Look at the Shaft Flex on an 85-yard 7-Iron

[TN94z]

That is hard for me to believe also. My cousin hits these small shots all of the time and I have never seen anything like this! Nor have I seen it with a full swing with regular shafts. It just looks too weird!

[mdvaldosta]

That's pretty amazing, but I don't think it's real. Got to be a camera exposure thing or something unless it's a ladies flex graphite shaft (lol). I don't think those shafts can bend that much without breaking.

[DavidFehertysBike]

you country strong

[DavidFehertysBike]

That's pretty amazing, but I don't think it's real. Got to be a camera exposure thing or something unless it's a ladies flex graphite shaft (lol). I don't think those shafts can bend that much without breaking.

Im having problems beliving it too. I have the same exact clubs - same shafts - even the same grips...and i cant fathom that they bend that much. That or iacas needs rifle 11.5 shafts...

[Mr3Putt]

7-iron, Rifle Flighted 6.0 shafts, ball went around 80 or 85 yards, tops. I just found it interesting how much bend there was in the shaft.

Put me in the "Ya Gotta Be F'in Kidding Me" crowd. That's like a foot of flex! Wouldn't the Swing Vision cameras on TV capture the flex bend of a club at 80- billion frames per second? If so, the clubs on TV don't flex that much, if they did, I think it would be pointed out to the viewers. I don't doubt the picture was taken under the scenario you present, I'm just saying something ain't right. Maybe take another one for comparative purposes. Now if you had said you were swinging out of your shoes, then maybe that kind of flex would be generated, but a punch shot speed? With a 7 iron? I dunno.....

[iacas]

That's pretty amazing, but I don't think it's real. Got to be a camera exposure thing or something unless it's a ladies flex graphite shaft (lol). I don't think those shafts can bend that much without breaking.

Clearly they can...

Wouldn't the Swing Vision cameras on TV capture the flex bend of a club at 80- billion frames per second? If so, the clubs on TV don't flex that much, if they did, I think it would be pointed out to the viewers.

I've seen shots where they talk about how much the shaft is flexed. I recall a few where they showed people hitting from the rough, the clubhead getting caught, snagged, and then whipping through and vibrating.

I don't doubt the picture was taken under the scenario you present, I'm just saying something ain't right. Maybe take another one for comparative purposes.

I have three. They're all the same.

Now if you had said you were swinging out of your shoes, then maybe that kind of flex would be generated, but a punch shot speed? With a 7 iron? I dunno.....

Tempo and speed are a combination. If I pause at the top it probably wouldn't flex this much.

Believe me all you want. Not sure why I'd have reason to lie or pull anyone's legs here. Here's a screenshot of a few more frames, with the frame numbers showing (bottom left). 60 FPS (59.94 technically). I must admit, I was surprised at the amount of flex, but not as much as some of you seem to be.

[ERC7.5]

Put me in the "Ya Gotta Be F'in Kidding Me" crowd. That's like a foot of flex! Wouldn't the Swing Vision cameras on TV capture the flex bend of a club at 80- billion frames per second? If so, the clubs on TV don't flex that much, if they did, I think it would be pointed out to the viewers. I don't doubt the picture was taken under the scenario you present, I'm just saying something ain't right. Maybe take another one for comparative purposes. Now if you had said you were swinging out of your shoes, then maybe that kind of flex would be generated, but a punch shot speed? With a 7 iron? I dunno.....

I just watched video of the three swings mentioned. Same amount of flex in each swing...just as shown in the stills. There is even about an inch or two of flex while taking off in the backswing. Quite impressive!

[Eeryck]

Looking at the shaft flex in the picture, it does seem to be substatially more than what most swing vision pro iron shots. I wonder about a couple things:

1. Camera angle creating a bit of a "optical illusion" by squishing 3-dimensions down to two and then also at an angle that appears to be slightly rotated to the left of square from the viewers perspective.

2. If there is not an optical illusion there, it seems that perhaps a new shaft fitting is in order if there are control issues with shots. If control is not an issue then go with what works of course.

IIRC you swing near 105ish with driver before working with the pro right Erik?

Perhaps with efficiency gains through lessons / more efficient path that SS could be a bit higher now especially on good swings, which could put you on the higher end of SS for 6.0 shafts.

Anyway just my 2 cents.

-E

[DavidFehertysBike]

I swing 100-110 with the driver and i dont feel that much bend with my irons. Its really amazing if that does happen.

[ERC7.5]

Just some estimates but....consider this:
Approximate arclength from end of backswing to impact with the ball (go with vertical). The back swing appears to end at say 120°.

Distance Club Head Traveled:
Arc = 270°-120° = 150°
Shaft = ~3.08'
Arms = ~2.5'
Radius = 5.58'

Arclength = ~14.6'

Swing Speed:
SS = ~105 mph = ~554400fph

Time:
14.6' @ 554400'/hr = .000026 hrs.
.000026 hrs. * 60 = .00158 mins.
.00158 mins. * 60 = .094 secs.

Considering the shaft is flexed as such for just a portion of that .094 sec....I don't doubt that nobody has noticed, visually or through feel, that sort of flex.

Also, if I am not mistaken, an angle other than straight on (square) would reduce the amount of flex seen (would be a compound
I really hope my math isn't wrong....

[Zeph]

Can you upload the entire video?

I still don't belive this, but I'm not going to call you a liar.

Still, I've never seen flex like that, even with a 45" driver with a graphite shaft.

[Eeryck]

Just some estimates but....consider this:

I have a problem with this calculation of time because it is assuming a constant speed through the entire arc.

The correct base assumptions (I think) would be that Initial speed = 0, final speed = ~105mph, distance = 14.6 feet and acceleration is non-uniform (wrist lag does this for you). So to properly calculate the time through the arc for non-uniform acceleration I think you need some calculus. I still think the flex is real (or perhaps minimally exagerated through camera / optical illusion effects), I just don't think the math here works to support the discussion. Golfwrx has a thread on this and talks about camera affect adding to the shaft flex, but I won't site that as reliable source. Regards, -E

[ERC7.5]

I have a problem with this calculation of time because it is assuming a constant speed through the entire arc.

Hmm....good call. Agreed. Also not taken into account is the transition which, I would think, would cause a whipping effect. Upon watching the video, I saw a bit of flex almost immediately from the start of the back swing..... Inertia.... ugh...way too complex for me at the moment. I'm at work....and I shouldn't be working this hard.

Anyway....still impressive and as Erik had said:

Frames are from a Kodak Zi6 at 60 FPS, so if you shoot video of yourself hitting short punchy 7-irons, I'd be curious to see what kind of bend you see.

[iacas]

1. Camera angle creating a bit of a "optical illusion" by squishing 3-dimensions down to two and then also at an angle that appears to be slightly rotated to the left of square from the viewers perspective.

Could be. There's always shaft droop too, which you can't really see from this angle.

2. If there is not an optical illusion there, it seems that perhaps a new shaft fitting is in order if there are control issues with shots. If control is not an issue then go with what works of course.

These shafts are fine. Though they're the ones on my RAC MB TPs, and my AP2s have PX 6.0's, which I use more often.

IIRC you swing near 105ish with driver before working with the pro right Erik?

105-108, yeah.

Perhaps with efficiency gains through lessons / more efficient path that SS could be a bit higher now especially on good swings, which could put you on the higher end of SS for 6.0 shafts.

I think a big part of the "added bend" seen in these shots is the tempo with which these shots were hit. My lower body's already begun moving forward, and even my upper body has, before that forward movement gets to my hands and then eventually to my clubhead. I don't have a huge pause at the top of my backswing (never have - kind of Nick Price-like), and the lack of a pause is really exaggerated a bit in these shorter swings.

Can you upload the entire video?

I don't plan to, for two reasons, the bigger one of which is that the swings in these video suck and don't show any of the things I was supposed to be doing (spent 2+ hours at the range working on nothing but my takeaway today), and two: I don't want to upload it, link to it, and host it indefinitely.

[BigAl5150]

Just watched the entire video and am quite surprised in the amount of shaft flex. Much more than I would have anticipated.

[Walther]

Here's a screenshot I nabbed off a big guy (6'5") hitting a senior flex 7 iron:

[pshizz]

Time for 7.0's? lol

[TheWarHound]

Damn . . . now I will be watching everyone's flex when they hit . . . like I don't have enough crap going through my head . . . grip, aim, turn my right toe in . . . drop my right shoulder . . .

Still, those pics are impressive as hell!

Steve