graphite shafts

[cda406]

I dont know why but when I hit irons with graphite shfts, I snap the club head off, even when I hit the ball flush. I have an old set of 845's silver scott and they havegraphite shafts, stiff flex. I was at home hitting balls into a net and snapped the 3, 5, and 7 iron off. I didnt hit it on the hosel either. Thru the years ive broke every one of em off and had them reshafted, which im not doing again, I never play rounds with them, just hit em in the yard or at the range. Anyway, a couple years ago, the pro at my local course told me that my clubhead speed is way to fast for graphite shafts, even the stiffest flex gives too much. Im not a big guy 6 ft. around 155 but I do generate alot of clubhead speed. Is this true, can some players have to much speed in their swing for graphite. Ive never broke a head with a steel shaft.

[rowlf]

This is pretty rare.

Greg Norman, Phil Mickelson, KJ Choi had all won tournaments with graphite shafts. I suspect that it was the quality of the shaft and perhaps age plays a part as 845 were pretty old clubs and I presume you have not re-shafted them since. Even if they were steel, the rust would have also weakened them by now.

If it were due to being graphite, you would have broken them when they were new, and not now, unless your swing speed have increased exponentially over the last 15 years

[cda406]

Ive had all of them except the 8, 9 and pw reshafted because I broke them. The three clubs I mentioned are the only ones I havent broken. I bought the irons from my brother and the shafts were about 3 years old. After breaking them off I had them reshafted, except 8, 9, and pw. After having them reshafted I eventually broke those off, with the 3 I broke yesterday, they are all broke except the 8, 9, and pw. I dont really believe what the local pro told me because of what u said, mickelson used graphite and he has some serious club speed. But its not just the 845's, I have broken 2 taylor made irons with graphite (3, 6 iron). I have never broken a driver or 3 wood but I have snapped 2 adams tight lies fairway woods. Im a fairly good ball striker and when this has happened I hit the ball flush and the ball traveled good, its not like I shanked it off the hosel. I love the feel of graphite shafts and would like to put graphite on my main set of irons, titleist ap2. But every time i snapped one off, I was really trying to rip the ball and when I try to really muscle the ball my downswing can be, the best word to describe itb would be violent, lol, smooth but very fast hips and alot of push with my legs. This just makes me hesitate on putting graphite on my ap2

[rowlf]

Did you break them at the neck and hosel? If so , then it is quite possible that the torque of the shaft was too high for you. The tensile strength of the particular shaft could not sustain the twist of the head. But low torque graphites are very expensive, much more than steel. Can I suggest you speak to a certified club fitter and get their opinions too? Then you can make a more informed decision especially since you like the feel of graphite. I do find KBS steel shaft having the soft feel of graphite so you may also like to consider those.

[Ole_Tom_Morris]

Strange comment from a golf pro who should be aware that there are all kinds of graphite shafts and graphite is usually preferred by long drive competitors, whose swing speeds are 20-35% faster than Phil Mickelson at his fastest.

Somewhere out there is a graphite shaft you can't break unless you tried to. It's a matter of analyzing your swing and impact and figuring out what parameters are optimum for you.

[Righty to Lefty]

I snapped 3 Aerotech shafts right above the hosel and then became so scared of throwing another clubhead off that I pulled them and moved on to C-Tapers.  I don't think that your swingspeed is doing it so much as the down force that your are creating when the club strikes the turf.  None of my shaftbreaker swings were anything out of the ordinary but it does happen.  I will admit that I now have a phobia of graphite shafts in my irons now!  My swingspeed isn't ridiculous but it is pretty high (120 mph) but I know that I am really aggressive down and through impact so that is what I'll attribute the shafts failing to.