Choosing Your Golf Shaft

By:  Kyle Collins – VP of Product Sales

A question that all amateur golfers wonder is “what is the best golf shaft for my swing?”. A fair question but one that golf fitters know all too well there are many factors to consider. You have metal vs graphite, stiff, regular or flex, not to mention all of the different brands available. The truth is that there is no one shaft that is perfect for any golfer just based on analytics alone. The best one can do is to start with a recommendation from a professional golf fitter then see how it feels when you swing it. Of course, the biggest factor will be the result you are getting it terms of distance and accuracy.

Although trial and error are a big part of it, here are some tips to get you started on the right path.

1. Get with a professional golf fitter and have your swing analyzed. There are launch monitors available to help you narrow down choices based on the data provided.
2. Give your input to the professional. Your input combined with the data from the launch monitor will give you a good a good starting point in determining what type of golf shaft is best for you.
3. Understand that you may still have many choices of shafts after going through this process. Make your choice based on past ratings of different brands and find a shaft that fits your budget and gives you the best value.
4. Understand the most important aspect of choosing the right shaft is to make sure the flex of the shaft is right for your swing. By examining the club head speed (swing speed) of a player, noting the players tempo and release point, we can with some level of certainty find the best overall flex for any given player. Remember, you can choose a great brand, but if the flex is wrong for your swing, you will not get the results you want.
5. Revisit your shaft selection over time. A golfer’s swing changes over time, particular the swing speed. It’s unlikely that a golf shaft that served you well in your 30’s will also serve you well in your 60’s.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you talk to your professional club fitter.

• Swing Tempo – Generally, the faster the swing, the stiffer the shaft
• Release – A late release generally indicates a faster swing
• Trajectory (ball flight) – A Lower ball flight generally indicates a faster swing
• Flight Direction – If you are consistently hooking or slicing, you may have the wrong shaft flex
• Distance Control – The ultimate goal is to find the shaft that gives you the best combination of distance & control. More flex (within your flex range) may give you more distance, but don’t sell out on distance and sacrifice too much control.