Cameron Stepped Shaft Questions

[Golonkam]

With the TCC website down, I was wondering if any GolfWRXers might be able to answer some Cameron questions I have. Would anyone know why Cameron moved away from stepped steel shafts? I read once that a stepped putter shaft provides a “softer” feel. Perhaps the Studio Select putters felt “too soft” when prototyped with a stepped shaft? I would also assume that maybe Scotty was going for a more modern “style” too. Any thoughts? Recently I acquired an AOP putter with a stepped shaft that measures to have been tipped by 2 inches. The hosel to first step measurement was approximately 7.5 inches whereas my other OEM off the rack Camerons had a hosel to first step measurement of 9.5 inches. Any clue why a putter shaft would be tipped? Does it come down to feel? Is this more of a “Tour preferred” setup? I personally do not notice a difference and all of the putters I own measure 35 inches total length. What is Scotty’s “standard” when it comes to length to first step? I was under the impression it was the 9.5 inch length as I mentioned earlier which is an un-tipped YSC shaft. Thanks for any input!

[GeorgeHWB]

I don't know for certain why Cameron stopped using stepped shafts but I suspect it's because a stepless shaft presents a sleeker appearance. In the past few years he's been talking about getting his putters to look more flowing and natural without any angles that are not needed.

 

With respect to the shaft you think has been tipped, I would doubt it. If it's a plumber's neck shaft it is a .355 taper. If you tipped it 2 inches it would not fit in a Cameron plumber's neck anymore unless you bored out the cup.

[finchi5]

May be because true temper have stopped making lots of shaft models and they’ve switched to using Nippon shafts. Could be that or simply due to cost.

[Carson33]

I would like to know if the “softer” feel for a stepped shaft is true. I have a Tour Rat that had a stepless shaft, and I switched it to a stepped shaft. Never have understood why, but I putt better with a stepped shaft.

[SubaruWRX]

> @Golonkam said:

> I was under the impression it was the 9.5 inch length as I mentioned earlier which is an un-tipped YSC shaft.

 

No idea on the answer to your question, but the brand new uninstalled YSC shaft that I have here is 10.5 inches to the first step.

 

 

[Carson33]

I just measured my stepped shaft. I have a Scotty Tour stepped shaft installed and it is 9.5” from first step to top of the neck where the shaft secures to head. For what it is worth, I measured a TaylorMade Rossa shaft and it was 7.5”.

[Carson33]

I have an older Cameron, and it is 7.5” to first step.

[Golonkam]

Thanks for the input everyone! I find is super weird in the inconsistency of these measurements especially considering how attentive to detail Scotty is. Like I said before, maybe it was just a “feel” thing and a custom order spec by the original owner, I don’t know. I own one OTR Scotty I personally bought new in ‘05, a Mil Spec I sent for a refinish to the CS, and my other Scottys are used picks from eBay. All are plumber neck models and the OTR and the CS putters measure 9.5” from the top of the hosel to the first step which would indicate an untipped shaft. The “tipped” shaft definitely has an authentic shaft band for the year and type of putter, measuring 7.5” from the top of the hosel to the first step. I’d like to assume that maybe it was a different brand shaft, but I couldn’t say for sure. I’m under the assumption that Scotty used True Temper YSC for his stepped shafts. Over the weekend I played my Mil Spec and my “tipped” putter which is also a Pro Platinum model (Newport Two). The tipped putter definitely felt “clickier,” but it could just be all in my head. Oddly enough, I regularly play a 1995 black oxide Newport with a stepless shaft installed that I pulled from a Cameron Studio Select. This putter and the Mil Spec feel very much the same.

 

[poppman2142]

The older stepped Scotty Cameron shafts feel much better to me in my opinion, they play stiffer than the current stepless ones in my opinion.

[BYK]

> @poppman2142 said:

> The older stepped Scotty Cameron shafts feel much better to me in my opinion, they play stiffer than the current stepless ones in my opinion.

LOL interesting

I feel exactly the same as you, but in my opinion they play not anywhere as stiff as the stepless ones

[Carson33]

On 9/23/2019 at 9:06 PM, BYK said:

> @poppman2142 said:

> The older stepped Scotty Cameron shafts feel much better to me in my opinion, they play stiffer than the current stepless ones in my opinion.

LOL interesting

I feel exactly the same as you, but in my opinion they play not anywhere as stiff as the stepless ones

This contradicts above. So what does the GolfWRX community think? Do stepped putter shafts play stiffer or softer than stepless?

[T-MAC]

19 hours ago, Carson33 said:

This contradicts above. So what does the GolfWRX community think? Do stepped putter shafts play stiffer or softer than stepless?

"Feel" is so personal that I don't know if anyone can answer that question for somebody else.  You really have to try them yourself.
Personally, I have always felt that the stepped shafts play a tad softer than the stepless, but that's just me.

[VNutz]

20 hours ago, T-MAC said:

"Feel" is so personal that I don't know if anyone can answer that question for somebody else.  You really have to try them yourself.
Personally, I have always felt that the stepped shafts play a tad softer than the stepless, but that's just me.

For some reason I like them better as well. I can't decipher flex in a shaft, but there's something about stepped shafts that just feels better to me. I swear the impact feels different.

[peterwalkerrr12321]

On 9/21/2019 at 9:48 PM, Carson33 said:

I would like to know if the “softer” feel for a stepped shaft is true. I have a Tour Rat that had a stepless shaft, and I switched it to a stepped shaft. Never have understood why, but I putt better with a stepped shaft.

 

 

I can definitely feel the difference,  If the putter head is a little heavier you feel the flex. I play a stepped in my gamer

[shart6]

I have two older Newport putters, both have 10.5 inch first steps. I have three OEM stepped shafts all are 10.5 to the first step. But I acquired three OEM Cameron stepped shafts for flare tip Cameron putters a few years back. One was significantly stiffer than the other two. 

 

As for feel the older Wilson steel 8802 with step downs feels better than either a Cameron with steps or straight taper flare tip shaft.

 

In an Anser / Newport head its more important to get the flex you prefer correct than worry about step downs or straight taper shafts.