Shafts and More Shafts…..

A few years ago I purchased a copy of Tom Wishon’s Shaft Profiling Software. Tonight I updated this software to the newest version………….and it includes quite a number of new shaft frequency profiles.

How a person swings a golf club can influence the shaft that is the best performance fit for him or her. Two people who have the same swing speed can differ greatly in when in their swing they “release” their wrist cock and how aggressively they swing at the golf ball. It is entirely possible that these two people would play shafts that have the same “butt flex” – the flex measured for the full length of the golf club – but one would play better with a shaft that has a soft tip flex while the other plays with a shaft with a stiffer tip flex.

So you should be asking – how would I know which shaft would work best for me? The best answer is to find a clubfitter who has test clubs with a range of test shafts with different flex profiles – and determine by measurements which shaft you hit better (launch monitor data can provide this kind of information).

Personally I often also find that when the “right” shaft is put in the hands of a golfer it simply feels right. The player can feel the shaft unload properly when he hits the ball and “he knows.” It is great to be with players when this kind of experience happens, because you know that you are really finding a shaft option that will help them hit the ball further and more consistently.

Shaft profiles are one of the key variables in professional clubfitting.

Tony