Something that is often overlooked by golfers of all abilities is the golf shaft. No, I’m not speaking of steel or graphite shafts; I’m talking about shaft flex.
The flex in a golf shaft is its ability to bend, or flex, during your golf swing. So, how do you know which shaft flex is right for you? Let’s take a look.
Shafts come in 5 different rating types: ladies, senior, regular, stiff and extra stiff. The challenge is finding the one that matches your particular golf swing. More on that in a minute.
What happens when you don’t have the right flex for your swing? Your clubface will not square up properly at impact, resulting in shots that go off-line and no where near where you’re aiming. It can also cause a loss of distance and affect the trajectory of the golf ball.
How do you determine what flex you should have? Here is a list to use as a guide.
Ladies shaft – If you carry your driver less than 200 yards
Senior – For 200 to 225 yards
Regular – For 225 to 250 yards
Stiff – For 250 to 300 yards
Extra Stiff – Over 300 yards, or if you’re John Daly.
Seriously, an extra stiff shaft is really not a consideration for most weekend golfers.
Another thing to look for is where most of your drives go. If you regularly hit the ball to the right, a softer flex may help you. If you drive left, a stiffer flex could help.
If you’re buying a shaft on your own, always error on the side of more flex. For example, if you’re trying to decide between regular or stiff, choose the regular shaft. The results of hitting a club with a shaft that is too stiff for your swing are far more damaging to your golf game than hitting a club with too much flex.
What is the best way to choose the right shaft? The best way is to be custom fitted by a golf pro that is qualified. They can look at your swing, measure you as well as measure your swing speed. They will observe your ball flight and then determine the proper shaft.
You can also go to the practice range and hit balls with different flex shafts. You can look at how well you hit the ball with each one and go from there.
Don’t overlook the importance of your golf club shafts. It may be what is preventing your from hitting better drives.
