Introduction
Get 20% off your Melin order with this link only! ⬇️
melin.com/THATGOLFGRIND or use Code: THATGOLFGRIND at checkout
In this video I test out to see if the flex on your driver shaft actually matters. I hit my current x-stiff shaft and compare it to a stiff, regular, and senior flex. The results were really surprising! If you enjoyed the video make sure to leave a like and subscribe!
Follow my other socials here! linktr.ee/thatgolfgrind
Make sure to hit Subscribe & Hit the bell so you don't miss out on any new videos!
My name is Michael Mitnick and welcome to That Golf Grind. I started this account to feature everything about the game of golf. You will find golf tips, golf instruction, on course golf vlogs, and other things you didn't even realize relate to the game of golf!
If you like my content make sure to subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss any of my videos!
Check out other golf myth videos here! ⬇️
Golf MythBusters: Vaseline On Golf Clubs... Farther & Straighter??
youtu.be/a-qQCLtVUKM
Video
Doesn't matter what shaft you play with your driver today, I'm going to test out four different shafts to see if it actually matters what shaft you have in your driver.
First I want to tell you about this hat I have on by melon.
By far the best golf hat I've ever had it's not going to sweat through leave a little line right.
There fits perfectly 20 off for you guys in the description only that link for my followers.
Only by far the best golf I've ever had check it out.
Let me know what you think and let's get on to the video with golf clubs being so expensive.
Nowadays, it's a widely talked about topic about the shaft.
That's in the club, the shafts that are 300, the shafts that come with the club, but today I'm going to put the test if the shaft you use in your driver actually matters so I'm going to be comparing my current shaft, the one I use extra stiff, ventis black right here and then we're going to go into the different flexes we're going to go into a stiff, shaft, a regular shaft and even a senior flex shaft, which is super super flimsy.
So we're going to test out these four shafts and see you know it doesn't matter what stiffness you play and does the shaft actually matter we're going to Compare the numbers put it to the test.
Golf MythBusters: let's see what got all right, what we're going to do? I'm gonna hit five shots with each shaft, we're going to Compare the numbers after each time and at the very end, make sure you stick around because we're going to see the discrepancies between all of them and see, if you know the shaft, actually matters that you have in your driver.
So to start off, we got my normal shaft.
The way that I play it, my extra stiff, shaft right here we're going to be playing everything on the same setting, which is a little shy of eight degrees.
So, like seven and a half, we're gonna get the numbers hit five with each and see if it matters foreign kind of all over the place.
But let's take a look first, let's take a look at that Excursion, the red dots where I hit it, not the straightest thing in the world, but they go about the same distance.
Let's take a look at the table and other numbers all right.
We got the extra stiff, shaft, we're gonna, take a look at all the numbers.
First ball speed, 180, it's right about where I normally am backspin 2300, maybe a little steep overall distance to 345.
I'm curious to see you know how these numbers change as we get down the shafts, let's put in the stiff shaft now and see what changes that makes all right.
What we're going to do is we're going to take out my shaft to put the stiff shaft in at the same setting it's involved, we'll see what happens all right.
We got the stiff shaft in here hazardous red, see if it makes a difference.
Definitely lighter I.
Think in this little session, I'm figuring out a swing uh change too.
So not too bad.
All right.
Let's go take a look at the numbers here with the stiff shaft all right.
This is actually kind of interesting.
We're looking at ball, speed first 178, so it dropped off about two miles an hour.
I mean look.
How backspin, though 2200 compared to 2300, actually spitting less with this uh stiff shaft.
So that's interesting, uh overall total yardage 339 versus 345 lost a little bit of yardage and I hit these ones really well with the stiff shaft.
So let's take a look: we're going to crank it down a little bit to the regular shaft and see if there's any differences, all right.
Let's take out this stiff now and put in the regular, let's see if there's actually a big difference between the extra stiff and the stiff, not as much as I thought, but we're gonna crank it down, get a little more flimsy, get a little lighter all right now we're starting to get a little more flimsy just in the hands.
Regular shaft, so I haven't hit a regular shaft in a long time.
We're gonna admit that I don't know what that was no way, guys I'm, not even joking right now my driver literally just broke I'm, not even kidding.
Are you kidding me right now? Well, I'm gonna redo those um try to find a different head, not really know what to say, but we're gonna hit some more redo the uh regular Flex, because I heard something loud, and then this just happened so that kind of sucks all right dealt with that hopefully get a new driver, but you have a replacement head same thing.
We're gonna put the regular back in here, restart with that.
It's only fair because the face flew off um but yeah.
Let's, let's try this out again.
Oh, let's take a look at the numbers with the uh old, regular shaft, all right super interesting, again: uh ball, speed dropped to 174, so dropped four miles.
An hour spin, actually dropped.
I would have thought the spin would be going off off the walls, but it's it dropped, but that side spin jumped up so side spin.
The sporadicness of it uh obviously went up because it's a flimsier shaft.
We look at that.
Total distance dropped about 10 yards there, so that's with the regular shaft and now let's go to the senior Flex I'm pretty excited about this.
Let's see what happens.
Okay.
Now we are heading over to Super, flimsy land senior flex.
Shaft, it's going to be light.
It's going to be flimsy.
Gonna put it on here same settings.
Of course, let's hit it.
Hopefully it doesn't break it won't, but let's try it out good noodle senior Flex, oh, that one I mean I I, hit that as hard as I, possibly could dead center.
Also, okay I'm a little concerned that the senior Flex might be actually good.
So, let's take a look all right.
So, looking at the senior Flex ball, speed, 174 very similar to the regular we look at spin, 2200 I was expecting a lot more spin with changing the shafts, but not really.
We look at total distance 337, actually more than the regular I could have hit it a little bit better but honestly, not too much of a difference between the regular and the senior.
But let's take a look at all the different ones.
Next to each other, all right, looking at a grand comparison of everything, here's the average ball speeds for all of them.
Obviously, I maximize the ball speed with the shaft, that's right for me, 180 and then we look at total yards 345 with the extra stiff and honestly not too much of a difference in total yards.
If you look at the spin 2300 with my actual driver that I'm fit for so I, think it's actually pretty fair to say that getting fit for a driver having the shaft that's right, for you is going to be able to maximize all all these numbers, as you can tell they're not very far off, but those couple yards out in the course can make a big difference.
So I think it's confirmed that the shaft from your driver does actually matter again if you're new to the channel and you like the videos, make sure to subscribe and I'll, see you guys in the next one.
FAQs
What happens if shaft flex is too stiff? ›
If your driver's shaft is too stiff, the clubhead may not square with the ball at the point of impact, causing slices and fades. If you can't feel the weight of the clubhead loading through the shaft, it's probably too stiff, and can cause errors and issues associated with accuracy such as these.
Does shaft flex matter for a high handicapper? ›Should a high handicapper use a stiff shaft? It's probably not the best idea for a high handicap golfer to use a stiff shaft. But it ultimately depends on swing speed more than handicap level. This is why it's so important to use a launch monitor or get a club fitting session to determine your swing speed.
What happens if my driver shaft is not stiff enough? ›If a golf shaft is not the proper flex, you will notice some issues with dispersion rates. The golf ball starts to fly from one side of the fairway to the other, and the consistency is just not there. Most golfers will hit straighter shots when they have a slightly stiffer shaft in place.
How do I know if I need stiff or regular flex driver? ›In general, golfers with a fast swing should use a stiff shaft and slowed swings should use a regular flex shaft. To check your swing speed a shot tracking device will be the most accurate method. Based on your swing speeds here are our recommendations: 80-95 mph swing speeds should use regular shafts.
Can too much flex cause a slice? ›Yes, a shaft that is too stiff can contribute to a slice. If you already hit a cut shot or slice to begin with, a stiffer shaft than you need will only create more swing issues. Not only will the ball go more left to right, it will lose distance too, even if you put a solid golf swing on it.
How do I know what shaft flex is right for me? ›| Carry Distance | Swing Speed | Flex |
|---|---|---|
| Under 200 yards | Under 75 mph | Ladies or Senior |
| 200 to 240 yards | 75 to 95 mph | Regular |
| 240 to 275 yards | 95 to 110 mph | Stiff |
| Over 275 yards | Over 110 mph | Stiff or Extra Stiff |
If your club feels dead when you swing, it is likely the shaft is too stiff. With the appropriate flex, you can tell when the weight of the head has loaded the shaft. If your club feels like a steel rod, it is probably too stiff.
Do you hit further with a stiff shaft? ›In general, the more flexible, the more forgiving the swing and the greater distance you can achieve with less power. The stiffer the shaft, the more distance you can reach with a more powerful swing.
Are stiffer shafts harder to hit? ›The regular flex golf shaft is more flexible and easier for slower swing speed golfers to swing than the stiff flex golf shaft. A stiff flex golf shaft creates more resistance in the swing of a golfer. Therefore when they attempt to hit the ball with a bit more speed, they can get the incredible distance.
Does swing speed determine shaft flex? ›One of the most important things you need to be aware of is what shaft flex is right for you. And although it's not the only factor, looking at your swing speed can provide a general guideline to help you determine which shaft flex you should be playing.
Does a stiff shaft cause less spin? ›
Stiff shafts generally produce a more moderate ball flight and less spin compared to regular shafts. This can be advantageous for golfers with faster swing speeds who want to minimize the impact of wind or other adverse conditions.
How fast do you have to swing to hit 300 yards? ›Rice conducts lots of studies using launch data, which you can read on his website, and tells golfers that if they want to hit the ball over 300 yards, they need to swing their driver about 108 mph.
Do any PGA pros use regular flex shafts? ›None of the top 100 PGA Tour pros uses regular iron shafts.
It is only among the wedge shafts selected by the pros that you finally see the majority of them using slightly 'softer' flex shafts but as we can see below a healthy number still continue to choose extra stiff shafts in their wedges.
If you are a beginner or have a slower swing speed, it might be better to choose a softer shaft. For recreational players and even experienced golfers with slower swing speeds, choosing a stiffer shaft can be frustrating and difficult to use.
Will a softer shaft help my slice? ›In addition to using a softer shaft to reduce slices, you could also try going a little shorter as well. A shorter shaft will make it easier to control the clubhead, again, helping you rotate the hands and square the clubface at impact. Furthermore, a shorter shaft will make a flatter swing into a more upright one.
Is there a big difference between regular and stiff flex? ›What's the difference between regular and stiff shafts? A stiff shaft is firmer and harder to bend than a regular shaft, and so more often than not, they're also heavier in weight. As a rough rule of thumb, the more speed you generate, the stiffer your shafts should be.
Do I need a stiff or extra stiff shaft? ›Who needs an extra stiff golf shaft? Golfers with a driver swing speed of more than 105 miles per hour will need to consider an extra stiff golf shaft. With this higher swing speed, players will enjoy more consistency and potentially great distance by putting the extra stiff golf shaft into play.
What is the best shaft flex for a high handicapper? ›For mid to high handicappers (with a slower swing speed), you'll want both a lighter shaft and probably a regular flex. As you groove a more consistent swing, you'll likely go from regular to stiff (or maybe x-stiff), and possibly a heavier shaft as well.
What is the best shaft for 100 mph swing speed? ›The Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 60 is the ideal driver shaft for golfers with swing speeds at or around 100 mph. With increased trajectory and spin, more distance, better stability, and reduced golf shot dispersion, this shaft is made for the aggressive golf swing.
How do I know my swing speed? ›The most convenient way to measure swing speed is with a portable, handheld launch monitor. These small handheld devices measure so much about your swing and no longer cost a fortune. Now, launch monitors are as low as $200 but can provide amazing insight to your game.
How many degrees should my driver be? ›
Overall, the best loft is a higher lofted driver that will benefit the majority of players. 9.5-10.5 degrees of loft. Paired with the right ball position, a shaft that helps get the proper spin rate, and proper driver attack angle will lead to more consistent drives.
Is it better to have steel or graphite shafts? ›Graphite shafts are lighter and are generally preferred on longer clubs like drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids. They are also more expensive. Steel Shafts are heavier, less flexible but they are also more durable. One of the most critical choices is between the material of the shafts for the irons.
Is 6.5 stiff or extra stiff? ›A 6.5 shaft is considered extra stiff. Golf shafts are often rated on a flex scale, with 5.5 being regular, 6.0 being stiff, and 6.5 being extra stiff. The higher the number, the stiffer the shaft.
What does a 5.0 shaft flex mean? ›5.0 Flex = Regular, 5.5 Flex = Regular Plus, 6.0 Flex = Stiff, 6.5 Flex = Extra Stiff, and 7.0 Flex = Extra Stiff Plus.
Does shaft flex affect lie angle? ›The shaft flex also affects the lie angle of the club at impact. Soft shafts will give you a false reading that you need your clubs bent more upright due to the toe droop of the club at impact.
How do I know if my golf shaft is too light? ›Nippon suggested that a player should be able to tell largely by feel. A shaft that's too heavy will cause a “labored golf swing.” A shaft that's too light will hurt your ability to make solid contact. When you find the right shaft weight, you'll experience a “high energy swing” with uniform contact.
How do I know if my shafts are too stiff? ›If your club feels dead when you swing, it is likely the shaft is too stiff. With the appropriate flex, you can tell when the weight of the head has loaded the shaft. If your club feels like a steel rod, it is probably too stiff.
Can I hit an extra stiff shaft? ›Golfers with a driver swing speed of more than 105 miles per hour will need to consider an extra stiff golf shaft. With this higher swing speed, players will enjoy more consistency and potentially great distance by putting the extra stiff golf shaft into play.
Do all tour players use extra stiff shafts? ›So to find out we did a detailed analysis of the flexes of shafts being used by the top 100 PGA Tour pros to see how many pros are using regular, stiff, extra stiff or even tour extra stiff shafts in their clubs. 90% of the top 100 PGA Tour pros use extra stiff or Tour extra stiff flex shafts in their driver.
Do pros use stiff or extra stiff shafts? ›Most professional golfers use Extra Stiff Flex clubs, so unless you're headed to Augusta National sometime soon, you likely don't need one. But, if your average club head speed is 110 miles per hour or more and you're consistently hitting with a distance of around 270 yards, an Extra Stiff Flex staff could be for you.
How much difference does a stiff shaft make? ›
What's the difference between regular and stiff shafts? A stiff shaft is firmer and harder to bend than a regular shaft, and so more often than not, they're also heavier in weight. As a rough rule of thumb, the more speed you generate, the stiffer your shafts should be.