| The shaft of the golf club is said by many to be the | | | | 105+ 255+ X |
| engine of the golf club. The more I think about this | | | | Bend Point: Often confused with kick-point, the bend |
| statement, I'm not convinced it is accurate. I am | | | | point is the maximum position of the shaft when it is |
| maintaining the more accurate statement is that the | | | | subjected to a bending force. Kick-point is determined |
| swing is the engine and the shaft is the transmission. | | | | by a different test and is not the same. Bend-point |
| Regardless of what you consider the shaft to be, all | | | | designations are; low, mid, and high. The terminology |
| golfers need to know which shaft is right for their | | | | might lead you to believe that the bend point |
| swing. | | | | designations are in distinctly different places on the |
| While it is best to be fit by a professional club fitter, | | | | shaft. In reality, all bend points will be within an |
| golfers should have a good idea what type of shaft | | | | approximately 6-inch section of the shaft. Bend point |
| they should be looking for. There are three main | | | | can effect trajectory slightly. Low bend point shafts |
| specifications that the typical golfer should keep in | | | | will slightly increase the trajectory, and high bend |
| mind when choosing a shaft. Most golfers will at least | | | | point will slightly decrease the trajectory. Additionally, |
| be familiar with these specifications: flex, bend point, | | | | low bend point shafts will feel more flexible at the tip |
| and torque. | | | | end. Generally speaking, players with more feel prefer |
| Flex: flex is the relative stiffness of the shaft, more | | | | higher bend point shafts, and high- handicapped |
| specifically, the shaft's resistance to bending when a | | | | players do better with low bend point shafts. |
| force is applied. Flex is categorized with the following | | | | Torque: Torque is the measurement in degrees that |
| designations from the most flexible to the stiffest; | | | | indicates the amount of twisting the shaft sustains |
| L-flex (ladies), A-flex (senior), R-flex, (regular), S-flex | | | | by the force of the swing and the impact of the |
| (stiff), and X-flex (extra stiff). Any information about | | | | clubface with the ball. Torque has more of an effect |
| shaft flex is given in generalities only. Since there are | | | | on feel than any other fitting parameters. The lower |
| no industry standards, every companies designations | | | | the torque of the shaft, the more it will feel stiff in |
| concerning flex can be different. Traditionally, a golfer | | | | the tip. Torque is no longer considered a factor in |
| will base a flex decision on swing speed, or driving | | | | shaft fitting, with only a couple exceptions; feel, and |
| distance. Although this is not the only determining | | | | those of the player with a very fast swing speed |
| factor, the following is a good place to start. | | | | and a fast tempo, or the player with a very low |
| Club head speed: Driving Distance Flex | | | | swing speed. The fast swing speed player should |
| Up to 65 mph 160 yards or less L | | | | (>95mph), should not use a shaft with a torque |
| 60-75 mph 160- 180 A | | | | greater than 5 degrees, and the low swing speed |
| 75- 90 180- 225 R | | | | player should not use a torque less than 3.5 - 4 |
| 90- 105 220- 255 S | | | | degrees of torque. |