Often called the engine of the golf club, choosing the best golf shaft for your driver is essential for improving your golf game and getting the most distance and accuracy off the tee. 

There are several important characteristics you need to look at to determine the type of shaft for your driver: the degree of flex, the type of material it’s made out of, the location of the kick point, the amount of torque, and the shaft length. 

Degree of Flex

Flex is a measurement of the degree to which golf club’s shaft bends during the golf swing. All shafts, no matter how stiff, exhibit flex under the forces of the golf swing. To determine the degree of flex you need in a golf driver shaft, you need to know your swing speed. Swing speed can be calculated easily using devises currently on the market. We recommend the Swing Speed Radar with Tempo Timer from In the Hole! Golf. Another way to calculate swing speed, although less reliable, is to look at either how far you hit a driver or look at the club you use from 150 yds (137.16m). The chart below can help.

Interesting fact: Tiger Woods swings the club about 120 mph (193.1 km/hr). 

Construction Material

Driver shafts are constructed out of steel, graphite, or titanium. The characteristics of each are quite different. Graphite shafts weigh from 50 grams to 85 grams, while steel shafts generally start at 120 grams. Graphite shafts reduce the shock at impact and allow for longer clubs, and have greater construction alternatives so that they can be designed to affect the flight of the ball to a greater degree than steel shafts. Steel is less flexible, which means it twists less during the golf swing, and its surface it also less likely to get scratched, like graphite may. Titanium offers properties similar to graphite; it’s very light, and flexible. It is typically seen in golf driver heads, but manufacturers are starting to use it more in shafts as well. The only real drawback to titanium is that it is the most expensive of the materials used for shafts. If you’re a more advanced golfer, with a fast swing speed, and a lot of power off the tee, then you should consider a steel shaft driver. The average player will receive the most advantage to their game using a graphite or titanium shaft.

Kick Point

The kick point, or bend point, of the shaft helps determine the trajectory of ball flight. It is the point at which the shaft bends when pressure is applied to the club head and the grip. Think about a strongman trying to bend a bar, and you can envision the kick point. The kick point is located low, middle, or high on the shaft and affects the trajectory of the ball. A club with a high kick point sends the ball out at a low trajectory, close to the ground. A club with a low kick point sends the ball out higher in the air. Although not affecting trajectory nearly as much as the loft of the club, you should select a kick point based on how you hit the ball off the tee. If you hit a lot of worm burners along the ground, then a driver with a lower kick point shaft may help you get the ball into the air better.

Amount of Torque

Torque, measured in degrees, is the twisting movement of the shaft during the golf swing. Torque can affect shot dispersion, which is the degree to which you hook or slice the ball. A shaft with a 3 degree torque is stiffer and twists less than one with a 6 degree torque. To determine the degree of torque you need, go back and look at your swing speed calculation. Matching torque to swing speed is very important because too much or too little torque may result in the club face not getting square at impact. Slower swing speeds typically need a higher torque while higher swing speeds need less. Most steel shafts are in the 3 degree torque range, whereas titanium and graphite generally have 8 degrees of torque.

Shaft Length

The proper shaft length is determined by your height and arm length, or more specifically, the distance from the bend of your wrist to the floor, when you’re standing upright. The following chart provides recommendations based on the measurement of the average of your left and right arms, (left + right) /2.

  Increasing the shaft length beyond these recommendations can provide more distance; however, a longer driver can also reduce your control. Adding just one inch in driver length could give you another 10-15 yards off the tee, but if you’re in the woods, that doesn’t really matter. You might as well test a length one step above the recommendation for your measurement in the chart and see if you can control it, if not, you can always move back to a more appropriate length. Selecting the appropriate shaft for your golf game is an important decision. By using the information in this article and understanding the unique aspects of your golf game, you can make an informed purchase decision.



 

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