Golf Club Shaft Flex Guide

Every golfer knows that having the right set of golf equipment is essential to unleash the best performance on the course. Players often underestimate the shaft flex and use the golf shafts that were not suitable for them.

Having the right flex for the shafts in your clubs helps you get the most distance out of your swing and improves accuracy.

What Is Shaft Flex?

Shaft flex is the degree to which the shaft will bend or flex during the swing. A more flexible shaft bends easily during the swing and has the potential to produce a longer-ranged shot.

Although, choosing the most flexible one will not improve your accuracy as it tends to twist more. You have to consider some aspects to improve your swing performance and speed.

How Does Shaft Flex Impact Your Golf Game?

The shaft flex of your golf club has an immense effect on the game’s outcome as a whole. From high irons to wedges and drivers, you have to make sure they have the correct flex for trajectory, accuracy, and distance.

Golfers using a too stiff shaft and having a lower swing speed tend to abrupt the clubface angle at the point of impact, which pushes the ball too early. It results in hitting the golf ball too low.

Golfers using a shaft with too much flex and having a high swing speed tends to cause the clubhead to lag at the point of impact. It results in too much loft in the shot, which cuts down on the distance.

How to Choose the Shaft Flex for You?

You can know the correct flex for your shaft by evaluating your swing at a golf equipment store. They’ll check all kinds of things like ball speed, distance, clubhead speed, spin, and many other factors. They also try several shafts in the same driver head to give the most accurate results.

Another way is to select the shaft flex depending on the distance and swing speed.

Regular Flex

Golfers who drive between 200 to 240 yards and have swing speeds between 75 to 95 mph. The regular flex is also popular among mid-high handicappers.

Stiff Flex

Stiff flex is for golfers who produce consistent shots in the 250 yards range and reach a swing speed of 95 mph or more. It is a popular choice for mid-low handicappers.

Extra Stiff Flex

Extra stiff flex is for players with a swing speed over 100 mph, and their shots cover the 300-yard range. This flex is the right choice for professionals.

Senior Flex

It is ideal for older golfers and for those who consistently drive the ball in more than 180-yard range regardless of their age. The ideal swing speed is 75 mph or less.

Ladies Flex

It is the softest flex available in the market. This flex is for women and for those who consistently drive the ball below 200 yards.

These are the five different shaft flex categories. You can select the right shaft flex as per your requirements.

What Shaft Flex Should You Use for The Driver?

It would be best if you choose the stiffest shaft flex for your driver because it is often the club that has the maximum swing speed. Since it carries the maximum swing speed, you may consider choosing the most accurate shaft flex.

A too flexible shaft causes a nasty hook or a pop-up, whereas an extra stiff shaft pushes the golf ball onto the next fairway.

If you want to diagnose the flex for the driver correctly, it is best to go to a professional club fitter to determine your golf swing speed. Then you can look for options and choose the most suitable one.

How to Determine the Right Flex for Your Iron?

Choosing the right flex for the iron depends on the club you use for hitting a 150-yard shot. If you’re about to take a 150-yard shot, consider using these flex for your irons.

For a 9 iron, use extra stiff flex.
For an 8 iron, use stiff flex.
For a 7 iron, use regular flex.
For a 6 iron, use soft regular flex.
For a 5 iron, use senior flex.
For a 4 or 5 iron, use ladies flex.

Final Thoughts

When selecting a flex for the shaft in your clubs, the tradeoff is between accuracy and distance. Choosing a senior flex helps you to achieve greater distance due to its flexibility but at the cost of lower accuracy.

On the other hand, the regular flex gives better accuracy and control, but it reduces distance. You need to experiment a little bit to select the right flex for a particular swing to maximize the performance.

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