Shafts for Drivers and fairway woods?

[nautyyboyy]

What brand shafts do you guys think would be good for a driver. I have tried the Aldila NV shaft, Fujikura Tour Platform, and Fujikura Speeder 757 shafts and they are all great. I am thinking of putting a Speeder 757 stiff on my
905R but not 100 percent sure...I also like the Aldila NV shaft. Now I am torn between them. Need feedbacks on the feel on any of the better shafts that are available out there. Thanks


Eric, have you written any reviews on shafts at all?

[jeffgladchun]

I love the NV shaft. My other go-to shaft is the Graphite Design YS-6+ (s) shaft which is very similar to the NV and may be worth a look.

[nautyyboyy]

I love the NV shaft. My other go-to shaft is the Graphite Design YS-6+ (s) shaft which is very similar to the NV and may be worth a look.

you are right jeff, the NV shaft is one of the best out there. my brother in law has that on his 3 wood and I absolutely love the feel...the speeder fairway on my 5 wood is awsome as well. actually that is the deadliest club in my bag. i just don't know if the speeder 757 is good on a driver. i do find it a tad heavy on my 5 wood.

[djhgolf]

Most sources that I have gone threw and some testing sugest that the Diamana's and Zcom's are great in the 905R.

[muskegman]

You want a shaft that complements your swing. Some are butt stiff, some tip stiff, high launch, mid launch, low launch... they run the gammut. You want to know what shaft complements your swing... that is the best shaft for you. How do you figure that out? Launch monitor stats probably.

Do you release the club early or late? Do you pop the ball up or hit worm burners? Does your ball flight tend to balloon a bit? All of these are questions that might help you define what shaft you need. Consider the current shaft you play and the ball flight you tend to get and it might give you some indication of the kind of shaft you need or would play best with.

Getting on a launch monitor with a good clubfitter is the best way to do it. BTW, I've never been on a launch monitor but must try it some day.

[Everardo]

You want a shaft that complements your swing. Some are butt stiff, some tip stiff, high launch, mid launch, low launch... they run the gammut. You want to know what shaft complements your swing... that is the best shaft for you. How do you figure that out? Launch monitor stats probably.

I echo what Jeff says, too many variables to factor. While there are many shafts that have similar specs they all play a little different.

Custom-Fitted Clubs vs. Off the Rack Clubs What are Custom-Fitted Clubs? Clubmakers like to compare custom clubs to buying a tailored suit. Many people have been through the frustration of shopping for clothes, "off the rack." You can spend hours trying on clothes only to get more and more aggravated when the top fits but the bottom doesn't or vice versa. People are shaped differently. An outfit that looks fabulous on one person can look completely different (and sometimes frightening) on someone else. The tailor will take the time to take the necessary measurements, determine your wants, needs, and make a suit that is custom fit especially for you. Anyone who has taken advantage of this opportunity knows the difference in the way the suit fits him or her. The finished product is made exactly for you and it fits perfectly! The same is true for custom fit clubs. They are made to fit your unique swing characteristics. The process for custom fit clubs is very similar to that of the fitting for a tailored suit. The clubmaker will start by sitting down with you to discuss your current equipment, your game, your problems, concerns, your goals and whether you have taken lessons or plan to do so. The clubmaker will measure and evaluate your current clubs. You will then be asked to hit some balls to determine your swing speed, and impact pattern among other things. The clubmaker will determine the appropriate shaft based on these findings and will offer you a selection of clubheads and grips that will match your needs. After you have chosen the clubs you would like, they will take ten to fifteen additional measurements. The entire fitting process takes anywhere from 1-2 hours. Your new set of clubs will be made exactly to your specifications and will fit your game "to a tee." Usually a clubmaker will request that you report back after several rounds to make any "fine-tuning" adjustments. Your clubmaker keeps records of the specifications for each club and can replace or repair a club to exactly match any club in your bag.

[nautyyboyy]

You want a shaft that complements your swing. Some are butt stiff, some tip stiff, high launch, mid launch, low launch... they run the gammut. You want to know what shaft complements your swing... that is the best shaft for you. How do you figure that out? Launch monitor stats probably.

Thanks Jeff, I have been to a launch monitor but never really got the whole 9 yards. I just monitored my swing speed. At the moment, I am playing with a 905T 10.5deg driver w/ a Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff shaft - tipped stiff. I get a mid ball flight with this combination. I definitely have to get all the data next time I step on a launch monitor. Since I know that shafts could be custom fitted, I was looking for more input on the feel of the different shafts that are available out there.

[iacas]

Eric, have you written any reviews on shafts at all?

Because of what Jeff said, no, we've never reviewed shafts. Shafts are the most dependent thing in the golf club, and they depend on all the things Jeff has talked about.

I personally like the YS shafts from GD. They're favorites on Tour, because Tour guys have a good rhythm. But for most guys, they'll rob them of distance and accuracy. I like that it forces me to stay in a good rhythm or I hit bad drives. P.S. It's "Eri k ." Pet peeve.

[flap]

I vote for the Grapholloy NT proto blue.But like all the guys say get fitted or your just throwing away your cash.

[nautyyboyy]

Okay, I finally did it. I went to Nevada Bobs yesterday and jumped on the launch monitor. I spent over an hour hitting my current driver (905T 10.5* w/ fujikura tour platform 26.3 stiff shaft) and the driver that I am very intersted in (905R 9.5* w/ mitsubishi rayon bassara 63 'regular' flex). The launch monitor clearly stated that I was getting a much better result with the 905R w/ the regular flex...better launch angle, longer 'carry' (7-yards more), my ball had little to no fades. My swing speed was consistently between 94-97mph, and the ball speed was consistently between 133-135mph.

I was a little bit suprised that I was getting better results with a lighter shaft with a regular flex compared to my fujikura TP . I now don't know whether I should put a regular flex or a stiff flex on my 905R. I have a Big Bertha 454ti 10* driver w/ a stock shaft in regular flex and it never worked out for me. My drives with this driver were slicing and short This is the reason why I am a little hesitant in going with a regular flexed shaft.

I am so confused now. All the reps at the store were recommending a stiff flexed shaft for me but now I am I am thinking of getting a regular shaft. What to do...what to do !?!?!?!?

[Rafcin]

if you have money to do that - find a "real" launch monitor place, that not only has the device, but also has the same driver head on 20 different shafts. That's the only option. You won't get much rom comparison of two totally different shafts IMHO.. and 905R ain't exactly 905T either
and on a personal note - don't miss Aldila's products in your research....

[jeffgladchun]

Just to clear at least one thing up:

All regular flex shafts are not the same. They can have different flex points, etc etc.

Good step getting on a launch monitor! Did you have someone helping you?

[nautyyboyy]

Just to clear at least one thing up:

I was with a cousin of mine, who is very knowledgeable about equipment, and a rep from the store. You are absolutely right about the different flex points of shafts. The Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara has a low/mid kick point and the Fujikura TP has the same low/mid kick point...I hit the Bassara (on a 9.5* driver head) with a higher launch angle than the Fujikura TP (on a 10.5* driver head). That just tells me that the shaft makes a big difference and not so much the loft of the driver. I am also not sure if the larger head had something to do with the higher ball flight that I was getting. I'm not sure if a stiff shaft promotes a lower trajectory than a regular shaft.

I am now torn between getting a regular or stiff shaft. The rep was saying that I should definitely be getting a stiff shaft (according to my stats) but I was getting better results on the driver with the regular shaft. My swing speed was calibrated at 95mph, with that said, what are the advantages and disadvantages if I were to get a regular shaft or stiff shaft?

[nautyyboyy]

if you have money to do that - find a "real" launch monitor place, that not only has the device, but also has the same driver head on 20 different shafts. That's the only option. You won't get much rom comparison of two totally different shafts IMHO.. and 905R ain't exactly 905T either

This is a really good idea Rafcin...Going to a place like this will really help me a lot. I already know the driver I want and trying that driver with different shaft and different flexes will definitely put me on the right track. Golfsmith and Roger Dunns are very limited, I don't know a place with that many options specially on drivers...and YES I have Aldila shafts on the top of my list.

[Everardo]

Well I'm not a certified fitter (yet) and I haven't seen your swing and tempo but in all my studying and classes your numbers are leaning towards a regular/regular+ flex shaft. Don't let ego or the ego of others put you in a shaft that is too stiff. That is one of the worst things you can do for your game, you want the lightest and most flexible shaft that you can control. That doesn't mean you try and adjust your swing to a ladies shaft though

The shaft is a very personal piece of equipment and needs to fit well. I recommend that you sample a couple other shafts just to be sure. Let me give you one example, I have a medium tempo and my swing speed averages 107 but my driver has a regular flex shaft that has been trimmed a bit and with the head it's installed in, it actually flexes to a 6.2 which is like a stiff shaft.

[nautyyboyy]

Well I'm not a certified fitter (yet) and I haven't seen your swing and tempo but in all my studying and classes your numbers are leaning towards a regular/regular+ flex shaft. Don't let ego or the ego of others put you in a shaft that is too stiff. That is one of the worst things you can do for your game, you want the lightest and most flexible shaft that you can control. That doesn't mean you try and adjust your swing to a ladies shaft though

Thanks Everado, you really made some good points here! It seems as though you were next to me while I was at the launch monitor. My cousin had the same advice for me and I just didn't want to listen. His swing speed is about 103 and he uses a regular flex tipped stiff on all of his drivers. I didn't want to admit it, but I think you are right about the ego thing. It does play a part in chosing the kind of equipment we play with. I will see if I can try out a 905R with a regular shaft tipped stiff. Here are a couple of rookie questions again..."high" "mid" or "low/mid" bend point on a shaft - what does that mean?

...also, "high", "mid" , "low/mid" launch angle on a shft - what does that mean? I just need to be clarified.

[Donald MacKenzie]

95mph is right in the gray area of shaft flex. If you have a smooth tempo (are a "swinger") then most R-flex shafts are probably OK for you. If you're more of a "hitter" with a fast tempo, then an S-flex in a shaft with a fair amount of torque and mid-kickpoint should work. Like the GD YS-6+, for example.

That's why Callaway used to make all of its stock shafts in regular, firm and stiff. The firm was for that 90-100mph area, and for guys who should be in a regular flex but needed the ego boost of something else.

As others have said, the shaft is the trickiest thing to fit based on numbers and product descriptions. Without hitting the product and seeing the results (preferably both on a launch monitor and outside, where you can see real ball flight), it's a guessing game. But the best advice is to forget what's on the shaft (brand name, flex, etc.) and go with the most flexible shaft you can control.

I have a swing speed that varies from 103-108 on a given day, and I've played everything from stock regular driver shafts to "tour stiff" models. Lots of factors at play.

Sounds like you're on the right track, doing research and testing things out. Let us know when you find the right fit!

[Everardo]

Here are a couple of rookie questions again..."high" "mid" or "low/mid" bend point on a shaft - what does that mean?

A high bend point shaft has a firmer tip feel at impact and may produce a lower shot trajectory. A low bend point shaft has a softer tip feel at impact and may produce a higher shot trajectory. Mid bend point shafts are in-between. The actual point on the shaft where the bend point is located is only a couple inches difference between a low and high bend point. Bend point, kick point, and flex point all mean the same thing.