One of the biggest indicators that your golf shaft is too stiff is that you are having trouble hitting the ball high. If you have a low swing speed and the shaft is too stiff, any well-struck ball will have a limit on the shot trajectory and the carry distance. This can result in slices or weak fades.
Should golf beginners play with a stiff shaft?
Mar 01, 2021 · 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.
What is the distance gain from stiff to regular shaft?
Mar 12, 2022 · Shafts for golf clubs come in five different flexes and can be constructed of steel or graphite. The amount of flex a golfer needs is determined by the clubhead speed. The shaft stiffens as the speed increases. Steel shafts are stiffer and less forgiving than graphite because they are heavier. Graphite shafts are lighter and can aid boost swing speed. It’s crucial to …
How to tell if your golf shafts are too stiff?
Mar 30, 2017 · The prevailing theory among most golfers is that a stiff shaft tip section lowers ball flight and reduces spin. Sometimes the opposite is true. OK, let me add a caveat here. What we have seen in our testing is that, if a player has a steep negative attack angle (-4 to -8 degrees) with a driver shaft with a stiff tip, the spin rate is increased and in some cases, the player will …
What happens if shafts are too stiff?
What happens if golf 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 swing speed requires a stiff shaft?
– 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 golfers should use a stiff shaft?
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.
Is Stiff flex good for beginners?
Beginners may acquire clubs from friends or family and not consider the flex of their shafts. Shaft options include senior, ladies, regular, firm, stiff, x-stiff. Length – shafts can be cut different lengths – for most beginners, standard length is fine, unless you are an abnormal height.Sep 24, 2021
How fast should you swing a 7 iron?
75 mphAccording to TrackMan statistics, the average 7-iron clubhead speed on the PGA Tour is 90 mph. The average male recreational golfer, on the other hand, swings the same club at closer to 75 mph, which is why he hits his 7-iron about 140 yards, compared with 170 to 180 yards for the Tour guys.Dec 22, 2017
How do I know if I need regular or stiff shafts?
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.Mar 1, 2021
Does Tiger Woods use a regular or stiff shaft?
What is this? Tiger knows his equipment better than you know yourself! For almost all of his career he has used Mitsubishi Rayon shafts. This year he remains loyal to this brand with a TaylorMade SIM driver loaded with a Mitsubishi Diamana “White Board” TX (tour extra-stiff).
How can I tell my swing speed?
Divide the average yardage by 2.3. This number represents your average club head speed in miles per hour, according to the book "Science and Golf III." If 195 is your average drive distance yardage, 84.7 mph is your approximate swing speed.
What is the benefit of a stiff golf shaft?
The main difference is that a stiff shaft is harder to bend than a regular shaft. This is usually created by adding more material to make the shaft up which can often also make them slightly heavier. The more force you create in your golf swing (higher swing speed) the stiffer you will want your shaft.
Will I lose distance with a stiff shaft?
If the shaft flex is too stiff, your average distance will remain low.Dec 22, 2016
What type of shaft should a beginner golfer use?
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.
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 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 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.
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.
Can you swing a driver faster than an iron?
If you are borderline stuck between two shafts, it can be challenging to decide what is best. If you are right at 90, you will probably want to go with stiff for your driver and regular for your irons. Most of the time, it is easier to swing a Driver faster than it is to swing irons. Plenty of players have a mix of shafts between their woods ...
What to use to reduce fade off tee?
Mix and Match. There is nothing wrong with the idea of mix and match and is becoming more common. Using graphite shafts on your driver, woods and long irons will help reduce the fade off the tee, increase the distance and soften the feel if you are to slightly miss-hit.
What is stiffness in golf?
The stiffness or flex of the shaft is a much-neglected aspect of your golfing equipment as most golfers are more interested in the brand, or technical features, or looks of their clubs. What most golfers fail to appreciate is the effect that ‘swing speed’ has on selecting the correct amount of flex of the shaft.
How to tell if your golf club shaft is too stiff?
There are a few telltale signs that might give you an indication that your club shafts are too stiff. If you have a good swing, but your distance is lacking it may be the shaft is too stiff. It may also be that you tend to either slice the ball or fade towards the rough on the right of the fairway, for the same reason.
How many irons do you need to hit 150 yards?
If you can hit 150 yards with a wedge, 9, or 8 iron you probably need stiff shafts. Using a 6 or 7 iron on 150 yards, go for a Regular flex, and 5 iron or more than Senior or Ladies shaft flex would be the way to go.
What is the shaft of a golf club?
The golf shaft is known as the ENGINE of the golf club. On the downswing, as the hips rotate, the weight transfer takes place and the body uncoils, the shaft of the club bends. This bend is also known as flex, and as this flex straightens out, power is transferred from the shaft to the club head and through to the ball.
How fast can a pro swing?
Pros are top athletes and would have a swing speed of 110 mph on average, while amateurs would be swinging between 80 to 95 mph. There are various ways to determine your swing speed, from clip-on devices, iPhone Apps, range monitors, and at the pro shop.
Is graphite shaft stiff?
On the shorter, irons accuracy and control are more important thus the extra flexibility of the graphite shaft may be a disadvantage. Graphite shafts are also graded Ladies, Senior, Regular, Stiff, and Extra Stiff, but remember the actual flex will vary from one manufacture r to another.
What Do Shaft Flex Numbers Mean?
When it comes to flex in a shaft, there is no industry standard McCormack added. “Thus, one company’s ‘Stiff’ could be another company’s ‘X,’ and vice versa.’ So relying just on the small letter on the shaft’s side is essentially meaningless.
Does Golf Shaft Flex Make a Difference?
Golfers should get fit before buying a shaft with the wrong flex for their swing, according to McCormack. Through statistical input, personal feel, and expert counsel, a golf club fitting may help golfers properly match a club and shaft to their swing. The only way to know for sure if a shaft is right for your game is to compare it to others.
Can a golfer with a high attack angle use a stiffer shaft?
In some cases, the opposite is true as well. A golfer with a naturally high positive attack angle could benefit from a shaft with a slightly stiffer tip section to control the consistency of the attack angle. Only by testing the golfer with different shaft options and driver lofts can we optimize distance with better launch and spin.
Does a stiff shaft tip affect ball flight?
Too stiff of tip section can actually rob you of distance especially on your driver. The prevailing theory among most golfers is that a stiff shaft tip section lowers ball flight and reduces spin. Sometimes the opposite is true. OK, let me add a caveat here. What we have seen in our testing is that, if a player has a steep negative attack angle (-4 to -8 degrees) with a driver shaft with a stiff tip, the spin rate is increased and in some cases, the player will hit the ball off the upper portion of the clubface causing the launch angle to be too high. That is not a good combination.
Does softer shaft tip affect impact?
A softer shaft tip section will actually cause more forward lean on the golf shaft at impact. This does two things. First, the forward lean will actually increase, or make more positive, the attack angle. This effectively reduces spin. Second, the forward lean of the shaft at impact will move the impact area down on the clubface.
Stiffness Or Flex
Graphite Or Steel?
- The introduction of graphite shafts has opened up a whole new dimension to golf club technology and performance. Graphite shafts offer the following benefits: 1. They are lighter than steel shafts. 2. Increase swing speeds and distance. 3. Better dispersion from the tee. 4. Assist golfers with slower swing tempos. BUT 1. They are usually more expensive. Graphite being a much light…
Summary
- As a right-handed player, do you tend to come off the tee with a left to right fade or even an occasional slice? Do you also have the feeling that you are striking the ball solidly, but it should be traveling further? Chances are your club shaft is too stiff for your swing speed.
Final Thoughts
- We all want to get the most enjoyment from our game as well as the best possible results. Before getting hung up on which brand of club to buy or what brand your favorite pro is using, first, admit that you are human and unique. Your clubs have to suit you, not your hero. Determine what your swing speed is and how much flex or stiffness your clubs are going to need to provide you with …
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