Learning about Shafts for Woods

[Foot Wedge]

The extent of my knowledge about shafts is that I have a faster swing speed so I use a stiff shaft.  This may be a somewhat vague question, but I'd like to get some information about the various characteristics of shafts, particularly for woods, and how they suit different swing styles or patterns  I know getting fitted or hitting clubs helps determine what works for you but I like understanding why certain things work for certain players.  Just knowledge I could use in addition to a fitting or club testing.  Thanks in advance!

[Buckeyebowman]

If you want to understand shaft characteristics, you have embarked on a course to acquire a doctorate in golfology! Unlike other "hard measurables" like loft, lie, and length, there is no universal standard for shaft flex. Every company that makes shafts is free to interpret flex in their own manner. Thus, one company's stiff may not feel anything like another company's stiff.

This is what makes it hard on us average Joes. We're not tour pros who can go to their manufacturer and try shaft after shaft, for free, to find the perfect one!

[WUTiger]

What you need to do is find your shaft band. This is a grouping of shafts that more or less fit your swing profile.

For irons, the shaft offerings are varied but can be understood. For woods and drivers, there's a whole lot more shaft models out there to muddle through.

Patterns you observe in your ball flight, plus launch monitor data, can help get you in the right band.

You can get some idea about your swing characteristics by using the Mizuno shaft optimizer to get your Swing DNA. You get data points on Headspeed, Tempo, Toe-Down, Kick Angle and Release. From these five factors, you get a short list of three shaft types and flexes recommended for your irons. You can use the data points to get ideas on what driver or wood shafts might work for you.

Also, you can look for a Titleist Tuesday. Make an appointment with the sponsoring pro and ask for a fitting on drivers and fairway woods.

Both graphite and steel shaft offerings in the GolfWorks catalog and website contain the four-digit Shaft MPF, a good starting point to find your shaft band.

And, look for a demo day with a marquee sponsor (Callaway, TaylorMade, etc.). You can go there and focus on hitting your favorite driver head with different shafts to see which ones fly best. (Hint: Take detailed notes to benefit from this. If you can get a launch monitor download of data points, all the better. Bring yo' flash drive!)

Long-club graphite shafts are getting very complex. A 55-gram R-flex shaft in a Tour Edge Exotics-9 driver did not feel feathery at all, since it was counterweighted slightly (butt end of shaft thicker than normal). I got the same control with the 55-gram shaft as I did with the 64-gram R.flex shaft in my Callaway X16 Tour driver.

Miyazaki shafts (now owned by Srixon-Cleveland and XXIO) have a four digit flex code that describes four characteristcs of the shaft.

Happy hunting. Keep us posted on what you find.

[Foot Wedge]

Great information here, thanks y'all. @WUTiger, when the shaft MPF specifies adding control or distance, what does adding control mean?  Is that like shot workability?  I'm not good enough to want that, I play game improvement irons and I like when my drive flies straight.  Just want to make sure I use correct inputs, junk in = junk out.  

Is that MPF code widely recognized?  I'm wondering if that could be a starting point if I were to go to one of those Titleist Tuesdays or the place that offers the Mizuno Fitting.  Data points and flash drives...you're speaking my language.

My driver currently has an Aldila DVS 60 that I got because I realized I needed a stiff shaft and it was on sale.  Back in college I didn't have time or the money to play too often but now I'm playing much more frequently and would like to get the most out of my clubs.  At times I feel like I have to be too cognizant of my body motion to get the driver to perform.  It would be nice to know if I'm fighting the shaft or if I should work on my swing.

[WUTiger]

6 hours ago, caddystacks said:

Great information here, thanks y'all. @WUTiger, when the shaft MPF specifies adding control or distance, what does adding control mean?  Is that like shot workability? ... 

Is that MPF code widely recognized? ...

Shafts with a Control factor are for players with a strong swing. The following two shafts have an MPF of 5C1H:

• KBS C-Taper XStiff... 130 grams Taper tip / 140 grams Parallel tip
• Dynamic Gold Tour issue X100... 130 grams

These two shafts are recommended for players with driver Swing Speed > 108 MPH, plus have low trajectory (1) and correction against hooking.

Shafts with a Distance factor are for players with very low clubhead speed, where they need all the help they can get to spring the ball forward with the shaft, One such shaft with MPF of 1D3S:

• Aldila Low Torque iron shaft L-flex (graphite, 77 grams)

This shaft is recommended for golfers with driver Swing Speed below 62 MPH, who need high trajectory (3) and correction against slicing.

Is the code MPF widely recognized? It is used primarily by club builders and golf shops that tap the GolfWorks supply chain for shafts. And, that's a lot of people.

[Foot Wedge]

17 hours ago, WUTiger said:

Shafts with a Control factor are for players with a strong swing.

 

17 hours ago, WUTiger said:

Shafts with a Distance factor are for players with very low clubhead speed

Thanks for the input.  So I noticed that the one variable I was absolutely certain about is the first number (4, since 150 yds is an 8 iron and I've had my clubhead sped measured at 100-105), could Both be a suitable input? A friend described my swing as fairly aggressive, so I'm guessing a control factor may also be needed?  I noticed the only 4D** combos are for high trajectories.

[WUTiger]

The majority of the shafts are 2B**, 3B** or 4B**, balancing distance and control. That's what the average golfer needs.

The MPF chart only lists four 3D3* and three 4D3* shafts, the second "3" indicating high trajectory. This is out of about 200 shafts on the MPF chart. High launch shafts in  the 1D, 2D and 3D are understandable, because of lower swing speeds. But, the 4D3* seems odd, because someone who has 93 MPH swing speed probably doesn't need a high-launch driver shaft.

[MattGreg]

Speaking of shaft types could you all tell me what your opinions are on regular and uniflex shafts ? 

Thanks

 

[Mr. Desmond]

2 hours ago, MattGreg said:

Speaking of shaft types could you all tell me what your opinions are on regular and uniflex shafts ? 

Thanks

 

From what I've read and heard over the years, uniflex is an excuse for a salesguy not to fit you ... it's marketing.

Get fit for what you are, and maybe a little ahead of where you are, depending on your goals and whether you are taking serious steps to improvement as in fitness, lessons, understanding the swing.

[MattGreg]

Good point, reason I ask was because I just bought the Taylormade speedblade irons but they are uniflex, but I don't feel as much flex in them as normal uniflex. Normally you can just barely swing with uniflex  and the shaft moves all over the place noticably different from a  regular shaft. I'm just wondering if for an average golfer if these irons are suitable? I hear mixed opinions on them , but from what I've gathered uniflex is fine for most people until your near par each game then you need a note specialized shaft

 

6 hours ago, Mr. Desmond said:

From what I've read and heard over the years, uniflex is an excuse for a salesguy not to fit you ... it's marketing.

Get fit for what you are, and maybe a little ahead of where you are, depending on your goals and whether you are taking serious steps to improvement as in fitness, lessons, understanding the swing.

 

6 hours ago, Mr. Desmond said:

From what I've read and heard over the years, uniflex is an excuse for a salesguy not to fit you ... it's marketing.

Get fit for what you are, and maybe a little ahead of where you are, depending on your goals and whether you are taking serious steps to improvement as in fitness, lessons, understanding the swing.

Good point, reason I ask was because I just bought the Taylormade speedblade irons but they are uniflex, but I don't feel as much flex in them as normal uniflex. Normally you can just barely swing with uniflex  and the shaft moves all over the place noticably different from a  regular shaft. I'm just wondering if for an average golfer if these irons are suitable? I hear mixed opinions on them , but from what I've gathered uniflex is fine for most people until your near par each game then you need a more specialized shaft.

[Mr. Desmond]

1 hour ago, MattGreg said:

Good point, reason I ask was because I just bought the Taylormade speedblade irons but they are uniflex, but I don't feel as much flex in them as normal uniflex. Normally you can just barely swing with uniflex  and the shaft moves all over the place noticably different from a  regular shaft. I'm just wondering if for an average golfer if these irons are suitable? I hear mixed opinions on them , but from what I've gathered uniflex is fine for most people until your near par each game then you need a note specialized shaft.

I think uniflex is easier to sell somebody.

It may work for some but it is a compromise, a guess, and a sale.

Unfortunately, par has nothing to do with speed speed, tempo, and release unless you can put that together into long, straight fairways hit and GIR.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Mr. Desmond

[WUTiger]

On 6/16/2016 at 6:29 AM, MattGreg said:

Speaking of shaft types could you all tell me what your opinions are on regular and Uniflex shafts ?

Uniflex shafts fall between regular and stiff flex. I played Uniflex in  Callaway X20 irons for a couple of seasons. The Uniflex had a mid-launch, and did not balloon the ball like the shafts on the (first-generation) Big Bertha or Ping G10 shafts.

On 6/16/2016 at 9:19 AM, Mr. Desmond said:

From what I've read and heard over the years, uniflex is an excuse for a salesguy not to fit you ... it's marketing.

Uniflex supposedly was designed to fit about 75% of male golfers. It was an OK shaft for lots of people, but rarely the ideal shaft for anyone. (Like @Mr. Desmond, club designer Ralph Maltby did not think much of Uniflex).

Ultimate test: hit the irons with the U-flex, and see if they work for you. If not, seek other shafts.

[EMC2144]

I don't understand high launch, stiff shafts either. I don't know all the numbers but I have had stiff and extra stiff Grafalloy Reds  (low launch on woods and still hit them what felt too high to me. However there clearly is a market for it.  Henrik Stensson I believe uses blues  (high launch) on his 3 wood (the main club he hits off tees). I'm not as sure of the technical stuff, but clearly their "high launch" shafts for high swing speeds are good. I guess I should look into this more before I buy a new 3 wood.