The real ins and outs of shaft fitting

Q. Is it right to base shaft fitting on your swing-speed and ball speed? I continue to use shafts that have been recommended tome based on the speed of my swing but feel as if I don't get enough from them.

Those of you who have experienced a specialist fitting before will recognise some of the terminology here: issues such as ball speed (i.e. the speed the ball comes off the clubface), spin rate (the measurement of backspin/side spin), launch angle (the vertical movement of the ball into the air off the clubface) are all key factors in the process of identifying and fitting the optimal shaft. Many of the manufacturers believe that ball speed is a significant factor in selecting the correct shaft, and use a scale that categorises players into a flex bracket based purely on speed, and thus give golfers a broad indication of what type shaft best suits their swing. [A simple equation might be 135 mph - Regular Flex, 145 mph - Stiff Flex, 155 mph - Extra Stiff Flex.] However, this is too simple a method of player grouping and, in fact, can be detrimental to you as an individual looking to achieve your optimal ball flight and maximise the distance that you hit your clubs.

Independent research conducted here at Urban Golf over the last few years has allowed us to approach fitting in a completely different way – a system we believe offers the comprehensive approach to shaft fitting.

When we look at shaft ‘matching' for individuals we take the time to not only look at their ball-speed, spin-rate and launch angle but also gather specific information on how the golf shaft bends during the swing. This is done using a strain gauge that is attached to the shaft and it really is the most accurate way of correctly understanding shaft flex and bend profile.

The strain gauges measure a players “load” on the shaft, and once plotted on a graph, these figures show us exactly how the shaft accelerates, how long the swing takes and where it achieves maximum bend.

All of this information – alongside the player's launch ballistics – allows us to correctly profile the shafts best suitable for that individual.

The images below relate to a great example based on a recent fitting with a client using a TaylorMade Burner Tour (10.5*) fitted with a TaylorMade RE*AX 49 Super fast Regular flex, 46” shaft. This player was producing the ballistics you can see in the following chart (below left). The average ballspeed was 135mph, with a spin-rate of 3400 rpm, with inconsistent launch angle and excessive side-spin (causing dispersion on the drive). It was clear to me – looking at the images of impact and consulting the strain gauge graph – that this shaft was too ‘soft' in tip flex and too long in length.

The strain gauge told me that there was a massive amount of stress being placed on the tip of the shaft into impact, which means the use of an extra stiff shaft was needed to stabilise the clubhead in order to reduce the backspin on the ball and create a more consistent launch angle.

In other words, this example illustrates how ball speed alone does not necessarily relate directly to the flex of shaft you should be playing – for a ball-speed of 135mph, most manufacturers would recommend the player use a Regular flex shaft. Taking into account the ‘load' on the shaft and the all-important dynamics of the individual's swing, our diagnosis was to fit a Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 63 (x5ct) X-Flex built at 44.5” long. A much stronger, stable shaft through the mid- and tip-section.

The point you have to take from all this is that identifying the shaft to best suit your swing is not simply a factor of the speed at which the club moves but also the action or technique of the movement – i.e. it must take into account the tempo, the wrist hinge and acceleration. Like casting a fishing rod, it is easy to create “load” at low speeds as well as high.

Q. I am thinking about changing the shafts in my irons.With all the options available, should I be selecting graphite over steel?

For many years there was quite a significant playable difference between graphite and steel iron shafts, and for many people they never really had the choice of one over the other. The lines were clearly drawn in the sand: you either played steel or graphite – not necessarily by choice but by necessity to produce the required ball flight. Graphite was always the lighter of the two options; it was easier to swing, easier to get the ball into the air and most important of all to a lot of golfers with joint problems and arthritis – the graphite shaft worked as a vibration dampener. Generally speaking, graphite shafts tended to suit players with a smooth swing, a good rhythm and a controlled change of direction. Being strong and lightweight, graphite allowed a player to use slightly longer than standard shafts without forfeiting the club's balance. As a result they helped to maximise swing-speed, which of course gives you distance.

The traditional steel shaft, on the other hand, has always been the heavier option. The manufacturing process is simple: steel is rolled into shape and welded, 110 grams being about the lightest steel shaft available – most were between 120-130 grams, meaning you had to have a more aggressive swing, more of a ‘load' and greater swing-speed to make them work.

Nowadays, however, the process of manufacturing both steel and graphite shafts have been transformed, and the suitability of both types of material for both high and low swing-speeds has increased massively. The steel has got thinner, lighter and stronger, meaning borderline players (i.e. those who previously only used graphite) now have access to many more shaft options in steel. Graphite, on the other hand, has got thicker, heavier and stronger. And as a result there is now a lot more crossover – the player who always used a steel shaft will be able to find a graphite model that matches the performance of steel.

The question, then, is why you would choose a graphite iron shaft over steel if both options are available to you?Well, it really all boils down to clubhead balance, the distance through the air you achieve and the overall feel you have for the clubhead. Generally speaking, graphite maintains a higher shaft balance point, which means they need to be built a tad longer than standard length to achieve the correct clubhead balance or swing weight. With this extra length (roughly half an inch) you get about 3-5 percent more ball-speed, and so the graphite shaft will give you more distance through the air. But many players report a loss of feel, and so prefer to stick with steel. Again, it's personal choice. The component of feel must not be overlooked. But if you suffer arthritis, or are simply looking for a smoother feeling through impact, graphite will help you with this.

Q. I am a golf professional and I recently utilised a demo day at the club where I am based to select a new driver. I would describe myself as a player who ‘drives' the ball; I hit my irons on a low, penetrating ball flight and, typically, my bad shots will draw too much. I have always played a 9.5 degree driver and whist I have been told I should play a higher loft I just cannot find a 10.5 which suits my eye. At the demo day I tried lots of different specs and the technician on hand informed me that I simply needed more spin, which he said could be created using a shaft with a softer tip section. On the range I certainly got a higher ball flight but since putting it into play I have a tendency to balloon the ball into the wind and have been prone to hitting the occasional snap hook. Is there a driver spec out there which will work for me?

The short answer to this question is ‘yes', but the solution takes a little work. Whilst I do not know your exact ball speed I do get a pretty good idea of the type of ball striker you are from the way you couch your question. Because you are a ‘driver' of the ball, and not someone who needs help getting the ball into the air, the market simply does not cater for you very well. First thing I would say is that you do need a higher loft on your driver in order to get the ball launching at around 12 degrees – but at the same time you need to fit a shaft with a stronger tip section in order to keep your spin down somewhere around 2500 rpm. This will optimise your overall distance, giving you the feeling that you do not have to manipulate the clubhead to achieve your desired ball flight. This type of shaft will stop you ‘ballooning' the ball into the wind and, most importantly, stop those destructive snap-hooks.

On the demo day I suspect you were only seeing the overall height of your drives and not taking into account how the ball got there. It would have been launching low from the 9.5* loft and then spinning up into the air – and the spin would eat into your distance (and on occasions you overload the shaft and snap-hook the ball).

The biggest problem you have is finding a driver head which suits your eye at that 10.5 degree loft. Most run of- the-mill retail heads at this loft are made with the mid- to higher handicapper player in mind and as a result tend to have a slightly closed clubface angle to counteract a tendency to slice. As a good player you want to see a clubhead looking square to open at address.What you need is either an adjustable clubhead (readily available these days) or find a club maker who can adjust the face angle on an existing clubhead that you do like buy using a high quality lie/loft machine. Just remember that when you make the face angle more open you also take loft off the face as well, so it may well be that to hit your desired specification after the adjustment you actually need to start with an 11.5* head.

So, to sum up, it is easy to fit you, just a pain that the market doesn't cater for you very well. My advice is find a club fitter with a decent launch monitor and select your driver based on measured launch and spin rather than visual ball flight.