Shaft Lag

[Chieflongtee]

So many theories about golf shafts. Some people claim that a soft shaft will make you hit the ball high and left while others claim that too soft a shaft will make you lose it right because of shaft lag. Of course I don't have all the toys to verify this i.e launch monitor/swing analyser but seems to me that a softer shaft will unload faster(like a bull whip)and will help square the face faster therefore better for the slicer/fader. What do you think?

[THUNDAH]

I agree, the softer shaft will release faster. On the downswing, when you un the wrists, the weight of the clubhead will pull the shaft and eliminate the shaft lag before impact. Too soft a shaft and the club face will be closing before impact resulting in a lower trajectory to the left for a right handed golfer. Too stiff a shaft and the clubhead cannot pull the shaft along, leaving the clubface open resulting in a fade to slice ball flight.

[THUNDAH]

ha! ha! ha! it is not permitted to write un c o c k the wrists. Wonder how this one will look?

[jvincent]

So many theories about golf shafts. Some people claim that a soft shaft will make you hit the ball high and left while others claim that too soft a shaft will make you lose it right because of shaft lag. Of course I don't have all the toys to verify this i.e launch monitor/swing analyser but seems to me that a softer shaft will unload faster(like a bull whip)and will help square the face faster therefore better for the slicer/fader. What do you think?

When you say "softer" do you mean softer in the tip? midsection? butt?

What many have now come to realize is that the flex profile of a shaft and how it relates to YOUR swing, early vs late release, are really what matter.

Long story short. If you find a shaft that works for you, stick with it.

[THUNDAH]

The flex point is another story. It will influence the ball flight. But a shaft that is too soft will always be too soft whatever the flex point.

[Chieflongtee]

Actually I found out that too high a torque will leave the club face open at impact.

[dbleber]

That is true. If you do not have the proper torgue for your swing the down swing velocity will twist the club to a certain degree and leave it open if there is not enough torque.

[THUNDAH]

If too much torque means high torsionnal stiffness, then it (the club face) probably will be more open. Remember, when looking at shaft specs. the higher the torsionnal stiffness the lower the number.

[jvincent]

The flex point is another story. It will influence the ball flight. But a shaft that is too soft will always be too soft whatever the flex point.

But the point I was trying to make is that "too soft" isn't very meaningful. There's a lot more going on that just "stiff" or "regular".

Take Denny's recent fitting example. The butt stiffness of two shafts was the same but the tip of the one that he hits better is softer if I remember correctly.

[dbleber]

Correct. The kick point in my recent experience made a huge difference to how the club performed and felt. Although the 2 shafts were technically both "stiff" in terms of label and CPM's.

[BC MIST]

The flex point is another story. It will influence the ball flight. But a shaft that is too soft will always be too soft whatever the flex point.

By how much?

What is the difference in ball flight between a shaft that has a high flex point versus a low one?

[THUNDAH]

According to "The Golfsmith Practical Clubfitting Program" by Tom Wishon, the shaft's bend point is a minor factor in ball trajectory. Shaft flex and shaft torque also.

[dbleber]

How is that possible? If the shaft flex, bend point and torque doesn't affect a balls trajectory, then what does? Club head loft? I can only speak for my own experience since I am not a club maker and I don't have a clue compared to some of you guys who do this for a living, but I have seen what a shaft with the same stiffness and torque but different flex point can do to your trajectory. The change was huge. I would be interested in knowing if the shaft has nothing to do with it then what does?

[jvincent]

If you go to the Wishon forums, you'll see that Tom has updated his thinking on shaft flex and how it, and other shaft characteristics impact fitting, ball flight, feel, etc.

To make a very long story short:

1. No two shafts are the same.
2. Not every shaft is right for you.
3. You need to get fitted if you want a good match.

Denny did the "right" thing. Went to a good clubfitter, had some analysis done, and ended up with a shaft that fits his swing.

[Chieflongtee]

According to "The Golfsmith Practical Clubfitting Program" by Tom Wishon, the shaft's bend point is a minor factor in ball trajectory. Shaft flex and shaft torque also.

Get his new book 'search for the perfect club'. Basically he talks about 3 different angles of attack. Downward,level and upward. Nothing you can do shaftwise with the upper angle of attack. He also talks about shaft profiling and what it does to ball flight.