Drivers: Stock vs Premium shafts...your experiences

[CaptStang]

I purchased a Gen 3 PXG driver with my "own" on line fitting from the PXG website. I wasn't completely happy with my choices and during a visit to my son in Dallas where PXG opened their first retail store, we went in for a look. He was friends with the new manager and after discussion, I setup for a complete fitting session. The results were pretty amazing. I tested my setup and then went through their technical fitting. I ended up with a Gen 4 driver, different loft, and substantially upgraded shaft (meaning more $$$). It was expensive but my drives typically flew and rolled out 15 yards longer and dispersion was very slight. Would I do it again knowing this was going to be an expensive choice-yes, in a minute. 

[tm2404]

I’ve hit a bunch of different premium shafts over the years and never seen  real improvement over the stock shaft. Maybe 5 yards in distance or dispersion.

Then fujikura released the Ventus Velocore line and now I’m never going back. That shaft is better for me in any driver head you give me by a substantial margin. I can hardly believe sometimes just how much is knocks my dispersion down when I hit other clubs.

[RickyBobby_PR]

11 hours ago, Inferno2ss said:

I got fitted for the Sim 2 Max last year and ended up upgrading to the HZRDUS Smoke Green shaft and feel it was well worth it.  I think the shaft has given me a few more yards but more importantly a lot more consistency as it is more geared towards my swing.  I think the right shaft, flex and weight is more important than the driver head itself, most of the new drivers are all fantastic.  

The head is far more responsible for launch conditions than the shaft.

the role of the shaft is to provide weight and feel. Unless one was in an ill fitted shaft a shaft change isn’t going to significantly change anything.

Theres plenty of information all over the internet that talks about this but here is a good thread from a well respected fitter

https://forums.golfwrx.com/topic/1860305-shafts-when-to-change-and-when-to-tweak-lofts/

11 hours ago, Miinike said:

I am a senior age player and I like to swing the Xstiff shafts with low torque tips. The low torque tip allow you to have control of the ball, preventing over-sidespinning of the ball. The dispersion is tight, keeps you on the short grass and low/optimum spinning ball will give you a bit more distance. So I don't bother with the brand it is how you swing that will give you a better result. I currently swing the UST Mamiya ProForce V2 8F4. 1.8 torque. Previous shaft was a Matrix Ozik Black 60 Xstiff. 2.8 torque. even though they may feel a little heavy, the results are great for me.

Torque these days are for feel and it’s not necessarily torque in the tip as torque isn’t measured at the tip and torque like flex has no standard in the industry. It’s measured differently by each company and with different machines. 

11 hours ago, Everardo said:

There are several videos on YouTube about this exact thing and most show the aftermarket one performs slightly better BUT I will say more importantly is getting fit and then having that shop properly build the clubs to the exact total weight, swing weight, CPM or flex, weight sorted, etc. You could have the best fitting but a DIY or crappy club builder can mess it all up. 

These are anecdotal to that user. There are plenty of videos especially from mark Crossfield that shows shafts don’t make much difference. There’s one from txg that shows Matt having similar results between the non velocore ventus and the aftermaket version.

Also several years back two club manufacturers performed tests with shafts ranging from lightweight soft flex shafts up to the shafts used by long drive champions and there was minimal difference between each shaft.

it’s the human factor and how the feel, weight and balance of a shaft and club have on a persons swing that will affect how the club is delivered and thus how the ball will launch and spin 

[ChuckZ]

On 1/6/2017 at 2:23 PM, JudgeSmails said:

So I have never played a driver with anything but the stock shaft it came with.  

For those of you that have gotten fitted and purchased a premium shaft for you driver, did you see real gains in distance and accuracy?

I normally play a regular flex shaft, I've always kind of considered the premium shafts to be for harder swingers, am I wrong?

Just curious on your thoughts if this is something you went through.....With all the new drivers coming out, seems like there is very little performance difference from model to model, I'm wondering if a premium shaft could be a better investment for someone (just got an M1 last year, so not in the market for a driver, but wonder if a shaft would be worth looking into) 

Thanks.

Have always played Fujikura Speeder shafts in my Driver, Fairway and Hybrids.  When I bought my new TSi3 driver those shafts were longer a standard shaft and had to upgrade to get those shafts.  The upgrade was worth it, because I got the numbers we were looking for.  At 76 and getting 225 carry, hey, what can I say.  On good days (when back and hips not hurting), with the Prov1x left dash, have hit it over 260 with carry.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

32 minutes ago, ChuckZ said:

Have always played Fujikura Speeder shafts in my Driver, Fairway and Hybrids.  When I bought my new TSi3 driver those shafts were longer a standard shaft and had to upgrade to get those shafts.  The upgrade was worth it, because I got the numbers we were looking for.  At 76 and getting 225 carry, hey, what can I say.  On good days (when back and hips not hurting), with the Prov1x left dash, have hit it over 260 with carry.  

A lot of the speeder shafts were made for. The speeder evo were typically upgraded shafts for all brands which seem to be the only ones offered these days and the atmos have become the no upcharge offerings and aren’t as much made for like the speeder 

[Bluesman57]

On 9/12/2022 at 10:58 AM, JudgeSmails said:

 

Yes Sir.....hit the Golf Garage https://www.golfgaragefw.com/

David is awesome and will take care of you

[JudgeSmails]

16 hours ago, Bluesman57 said:

took me a minute to get that .. lol

[HDTVMAN]

Titleist TPI in Oceanside fit me with a TS2 driver & fairway and an actual Mitsubishi Diamana after market shaft. I brought my Ping G400MAX w/Ping Tour Shaft for comparisons, which they requested. I hit the Ping just as far and accurately as the Titleist. I did keep the shaft and it is now in my Ping G425MAX.

[Bob Pegram]

On 1/6/2017 at 11:59 AM, revkev said:

I know that MGS has done studies on this and being fitted for the proper shaft matters. There is no form fast rule that an $800 shaft will automatically be the better fit either. Swing speed is only one factor in fitting so it does matter for a guy who would typically need a R type shaft.

 

Having written that I was fitted for my SLDR but saw an uptic in distance and accuracy when I demod the Patterson Shaft 2 years ago. I went for a driver fitting 6 months ago and the combo of that shaft with my G30 head worked best for me.

 

Sent from my VS986 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

Paderson makes extremely good shafts. They weave the fibers under the correct tension to get the flex they want as well as bend point, torque, etc. They apparently change the tension as they weave the shaft in order to do that. Their black shafts look better than those ugly yellowish lime green color (which are the top of the line), but they perform.

[Bob Pegram]

On 9/13/2022 at 6:11 AM, RickyBobby_PR said:

The head is far more responsible for launch conditions than the shaft.

the role of the shaft is to provide weight and feel. Unless one was in an ill fitted shaft a shaft change isn’t going to significantly change anything.

Theres plenty of information all over the internet that talks about this but here is a good thread from a well respected fitter

https://forums.golfwrx.com/topic/1860305-shafts-when-to-change-and-when-to-tweak-lofts/

Torque these days are for feel and it’s not necessarily torque in the tip as torque isn’t measured at the tip and torque like flex has no standard in the industry. It’s measured differently by each company and with different machines. 

These are anecdotal to that user. There are plenty of videos especially from mark Crossfield that shows shafts don’t make much difference. There’s one from txg that shows Matt having similar results between the non velocore ventus and the aftermaket version.

Also several years back two club manufacturers performed tests with shafts ranging from lightweight soft flex shafts up to the shafts used by long drive champions and there was minimal difference between each shaft.

it’s the human factor and how the feel, weight and balance of a shaft and club have on a persons swing that will affect how the club is delivered and thus how the ball will launch and spin 

It depends on how the shaft reacts to the golfer's swing. I used to square up the face at the last split second before impact (according to FlightScope). When I tried higher torque shafts they didn't close in time and I hit the ball to the right. Low torque shafts would hit the ball straight. I have since fixed my swing so my timing isn't so finicky. I don't know if it would make as much difference now.