All things being equal...

[Tball88]

If a player let's say with a 105 mph swing speed hits both a regular and a stiff shaft driver squarely, would there be a difference in the distance or flight?

I guess what I'm asking is that if you can effectively square up a club, are you better off swinging one with more flex as long as you can control it.


Thanks

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

If a player let's say with a 105 mph swing speed hits both a regular and a stiff shaft driver squarely, would there be a difference in the distance or flight?

I guess what I'm asking is that if you can effectively square up a club, are you better off swinging one with more flex as long as you can control it.


Thanks

Here's the problem:

If you did this test on the pingman, you'd see a ball flight difference as long as the shaft was the same and you were only chaning the flex. However we humans, don't work the same way.

Essentially you, the golfer, will try to find a way to get the shaft/club combo you are using to go where you want and you will make subconscious compensations to do so.

-----------

As an example, i was playing a shaft too soft for me at one point, whenever i really "went after one" it would balloon and would end up SHORTER than say a 80% swing. So i essentially always had to swing slower to get the ball out there.

I went to a much heavier stiffer shaft and i actually PICKED UP swing speed because now i could swing all out (when i wanted too) and didn't have to worry about the ball coming up short.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tball88]

interesting, I would think that if you could control a more flexible shaft it would give you more pop. But from what you're saying that's not necessarily correct.

 

[Brian Manzella]

1988

If a player let's say with a 105 mph swing speed hits both a regular and a stiff shaft driver squarely, would there be a difference in the distance or flight?

In 1988, at the FIRST PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit in Dallas, I asked—during open mic question time at night—Bob Bush of True Temper and Iron Byron fame, the same question.

He said the stiff would go very slightly longer.

Of course, that's on Iron Byron.

 

[cmartingolf]

It's tough to bust it with a soft shaft. A skilled player will sense it and wait on the transition. Jim's point rings true to me as well. I'm not that strong and swing an X shaft, simply for the ability to pounce on one from time to time.

 

[Dariusz J.]

If a player let's say with a 105 mph swing speed hits both a regular and a stiff shaft driver squarely, would there be a difference in the distance or flight?

I guess what I'm asking is that if you can effectively square up a club, are you better off swinging one with more flex as long as you can control it.


Thanks

It depends not only on SS, but on transition strength, release and tempo as well. Say, a guy with a 100 mph SS and fast tempo/strong transition/late release will need an overally stiffer shaft than a guy with a 105 mph SS and slow tempo/weak transition/early release.

Cheers

 

[Tball88]

Hmm, I would have thought the more you could bend a shaft the more snap you would have due to the shaft trying to achieve an in-line status, apparently I'm thinking wrong.

I wonder with the iron byron at what point is there diminishing returns. What would be the swing speed where a regular shaft would actually go further than a stiff shaft?

 

[Brian Manzella]

I wonder with the iron byron at what point is there diminishing returns. What would be the swing speed where a regular shaft would actually go further than a stiff shaft?

That wouldn't happen.

Science has proven that the club acts as it the clubhead is SEPARATE from the shaft at impact.

Shafts are TIMING mechanisms only.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Shafts are TIMING mechanisms only.

Which is why with the softer shaft, it was bringing the clubface in too open for my example above. When i went to a heavier/stiffer version that clubface was much more closed and provided me with much better launch conditions.

 

[edming05]

So all things being equal, with no compensation for different shafts, the ball would travel the same distance regardless of the shaft used?

 

[Leek]

Which is why with the softer shaft, it was bringing the clubface in too open for my example above. When i went to a heavier/stiffer version that clubface was much more closed and provided me with much better launch conditions.

That's interesting Jim. I have often heard people say a too stiff shaft makes it harder to close the face. hmmmm

I can certainly understand how a shaft that's too soft increases spin. I don't know why, but I've seen it many times.

 

[Dariusz J.]

Which is why with the softer shaft, it was bringing the clubface in too open for my example above. When i went to a heavier/stiffer version that clubface was much more closed and provided me with much better launch conditions.

It's because of torque, not of flex per se. Usually, soft flex shafts' torque is noticeably higher than in case of stiff shafts. Now, the explanation is as follows: if a guy has an early release and is sort of a flipper - he will find a softer flex shaft with high torque easier to square; if a guy has a late release - he will likely deliver a high torque soft shaft combo with an open face to impact.
That is why, as I said before, not only SS matters when chosing a proper shaft profle.

Cheers

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

It's because of torque, not of flex per se. Usually, soft flex shafts' torque is noticeably higher than in case of stiff shafts. Now, the explanation is as follows: if a guy has an early release and is sort of a flipper - he will find a softer flex shaft with high torque easier to square; if a guy has a late release - he will likely deliver a high torque soft shaft combo with an open face to impact.
That is why, as I said before, not only SS matters when chosing a proper shaft profle.

Cheers

Torque is a component in shaft profiles so it isn't just torque either. Also there is no actual industry standard for torque measurement so someone's 2.5 could be another's 3.4.

EDIT: Also, both shafts have almost identical torque readings, they are within .2 of each other (with how this company measures)