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what is the difference a regular golf shaft and a stiff one

by Pat Kunde Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Regular shafts are more flexible compared to stiff shafts. They’re also a little lighter in weight which means they’re going to flex more. This flex produced by regular shafts can benefit when you’re hitting the ball at a slower swing speed. Deciding if a regular or stiff shaft is best for you is going depends upon these factors: Swing Speed

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.

Full Answer

How to tell if your golf shafts are too stiff?

How To Know If You Need Stiff Or X Stiff Flex. To know what golf shaft you need, you will need to know your swing speed. The faster your swing, the more stiff of a golf shaft you are going to need. When you swing the club fast, the club needs more resistance and a stiffer shaft. Head to a local golf shop and have your swing speed tested.

What Golf Club shaft stiffness should I use?

What swing speed requires a stiff shaft?

  • Swing speeds above 105 mph Extra Stiff
  • Swing speeds between 90-105 Stiff
  • Swing speeds between 80-95 Regular
  • Swing speeds between 70-85 Senior
  • Swing speeds less than 70 Ladies

How to pick the right golf shaft?

Info - Choosing the Best Shaft for Your Game

  • Choosing the Best Shaft for Your Game. ...
  • Shaft Selection Primer 1.0: Single most important determining factor in shaft flex (indicator of overall strength of the player).
  • Swing Tempo - Pace of the Swing. ...
  • Release. ...
  • Trajectory - Height of Ball Flight. ...
  • Flight Direction Tendency. ...
  • Distance Control. ...
  • Price. ...

What shaft should I buy?

Some golfers will decide which shaft they need based on swing speed alone. If your swing speed is between 75 and 85 miles per hour, then you will need a senior shaft. If you are between 85 and 95 miles per hour, then the regular shaft will be the best choice. You can get your swing speed measured at a local golf fitting center.

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What is better stiff or regular shaft?

Stiff shafts are more efficient if you give them enough power. They have higher kick points to assist the player to control the speed and landing distance of the ball efficiently.

How do I know if I need stiff shaft irons?

When To Move To A Stiffer Shaft?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.You ball spins to much on the greens when you approach with your irons.Your accuracy has dropped.You start hitting hooks.More items...

What swing speed requires a 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.

What shaft is best for a slice?

Unlike the pros, you should look for shafts with weaker tip sections that allow for more release of the club head as it comes into impact. A more active tip section will generally allow for a faster rate of closure, which is beneficial to golfers suffering from a slice.

Should a beginner golfer use a stiff shaft?

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.

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.

Will I lose distance with a stiff shaft?

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

How do I know what shaft I need?

If your drives carry less than 200 yards, you should probably have Ladies shafts, and if your ball carries between 200 and 225 yards, you should buy clubs with Senior shafts. Generally, if there is a doubt about which shafts you should have, choose the softer shafts.

What are the two main compositions of golf shafts?

The two primary composition types are graphite and steel . Many players use steel shafts for irons to improve shot control and graphite for their driver and fairway metals for increased distance. Steel shafts are more durable. Pick the shaft flex for your clubs.

How many yards does a 7 iron shaft flex?

Shaft flex depends on your swing speed and distance you normally hit the ball. If you hit a 7-iron 150 yards, then a regular flex will be the most help to your game. If you hit a smaller numbered iron 150 yards, choosing a shaft with more flex will help your game.

What is a flex point in golf?

The flex point determines the height of ball flight for your clubs. The higher the flex point, the lower the trajectory of your shots will be. If you want your shots to fly lower, choose a flex point of high. Conversely, if you want a higher ball flight, choose a low flex point. Step 4.

Can you buy the same shaft as a golf club?

With continued advances in golf club technology, golfers can no longer simply purchase the same club shaft that their previous clubs used if they wish to get the maximum benefits from new clubs. Golfers should consider shaft composition, flex, flex point, torque rating and length before making a major purchase.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

What is the most popular decision a golfer makes?

One of the most popular decisions golfers face is whether to get a regular or stiff shaft in their irons, hybrids, fairway woods, and driver. Most resources will tell you to make that decision based on your swing speed. Unfortunately, they are wrong.

Is there a standard for shaft flex?

There Are No Standards for Flex. There is a lot of misinformation amongst golfers (and companies) regarding flex. The most important thing to understand is that there are no standards when it comes to shaft flex. One company’s “regular” could be another company’s “stiff.”.

Is graphite shaft lighter than steel?

Graphite tends to be lighter, but many companies are offering steel shafts in much lighter versions. Long story short, using your swing speed to choose a stiff versus regular shaft is not enough information. You need to know more about your golf swing tendencies and, more importantly, have someone who actually knows shafts well enough to match ...

Did Nick Price find a stiff shaft?

Despite having similar swing speeds, each player needed a much different shaft flex. Nick Price couldn’t find a shaft that was stiff enough for him. He applied so much force to the shaft with his swing length and tempo that he needed a much stiffer shaft profile compared to Fred Couples.

Can you buy a shaft based on your swing speed?

If you purchase a shaft based only on your swing speed and nothing else, you are just guessing. Other characteristics, such as weight, are important. Generally speaking, golfers with slower swing speeds can benefit from a lighter shaft and vice versa. That can be addressed using a graphite or steel shaft.

How many yards difference in a stiff shaft driver?

By using a stiffer shaft driver they are getting more distance. Not huge amounts, but you can expect to see 5, 10, 15 yard s difference in your drive. The biggest benefit is usually in the shot dispersion.

Why is it important to get custom fitted golf clubs?

This is why getting custom fitted is so important for the individual golfer to get the best performance out a set of clubs. You need your clubs to work with your swing and not against it.

Can you use stiff shafts on golf clubs?

As a golfer, you have a choice of shafts. You can use regular shafts and you can use stiff shafts, there’s also some extra stiff shafts available too. You don’ t want to be finding yourself in the situation where the shafts on your clubs are either .

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