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