Shaft Length and performance

[hypergolf]

I have been reading a few different magazines and they state totally different things regarding shaft lengths and performance.

1st magazine states that SHORTER shaft length will increase accuracy and distance.

2nd magazine states that LONGER shaft length will increase accuracy and distance.

Any comments as to which is right?

Also does anyone know what the average length of #3 FAIRWAY WOOD shaft lengths are in PGA? Thanks.

[drewcatc]

should be shorter=more accurate but shorter maybe longer if you hit a straighter shot. hope that helped.

Drew

[diesel]

it will depend on who you are, your swing, stats, contact...

in theory, a longer shaft should get more clubhead speed and therefore more distance. and a shorter shaft should give you more control

[mmm]

i have a question... can you put a 3 wood shaft in a hybrid? does it mess anything up? thank you

[Focused8]

Im thinking shorter would be more accurate but definetly not longer. In the pro long drive competitions they use like 6* of loft and 50 inch shafts so longer is farther but less accurate until you perfect using that size shaft.

[golfchief]

Shorter is usually better, most of us use a shaft that is to long. standard shafts are usually 45" the average on tour is 44.5" and shorter.
Before you go cut your shaft down you should know theirs more to it than wacking an inch or so off the grip end and putting a new grip on. It changes the kick point and flex of your shaft and the size and weigh of your club head makes a difference, get fitted and let a pro shaft installer do it right for you to get the most from your club.

[allin]

Limiting discussion to shaft length confuses the issue. The most important factor is loft. Theoreticllay you could construct golf clubs using only two or three lengths, one for the irons and a second for the woods, and maximum for the driver. If the iron heads were all the same weight and you varied the lofts properly you could easily maintain distance gaps. So this means the proper club length is the one you hit most solidly for each club. Then match that clubhead speed and spin to the correct loft to maximize your personal distance. This is why pros adjust lofts not shaft lengths to get correct distance. Most pros play their 3 woods at 43 inches I believe.

[mkoreiwo]

IMHO, there is more than one way to answer this.... A longer shaft on a given club, hit dead on the sweet spot will travel farther than the same club with a shorter shaft, all other variables kept the same.

But you have to consider the longest length that you can control . Anyone interested in this should try to get a look at Tom Wishon's books "In search of the Perfect Club" and "In Serch of the Perfect Driver". His pinions - or science as the case may be, makes very good sense.

I wished I'd read and understood it all BEFORE I bought some of my clubs!

so... If I can swing my driver with a 44" shaft pure to the sweetspot at 125mph, but have trouble finding that same spot with a 45" driver.... the shorted one will be the better choice....