Steel or Graphite

[Dp132010]

I was wondering what the pros and cons to graphite or steel shafts are. I used to have some older King Cobra OS graphite shafted irons but i had them tken from me and bought used Taylormade R540 irons, impulse buy, at a golf store and seemed to like the OS graphite shafted clubs better. Should I go back or did I do the right thing?

[thedub]

i love my graphite iron shafts...very light, obviously, and great feel....but i don't swing too fast so its perfect

[mustangbryk]

depends on how fast your swing is. Steel is all i can have on my irons. And stiff or x stiff on my woods.

[rmccabe6]

I used to use graphite shafted irons but decided I wanted to switch to steel because I heard they were more accurate. I figure I'll take my lumps with them until I can get better at golf.

[Dub]

Been playing off and on for 13 years.

First set was a set of custom fitted knock-offs...steel shafted.

Two years later I got a set of Callaway Big Berthas with the regular graphite shaft. This proved to be a huge expense that didn't last long. I struggled with these clubs on distance control as well as spraying the ball around.

I went to a set of fitted Titleist DCI irons with steel shafts and gained huge consistency benefits. I was a much happier golfer.

I think the difference for me was that the shafts used in those Big Berthas was nowhere near as nice as todays graphite iron shafts and that they were underspined for me.

I now play stiff Rifle steel shafts and like them the best so far.

I can certainly see where there are benefits both ways.

[gumpy]

I just changed over from graph to steel. It gives me more confidence in taking divots.

One thing though, get sensicore if you go steel, the shock that feeds back to your hand is much harsher for steel. They're not very good for the driving range.

[nuffins01]

Ive been using Graphite for the past 8 years. I decided to go to steel on the set I just purchased, after using a buddys for a week and gaining accuracy. Lets hope that carries over when I get the new set out this weekend.

[allin]

IMO Main advantage of graphite is weight savings, shock absorbtion and the possiblity of a greater range of flex, torque, tip stiffness etc. Main disadvantage is cost, on shafts with torque and consistency close to steel most of the weight advantage is lost. The main advantage of steel is cost and consistency shaft to shaft. Greater weight and less ability to vary shaft characteristics is a disadvantage. If you start with steel and move to graphite the weight difference seems to give people trouble with their timing for some time. It doesn't seem to be as much of a problem to go the other way.

[jp1979]

Main disadvantage is cost, on shafts with torque and consistency close to steel most of the weight advantage is lost.

I thought that the heaviest graphite shafts were about 80g and the lightest steel between 90 and 100g? I'm pretty sure

all graphite shafts will be lighter than steel.

[mustangbryk]

sounds about right. the specs on my irons are even 90g which i thing is the lightest steel.

[trjohnson2]

Agree with some of the earlier commenters. Depends on swing speed and weight, if its quick, go with steel. Really agree with the point on taking divots too. And if you go with a sensicore shaft (or whatever they call them these days) the feedback on steel is comparable to graphite.

[GOLFSALOT00]

i am 13 and have a swing speed of 85 mph and i play with steel, i was borderline between the two but im still growing so i chose steel

[PasturePoet]

Graphite just seems a little too light to me. I prefer steel.

[shsgolfer#1]

Graphite have more whip to them so you hit it farther but not as straight. Steel Straight but not quite the distance as a graphite

[perlguy9]

I was wondering what the pros and cons to graphite or steel shafts are. I used to have some older King Cobra OS graphite shafted irons but i had them tken from me and bought used Taylormade R540 irons, impulse buy, at a golf store and seemed to like the OS graphite shafted clubs better. Should I go back or did I do the right thing?

I was talking to clubmaker over the weekend, and he is a strong proponent of steel shafts for irons. Basically what he said is that most of the research for graphite shafts is for woods and hybrids, and that the torque of graphite shafts can kill your accuracy on your irons.

There are lightweight steel shafts available now, and the most expensive steel shafts are cheaper or as expensive as the cheaper graphite iron shafts. Who knows what's best, but I thought it was interesting.

[allin]

I thought that the heaviest graphite shafts were about 80g and the lightest steel between 90 and 100g? I'm pretty sure

No there are heavier weight graphite shafts in the 90 gram range, I doubt differences of less than 10 grams have much impact on distance though. There are better players and professionals who like graphite but don't want them in the 75-80 gram range common on graphite irons. It is a pretty small market. Steel shafts in the 90-95 gram are definitely cheaper,