what does shaft launch do on a golf club

During the golf swing the shaft causes deflection (bend) that causes the clubhead to be in a forward and toe downward position relative to the grip of the club. This can help generate launch on the golf ball to hit it high, straight, and far.

Full Answer

What is golf shaft launch and spin?

Understanding golf shaft launch and spin is the key to choosing the correct shaft for your swing dynamics. 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 a shaft on a golf club?

In reality, the shaft is more like the TRANSMISSION of the golf club because it connects the golfer’s hands to the clubhead and allows the golfer to transfer his or her power to the clubhead, and in turn, to the golf ball.

What does shaft flex have to do with golf shots?

According to GolfScienceLab here are the major things shaft flex can impact: 1 Height of golf shot 2 Curvature 3 Speed of the club head 4 Direction the clubhead is traveling (swing path) 5 Club face relation to club path

How do golf shafts affect your game?

During the golf swing the shaft causes deflection (bend) that causes the clubhead to be in a forward and toe downward position relative to the grip of the club. This can help generate launch on the golf ball to hit it high, straight, and far.

Do I need a high launch shaft?

A high launch driver shaft helps players to generate sufficient spin to get the ball airborne. However, those with faster swing speeds that don't require additional spin may balloon their drives. When players balloon their drives with a high launch shaft, it stems from the excess spin they generate.

How much does shaft affect launch?

But within shafts that reasonably fit a golfer's clubhead speed, transition/tempo and point of release, typically the maximum difference seen in launch angle from different shaft options is in the area of 2.5-to-3 degrees. As far as spin difference, that depends on the clubhead speed of the golfer.

How does shaft affect launch?

The more the shaft flexes forward, the more the dynamic loft of the clubhead is increased. The more the dynamic loft of the head is increased, the higher the launch angle AND the higher the spin will be for the shot.

What is launch angle in golf shafts?

Technical Definition: Launch Angle – The vertical angle relative to the horizon of the golf ball's center of gravity movement immediately after leaving the club face.

What should my launch angle be?

The ideal launch angle for a driver is between 15° and 17°. This is NOT the same as loft. Launch is defined as the angle between the ground and the ball flight just after impact, and is the result of the clubs loft and attack angle.

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.

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 happens when shaft is too soft?

When a golf shaft is too flexible, you will not be able to hit the ball straight. You will also end up losing a bit of distance. When a golf shaft is too flexible, it isn't easy to control the clubface and get it to square up at impact.

What happens if shaft is not stiff enough?

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.

What is a good launch angle for a 7 iron?

What is the ideal Launch Angle for a 7 Iron? The launch angle of a 7 iron club can range between 23.5 degrees to 25 degrees for an average golfer. Professional golfers can expect a launch angle of 16 degrees.

What is a good launch angle for irons?

Averages:ClubPGA Tour Average AngleLPGA Tour Average Angle7 Iron15.3°19.0°8 Iron18.1°20.8°9 Iron20.4°23.9°PW24.2°25.7°10 more rows•Dec 3, 2020

What should my launch angle be for each club?

A golfer on the PGA Tour will have a launch angle of around 15 degrees for their seven iron. Those on the LPGA Tour will have a slightly higher angle at around 20 degrees. Most average golfers will fall somewhere around the 22-degree mark, but it all depends on the player's club head speed.

How many degrees does a low trajectory shaft launch?

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.

What is a BGF shaft?

The BGF Fitting System has a one-to-one relationship between Trajectory and Spin. This means that a shaft that has a Low Trajectory designation will also have a Low Spin designation. And a shaft that is Mid-High Trajectory will also have Mid-High Spin. So when selecting shafts in a fitting, our fitters choose a shaft category based upon the BGF Fitting Recommendations in the appropriate category.

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.

Why do golf clubs have shafts?

During the golf swing the shaft causes deflection (bend) that causes the clubhead to be in a forward and toe downward position relative to the grip of the club.

What to know about golf shafts?

In today’s guide we will review everything you need to know about golf shafts. Picking out the proper golf shaft is very important as it will impact several components of your golf swing. For example, picking the wrong golf shaft flex can cause you to hook or slice the golf ball. It also can hinder the total distance the ball flies by having too much spin or too low of launch. But don’t worry, at the end of reading today’s guide you’ll be much more educated on the buying process and how to pick out the right golf shaft. Lets Get Started!

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 is the best shaft for golf?

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.

Why does my golf shaft have a slice?

When the golf shaft is too stiff, it doesn’t unload properly at impact. This can lead to the face staying open and result in a slice golf shot. Beware, a slice isn’t always an indication the shaft is too stiff so if you already have a slice, it could be caused by another fault in your golf swing.

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.

What is the most common shaft material used in golf clubs?

Graphite Shafts. Graphite – this type of shaft is usually lighter weight compared to a steel shaft but it’s less durable and more expensive to make. Graphite is one of the most common shaft types used in golf clubs and can arguably be considered the main shaft material used, beating out steel.

What does Flex mean in golf?

Thank you Taylormade for the information. “Flex” refers to the ability of a golf shaft to bend as forces are applied to it during the golf swing. These 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, M and L (“M” is used for Senior because this flex stands for medium/mature). How much or how little a club’s shaft flexes plays a major role in how and when the club face is squared at impact.

What is a golf shaft?

A golf shaft used to be something that was either steel or graphite. Then it had a flex, then people started talking about kick points, and torque and weight, and more. Golf shafts are certainly much more researched, studied, and analyzed than they ever have been. If you have ever wondered what kick point is in a golf shaft, ...

How to find a golf shaft?

Finding a golf shaft with the proper kick point usually happens naturally if you have been fitted for a shaft with the right weight and flex for your game. The weight, flex, and kick point of a club usually all match for the type of player that they are made for. All golfers should keep in mind that sometimes the fact that your golf ball is launching too high is not the golf club but the golfer.

What is shaft stiffness?

The shaft tip stiffness is very similar to the kick point, but it has a little more to do with the release of the club. If you are a golfer who releases the club early, you will need a different tip stiffness than a golfer who tends to release the golf club just before impact. Fitting for something like tip stiffness would take a custom fitting ...

What is shaft torque?

A shaft torque is a bit different than a shaft flex and kick point. The torque is how much a golf club will resist bending during the swing. A golf shaft with a higher toque means that the shaft is going to twist more, and a golf shaft with a low torque will twist much less. Generally speaking, golfers with faster swing speeds are going ...

How to get a high kick point?

For a high kick point, you generally need to look for a player’s golf iron or wood. Beginners tend to struggle with both swing speed and launch; the majority of golfers will do best with the lower kick point golf clubs that help them launch the ball higher. As crucial as kick point is, it is more important to choose the proper shaft flex ...

What is a mid kick point shaft?

Mid kick point shafts are what the majority of golf shafts are. Most golf clubs for the mid handicapper are going to be a mid kick point shaft. This will give you a moderate launch on your shots, and the club is usually medium weight as well.

What is the kick point of a golf club?

While the flex of a golf club determines how much it will bend when you swing it at different speeds, the kick point of a golf shaft is the actually point where it starts to bend, ie. the area of the club where the flex happens. A low kick point club will produce a higher golf shaft; a high kick point club will produce a lower golf shaft.

What is shaft flex?

Shaft flex is how much the shaft bends throughout the swing, someone that swings it slow will need a more flexible shaft, while someone that swings it fast will need a stiffer shaft. You get Ladies, Senior, Regular, Stiff and X-Stiff shafts in Woods and Irons, generally your Woods and Irons will be the same flex.

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.

What monitors your swing speed?

These are called launch monitors, they track your swing speed, loads of other parameters. Unfortunately they do cost quite a bit of money, which makes it hard to get your hands on one.

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.

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 ...

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, ...

What are the myths about the shaft?

The Myths. Myth #1 – Tipping a shaft changes the feel. Myth #2 – Tipping a shaft will reduce spin. Myth #3 – Tipping a shaft will reduce launch angle. Myth #4 – Tipping a shaft will improve accuracy.

Does tipping a golf shaft help with accuracy?

Conclusion. If you want a shaft to feel stiffer, tipping it will get results. However, tipping (just like playing a stiffer shaft) is no guarantee of lower spin, lower launch, or greater accuracy. If you’re interested in maximizing your distance off the tee and hitting more fairways, the best approach is to work with a high quality club fitter.

Does a tipped shaft lower spin?

Tipping a shaft, just like choosing a stiffer flex, does not guarantee lower spin. As our players moved from the untipped shaft to the 1/2″ tip to the 1″ tip, two of them did see lower spin. However, two of them registered their highest spin numbers with the most heavily-tipped shaft.

Can you buy accuracy with a stiffer shaft?

You can’t buy accuracy with a stiffer shaft, and you can’t get it by tipping your shaft either. None of our testers saw the 1″ tipped shaft stand alone for accuracy, though two were equally (or near equally) accurate with the 1″ tip and the untipped shaft.

How does a kickpoint affect a golfer's launch angle?

Kickpoint can help a golfer hit the ball higher or lower, depending on the location of that flex point . In other words, kickpoint location can influence the launch angle of golf shots: A low kickpoint shaft tends to produce a higher launch angle; A high kickpoint shaft tends to produce a lower launch angle. Another way of staying this is:

Where is the kickpoint on a golf club?

High kickpoint: The kickpoint area is on the high end of the shaft, toward the grip end. ("This club comes with a high-kick shaft.") Middle kickpoint: The kickpoint area is near the middle of the shaft's length. ("This is a mid-kick shaft.")

What is a kick point in golf?

Updated June 07, 2018. "Kickpoint" is a feature in golf shafts. The term refers to that region of a golf shaft at which the shaft exhibits the greatest amount of bend when the tip is pulled down. So kickpoint isn't a singular point on a shaft, but rather an area along the shaft's length where it exhibits the most flexing when a force ...

Is a golf shaft a cure all?

It's not a cure-all; even in a best-case scenario, the effect may be modest. "Whether a shaft affects the trajectory of the shot is more determined by the clubhead's center of gravity and by the golfer's downswing technique than it is by the design of the shaft on its own," says golf equipment designer Tom Wishon, ...

Can a low kickpoint shaft help you swing?

If you are hitting the ball too low, on the other hand, switching to a low kickpoint shaft may help you get the ball up more. Just keep in mind that shaft flex point is not something that is going to overcome a bad swing. It's not a cure-all; even in a best-case scenario, the effect may be modest.

Matching Trajectory and Spin

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