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what does stiff and extra stiff mean in golf?

by Miss Melody Raynor Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Stiff shafts are for golfers that swing fast; the extra stiff are for those that swing exceptionally fast. In years past, the extra stiff shafts were a bit hard to find and rare to see a player using.

Is there a big difference between stiff and extra stiff?

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When should I get an extra stiff shaft?

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.

Who should use extra stiff shaft irons?

Increased Control. Stiff shafts are recommended for players who generate high club head speed. If your swing speed is 90 mph or higher, a stiff shaft or an x-stiff shaft should be a good fit.

What swing speed is extra stiff?

– 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

Do all PGA Tour players use extra stiff shafts?

Over 80% of the top 100 PGA Tour Players play an extra stiff or Tour extra stiff golf shaft in their driver. Only a select few players, including Brian Harman, Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Day use only a stiff shaft. None of this elite group uses a regular flex driver shaft. And the simple reason for this is swing speed.

What flex shaft do I need for 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

What happens if a golf shaft is too stiff?

If your golf shaft is too stiff and your swing speed is too slow, your well-struck shot will be limited on both carry distance and shot trajectory; a too-stiff golf shaft will most often lead to weak fades or slices.

What flex do most pro golfers use?

90% of the top 100 PGA Tour pros use extra stiff or Tour extra stiff flex shafts in their driver. As a whole pro players of woods, hybrids and utility irons again use extra stiff or Tour extra stiff shafts with stiff and stiff+ flex shafts only being more used in irons and wedges.

Will I lose distance with a stiff shaft?

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

Is Tour flex the same as extra stiff?

"R" denotes "regular flex" "S" denotes "stiff flex" (might also be designated "Firm") "X" denotes "extra stiff flex" (might also be designated "Tour")

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.

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 swing speed requires a stiff shaft for irons?

Who 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.

Will a stiff shaft give me more distance?

If the shaft flex is too stiff, your average distance will remain low. If you are struggling with a slice, it is highly likely you are using stiff club shafts. By figuring out the most common type of shot you are playing, it becomes easier to know whether you need a softer shaft.

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.

Is a stiff shaft more forgiving?

Stiff Flex: What Is The Difference? 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.

Why is my golf shaft weak?

Swinging with a weak shaft flex can hurt you in both windy and wet conditions. Because the spin is so high when you hit it with a weaker flex, the wind will magnify the spin and decrease your distance and accuracy.

What is the shaft of a golf club?

Golf shafts are the engine of the golf club. But what does that mean? Since the very first golf clubs, club makers have considered how much or how little a golf shaft flexes; the golf shaft provides the power that is transferred to the clubhead and, ultimately, to the golf ball. Because the shaft flex directly facilitates this power transfer, your shaft choice can make or break your game.

What is a slice in golf?

Typical Miss: Slice (left to right for right-handed golfer) If your golf shaft is too stiff and your swing speed is too slow, your well-struck shot will be limited on both carry distance and shot trajectory; a too-stiff golf shaft will most often lead to weak fades or slices.

What is graphite shaft?

Graphite is typically the best material for amateur golfers, though some low-handicap players and professionals enjoy the vibrations they can feel in their hands after hitting a golf ball with a steel shaft.

Do golf clubs pair with shafts?

No matter what you play with, it is important to pair your golf clubs with the right golf shafts. Insider Tip: Swing Tempo Matters A person’s swing tempo will correlate with how he/she will “load” the golf shaft during the swing.

Do all golf shafts bend the same?

As golf shaft technology continues to advance, manufacturers are experimenting more with bend profiles within golf shaft flex segments; in other words, not all stiff golf shafts bend the same.

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 ...

How to know if you need to go stiffer?

You should move to a stiff shaft once your swing speed moves into the next bracket, if you can’t track your swing speed here are some signs you need to go stiffer. Feels ‘whippy’ in your hands. Feels too light. Your ball is ballooning in the air. Your ball is behind your pitch mark when you hit your driver.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

Why do golf irons have higher kick points?

Because stiffer shafts need more power or a more efficient action to work at their best, they usually feature higher kick points to help players control their ball flights. RELATED: Best Golf Irons. The right weight and kick point also play a part in finding the right shaft.

What is the most important choice when buying golf clubs?

One of the most important choices you have to make when buying golf clubs is which shaft flex to use , with 80% of golfers being suited to either regular or stiff shafts.

Is graphite shaft better than steel?

On the whole graphite shafts are a little lighter than steel alternatives and will help slower swingers find better, longer ball flights. For some golfers, lighter graphite shafts feel easier to use – helping to generate good ball flights with less effort.

Does a slow accelerating arc cause more lag?

This doesn’t just relate to players who swing quickly though, often a slow accelerating arc can generate more lag and power than someone who swings with a quicker tempo. Of course, the distance you hit the ball is one of the tell-tale signs about the shafts you need to be playing.

Is a stiff shaft stiffer than a regular shaft?

A stiff shaft is firmer and harder to bend than a regular shaft, and so more often than not, they’re also heavier in weight. As a rough rule of thumb, the more speed you generate, the stiffer your shafts should be.

How many yards is stiff shaft?

Anything more than 250 yards, stiff shafts are for you. Unless you are a huge hitter and average about 300 yards on your drives, stay away from Extra-stiff shafts. Nine times out of 10, this method works well, but you still need to be comfortable hitting with whichever shaft you choose.

What is flex in golf?

Flex is the amount that the shaft will bend when it is swung. All of us have heard the admonition, “let the club do most of the work”. If you choose the right shaft, that can be true. With the right shaft, you'll swing the club easier and get more distance out of your shots.

What is a senior flex shaft?

The Seniors flex is meant for golfers who swing a bit harder. 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.

Should I Use Stiff Or Regular Flex?

As a whole, if you’re between 97-104 mph with the driver, you need a stiff flex that gives more control and the punch to hit better shots. If your clubhead speed is between 84-96 mph, the speed for most recreational golfers you need a regular flex provides a little more power and accuracy.

Is There A Big Difference Between Regular And Stiff Flex?

A stiff shaft is heavier, firmer, and harder to bend than a regular shaft with a different kick point, the position where the club shaft bends most. If a club has a high kick point, it means it has a stiff shaft that provides players with a shot that fizzes through the air at a lower trajectory.

What Happens If Shaft Flex Is Too Stiff?

If your club shafts too stiff, you will struggle to load properly and generate enough power in the downswing. Once the clubbed receives the ball, the shaft will not unload properly, and the face will remain open, creating a slice and giving a much lower flatter trajectory than desired.

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