Reccomendations for a Callaway Uniflex replacement shaft?

[glock35ipsc]

When I got "fitted" for the X-22's I bought last fall, the instructor I was seeing at the time ordered my set of X-22's 5i-PW with the Uniflex shafts hard-stepped, and they are +1".  Since then, I have bought a 4i and a gap wedge (AW) from Callaway Preowned.  Both of these have the same Uniflex shafts, but they are not hard stepped.  I actually hit both of the latter pretty good, but have never been very consistent with the rest of the set that happens to be hard-stepped.  I'm thinking that as a result of the hard-stepping, they might be playing too stiff for my swing?

So I've been thinking of reshafting the entire set 4i through AW.  For reference, I hit the 6i about 155.

*** By "fitted", not knowing any better at the time, the instructor I was seeing at the time tried a few different heads and different length shafts, and had me hit a lie board to see the mark made on the taped sole, and mostly watched my swing and ball flight.  No launch monitors or anything like that.  I still don't know what my swing speed is.  The clubs were ordered based on that info alone.  What can I say.... didn't know any better then.  During a recent intro trip to GolfTec, their monitors "weren't working" during my session, so I didn't get any info then either.

[WUTiger]

Uniflex is a shaft that supposedly can adjust its flex for your swing speed. Swing slower and its regular, swing faster and its stiff. I posted a question on Uniflex to club designer Ralph Maltby's forum, and he said that Uniflex basically falls between regular and stiff, and doesn't have any of the magical properties hinted to in marketing material.

Basically, Uniflex is an OK shaft for a good number of golfers, but is the ideal shaft for very few. It falls between R and S flex, has a medium weight and low torque, and a medium kickpoint (midkick = moderate trajectory).

I played X20 irons with stock Uniflex shafts for two seasons, but traded them in at Christmas time fto Callaway Preowned. I got X20 Tours shafted in PX 5.0 rifle flighted (a luck find, most Tours are shafted in PX 6.0, which is really stiff). I like the Tour's smaller heads, and better feel. The PX 5.0 seem to have about the same stiffness as the Uniflex.

In shaft comparisons, the Uniflex falls between the True Temper Dynamic Golf (DG abbrev) R300 and S300 in stiffness. Some of our fellow 'Trappers hopefully will post the comparison chart for showing the stiffness progression for different flexes of DG and PX shafts, KBS, etc.

Roughly, hardstepping or softstepping a shaft will cause a change of about 1/3 to 1/2 a flex in the shaft. So, your hardstepped Uniflex probably has about the same flex as an S300.

Another factor in shaft performance is its weight. For example, you would get more clubhead speed with a DG S300 SL (superlight) than you would with a standard DG S300; SL weighs about 15% less.

You admit your HDCP index is BAD. Thanks for being honest. You might combine a lesson or two with the launch monitor activity. Whenever I have changed out clubs, I always had lessons at the same time to work on any major swing flaws before I did final tests on new clubs, etc.

After a swing tune up, go back to GolfTec or another fitting place and get on the launch monitor. You will get data on how different shafts perform, and can get an idea from there. We can tell you general characteristics of shafts, but you need launch monitor data to find what you need.

[glock35ipsc]

Thank you for that very informative answer.  I had assumed that hard stepping would make them play stiffer.  According to the chart in Maltby's catalog, I would likely use a 3B2M, and the best match I found was a True Temper TT Lite XL.  This might be a good match for my swing at the moment as I am intentionally slowing my swing a little in an effort to be smoother and to "find" it again.  About all I was getting out of my last instructor was "swing harder".... which wasn't helping. I was all out of balance, and just had a flat out ugly swing.  My current instructor (who I like a lot better, but doesn't have any electronics other than probably a video camera) had me slow my swing down which has helped my ball striking a lot.

So with that, I'm certain the Uniflex as they are set up are too stiff for me. I'm sure as I keep going my swing speed will naturally increase, and I can worry about shaft changes again down the road if needed.  I picked up a like-new X-22 6 iron at a local shop over te weekend for $3.50 with the intention of using it as my reshafting test club.  I need to find a place around here that has a launch monitor that works.  I'm not really up on going back to GolfTec.

Thanks again!  And I'm certain my HDCP index is bad, I definitely don't admit to being anything other than a new player!