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Shaft "weight" Question

warbirdlover

Ender of all threads
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Jul 9, 2005
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All the hacker drivers made have ultra light shafts to increase the swing speed(?) Why do the pro's play the 70 weight shafts instead of the 50ish weight shafts? Are they more stable? I would think the heavier shaft weight might make the head feel lighter(?) And if these pros played these 55 weight shafts would they hit it farther? I'm wondering if there's some marketing BS going on here. Would love to hear some comments from you guys.

But only the smart ones. :rolleyes:
 

ualtim

Carrollton, TX
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Aug 20, 2005
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I have always hated light shafts and have always leaned toward it was more of a marketing gimmick that put a lot of amateurs into high torque shafts which are more prone to spraying the ball. As technology has improved, the torque numbers have come down but still not as directionally stable as higher weight shafts.

Between low weight/high torque shafts and driver lengths that are several inches too long, most folks do not have a chance to hit the ball consistently in the fairway. All in the goal of trying to obtain more distance. :rolleyes:
 

limpalong

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Oct 18, 2006
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I got about a paragraph written, read back over it, and decided I don't have a clue as to a good answer. I think Tim pretty well nailed it. And, you are correct in that there is a lot of marketing b.s. involved. The weekend hacker needs the most clubhead speed he can generate and a lighter shaft helps that. The tour pro needs to know the ball is going where he wants it to go with his 115 mph club speed and 400 yard drive. The heavier shaft keeps him on plane and the ball going in the direction he wants it to. I couldn't play those low torque, heavy shafts just like I couldn't play X100 DGS shafts in my irons. It's all about getting fitted to a shaft that compliments your swing... which the pros do. The manufacturers send out thousands of clubs to be displayed in retailer racks across the country for the weekend hackers to pick up and plop down their Visa cards for. Those folks will be much happier with the lighter weight shaft that may give them 3 extra yards than a heavy shaft they can barely swing.
 

limpalong

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So, if I'm to even try keeping up with those at wrx…. and Gerry.... I have to order a new shaft for a driver I haven't even hit yet!!????!!!!! Instead, can I just pull the grip and fill the inside of the shaft with fine sand? :D
 

jhmeg2

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Sep 16, 2011
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A lighter shaft will in theory allow you to swing faster, but it has to be in control. Best thing to do is get fit for the right head, shaft, grip, that best fits your swing. There is not a single magic combination that is right for everyone. It's a complex assortment of different shaft weight, flex, torque, kick point, head balance, and impact angel, that fits us each different. The worst part about it all, is there is no standard across shaft manufacturers. So a senior shaft from company A, will not be the same as a senior shaft from company B.

Also, all the manufacturers heads must not exceed a USGA set coefficient of restitution (COR). With that said, all conforming driver heads will hit the same ball, the same distance, with the same swing and the same shaft. Now, you may hit club head A further than club head B, because you are hitting club A in the center, and club B not in the center. It all comes down to what combination fits your swing, not what swing fits the club you bought. But, when all else fails, SWING HARD IN CASE YOU HIT IT!
 

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