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Driver shaft flex

warbirdlover

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Interesting article at MyGolfSpy site (or whatever it's called). Apparently there's a new trend that doesn't just pick the flex based on swing speed. They've found that the flex should be chosen by how it matches up with your swing. Like what the clubhead is doing at impact. Some lower speed swingers hit longer drives with shafts that were stiffer than what they might use based on swing speed and hit the ball longer with those shafts because they are making better contact on the face at impact. Makes sense to me. What say you?
 

TEA Time

Grumpy Gilmore
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Makes sense to me. Seems to me that wrist release time and attack angle play a big role here. Bigger than swing speed? Maybe. I'm sure this is analyzed by pros a million times a week.
 

eclark53520

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From my completely biased, non-scientific, completely based only in personal experience...

I have found that the more stiff the shaft, the less dispersion issues I have, but the distance seems to suffer on perfect contacts. The softer the shaft, the further I can hit it when I hit it perfect, but I have a much harder time hitting it 10/10 ESPECIALLY when I'm swinging in that 90-100% range. With my current shaft...which is pretty damn stout, I almost HAVE to swing in that 90% range or else I get issues with accuracy.

So maybe guys with the same swing speed as me, but better/more consistent swings can swing lighter spine shafts and hit the ball further without the dispersion issues I have.

So...yeah, I can see what you're saying. There's a difference between a 100mph smooth swing, and a 100mph aggressive swing.
 

limpalong

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Was playing "S" flex shafts up until this Exotics driver. My swing looks like a cowboy trying to lasso a steer. The "R" or "SR" flex shafts just "wobbled" too much and could not control them. However, the shaft in this TE is "R" flex and has been awesome.

Remember, not all graphite shafts labeled "R" or "S" flex and torque the same. You young flat-bellies who have a consistent, 100 mph swing are so lucky?? Us old codgers who nurse age old injuries, today's arthritis, gout, joint issues, and just a plethora of worn out parts... have a tough time finding a shaft that will be consistent with an inconsistent body swinging it!!!!
 

limpalong

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Any of you goofs ever played a Matrix shaft? I can't find anything to beat mine out. 😉

Been a while gents. Good to see many of you guys are still keeping the lights on in here. 👍

R35
Wow! Another voice from the past. Gone for years, but still owns the highest number of posts on ShotTalk.
 

ualtim

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Any of you goofs ever played a Matrix shaft? I can't find anything to beat mine out. 😉

Been a while gents. Good to see many of you guys are still keeping the lights on in here. 👍

R35
It is alive.
 

Splunge

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From my completely biased, non-scientific, completely based only in personal experience...

I have found that the more stiff the shaft, the less dispersion issues I have, but the distance seems to suffer on perfect contacts. The softer the shaft, the further I can hit it when I hit it perfect, but I have a much harder time hitting it 10/10 ESPECIALLY when I'm swinging in that 90-100% range. With my current shaft...which is pretty damn stout, I almost HAVE to swing in that 90% range or else I get issues with accuracy.

So maybe guys with the same swing speed as me, but better/more consistent swings can swing lighter spine shafts and hit the ball further without the dispersion issues I have.

So...yeah, I can see what you're saying. There's a difference between a 100mph smooth swing, and a 100mph aggressive swing.
Yeah this is why I love light weight (65g and down) X-stiff shafts with really high stability. The new Tour AD that I have feels amazing as a fairway finder and it lets me find the middle of the face very reliably, but not for any amazing distance, but they also give me the option to swing a little harder and feel like I’m loading up the shaft more and they’re pretty damn stable, makes it feel pretty easy and fun to hit bombs.
The aldila rogue silver 60x I had was also really great for this, but it is lower launching and also felt a bit stiffer than the new AD-IZ
 

MCDavis

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Any of you goofs ever played a Matrix shaft? I can't find anything to beat mine out. 😉

Been a while gents. Good to see many of you guys are still keeping the lights on in here. 👍

R35
Aw damn, there went the neighborhood. 😆 Whassup Rock? Still hitting it long and strong?
 

Anders_H

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Switched shaft in my driver last week from a regular stock shaft to a older Grafalloy polite 35s in my Cobra F6. I hit it shorter but straighter, only downside is ballflight, it's gone down quite a bit. Doesn't work that well with the soft fairways in Sweden.

Nice to be back in the geezer community by the way 😊
 

limpalong

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Switched shaft in my driver last week from a regular stock shaft to a older Grafalloy polite 35s in my Cobra F6. I hit it shorter but straighter, only downside is ballflight, it's gone down quite a bit. Doesn't work that well with the soft fairways in Sweden.

Nice to be back in the geezer community by the way 😊
Good to see you around here again!!! Lots of "missing persons" showing up. Hope everything is going well in the land of beautiful blondes and a museum highlighting a ship that didn't float! :>)
 

Nikonut

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I agree. I feel it’s the tip torque.
this thread is timely. Friday I took all my 50-ish weight R flex drivers to the range . Basically no matter how I tried they all sliced. All of them ate about 4 to 5 degree tip torque.
otoh, the 2 stiff shaft drivers I have worked mucho better. They are I think, 2.8 and 3.1 tip torque.
 

limpalong

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I remember the Speeder shaft I had in a Titleist 983K many years ago. Loved that shaft... and driver. I know the Speeder design and specs have changed over the years. Still, this Exotics I am now using has a Speeder shaft.

Could never find an "R" flex shaft that would stay with my gyrating swing. So... stayed with "S" flex, surely losing distance. But... the consistency was there. Every time I would pick up an "R" flex shaft, the consistency was terrible. Don't know what the tip flex is in this Speeder, but it's the first "R" flex that seems to stay with my gosh-awful swing. Having the consistency with an "R" flex shaft has added significant distance to the drives of this almost 76 year old body. Two eagles on par 5's in two days is pretty convincing of that......
 

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