High Flex Shaft for a High Swing Speed possible?

[ygmondoux]

I'd like to know how much your swing tempo can tell what kind of flex you should use.

I have a fairly quick clubhead speed with my driver: 116-122 mph and a slow tempo: 27/9 (at 30fps 27 frames backswing 9 frames downswing)

I never saw the difference in how well I hit the ball with the driver wether it's X-Stiff, Stiff, Regular... Even tried ladies flex and with it I feel like I have the best feel and control over the ball. (Always felt I was an Hickory type of swinger) 

I'm very confused. I heard the story about Couples putting O'Meara's wife wood in is bag after hitting it on the range. Nicklaus played and "extra-whippy" driver for a very long time.  

When I look at my swing on video with regular flex I barely see any bending in the shaft. 

If there's a clubfitter around, I'd like to know his take on this. 

[WUTiger]

A couple of things you can do to get more specific information:

• Hit drives on a launch monitor with someone around who can help you interpret the data.
• See if you can hit some shots with the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer device. It will give you your swing DNA - 5 data points about your swing characteristics. One point is transition (at top). People with quick transition normally need a stiffer shaft than someone with slow transition.
  • Plus, ShaftO will give you a short list of shafts that likely would work for you in irons.

As for super whippy shafts, players in the early 1900s sometimes used super-flexible shafts in their clubs, especially longer clubs. In Golf My Way, Nicklaus (p. 59) describes how you needed a very slow, smooth swing to use these buggy whip shafts, but you could "hit it a mile" if you got the tempo mastered. (BTW, Nicklaus also said he had never used a buggy whip, but had tried a super stiff telephone pole shaft to keep tee shots low during British Open play.)

Super flexible shafts will give more distance - sometimes - but may cause you control problems. I tried out Ping G25s with both R-flex steel and senior-flex graphite shafts. On 7 iron shots, the senior flex went from 135 to 155 yds. The R-flex went from 140 to 150 yds., and had less linear dispersion (left and right of target line).

Let us know what happens.

[saevel25]

I'd like to know how much your swing tempo can tell what kind of flex you should use.

Depends on the make and model of the golf shaft. You can find a very stiff overall for the whole model type and that could be above the x-stiff another make and model. 

There is no industry standard for shaft flex. Really it only pertains to the exact make and model of the club you are trying out. Even then it can get tricky because some shaft makers change the bend profile of the same make and model.

I have a fairly quick clubhead speed with my driver: 116-122 mph and a slow tempo: 27/9 (at 30fps 27 frames backswing 9 frames downswing)

3/1 tempo is pretty much ideal. There is some studies done on golf tempo. Most PGA Tour players are around the 3/1 range. I think what is more important is how quickly you transition and how hard you leverage the club in transition.

Fujikura defines it as loading the club. I think most people who swing fast tend to have a medium to strong loading of the club. Though some people can have tremendous lag and not hit the ball as far as others. 

 

 

[ygmondoux]

Fujikura defines it as loading the club. I think most people who swing fast tend to have a medium to strong loading of the club. Though some people can have tremendous lag and not hit the ball as far as others. 

I don't get the illustration by fujikura, it's super early release vs early release vs very delayed release. If your in position 1 or 2... don't buy a new club... get lessons. 

I always thought the loading of the shaft is the amount the shaft bends in your downswing (at transition) like Sergio Garcia he has a very quick transition with a change of club path, his swing gets really steep on the downswing. I can see why he would need a X-Stiff or X-X-Stiff.

But someone like me with a downswing with passive hands and a rather smooth and linear transition doesn't get that "loading" or "bending" of the shaft even with regular stock shafts.

• See if you can hit some shots with the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer device. It will give you your swing DNA - 5 data points about your swing characteristics. One point is transition (at top). People with quick transition normally need a stiffer shaft than someone with slow transition.
  • Plus, ShaftO will give you a short list of shafts that likely would work for you in irons.

 

Thx for the tip! I'll try that. 

But I have a feeling that I'll all come down to feel, I just find it hard to buy a golf set with specs my way by feel when common knowledge would say it's not right for me. 

 

Edited October 23, 2015 by ygmondoux

[WUTiger]

... Thx for the tip! I'll try that. 

But I have a feeling that I'll all come down to feel, I just find it hard to buy a golf set with specs my way by feel when common knowledge would say it's not right for me. ...

 For final decision, yes. When I've been fitted by a good fitter, the fitter will tell me "the numbers say X and Y are the closest fit for you." Then, it's up to me to make the final call by what feels, and looks, best.

Years ago a driver test came down to a Callaway HyperX Tour and a Cleveland HiBore XLS. I went with Callaway because it "fit my eye better." - It was easier to line up. I played it well for three years.