Iron Shafts R to S Flex

[sofingaw]

Hey all!

So, I’m convinced that I’m in need of new (stiffer) shafts in my irons. This is based on a few data points:

1) I have a two way miss that I am having great difficulty correcting. Either a push straight right, or a hard overdraw/hook. I read that some who have too-flexible/light shafts can have this miss pattern. Seems to fit my situation. If I S L O W my swing down, I can straighten it a bit, but it feels unnatural, like I’m putting the brakes on my swing. I’d rather swing full. I feel like I’m walking on a razor with the ‘right’ speed, and I’m thinking it would help to have something else that I can’t overpower so easily, and so I can commit to each shot. Basically, 2 out of 10 shots go straightish. 4 go left, 4 go right. I do not have a problem with contact anymore. I get it ‘up’ plenty easily, and don’t hit it excessively fat or thin very often these days. (Just a little fat/thin, haha). About 8-10 times or more per round I hear myself say ‘yeah I hit it good, it just went way left/right!’

2) I’m 6’2 with about an 88mph 6i swing speed. Carry it about 175 or so. Distance is not my problem. Even losing just a bit would be OK if I start hitting it a good deal straighter.

3) I’m playing stock Ping AWT R-flex shafts in my G15’s. These shafts weigh 99g. Pretty light compared to almost any Stiff flex shaft out there. The ball launches high, and I do like that. But if something stiffer would drop the flight a bit, but keep me straighter... I’m interested. When I bought the irons new, my swing was (more) crap, and I couldn’t generate too much clubhead speed. The salesman/fitter said I could go with Stiff graphite shafts, but since the R’s were steel, they would play ‘stiff enough’, anyway. Probably/possibly true back then (2012), definitley not the case now. 

So...

I have tried the online fitting sites from True Temper and KBS, and though I can play with the answers to the questions a bit, I get vaguely consistent results. Normally I’m guided toward KBS Tour S, KBS Tour V (Stiff), KBS C-Taper Lite, or Project X 6.0/5.5’s. The problem is, I have no idea what each of these shafts would really do for me.

My number one goal is to significantly straighten my ballflight and tighten my dispersion. Secondly, I would like to keep as much distance as possible. Trajectory is of less importance to me, but medium to high sounds good.

Of course the best thing to do would be to go get fitted for shafts. I could answer all my questions in an hour or two. 

Unfortunately, where I live now, (Japan) there are not any places that I know of to go get fit. Plus the language barrier could be an issue. 

Does anyone have any specific recommendations or experiences on any of the shafts I mentioned, or any others that you know to be similar, or that may help me achieve my goals? Especially interested if your numbers are similar to mine. 

Most of the shafts I listed are about 110g in weight. Seems like 10g up won’t throw me off too much. Does that sound reasonable?

If I can, I will figure out how to get fit here in Japan, but I am also browsing eBay for shaft sets and have come close to pulling the trigger a couple of times. I just want to avoid any extremely costly mistakes, if possible. 

Thank you for reading my novel, and I appreciate any feedback. I do have a ‘my swing’ thread if seeing me swing my 6i would be helpful. 

 

Edited July 27, 2018 by sofingaw

[sofingaw]

Added this if it helps. 

[allenc]

At the very least you need to borrow someone’s heavier iron and see if you like it better.  Just buying some random stiff shafts online would be a shot in the dark to help you with anything.

To my understanding iron shafts that are too weak will not hurt you much.  If you are experience extreme misses it is almost surely not because of your shafts.  That being said with your swing speed a fitter would probably recommend something on the stiffer side.

[Grizvok]

I would be more inclined to tell you to focus on your swing. Looks like a massive overswing to me and extremely vertical. Yeah we have some Koepka’s out there that manage to shallow the club out in a hurry but you are making things tough on yourself by being that vertical.

[sofingaw]

4 hours ago, Grizvok said:

I would be more inclined to tell you to focus on your swing. Looks like a massive overswing to me and extremely vertical. Yeah we have some Koepka’s out there that manage to shallow the club out in a hurry but you are making things tough on yourself by being that vertical.

Don’t i know it! Yeah, the swing is a work in progress. I definitley know I can’t ‘buy’ a swing, but maybe something a bit heavier and stiffer will help to keep me from wrapping it around my neck on the backswing?

thanks @allenc and @Grizvok for the advices!

7 hours ago, allenc said:

At the very least you need to borrow someone’s heavier iron and see if you like it better.  Just buying some random stiff shafts online would be a shot in the dark to help you with anything.

To my understanding iron shafts that are too weak will not hurt you much.  If you are experience extreme misses it is almost surely not because of your shafts.  That being said with your swing speed a fitter would probably recommend something on the stiffer side.

I would say my right side misses are maybe a 10-15 yard push. While not great, I wouldn’t call them extreme. My hooks can be MASSIVE though. I can hook an 8i 30-40 yards offline with a swing that I would have called ‘mediocre’, vice abysmal. It just takes off kind of straight, and then screams left sometimes. 

Yeah I need to try some different sticks before buying. 

Edited July 28, 2018 by sofingaw

[Piz]

I use DG R300's in my irons and wedges.  I like the weight and I like the idea that I can over-gas them if I don't keep my head screwed on correctly.  Maybe that is idiotic; but I have to start and end somewhere.  The probability that I know what I am doing is of a very low order...why not act like I want to?  Using the softest flex I can control makes more sense to me than the alternative.  If that is completely wrong it is just one more reason I don't play golf for a living.

[Grizvok]

11 minutes ago, sofingaw said:

Don’t i know it! Yeah, the swing is a work in progress. I definitley know I can’t ‘buy’ a swing, but maybe something a bit heavier and stiffer will help to keep me from wrapping it around my neck on the backswing?

thanks @allenc and @Grizvok for the advices!

I would say my right side misses are maybe a 10-15 yard push. While not great, I wouldn’t call them extreme. My hooks can be MASSIVE though. I can hook an 8i 30-40 yards offline with a swing that I would have called ‘mediocre’, vice abysmal. It just takes off kind of straight, and then screams left sometimes. 

Yeah I need to try some different sticks before buying. 

The only thing that will reliably stop you from doing that is fundamentally changing the way with which you swing the golf club which takes specific and dedicated practice. I just watched your clips from 2013 and the same exact massive overswing that was present then is still there now. That's honestly one of the least technically difficult things to change about a golf swing and get ingrained into muscle memory.

[sofingaw]

3 minutes ago, Grizvok said:

The only thing that will reliably stop you from doing that is fundamentally changing the way with which you swing the golf club which takes specific and dedicated practice. I just watched your clips from 2013 and the same exact massive overswing that was present then is still there now. That's honestly one of the least technically difficult things to change about a golf swing and get ingrained into muscle memory.

Tell you what, I’ll give it a go this month and see what happens. I do practice about 2-3 times a week these days, so I should see some progress if it’s easy and I focus on it. Thanks again!

[Grizvok]

1 minute ago, sofingaw said:

Tell you what, I’ll give it a go this month and see what happens. I do practice about 2-3 times a week these days, so I should see some progress if it’s easy and I focus on it. Thanks again!

Heck yeah. Get some more swing video up too if you can. Look up the 9 to 3 drill and practice that. Get used to a much shorter swing in general. And most importantly for now, read this thread I linked down below. If you want to improve you also probably need to fundamentally change the way with which you are practicing. The best practice you can do without a coach entails video recording and viewing lots of swings. Don't use "feel" as a judge of how you are doing during your practice, use concrete evidence. Play off of the video to slowly chip away at the unnecessary length. Your eyes will be able to tell you when you've achieved that. Then continually drill that shorter swing in so it becomes automatic and you can move on to the next thing. Rinse and repeat as each iteration of your swing becomes better and more technically sound.

Good luck!

 

 

[sofingaw]

Thanks! I have read that thread, and will re-read it. Also I just re-read the ‘Stupid Monkey’ thread. And I’ll definitely update my swing thread. 

I’m gonna still look at Stiff shafts though!  😛 I still think they will help me out.