| The shaft of your club can really hurt your game, | | | | is called A flex. It is for swing speeds of 70-85mph. |
| especially in your driver. Before you can understand | | | | The next level is called Regular and is for 80-95mph |
| this, you need to comprehend why the ball goes | | | | swing speeds. Next up is Stiff and it is for 90-105 |
| straight or curves after you hit it. When your club face | | | | swing speeds. Finally, there is extra stiff which is for |
| impacts the ball, it should be square, simple as that. If it | | | | 105+ mph. Once again: |
| is not, your ball will not go straight. If you get to the ball | | | | X - 105+ |
| and your club is open, guess what, its going to be a | | | | S - 90-105 |
| push or fade. If its closed it is probably going to be a | | | | R - 80-95 |
| pull or draw. In the extreme of both cases, you will | | | | A - 70-85 |
| have a slice or a hook. Your shaft can directly effect | | | | L - 70 or less |
| the position of the club face at impact. Your shaft | | | | The shaft torque or its ability to resist twisting during |
| bends on the upswing and on the downswing. On your | | | | the downswing, is usually stated in degrees. The higher |
| downswing, the club face is behind your hands | | | | the number, the more resistant it is to twisting. The |
| because the shaft is bending back. If your shaft | | | | lower the number, the less resistant. When considering |
| doesn't catch up with your hands before impact, your | | | | the torque number that is right for you, you need to |
| ball will not go the way you want it to. The harder and | | | | examine your swing. If you have a swing that is very |
| faster you swing speed is, the more force you put on | | | | strong on the down swing and has a late release, then |
| the shaft to bend. | | | | you need a lower torque. Probably no higher than 3. If |
| Another aspect of the shaft is the shaft torque. This | | | | you have a smooth swing with good rhythm, you don't |
| involves how the shaft twists when you swing. When | | | | need a torque any lower than about 3. |
| you downswing, air is pushing against the face of your | | | | If your can't get the flight pattern you are looking for in |
| club. This air pushing on the face is causing the shaft | | | | your drives, or maybe you just cant hit good drives, |
| to twist so the the club face is open slightly. Once | | | | you should think about getting a new shaft. I am never |
| again, the faster you swing, the more the shaft is going | | | | one to tell someone to get a new shaft if they are |
| to twist. | | | | hitting the ball well, however, if you are playing with the |
| These two concepts on shafts will greatly impact the | | | | wrong shaft and you still hit the ball well, you have |
| flight of your ball. This is why you must have the | | | | probably adjusted your swing to fit the shaft. For |
| correct shaft. I know it gets kinda complicated, but the | | | | example, if you have shaft that is too flexible for you, |
| golf experts out there have it set up so we don't have | | | | you have to slow your swing down in order to hit it |
| to think about it too much. | | | | straight. This could be holding you back. If your swing |
| Golf manufacturers have five basic levels of shaft | | | | speed does not match your shaft, you should at least |
| stiffness. The most flexible shaft is called Ladies. You | | | | try the shaft that is rated for you. You might hit your |
| guessed it, its for women. More importantly, it is for | | | | drives even better than you already do. So go down |
| people who swing at 70mph or less. The next level up | | | | to your golf equipment store and see what is available. |