By Paul Myers
There is a some thinking among amateur golfers that playing as stiff a golf shaft as possible is somehow a sign that you are a good golfer. Some players see it as a badge of honor to be playing with an ‘X’ flex golf shaft, even if the results aren’t as good as they could be with another golf shaft. Instead of worrying about what the flex rating on a given golf shaft happens to be, think about the ball flight it creates and the distance it is capable of. Basically, does it help you hit how you want?
Toward that end, don’t rule out using a regular flex golf shaft if that is what the computer fitting process suggests is best for your swing. The thinking that you have to at least play a stiff flex golf shaft in order to be a good player is faulty – you can play well with any normal flex golf shaft – preferably one that is fit for you.
Your swing speed is one determining factor in how far you can hit the ball, as well as in what golf shaft you might use. If you decide to go to a stiffer shaft even though your swing speed hasn’t increased, all you might do is hurt your game. Don’t buy a club that suits your ego – buy one that suits your swing.
Follow the Lead of the Pros
Unlike amateur golfers, some professional golfers opt for a softer shaft. In some cases, that is still an ‘X’ flex because of the power that those players possess. However, they understand that by using a softer shaft that still suits their swing, they might not have to work as hard to find distance off the tee (or from the fairway) and get the ball up in the air.
Generally speaking, a softer golf shaft can offer you the chance to create more height and possible speed/distance, while a stiffer shaft can offer you more control. That is not a hard and fast rule, but it can be a good place to start when thinking about what golf shaft to use. So, basically, find the softest shaft that you can successfully control in order to maximize both distance and accuracy. It’s a middle ground.
Trust the Technology
A great way to settle on the right golf shaft for your game is simply to trust in the club fitting technology we have available today, as well as the professionals who run them. The numbers can help, and the shafts that are recommended by the machine are probably the ones that will serve you best out on the course. Be sure to try them out before you buy and make sure that they do, in fact, suit your swing – but the computer isn’t wrong very often. Put your ego aside and rely on the impressive technology of things like Trackman to guide you in the right direction.
There is no sense in playing a club that doesn’t work for your swing just to have the ‘pride’ of using a stiff or extra-stiff golf shaft. With that in mind, If you want to play as well as possible and record the lowest score you can, choose clubs that are matched to your ability and swing, regardless of what flex that might be.
If you liked the article, which is answering the question ‘Can long drives be found with a regular flex golf shaft’ and you think it would help another golfer, please like it.
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And, if you would like to add 30 to 40 yards to your drives over the next 30 days, like thousands of our customers have before you, you might consider our unique Swing Man Golf Swing Speed Training.
Use the tool below to find out a.) how fast your swing speed should be and b.) how fast you COULD swing it soon: