Graphite or Steel, that is the question.

[Wheelieb]

So I was a late starter with getting into golf. Started playing more in 2019 but didn’t really take off playing more frequently until the following year. My iron shafts have always been steel shafts, and I have a pretty quick swing. I was fit into extra stiff steel shafts. While I’m noticing my arms starting to feel heavy around holes 15-16, fitness is not an issue, I also notice my elbows have a slight pain in them now. For reference, my iron shafts are kbs $taper 130 gram x stiff. I was never offered the ability to try graphite shafts at club champion. All my irons fly at a low to mid trajectory and I get a lot of roll out now. I mean, my 175 yd shot I would use my 8 iron for carry purposes. It just doesn’t have that stopping power from what I’ve noticed. Since elbow pain is creeping in and I know graphite shafts normally have a higher apex, I am considering switching to graphite for all of my clubs that are irons down to my wedges. I guess the real question is would it be worth it?

[GolfSpy_APH]

1 hour ago, Wheelieb said:

So I was a late starter with getting into golf. Started playing more in 2019 but didn’t really take off playing more frequently until the following year. My iron shafts have always been steel shafts, and I have a pretty quick swing. I was fit into extra stiff steel shafts. While I’m noticing my arms starting to feel heavy around holes 15-16, fitness is not an issue, I also notice my elbows have a slight pain in them now. For reference, my iron shafts are kbs $taper 130 gram x stiff. I was never offered the ability to try graphite shafts at club champion. All my irons fly at a low to mid trajectory and I get a lot of roll out now. I mean, my 175 yd shot I would use my 8 iron for carry purposes. It just doesn’t have that stopping power from what I’ve noticed. Since elbow pain is creeping in and I know graphite shafts normally have a higher apex, I am considering switching to graphite for all of my clubs that are irons down to my wedges. I guess the real question is would it be worth it?

Best thing you can do is go to a shop or demo day and try it out. While graphite can dampen some vibrations with your swing speed and and yardage it will be tough to find a graphite shaft that isn't way too light. 

[Ding-dong]

I play graphite, simply because of joint pain. Graphite options now are massive. I don’t know if you will get to 130g but it doesn’t sound like these fit either. 
Definitely try some, you may get a pleasant surprise. I wouldn’t return to steel, I occasionally play some steel shafted irons but they don’t offer anything over and above what I have. 

[Dead Solid Bogey]

I may get corrected on this… So take it for whatever you think it might be worth. I have a progressively deteriorating hand /wrist issue, forcing me into having/had to switch shafts. For me the best combination of damping and what I call stability has been the SteelFiber shafts. 
    I commend you on trying to figure out an aid or remedy for your elbow pain before it worsens. Best of luck. 

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, Wheelieb said:

So I was a late starter with getting into golf. Started playing more in 2019 but didn’t really take off playing more frequently until the following year. My iron shafts have always been steel shafts, and I have a pretty quick swing. I was fit into extra stiff steel shafts. While I’m noticing my arms starting to feel heavy around holes 15-16, fitness is not an issue, I also notice my elbows have a slight pain in them now. For reference, my iron shafts are kbs $taper 130 gram x stiff. I was never offered the ability to try graphite shafts at club champion. All my irons fly at a low to mid trajectory and I get a lot of roll out now. I mean, my 175 yd shot I would use my 8 iron for carry purposes. It just doesn’t have that stopping power from what I’ve noticed. Since elbow pain is creeping in and I know graphite shafts normally have a higher apex, I am considering switching to graphite for all of my clubs that are irons down to my wedges. I guess the real question is would it be worth it?

My opinions:  1. Getting tired after 15/16 holes means the 130 might be to heavy.  MmT, Fujikura, and a few others make a 125gr.   2. There are many people on the forum that tout the benefits of graphite and less joint pain..  3. More than just shafts that influence launch and spin.  Just like with steel You need to consider the shafts profile and how it causes you to deliver the club.   Also, Lighter often means higher.  

 

I say try them on a launch monitor and see how they work for you.

[Wheelieb]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Best thing you can do is go to a shop or demo day and try it out. While graphite can dampen some vibrations with your swing speed and and yardage it will be tough to find a graphite shaft that isn't way too light. 

I understand finding one that isn’t too light. I do know there are graphite shafts that are pretty heavy and we can look at Bryson’s and his are 125 grams. I’m also not immune to understanding that two completely different materials will perform differently. Not going to disclose what I do, but for the last 19 years my body has taken a beating. Maybe I don’t need steel shafts since I’ve only be playing for about 4 years? I don’t know. I just know I don’t want to keep having elbow pain after a round. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

When you ask if it's worth it that is going to be tough. The top end graphite that are in your weight range and are more proven are not cheap. 

For flight take a look at what ball you're using. That had more effect then anything. I will link Matt Blois' video he just did, but basically shaft did nothing and his speed is similar to yours.

Since you haven't been playing that long rather than dropping 1k on shafts that may or may not do the trick try putting that towards lessons. Maybe a coach can find why you are getting that pain which isn't club or shaft related.

[Shrek74]

9 hours ago, Wheelieb said:

So I was a late starter with getting into golf. Started playing more in 2019 but didn’t really take off playing more frequently until the following year. My iron shafts have always been steel shafts, and I have a pretty quick swing. I was fit into extra stiff steel shafts. While I’m noticing my arms starting to feel heavy around holes 15-16, fitness is not an issue, I also notice my elbows have a slight pain in them now. For reference, my iron shafts are kbs $taper 130 gram x stiff. I was never offered the ability to try graphite shafts at club champion. All my irons fly at a low to mid trajectory and I get a lot of roll out now. I mean, my 175 yd shot I would use my 8 iron for carry purposes. It just doesn’t have that stopping power from what I’ve noticed. Since elbow pain is creeping in and I know graphite shafts normally have a higher apex, I am considering switching to graphite for all of my clubs that are irons down to my wedges. I guess the real question is would it be worth it?

I've been dealing with elbow pain for a couple years now, but haven't played enough golf to worry about it. Until now. I will look to make the switch out of steel and into graphite for the joint pain issues, but also to look for options that might help me with a bit more spin and launch with my irons. I play DG120 shafts when I shifted out of the heavier DG's when I started feeling too tired by the last few holes. The lighter weight was great, but now it's more joint issues than weight.

There are a ton more options now in graphite that allows virtually any flight/launch and can go from sub 60 gram up to 125 gram per shaft. So if you are able to go get a fitting or demo day or something to give a few options a shot, that should give you a great starting point / direction as to where you should go. I'll be doing my fittings in the Spring after more swing work, but there is very little likelihood I stay with steel at this point.

MMT, Recoil, Recoil Dart, Steelfiber, Tensei, TGI/PGI, Catalyst, NV/NVS, Kuro Kage, Vista/Vista Pro, etc. are just some of the ones out there to look into.

Once you find your options and test them, you'll then need to figure out what you're willing to spend and go from there.

[yungkory]

Graphite shafts don't have a higher apex than steel.

Here's one of the faster swinging guys around. Switching to the graphite shafts he's playing was the only way he could get his ball lower, due to his ridiculous club head speed.

When I first started playing again, I used my old Ping Eye 2 from college. My gaps were a mess because they no longer fit me and my ball was going comically high. I got fit, and everything changed.

Last year I think it was, a buddy came to visit and we played 3 days in a row. My wrists have always been kinda crap because I used to skateboard a lot when I was younger, golfed growing up, and now I sit in front of my computer typing all day. After 3 days of golf I thought I was going to need amputating, it was really painful. Got fit for graphite and I'm never going back. I thought Mizuno irons were buttery soft before, now they're just absurd everything feels like a practice swing when I'm hitting the middle. My ball flight is pretty mid, but in Hawaii it's beneficial.

Tl;Dr get fit. Graphite shafts offered now days are really good there's gotta be something that fits you, and helps prolong your golf career

[GolfSpy_APH]

While both are still steel it makes the point about shafts and such.

 

[Mike10487]

14 hours ago, Dead Solid Bogey said:

I may get corrected on this… So take it for whatever you think it might be worth. I have a progressively deteriorating hand /wrist issue, forcing me into having/had to switch shafts. For me the best combination of damping and what I call stability has been the SteelFiber shafts. 
    I commend you on trying to figure out an aid or remedy for your elbow pain before it worsens. Best of luck. 

I am recovering from a wrist injury as well. Creating lag is still quite painful. I was playing Nippon modus S 125 iron shafts. I also switched to the Steel fiber R 90g and have been playing them for 4 months. Driver speed now hovers around 100mph. The stability of these shafts is amazing. I have a buddy with a much higher swing speed that just converted to them as well. Even playing the regular, I can go after a shot and not feel as though the shaft gets over flexed or loses any stability. I feel as though they are just as accurate as my old Nippons that I loved.  I would certainly recommend trying them to anyone who needs a lighter shaft that doesn't break the bank or give up stability and accuracy. The Steel fiber shafts could be the best iron shafts I have ever played. 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Mike10487

[Wheelieb]

7 hours ago, yungkory said:

Graphite shafts don't have a higher apex than steel.

Here's one of the faster swinging guys around. Switching to the graphite shafts he's playing was the only way he could get his ball lower, due to his ridiculous club head speed.

When I first started playing again, I used my old Ping Eye 2 from college. My gaps were a mess because they no longer fit me and my ball was going comically high. I got fit, and everything changed.

Last year I think it was, a buddy came to visit and we played 3 days in a row. My wrists have always been kinda crap because I used to skateboard a lot when I was younger, golfed growing up, and now I sit in front of my computer typing all day. After 3 days of golf I thought I was going to need amputating, it was really painful. Got fit for graphite and I'm never going back. I thought Mizuno irons were buttery soft before, now they're just absurd everything feels like a practice swing when I'm hitting the middle. My ball flight is pretty mid, but in Hawaii it's beneficial.

Tl;Dr get fit. Graphite shafts offered now days are really good there's gotta be something that fits you, and helps prolong your golf career

I watched this video before as well. Just tired of the elbow pain that I have after rounds, and the feeling of not wanting to finish the round cause my arms feel heavy. I switched from a 70x driver shaft to a 60s shaft and still swing it 110. Still hit it just as far, and slightly more consistent. 

[fixyurdivot]

On 11/10/2023 at 1:02 PM, Wheelieb said:

So I was a late starter with getting into golf. Started playing more in 2019 but didn’t really take off playing more frequently until the following year. My iron shafts have always been steel shafts, and I have a pretty quick swing. I was fit into extra stiff steel shafts. While I’m noticing my arms starting to feel heavy around holes 15-16, fitness is not an issue, I also notice my elbows have a slight pain in them now. For reference, my iron shafts are kbs $taper 130 gram x stiff. I was never offered the ability to try graphite shafts at club champion. All my irons fly at a low to mid trajectory and I get a lot of roll out now. I mean, my 175 yd shot I would use my 8 iron for carry purposes. It just doesn’t have that stopping power from what I’ve noticed. Since elbow pain is creeping in and I know graphite shafts normally have a higher apex, I am considering switching to graphite for all of my clubs that are irons down to my wedges. I guess the real question is would it be worth it?

Switching from steel to composite eliminated my elbow and shoulder pain.  Further, I saw no loss in performance.  I no longer wear a forearm compression strap or take Aleive/Ibuprofen routinely after playing. This change was recommended to me by others and I was dubious.  But finally got fitted into composite shafts and so glad I did. If you get fitted from a competent source, I'm confident you'll love the switch.

Edited November 12, 2023 by fixyurdivot

[bellken]

Lots of golfers have switched to graphite to reduce body wear issues. I am one of them. 

[chisag]

... Of ALL the many myths in the world, this one is probably my favorite. When graphite shafts were first introduced, they were lighter, flexible with very high torque. They were basically designed for Seniors and Ladies with lower swing speeds. About 25 years ago VJ Singh had some physical issues and Aldila designed a 130gm NV Tour shaft with 1.5* of torque. It was a beast and designed to play identical to his DGX100's but with even better accuracy because steel has a finite torque value. Dampening for joints is a nice attribute but just ear and tear on the entire body is reduced using graphite. I could never go back to steel. 

... Aldila opened the door to tour level graphite iron shafts and progressively made graphite iron shafts that fit scratch to average golfers. The NV Pro 105 gms, VS Proto 100 and finally a VS Proto 80 gm shaft. I played all of them and will add the NV Tour 30 was too much shaft for me in my prime. The other premium OEM's joined in knowing they can fine tune performance infinitely more than using steel. Most Am's will mirror the LPGA more than the PGA Tour and graphic iron shafts are in the hands of the best ball strikers on the planet. JY Ko hit 63 GIR's in a row, a record I think may never be beat considering 2nd place is Tiger with 29. Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, A Jutanagarn and Mingee Lee play Steelfiber and they are just the tip of the iceberg. 

... Cost isn't as different as it once was either with Steelfiber $60, KBS TGi $64 and Recoil $55 while steel iron shafts like KBS Taper Lite $70 and Project X at $55 are similar in price. 




 

Edited November 14, 2023 by chisag

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

 About 25 years ago VJ Singh had some physical issues and Aldila designed a 130gm NV Tour shaft with 1.5* of torque. It was a beast and designed to play identical to his DGX100's but with even better accuracy because steel has a finite torque value. Dampening for joints is a nice attribute but just ear and tear on the entire body is reduced using graphite. I could never go back to steel. 
 

I wonder if Scott Verplank was playing graphite before VJ. 

[funkyjudge]

4 hours ago, cnosil said:

I wonder if Scott Verplank was playing graphite before VJ. 

The answer to that is absolutely "YES".  I did a lot of work for Verplank, as well as some for Payne Stewart and Esteban Toledo back in the 1990s and early 2000s when I was working for Golfsmith. Verplank was already playing G. Loomis graphite shafts when I started working at Golfsmith in 1997.  He was also the toughest guy to build a set of clubs for, because he was soooooo very sensitive to weight differences of a gram (or less) and a minor difference in such factors as shaft (and assembled club) balance points, static and swing weights, etc.  We used to joke that it took more than 100 "identical" shafts to get the shafts that Scott Verplank needed for a set of 8 irons, but that was not far from the truth.

Edited November 15, 2023 by funkyjudge

[funkyjudge]

Those Aldila NV130 shafts were absolutely "beastly", as were the SteelFiber 125s, and some of the other 120+ gram graphite composite shafts.

[fixyurdivot]

11 hours ago, funkyjudge said:

Verplank was already playing G. Loomis graphite shafts when I started working at Golfsmith in 1997.

Gary Loomis got his start in graphite fishing rods and they became "the" rod to own/fish in the PNW.  I still have/fish a couple of Gen2 flyrods I built using their banks - a 4 weight among my favorites. I recall hearing that they were producing golf shatfs but never really followed the subject.  It wouldn't surprise me that some of their IP made its way into subsequent composite driver shaft companies during that market boom in the 80's and 90's.

[funkyjudge]

2 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Gary Loomis got his start in graphite fishing rods and they became "the" rod to own/fish in the PNW.  I still have/fish a couple of Gen2 flyrods I built using their banks - a 4 weight among my favorites. I recall hearing that they were producing golf shatfs but never really followed the subject.  It wouldn't surprise me that some of their IP made its way into subsequent composite driver shaft companies during that market boom in the 80's and 90's.

My brother Gary was an avid fisherman, and he loved the G. Loomis composite rods (he also may have been among the early adopters of G. Loomis iron shafts).