Getting the correct equipment for your swing and also set up is also as important as learning the game. If you dont have the right equipment, especially the best fitting shafts to match your game, you will also make the wrong swing. Your body and swing will adjust to suit the club and ‘teach’ your golf game the mistakes. Shafts are the engine of the club.
Probably the most impotrant part of the golf club and often ignored but the shaft is an essential part of the club that makes the whole club work. The length, flex, torque, kick-point, weight and alignment of the shaft all have an effect on the performance of your golf club. What does this all mean?
Types Of Golf Shafts
Steel Shafts
Steel shafts are stronger, more durable and generally less expensive than graphite and are made from carbon steel, although stainless steel is occasionally used. Steel shafts do not experience the torque or lateral twisting found in all graphite shafts and therefore the average player should benefit from the extra control. Steel shafts do require a faster swing speed to generate the same distance as a graphite shaft.
There are two types of steel shafts:
1. Stepped Steel Shafts
Stepped steel shafts are used to gradually reduce the diameter of the shaft from the wider butt end to the narrower tip end that goes into the hosel of the clubhead. A steel strip is rolled into a tube and then mechanically drawn until the diameter and thickness is correct. Stepped steel shafts are used in the majority of golf clubs by all the major manufacturers,
2. Rifle Steel Shafts
The main difference with Rifle shafts is that the steel is smooth from top to bottom and has no steps. The shaft design and construction uses different technologies to provide greater performance and consistency. Frequency Matching of each shaft perfectly matches the flex throughout a set of clubs using electronic calibration. The stepless design technology eliminates the energy-robbing steps' found on most other steel shafts, which Rifle manufacturers claim provides greater accuracy. Some Rifle shafts offer 'flighted' versions that can produce variable ball trajectories for different clubs within a single set.
Graphite Shafts
Generally graphite is more expensive than steel and less durable. The lighter weight provides greater swing speed for more power, but it sacrifices control due to the flex generated during the swing. The variation in flexes (and colours) make graphite shafts a very popular choice with professionals and amateurs alike. They are also suited to lady golfers and seniors who cannot produce the swing speed to use a steel shaft effectively.
Graphite golf club shafts can reduce the weight of your club (you can really feel the difference if you’ve used steel shafts before). They weigh between 50-85 grams, while their steel counterparts generally start at 120 grams. Graphite shafts also dampen shaft vibration better than steel which is why several high profile injured golf pros recovering from surgery use them to receover. On the downside it is more difficult than steel to get a consistent feel and stiffness in a set of graphite shafted irons.
Graphite shafts are great for getting greater distances from today’s oversize titanium drivers as they allow shafts to be longer. But remember, longer clubs are good for distance, not for control. Lighter than steel and can be made in many variations, making it easier to select a shaft best suited to your game.
The major draw back of graphite shafts is that they needmore care than steel shafts. Make sure you have extra long headcovers on woods or padded dividers in your golf bag so that the paint on the graphite shaft does not get worn off, as this will negatively affect the performance of the shaft.
Multi-Material Shafts
A recent addition to the shaft market is the multi-material shaft. Used on both irons and drivers, this shaft combines both steel and graphite into one shaft to try and get the best of both worlds. Typically it is mainly a steel shaft that has a graphite tip. The steel section of the shaft offers a solid shaft that allows players to control the ball flight more. The graphite tip lets the driver have a limited amount of 'whip' into the ball that can help produce more distance. The graphite tip also helps filter out any unwanted vibrations at contact to optimize the feel of each shot.
Titanium Shafts
Titanium is a relatively new material in shafts. 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.
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