using a wrong flex

[golf55]

Besides my putter I'm using all the wrong flex on my shaft. Is there a huge difference in my game?

[tomvk77]

Well it's never perfect, but is the flex to firm or to weak?

If to firm you might struggle with getting the ball in the air

if to weak, distance is not consistent, and ball's tend to balloon

All the people on sandtrap telling the same basically get fitted for the right shafts

[golf55]

weak. I think my balls are leaking cause my shaft is weak.

[tomvk77]

try it out at a local golf store. hit a few with your current 6 iron and than with a stiffer shafted one. Numbers will tell

[saevel25]

I believe a too stiff shaft flex will cause the ball to start left, and a too weak golf shaft will cause the ball to start right. But i will say in the matter of importance to the golf swing, that is like maybe issue 9 out of 10 you need to worry about, not close to 1,2,3,4.

Believe me, i've had my irons checked, and they are basically regular flex shafts labeled stiff. I swing fast, no joke. My 24 degree 5 iron goes 205-210 yards. I've played single digit golf. So, in terms of importance, club fitting is good. But its really just fine tuning. I think maybe club fitting could give me half to maybe 1 stroke a round. But i can burn through that stroke and more easy when my short game goes to hell :p.

[kcarile]

  saevel25 said:

I believe a too stiff shaft flex will cause the ball to start left, and a too weak golf shaft will cause the ball to start right. But i will say in the matter of importance to the golf swing, that is like maybe issue 9 out of 10 you need to worry about, not close to 1,2,3,4. Believe me, i've had my irons checked, and they are basically regular flex shafts labeled stiff. I swing fast, no joke. My 24 degree 5 iron goes 205-210 yards. I've played single digit golf. So, in terms of importance, club fitting is good. But its really just fine tuning. I think maybe club fitting could give me half to maybe 1 stroke a round. But i can burn through that stroke and more easy when my short game goes to hell :p.

This is accurate. Some shafts are labeled differently. But I swing a reg flex in my hybrid and everything else is still. I just haven't found a good shaft for it yet. I still hit it around 220 and ok. Just try and match all shafts for feel. Other than that it may be your swing

[Meddle]

  saevel25 said:

Originally Posted by saevel25

I believe a too stiff shaft flex will cause the ball to start left, and a too weak golf shaft will cause the ball to start right. But i will say in the matter of importance to the golf swing, that is like maybe issue 9 out of 10 you need to worry about, not close to 1,2,3,4.

Believe me, i've had my irons checked, and they are basically regular flex shafts labeled stiff. I swing fast, no joke. My 24 degree 5 iron goes 205-210 yards. I've played single digit golf. So, in terms of importance, club fitting is good. But its really just fine tuning. I think maybe club fitting could give me half to maybe 1 stroke a round. But i can burn through that stroke and more easy when my short game goes to hell :p.

Other way around actually, too stiff a shaft will cause the ball to go right because it won't load properly; too loose a shaft will cause the ball to go left since it will load too much and close the face of the club (source: http://golf.about.com/cs/tipslessons/a/shaftflex.htm ).

I do agree though that too big a deal is made out of shaft flex. I have played with anywhere from stiff to senior flex with success. Tom Wishon says its better to err on the "too flexible" side when picking shafts, so unless you really swing fast, I wouldn't worry about it.

[newtogolf]

I've learned that swing speed is only part of the equation in determining the proper flex, how you swing is the other.  If you have a pause at the top of your backswing or a smooth transition from backswing to downswing you can get away with more flex in the shaft.  If you aren't smooth in transition then they suggest you go with a stiffer flex too.

Keep in mind all this is relative because each manufacturer has their own standards for the different flexes in shafts.  A stiff shaft from TM might be a senior flex from Mizuno, that's part of the reason everyone shouldn't just buy a club off the rack without testing or fitting.

[EpicNorCalGolf]

I was playing regular flex for all of my clubs except a 19* hybrid. I had the matching hybrid in a 25* and it was my go to club, but had a regular flex shaft. Long story short, that stiff shafted 19* became a serious hook/pull liability. So much so that both it and my 25* just got traded in for a couple of new RBZ hybrids. World of difference. You can't buy a game, but they sure look pretty and at least they're consistent.

[dbuck]

You have your handicap listed as "low", so I don't know if you are kidding or if you are a single digit, so forgive me if this sounds bad coming from a bogey golfer. In most normal cases, most people would be better off having a regular and needing a stiff, than having a stiff and needing a regular. Now the average non senior man wouldn't want a ladies flex, but a regular will not hurt too many people. If you have too firm a flex, you will feel like you are fighting to get the ball in the air and this will lead to overswinging. As you approach the end of the round, fatigue will make control increasingly difficult. That said, if your swing is consistent, get fitted.

[TourSpoon]

  golf55 said:

Originally Posted by golf55

I think my balls are leaking...

Then my answer is Depends!

[rustyredcab]

I spent a lot of time trying to find the right shafts in my clubs. Here's another perspective on the effects of shafts (or lack of effect) on performance. Good food for thought.

My personal, and non-expert, opinion is that shaft weight has a big effect on my performance. And, I think even a moderately good golfer will adjust their swing tempo to fit the flex. I really like all my current shafts.

[Spyder]

Though I am actively seeking a new set with either stock stiff shafts, or something that I deem worthy of putting some PX 6.0s in them, I am currently using my Cobra S2 irons with stock 1030h Nippon 103g regular flex shafts. My average SS is typically around 106-110mph as well. Nobody that I golf with regularly can fathom how I am able to control my ball flight because they immediately think I'm swinging a noodle at that speed. But, as others stated, it's all in your transition and tempo and how the club loads with your swing style.

[WUTiger]

If you're interested in the finer points of shaft flex, take a look at this chart from GolfWRX.com

The chart compares Project X, Dynamic Gold and KBS steel shaft offerings across different models. The chart uses frequency cycle matching (FCM) measurements to compare the different shafts on relative stiffness. In comparing so-called stiff shafts, the Dynamic Gold S300 has FCM = 5.8, while the PX 6.0 has FCM = 6.5. Also note that the (uncut) S300 weighs 130 grams, while the PX only weighs about 120.

FCM allows you to compare stiffness across different makes and models of shafts. Other factors include kickpoint, tip stiffness, and torque (although torque is critical mainly in graphite shafts).

Chart: http://thesandtrap.com/g/i/62413/a/68191/which-project-x-shafts-would-work-best-for-me/sort/display_order/#order=1&albumId;=68191&nextId;=false&prevId;=false&imageId;=62413&imageESOId;=331281&