Elbow trouble necessitating a move to graphite shafts

[clp34vmp]

I've been struggling with a bad case of tennis elbow for the better part of a year now. It kind of developed out of nowhere last winter when I wasn't even doing a whole lot. It's sort of been up and down since, but several weeks ago it was at its worst and I went back to the doctor for my second cortisone shot. That has helped, and now I'm planning to spend the coming off-season doing as much PT stuff for it as possible in the hopes I can avoid surgery.

 

Anyway, I have been told by two different golf friends who did end up needing surgery for their elbow issues that I absolutely need to consider moving to graphite shafts. Unfortunately, I was just fit for new irons last summer, and I ended up with Mizuno Hot Metal Pro's with Modus 105 Stiff shafts. The Mizuno rep who did my fitting suggested that I hard-step them. They've been good clubs (though I wouldn't say I'm absolutely in love with them), but I think it makes sense that I heed my friends' advice and start looking into making a change.

 

I can say I literally have no previous experience with using graphite iron shafts. I've always gone with a lighter steel shaft in stiff with every set of irons I've ever purchased. I just like how I feel the club head with that set-up. I was hoping I could come on here and maybe get some advice from others who have made the same conversion. If one prefers light steel shafts, do you then look for a graphite shaft that's on the lighter end of the options, or would it be more likely you'd want to go with a graphite shaft that's closer to the weight of the steel shaft you played? And if I'm coming off of stiff steel shafts that have been hard-stepped, should I maybe look at extra-stiff when switching to graphite?

 

Anyway, any guidance would be much appreciated by this newbie.

[Stuart_G]

What a good fit for shaft weight might be for you has nothing to do with the material (graphite vs steel) so if you've found the weight that works best, stick with the same weight (or close to it).

 

Now shaft balance points can change as you move from model to model (true for both steel and graphite) so you may need to make some tweaks to the swing weight (head weight) to compensate as you try different shafts.

 

Second, graphite doesn't necessarily mean it's softer - especially with the graphite in that weight range (95 to 110 gm).  In fact some of the stiffest iron shafts I ever tried were graphite.  Unlike steel, stiffness is much less influenced by the shaft weight.  So many of the graphite shafts in that weight range are actually stiffer than the steel counterparts.    Sure if you were to go to extremes and drop down to a 60 gm graphite iron shaft it might end up being a bit on the soft side but even then I wouldn't assume it.   Also the Nippon's are considered pretty soft for their flex when compared to many other shaft OEM's so coming from the Nippon 105's you may even want to try going down to reg for some shafts as well as trying the stiffs in order to find the best stiffness feel.

Edited November 4, 2020 by Stuart_G

[clp34vmp]

Thanks for the info - much appreciated. In your opinion, when you say that graphite shafts can be every bit as stiff as their steel counterparts, do you think that those extremely stiff graphite shafts would still provide the reduced vibration that I assume is what typically would make graphite preferable to steel for someone struggling with elbow pain?

[nitram]

On 11/4/2020 at 2:17 PM, clp34vmp said:

...when you say that graphite shafts can be every bit as stiff as their steel counterparts, do you think that those extremely stiff graphite shafts would still provide the reduced vibration that I assume is what typically would make graphite preferable to steel for someone struggling with elbow pain?

 

Yes. I recently switched to MCI MMT 125TX, and while they perform exactly like X100's have for me in the past two decades, they are a lot easier on the joints.

Edited November 6, 2020 by nitram
punctuation

[gripandrip]

I made a switch from DG300S to Steelfiber i95S. Lighter, less vibration, but the adjustment was easy. Some people feel the i95s play stiff, but they seem fine to me. The i110's on the other hand, do not agree with me.

 

Unfortunately, I have have seen few fitters with SF shafts available.

[Stuart_G]

12 hours ago, clp34vmp said:

Thanks for the info - much appreciated. In your opinion, when you say that graphite shafts can be every bit as stiff as their steel counterparts, do you think that those extremely stiff graphite shafts would still provide the reduced vibration that I assume is what typically would make graphite preferable to steel for someone struggling with elbow pain?

 

Definitely.  The aggravation of the joints and tendons comes predominantly from the high frequency vibrations generated at impact.  The epoxy/composite material does a much better job of absorbing those than steel.   That is very different from the stiffness characteristics felt by the player during the swing and what we use to judge stiffness or flex.  

[jomatty]

Steelfiber 110’s have helped me tremendously.  I was scared to go lighter but if I had it to do over again I might have gone i95’s as they may even be easier on my hands and elbows.  That said the 110’s have done a great job.  I did have to add some lead tape to my heads as they seem to have a high balance point, but all in all it was an easy transition.  Recoil 95’s are also a shaft I would try.  

[extrastiff]

On 11/4/2020 at 3:17 PM, clp34vmp said:

Thanks for the info - much appreciated. In your opinion, when you say that graphite shafts can be every bit as stiff as their steel counterparts, do you think that those extremely stiff graphite shafts would still provide the reduced vibration that I assume is what typically would make graphite preferable to steel for someone struggling with elbow pain?

I use a set of graphite shaft blades ( I specify blades to exemplify that the shafts feel that good, mishitting a blade does not make my hand sting like it does with steel)for noncompetive rounds and range sessions, save the steel for competition. Helps reduce pain, helps me practice timing lighter clubs. 
 

id say x7 steel shafts are the only steel shaft you cannot “match” with a graphite shaft as far a stiffness goes

Edited November 6, 2020 by extrastiff

[MisterT]

On 11/4/2020 at 11:54 AM, clp34vmp said:

I've been struggling with a bad case of tennis elbow for the better part of a year now. It kind of developed out of nowhere last winter when I wasn't even doing a whole lot. It's sort of been up and down since, but several weeks ago it was at its worst and I went back to the doctor for my second cortisone shot. That has helped, and now I'm planning to spend the coming off-season doing as much PT stuff for it as possible in the hopes I can avoid surgery.

 

Anyway, I have been told by two different golf friends who did end up needing surgery for their elbow issues that I absolutely need to consider moving to graphite shafts. Unfortunately, I was just fit for new irons last summer, and I ended up with Mizuno Hot Metal Pro's with Modus 105 Stiff shafts. The Mizuno rep who did my fitting suggested that I hard-step them. They've been good clubs (though I wouldn't say I'm absolutely in love with them), but I think it makes sense that I heed my friends' advice and start looking into making a change.

 

I can say I literally have no previous experience with using graphite iron shafts. I've always gone with a lighter steel shaft in stiff with every set of irons I've ever purchased. I just like how I feel the club head with that set-up. I was hoping I could come on here and maybe get some advice from others who have made the same conversion. If one prefers light steel shafts, do you then look for a graphite shaft that's on the lighter end of the options, or would it be more likely you'd want to go with a graphite shaft that's closer to the weight of the steel shaft you played? And if I'm coming off of stiff steel shafts that have been hard-stepped, should I maybe look at extra-stiff when switching to graphite?

 

Anyway, any guidance would be much appreciated by this newbie.

Could your issue have come from hitting off mats in the offseason? I learned that was a contributor to my elbow issue and once I stopped that and began using a brace (called an air pillow or something like that) to let the tendon in my elbow recover, all has been good ever since. I no longer need the brace and can occasionally hit from mats, but have to really focus on shorter sessions and sweeping the ball versus hitting down as I would on turf.

[RainShadow]

I went from DGSL s300 to KBS Tour 90 ( hated) to Recoil 95F4 and got fit for SteelFiber i110 stiff about 6 years ago.

The Recoils and Steelfiber's both resolved my elbow and wrist pain, and foolishly I went back to steel (Modus 105, both S and R) and my elbow pain started to return. 

 Now in SF i95 regular and pain free.

I never hit off mats in practice any more, but I live in AZ now and we have a lot of grass ranges.

 

[JRL2]

Went from Project X 6.0 to Steelfiber i95S due to elbow pain.  Has helped tremendously.  My pain started from hitting off a mat in an iron fitting session.  I tried the compression sleeve for a while and that helped some, but the switch to graphite helped more than anything else.  Will never go back to steel in irons.

[vtpachyderm]

Speaking from personal experience here - 3 years ago, I shattered my left arm and elbow in a mountain bike crash that required prosthetics in the elbow and a steel plate on my forearm that are still in there today. I swing righty, so switched from steel regular shafts to graphite for 2 reasons - reduce the weight and also dampen the vibrations. Over the last three golfing summers - 2018, 2019 and 2020 I've been playing with Recoil F3's, and got my swing speed up and hitting it well. So at the end of this season, moving indoors, picked up a set with lightweight stiff steel shafts (XP95). Distances were about the same, with better control, but hitting off mats (soft ones at that), it was killing my arm i.e. had pain in the arm for a couple of days after. Replaced the clubs with another set, but with Recoil 110 F4 shafts, and no issues at all with my arm. Long story short, while I can swing both type of clubs just fine, I'm only swinging graphite shafts for comfort, so can highly recommend them if you suffer from joint issues. If it makes any difference, I also play tennis, and have never had issues with tennis elbow at all in my right arm so I'm fairly confident in saying that after my injury, graphite shafts have let me keep playing golf.

[roxald]

Lots of great feedback on the benefit of Graphite’s in the irons, both positive and negative.

Another option might be the True Temper Elevates with the VSS.

I navigate back and forth between the $-Taper 125 and Tour Elevates. Both similar flight(touch more spin on the Elevates for me) but definitely softer on the forearms and elbows when I was recovering from an injury. They do work.

 

Another option would be to try

the ProSoft Vibration inserts or something similar to dampen the vibration on your existing set. Try one in your practice club and see if it alleviates the situation. Might be worth the experiment to allow you to stay with what works for you in your current shaft preference.

 

Rox

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2021 by roxald

[J13]

Graphite shafts will help, Mitsubishi MMT's are wonderful.  Also make sure your swing itself isn't creating the issue meaning you throw the club.