Does shaft flex matter?

[ScottyCameron]

I mean, if you have the right loft, does it really matter if you have a regular or stiff flex shaft? Is there any performance differences (ex. trajectory, distance, ect.) between them?

Whats the difference between a 10.5 degree driver with a stiff shaft compared to a 9.5 degree driver with a regular flex shaft?

[grantc79]

I mean, if you have the right loft, does it really matter if you have a regular or stiff flex shaft? Is there any performance differences (ex. trajectory, distance, ect.) between them?

If you have a shaft that you overflex it can do some crazy things with the ball.

If it is just slightly too flexible then you will get a touch more distance with a touch less control. If it is way too flexible you'll spray the ball all over the place. If you have a shaft that is slightly too stiff for you, you will typically lose a little distance and hit a lower trajectory shot. If you have one that is way too stiff for you, you will wind up hitting everything dead right or worse.

[GaijinGolfer]

Id say that shaft flex is even more important than loft.

[Maverick]

Although I'm not too savvy in this shaft flex dept. it's my understanding that shaft flex is important because you want to get a flex that's fit for your swing which you can properly "load" into.

If you're a "slower" swinger I would suggest a regular flex and if you are a "fast" swinger a stiffer one would be best.

This is an extremely abbreviated solution..I'm sure there are many others here who can answer this ? to a tee.

..and since you have a 5.3 index you are obviously doing soemthing right.

[brandon_mcg]

i would say that it is very important. take the time to go get your swing speed analyzed and determine what shaft flex you need.

[Caddyshack]

I finally had my swing speed measured and it is right on 100 mph, does that mean the regular flex in my HiBore driver is not right for me? would i notice any difference in changing to a stiff flex? i hit the club solid at the moment but am lacking control.

[glebert]

I finally had my swing speed measured and it is right on 100 mph, does that mean the regular flex in my HiBore driver is not right for me? would i notice any difference in changing to a stiff flex? i hit the club solid at the moment but am lacking control.

I think it can cut both ways. The stiffer shaft will be more stable, which should help for consistency, but if it is too stiff (or maybe too low torque) it can reduce "feel" and cause you to swing too hard. Also, there is no standard for regular, stiff, etc, so it really depends on the shaft. Basically you need to get fit or demo a club with the stiffer shaft and see if it works for you.

[Stacey_E]

I think shaft flex does matter. But one company's regular is another company's stiff. Flex profile seems less important than flex until you are very consistant.

I can hit a regular flex 10.5 but my experience with them is somewhat eratic. I have better luck with a 12* head and a stiff flex.

[mattymz1]

Shaft flex is much more important than the loft of the head. When a tour pro is looking for a change in ball flight he will be looking to change shafts more than heads.

[Sherlockian]

Yes, I got a ebay deal on two drivers awhile back, GBBII 415 9* with Aldila NV shafts. One had a stiff shaft and the other regular. I play DGS300 in my irons, but the stiff Aldila was too much. I hit almost every shot to the right, but with the regular, they were on the money straight.

[cigarnut81]

Shaft flex is more important for impact feel than anything else unless you have a late release of the wrists. If you are a late releaser then you can gain a different trajectory from a shaft change. Impact feel is the most important thing to find in a shaft for all golfers.

[Island Par]

Definitely! I just replaced the shaft on my driver with a graman UL 640 and i've been reaping the benefits in my last 2 games.

[golf_junkie27]

I finally had my swing speed measured and it is right on 100 mph, does that mean the regular flex in my HiBore driver is not right for me? would i notice any difference in changing to a stiff flex? i hit the club solid at the moment but am lacking control.

When you say "lacking control" are you referring to trajectory or the type of misses. What are you misses like? BTW, when you purchased your driver? Did you have it weighed and measured? It could be that your driver is too light or too long or both. It's possible that you can change the swingweight and cut down the shaft on your driver. This might help you with control. Talk to your local fitter and hit a couple of drivers with a shorter shaft. You might not need to change flexes.

[bthroneburg]

Shaft flex is much more important than the loft of the head. When a tour pro is looking for a change in ball flight he will be looking to change shafts more than heads.

+1 here.

Wrong flex for your swing and you will definently be all over the place. But you can fine tune it to help with ball flight just like mentioned above. Get checked. Best advise.

[jeffhale08]

It matters for all your clubs. In the irons, it is really all about feel. However, with your driver, shaft flex is what I feel to be the single most important factor in buying a driver. Loft is #2, but not even close to flex.