Golf Tips: Golf Shafts

When people think of golf clubs most of the attention is on the club head. The engineering that goes into the club heads these days is the best it has ever been.

The real story should be the shaft. The shaft is the engine of the club and can affect how the ball is propelled towards your golf target. That being said let me talk a little bit about the golf shaft.

Golf shafts come in as many variations as club heads or maybe more. There are two main materials that shafts are made from; steel and graphite. If you are new to golf, you may have never seen a driver with a steel shaft in it. Most these days are graphite to aid in club head speed. Graphite, for the most part is lighter than steel for the same flex. This gives slightly more club head speed and a longer drive that we all strive for.

There are differences between steel and graphite shafts. The material itself is different causing some benefits for each. Graphite does not rust, so for those of us with long winter lay offs, there is no risk of rusting from the inside. Graphite also is lighter and has some shock absorbing qualities. Players with issues of the shoulders, arms, wrists or back can often find some relief by switching to graphite. Be careful of a broken graphite golf shaft. The small fibers will easily stick on your skin and may require a doctor to remove.

Steel shafts have been the standard in irons for a very long time. They still rule the market for the average golfer. Steel is easier to make and cheaper as well. They are consistent from shaft to shaft and have made their mark in the golfing world. I will have steel shafts in my irons and fairway metals for many years to come. Steel can, like most metals rust and eventually cause a shaft to break. Proper maintenance like drying after being caught in the rain and after washing will extend the life of a steel shaft.

Next, is a confusing term used to sort shafts for a player to choose. This term is Flex. We all know as a long thins shaft is swung it has to bend somewhere. Shafts are sorted by how much they flex during a golf swing. Soft flexes like Senior and ladies bend more, and stiffer flexes like stiff or X stiff bend less. In addition, where the shaft flexes will determine how the ball flies.  A low flex point will normally make the ball fly higher. A high flex point makes the ball fly lower. One last thing about shafts, they also twist during a golf swing. For most folks thinking about how much twist happens in the swing is a lot of information but it can be a factor.

Now that you are confused even more about shafts how do you pick the proper shaft for you? I suggest you pick the material first, and then get fitted for a shaft or set of shafts. Spending some time on a launch monitor will save you time and money over trial and error. I do know that once you find the shafts that fit your swing you will enjoy the game much more and maybe even shave a few strokes off the score.