what is golf shaft torque

"Torque" is a property of golf shafts that describes how much the shaft is prone to twisting during the golf swing. All shafts, steel and graphite, exhibit torque, which is measured in degrees. A high-torque shaft will twist more than a low-torque shaft.

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What is the importance of torque in a golf shaft?

Apr 17, 2018 · "Torque" is a property of golf shafts that describes how much the shaft is prone to twisting during the golf swing. All shafts, steel and graphite, exhibit torque, which is measured in degrees. A high-torque shaft will twist more than a low-torque shaft.

What does high torque mean in a golf shaft?

Mar 27, 2013 · Torque is really pretty simple: it’s the shaft’s resistance to twisting. Torque is measured in degrees (meaning: how many degrees will the shaft twist under a certain amount of force), and you’ll typically see measurements as low as 2° and as high as 5°, 6°, or 7°.

What is the torque rating on a golf shaft?

Jan 05, 2022 · Torque is measured in degrees and is an important metric to consider in your golf shafts. Torque measurements on most golf shafts range anywhere between 2-degrees to 7-degrees of torque (or higher). A good way to think of this metric is “the higher the torque, the more twisting will occur.”

What does torque mean in a shaft?

What Is Shaft Torque? Torque is the simply the amount a golf shaft (shown in blue) twists when subjected to a known amount of force (usually one foot-pound of force is applied) and the torque value is always expressed in degrees. It is a term commonly associated with composite or graphite shafts, but steel shafts have a certain degree of torque too. However the amount …

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What is torque in shafts?

All shafts, steel and graphite, exhibit torque, which is measured in degrees. A high-torque shaft will twist more than a low-torque shaft. Put another way, some shafts resist twisting better than others. A shaft with a lower torque rating means the shaft better resists twisting; a shaft with a higher torque rating means ...

Is torque a factor in golf shaft selection?

Therefore, torque is not a factor to worry about in the selection of a steel shaft, but it is a point to keep in mind for some golfers when selecting a graphite shaft.

Why is torque narrow in steel shafts?

In steel shafts, because the type of steel material is the same throughout the entire shaft, the torque exists in a very narrow range of degrees, one that is much more narrow than in graphite shafts. Graphite shafts can be and often are made with a wide variety of different graphite fiber strength, stiffness and position on the shaft.

What does it mean when a golf shaft has a lower torque rating?

A shaft with a lower torque rating means the shaft better resists twisting; a shaft with a higher torque rating means the shaft is more prone to twisting (all other things being equal). A golfer's swing, and the clubhead attached to the end of the shaft, exert forces on the shaft that lead to twisting. This twisting is simply a part of the swing.

What is twisting in golf?

A golfer's swing, and the clubhead attached to the end of the shaft, exert forces on the shaft that lead to twisting. This twisting is simply a part of the swing.

What is torque in a shaft?

Torque is really pretty simple: it’s the shaft’s resistance to twisting. Torque is measured in degrees (meaning: how many degrees will the shaft twist under a certain amount of force), and you’ll typically see measurements as low as 2° and as high as 5°, 6°, or 7°. As with many other things, these numbers don’t necessarily mean a lot ...

Does torque affect where the ball ends up?

Torque also has a major impact on where the ball ends up. All other things being equal, a shaft with higher torque will lead to a club face that is pointed further left (for a RH golfer) at impact…but we know “all other things” are rarely equal when you add in the human element.

How many degrees does a shaft twist?

Torque is measured in degrees (meaning: how many degrees will the shaft twist under a certain amount of force), and you’ll typically see measurements as low as 2° and as high as 5°, 6°, or 7°.

Why should you care about torque?

You should care because torque is a major component in how a shaft feels, much more than flex . You could have an XX-stiff shaft with high torque, and it might feel “smooth” or even “whippy.”. Alternately, you could have a senior flex shaft with low torque that can feel “boardy.”.

What are the two main tenets of torque?

The conventional wisdom on torque consists of two major tenets: 1) Players who tend to hook the ball will benefit from a lower torque shaft. Players who tend to slice the ball will benefit from a higher torque shaft. 2) Players who swing faster need lower torque.

Can a senior flex shaft feel boardy?

Alternately, you could have a senior flex shaft with low torque that can feel “boardy.”. Torque also has a major impact on where the ball ends up.

What is torque in golf?

Torque is the simply the amount a golf shaft (shown in blue) twists when subjected to a known amount of force (usually one foot-pound of force is applied) and the torque value is always expressed in degrees. It is a term commonly associated with composite or graphite shafts, but steel shafts have a certain degree of torque too.

Is there a standard for golf shafts?

I like to say “the only standard in the golf industry is there are no standards.”. Each manufacturer has an internal method for measuring torque that will vary from one to the next. However, each shaft by the manufacturer will be measured using the exact same clamping dimensions and force for all their shafts.

Does steel have torque?

It is a term commonly associated with composite or graphite shafts, but steel shafts have a certain degree of torque too. However the amount cannot be independently changed from the frequency (or stiffness) of the shaft like a composite design, thus torque of steel shafts is generally not listed by the manufacturer.

Why are shafts less accurate?

One of the reasons shafts with higher torque values are considered less accurate can be attributed to the cost. Often times the higher torque wood shafts (above 6°) will be less than $9 retail and may not be 100% graphite, but have a certain percentage of fiberglass mixed in. One clue is to look at the shaft weight.

What happens if you use less material on a shaft?

If less material is used (due to the lighter weight), there is less material available to control torque or resist twisting.

What is torque in shaft flex?

Torque is the measurement of a shaft’s resistance to rotational twisting . Torque is expressed in degrees – the higher the number, the less resistance.

Is torque measured on graphite shafts?

Most shaft manufacturers report the torque measurement on their graphite shafts, but it’s not a number you typically see on spec sheets for steel shafts. We asked the manufacturers why that is. In short, torque values are smaller and less variable in steel . It can be measured the same way, but the range of values is not large, ...

What is torque in mechanics?

Torque is the measurement of a shaft’s resistance to rotational twisting . Torque is expressed in degrees – the higher the number, the less resistance.

How does shaft torque affect mishits?

Additionally, the shaft’s torque will affect how it feels on mishits. Shafts with lower torque will feel harsher and more punishing on mishits. Conversely, shafts with higher torque will feel less harsh when you miss the center of the club face.

What is the function of the shaft's GJ profile?

Torque is a function of the shaft’s GJ profile, where G is the shear modulus (resistance of the material to twisting) and J is the shape (diameter and wall thickness). In a carbon shaft, we can vary the G by changing the type of carbon we use of the size of the torsional ply we use. Because of the steels used in golf shafts, G is always the same, ...

What is clamped on a shaft?

The butt of the shaft is clamped, a force is applied to the tip, and the degrees of twisting are measured. What can vary are the size of the clamp, the distance between the clamp and the force, and the amount of force used.

What is torque in golf?

Torque is the measure of how much the shaft twists during the golf swing. It may be hard to imagine this even happening, but shafts are made with that particular fact in mind. They are even made to resist it more or less, depending on your swing and what kind of results you are looking for.

What happens when you have less torque in your golf club shaft?

When you have more torque in your club shaft it is said that your shots can be less accurate but go further and have a nice soft feel.

What shaft has less torque?

Types. A steel shaft will have less torque simply because of the material it is made of. A degree of 3 to 4 is normal for a steel shaft. Graphite shafts can have a lot more torque. Since graphite is not a solid piece of material, the torque can be much higher; to degrees of 7 or 8.

What degree of torque is normal for a steel shaft?

A degree of 3 to 4 is normal for a steel shaft. Graphite shafts can have a lot more torque. Since graphite is not a solid piece of material, the torque can be much higher; to degrees of 7 or 8.

Does Tiger Woods know how much torque he needs?

Certainly Tiger Woods knows exactly how much torque he needs for every club in his bag , but for a beginner it won't matter much. Torque should be one of the last things you look at when trying to improve your game. Golfweeks' Adam Woodard breaks down the results from the match.

When you strike the ball, do you want your club head to be square?

When you strike the ball, you want your club head to be as square to your target as possible. When the club head twists, it can make the club head a degree or two open or closed when it makes contact. Therefore you want less torque when you are looking to straighten your ball flight.

What is torque in golf?

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT TORQUE 1 A lower-torque shaft will help a golfer create a more leftward dispersion. 2 A higher-torque shaft will help a golfer create a more rightward dispersion. 3 These guidelines seem to fly in the face of conventional wisdom about shaft torque, which has long stated that lower-torque shafts help golfers avoid a snap hook due to their greater resistance to twisting.

Is torque important in shaft fittings?

Torque is not the most important consideration in most shaft fittings, but it must always be considered. In this article, we dive into what our testing reveals about torque so you can understand torque it does… and just as importantly, what it doesn’t do.

How is shaft torque measured?

Shaft torque is measured by a device that records the amount a shaft will twist under a certain amount of force, and it’s recorded in degrees. A shaft with 3 degrees of torque will twist less than a shaft with 5 degrees of torque, and so on. Torque is a separate variable from the more talked about measurement of “shaft flex,” which deals with ...

Is torque a variable?

Torque is a separate variable from the more talked about measurement of “shaft flex,” which deals with the up and down bending of a shaft, but the two variables are related in the sense that more flexible shafts tend to have higher torque and stiffer shafts tend to have lower torque. The reason for this relationship is that a golf shaft is both ...

How does torque affect dispersion?

While it’s true that low-torque shafts are more resistant to twisting, it’s this same resistance to twisting that actually causes a shaft to “snap back to square” more easily than higher-torque shafts at impact and thus produce a tendency to move dispersion to the left.

Is a low torque shaft more resistant to twisting?

While it’s true that low-torque shafts are more resistant to twisting, it’s this same resistance to twisting that actually causes a shaft to “snap back to square” more easily than higher-torque shafts at impact and thus produce a tendency to move dispersion to the left. Here’s an extreme example to explain why.

Can you hit a drive with a junior golfer's driver?

Imagine you’re a golfer with a very fast swing speed, and just for fun, you hit a drive with a junior golfer’s driver. Because this shaft is too weak for you in terms of torque, the first swing you make with the junior club is likely to create a big miss to the right if you’re a right-handed golfer.

What is the torque of a shaft?

There’s yet another factor that influences a shaft’s performance: torque. Torque is simply defined as “resistance to twisting,” and it’s measured in degrees.

What is the torque range of a golf club?

Still, the torque range that applies to most golfers is relatively small, between 3.5° – 5.5°. Like most clubfitting elements, there are no absolutes when it comes to matching torque to swing. The basic rules when choosing a shaft with the right torque are as follows: Golfers with high swing speeds (100+ mph) typically need lower torque shafts.

What does low torque mean in golf?

Basically, a low torque value means the shaft will twist very little during the swing; a high-torque shaft twists more. The range of available torque is wider in graphite shafts than steel, because manufacturers can blend different graphite composites to produce very specific characteristics. Still, the torque range that applies to most golfers is ...

What is torque range for graphite shafts?

Still, the torque range that applies to most golfers is relatively small, between 3.5° – 5.5°. Like most clubfitting elements, there are no absolutes when it comes ...

How fast does a golf club need to be to match torque?

The basic rules when choosing a shaft with the right torque are as follows: Golfers with high swing speeds (100+ mph) typically need lower torque shafts.

What happens if you put too much torque on your golf club?

Too much torque will produce excessive twisting of the clubface and wildly off-line shots. Golfers with slower swing speeds (less than 90 mph) typically need higher torque to help them return the clubface to square at impact.

Why do golfers need torque?

Golfers with slower swing speeds (less than 90 mph) typically need higher torque to help them return the clubface to square at impact. Of course, a shaft’s torque must mesh with other qualities (length, weight, flex etc.) to produce the desired results for any individual golfer.

What is shaft torque?

The golf industry’s term “shaft torque” is used to convey the relative, comparative amount that a shaft is designed to resist twisting in response to a specific force of torque applied to the shaft.

Why does a golfer need 6 or more degrees of torque?

This is because 6 or more degrees of torque in a shaft does not provide enough resistance to the twisting force that a golfer with a strong transition move and aggressive downswing tempo will generate .

Why does my golf shaft twist?

The reason is because what causes a shaft to twist is, 1) the downswing force of the golfer, 2) the fact that the shaft attaches on the heel end of the clubhead, which means all the weight of the head sticks out in front of the shaft.

Why does the golfer's downswing force affect the shaft?

Because most of the weight as well as the center of gravity of the clubhead protrudes well out in front of the shaft, the moment the golfer begins the downswing, that acceleration force causes the clubhead to exert a twisting influence on the shaft. The greater the golfer’s downswing force, meaning the more abruptly and more aggressively ...

Why did steel shafts take over?

In fact, the biggest reason that steel shafts took over in the 1920s and wiped the hickory shaft from the face of the golf industry was their MUCH lower torque, which resulted in far more accuracy and control of the shot. The first steel shafts were heavier than hickory shafts, but golfers were willing to deal with the downside ...

Can composite shafts be used in golf?

As a result, the first composite shafts could only be used by golfers with a smooth, passive, totally non-aggressive swing tempo. This realization is what led to the industry learning just how shaft torque works, and what had to be done before graphite shafts could gain a much larger following.

Why is torque not a fitting factor?

The reason that torque is not much of a fitting factor today is because the shaft makers all design the torque of their shafts to fall in line with the flex. Shaft makers know that the faster the swing speed of the player, not always but typically that higher swing speed generates more twisting force on the shaft.