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