Is the Shaft More Important or Is the Head More Important When Being Fit for a New Driver?

[Vinsk]

  On 9/4/2024 at 5:06 PM, ChetlovesMer said:

I know this thread is a bit old, but I thought of it today at the range. Hitting balls next to a guy and his buddy. One of the guys was talking about equipment and he was going on and on about how the club head doesn't matter. 

Yeah, he actually said the club head doesn't matter. It's all about the shaft. His theory (as I understand it) was that the head was just loft and lie angle and other than that, they are all the same. 

hmmm.... 

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Well… I imagine extreme differences would both affect your ball flight and distance. But I would bet that someone hitting a much lighter and more flexing shaft would make a much bigger difference than same shaft but 2 2024 Big brand heads. Does this make sense?

[ChetlovesMer]

  On 9/4/2024 at 6:25 PM, Vinsk said:

Well… I imagine extreme differences would both affect your ball flight and distance. But I would bet that someone hitting a much lighter and more flexing shaft would make a much bigger difference than same shaft but 2 2024 Big brand heads. Does this make sense?

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I get what you are saying. I actually think the opposite might be true. I think two different big brand heads will make a bigger difference than let's say two stiff, 70 gram shafts made by different manufactures. 

[Vinsk]

  On 9/4/2024 at 6:51 PM, ChetlovesMer said:

I get what you are saying. I actually think the opposite might be true. I think two different big brand heads will make a bigger difference than let's say two stiff, 70 gram shafts made by different manufactures. 

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Yeah? Maybe it’s golfer dependent? I just can’t imagine a pro for example, swapping heads and seeing much difference compared to changing shafts. 
 

If you took a guy that swings a driver at 120mph, and give him a ladies flex, 45g shaft…don’t you think that would cause a bigger change than swapping heads but keeping the appropriate shaft?

[GolfLug]

I think this thread discussion would have been relatively better served if the question were something like, "Whether it is  more important to be fit for a club head or a shaft?".

If I take the question at face value as posed in OP, Imma say club head. I can hit a ball with a club head with no shaft attached. Reverse not true. Heh.

[ChetlovesMer]

  On 9/4/2024 at 7:12 PM, Vinsk said:

If you took a guy that swings a driver at 120mph, and give him a ladies flex, 45g shaft…don’t you think that would cause a bigger change than swapping heads but keeping the appropriate shaft?

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Okay, again, I can see what you are saying, but I might suggest the opposite again. If you took Bryson DeChambeau's driver, 6 degree loft, fade biased. I think it would destroy his game if you put in a 13 degree lofted head with a draw bias. 

Where as, I suggest that Bryson would pretty quickly adapt and learn to time his swing with even the lightest weight shaft on the market. ... That is of course assuming he doesn't break it. 🤪

[SG11118]

I voted shaft - probably 75/25

[NZ Golfer]

  On 9/4/2024 at 7:12 PM, Vinsk said:

Yeah? Maybe it’s golfer dependent? I just can’t imagine a pro for example, swapping heads and seeing much difference compared to changing shafts. 
 

If you took a guy that swings a driver at 120mph, and give him a ladies flex, 45g shaft…don’t you think that would cause a bigger change than swapping heads but keeping the appropriate shaft?

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Yes this was what I was thinking you have two golfers same 5 HC same swing speed 110Mph ...one you changed the driver head to a 10yr old model head but the same loft etc the other you changed shaft ...now if its just 10yr old shaft of the same flex weight etc it would be more so the newer head IMHO ..but if the shaft was changed to softer flex lighter than player was use to then the shaft would be the winner IMHO

[gg194]

When I got to Florida this season (seasons instead of years since the years overlap) one of the guys asked what I had done, said I was about twenty yards longer with my driver. Said that I had a different driver which was true but looking back it’s really the shaft that’s been the difference. It’s similar in principle to the Autoflex in that it’s light weight and also light flex. Since most of my clubs are bought used I have difficulty finding senior shafts most of the time and being old and slow that’s what I need. Bought the Callaway driver, for several years I preferred Ping drivers, because they only had a couple of used drivers with senior shafts in my price range and it’s been probably the best I’ve had. Longer and very forgiving, decent distance even on my mishits and almost always in play. Keep in mind that my swing speed is probably under 70mph.