Golf club Specifications.

The shaft.

In continuation of our series on the anatomy of a golf club, this post examines the shaft. In comparison to a sports car, a shaft is the engine that drives the vehicle, transferring power to club head. Shaft technology has come a long way. The earliest shafts made a few centuries ago were fabricated out of hickory wood. The twentieth century brought steel and graphite shafts. At present, shaft manufactures use sophisticated techniques such as nanotechnology to fine tune shafts at a molecular level. For the average golfer, it will be helpful to understand a few details about the type of shafts.

1. Material
Shafts are primarily made of two materials, steel and graphite. Steel shafts are mostly found in irons. Graphite however, can be found in both irons and woods. Typical steel shafts weigh much more than graphite. In recent years however, shaft technology has become so advanced that one can find some very lightweight steel shafts. It is important to note that the best players in the world tend to prefer the same steel shafts that were popular two decades ago in their irons, but will update to the latest graphite shafts in their drivers and woods every season.

For the average golfer, it all depends what kind of feel you are looking for, and more importantly, what executes the best shots for you. Try the same demo irons with both steel and graphite and see what works.

2. Flex

The flex of a shaft is a measure of how stiff or flexible it is. You will find flex in both steel and graphite shaft. The higher the swing speed of the player, the stiffer the shaft should be. The most flexible shafts are in the Ladies' of L-flex, followed by senior or A-Flex, then Regular or R-Flex, Stiff or S-flex, and X or Extra stiff- flex. Different manufacturers will have different terms for the flex description, but most will use the description above. Your club professional or golf store representative can tell you which flex is best for you, depending on the speed and tempo of your swing. Many ladies swing a shaft stiffer than a ladies' flex and many seniors swing regular, stiff or even x-flex, so its not always as simple a name.

3. Bend Point

This is a more advanced feature for those players looking for everything to optimize their game. Bend point is the point at which the shaft bends the most when fully loaded. The position of the bend point determines the trajectory of the ball. A shaft with a high bend point typically produces a lower piercing trajectory. A mid bend point produces a medium trajectory and a low bend point produces a high trajectory (its an inverse relationship). If you are willing to shell out a few more dollars, there are fitting programs out there that will find the right shaft for the trajectory you need. They use a computer program to get numbers ranging from the spin rate of the ball when you hit it, to the speed of the golf ball, to the launch angle and find the shaft that best works based on all those numbers combined.

For the average golfer however, a swing speed check and details about the trajectory you are looking for will work. Most golfers look to hit it higher and straighter and manufacturers know that.

With that said, most clubs are designed to work for the vast majority of golfers in any particular handicap category, so a stock shaft will usually work just fine as long as you choose the right material, and the right flex for your swing.

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