Shaft Types and Their Effects

[A.Princey]

By all normal measures I should be in X-stiff flex across the board, but my results were pretty abnormal to say the least using really stiff shafts. Probably a swing flaw or feel issue, but everything wanted to turn over on me using uber stiff shafts. Pulls and snap hooks were a constant issue while using X100s and stout graphite in driver/fw's.

 

Fast forward to early last summer, through 'til now, but I've put R400s in my irons and use R-flex Blueboard shafts in my driver and fairway, and the ball filght has never been better, straight and flush. The only issue I can possibly find since my switch is a slight loss of distance, around 6-8% lower. I'm sure all the dynamics involved in one's own swing can explain the added success and small distance dropoff, but I've never been playing better golf in my life. I've had a handful of 9 hole stretches under par in my last 20 rounds, and before that with the x-stiff combo I was lucky to have had 1 in about 2 years. For what it's worth, my SS with a 43.5" driver is 106, and transition/tempo is borderline violent. I cannot explain why the change has worked so well, but hopefully my trial-and-error will encourage others to explore avenues that don't fit logical explanation. I don't care if my shafts say R, I'll take my playing partners money all day as they laugh about my "weak" azz.

[RainShadow]

If the profile works for ya, don't question it.

 

[Nard_S]

Weight profile and kick profile are two differing aspects to explore. Maybe you're benefiting from the mid kick of R over X's higher kick. Or maybe the lighter weight of R is the driver of goodness. Your's to answer. I know I cannot touch X100 with comfort but can enjoy TX in Rifle's which is frankly baffling to me. But the Rifle's are mid kick and swing the same as S version, they're just heavier. X100 is more than just weight to the S300/400 variant. Kick is pumped higher too, too high for my liking. Point is, if you need a further answer (sounds like you do not), play around by breaking out those two variables a bit more.

[PlayfromtheBrain]

Sounds like the R-flex helped you slow your swing tempo down and allow everything to move in sync. I use X-flex in driver and stiff in woods and irons. No doubt this works for me, but sometimes, I catch myself getting in too much of a hurry with the driver and not only will I start hooking it, but I start trying to swing the irons and woods too hard, as well. A little practice with my softer iron shafts gets everything back in sync.

[mogc60]

Headweight. In the R flex you essentially get more headweight feel in the same head. You also get head lag which keeps the face open longer. At 106 swingspeed x flex is too strong in most shafts anyways but you would have to add headweight to get the feel of the head at that speed. Your move must be similar to mine because if a shaft is too stiff for me it’s left city. A shaft that’s too soft will head right and higher. Others have different results. What works for you works for you...take the shaft bands off and play good golf. Sounds like you’re on the right track. Congrats on having the guts to play what works.

Everyone should read your post...you’re dead on!

[A.Princey]

I needed to go stiffer in my wedges, however, not much but a little. I was blocking a lot of shots straight right with too little flex here. Every once and awhile now, with a long iron(used be notorious for snappers), I find myself favoring the right side in case a hook shoots off the clubface, as it's been hard to trust my new flight path. I can happily say that I'm hitting straight blocks at worst in these situations and have been growing increasingly confident in lining up straight to my target without that same fear of the lefts.

[Howard_Jones]

> @"A.Princey" said:

> By all normal measures I should be in X-stiff flex across the board, but my results were pretty abnormal to say the least using really stiff shafts. Probably a swing flaw or feel issue, but everything wanted to turn over on me using uber stiff shafts. Pulls and snap hooks were a constant issue while using X100s and stout graphite in driver/fw's.

>

> Fast forward to early last summer, through 'til now, but I've put R400s in my irons and use R-flex Blueboard shafts in my driver and fairway, and the ball filght has never been better, straight and flush. The only issue I can possibly find since my switch is a slight loss of distance, around 6-8% lower. I'm sure all the dynamics involved in one's own swing can explain the added success and small distance dropoff, but I've never been playing better golf in my life. I've had a handful of 9 hole stretches under par in my last 20 rounds, and before that with the x-stiff combo I was lucky to have had 1 in about 2 years. For what it's worth, my SS with a 43.5" driver is 106, and transition/tempo is borderline violent. I cannot explain why the change has worked so well, but hopefully my trial-and-error will encourage others to explore avenues that don't fit logical explanation. I don't care if my shafts say R, I'll take my playing partners money all day as they laugh about my "weak" azz.

 

Feel of flex and shaft bending is a trigger for how much power we use when we swing the clubs.

You describe your swing as borderline violent, and a player like that need both some shaft and head weight, and a SOFTER shaft, so feedback takes off some tempo stress...We can use flex to speed up or slow down a players tempo, so what happened is simply that the feedback you get "improves your swing". X100 was to stiff, so to make them work or feel right, they needed "overload", and that fast tempo becomes even worse...the FEEL factor must never be underestimated since good feel makes us to swing the same, and bad feel makes us to do something different to make it work ...club specs FORCES us to change one way or the other, for the better or worse.

 

This way of using shaft specs and profiles is described in my DIY driver tune up in the chapter VISUAL FITTING where i describe how a Club fitter is able to SEE clubs specs and if the club is to heavy or to strong in flex for the player. We dont need Launch monitors to judge this, impact pattern and what we SEE during the swing with our own eyes is enough when we know what to look for, so i used this method for both total weight, flex and profiles.