The shaft of a golf club is the long, tapered tube which connects the golfer's hands to the club head. While hundreds of different designs exist, the primary purpose of the golf shaft remains the same: to provide the player with a way to generate centrifugal force in order to effectively strike the ball.

How important is the shaft on a golf club?

How Important are Golf Shafts? Choosing the right shaft for your clubs is all part of the goal of giving you consistency. It can give you the best chance at striking the center of the face that will result in optimal launch conditions on the course. It absolutely has an effect on how well you can play.

Where is golf shaft?

The shaft is the part of the club that connects to the clubhead. It is located in the middle of the club, between the grip and the head. The grip covers the top part of the shaft whereas the bottom end is inserted into the clubhead through the hosel.

What are the different shafts in golf?

There are generally five types of shaft flex: ladies, senior, regular, stiff and extra stiff. If you have a flex that doesn't match your swing speed then you're probably losing distance and/or accuracy. An incorrect shaft flex becomes more noticeable the longer the club gets (ie. with the driver).

What does 5.5 shaft flex mean?

Regular – 5.0. Regular Plus – 5.5. Stiff – 6.0. Extra Stiff – 6.5. Extra Stiff Plus – 7.0.

DRIVER SHAFT FLEX - THE COMPARISON TEST!

What do the numbers on a graphite golf shaft mean?

These numbers are the weight of the shaft in grams. Shaft weights typically range between 50 grams and 85 grams with the 50-60 numbers being pretty common as seen in the example shafts above. ... Lighter weight shafts tend to be swung faster (since they are lighter), increasing club speed.

Do senior golf shafts make a difference?

There is not much difference at all between ladies and senior flex. Most of the time, the only difference between a senior flex shaft and a ladies flex shaft will be the length of the shaft. The senior flex shaft can sometimes be a few grams heavier than the ladies, but this all depends on the manufacturer.

Do regular shafts go further?

No, not necessarily. Whilst this is a heavier object to strike the ball with and that should make it go further, you have to balance your swing speed with this weight. For many golfers a lighter shaft will allow them to generate higher clubhead speeds.

Are all steel shafts stiff?

The higher the speed, the stiffer the shaft. Steel shafts, which are heavier than graphite, are stiff and less forgiving than graphite. According to Golf.com, graphite shafts are lighter and can help increase swing speed.

How much do new shafts cost?

Most retailers will charge $15-$25 to install a shaft, once a club is re-shafted it needs a new grip which ranges from $3-$12, the average cost to replace a golf shaft is $18-$37 per club.

Are driver and wood shafts the same?

Shaft Weight: We see most stock shafts from manufacturers use the same weight of shaft in fairway woods as their driver models. Your fairway wood shafts should be slightly (5 to 15 grams) heavier than your driver shaft. So if you are playing a 65 gram driver shaft (noted by a numeral 6.

Are all golf shafts the same?

All shafts, no matter how stiff, exhibit flex under the forces of the golf swing. A player with a very fast swing will require a shaft with less flex, while a player with a slower swing will need a shaft with greater flex. ... Different shaft manufacturers have differences in their specifications of flex.

How can I tell my swing speed?

Divide the ball speed by 1.5 to get the estimated swing speed for your drive. Alternatively, you can divide the carry distance by 2.3 to estimate the swing speed at impact, but the result will not be as accurate.

What shaft weight should I use irons?

In general, golfers with slower swing speed and tempo can and should play a lighter shaft. Golfers with very fast speeds and tempo should play heavier shafts. Driver shafts typically weigh 55-60 grams for men and 45-50 grams for ladies. Iron shafts can be as light as 55 grams in graphite, and 130 grams in steel.

How do I know if my golf shaft is too flexible?

If the shaft is too flexible, you will have a 'whippy' feeling in your hands, and you won't be able to feel the clubhead on the downswing. When the golf ball is struck it will generally have too much spin if the shaft is too flexible, this will cause a 'ballooning' effect on the shot and it will tend to go quite high.

When should I switch to stiff shafts?

If you have a driver with a regular flex and are hitting the ball long but inaccurately, you may want to consider going to a stiffer shaft. The stiffer shafts should provide you with a little more control with your swing without having to swing faster provided you have the right club in your hands.

Is 9.5 or 10.5 driver better?

When talking about distance, the driver is the most important club. In theory, a 9.5 degree driver shot will travel lower at a greater speed with less backspin than a 10.5 degree driver when struck square. ... When you can swing a driver at more than 110 mph, you can usually benefit with less than 10.5 degrees of loft.

When should I switch to regular flex shafts?

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. If you're between 84 and 96 mph, regular is going to be best for you.

What does Lite Flex mean in golf clubs?

This is a flex that suits those who swing it just a little too slowly for a regular shaft. This shaft will give you even more forgiveness. Golfers that hit their driver between 210-230 yards will benefit from lite flex.

Who should use regular flex shafts?

A driver swing speed between 85-90 mph will be the kind of golfer looking for a regular flex. A regular shaft will help maximise the distance you can generate from your golf swing. This is when you need to be honest with yourself and if you need more help then accept it.

What happens if your golf shaft is too flexible?

When a golf shaft is too flexible, you will not be able to hit the ball straight. ... Faster swinging players are the golfers that need to worry about a shaft that is too flexible. They will have a hard time hitting the ball straight and could hit a lot of their shots to the left.

Does Tiger Woods use a regular shaft?

Q: Does Tiger Woods use Regular or Stiff Shafts? Tiger Woods consistently hits distances of more than 305 yards. In most cases, he uses a regular shaft for his driver.

Do pros use stiff or regular shafts?

Most PGA Tour pros will use stiff or extra stiff in their shafts. It is rare to find someone swinging a regular shaft with the amount of swing speed those guys have.