Importance of Shaft Factors in Irons

[cradicalio22]

Hi All - I just found this forum last week, you guys are great. I'm a golf rookie but I hope I can contribute to some of these conversations in the future.

I have a question regarding the various components of iron shafts when purchasing a new set, and which of these factors do you feel are MOST important to get right. This would be in terms of weight, length, brand, taper, launch profile, etc.

Specifically.. I was fitted last year and informed the guy I was going to wait a year and try to buy the clubs second hand to save some $$. So he kept that in mind during the recommendation. However, finding the exact profile of what he recommended has been difficult. So I'm wondering which factors I should make sure to get right and which I'm able to compromise on a bit.

Greatly appreciate the input!

[Adam C]

Weight and length most important. Finding a similar bend profile is of lesser importance. If you tell us what he recommended I can give you a list of alternate shafts.

[Cantankerish]

I have read in several places that everyone should get fit for clubs to improve their game, no matter their skill level.  But I do not believe it.  Maybe it is due to the manufacturer sponsorships.  I just think that if you are going to be utilizing this site and making the radical changes to your swing that a "rookie" is bound for, your swing, and club profile will be changing with it - a lot. So do not sweat the specifics.  Get some sensible learning clubs to start with, second hand if you like.  If you can find them close to the recommendation without working to hard at it, wonderful.  If not, no sweat.  You are only going to use them for a year or two.

In the meantime, make a "My Swing" thread for yourself and post it to this site so that you can begin to work on that swing.  Once you begin to feel confident with your mechanics, get a new fitting before you upgrade your clubs.

That is what I would do.

[Bonvivant]

I am a big believer in fittings, although I have never been fit myself (only got serious about the game a year ago. Watching TY (TXG mostly), I have seen what it can do for some people. When it comes to shafts, I am less of a believer. Shaft weight and stiffness certainly play a role in getting a great fit, but more important is gapping, lie angle (I lump length in with this because the correlation is heavy), and the proper heads. I am by no means an expert on this stuff, but if I do go for a fit, those 3 things are what I am going to ask about the most.

If you are going to buy new and they offer you a crazy good shaft (usually at a crazy price) based on numbers that are marginally better, I would ask to try the "stock" shaft closest in weight and stiffness to the exotic. They will be different, but not enough to warrant the price in most cases. There are outliers where the exotic is a big upgrade that warrants the price, but those are few and far between.

[Piz]

The shaft is the "imponderable medium" connecting the golfer to the club head.  The more "ponderable" it is...the more one has to think about.  That can be beneficial or otherwise.

[Bonvivant]

3 hours ago, Piz said:

The shaft is the "imponderable medium" connecting the golfer to the club head.  The more "ponderable" it is...the more one has to think about.  That can be beneficial or otherwise.

This is the best ans(w)er. Shafts generally do the same thing, but sometimes they do it different.

[billchao]

Weight was definitely the most important factor for me when I changed shafts.