Going all R

[playa]

I am fast approaching 50 (might have to reconsider my user name and avatar pic haha) and am down to one game a week with maybe a couple of 1 hour practice sessions a week during summer. About 3 months ago I got 'fitted' into a set of Cleveland CBX in Nippon Modus 105 Stiffs. They are nice sticks and when I am on they are a very good fit, but I am finding that they aren't quite as easy to hit as I would like. Having similar problems with Cobra BCP driver with white tie X stiff shaft, great good shots but but a bit harsh on less than perfect strikes.

 

I have decided to put my ego in the rack and get my old CG 16 irons and Nike Vapor Speed driver, both with Reg shafts, back into play. Went for a quick hit the other night and the results were vary encouraging. Long, straight and much easier to hit. Having the Regs in gives me the confidence to put smooth swings on instead of trying to hit it too hard.

 

My first comp with the 'new' sticks is Saturday.

 

I'm planning to keep them in the bag for a little while to get a clear picture of results, but not sure how long I will persevere. How many rounds do people think would be enough to gain enough meaningful data to make an informed decision?

 

Also, what are the general thoughts on going back to Reg from Stiff?

 

I am currently a 13.1 cap, will provide updates as my experiment unfolds. Look forward to hearing some opinions.

[DavePelz4]

Playa, there is only 1 scenario where you should care about the nomenclature defining the flex in your shaft.

[Golf911]

Heading down a similar path myself at the moment. Always played Stiff/X Stiff Heavy shafts in my Ping G 10.5 Driver...Stock shot was a mid flight baby draw.

 

Recently developed a consistent low flighted push. Rather than use common sense and get some lessons to fix the reverse pivot or get fitted etc. I use Dr Ebay, buying a whole host of aftermarket shafts and changing weights around.

 

So I went looking for the tech fix and purchased a Ping G SFT in 12* for a steal. It came with a 55 Gram SR flex stock Alta shaft which I tossed aside being the X stiff Gorilla that I am.

 

Frustrated with this poor performance and having never hit a SR shaft before I was curious (and desperate) so I loaded it up and headed to the tee. First drive was a towering baby draw which just kept flying forever!!! Finished well past my usual length on that hole. Managed to do it over and over again for the night (played til after sunset). All of a sudden I could call the shot and execute it.

 

Hooked a few if I chased it too hard, but overall great results feeling like I was getting through the ball much easier. I've been barking up the wrong tree for so long. All of these years of tinkering with different lengths and weights while murdering the ball were washed away with a lighter noodle of a stock shaft. When I told my regular golf buddies what I had done a few days later they laughed like hyenas...until I striped the first few past them. I Still hit the occasional low dart but they're still straight to baby draws running out miles.

 

So Playa...I say go with what works and ignore the shaft graphics because its a much easier game from the fairway. Next level could be ladies clubs who knows lol!

 

Good Golfing!

[playa]

Thanks for the vindication 911. I'm confident I will get similar results.

[gvogel]

Made the shift in my irons and wedges to regular shafts about 5 years ago after a fitting at Titleist.

 

Best thing I ever did. I realized after the switch that the game was easier.

[Sean2]

The scorecard doesn't care what flex you play. Play what works best for you. In my last fitting, I told the fitter before we started that if I get the best results with pink, Hello Kitty shafts, I will take them. :-)

 

Good luck!

[Stuart_G]

Nothing wrong with the idea of moving to softer shafts. If that's the feel you want and gives you the best results - then go for it.

 

The only problem is that the flex label is a horrible way to judge how soft the shafts will really be. There is no real standard for flex and no consistency to how different shaft models will really play relative to each other. e.g. I have one "R" flex shaft that's actually stiffer then the vast majority of 'stiff' shafts and I've also hit other's that are softer then some senior flexes. So don't let the label blind you to reality.

 

Also be careful with irons shafts, in some cases, changing flex can also change the weight. And just because one should change doesn't necessarily mean the other one should.

[ohioglfr]

A lot of guys play stiff in irons that should game reg. flex. It's either an ego thing or they think their shot dispersion will deteriorate (not my experience with steel shafts).

 

I play S in driver, R in woods and hybrids, and R soft-stepped one club in irons. Somehow, reg flex in driver never worked for me. Whatever works . . .

[llamont]

I am a proponent of playing the most flexible shafts you can control. Unless you’re swinging for the fences on every shot you shouldn’t worry about losing control AND you will find that you are less fatigued during the ladder half of your rounds.

[Justsomeguy]

I've moved from stuff to regular in all my woods, and still have stiff in my irons. But it's for a specific reason, as my gi irons are very high launching, and have light graphite shafts.

That said, I'm pretty tempted to move into R in my irons just to get a little more torque to see what happens.

[PingGuy68]

I've had R in my irons and hybs for a while. I tried to go R in the Fwy and Driver but can't hit the ones I tried. I'm sure I will benefit I find the right R for the woods/driver.

[bspn]

I've played DG S300s in my irons for as long as I can remember, but got fitted for the R300s and all I can say is wow! Still a pretty heavy shaft compared to KBS et al, but the extra flex gives me the feel that I was missing and allows me to groove my irons a lot better. The thought of going back to R actually came about through accident - my S driver broke and I gamed a friends R (same model) and hit it out of the screws immediately which started my mind ticking over.

[bellview17]

I glad to hear. I have reached the time to go all R. Driver and hybrids already. Irons and wedges are up next.

[Hack Daddy]

I bet the torque is what throwing you off, not the actual stiffness.