Hard-stepping, soft-stepping, how much does it effect the shaft?

[therod]

So I'm looking at putting some new shafts in a set of irons. I'm going to go with graphite because I've had some tendenitus issues in the past and I'm not getting any younger. I found a good deal on some shafts, but they are X-flex, and I play stiff. So I'm asking...if I soft-step them 1 time, will that change the flex that much? I'm also planning on putting some lead weight in the tip to get the swingweight up a little bit, which will also impact how the shaft plays. If I go with a 7-8 gram weight in the tip, will that be enough to soften the shaft closer to stiff? Will it still need a little help with trimming/soft-stepping to get down to stiff? I say a 7-8 gram weight because Golfworks has some rubber/tungsten tip weights in the 8-10 gram range that I've used before with good success, but that was in a 60 deg wedge. And these shafts are lighter. And now I'm re-shafting all of my irons...

[ncwoz]

https://youtu.be/DplC6a7Mqf0

TXG uploaded this video not too long ago, you might find it helpful

[ChitownM2]

I've always read that soft/hard stepping one club changes the flex by about 1/3. So you would need to softstep 3 clubs worth to get an X down to an S which is probably not doable. 

I'm definitely no club building expert, but 7-8 grams seems like a pretty normal swing weight to add which I can't imagine would change the flex so much as to accomplish what you are trying to do. 7-8 grams could be the difference in head weight due to tolerances within the same set.

Edited December 22, 2020 by ChitownM2

[NRJyzr]

On 12/21/2020 at 8:32 PM, ChitownM2 said:

I've always read that soft/hard stepping one club changes the flex by about 1/3. So you would need to softstep 3 clubs worth to get an X down to an S which is probably not doable. 

I'm definitely no club building expert, but 7-8 grams seems like a pretty normal swing weight to add which I can't imagine would change the flex so much as to accomplish what you are trying to do. 7-8 grams could be the difference in head weight due to tolerances within the same set.

How many steps between flexes will depend on the shaft and how the flexes are arranged.  Rifle shafts were 10 cpm between flexes, but Dynamic Gold are around 15-16 cpm, maybe even a touch more.

There is a 2" difference in tip section length between tapered DG flexes.  With 1/2" between each club in a set, it suggests four steps between the flexes would be a good approximation. 

With the Rifle shafts mentioned above, in which the flexes are closer together, three steps between flexes would probably get it done.

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by NRJyzr

[jaskanski]

This is a classic example of when you need to stop and think.

Sure, a 'good deal' on a set of shafts may be worth considering - but only if they are the correct flex and type you are looking for. Otherwise, they don't make any sense at all.

Much better to wait until the correct set you are looking for turn up or even pay a little bit more to get the right set than trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Soft stepping effectively "loses' the first iron shaft in your set, so soft stepping enough to create the correct flex will lose you a minimum of three shafts, so it not really worth the effort.

It's no surprise that OEMs make shafts in different flexes for reason - so you don't have to make a bodge job in building a "set' to the correct length and flex with a shaft not really designed for that purpose.

As a general rule of thumb, only modify a component in a club build as a last resort if all other alternatives have been exhausted. In other words, use the right shaft in the right head. It saves time and money in the long run.

Tip weight to your desired swing weight once you have measured each component for assembled swing weight. Anything in the range of 2-8g seems reasonable - anything 10g or above and you will have problems with frequency (and therefore flex) matching. 

Consider the weight of graphite before buying too - 60g shafts may seem like a good idea, but the aforementioned weighting issues could be made easier with a shaft closer to the 80-90g range (or higher). The benefits of the graphite will still help with your physical well-being - the correct flex and weight will help with your mental well-being when it comes to club building lol.

[golfinnut]

I've got an idea .... Get Fit!  Problem solved 

[RickyBobby_PR]

On 12/14/2020 at 10:16 PM, therod said:

I'm also planning on putting some lead weight in the tip to get the swingweight up a little bit,

Not always needed. Some heads will come in heavier with graphite. As an example Recoils in Miuras can be heavier.

[Ross Anderson]

There are lot of advantage of soft stepping shaft than hard stepping shaft. Main advantages are-

1. Higher Ball Flight

2. Easier Swing with Less Stiff

3. Slower Swing Speed

[Reid Thompson]

On 4/29/2021 at 6:17 AM, Ross Anderson said:

There are lot of advantage of soft stepping shaft than hard stepping shaft. Main advantages are-

1. Higher Ball Flight

2. Easier Swing with Less Stiff

3. Slower Swing Speed

Also, "Look!   My shaft is an X!!"  Haha

[Chris S_M_ith]

I tried hard stepping to lower my ball flight but I think my club heads and technique play a bigger role. I double hard stepped px 7.0's on p790's the flight did in fact come down a good bit but I still get crazy hight. Either way I'm happy with the outcome. I needed the stiffest shafts available and I definitely got them. Maybe a little more work on technique and I can present a little less loft.