Driver shaft selection

As stated previously, the lighter the driver, the higher the swing speeds generated, resulting in greater distance.

Simply put, the resistance of the shaft to twist around its own axis when a force is applied to the clubhead see diagram. Manufacturers apply a set force to a clubhead and the resulting rotation is measured in degrees. The norm for graphite shafts is in the 3.

Referring again to the diagram, if a ball is struck off the toe of the driver, the clubhead will rotate more, putting sidespin on the ball resulting in off-target shots.

Low torque shafts can help, but without sufficient clubhead speeds, you will push your tee shots. The kick point, which is also referred to as the flex point or bend point, is simply the point along the shaft where it starts to flex the most under load in the downswing.

Golf driver shafts of the same overall flex or stiffness can have different kick points. Compare Golf Club Shafts. Calculate the Speed of a Golf Swing. Compare Golf Shaft Stiffness. Design a Golf Shaft. Measure Golf Shaft Length. The Advantages of Stiff-Shaft Irons. By taking the time to think about various factors that affect your game profile, such as the ones mentioned above, you can stop guessing and start deciding on which shaft is best for you.

If you want a more precise recommendation on how to select a golf driver shaft that is best for you, consult custom golf fitters.

Not only do they have experts on golf who will give you advice on which shaft is best for you, but they also use technology to analyze your game profile. They will also teach you how to fit a golf driver shaft.

Most players are not fully aware of their own tendencies, preferences, and goals, which lead them to be unsure of the best golf shaft for their clubs. Now that you have read about what you should consider in selecting golf driver shaft, you may be wondering about how to replace golf driver shaft should you change your mind about which shaft to use.

Here are the steps you need to know about how to change golf driver shaft:. These tips on how to select a golf driver shaft can help you to avoid guessing on which you should use for your clubs. To ensure that you have the right shaft, you should consider the following factors:. Golf Clubs. Table of Contents show. Read More. Launch angle combines with spin rate to give us our overall carry distance. Whether you are having trouble getting the ball in the air or you are ballooning it, a driver shaft change can almost assuredly help remedy the issue.

There is not much of a decision to be made when it comes to the material of choice in a driver shaft. Technology has advanced to the point where the only material being used in modern driver shafts is graphite. Still, it worth looking both this wonder material and its precursor to see why graphite took over the industry. Steel has certain properties that at one time made it ideal for driver shafts, which are the same reason that steel shafts continue to dominate in irons.

Steel is strong and can be rolled into thin sheets, which are perfect for making golf club shafts. Steel shafts are usually much stiffer than graphite shafts, though, meaning they are harder to load. That advantage disappeared as graphite technology improved. Graphite shafts are made from strands of carbon fiber.

The graphite comes in sheets — called flags — which are rolled together around a form to make the hollow shaft. The term graphite is actually a bit of a misnomer.

Actual graphite is pure carbon with its molecules arranged in fragile crystalline sheets of hexagons. The molecules in carbon fiber are arranged similarly, but they interlock together to give carbon fiber its phenomenal strength. Both materials are carbon-based, and the term graphite is standard in the golf industry. The use of graphite in golf shafts took some 30 years to take hold, but it is now the main ingredient in driver shafts.

It stands to reason that the same swing will produce a faster clubhead speed with a lighter implement, and tests have borne this out. Whether or not the extra flex graphite enables equates to faster clubhead speeds is still an open question, though. When a golfer swings a club, there are two instances of deflection that come into play. First, the golf club bends as the golfer transitions to the downswing. The handle leads the clubhead, creating the lag that stores the energy the golfer is putting into the club.

The second instance of deflection occurs as the energy stored is released into the ball. This unloading deflection is obvious when you see a slow-motion video of a driver swing at impact. Notice that the secondary deflection occurs before impact, which is the reason physics says there can be no extra kick provided to boost ball speed from flex alone. So what can account for the longer drives some players experience when they add flex?

The answer is that the unloading and reverse deflection of the shaft increases the effective or dynamic loft of the clubface. The result is a higher launch and generally more carry distance. So which shaft flex will provide you with the ideal launch angle? The answer to that question depends on swing speed.

These shafts have the most flex available in any given line of golf club shafts. As women generally have less upper-body strength than men, it stands to reason that most ladies will have a harder time loading a club than most men.

However, anyone with a swing speed less than 75 mph will likely benefit from shafts with L flex. This category was once called Senior S flex, but A flex has become its standard demarcation. Aging golfers and younger golfers — as well as stronger female players — may benefit from amateur-flex shafts. These shafts are generally best suited for players with swings between 75 and 85 mph.

The majority of amateur players will benefit from these mid-flex shafts. They are best suited for players with swing speeds of at least 85 mph. Players with up to mph clubhead speeds may still benefit from a regular shaft stiffness, but golfers at the upper extreme of that range may prefer a stiffer flex for the added control. Generally considered the correct shaft stiffness for better players, the stiff-shaft category tends to suit players with swings above 95 mph.