Regular VS Stiff with limited weight difference

[harrythekid]

Hey guys,

So I wanted to get your feedback about reg vs stiff shafts. 

What would you say about the true difference between two shafts, one stiff and one regular, with the same or nearly the same weight. Is this more of a mental difference?

We could compare the True Temper Elevate 95 shafts. Reg flex is 96g and stiff is 96. If my goal is to increase swing and ball speed with a swing speed at approximately 90mph, is the difference a factor? Where would someone lose out on either side? 

[HDTVMAN]

There are no specific specs required for shafts by the USGA or R&A. You also cannot compare a regular in one brand to a regular in another. You can compare regular to stiff in the same brand. Like tire ratings, they are only good for that specific brand. Bottom line...you have to hit each shaft you are interested in. Go to a professional fitter. Don't go to big box national chains, as their "fitters" just came from McDonald's and have absolutely NO TRAINING! They may see a video, but nothing else. I know because I worked there after I retired from a professional position. I paid my own way to Carlsbad and Phoenix for training, so I knew what I was doing, and did it right. I did it for fun, but the young kids hired for less than $10/hr couldn't care less, and the store manager where I worked said don't let them leave without a purchase. I walked in to open one morning and found all the tracking equipment "Juiced"! Just tell the customer what they want to hear and get the money! Go to a PRO or a PROFESSIONAL SHOP.

[cnosil]

On 7/13/2021 at 1:23 PM, harrythekid said:

Hey guys,

So I wanted to get your feedback about reg vs stiff shafts. 

What would you say about the true difference between two shafts, one stiff and one regular, with the same or nearly the same weight. Is this more of a mental difference?

We could compare the True Temper Elevate 95 shafts. Reg flex is 96g and stiff is 96. If my goal is to increase swing and ball speed with a swing speed at approximately 90mph, is the difference a factor? Where would someone lose out on either side? 

The difference is how the shaft loads and unloads.  Stiffer shafts typically take more effort to load the shaft so you can maximize its potential.  Additionally the flex may impact how well you can return the face to the proper impact location and hit the center of the face.   A shaft generally won’t increase swing speed.  
 

So, in summary,  the difference is how well the shaft works for you particular swing.  

[Jim Sauer]

If we're talking iron shafts, which I think we are, best advise I can give is go to a fitter that has a Mizuno shaft optimizer. It has sensors that measure key forces placed on the shaft during your swing. With a couple swings it will give you several choices in shafts. A good starting point. In my area (Milwaukee) Golf Galaxy and Dick's Sporting Goods are equipped with them. Great piece of fitting equipment.

[IONEPUTT]

You are NOT going to see ANY difference is swing or ball speed between the R or S flex shafts. NOT going to happen. So get the flex YOU HIT THE BEST.  For me, ddriver speed 105, I get a higher ball flight with a S flex shaft in my irons compared to a R flex shaft. But that's ME. You need to test both a go by what you get. 

[cnosil]

5 minutes ago, IONEPUTT said:

You are NOT going to see ANY difference is swing or ball speed between the R or S flex shafts. NOT going to happen. So get the flex YOU HIT THE BEST.  For me, ddriver speed 105, I get a higher ball flight with a S flex shaft in my irons compared to a R flex shaft. But that's ME. You need to test both a go by what you get. 

Ball speed is influenced by where you hit the ball on the face.   Flex influences where you hit the ball in the face.   Getting those aligned could result in better ball speed.  I saw a fitting session where a low speed swinger achieved batter face contact with an x flex vs a senior flex.  If fit was Based on swing speed the player fit a senior flex.  People react to shafts differently.   It will depend on the player on how much shaft   will influence the swing. 

[Jim Sauer]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=mizuno+shaft+optimizer+3d&&view=detail&mid=C1849D234B8B63C78BD2C1849D234B8B63C78BD2&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dmizuno%2Bshaft%2Boptimizer%2B3d%26FORM%3DHDRSC4

Mizuno Shaft Optimizer 3D. Check it out.

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, IONEPUTT said:

You are NOT going to see ANY difference is swing or ball speed between the R or S flex shafts. NOT going to happen. So get the flex YOU HIT THE BEST.  For me, ddriver speed 105, I get a higher ball flight with a S flex shaft in my irons compared to a R flex shaft. But that's ME. You need to test both a go by what you get. 

If a regular flex has someone hotting the ball off the heel while a stiff has them hitting off the sweet spot or toward the toe there’s going to a difference in ball speed. Also from a swing speed perspective there’s going to be a loading difference in the two flexes and will result in different swing speed.

Comparing driver flex with iron flex is even worse than comparing flexes between to different brand driver shafts

[Donn lost in San Diego]

Can o worms.  weights are only part of the story.  tips and kick points are important but are not reduced to a common number.  try em, feel em, hit em.  If you really want to increase swing speed, probably need a lighter weight or lighter swing weight.  For fun, I would pick up used clubs at thrift stores, hit them at the range for practice, or use for a few rounds, and give them away again.

[RickyBobby_PR]

2 hours ago, Donn lost in San Diego said:

If you really want to increase swing speed, probably need a lighter weight or lighter swing weight. 

 Not always. Finding the right feel, weight and profile that help with better sequencing.

Theres been several members lately that have posted about not gaining speed by going lighter 

[Hook DeLoft]

Back to the original poster's question, I've wondered the same thing.  I don't remember what shaft it was, but I was looking at a graphite iron shaft on the Golfworks site and the specs were identical between 2 different flexes, including the same exact weights and torque ratings.  So, what makes one feel stiffer than the other?

[cnosil]

12 minutes ago, Hook DeLoft said:

Back to the original poster's question, I've wondered the same thing.  I don't remember what shaft it was, but I was looking at a graphite iron shaft on the Golfworks site and the specs were identical between 2 different flexes, including the same exact weights and torque ratings.  So, what makes one feel stiffer than the other?

The types of material Used to construct the shaft as well as where and how the material is applied to the shaft,  

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Hook DeLoft said:

Back to the original poster's question, I've wondered the same thing.  I don't remember what shaft it was, but I was looking at a graphite iron shaft on the Golfworks site and the specs were identical between 2 different flexes, including the same exact weights and torque ratings.  So, what makes one feel stiffer than the other?

Feel is dependent on the golfer and two golfers even with identical swing speeds can feel two different things with the same shaft depending on how they swing the club. Example someone who has an aggressive transition will have a different feel than someone with a smooth transition.

Now as far as feel in general that is what manufacturers use torque for. The higher the number the softer the shaft will feel.

Stiffness is a measurement done on a machine to measure cpm. Each manufacturer has a com rating to determine this just like they do for torque.

By changing the material and/or the direction it is placed on the shaft the manufacturer can change weight, torque, stiffness.