
What is shaft stepping in golf?
Shaft stepping, another common practice seen usually among better players, means altering your club’s shaft profile by offsetting your shafts based on what iron they’re designed for. A “hard step” is to put a 5-iron shaft into a 4-iron clubhead and so on through the set. This makes the shaft play a little stiffer.
What is hard stepping in golf clubs?
Hard stepping a set of irons. This is the process of making a clubs shaft a little stiffer. The PW shaft would be fitted into the 9 iron head, the 9 iron shaft would fit into the 8 iron and so on. The PW would require a new shaft and the 3 iron shaft would be left over.
Should you soft step your golf clubs?
If you soft step once for one club, you will do so on all the irons and wedges to have a uniform progression of flex throughout the set. The downside to soft stepping is two-fold. First, since you are cutting less off the tip, that means you are cutting more from the butt end.
What is soft stepping on a tip shaft?
As head weight increases, the amount of tip trimming increases incrementally to maintain the flex the manufacturer designed into the shaft. Soft stepping on a parallel tip shaft is simply the process of trimming less than what the manufacturer suggests. For example, if you have a 5-iron, you tip trim the shaft like a 4-iron.

What does stepping mean for golf clubs?
Hard and soft stepping is a way of changing the flex of a shaft in a club to obtain an in-between flex which will also produce a slightly different ball flight. It works the same way regardless if the shafts are taper or parallel tipped.
What does stepping mean in golf irons?
Stepping shafts is a method of reshafting that focuses on a flex between the specific designations, say, between a regular and a stiff flex. "Hard stepping" would make a shaft stiffer, "soft stepping," more flexible.
Does soft stepping make a difference?
When you soft step a set of irons, you are putting the golf shaft of a nine iron into the pitching wedge. This helps to make the club a bit longer, and it has a softer feel overall. In turn, golfers are able to get a higher ball flight and more performance from their golf clubs.
Does hard stepping lower ball flight?
Hard stepping a set of irons The effect on each club would be that each clubs shaft would be a little bit stiffer than they originally were and produce a slightly lower ball flight. Remember, when you hard step, the club lengths will decrease.
Does soft stepping reduce shaft weight?
The weight of the shaft changes very little with stepping.
Should I hard step my iron shafts?
1:062:10What is Hard Stepping or Soft Stepping a Golf Shaft? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo if they want to go at one they can really keep up with them. And they have confidence over theMoreSo if they want to go at one they can really keep up with them. And they have confidence over the ball. It's a method used by some of the best fitters on tour some of the best fitters in the world.
What does soft stepping do?
Soft stepping on a parallel tip shaft is simply the process of trimming less than what the manufacturer suggests. For example, if you have a 5-iron, you tip trim the shaft like a 4-iron. This is called soft stepping once and would decrease the stiffness by a quarter flex.
Do longer shafts play softer?
Also, longer clubs should play 1 to 1.5 flexes stiffer than shorter clubs. So, if your driver is S(6.0), your irons should probably be R(5.0), etc. Some golfers swing harder with their drivers so they may need stronger flexes in their longer clubs.
What is Tiger stepping?
0:585:39TIGER STEPPING / TIGER WOODS WEDGE BUILD SETUP - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIs taking a shaft in this case the dynamic gold shaft that really only runs is only made down to aMoreIs taking a shaft in this case the dynamic gold shaft that really only runs is only made down to a nine iron. So whether you're putting it in a nine or a pitching sand gap lob wedge.
What happens if 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 when you soft step a golf shaft?
Soft stepping would enable the flex of the club shafts to be softer and more flexible. If you soft step a stiff flex shaft it would feel between a regular and stiff flex.
What does a soft tip shaft do?
Well a shaft that has a soft tip has a low bend point and this helps lift the ball in the air by adding dynamic loft. Players who hit the ball too high should look for a tip stiff shaft which does not add so much loft, which produces a lower and more penetrating trajectory.
What is stepped shaft?
Stepped shafts are widely used in drive trains. They are generally holding large gears and cams, which are key elements in power transfer. Mostly supported by bearings at the end, the shaft experiences bending loads, axial thrust and torsional loads. The shaft must have greater strength to withstand these loads.
How do you soft step wedge shafts?
1:466:04Hard Stepped and Soft Stepped Golf Shafts Explained - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWell you can you can soft step it by instead of using if this is a five iron. And instead of usingMoreWell you can you can soft step it by instead of using if this is a five iron. And instead of using the five iron shaft in the five iron a manufacturer or player might use a four iron shaft.
What is soft stepping on a parallel tip shaft?
Soft stepping on a parallel tip shaft is simply the process of trimming less than what the manufacturer suggests. For example, if you have a 5-iron, you tip trim the shaft like a 4-iron. This is called soft stepping once and would decrease the stiffness by a quarter flex. Soft-stepping twice would be cutting the shaft as a 3-iron ...
What is hard stepping?
Hard stepping is the opposite of soft stepping whereby you elect to tip trim more than the amount suggested by the manufacturer to create a stiffer flex. There are two things to be aware of when doing so.
What does it mean to soft step twice?
Soft-stepping twice would be cutting the shaft as a 3-iron or two clubs more and would decrease the stiffness by a half flex. If you soft step once for one club, you will do so on all the irons and wedges to have a uniform progression of flex throughout the set. The downside to soft stepping is two-fold.
What is the downside of soft stepping?
The downside to soft stepping is two-fold. First, since you are cutting less off the tip, that means you are cutting more from the butt end. While the variation is small, it can lead in some cases to a smaller grip size under the lower hand.
Is a taper tip shaft hard stepped?
The concept of hard stepping a taper tip shaft is just the opposite of soft stepping. However, this is rarely done because you run out of raw lengths when you get to your shorter scoring irons and wedges. If you examine the row labeled "hard stepped once", notice the 9-iron and wedge entries.
What is a hard step in golf?
A “hard step” is to put a 5-iron shaft into a 4-iron clubhead and so on through the set. This makes the shaft play a little stiffer. A “soft step” is the opposite — it means putting a 3-iron shaft into a 4-iron head (and so on through the set) to make the shaft play a little softer. To receive GOLF’s all-new newsletters, subscribe for free here.
What does it mean to tip a golf club?
“Tipping” or “tip trimming ,” as it’s sometimes called, means trimming a club shaft from the clubhead end, not from the grip end where it’s most often cut. ...
Does tipping affect spin rate?
Lastly, tipping won’t do much to affect spin rates and launch angle — two popular misconceptions when it comes to trimming the lower end of a shaft.
Why is club fitting so difficult?
Challenges often arise with club fitting because of preconceived notions that customers have. Those who pursue professional club fitting need to approach the process with an open mind and not let their expectations -- or egos in some cases -- interfere.
How long does it take to fit a golf club?
In terms of what to expect, Grabowy said that fitting a player for a full set of clubs will take about two and a half hours and include "educating" a player about his or her needs. The fitting process also remains pretty much the same for woods, irons and wedges.
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 to measure for golf clubs?
To find the right size clubs for your body, use recent height measurement to determine the proper angle for your clubs. It usually helps to have another person measure, so you get the most accurate measurements possible.#N#Measure your basic height from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Stand up as straight as possible to get the measurement. You don't need to be in your swing stance.
Why do people buy off the rack golf clubs?
In fact, players with a higher handicap have a game that can be much more drastically improved with the use of custom-fit clubs that help to train the swinging motion properly .
How many yards does a senior flex?
Between 181 to 200 yards (166 to 183 meters), use senior flex. Between 200 to 235 yards (183 to 215 meters), use regular flex. Between 236 to 275 yards (216 to 251 meters), use stiff flex. More than 275 yards (251 meters), use extra-stiff flex. ...
How many miles per hour do you swing?
It'll be difficult to do at home. In general, though, most amateurs fall somewhere in the neighborhood of 80–85 mile (129–137 km)-per-hour swings. In general, people with faster swings prefer stiff shafts on their woods and iron shafts on the irons.
How to make your golf swing more efficient?
To make your golf swing feel more efficient, you have to match your lie angle to your club length based on your position with regard to the club. This will help you to hit shots that feel more comfortable and it will help with more consistent swings.
Why are golf clubs so complex?
The reason that golf club sizes can be a complex topic is because it isn’t as easy as just saying that height is the only factor in which size to choose. In our complete guide we will explore what other factors are at play and what some of the main benefits are from taking the time to choose golf club sizes bespoke to yourself.
Why is it important to choose the right golf club size?
These range from having a better connection with your shots and hitting them from the correct lie angle. Both of these benefits will contribute to your achieving a better golf handicap score.
What does it mean to use the correct size golf club?
When you use the correct golf club sizes you will be hitting your shots with the ideal length club which will help you to get a solid contact on your shots. This accurate measurement can help you to achieve consistent contact by ensuring the club face is squared properly at impact.
Why is it important to know the size of your golf clubs?
This is because if you use golf clubs that are either too tall or too short for you there is a chance that you won’t hit shots consistently and more distance.
What is flex in golf?
In simple terms, the definition of flex is the amount of bend in the shaft when under the load of the swing. Another way to express it is the stiffness or the softness of the shaft. It is generally accepted that the grading system of flex is universal. Contents [ show] The Different Types of Club Flex Available.
What is flex in golf shafts?
In simple terms, the definition of flex is the amount of bend in the shaft when under the load of the swing.
What is the kick point of a golf shaft?
Kick point is the part of the shaft that bends the most on the downswing. The kick point determines the trajectory of the shot. Senior golfers should select a low kick point shaft which enables a high trajectory and ball flight. The bend in the shaft is close to the clubhead. A medium trajectory is attained by a shaft with ...
