Shaft FAQ's

[James_Black]

Here are some FAQ's about golf shafts.
Hopefully it'll answer some of your own questions.

Shaft stiffness:
A stiff shaft will launch the ball lower than a more whippy shaft.
It is also said that a stiffer shaft will give you a fade and a more flexible shaft will give you a draw.

Shaft Kickpoint:
Shaft kickpoint is where the shaft flexes the most.
A higher kick point will give a lower launch, while a lower kick point will give a higher launch.

Shaft Weight:
A heavier shaft can help you get more control over your shots but you might find a loss in distance as it can slow down your SS.
A lighter shaft can increase SS but it will be harder to control.

Shaft Length:
The same as shaft weight. A shorter shaft will help with control but you might find a loss in distance. A longer shaft will increase SS but it will be harder to control.

If there's anything else you want me to put up please post here.

[jdotConnor]

will adding length (1" or less) via extender to an installed shaft greatly effect flex or swingweight?
Clubs in question: Cleveland TA3 3-PW with Dynamic Gold S300 shafts
They are currently standard length with grips I can't stand. Since I am tearing off the grips to install Golf pride midsize wraps I figure I would add the 1/2 to 3/4 inch length I like. If it greatly effects swing weight I will either just do with standard length or reshaft, which I would rather not do, especially since I will probably just put the same shaft in +length desired

[James_Black]

If you make the club longer without changing the shafts you'll make it more flexible and the swingweight will change a small bit.
Think of it this way. a 3i shaft is 41 inches long, 1/2 inch isn't going to make that much of a change.
It might make a difference with the shorter clubs though

Try it on one club and see if it works for you.

[rebby]

will adding length (1" or less) via extender to an installed shaft greatly effect flex or swingweight?

Adding length via an extender will make very little change to the shaft flex. In fact, adding/removing an inch or so from the butt of the shaft will make such a small amount of change in flex (and kickpoint) that's it's negligible. If you add/remove length at the tip of the shaft however, flex will be affected to a measurable degree (hence the concept of hard/soft stepping or tipping).

Swingweight will be affected much more by adding/removing length. By adding 1" to the shaft you will increase the swingweight by about 6 points (this is a linear affect so do the math based on how much you add/remove from the shaft, ie: 1/2" will equate to about 3 points)! So if you start at D2, you'll end up around D8 by adding an inch to the shaft. You can counter some of this effect by using a heavier grip, adding weight under the grip and/or removing weight from the clubhead (easy if your clubhead has been tip weighted). Another option for dropping the swingweight is to move to a lighter shaft like the Dynamic Gold SL's (although that has it's trade-offs as well). ETA: When adding/removing length, don't overlook lie angle. As you add length to a given club, the lie angle may prove to be to upright for that given club. If you do extend the length of a club, be sure to have lie angles checked and (possibly) corrected to account for the change in length. Remember, by changing any single aspect of a golf club, you affect all other aspects of the club as well. Be sure to check and account for these potential "issues" in the end.