Driver: Stiff shaft vs Regular shaft.?

Question

I'm looking into buying a driver. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a regular flex shaft vs a stiff shaft option?

I have tested the regular shaft version of the driver I'm looking at. I still slice a little bit but not too bad (maybe 15 yards left to right movement on the ball flight). I hit about 215 yards at the range (with crappy range balls).

Would switching to the stiff shaft version of the same driver help or hurt my minor slice, and would it increase or decrease my distance?

Answer 1

Switching to a stiffer shaft would tend to hurt you more if you have a slight slice.  One of the indications of a shaft that is too whippy is a hook, so if you have the opposite, I would stick with the regular shaft.  If you really want to figure out what shaft is right for you, I would go get fitted for one.  At the least you should find out your swing speed so you have an idea of what type of shaft is good for you.

The Stiffer shaft gives a player a little more ability to control how they want to hit a shot (whether it is a draw or fade, etc.).  The Regular shaft is a little more forgiving and gives a player with a slower swing speed a little extra "pop" at impact.  Like I said, though, if the shaft is too whippy for you, it probably won't be going slice on you.  It's more likely the swing you are putting on the ball.

Answer 2

A stiff shaft would help a player with a high swing speed hit the ball further. And would also help a little with a slice because you have more control of the club. A flex shaft is more for players with a slower swing speed but may not give a better player enough control of the club. so it all depends. But a slice is mainly the result of your swing path not so much the club.

Answer 3

u should go with the stiffer shaft because it will help u straighten out that slice into a fade. i can tell u this because i had the exact same problem and i have now a beautiful drive that goes further and straigther

Answer 4

Switching to a stiff shaft offers two things. A little more control, and a little less kick. The ball won't go farther, but it will launch lower, and roll farther. Stick with the regular until you land at 245. Then go to stiff.

Answer 5

Take a lesson, talk to a Golf Pro ask him what shaft is best for you. You won't fix your slice with regular or stiff shaft or new driver.

Answer 6

When you are drawing back make sure that your arms are as straight as possible pulling more with the right arm (if your right handed).  When you draw forward ensure that your left arm is controlling the movement.  Reverse this if you are left handed.  

Answer 7

Hey SmartA$$

I really like you ID, very cleaver, anyway to the question.  You ask a very good one and one that is hard to answer.  Not all stiff shafts and regular shafts are the same.  Here is a myth on golf shafts that I hope will help you:

Flex Ratings Are All The Same

Not true. Why does an ‘S’ shaft from one manufacturer feel so different to that of another? Each shaft company has their own designs for shafts. They grade their shafts in accordance to their own flex ratings so an ‘S’ shaft from one company could in fact be an ‘R’ or ‘X’ from another. Even within a company different ranges of shaft designs will show different flex readings. It is very hard to compare apples to apples without a Frequency Analyzer. Table 1 below shows the results of three different manufacturers ‘R’ flex’s tested as raw full length 40″ shafts.

Two of the companies manufacture two ‘R’ shaft designs however I have not indicated which these are or what materials the shafts were made of. The pairs from within the same company were both either steel to steel or graphite to graphite.

The best thing for you to do is to go to your local golf shop and swing some of the different shafts.  As mentioned above, not all shafts are created equal.

Answer 8

I agree with Hunter N.  What I would add is, the faster your swing speed the stiffer shaft you need.  Your slice is due to your swing plane and club face at impact.  Your shaft isn't going to have much effect on those two issues.

As far as yardage is concerned the more lag you have generally the longer your going to hit.  A regular flex shaft is going to be fine for most amateur golfers, and should provide you with the right amount of lag for your swing speed.

Answer 9

possibly you could try a draw biased driver . withy 10.5 to 11.5. 15 yards is really not that bad. the draw bias would definatly decrease your sli8ce by a minum of 8 yards . regular shaft is fine . to many people use stiiff shaft, all it does is cost distane, decrease foegivness , increase severity of miss hits. even cheaper solution . find a 13 degree three wood . will hit straighter , miss hits short grass , loss of distance 4 yards . i am old guy tossed driver , use sonatec three wood off tee 14 degree loft . added 5th wedge 5 years ago. just a differentoutlook . yhank you .

Answer 10

If you are hitting around 215 with a regular shaft, you would be hurting yourself going to a stiff shaft.  You need to get to a swing monitor at a local golf shop to see your swing speed, but would guess you are in the 80 to 85 mph range.  A person up in the 90's mph would be a candidate for a stiff shaft to minimize the whipping action they would see from a regular shaft.