Get used to lighter shafts....could I? Should I?

[NRJyzr]

I'm another who plays 130g shafts in irons, and like heavy shafts in driver; about to play steel shafted persimmons to start my season. I went through a graphite iron shaft experiment a few years ago, playing a set of irons with NV105 shafts. The short version is that it was a success, I had no trouble adjusting from the 6 iron thru PW, but would hit the occasional hook with the 3-5 irons. Those diminished as I continued to play them.

My adjustment with the lighter weight was to do something along the lines of Brother Valtiel's suggestion, I lead taped them to get them to D6, a couple points higher than my norm with irons.

I only went away from them because I'm an unrepentant club ho, I'd bought another set (w/Precision stepped shafts) that I was just dying to try on the course. Which led to another set with heavier shafts, and so on.

Ultimately, I would say if you don't have performance issues with the 130g shafts, stick with what you've got for now. My main reason for the above switch was the graphite experiment, not really the weight. If I could have found NV130 shafts, I'd have gone with them.

If you do decide to try lighter, sticking with something that's a similar profile to your norm is my suggestion.

If this info helps... I'm 56 years old, my last check a few years ago, was still at 110 with driver, suspect that's dropped a couple mph in the last year or two. My 35* 8 iron is my 150 club, currently playing DGS in MP37s

[rgk5]

If you force yourself to be objective about your issue, the biggest change in your golf during the last number of years is YOU. As an example when I played college football, I could half squat 525 lbs. Now 52 years later at age 73 I can only leg press 380 lbs. Time does that to you.

Wristyswing has the same experience I do wherein the majority of my clients have gone to lighter shafts. Back in 1980s I used DG X100 or Rifle 7.0 shafts with ease. Now, I use 80 gm. graphite and 44 gm shafts in my driver and 3-wood. All of this is age, injury and swing speed related. Now, it DOES take some time to adapt but any good player can do so and like a swing change, sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.

Patience is a great virtue. Get fitted and believe in the change.

[Nard_S]

This is a tricky nuanced topic, from what you've conveyed a 120g class shaft sounds like the prudent step down weight wise. Then give that buckets of strikes to glean things. 45 minutes just does not cut it even using a monitor and fitter. It's simply not enough. Tortoise wins the race on this.

[achappy]

The problem I always had with light weight shafts is that my swing is dictated so much by the weight of the club. I learned to let gravity dictate a good portion fo the swing and I’m so used to feeling that weight at the top and letting it “drop”. Into the slot and really hitting down on the ball When my adrenaline is up, that wait is a key to preventing me from pulling from the top.

When I switch to lighter shafts, that feeling is lost and it feels almost like swinging a club upside down. My misses tend to be thin since I don’t feel that “anvil” type feeling to hit down ito the ball. I’m trying a set of KBS Tours and so far they are promising but I had to up the swing weight a little. Would like to play a few competitive rounds with them to really see how they handle pressure.

[Rapatt95]

I put the c taper 115 in my Hogan’s, they are fantastic feeling shafts. Lighter, but very smooth and stable

[wobgon]

Thanks for your input......But the thing is, I still hit my irons as good as i did 20 years ago.......I still love the feel of a Dg s400......Sad part is, I think i want to change because i want to see if i can and figure in time, i will need to.

[wobgon]

Pretty close to my struggles with light shafts......Again, realize a change like this takes some time and i am preparing to give it a try.

[Stuart_G]

I think the problem with your logic is that if and when it comes time that you will need to go lighter, you are assuming that it will be just as hard to adjust then as it is for you to adjust to the lighter shafts now. Unfortunately there are no guarrentees as there are many different things that might cause the need to go lighter BUT I think it's much more likely that if and when you get to the point where you really do need a lighter shaft, the transition will generally be easier. The transition is hard now because the lighter shafts are a poor fit compared to the heavier shafts. That will likely no longer be the case when the heavy shafts really do become a bad enough fit that you need to go lighter.

There is enough to worry about in this game that trying to think too far ahead in the future equipment wise isn't really going to gain you anything. Just worry about what the best fit is right now and enjoy what you can out of the game.

 

[wobgon]

Not one thing I could disagree with.......

[jah7838]

I'm finding this thread very interesting. I've been debating doing this for a year or two now. I've used either s300 or s400 shafts in my 5-LW for the past 8 years or so, and hit them pretty well. My driver shafts have always been in the 70+ gram range, and my 3 wood is usually in the 80g range. I've recently switched to an Aldila Tour Green 65s and I'm driving the ball really well. Contact is in the center, and I'm hitting it just a bit farther than the 70g Speeder I was using before. I've also gone to a 70g shaft for my 3 wood, and I'm enjoying that as well. I've thought about going to the AMT S400 shafts in my irons because I've notice that on days that I get really tired, the heavier shafts can be a bit difficult to load properly (more with my woods than irons for some reason). I'm still in the "thinking about it" stage, but this thread has definitely given some good insight to the possibilities.

[GSDriver]

Sure it's possible. A buddy in our regular group just got some new to him Cally irons with 70g shafts. I was surprised how they maintained swing weight and have some heft to them.

[dan360]

I went lighter, because after 3 back surgeries before the age of 50, my doctor basically said 'find a new hobby' and I said 'no'.

I can still swing hard like I used to when S300-X100 was my choice. However, for the sake of my spine, I'd much rather still hit the same distance, without needing to 'get after it' and the lighter shafts SEEM to FEEL like I can do that. The results show it.

It's a funny thing though, my woods and hybrids still run reasonably heavy and the smooth swing still works. Perhaps graphite is the answer more than lightweight. Dunno...

[bogey69]

S400 AMT here to Ping AWT 2.0 with Cushin...jury is still out. That's putting it lightly.

[nsxguy]

I'm a little late catching up but as my 2 favorite equipment/shaft experts here on wrx, as I find myself nodding every time I read their posts, @Valtiel and @Stuart_G, inferred or mentioned, is the same as I would ask - "Why ?"
I don't see where you posted any real golf or health related issues - other than you think at some point you'll "have to".
Even the fitter didn't ask you why.
If you're hitting the shots you want and not giving up distance and, I might add, not getting weary on the last few holes, why would you change ?
I'm probably a bit older than you are and am swinging DSG300s in my irons and the 8 iron I hit to the green on 18 feels and swings the same as it did on 2. So long as I'm not wearing down too early in the round and the irons/shafts are doing what they're supposed to I'm not changing because I might "need to" in the future.
8 years ago I did extensive testing over at least 6 different LM sessions with the same clubhead (my current Ping G20 7 iron), switching ONLY the shafts. I went from 90 weight to 130 weight with different brands. EVERY session provided the same result. The DGS300 was 1-3 yards shorter than the best of the others but the dispersion and consistency was so much better with the DGS300s it was a no brainer.
Good luck with the experiment !!!

[Pepperturbo]

For a dramatic change like that to be realized, you must have a solid reason, otherwise you'll dabble but never make the needed commitment to change. I played the same PX shafts since 2006. It was a big deal for me, so I understand caution. Good luck.

I went to a 58 gram in my driver which was a big move. I played 130-120 gram shafts since taking up the game. Late last year switched to lighter Steelfiber 110 gram shafts in hopes of regaining some lost yardage due to arthritis. Happy I did, as they feel similar to steel but the advantages of graphite. Down side - high-end quality graphite are an investment. When the current condition is lifted and back to normal, I may install 95 gram Steelfiber shafts in 8i-3i. Already playing a 95 gram shaft in my 2 iron and love it. I just need to evaluate how a 95 gram shaft plays in 620MB heads.

 

[GLF4EVR]

OK....toss mine out just for some different thoughts. Have been a Rifle then PX user since I got back to playing. Approaching 62 and have osteoarthritis in the hands. Thanks to some great people on BST, I have a graphite set of PX LZ 90 gram graphite shafts. It is just the beginning of the season here. I placed a graphite shaft in my 8 iron. Yesterday I got the 4th round of the year in & so far really like how the graphite shaft has preformed. My first 2 rounds are just easy swinging ones. Where the next 2 are working at getting the weight shift going again. Right now have some numbness issues with both hands so cannot give you a good idea of any feel difference. Every shot I took with the eight.....I would try to approach the swing as still having a steel shaft in.

I have been very impressed with the results so far. Accuracy has been very good. Had two shots yesterday with it that should have increased the numbness a little bit....however there was nothing. Had another shot with it that had to really step on it to get over the trees & have enough to reach the green. That one convinced me I am going the right direction. With my clubs, I do the poor man's MOI with them. I end up with a lighter club. I usually do not make it a D2 SW until around the 9 or PW. Once I feel my ball striking is more consistent, the graphite shafts are going in! Oh......have been using PX 5.5 or a soft-stepped 6.0. For the driver, a shaft in the 70-80 gram range is what works for me.

Hope this gives you a little more insight on things. If nothing else, just get one shaft & use it to see how things work out.

 

[wobgon]

I have a buddy who sends me clubs to try.......Have a set with 105's coming thursday that i am going to use for my see if i cam make them work shafts.....All shut down around hear but have several options to work with them.