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Iron Shaft Recommendations in between Regular and Stiff


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I am looking for help with finding steel iron shafts that fit into that gray area between regular and stiff flex.  Although I have always played stiff shafts, my age (61) and two hip replacements has lowered my swing speed (with driver) down to 93 - 95 mph.  I have stayed with my Hogan Edge GS irons ( for 30 plus years now) in stiff Apex shafts but it is certainly time to make a change.  Any help in knowing what might be out there in the gray area between reg. and stiff would be greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance.

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... I am sure you anticipated this but getting fit should confirm what flex you really need. You might discover a different weight or shaft profile fits your post 60 age swing better as well. That said you can always soft step your iron shafts 2 times which gives you that in between flex. Meaning installing a 2 iron shaft in your 4 iron, a 3 iron shaft in your 5 iron, etc. If .370 a club maker can cut the blank tip to any flex. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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There’s no standard for flex so you really aren’t in between flexes.

Swing speed is a small factor in determine shaft flex for reasons stated above.

Example kbs tour v ref flex 100g is stiffer than dg 105g s300. 
 

Unfortunately nobody here can tell you exactly what shaft to play and there are tons of options.

Shaft weight is a big consideration and the feel. Second is how that shaft feels in the club. For some heads it could feel good and others not so good.

Only way to know what shaft fits you is to go get fit or test them yourself.

 

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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My driver swing runs about 101mph. Went from heavy 120g steel modus III shafts to mamiya recoil f4 graphite shafts. Made a huge difference. Much lighter and doesn’t feel nearly as stiff.

 “They call it golf because all the other four letter words were taken.”

‒ Raymond Flyod

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Things have kinda been covered in only a couple posts for you, but getting fit is one option. Flexes are all over the place from brand to brand. KBS does have a ton of options with S+ and R+ options. In the end testing and trying some at a shop and such should help you get a good idea of what will work best for you. 

⛳🛄 as of Nov 6, 2023 (Past WITB
Driver:  :callaway-small: Paradym TD w/ GD ADDI 6X Driver Shootout! 

Wood:    :cobra-small: F7 3 wood 14.5* w/ Motore F1 Shaft

Irons:   :titleist-small: T Series - T200 5 Iron
                                          T150 6-9 Iron
                                          T100 PW/GW

Wedge:  Toura Golf - A Spec 53,37,61 degree 

Putter:  Screenshot 2023-06-02 13.10.30.png Mezz Max!

Balls:     Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange)

 

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Many good suggestions already. Maybe finding an #3 Apex shaft pull set and install those, or something else,  those Sheeleys are nice heads.  I would also recommend when you go the fitting route don't ask, or have the clerk tell you,  what the flex, weight, kick, etc., is.  Just swing them and your senses will generally guide you which shaft to consider.

Edited by MacTourney

Good hand action comes from good body action.     

:macgregor-small:  :benhogan-small: :cobra-small:

 

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I was in between and they hard stepped my irons. This makes the shaft just a little bit stiffer. They basically take a PW shaft and put it in a 9 iron and work down from there. It works well for me. It gives me that extra little stiffness with a lighter shaft. This has helped my accuracy quite a bit.

D- Tour Edge EXS 220

4W- Sub 70 949X

Hybrid- Sub 70 949X

Utility- Sub 70 699 U  21 degree

Irons- Sub 70 749 5-PW

Wedges- Sub 70 286 50+54, Tour Edge 1 out 58 degree 

Putter- Cleveland Huntington Beach soft # 11

Ball- Titleist Tour Soft

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You may want to locate a shop that has the Mizuno shaft optimizer. While it is made by Mizuno, it can be a tool regarding any club brand.  It digitally measures not only swing speed but tempo (how aggressive one starts the down swing) and hand placement when the ball is hit. All of these factors influence shaft need.  It suggests (underscore suggests) shaft brand, flex and gram weight.  These factors can vary based on shaft brand and model. 

Edited by Lefty Larry
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Shafts come in every flex under the sun. What manufacturers call stiff vs. regular is all over the board as there are no industry standards. I know this may not be what you want to hear but you probably need to get fitted. If you're getting new irons, this is easy as you can just test what your maybe buying in a simulator or on the range. If you're wanting to just replace shafts then it's a little tougher as you will still want to get fitted but you'll have to either get fitted using a current iron head that is as close to your irons as possible or you will have to see if the fitter could install a shaft adaptor on your Hogans for the fitting.

Realistically, you're probably going to be looking at a regular shaft. Some companies make firm or regular+ shafts that sit in that middle area. Steel shafts are relatively forgiving in terms of flex though. There are lots of good steel shafts of almost any flex that could fit you but graphite shafts have come a long way as well and maybe should be considered. However, graphite can have a real lack of feel when compared to steel and some people simply can't bear that. That lack of feel isn't always obvious during a fitting if you're not aware of it. 

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On 8/23/2022 at 7:57 AM, Kansas King said:

graphite shafts have come a long way as well and maybe should be considered. However, graphite can have a real lack of feel when compared to steel and some people simply can't bear that. That lack of feel isn't always obvious during a fitting if you're not aware of it. 

 

... Graphite has surpassed steel as far as having the ability to create any kind of shaft concerning fine tuning performance. There is a reason most LPGA players have graphite in their irons and it isn't more distance. It is accuracy. And while feel is certainly subjective, I would say graphite shafts don't have a lack of feel, they have a lack of vibration. For someone that has only played steel, graphite can feel a little dead or overly dampened at first but most adjust pretty quickly. Just listen to those that have played several different graphite iron shafts and they can have strong opinions on the feel of Recoil, MMT, KBS TGi/TPi and Steelfibers. 

... There used to be a pretty big difference in price but that is no longer the case and some steel shafts are more expensive than graphite. I am a huge advocate for using graphite in your irons especially older players because it is easier on your body. And the more you play the more it makes a difference. That said, steel has been around forever and still performs it's job as you recommend, you get fit into the right steel shaft. 

Driver:     :taylormade-small:  Qi10 10.5* ... Ventus Red Velocore 5R
Fairway:  :cobra-small: Aerojet 3/5 ... Kai'li Blue 60R
Hybrids:  :ping-small:      430 Hybrid 22*... Steelfiber 780Hy 
                  :taylormade-small:  DHy #4 ... Diamana LTD 65r 
Irons:       :titleist-small:         '23 T200 5-Pw ... Steelfiber i95r
Wedges:  :taylormade-small: Vokey 50*/54*/58* ... Steelfiber i95r
Putter:     :cobra-small:  Sport-60 33" 
Ball:           Maxfli     Maxfli Tour

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1 hour ago, Kansas King said:

Realistically, you're probably going to be looking at a regular shaft. Some companies make firm or regular+ shafts that sit in that middle area. Steel shafts are relatively forgiving in terms of flex though. There are lots of good steel shafts of almost any flex that could fit you but graphite shafts have come a long way as well and maybe should be considered. However, graphite can have a real lack of feel when compared to steel and some people simply can't bear that. That lack of feel isn't always obvious during a fitting if you're not aware of it. 

So you tell him that there’s no standard then in the next paragraph tell him he’s probably going to fit into a regular contradicting your previous statement. As you said in the first paragraph it’s going to depend on what brand he’s going to fit into. The +
shafts are only something in between the shaft line they are in, because as you said there’s no standard. In reality flex can only be compared within the same shaft line and weight class.

Completely disagree on your opinion about graphite bs steel and feel. First feel is subjective and not only will people with different feel different things two people with similar swings can feel something different based on their sensitivity to weight or a profile. There is a lot more that can be done with graphite that can’t be done with steel and many times it will actually make the feel better. They can also manipulate the weight and construction better.

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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  • 5 months later...

Hey Y'all - got a couple of questions. I'm looking at switching to the Modus 105 X from the Modus 120 S. My swing speed will carry the X shaft, and I like the concept of the 105s(they're REALLY nice). I'm aware that if I go to the X (instead of the S) in the 105s, I'm gonna lose some spin. I'm looking at losing about 400-500ish going from my 120Ss to the 105Xs.

My questions are: Is the 400-500 that big of a deal (my launch/descent angles with all of them are right on the money)? IF I were to soft step the Xs would it help get some of that spin back and bring it to a "happy medium" between the X and S (favoring X)?

I'm also thinking that I can make up for the loss of spin to some degree with a higher spin ball.

Thanks and I appreciate any input

Edited by Merlin1313

ALL :callaway-small:

Paradym 10.5*(11.5*) (Hzrdus Gen 4 Silver 60/KBS TD)

Apex UW 17* (Tensei AV Blue 75)

Apex Pro 21 Hybrid 20*/23* (KBS Hybrid)

Paradym 6-PW (Nippon NS Pro Modus 3 Tour 105X)

Jaws Raw Face Chrome 48* (Nippon NS Pro Modus 3 Tour 105X)

Jaws Raw Chrome Full Toe 54*/ 58* (Nippon Pro Modus 115 Wedge)

Jaws Full Toe Black Wedge 64* (DG Tour Issue Spinner 115)

WHOG #5

Chrome Soft X 

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8 minutes ago, Merlin1313 said:

Hey Y'all - got a couple of questions. I'm looking at switching to the Modus 105 X from the Modus 120 S. My swing speed will carry the X shaft, and I like the concept of the 105s(they're REALLY nice). I'm aware that if I go to the X (instead of the S) in the 105s, I'm gonna lose some spin. I'm looking at losing about 400-500ish going from my 120Ss to the 105Xs.

None of this is hard facts and truth. There is no flex for swing speed and the modus shafts play softer than other shafts and flex is only relative to the shaft line and weigh class so when you go from 120 to 105 flex isn’t comparable. It also doesn’t mean you will lose spin, it’s all dependent on how the shaft feels to you along with balance and it’s influence on how you deliver it that will determine if you lose, gain or maintain spin. 

 

11 minutes ago, Merlin1313 said:

My questions are: Is the 400-500 that big of a deal (my launch/descent angles with all of them are right on the money)? IF I were to soft step the Xs would it help get some of that spin back and bring it to a "happy medium" between the X and S (favoring X)?

400-500 rpm change in spin for some could be an issue and for others it might not but again shafts dont spin that is the clubs job and how you deliver it. Soft stepping has a small changing in spin and again it may or may not work for you.
 

 

12 minutes ago, Merlin1313 said:

I'm also thinking that I can make up for the loss of spin to some degree with a higher spin ball.

This is quite possible and it’s an easy and cheap way to try and get different spin.

The only way to know what the shaft change will do for you is to actually hit the them and see how they feel and how it affects your swing and ball flight. Everyone comes looking for a hard and fast answer with shafts and changes but the reality is it’s different for each person 

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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@RickyBobby_PR- thanks- I appreciate the input

ALL :callaway-small:

Paradym 10.5*(11.5*) (Hzrdus Gen 4 Silver 60/KBS TD)

Apex UW 17* (Tensei AV Blue 75)

Apex Pro 21 Hybrid 20*/23* (KBS Hybrid)

Paradym 6-PW (Nippon NS Pro Modus 3 Tour 105X)

Jaws Raw Face Chrome 48* (Nippon NS Pro Modus 3 Tour 105X)

Jaws Raw Chrome Full Toe 54*/ 58* (Nippon Pro Modus 115 Wedge)

Jaws Full Toe Black Wedge 64* (DG Tour Issue Spinner 115)

WHOG #5

Chrome Soft X 

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