.
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.
Should a beginner golfer use a stiff shaft?
But if a beginner player already has a decent swing motion and generates clubhead speed between the range of 95 to 110 mph or more, then a stiff shaft or extra stiff shaft could be justified to be used by a beginner golfer.
What happens if a 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 happens if your golf club shaft is too stiff?
If the shaft of your golf club is too stiff for you, you will have a tough time hitting the ball straight. Your swing speed will not be able to release the club to turn it over enough and square up the clubface at impact. Almost always, if a shaft is too stiff for you, then you will hit the ball to the right.
Why do golf shafts get stiffer?
You will notice that as shafts get stiffer, they also get heavier. This is because there is usually a correlation between ball flight and player swing speed. The faster the swing speed, the easier it is to launch the ball.
How fast can you swing a golf club?
If you are continually swinging the club over 105 mph, then an extra stiff shaft is for you. Now, if you can go to the range and launch one and get a number of 125, that’s great news, but that is not your typical swing speed. When switching to an extra stiff shaft, you must be sure you can swing at this high speed for 18 holes, not two holes.
What is extra stiff shaft?
Extra stiff shafts are typically considered to be for better players, lower handicaps. This means that the majority of the models are blades or tour preferred irons.
What is flex in golf?
A golf club’s flex is the strength of the actual shaft. A golf shaft will also have a flex or a kick point that will affect the stiffness as well as the ball flight. If you are swinging a golf club that is not the correct flex for you, there will be effects on the golf shots you can hit. The five most common shaft flex options are Ladies, Senior, ...
Why are most complete sets made of graphite?
That is because the majority of the golfers who take up the game are not going to have tremendously fast swing speeds.
Is stiff shaft good for golf?
A stiff shaft can very likely lower your ball flight, and for some players, this may be a good thing. For faster swing speed players that have been using regular shafts, they may notice that they are getting a bit too much height and potentially losing some distance.
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 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.
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.
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.
What is the shaft of a golf club?
Many consider the golf shaft the "engine of the club". Golf shafts are either made from graphite or steel. Both types have its benefits and disadvantages. Either way, the golf shaft is where power is stored and released at impact. Sitting in between the golf grip and club head, a solid connection is what allows the golf shaft to do its job.
What is shaft flex?
Shaft flex is a description of how much a shaft will bend under the force of a golf swing with a head attached at the tip end. The speed and frequency of your swing will determine what flex you need. There are generally 5 different flex notations (from most bendable to least bendable): A-flex (Senior), L-flex (Ladies), R-flex (Regular), ...
How long is a 0.370" iron shaft?
decreasing in length from #3-PW). 0.370" parallel iron shafts arrive in uncut lengths, usually 41" or 42" for irons or 46" or more for woods.
What happens if you swing too heavy?
If the overall club is too heavy, you can lose swing speed which can result in a loss of yardage. Too light of a club will be hard to guide and control which can lead to mishits. Players with faster swing speeds or more accelerated tempos can benefit from heavier shafts.
How much weight should a golf shaft be?
Weight. Getting the correct weight of your shaft is an important factor to consider as well. Shafts can range anywhere from 40 to 135 grams. Typically the rule of thumb is that a golfer with a slower swing speed will benefit from using a lighter shaft, and you would add weight as swing speed increases. As you might expect at this point, there are ...
What is the biggest misconception about golf shafts?
One of the biggest misconceptions about shafts is that there are standards out there that manufacturers adhere to. Most golfers assume that a shaft marked regular or stiff will be the same across the board, no matter who they buy it from.
What is the difference between stock shafts and aftermarket shafts?
The difference between stock shafts and aftermarket shafts is usually found in quality control. Many times the bigger OEMs will strip off the paint of last year’s model and give them a new exterior. The graphics look attractive, but you really have no idea what is beneath it.
Why didn't Nick Price find a stiff shaft?
Regardless of the similarity in their swing speeds, Nick Price couldn’t find a shaft stiff enough for his swing because he would apply such an enormous amount of force, whereas Couples didn’t need as stiff of a shaft because of his smooth tempo.
Why is shaft profile important?
Getting the right shaft profile for your swing is very important. It will greatly affect your ability to hit quality shots on the course . There is a lot of confusion in the golf shaft industry. With no standards for performance, the quality greatly varies, and often you get what you pay for. We hope that we have cleared up some ...
What is the most important thing about a driver shaft?
One of the most important things about shafts is how they handle the force that a player’s swing will apply. Generally speaking, there are two extremes. Some players apply a late load to their swing, which would require a stiffer tip of the driver shaft. Conversely, a player that extends early in their swing (most recreational golfers) ...
Is the shaft of a truck the same as the transmission?
It absolutely has an effect on how well you can play. The shaft is similar to the transmission of a car. While it’s not the engine, it’s still extremely important. If you are driving a truck you want a transmission that can handle its particular demands.
Why do golf shafts bend?
Shaft makers vary the amount of stiffness because golfers have different types of swings—different swing speeds, different tempos—and different amounts of stiffness in a shaft better match up to those different swings.
How to choose shaft flex?
These are just general guidelines, however; the best way to choose shaft flex is to go through a club fitting. Not every golfer can (or is willing) to do that, though.
What happens if you mismatch your golf shaft?
If your swing is mismatched to your golf shaft flex—if you are using an X flex shaft, for example, when you should be using an R flex shaft—you will have a harder time squaring the clubface at impact. The way your shots are flying can clue you into the possibility you might be using the wrong flex.
When were steel shafts invented?
Alas, no. Golf industry veteran Tom Wishon, of Tom Wishon Golf Technologies, explains: "Shortly after steel shafts were introduced in the 1920s, steel shaft makers discovered they could change the diameter and wall thickness of the tubes to create shafts with different amounts of stiffness to better match to the different swing speeds ...
What does it mean when a golfer's swing is slower?
The slower a golfer's swing, generally speaking, the more flex he or she requires in the shafts that are in their golf clubs. And the faster the swing, the more stiffness. Tempo also matters: A jerkier swing requires more stiffness, a smoother swing less stiffness, generally speaking.
Which shaft is the most flexible?
The ladies category shaft is the most flexible; the extra stiff is the least flexible. The regular category is in the middle.
What is flex in golf?
The flex of a golf club refers to the “relative strength (stiffness or softness) of a club shaft, ” according to PGA pro Mark Blakemore’s golf glossary. “Golf Magazine” editor Scott Kramer notes that an individual club’s flex is generally placed into one of five categories, including “regular,” designated by the letter “R.”.
How fast should a golf club flex?
Thomas suggests golfers with a swing speed of 80 to 95 mph typically are the best candidates for regular flex shafts. Mike Stachura of “Golf Digest,” however, says that most experienced golf club ...
Who said swing speed is only the most basic of beginnings when it comes to a proper fitting?
Mike Stachura of “Golf Digest,” however, says that most experienced golf club fitters “believe swing speed is only the most basic of beginnings when it comes to a proper fitting.”.
Is a regular shaft flexible?
As a result, one manufacturer’s regular flex shaft may be more or less flexible than another company’s similar product. All companies agree, however, that the “regular” category sits in the middle of the five-letter flexibility spectrum.
How many categories of shafts are there?
Shafts are typically identified by launch or trajectory characteristics in five categories: Low, Low-Mid, Mid, Mid-High and High. The same categories apply to the spin characteristics.
What is the difference between a low trajectory shaft and a mid high shaft?
In a typical driver fitting, for example, a Low trajectory shaft may produce a 9 degree launch while a Mid-High trajectory shaft may only increase the launch to 11 degrees , and spin may only increase from 2,500 to 2,900.
