Bend profile is the how the stiffness of a shaft is distributed over the entire length of the shaft. The most common variations are butt stiff, butt flexible, tip stiff, and tip flexible. More recently, shaft engineering has progressed to even more progressive variations of the four listed above.
What does'bend profile'mean on a shaft?
" 'Bend profile,' on the other hand, offers the explanation that the shaft's overall stiffness may vary intentionally over its entire length as a way to change the bending feel and the trajectory the shaft offers to the flight of the ball."
Should you use two different shafts for different bend profile golf clubs?
If the golfer is able to hold the wrist-cock angle until mid- to late in the downswing, this will allow two shafts of different bend profile design to show a little difference in the height of the shot with the same clubhead.
How does shaft bending affect clubhead speed?
Golf biomechanist Sasho Mackenzie’s research with Ping reveals how a shaft bends during the swing and how that bending affects clubhead speed. In the illustration above, the yellow shaft represents the typical bending compared with the theoretical unbending blue shaft. During the downswing, the shaft bends back (called "lag").
Are all stiff flex golf shafts the same?
One company’s stiff flex could perform exactly the same as another’s regular. This is exactly why we test each shaft that comes through our door at Pete’s Golf and make sure we only deal with reputable companies that we can trust. Do You Want the McDonalds Burger, or The Peter Luger’s?
What is bend point on a golf shaft?
Simply put, it is the part of a golf shaft at which the shaft experiences the greatest amount of bend when the tip is pulled down. So when you swing a club it would be the entire area of the shaft where the flex is happening. Golfers may also refer to kickpoint as the flex point or bend point.
What does a shaft's bend profile influence?
In addition, the flex and bend profile of the shaft becomes more of a performance element in the shot as the golfer's clubhead speed gets higher and their transition and tempo gets more aggressive.
What happens if your driver shaft is 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.
How does shaft bend in golf swing?
1:002:12Golf Equipment: How Shafts Bend - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you can see how straight the shaft is even before it. Breaks. As much excitement as there wasMoreAnd you can see how straight the shaft is even before it. Breaks. As much excitement as there was with that graphite shaft. But this is a neat way to see the difference between shaft to 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.
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.
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 a stiff or regular 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. 90-105 mph swing speeds should use stiff shafts.
What shaft flex should I use 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
How much should a driver shaft bend?
– 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
Does shaft flex affect distance?
If you have a good swing but your average distance is short, there is a problem with your shaft flex. 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.
How does flex affect golf club?
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.
Bend profile is the how the stiffness of a shaft is distributed over the entire length of the shaft
Bend profile is the how the stiffness of a shaft is distributed over the entire length of the shaft.
Al Humphrey
With club making and fitting skills honed over 20+ years, I craft golf clubs that fit your game. I believe that custom-fitted golf clubs made to your specifications will improve your performance whether you are a weekend warrior, an aspiring amateur, or seasoned professional.
What is a bend point in golf?
Bend Point is the more common term to use among kick point and flex point. For Shaft Bend Point testing, we use our own proprietary bend point testing jig. A golf shaft has only one bend point. The majority of club Manufacturers do publish their bend points of new shafts. Older shafts may not be labeled. Trimmed shafts used to customize club length may not have been tested for bend point prior to installation. We routinely perform this task when we build, repair, or retro-fit clubs.
What are the tests for golf shafts?
These industry standard tests assure the quality, characteristics, durability and performance of a particular golf shaft. Each manufacturer has shaft flex, torque, and kick point tests that each shaft must pass. Other tests are for informational purposes only. They provide consumers with an idea of certain shaft properties like launch, spin, and feel.
What is a low bend point?
It can make an improvement in your shot distance as well as accuracy. Bend point is best thought of as the distribution of flex throughout the shaft. It is also a function of feel. A low bend point generally works for golfers who want to feel the club head more in the swing. A mid or high bend point is usually for the golfer that wants a firm feel at impact or has strong downswing acceleration.
What is bend profile?
The term "bend profile" is a sort of next-generation expansion of the kickpoint idea, a more advanced way of thinking about how a golf shaft flexes. And an acknowledgment that despite kickpoint describing the area of most flex, a shaft can bend in different amounts at different points along its length.
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:
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 ...
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.")
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.