Shaft flexing during downswing?

[chaptowngolfteam]

I recently changed my swing path (coming down too far inside) by restricting my hip turn in my backswing. This has led to much more consistent ball striking, and a little gain in distance. However, now I can feel the shaft in my clubs flexing during my downswing, a feeling that I have never felt before. I play px 6.5 in my irons, 104x v2 in my hybrid, 95x v2 in my 3 wood and a 83x whiteboard in my driver and feel this flex in all my clubs. My question is, is this what it is supposed to feel like? Maybe my shafts have been too stiff for me until now, or maybe I need to go stiffer? I don't really know what to do, but I am hoping that this what it is supposed to feel like and I don't have to change.

Thanks,

Michael

[basscat348]

What is your swing speed that will determine alot ? Example  my driver swing speed is average 118-125 so I have a nunchuck 103gram driver shaft that I absoutley love.The other this is you have gained distance  by restricting hip turn, that means your just hitting the ball where you are supposed to.You dont want to restrict that hip turn,thats where you get maximum club head speed from.I play the project x rifle 6.0 shafts in my irons and I love them they are the perfect shaft for me.

[chaptowngolfteam]

My driver ss is about 112-115 with my 83g shaft. The problem with my hip turn was that i was too loose with it and would not be able to get the club back on plane on my downswing (too flat, and from the inside). I was also losing my shoulder angle and becoming flatter in the backswing.

[basscat348]

Sounds to me like you need a heavier shaft like the nunchuck, ozik matrix code 8, project x 6.0 to name a few.The problem with getting the club flatter and inside is #1 it feels good when its there at least it did for me but then you get those snap hooks or the high block to the right.I used to have the same problem and then realized I had my feet to far apart and was causing hardly no hip turn and when coming down from the top I would be all jacked up.I then narrowed my stance and  started my up swing on more of a upright swing plane or what feels like im hitting a p-wedge , this has worked perfect because I get no more toe or heel hits and my swing speed has catapolted .

These are just my opinions and everyone is different.Use what you can and good luck.

[drglew]

Not sure i should be advising scratch handicaps, but here goes!

If your distance is improved but your dispersion is also improved (i.e. you're not hitting a million snap-hooks etc) i'd wager your current shafts are fine.  I know shaft feel is pretty subjective...you're probably used to a more "boardy" feel, and your improved swing plane (and faster swing speed if your distance has improved) is now indeed flexing the shaft more (i.e. feeling more "whippy").  But as long as your dispersion and ball flight are fine (which sounds like is what you're experiencing), no need to tinker with a good thing.

Look at all those Golf Digest pro swing sequences...the shafts are usually really flexing a ton, which translates to loading & releasing lots of energy.

[basscat348]

  drglew said:

Originally Posted by drglew

Not sure i should be advising scratch handicaps, but here goes!

If your distance is improved but your dispersion is also improved (i.e. you're not hitting a million snap-hooks etc) i'd wager your current shafts are fine.  I know shaft feel is pretty subjective...you're probably used to a more "boardy" feel, and your improved swing plane (and faster swing speed if your distance has improved) is now indeed flexing the shaft more (i.e. feeling more "whippy").  But as long as your dispersion and ball flight are fine (which sounds like is what you're experiencing), no need to tinker with a good thing.

Look at all those Golf Digest pro swing sequences...the shafts are usually really flexing a ton, which translates to loading & releasing lots of energy.

Thats pretty good.The only thing I can add to that is a stiffer shaft will tighten the dispersion from the centerline alot and should also help square up the club face and produce more sweet spot center hits.

[The Gill]

Bah. Driver swing speed is pointless for your irons. What is your 5-iron swing speed? Most people have a bit different driver swing than their irons and the impact conditions are different. I play X-stiff in my driver and PX6.0 in my irons, and 5.5 in my wedges. Before these PX6.0's I was playing tipped X100s. I like the softer feel in the irons, but that's just me.

Irons are all about striking it well and hitting it close. Go hit a 7.0 or X100 shaft, see how it feels for you. Alternatively buy a single 7.0 shaft and throw it into you 5 or 6 iron. A lot of iron shaft flex also depends on how abrupt your transition from the top is and how much of a digger vs picker you are.

[chaptowngolfteam]

I have some x100's laying around in a set of kzg's but I thought that 6.5's were stiffer than x100's. I will try them anyways. Thanks Everyone!

[drglew]

  basscat348 said:

Originally Posted by basscat348

Thats pretty good.The only thing I can add to that is a stiffer shaft will tighten the dispersion from the centerline alot and should also help square up the club face and produce more sweet spot center hits.

Agreed....although for my swing speed, "tighter dispersion" equaled a quite consistent worm-burning and distance-robbing fade!  (with a Graphite Design Tour AD YSQ stiff -- which for the record at least for me truly did feel "boardy", i.e. like the clubhead was attached to a 2x4!)