how does shaft flex affect ball flight?

**donkba** · November 11, 2007

i know that ball flight can be affected by things other than shaft flex, but i just wanted to know if you are slicing the ball, is it due to the shaft being too stiff or too flexible?, or if you hook is it shaft too stiff or too flexible? please help me as i am looking for a new driver and want to know whether to get stiffer or more flexible. i have quite a fast swing, but i have a big hook on my shots

**CodeRed657** · November 11, 2007

i have heard that if the shaft is too flexible it promotes a hook, but i doubt it's enought to make that much of a difference. it probably has more effect on the trajectory and distance

**donkba** · November 11, 2007

so if you played with a shaft too stiff it would have a low ballflight and therefore less distance

**Everardo** · November 12, 2007

Any shaft that is not properly fit will affect performance negatively. Spin, launch and dispersion will all be affected.

**fusioncal** · November 12, 2007

i know that ball flight can be affected by things other than shaft flex, but i just wanted to know if you are slicing the ball, is it due to the shaft being too stiff or too flexible?, or if you hook is it shaft too stiff or too flexible? please help me as i am looking for a new driver and want to know whether to get stiffer or more flexible. i have quite a fast swing, but i have a big hook on my shots

To be 100% sure you need to get fitted.

**golfchief** · November 12, 2007

The things you want to fix is the reason to be fitted and find out if its the shaft,club or your swing.

**Fried Egg** · November 12, 2007

i have heard that if the shaft is too flexible it promotes a hook, but i doubt it's enought to make that much of a difference.

Try swinging a driver with an "L" flex and see what happens.

If the shaft's too stiff, the ball will go lower and fade/slice. If it's mainly trajectory you're worried about, the shaft's kick or flex point will have a lot to do with it. A high kick point will send the ball lower.

**Clubswinger21** · November 15, 2007

Take weight into consideration aswell, If you have a quick swing tempo you may want to get a heavier shaft. I found that was my problem so i went with a 75 gram shaft and the hooks straightened out quite a bit.

dc3032 · June 23, 2012

I see the affect if different shaft flexes every time I play because my bag is a hodge-podge of different clubs. I still have the irons from my first "all-inclusive" set I got at Dicks in 2005... Don't laugh... Hahah... Which have reg flex graphite. As I got better and my swing became more consistent, I started to notice that all my irons would draw-hook if hit square. I have a nicer Cleveland driver with a stiff flex shaft... And I hit my driver 300+ pretty straight. I broke my old 7-iron and replaced it with a Ping that has a steel stiff shaft, and that's the only iron I don't draw-hook.... Hmmmmm. If you have a swing speed of 100+ you will need stiff shafts to keep the club face from closing prematurely at impact.

**pixel5** · June 23, 2012

In terms of swing speed:

< 80 is Senior-flex

80-95 is R-flex

95-105 is S-flex

105+ is X-flex

*generally. This isn't true in all cases, but most. Some Stiff shafts are more like Regulard-and-a-half...vice versa.

**GaijinGolfer** · June 23, 2012

Shaft flex doesnt make a huge difference. It will effect spin but not launch angle. Launch angle will be the same no matter what the flex.

**pixel5** · June 24, 2012

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Shaft flex doesnt make a huge difference. It will effect spin but not launch angle. Launch angle will be the same no matter what the flex.

This entire post... what kind of physics do they have in your universe?

***iacas*** · June 24, 2012

Originally Posted by dc3032

And I hit my driver 300+ pretty straight.

I doubt it. Word of advice: you'll get better feedback if you're honest. I have never met - ever - a 20 handicapper who hits the ball "300+ pretty straight." I doubt very much you'd be the first. I'm not trying to be critical - just trying to help you get better comments on your question.

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Shaft flex doesnt make a huge difference. It will effect spin but not launch angle. Launch angle will be the same no matter what the flex.

The launch angle can change significantly depending on not only flex but the flex point or bend point of the shaft.

P.S. 2007 to 2012. Wowsers.

**B-Con** · June 24, 2012

I see the affect if different shaft flexes every time I play because my bag is a hodge-podge of different clubs. I still have the irons from my first "all-inclusive" set I got at Dicks in 2005... Don't laugh... Hahah... Which have reg flex graphite. As I got better and my swing became more consistent, I started to notice that all my irons would draw-hook if hit square. I have a nicer Cleveland driver with a stiff flex shaft... And I hit my driver 300+ pretty straight. I broke my old 7-iron and replaced it with a Ping that has a steel stiff shaft, and that's the only iron I don't draw-hook.... Hmmmmm. If you have a swing speed of 100+ you will need stiff shafts to keep the club face from closing prematurely at impact.

If you're interested in confirming your shaft needs, take a GPS with you and measure all your drives for the day and find your real average. Then get on a launch monitor and get some real numbers for your swing. Your swing feel can be very misleading, especially if you aren't an experienced or precise golfer, so fitting should be done by an expert or by numbers rather than by feel. You can sometimes get onto a launch monitor for free if you're demoing a club, but at worst you'll have to pay something like $10 for 30 minutes. Get an idea for how fast your swing speed really is. The actual flex will vary per shaft (there is no absolute or objective definition of a "regular" or "stiff" shaft, it's all up to the manufacturers to label), but the general rule is that you're going to need to drive 240+ and/or swing at 94 MPH+ in order to say that your swing is adversely affected by having only a regular shaft. You aren't guaranteed of it, but if you aren't hitting those numbers you don't stand much of a chance of actually [i]needing[/i] a stiff.

dc3032 · June 24, 2012

First of all, I wasn't the one asking the question... I was providing feedback. Second, if I wanted to lie, I wouldnt say I was a 20 handicap in my profile. Thirdly, I do hit my driver 300+ pretty straight when struck well. My point was that WHEN I strike my driver and irons flush w an ideal swing, the reg flex in my irons promotes a right to left ball flight that doesn't happen w my stiff flex driver.

dc3032 · June 24, 2012

I doubt it. Word of advice: you'll get better feedback if you're honest. I have never met - ever - a 20 handicapper who hits the ball "300+ pretty straight." I doubt very much you'd be the first. I'm not trying to be critical - just trying to help you get better comments on your question. The launch angle can change significantly depending on not only flex but the flex point or bend point of the shaft. P.S. 2007 to 2012. Wowsers.

First of all, I wasn't the one asking the question... I was providing feedback. Second, if I wanted to lie, I wouldnt say I was a 20 handicap in my profile. Thirdly, I do hit my driver 300+ pretty straight when struck well. My point was that WHEN I strike my driver and irons flush w an ideal swing, the reg flex in my irons promotes a right to left ball flight that doesn't happen w my stiff flex driver.

**GaijinGolfer** · June 24, 2012

Originally Posted by iacas

I doubt it. Word of advice: you'll get better feedback if you're honest. I have never met - ever - a 20 handicapper who hits the ball "300+ pretty straight." I doubt very much you'd be the first. I'm not trying to be critical - just trying to help you get better comments on your question.

The launch angle can change significantly depending on not only flex but the flex point or bend point of the shaft.

P.S. 2007 to 2012. Wowsers.

Apparently Mark Crossfield's Trackman is a liar then...

***iacas*** · June 24, 2012

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Apparently Mark Crossfield's Trackman is a liar then...

Did you watch the same video? I'll quote him: "It's definitely averaging lower launch, isn't it, with the stiffer shaft." and "It definitely launched lower when I put the 6.5 in over the 5.0." and "shaft flex does make a difference." and "if you want to go higher, more flexy shaft, lower, get a stiffer, heavier shaft."

He got 17.2 and 18.4 with two shots with the shaft. Then he got 16.7, 17.6, 15.6, and 17.5.

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