Hogan Apex 5 shafts on 1998 Apex clubs

Arrrrgh - wrong subject for this forum - please ignore the subject. Sorry...

Anyways, I practice with regular steel and stiff steel shafts. I get more distance with a stiff shaft.

I am about to try a x stiff shaft from 1998.

What would typically happen when hitting a stiffer shaft with a too low swing speed?

When hitting my regular graphite shafts, my shots get way too much height. A pro seeing my shots instantly came over to talk about new clubs, fitting, etc. Off-season makes creative...

In purely physical terms, not much difference I think, at least between single flex codes.

1. Maybe a little less delivered loft, but less difference than you'd see bending an iron 1* or 2*. Depending on your swing, you might not see any difference at all in terms of loft. Not a big issue in middle and short irons - but less margin for error at the longer end of the set.

2. Clubhead speed should not change - unless the stiffer shaft is also considerably heavier.

3. Shots, especially mishits, are going to feel harsher with the stiffer shaft.

4. The biggest difference in performance, I think, is almost psychological, where either the feel of the stiffer shaft, or even just the idea that you're playing a harder shaft, encourages you to make a harder swing - perhaps harder than is really optimal. Timing and co-ordination are liable to suffer, and I think this is where, occasionally, you hear people saying that a change of shaft yielded a few mph of clubhead speed. Where a shaft is much too stiff, there's a danger of getting caught in a vicious circle passing through points 3 and 4.

Then again, not everyone is profoundly affected by the feel of the shaft if they don't know its actual flex. I play either R or S happily - and to be honest, I don't really perceive much difference. I've never knowingly hit an X flex, although I've had a couple of woods where I've suspected the shaft of being way too stiff for me and they were always horrible to hit and I never felt like I could put a good swing on them.

Lastly, I don't know about the 1998 vintage, but in Hogan's vintage years - their Apex 5 shaft was an out and out beast. Lots of folk considered the 4 equivalent to DG X.

The Apex 5's up until about the mid 80's was rebar stiff. Some of the Bounce Sole's I have are Apex 5 and I am forced I am not man enough to hit them. 1998 is more inline with today's stiffness.

Thanks! I am practicing with Apex 3 shafts (Apex ftx and 2003) and an Apex 4 shaft (1988) - and always with the 6i. The Apex 3 2003 ball flight is way too high, compared to the other clubs. The Apex 4 with a 2* lower lofted 6i has the same or slightly more distance than the Apex 3 ftx 6i. That was the reason for this post...

Re 3. Oh yes, repeated a shank prone move and stopped trying after the fifth to protect my hands from stupid ideas.

Re 4. Maybe. I was amazed that I was able to hit the 1988 Apex Redline clubs at all. OK, hitting the 1i is a different matter... I usually play GI irons with regular graphite shafts (2001 Apex Edge).

I am happy then that I survived the blade Apex 4 challenge - I find the shaft playable. Trajectory with range balls seems OK. Dispersion is way less and distance is farther compared to my GI/graphite set. Hmm, I might go try my 1988 on the golf course then. I bought the 1-9 set for $60 to have a few hard to hit practice clubs.

BTW, the ftx and the 1988 weigh nearly the same - OK, the 1988 is 10 grams / 0.4 ounces heavier.

Huh, trajectory is OK. I hit occasional 15 yard pushes before, now the tend to be 10 yards max.

I think I try to get a fitting session (for free) - Spring sales season comes to a range/shop near me very, very soon. And I might try to pick up a 1999 Apex club with #5 x stiff shafts.