Hard/Soft Stepping Golf Shafts?

[jakkim]

Can someone please explain what exactly this is? I am looking into having a new custom set built and want to have as much info as possible. Through static fitting I should play X-100's in my irons but since I only play a few times a month I am still leaning toward S-300's...kind of intimidated by the X's. However I still want to gain the additional consistency of the stiffer flex. Could I hard step a 300 or soft step a 100 to acheive a flex somewhere inbetween the two? Also, I play my irons at 1/2 inch over if that matters. Thanks for the advice. The clubs that I am looking to have built are either the Maltby MTF's or MMB's if anyone is interested...unfortunatly it appears that only GG builds them so I have to go in with as much knowledge as possible.

[Gxgolfer]

Covered pretty extensively. I'd give the search function a try.

[RickinMA]

The clubs that I am looking to have built are either the Maltby MTF's or MMB's if anyone is interested...unfortunatly it appears that only GG builds them so I have to go in with as much knowledge as possible.

I'm not familiar with GG, but I'm guessing it's hit or miss in their clubbuilding department (similar to all the other big stores)

almost any clubmaker will build you a set of Maltby's - Golfworks sells the components to lots of builders

It looks like the PCS clubmaker locator is down, but you might be able to find a list of fitters here http://www.twgolftech.com/locator.php

call any of them up in your area and see if they use Maltby heads

 

any decent clubmaker can get your smack in the middle between flexes

good luck

[Awalkspoiled]

Can someone please explain what exactly this is? I am looking into having a new custom set built and want to have as much info as possible. Through static fitting I should play X-100's in my irons but since I only play a few times a month I am still leaning toward S-300's...kind of intimidated by the X's. However I still want to gain the additional consistency of the stiffer flex. Could I hard step a 300 or soft step a 100 to acheive a flex somewhere inbetween the two? Also, I play my irons at 1/2 inch over if that matters. Thanks for the advice. The clubs that I am looking to have built are either the Maltby MTF's or MMB's if anyone is interested...unfortunatly it appears that only GG builds them so I have to go in with as much knowledge as possible.

 

 

OK, probably too much info, but here goes. Taper shafts are designed for individual clubs to give a specific type of performance assuming a headweight within a given range. If the headweight is higher than that range, the shaft will play weaker. If it's lower, then the shaft will play stouter. A single softstep is assembling a set with the 4i shaft in the 5i head - 7gm heavier so it'll play about 2-3 cpm softer - a subtle difference. A double softstep would be assembling with the 4i shaft in the 6i - weaker yet, and a noticeable difference. Hardstepping is the reverse - 5i shaft in the 4i, etc.

 

With .370 parallel shafts which require tip-trimming (like DG) you simply trim as if for a 4i but install in the 5i, then butt-cut to length, as with tapers.

 

I have several lightly used sets of MTF or M-05 clubheads on hand (I use them to demo shafts) and would be glad to talk over your fitting needs if you can't find a clubmaker you like nearby. I LOVE this clubhead and play it myself. It will accept both taper and parallel, as you probably know. I haven't played the MMB, but a set which was MTF in the long irons and MMB in the scoring clubs would make a lot of sense. Soft or hard-steping is a perfectly viable option, and I'd just suggest you start with the flex you're closest to happy with and shift from there.

[jakkim]

Thanks for all of the info guys. Here's another quick question about iron shafts. Since I want them to play 1/2 inch over standard, 38.5 five iron, and preferably play between an S300 & X100, could I take an S300 and tip it 1/2 inch and then cut the but to the desired length? I am assuming that this would make the shafts a bit stiffer but not as much as going directly to an X.

[Keating121]

Hey everybody, 1st post.

So do all golf shafts come the same length to start with and then you trim from there?
1: for tip length, such as what's standard for a 5 iron?
2: and then for overall length, such as 38" for the 5 iron?

As is probably obvious, I know nothing about this kind of stuff.
I've only bought clubs off the rack at major stores. Thanks!

[Awalkspoiled]

[quote name='Keating121' post='2098856' date='Dec 2 2009, 05:18 PM']Hey everybody, 1st post.

So do all golf shafts come the same length to start with and then you trim from there?
1: for tip length, such as what's standard for a 5 iron?
2: and then for overall length, such as 38" for the 5 iron?

As is probably obvious, I know nothing about this kind of stuff.
I've only bought clubs off the rack at major stores. Thanks![/quote]


Welcome! Here comes too much information:

Iron shafts are made mostly in two types - .355 taper and .370 parallel.
.355 shafts are sold in discrete lengths, such as 41.5 for a 2i and 37 for a wedge, or the like, and are trimmed to length from the butt.
Some .370 shafts are the same, such as Project X.

Most .370 shafts are sold in a single length, often 41", and are trimmed from the tip to determine stoutness (the more you tip-trim the stouter), then butt-trimmed for length. Since shorter clubs have heavier heads, the corresponding shafts are trimmed more than those for longer clubs so that subjectively the clubset will load about the same. This step has already been taken care of for you with .355 Taper sets. There is no standard across all shaft designs, but many popular shafts require 1/2" additional tip-trim for each successively shorter club.

Shafts for woods are usually either .335 or .350" tip diameter and are usually 46 or 44" blanks. Some are designed to be tip-trimmed and some not. Almost all will become stouter the more they're tipped.

[Keating121]

Thanks Awalkspoiled, so are they called parallel because they all start out the same length?

[jsgolfer12]

i think the term parallel has to do with the tip, not the length

[Awalkspoiled]

[quote name='Keating121' post='2099238' date='Dec 2 2009, 07:44 PM']Thanks Awalkspoiled, so are they called parallel because they all start out the same length?[/quote]

A parallel (or "Unitized") shaft has a tip section which is a constant .370" diameter for a significant distance up from the tip - the shaft walls are parallel. Since this is the narrowest gauge of the shaft it's also the most flexible. So, by trimming this area away the shaft becomes progressively stiffer.

A taper shaft has a tip section which flares out gradually from .355 at the tip to about .370 an inch above the tip - it may or may not continue to flare beyond that. These shafts were originally designed this way to allow them to be jammed into the hosel for a friction fit while early epoxies were taking their time to jell. Even though epoxy has come a long way since then, most OEM clubs still use .355 tapered shafts. Most component iron heads are .370.

[Keating121]

Thanks so much guys.