| All low handicappers and golfers who are serious | | | | ? Your driver will be your best gauge on which flex |
| about shooting the lowest scores possible consider | | | | you need. Not 100% accurate but the best club to use |
| flex in their clubs. It makes the science of hitting the ball | | | | for this purpose. If you can carry you driver 250 yards |
| so much easier, which translates to more enjoyment | | | | or more, go with Stiff; 230-250 yards, Regular; 200-230 |
| on the course. | | | | yards, Senior; less than 200 yards, Ladies. What about |
| Now, when I say "flex", I am referring to the ability of a | | | | Extra Stiff? I can count the number of people on one |
| golf shaft to bend as forces are applied to it during the | | | | hand that actually need or use an Extra Stiff shaft. |
| golf swing. Just go ahead and ?waggle? your club a | | | | Only guys like John Daily and Long Drive Champions |
| little and see how much the shaft bends and you will | | | | need that type. |
| get an idea of what ?flex? is. | | | | ? If shots with your driver tend to go left, you might |
| There are five basic categories or types of shaft flex: | | | | benefit from a stiffer flex; if your drives go right, you |
| 1. Extra Stiff | | | | might benefit from a softer flex. |
| 2. Stiff | | | | ? If you know (or have been told) you have a very |
| 3. Regular | | | | smooth swing, you might benefit from a softer flex |
| 4. Senior | | | | even if you swing very fast. Further, if you have a |
| 5. Ladies | | | | swing that gets jerky at the top, especially starting the |
| Why is the flex in your shaft important? Well, when | | | | downswing, you?ll probably need a stiffer shaft. |
| you have a flex that doesn't match the needs of your | | | | The Best (and most accurate way) to Choose Flex |
| swing, the result is the clubface being misaligned at | | | | Type |
| impact, causing your shots to go off-target. Not good. | | | | If you are not comfortable determining which flex you |
| To be more specific, your flex will impact how straight | | | | should choose on your own, go see your local pro at |
| you hit the ball, how high or low it goes and how long | | | | the course you play at or your driving range. This will |
| or short it travels. | | | | takea lot of the guesswork out of the equation. |
| Keep in mind one very important thing about the shaft | | | | A good pro will take a lot of measurements, watch |
| of your club and its flex. As the shaft flexes | | | | your swing, measure your swing speed, watch your |
| throughout the swing, the position of the clubhead will | | | | ball flight and be able to tell you with certainty which |
| change. This means you need a shaft that will properly | | | | flex is right for you. |
| match your swing type and speed so that it can | | | | What you want to do is to experiment by hitting lots of |
| deliver the clubface back to a square position at | | | | different clubs and watching the effects on your shots |
| impact. | | | | of changing shaft flex. |
| For example, if the flex of your clubs is too stiff, the | | | | If you find a flex that feels good and produces a good |
| clubface will tend to be open, sending the ball in a | | | | ball flight, there's a good chance that's the right flex for |
| slicing direction. Or, if you have clubs with a shaft flex | | | | you. |
| that is not very stiff, the clubhead will be tend to be | | | | And lastly, here?s the best advice I can give on |
| closed at impact, resulting in a hook. | | | | choosing flex. Most high-handicappers (especially men) |
| Choose Your Flex Type | | | | tend to over-swing. If this describes you (and you |
| I always am experimenting with different shafts and | | | | know who you are), you should consider a softer flex |
| flex types because I know that if my swing is on plane | | | | to help you slow your swing down. Slowing down the |
| and accurate, my shaft flex type can be adversely | | | | swing will certainly produce more accurate shots and |
| affecting my results. | | | | better distance control. |
| Here?s what I do: | | | | |