Driver Shaft, 95-100 SS

[TheLauncher]

I have been struggling with low ball flight and decreased control with my 9.5 Launcher with a stiff ProLaunch Blue shaft. I am getting about 230-240 yds carry. My SS is high 90's and I have pretty quick transition at the beginng of the downswing. This is my first stiff driver shaft and I have previously played a Big Bertha 454 with stock regular and a Ping G2 with ProLaunch regular.

I was informed by a club fitter that the ProLaunch stiff plays stiffer than most, and is appropriate for swing speeds of 110-120. In watching me hit my Launcher, he said that it seemed I wasn't loading the shaft completely. So my question is, what shafts are appropriate for a SS o 97 or so?

Honestly, I don't have the money to get a proper fitting that ends with me buying a brand new driver, and club fitters aren't going to waste their time fitting me if I am just going to pick something off the used rack. But with no standards in stiffness across manufacturers, and not enough of an understanding of tip-stiffness and kickpoint, I'm kind of shooting in the dark.

Does anyone with a similar swing speed have any suggestions on shafts? Is the fitter's advice on the ProLaunch accurate? I know that at this point my swing is not so consistent, but still I see no reason not to optimize my equipment.

Thanks for your help.

[Petden]

Try multiple shafts out and see which is best for you. I would test both extremes. Try out the x-stiffs to see what happens when the shaft is way to stiff, and test a regular flex. Then start moving in the right direction from there.

[TinCupTampa]

What's your budget?

[TheLauncher]

I am willing to pay for something that is right for me, but knowing how flooded the used club market is and how little technology has changed in the past two to three years, I see no reason to spend $300 on the "latest and greatest." I think for my purposes, something appropriate could be had for around $150 or less. Places like Golf Galaxy often have two to three year old clubs in good condition for around $50, which can't be beat. I have no problem gaming this type of club.

I just don't see my 9.5 Launcher head being worth a shaft replacement, and I would also like to keep it intact for the purposes of comparison with the new driver. I am eyeing the Callaway FT5, and even the BB 454 which comes in firm flex.

[Mr3Putt]

I have been struggling with low ball flight and decreased control with my 9.5 Launcher with a stiff ProLaunch Blue shaft. I am getting about 230-240 yds carry. My SS is high 90's and I have pretty quick transition at the beginng of the downswing. This is my first stiff driver shaft and I have previously played a Big Bertha 454 with stock regular and a Ping G2 with ProLaunch regular.

How were you hitting the Callaway and Ping drivers? A swing speed of 97 or so *normally* calls for a regular flex shaft. How did you end up with the configuration you're using now? I think Golf Galaxy will let you take out one of the used clubs for a demo. I know if you got there in the off (non busy) hours they will let you hit a variety of different clubs and show you the numbers. Most weekday afternoons these guys are looking for something to do and love to talk golf. I would be surprised if you match up with the Prolaunch blue.

[Big_M]

1st... if you go with Callaway, check Callaway Pre-owned when you buy.
2nd... 9.5* might be a little on the strong side for you, try a 10.5* just to see the difference.
3rd... some of the stock shafts on the FT-5 (the E150) are lower kick point, and will launch higher. I don't know what you need... the prolauch blue you are playing should have a fairly high ballflight, as it is a high launch shaft. I don't know if they run a little stiff and therefor you aren't loading it properly. You really need to hit a few shafts and just watch the ballflight or read the numbers.

97 SS is borderline between stiff and regular for most companies... and more often than not it's probably a stiff. Some shaft manufacturers webpages, or Golfsmith, might list suggested SS... of course tempo, swing, etc. play a huge role.

[TheLauncher]

The Callaway BB 454 10* with regular I hit pretty high and as long as or longer that the Launcher, with the exception of the times I get a low draw out of the Launcher. I actually broke the shaft of the BB inside the grip after a poor tee shot (my mistake, not to happen again ). Not knowing much about flexes at the time I went to Golf Galaxy, pulled the Launcher off of the used rack and piped 3 of 5 straight at the 250 marker on the monitor. I asked the rep if the shaft was appropriate for me, and he said "yeah, that will work." For $70 and ten minutes I was off with a new driver.

The G2 10.5 with regular belongs to my brother and I have played it and hit it on the range half a dozen times. Not really enough to say, but it also had high launch, high spin for me, with the tendency for a hook.

Perhaps I was better off when I was more ignorant of how well (or poorly) my driver fit me. But in trying to improve my game I've determined that a smoother swing with the driver will help, and the ProLaunch Blue just seems to be calling for me to swing hard.

I realize that swing weight would change, but wouldn't cutting say 1/2" off of a regular make it play stiffer? Maybe this is where I am at.

[TheLauncher]

Thanks for your reply BigM. Point taken on the loft.

One of the things that is difficult for me is that the nearest store with a monitor is about an hour and a half away and the Pro Shop in my small hometown course is nearly non-existent. I have a hard time accessing a number of clubs to try out.

[Petden]

I was thinking about SS and it dawned on me. Last year my SS was similar to yours. For me, one of the best feeling shafts was the stock fujikaru that came with the Callaway Hyper X. I tried it in stiff, and it was beautiful, I was about to purchase it when I realized I need some other things before.

Anyway, I thought I would offer this advice, and you could do with it what you please.

[bioman]

New guy here, since I can't make a new thread yet I need to bump this one.

I need to replace the shaft on my old Ping Tisi driver. It came with a regular graphite shaft that seems to flex way too much now and it likes to slice.

My swing speed is a lot faster now than it was before, probably 100+.
I was thinking of replacing it with a steel shaft, but some people had advised against it.

So I was hoping to get some suggestions here. Something not too expensive, but light. I'm probably looking for a stiff shaft on the stiffer side, just below x-stiff. I heard that Fujikaru is pretty good. I don't know the prices on those though.

I'm hoping to just buy one on ebay or online and get it fitted at my local golf shop.

Thanks in advance.

[Big_M]

cheap but good shaft with fairly stiff tip = UST Proforce Gold... they are a model or two back from the V2, but are still damn good shafts... and they can be had for about $30-$40.

http://www.golfsmith.com/products/39...Series_65_Wood

definately would not do a steel shaft in a driver... no reason too. Plenty of good graphite options these days that will certainly add a couple yards.

[Leftygolfer]

My swing speed is almost the same as yours. I tried the same club as you was hitting it with the stock stiff shaft. It had the 9.5 degrees of loft and I did not like it all. I was losing distance. I am not sure if it was the shaft or the loft but I lost 10-20 yards. Anyway, I have a very smooth swing and I like the shaft I have. I have had people say to me how much the shaft flexes but for now I like it. I am carrying it about 250 and pretty staight. I don't think with my speed I could get much more. UST shafts are pretty reasonable and I like the feel.

[bioman]

cheap but good shaft with fairly stiff tip = UST Proforce Gold... they are a model or two back from the V2, but are still damn good shafts... and they can be had for about $30-$40.

How is the V2 65? It is still within my price range, it goes for around $60 at Golfsmith.

What is the difference between the V2 65 and V2 75?

[dmband8985]

difference is 10 grams....whether you like a 65 gram shaft or a 75 gram shaft is your choice....plus some drivers just feel better with lighter shafts and others swing better with heavier shafts. the prolaunch blue has quite a high bend point and a really stiff tip....if your a 'tweener in terms of swing speed, you're better of going down flex so an R rather than S. The V2 is actually a pretty tough shaft to load as well

[bioman]

difference is 10 grams....whether you like a 65 gram shaft or a 75 gram shaft is your choice....plus some drivers just feel better with lighter shafts and others swing better with heavier shafts. the prolaunch blue has quite a high bend point and a really stiff tip....if your a 'tweener in terms of swing speed, you're better of going down flex so an R rather than S. The V2 is actually a pretty tough shaft to load as well

I've been looking at this chart.

http://www.golfsmith.com/cm/display_...num=learn_how5 I've never measured my SS formally, but judging from others who have it should be around the triple digit mark. I can hit an 8 iron about 155-160 yards without much sweat and can hit drives over 270 easily if I slow down my swing with my 'R' shaft driver. From the chart above, I was thinking of going X-Stiff in the Proforce V2 75.

[dmband8985]

sorry, i was trying to reply to multiple posts.. the first is response to your question between the difference between the v2 65 and 75. the second was a response to the OP with the Launcher with prolaunch blue.

but in terms of x-stiff, you really should get your swing speed measured properly before you go out buying a shaft. the trouble is those charts don't always correlate properly. with an x-stiff, you really are talking tour level swing speeds...also when looking for a driver shaft, don't worry about our 150 yard out clubs, just worry about driver carry. use teh 150 out club measure to determine what flex your iron shafts should be. in terms of carry, are you hitting 270 yard drives or carrying 270? carrying 270+ means you're playing closer to 300 off the tee, in which case why reshaft your driver, it seems to be working well for you