driver shaft, swing speed, consistency, and a pondering on iron shafts

[ruffellprefley]

i have a skytrak in my garage, and i've been trying to figure out what driver shaft stiffness may be best for me on my own. i'm a high cap, with an estimated (by skytrak, which only calculates SS based on what the ball does) SS between 85-90.

 

i have 3 shafts, all from various nike drivers. head is always vapor fly pro, and i've set each of the shaft adapters at 12.5 degrees

diamana 60g stiff that plays at 45.5

diamana 60g regular that i cut to play at 44.5

fubuki 50g regular that plays at 45.5

 

i put some lead tape on the heel side underside of the head because i chopped an inch off the one shaft i thought i'd play.

 

anyway, i figured with my slow, fairly smooth swing, one of the regular flexes would suit me best, but it seems like with both of them, i struggle to get the face closed and every shot starts on or right of target and push fades/slices further right of target. the stuff shaft is either a slight fade or a slight draw, and i seem to be able to carry it furthest (about 200yd when i do hit it well).

 

so a few hypotheses and questions:

1) maybe my SS is actually higher because skytrak has to calculate it based on ball speed and spin, and i'm probably not hitting center face often and i should be in the stiff shaft

2) i have 2 sets of irons. one shafted with xp95 reg, and DG pro r300. i can't seem to hit the GI clubs well shafted with xp95 but seem more consistent with the cavity back forged clubs with the DG pro. my guess is that's due to different shaft bend profiles. either way, most of my misses start as pushes and end as push fades or push sliced way right. do you all think i should look into stiff shafts for my irons too? considering that the stiff driver went less right than the reg drivers?

 

sorry for the novel. looking for help gaining consistency. i know, i know, go get fit!!!

[Andrew M]

Go get fit and consider a lesson or two with someone reputable. That's not a knock on you, but just an observation that shafts at some extent -- especially when we are talking the same weight, one inch, and one flex, aren't going to be a magical cure for a majorly open club face (if that is, indeed, the case).

 

Sorry that isn't much help. But the fact is without the right tools and a fitter with lots of shafts it's just impossible to know. My swing speed is about 104 and I use a stiff shaft. Not all stiff shafts are going to be the same level of stiffness. Well for that matter not any shaft of "XYZ" flex will necessarily be comparable to the same flex in a different shaft/brand.

 

Getting fit is the best thing to do. But if you can't do that, at some point I'd just say my own two cents is use the one that gives you the best results. If I found a shaft that I carried longer than anything else I tried and straighter than everything else, I'd play it if it said Ladies on it (might paint over that designation, though) ;) Use what works and to heck with what the shaft says on it. My two cents.

[Stuart_G]

1) maybe my SS is actually higher because skytrak has to calculate it based on ball speed and spin, and i'm probably not hitting center face often and i should be in the stiff shaft

 

If the stiffness really was the only difference - then it's just more likely that you have a preference or are just more comfortable with the feel of the stiffer shaft. Swing speed doesn't play nearly as big of a roll in finding the best fit for the bend profile as most people think. How smooth/aggressive the transition and how early or late the release are also mechanical factors - but it frequently just comes down to personal preference.

 

2) i have 2 sets of irons. one shafted with xp95 reg, and DG pro r300. i can't seem to hit the GI clubs well shafted with xp95 but seem more consistent with the cavity back forged clubs with the DG pro. my guess is that's due to different shaft bend profiles. either way, most of my misses start as pushes and end as push fades or push sliced way right. do you all think i should look into stiff shafts for my irons too? considering that the stiff driver went less right than the reg drivers?

 

More likely it's due to the difference in shaft weight. The xp95's are likely just a bit too light for you. Weight is usually a much more important shaft spec to get fit correctly than the flex or bend profile. Again, that's assuming all the other specs between the two sets are identical (length, grip size, swing weight, lie, ...).

[coconut]

Going through a professional fitting from a legit fitter has totally changed my game. I, like you, used to experiment like crazy on my own, selling and buying new irons all the time. I saw a drastic change in a friend's game after he got professionally fitted and decided to fork up the fitting fee and go through it myself and found it to be very enlightening and indeed has improved my game significantly!