GOLF Q&A'S

The shaft is probably one of the most important parts of a golf club, and also the most complicated. There are various factors to consider when deciding which type of shaft to go for including:

- weight
- length
- materials
- torque
- degree of flex / frequency
- flex locations / kickpoints

Torque

This is a rating given to graphite shafts and gives information about the "twisting" charecteristics. The higher the rating, the more the shaft twists, the lower the rating, the stiffer the shaft.

Kickpoints (aka bendpoint, flexpoint)

This defines the point where the shaft bends and affects the trajectory of the shot, the higher the kickpoint the lower the shot will be. The effect is msall but measurable. Kickpoint will also affects the feel of the shaft.

Stiffness (aka flex, deflection) and Frequency

Stiffness defines the bending characteristics of the shaft when weight is applied. Frequency is another way of defining stiffness and indicates how fast a club will vibrate with that particular shaft. The stiffer the shaft the faster the vibration. If you have a low swing speed, more flexible shafts will propel the ball more at the downswing; if you have a high swing speed, a stiffer shaft avoids lagging clubheads.

Again there are several different manufacturing techniques and materials used to make shafts:

Steel

Carbon steel is the most common materila, although stainless steel is sometimes used. A steel strip is rolled into a tube and then mechanically drawn until the diameter and thickness is correct. The step pattern is then formed and the walls are made thinner at the trip and thicker at the tip to produce the flexibility or kickpoints. The shaft is then hardened and straightened and finally chrome plated. Steel shafts have the same stiffness throughout an entire set and are long lasting.

Titanium

This is a relatively new material and there is not currently much information available about the manufacturing process. The shaft itself is lightweight (titanium being lighter than steel) and it has the ability to dampen vibrations, although this can give the shaft a stiff feel.

Graphite

Graphite tape, with an expoy binder, is wrapped around a steel mandrel. The shaft is then heated and the mandrel removed. After it has cooled, the shaft is sanded and cut, it is painted. Again this shfat is lightweight and dampens vibrations, so stiffness is obviously a factor amongst its features, along with the difference in feel from steel shafts, in that there is not consistency in sets.

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