Should I Go Stiff?!

[nokmond]

Hi all, i'm currently off 16hcp but can play to 10 ish on a good day. I'm using MX900 irons and a Mcgregor NVG2 driver at the minute, both with REG shafts.

I'm a biggish hitter, 7I goes 170-180, driver 300+ fairly regularly, so i'm wondering what the benefits of a stiff shaft would be?

My usual shot shape is generally straightish or a slight draw. I'm thinking of getting some new Mizuno MP57 so i'd be interested in hearing what the possible benefits of Stiff shafts would be.

P.S. - sorry i don't know my swing speed atm.

[aschaefer]

i think if you're hitting the ball straight or drawing it, you don't need to go to a stiffer shaft

[wrx_junki]

Yes I agree with above, if you are hitting it those distances straight or with a draw then why change anything. Are you trying to gain more distance by going stiffer?

[Titleist Man]

Dont mean to hijack the thread but if a shaft is too whippy could it cause big pushes and wild snaphooks.

[CarlSpackler]

Dont mean to hijack the thread but if a shaft is too whippy could it cause big pushes and wild snaphooks.

That is why it was recommended that I go with a stiff shaft a few years ago, due to inconsistency. I never knew from one shot to the next which way it was going to go. At least now, I can isolate a problem and work on it since I am usually consistently pushing or pulling on a particular day.

To the OP, I am guessing from the distance listed that you might be better off (consistent) with a stiff shaft, but I would consult with a pro who knows your swing before moving forward.

[nokmond]

I'm not looking to achieve most distance, just more consistency and to keep improving my game.
My bad shots are generally hooks and pulls so i'll demo some stiff shafts and see if they happen less.

[aschaefer]

I would think a shaft with too little flex would stay open and cause more pushes and slices, not pulls/hooks...can anyone tell me why I might be wrong?

[nokmond]

I would think a shaft with too little flex would stay open and cause more pushes and slices, not pulls/hooks...can anyone tell me why I might be wrong?

So a shaft with too much flex would cause hooks etc yes?

[imtomtomim]

truthfully, if you're going 300+, you gotta go x-stiff. I play a stiff right now in my driver and fairway but I've got this x-stiff waiting for that fairway because I get low hooks with it, but I've only been playing my home course recently and I've been using that hard hook. The driver I get away with because I tell myself to play to the stiff shaft and it gets me in the fairway better. I do play x-stiff in my irons and boy, that is one of the best moves I have ever made. I get more control because the face doesn't close as much and my shots get higher and more spin and spin control. I don't think I've gained distance as an effect, but my shot shapes are much easier to control as well as spin and trajectory. Give a scrap club a try with an x-stiff and see what your ball flight is. If you're constantly going high and right, drop to stiff and go with it.

Mind you these are generalizations. You might be best going to a sporting good store and spending 20 bucks for a launch monitor session if you're gonna reshaft.

[imtomtomim]

So a shaft with too much flex would cause hooks etc yes?

Actually the opposite is true. A lighter flex rating is actually meant to rebound faster. When you strike the ball, the shaft is actually bowed in a c towards the ball, meaning the middle part of the shaft is actually behind the ball at impact, or rather, if you imagine a straight line between your hands and the clubhead, it would be behind that line. So, a lighter shaft flex would actually be more exaggerated and would close the face even more. A stiffer shaft would restrict the amount the shaft closes and is timed better for faster swings, but since it is stiffer, it will store more energy for less bend, so you're not gonna lose distance. If the shaft is too stiff, your club will have trouble reaching a flex point where it wants to rebound back and may actually stay opened and strike the ball before it rebounds giving you a high shot to the right with high spin.