My driver had a wood shaft this whole time?!

[Derekfugitt]

Hello all. This is not a google type question, so I'm putting it out there for the humans. I have recently discovered I have been swinging a wood shaft on my driver for the last 10+ years. Yes 10+... Anyways, I'm a big swinger with my drives between 270 and 300 yds. 115+ mph swing speed according to my local golf shop (with my driver). The driver is a Taylormade R7 with an Aldila NV 65 s shaft (stiff). I'm also left handed, hence nobody ever told me I was swinging a wood shaft because I only play with you right handed folk. I now know that a stiff wood shaft is stiffer than a stiff driver shaft, so what type of flex and weight should I get if I want to replace my current shaft? I still want to take the big cuts that I have grown accustomed to, since it is the strongest part of my game (I have a strong scramble presence I need to keep up). I'm thinking extra stiff will still feel looser than my current shaft? I have since picked up and dabbled with a lefty driver with a stiff driver shaft and it felt like my wife's 8 iron (no offense intended). But do I just need to get used to this? Or go extra stiff? Thank you for reading this far. Any input is greatly appreciated.

[WUTiger]

3 hours ago, Derekfugitt said:

... I have recently discovered I have been swinging a wood shaft on my driver for the last 10+ years. Yes 10+... Anyways, I'm a big swinger with my drives between 270 and 300 yds. 115+ mph swing speed according to my local golf shop (with my driver). The driver is a Taylormade R7 with an Aldila NV 65 s shaft (stiff). ...  But do I just need to get used to this? Or go extra stiff? ...

I'm a little confused by your post.

If your current driver configuration gives you drives > 270 and 115 MPH clubhead speed, why do you want to change it?

Also, I looked up the specs in my old Golfworks catalog on the 2009 edition of your Aldila NVS 65 wood series shaft. In stiff, it is a 68-gram 4B2M code shaft (for stronger golfer, balances distance and control, medium launch and no hook-slice correction). This is a robust shaft, but not as harsh as an XS whatever.

The catalog page notes that the NVS 75 can also be used in fairway woods, or drivers. So, the 2009 NVS was a wood shaft for drivers or FWs. (Ten years ago, not all graphite shaft makers made separate driver and FW shafts. That's still the case. (Circa 2008, Callaway used the Fuji Fit-On E360 shaft as stock on both its Hyper X Tour driver and its X Tour FWs). 

As you suggested to yourself (see blue lettering above), get used to it. You're doing fine with your current driver.

[Derekfugitt]

WUtiger thank you for the response and the research. I get what you are saying. I suppose I felt like if I was going for as much distance and consistency as possible, I was doing it by handcuffing myself by using a shaft that was designed for a heavier club head. The club is a used demo from eBay that's was given to me as a gift, so I never really looked into its specs. But I was a huge upgrade for me at the time. Although, I have been wanting to upgrade my driver, and shaft change seemed like a really affordable change that could possibly unlock another 20 yards or so? I realize I sound a little greedy, but use it before you lose it right? I definitely won't be able to hack like this forever! But if a shaft change won't make any difference, I can definitely find a better way to spend $50. Like getting some of those Kirkland golf balls when they come back. Again, thank you for looking into this and hearing me out. I definitely didn't realize the shafts were universal. 

[Pretzel]

It shouldn't be a problem, most of the time driver/wood shafts are interchangeable. For example, I have a driver shaft in my 3-wood that I tipped a bit and then butt trimmed to length. My driver's shaft could be trimmed down to fit into a 3 wood if I wanted as well, it would just need to be about two inches shorter.

The big difference would be if you had a shaft for a hybrid in your driver, since those are different from driver shafts, most notably in that they don't come in a length long enough for a driver. Between a shaft designated for woods and one designated for drivers it will simply be a matter of nomenclature from company to company as to what they call the shaft and it will work in either woods or drivers for about 90% of the shafts marketed in that way.

[Derekfugitt]

Cool thanks pretzel. I have definitely learned more about the marketing and mark-up side of golf retail.