Shaft flex

[Davie81]

I recently bought a new driver in a stiff flex and ive got a query although I accept this will probably sound stupid. I accidentally managed to lean on the shaft and although it never snapped it did bend ever so slightly and then back into its normal look when I moved. Ive read that I could have damaged it internally and im wondering if this is the case or am I being stupid and the shaft will have some give in it with being graphite.

[Ernest Jones]

Graphite shafts are pretty flexible. I doubt you did any damage.

[Davie81]

Im not clued up on the technical side of clubs but is it normal for them to have a bit of bend in them unlike steel shafts?

[Ernest Jones]

Steel shafts will flex quite a bit too, but graphite tends to flex more.

[Davie81]

Cool, thanks for clarifying that. It said on the forum I read that you can damage the fibres etc.

[Ernest Jones]

Possibly but keep in mind that golf clubs are designed to essentially smash things as hard as you can. If the shaft returned to form after you leaned on it I would say you're probably fine. I assume you mean it bent a few degrees or so and not something ridiculous like 45 degrees?

[Davie81]

Nah it was literally a tiny bit. It wasn't like it bent right back or anything.

[Davie81]

Also how would I know if it was damaged? Would it be visible?

[Ernest Jones]

I think you should forget it ever happened. Much ado about nothing IMO, but just to set your mind at ease I'll page some of our more knowledgeable club-fitter members. @WUTiger and @LBlack14 , do you think this guy has anything to worry about?

[joekelly]

Messed up shafts can render clubs 'non-conforming' to specs. You may look here

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Appendix-II/

for more info.  What should you do?

[LBlack14]

I think you should forget it ever happened. Much ado about nothing IMO, but just to set your mind at ease I'll page some of our more knowledgeable club-fitter members. @WUTiger and @LBlack14 , do you think this guy has anything to worry about?

"Much ado about nothing" :beer:

[WUTiger]

I concur with LBlack14 .

[1badbadger]

If there was damage to the shaft, you'd be able to see it.  Graphite shafts are designed to bend (flex) and twist, so just leaning on the shaft won't hurt it or weaken the fibers of the graphite.  If you DO happen to bend it too much, you'd hear it crack and there would be visible damage. Fibers can be damaged over time when a graphite shaft rubs against non-padded dividers in a golf bag...once it wears through the paint it will wear down the shaft and create a weak spot, but what you described isn't anything to worry about.

[turtleback]

I recently bought a new driver in a stiff flex and ive got a query although I accept this will probably sound stupid. I accidentally managed to lean on the shaft and although it never snapped it did bend ever so slightly and then back into its normal look when I moved. Ive read that I could have damaged it internally and im wondering if this is the case or am I being stupid and the shaft will have some give in it with being graphite.

Since you are so concerned about it, go find a slow-mo video of someone swinging with a graphite shafted club.  You did not bend it anywhere near as much as it bends in the swing.  You put weight on it?  Not nearly as much force as when the club hits the ball at 100 MPH.

If those things did not damage the shaft your little lean, which is far less, didn't damage the shaft.

[LBlack14]

If there was damage to the shaft, you'd be able to see it.  Graphite shafts are designed to bend (flex) and twist, so just leaning on the shaft won't hurt it or weaken the fibers of the graphite.  If you DO happen to bend it too much, you'd hear it crack and there would be visible damage. Fibers can be damaged over time when a graphite shaft rubs against non-padded dividers in a golf bag...once it wears through the paint it will wear down the shaft and create a weak spot, but what you described isn't anything to worry about. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/108888/] [/URL]

The bend in the pic is caused by the camera not by the swing. Just an FYI.

[turtleback]

The bend in the pic is caused by the camera not by the swing. Just an FYI.

That does not seem plausible to me.  The camera may exaggerate it but surely there is significant bend.

[colin007]

That does not seem plausible to me.  The camera may exaggerate it but surely there is significant bend.

Boner time:

[saevel25]

That does not seem plausible to me.  The camera may exaggerate it but surely there is significant bend.

The reason being the camera reads top to bottom as it takes the video. This causes that bend because the image of the clubhead is taken further ahead in time than the hands. Basically the swing is faster than then camera.