Shaft Stiffness and Irons
in [Golf]
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From: Dave Lee on 5 Feb 2007 11:33 I'm toying with the idea of building a new set of irons in the near future. At the rate that I typically proceed on such things that would mean calendar 2007 :-) An accepted "golf truism" that I have heard more than once is (roughly) "the right flex shaft is the most flex that you can control" (where stiffer means less flex). Particularly with irons I wonder why it really shouldn't be "the stiffest flex that you can tolerate swinging". I know that I seriously dislike driver shafts with stiff tips. I honestly don't know if they hit the ball worse for me (or hell - maybe they are better). But I don't like the feel at impact. I don't seem to have that reaction to stiffer iron shafts. And I just don't see any upside to more flex other than how it feels. The downsides are more clubhead droop that will vary depending on how hard you swing the club and similar considerations for the other directions of shaft flex. The "droop thing" in particular seems to be a real negative to me as it means that if the lie is right on a full swing then it will almost have to be too upright for a chip shot. Any comments on this? I recall some discussion on this a while back, but I recall that it seemed to go off in other directions. Well, of course it did Dave - this is RSG :-) dave
From: Otto on 5 Feb 2007 11:39 "Dave Lee" <DaveLeeNC(a)ix.netcom.RemovE.com> wrote in message news:g%Ixh.24677$X72.15506(a)newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net... > Any comments on this? I recall some discussion on this a while back, but I > recall that it seemed to go off in other directions. Well, of course it did > Dave - this is RSG :-) Most select too stiff a shaft. If you are going to error, error to the side of a regular flex shaft. And get steel unless you have physical issues that require the less shock of graphite. Otto
From: Dave Lee on 5 Feb 2007 11:45 "Otto" <ottondebREMOVE%$#%^%$@@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:q5Jxh.43068$Ts.19475(a)bignews6.bellsouth.net... > > "Dave Lee" <DaveLeeNC(a)ix.netcom.RemovE.com> wrote in message > news:g%Ixh.24677$X72.15506(a)newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net... > > Any comments on this? I recall some discussion on this a while back, but I > > recall that it seemed to go off in other directions. Well, of course it > did > > Dave - this is RSG :-) > > > Most select too stiff a shaft. > > If you are going to error, error to the side of a regular flex shaft. > > And get steel unless you have physical issues that require the less shock of > graphite. > > Otto > > What is wrong with a "too stiff" iron shaft? I can envision what is wrong with a shaft with too much flex. I just can't see a downside to too stiff beyond feel. dave
From: Otto on 5 Feb 2007 11:52 "Dave Lee" <DaveLeeNC(a)ix.netcom.RemovE.com> wrote in message news:YaJxh.24690$X72.23691(a)newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net... > What is wrong with a "too stiff" iron shaft? I can envision what is wrong > with a shaft with too much flex. I just can't see a downside to too stiff > beyond feel. The vast majority of amateur golfers do not have a swing which requires a stiff shaft. I don't know if it is a macho thing or what. I see it all the time. You have to be an extremely hard swinger to justify a stiff shaft. Very few amateurs can swing that hard and consistently strike the ball good. Go with a regular flex, swing full and smooth, and let the club do the work. Be club swinger, not a ball hitter. Your consistency will go way up. And your body will thank you. Otto
From: Otto on 5 Feb 2007 14:49
"Martin Levac" <vac3(a)REMOVEvideotron.ca> wrote in message news:uyKxh.31042$vT5.840428(a)wagner.videotron.net... > Shaft rigidity is one aspect of quality. The stiffer it is, the higher the > quality of the shaft. Wrong. Otto |