Need serious help with understanding shafts : (

[Simanrules]

Hi everyone, 

First time here posting a thread, loving reading prior to this but never participated, but now i desperately need people help lol.

Ill start at the beginning.

Im 28 and have been playing 15 months and am currently handicap 12.7. 

I started playing with a friend old beaten up idrive 12° driver aldilia vx reg shaft, and man i could bomb that driver, apart from pros i could outdrive anyone and exceptionally accurately too, were talking landing on greens on par 4's (all the while not being able to hit a single iron haha). But as christmas came around and i was getting better i thought it would special for my partner to buy me a replacment for my boom stick. So i looked around and got my heart set on the wilson fg tour f5 driver, the thing just looked gorgeous to me. Now due to the distance i was getting with the idrive, perhaps stupidly got it with the stiff shaft(50 gram fubuki z), that was my first mistake, turns out i have a swing speed of 90-96mph and couldnt hit the damn thing.

So a couple of months later a friend gave me a aldilia nvs 65 lite tm-3, lovely looking shaft and looks fantastic with the wilson head, the complements i get on the looks sometimes makes me giddy. However no matter how i hit the club (centre face, nice controlled swing) or how high or low(i prefer low, the red shortees if everyones familiar) the peak of my ball flight is about 5- 10 yards off the grounds, for a little while i thought i was closing down the face, but this isnt the case no matter what i seem to do the ball just wont get up.

So ive been looking at info online and on ebay and read the nvs has a low kick point whereas the fubuki z has a high point, and bearing in mind i feel the wilson head is quite heavy, very heavy against say a tm rbz, i was wondering if this is where my problems are coming from? As im hitting the ball with a heavy head is it flexing too much?

See, i dont mind spending the money on a 3rd shaft (fubuki z 50 reg) if its going to solve the problem, but this isnt the case and i do, then ive wasted stupid money just to end up getting rid of the thing and probably going for a cobra f6....

Please any insight from people who know what they're talking about would be soo appreciated, and i would certainly owe u a drink.

Oh, and should mention due the the low ball flight i use the 0g weight and my old driver being set quite high, i set it at 11.5 deg the next setting up would be 12.5 deg and i just feel that would be ridiculous.

Please no tee suggestions, if the tee exists ive tried it.

Thank you very much in advance

Edited July 19, 2018 by Simanrules
Grammar and spelling errors

[1badbadger]

I tell this to anyone who is hitting a particular club really well...don't jack with it!  Seriously, if you have a club that you hit long and straight, don't change it, modify it or replace it.  The chances of you improving on a club that you hit that well is slim.

It sounds like you still have your original driver, correct?  If that is the case, I recommend putting it back in the bag rather than try to find a shaft/head combination that you can hit as well, and put your money into a set of irons that you can hit.  I'm not trying to sound sarcastic, so please don't take it like that.  I'm being 100% sincere on this.  If you hit your iDrive really good, leave it in the bag and work on finding a set of irons that fits you better than your current set.

[MrGolfguy67]

3 minutes ago, 1badbadger said:

I tell this to anyone who is hitting a particular club really well...don't jack with it!  Seriously, if you have a club that you hit long and straight, don't change it, modify it or replace it.  The chances of you improving on a club that you hit that well is slim.

This is truth right here. I made this mistake a few times in my younger days before i finally learned. 

(Slim to none, and Slim just left the building)

[Simanrules]

Hi thanks guys, i never thought i would receive a response so quickly.

I completely agree, and its the exact advise i would probably give someone.

Oh also should mention, since not being able to hit my irons, i did the right thing (i assume), put the work in on the range, and than upgraded to cobra f6 reg irons and i can now confirm i hit them sweet. 160 with my 6 iron.

As for my driver i will have to take some pics tonight when im home of the idrive, because man this thing is beaten up, and was when i first got it, so i'll upload pics.

I have had a look on ebay for a brand new version of it and its only £60 brand new, that may be the way forward me.

Probably a bit vain for me just to want a nice looking bag of clubs lol, i suppose performance is the key.

[GOATee]

At your current 90-96 swingspeed, you should be using shafts 4.2-5.5 torque.  Don't just look at flex, look at torque (tip torque), that is a more accurate way to tell stiffness.

The VX was about 5.5 torque, the NV around 3.5.  No surprise you could not launch the NV.

 

Some shafts are soft in the middle and some stiff in the middle.  The mid-soft shafts are better for slower swing-speeds, the mid-stiff are usually only for very high swing-speeds.

The Fubuki Z is mid-stiff so not suitable for your swingspeed no matter the flex. 

Stay away from Kuro Kage, Fubuki, Aldilas, what you need is the older softer Diamanas like S+plus.

 

Apart from that you need to find out whether you prefer 50g or 60g shafts, what is your preferred swingweight (suggest something between D1-D6) and stick with it.

Since there is so much to figure out, you should get fitted.

 

Edited July 20, 2018 by GOATee

[Simanrules]

Thanks for your input goatee.

Ill start from the bottom and work my way bk, i prefer 60g, or maybe even a little higher, 50g just feels too light for me almost as if i havent even got a club in my hands but saying that the f6 irons (and i know were talking drivers here) swing weight d1/2 ish feel perfect, my previous set, macgregor dr x were slightly heavier and affected my swing *consistantcy*, so i sorter feel like im contradicting myself by having lightish irons but heavier side of driver. Although i maintain that the fg f5 head is really heavy.

And i completely understand and thank you so much for telling me not to go for the fubuki z this being the main reason for starting the post, just had this niggling feeling that i would be wasting me money. 

And i understand (maybe not completely) what your saying about the torque, but just to clarify, your saying the vx and nvs are both mid soft(not the fubuki) but the torque in the tip of the nvs is too stiff? Because its advertised as a high launch shaft i thought surely it would create a higher launch angle as a given.

1 last thing, its just a thought and please correct me on this. Would the torque/flex point of the fubuki not compensate for the weight of the head? And anymore info you could give me on that theory would be muchly appreciated.

And now finally pictures of my idrive, sooo sweet but so beaten up, if it was nice i would have no problem keeping it, just feel embarrased teeing up with the thing

i maintain that is how it was given to me, 15 months in and i have never thrown or banged a club!!! Hahaha

and again thanks to you guys for participating, im still very much a novice and am trying to soak up all your guys experience.

[Simanrules]

Since my post, i looked at the fujikura pro 60, with a 4.5 torque m/l. Opinion on that?

[Piz]

1 minute ago, Simanrules said:

Since my post, i looked at the fujikura pro 60, with a 4.5 torque m/l. Opinion on that?

It isn't about this shaft or that shaft.  It is about your swing, the club head weight, what flight characteristics you desire or don't desire, etc...The best shaft for you might be one that no one else likes.  To put it another way: my favorite Pinot Noir is unlikely to be yours.  I can recommend something; but what's the point?

[DrMJG]

And don't think too much about looks.  I wouldn't pay if that were the case!  Actually, I have a very nice looking set of Pings overall, but my driver, 3w and 8i are hold overs from developing my current set.  My drive still has a nice solid shape and the face is clean and solid.  If I were that worried about looks, 10 minutes with a permanent marker would take care of the cosmetics!  I don't worry if the scratch, dents and such does not affect its play.

As to shaft, unlike my irons and hybrids, my driver is a regular shaft on it. It does play a bit like a soft regular. I thought of changing it, but, I have been hitting it about 240 - 250 with a nice soft draw.  So unless and until this club begins to fade due to condition, I won't change it all all except for the shortening by 1"  to the shaft I did upon acquiring the beast.

Best wishes on your growing into golf.

[GOATee]

You need to get fit.  Even experienced golfers do because there are just too many different shafts to keep track of.

[Simanrules]

Again thanks guys, im getting the general concensus.

Ive woken up early enough to attack my idrive with a marker pen and get to the my local as and when it opens, gonna play by myself and take both drivers. Results will follow. ( i know range would be a better a more definitive answer but what the hell).

2 more things

Im gonna leave it awhile before selling the fg f5 (if todays results are assumed terrible) and will certainly get fit for the next driver, and you guys have pointed out its my only way to garrentee not wasting money.

Secondly i have a 3 wood wilson staff df6 with ust mamiya v2 shaft reg, (piz and goatee looking at you guys here) 3.5 torque,7.0 mid stiffness blah blah, off a tee - lovely, off the deck - scuttles along the floor im again assuming the torque is wrong for me again, and i should have a softer shaft? 

ANYONE from this point onwards at the very bottom of your comment could we vote, keep old driver or suggest new shaft. The results may not matter or change anything, just nice clear definitive answers would be interesting to see, although again i can already see the concensus.

Thank you guys again very much i knew almost nothing about torque, mid flexs and the like before your guys reply responded you have all made someone alittle wiser through your help.

Edited July 21, 2018 by Simanrules
Grammar and spelling

[GOATee]

Get fit for both a new driver and wood with stock shafts.  If they are the correct fit, the stock shafts should be more than good enough.

It will be better and cheaper in the long run than buying aftermarket shafts for your current clubs.

Don't end up with a huge waste of money trying the wrong shafts like many golfers including myself.

If you are lost where to start, you can try

Ping G400 Max driver with PING Alta CB 55 Regular or Stiff shaft (stock shaft)

Ping G400 Fairway 3-wood with PING Alta CB 65 Regular or Stiff shaft (stock shaft)

These clubs are playable by a very large number of beginner golfers.

Edited July 21, 2018 by GOATee

[Simanrules]

Hi back again, quick update, got doen the course yesterday as soon as it opened and was pretty empty  so had loads of chance to test both drivers against eachother on the driveable holes. On a couple of the holes knocking out 6 balls 3 on each, dont worry one behind so not concerned about slow play, picked all my balls up apart from the one that went furthest (sort of cheating i know, scores not going towards my handicap although did get a personal best of 77 although again not counting it).

The fg tour did as expected low ball flight (although consistant) and sort of landed 100-140 and ran out the rest of the way which wasnt much did to the rain we had friday and me playing early before the cloud cover went.

The idrive on the other hand, nice ball flight, at first some quite hard draws, certainly not hooks but alot more draw then you would like, by the back nine was getting the flight i wanted out of it but perhaps my distance had dropped off alittle bit from when i had previously used it (maybe 20 yards) but more or less happy.

Ive put the fg tour up on ebay if anyone would like to take a look, its the one with 2 shafts obviously.

Goatee you are a legend. Im glad ive had the chance to communicate with you, you have been very helpful.

As for the Ping G400 that is a very sexy club and probably my favourite of the drivers released in the last year, however and big however. That club is considerably out of my price range, i am on goodish money with a good job im happy with, although with a 15 month old baby sometimes its hard to justify to my missus playing golf let alone spending £350 on 1 club, especially when i just bought brand new f6 irons 5- sw and a md3 gap and lob wedge hahaha she would NOT understand hahahaha.

However, however, however, a couple of guys who i used to work with but have never play golf with have suggested the same thing you said about the ping about cobra driver imparticular the f6, f7 is also sexy not 100% on the f8 though. Again fitting is obviously the key here but from your experience and what you kmow of clubs would you agree? Very hittable clubs for the wider market? 

Anyway ill see what i get for the wilson, add some money to it, and then get fitted and shopping around, if the ping is best suited to me then im just gonna have to hide in my car so my partner doesnt find out and pretend to take that scabby old idrive out with me everytime lol

Again thanks for everyones help, ive learned alot and im sure ill be back soon to pick your brains some more before i even consider wasting some money.

[ScottyT]

Agree with other posts....if you hit a club extraordinarily well, why change?  I would think any improvement would be marginal if you are hitting it as well as you say.  The best, and in my opinion, ONLY way to find the proper shaft for you is to take your current driver and go to a reputable club fitter (reputable being the key....there are a lot of hacks at big box stores who only want to sell you a club) and try diferent combinations relative to what you use now.   Your current driver would be the starting point.  If you find a combination that out performs what you have now and you're willing to drop the cash, then by all means, do so.  After years of trying various off the shelf drivers, I went to a fitter.  Found I needed shaft with a higher kick point, shaft in the "regular flex" range.  I now hit my drives 10-15 yards longer  and straighter because of a simple shaft change.  Beware:  The shaft flex's you see imprinted on most shafts is subjective; there's no standard and varies by manufacturer.  I've played "S" shafts that felt more like the "R" of another company, for example., and visa versa.  You may find shafts with torque listed and torque is an objective measurement.  A good fitter can help you demystify all this and get you into the right shaft.