The Difference of Regular and Stiff Golf Shafts
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, which provide the player with a way to generate centrifugal force in order to effectively strike the ball.
Shafts are quantified in a number of different ways. The most common is the shaft flex. Simply, the shaft flex is the amount that the shaft will bend when placed under a load. A stiffer shaft will not flex as much, which requires more power to bend and “whip” through the ball properly, which results in higher club speed at impact for more distance, while a more flexible shaft will whip with less power required for better distance on slower swings, but may torque and over-flex if swung with too much power causing the head not to be square, resulting in lower accuracy. Most shaft makers offer a variety of flexes.
A stiff shaft is firmer and harder to bend than a regular shaft. That said, flexing a stiff shaft is not as simple as just swinging harder. The more club-head speed you generate, the stiffer the shafts on your clubs should be. A quick, athletic swing can generate club-head speed, but a long, slow, accelerating arc can generate more. When your swing is matched with the correct shaft flex, it can help you maximize distance and control on all of your shots.
Most golf shafts are made of either steel or graphite. Steel is the traditional material and is still used in many irons. Graphite is used in almost all drivers produced today and is available in most other clubs; the term describes any number of composite materials. Club makers strive to produce low-torque shafts. Flex is the bend a shaft experiences from grip to club head during your swing. Torque is the amount of twist the shaft allows when you hit the ball on the heel or toe of the club. That twisting can help correct for off-center strikes if the shaft’s elasticity is such that it twists back to center during your swing. It can also make a shot worse if it does not twist back.
Club makers use the term “kick point” quite a bit when discussing and selling shafts. The kick point is where the shaft flexes the most. A club with a high kick point will produce a lower trajectory; a shaft with a low kick point will launch the ball higher into the air. Stiffer shafts are usually higher kick-point clubs.
A faster swing requires a stiffer shaft or exquisite timing. You can get your swing speed measured on a launch monitor, or you can visit your local shop or range and hit a variety of clubs with different flexes. Either way, you’ll see immediately what type of shaft is best for you. If you swing in the 90 mph or faster range, a stiff shaft will probably help you. If you are in the 80 mph or less range, the regular shaft is clearly your choice. At that speed, you won’t be able to flex the shaft properly and you will likely never be able to correct a high slice.
A regular flex shaft is generally appropriate for those with an average head speed (80-94 mph), and the stiffer shafts, such as S-Flex and X-Flex (Stiff and Extra-Stiff shafts) are reserved only for those players with an above average swinging speed, usually above 100 mph (160 km/h). Golfers with slower swings will likely never see an advantage to hitting a stiff-shafted club. On the other hand, golfers with faster swing speeds can still play a regular-flex club with some dexterity. In that situation, it is all about the rhythm of your swing. Sometimes, a player with a 90 mph swing speed will find he hits the ball farther with a weaker shaft. He will give up a bit of control for that extra snap in the shaft, however.
When properly gripped, the player can hit the ball further and more accurately, whilst applying less force. One of the most important choices you make when purchasing golf clubs is what kind of shaft to use–stiff or regular, steel or graphite. The shaft is the engine of a golf club. If you have too much power or not enough, you will have difficulty controlling your ball.
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