What Happens When You Use Golf Clubs With the Wrong Shaft Flex? (2024)

FAQs

What happens if I use the wrong flex shaft? ›

The shot will probably feel less solid and more harsh, even when impact occurs in the center of the face, because of the different impact vibrations transmitted up the shaft to the golfer's hands.

Incorrect flex

A golfer using a shaft that is too flexible may experience a ball flight that is too high, a ball that spins too much, or a shot pattern that has inconsistent dispersion.

The ultimate result is that the player will struggle to hit the ball farther. Slower clubhead speeds will frustrate energy transfer through the club head, making it more difficult for the player to hit the ball farther.

Check your shaft flex

For sake of brevity though, we'll look at the most common perspective, which is to say if your shafts are too stiff for your swing you'll then hit a lot of slices. This is especially true with shafts that are stiffer toward the tip and that have lower torque ratings.

Generally speaking, a driver shaft that's too stiff will cause shots to launch too low, with too little spin and low peak heights. A shaft that's too weak, on the other hand, may cause shots to spin too much, fly too high, and widen dispersion patterns.

If you have a fast swing, a stiff flex may be the right choice for you. However, if you have an average swing speed and could use a little help with distance, a regular flex shaft could be a better fit. Test your swing with different shaft flexes to find the one that works best for your game.

The 'flex' of your driver – that's the bending or firmness of the shaft – can make a real difference to your drives on the green. It encapsulates the goldilocks principle – not too tough, not too soft – and could be the secret ingredient to perfecting your game.

MISSES STARTING LEFT AND TURNING BACK RIGHT (PULL FADE OR SLICE) Typically caused by an outside-to-inside swing path and a shaft that is too soft in the butt and/or the tip. Stiffening the butt section first MAY help but you typically need a firmer tip section to keep the ball from moving to the right as much.

Misses mostly right(push or slice): Shaft may be too stiff in the butt section (S flex when should be an R) or shaft is too heavy. Misses mostly left(pull or pull hook): Shaft is too flexible in the butt section and/or shaft is too light.

According to the chart, an average golfer who swings a 6-iron between 75 - 83mph should have a regular flex shaft. A golfer who swings that same iron between 84 - 91mph should use a stiff flex shaft.

Will a weak shaft cause a hook? ›

Shaft with softer tip sections or more torque will want to twist shut quicker than stiffer, more stable shafts, particularly at speed and this is quite often the cause of a hook but what it will also often do is illicit a reaction from the golfer to keep their hands way open avoiding the left side, often creating a ...

Choose a shaft too heavy and too stiff and you will inevitably swing a touch slower and consequently struggle to square the face at impact, causing you to miss more shots low and right.

There's a popular line of thought that golf professionals use stiff shafts in their game. This is mostly true, but it comes down to swing speed. Golf pros tend to have slightly higher swing speeds than average or even advanced players, and therefore, their shafts have a propensity to be a bit more stiff.

6.0 - Stiff flex: You swing 97-104 mph with the driver. 5.5 - Regular flex: You swing 84-96 mph with the driver. This is the average golf swing speed range for an amateur golfer. 5.0 - Senior flex: You swing less than 83 mph with the driver.

It can be generally said that the more flexible a shaft is, the higher the launch profile and spin will be. The stiffer the shaft is, the lower the launch profile and the less spin there will be.

Originally referred to as the amateur flex (A) and mature or medium flex (M), the Senior Flex club is for those who hit between 75-85 miles per hour with a carry distance of 180 to 200 yards.