Is there any truth.....

[BK in TEXAS]

My elbows are freaking killing me. Is there any truth at all to graphite shafts being easier on the joints?

[RookieBlue7]

http://www.franklygolf.com/graphiteandtenniselbow.aspx

 

My personal opinion, check your grips and grip sizes. And if you don't already have dampening in your steel shafts, strongly consider that. Either ProSoft or Sensicore inserts, or my preferred method, wooden dowels. That, coupled with a softer and possibly larger grip should alleviate the pain some.

[Tyk]

What kind of pain BK? Like golfers/tennis elbow tendon type pain or something else? I can't imagine graphite making enough difference. Presumably you have graphite in your driver, woods, and hybrids. Although if they don't hurt it could be because you aren't interacting with turf as much with those.

 

Playing in pain is a good way to develop some really bad habits. There's a thread in one of the training forums by Golfspy Tim asking about elbow pain as well.

[BK in TEXAS]

Golfers/tennis elbow. It doesn't hurt when I'm actually swinging....it's more a constant pain after a round or practice. I've always had it...off & on...just extra bad this season.....I am playing/practice waaaay more than previous seasons though. I read Tim's thread and use a brace and stretch, etc, etc. I was just wondering if graphite irons might help keep it at bay. I didn't think so, but figured I'd ask!

[BK in TEXAS]

Yep, Sensicore inserts with a larger grip(for me, it wasps-size).

 

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever

 

 

I'll add a few wraps of tape and try some sensicore or dowels?.......though I can honestly say I've never heard of putting dowels in the shaft....

[BK in TEXAS]

Sorry bout the typo. I meant mid-size grips. I don't know what the hell wasps-size is..lol

LOL...I figured it meant wrap size.

[Tyk]

My last set of iron's had Sensicore inserts and they had a really good feel to them. I don't know that it would have made enough difference to effect pain or not but I really liked those irons.

 

But, the same idea is propagated in tennis where they have all kinds of vibration damping built into the rackets and tons of accessories designed to do the same.

[RookieBlue7]

I'll add a few wraps of tape and try some sensicore or dowels?.......though I can honestly say I've never heard of putting dowels in the shaft....

 

 

Doweling irons is an old school trick, and I put them in all of my iron builds. You'll be surprised at how mic vibration dampening is accomplished and how much more solid the clubs feel.

[Siamese Moose]

Graphite absolutely makes a difference. I could not play without it. I have cubital tunnel syndrome, which is like carpal tunnel, but in the elbows. When I still had steel (even with soft grips and inserts) I was mostly pain-free during the round, but the pain in the evening was bad enough that I often had trouble getting to sleep. With graphite the pain is totally gone, and I have even played as much as 54 holes three days in a row without elbow issues (now my back was a different story ). Heavier graphite gives greater relief, but all graphite works better for me than any steel.

[revkev]

I have a question about the sensicore shafts - does it make a difference in terms of playability? I ask this because I'm going back from graphite to steel. I have what I would consider to be the normal aches and pains associated with being over 50.

 

I recall Rookie recommending Dynamic golf super lites with sensicore inserts for me once and they were really great. I was just fit for dynalites (a little heavier). We didn't really discuss the sensicore inserts so now I'm curious.

[BK in TEXAS]

Doweling irons is an old school trick, and I put them in all of my iron builds. You'll be surprised at how mic vibration dampening is accomplished and how much more solid the clubs feel.

I'll try anything once What size & length dowel & how far down do ya shove it?

[Shambles]

I don't buy into the graphite nor the dampening inserts thing. Personally speaking, I'm of the opinion that joint pains and vibration problems are the product of a too stiff shaft or clubs poorly fit to the player's swing style. It could also be a feel good thing gone wrong. Graphite has dampening characteristics but rather meaningless when used in stiff and steel has surprising dampening when used in softer flex. The use of the correct flex for the player would be a large part of the solution, but the greater part would be adopting the correct stance and swing, and also a proper diet along with a sensitivity to the stress we are applying to ourselves.

 

We have a weakness towards stressing ourselves to the breaking point because of the silly idea that "...no pain, no gain...". All such ideas must be applied in the right context and not as do all solutions. In building a swing that works for you, you need to study yourself and try to find ways to accomplish the same or closely similar results without hurting yourself.

 

If you are a difficult student, it's not going to be easy and it's very unlikely that a teaching pro will want to spend the time to do that much specific work on you unless you are able to pay for all that time and effort. Especially as success is likely to be elusive and the cost to you might worry your teacher. More likely, the burden of learning and developing a solution is all on you. You need to identify the parts of your swing that are excessively stressing your joints and see if you can find the adjustments that will relieve them of that stress. Good Luck.

 

 

Shambles

[xxio]

I experience joint pain on my elbows especially during the summer months when our fairways get really hard. When I am playing when I am generally taking .75-1 inch deep divots (deepest part) with my mid to short irons.

 

I have a set of 80 gram graphite shafts on the way. So hopefully I can post actual experience with the graphite vs steel pain relief soon enough.

 

I will be able to say shaft design in itself already makes a difference for me. Steel to steel already makes a difference.

 

DG vs KB Tours are similar weights, yet one can feel the easier on the joints feel of the KB tours. My quick transition and highish spin fits DG better but the harshness (again on lots of playing days in a row) would always have me look for something else.

 

I have tried many steel shafts in the 90-105 gram range. DGSL, TX Tour, TX90, NS Pro 950 and 1050. All are fairly lightweight steel shafts and I can say that the DGSLs were fairly harsh and I could feel soreness in my elbows after back to back rounds that I would not experience with other lightweight shafts. TX Tour were also fairly harsh but because they flexed pretty stiff as well. TX90s were better on the joints. NS Pros 950 and 1050 even softer.

 

The characteristics seem to point that the softer the tip/lower the bend point the shafts tend to absorb shock better? Could be all the wobbling/bending with the softer tips filter out vibrations better.

 

Hard fairways only happen maybe 3-4 months anyway. I'd rather find a short term solution (graphite shafts that fit my swing) that having to changing my swing, Too old for that.

[apprenti23]

I have fought wrist tendinitis for the last five or six years and it's finally come down to me playing golf 1/4 time I used to and practicing almost never. I have tried everything and most all helped, but never fully eradicated the pain. Ive had steelfibers and program shafts all the way through to dg tours all paired with larger softer rubber grips. The graphite shafts were great but the ball flight was too high launch and spin for me, so I got rid of those. The end results has been softer sensicore insert shafts (DG s400 instead of x100) and mid sized non cord rubber grips. This is the best I could do instead of revamping the golf swing to lower my trajectory with the graphite. Can't really pound balls to change the swing when you're in pain. Best of luck to you!

[ZenGolfer]

I find graphite to be easier on my body because it absorbs more of the shock than steel does. Honestly, I dont foresee myself owning another set of irons with steel shafts. Graphite is so good that I honestly would see no reason why I wouldnt use it.

[revkev]

I find graphite to be easier on my body because it absorbs more of the shock than steel does. Honestly, I dont foresee myself owning another set of irons with steel shafts. Graphite is so good that I honestly would see no reason why I wouldnt use it.

 

How about if your fitter recommended it? That's what happened to me yesterday - I was on my way to all graphite except the putter - unitl I saw the difference between the way I hit steel and the way I hit graphite on the launch monitor.

 

Oh well I really don't practice full shots that much anymore anyway. I'm good for a while with the steel.

[RookieBlue7]

I'll try anything once What size & length dowel & how far down do ya shove it?

 

5/16" dowels 1.5" long(make sure to drill a hole down the center if you're installing them and cutting them for air to escape. I install mine after the heads are on, some do before. I have a ram rod I use. Dip the tip in some epoxy and cram them down in there and then ram them into place. They'll end up being half in the hosel (inside the shaft) and half above the hosel. To save time, and effort drilling, buy hardwood fluted dowels. They've got flutes running the length of the dowel and don't need to be drilled down the center (pita unless you have a drill press and a drill press vice). You can install them prior to shafting too, but I like doing it after because if you don't, you end up having to drill the center holes out twice because the epoxy dries and creates an air pocket between the dowel and shaft tip and you'll never get the heads seated if you don't.

 

Rev, I don't think the weight difference will effect your install too much to where you'd notice it. The sensicore inserts can always be removed too. Or you could dowel those.

[GolfSpy WD]

How about if your fitter recommended it? That's what happened to me yesterday - I was on my way to all graphite except the putter - unitl I saw the difference between the way I hit steel and the way I hit graphite on the launch monitor.

 

Oh well I really don't practice full shots that much anymore anyway. I'm good for a while with the steel.

 

Did you try the Matrix Program 130 shafts rev? I've heard very good things about them and they weight the same as steel, so it seems you get the best of all worlds.

[RookieBlue7]

Did you try the Matrix Program 130 shafts rev? I've heard very good things about them and they weight the same as steel, so it seems you get the best of all worlds.

 

Programs are awesome, they make an 80 and 90 besides the 130 as well. Then, the others that are great are Aerotech Steel Fibers. That said, IMO, nothing beats steel for those that need to bring ballflight down.

[revkev]

I tried a matrix shaft yes - I hit the steel better. In fact my second best shaft was a KBS - The fitter explained why I was better off with steel but it's lost on me now - Frankly after two swings I was ready to walk out the door with the JPX 6 iron and the steel shaft I had in it - 171, 173, 3 yards right, .5 yards left. And he said I'd get better with them once I had time to work with them.

 

I'm going to start another thread about the fitting so look for that - has to do with hitting the ball indoor on a launch monitor. I know we've talked about this here before but I think this is a different angle.

[BK in TEXAS]

Thanks RB....I might try that on a spare club.....I'd have to remove the head to get those plugs out if I don't like them! I'm going to start with sensicore inserts and see how it goes. There is not that much left of our Wisconsin golf season anyway

 

I do have a set of Aerotech i80's laying around I could try out too....but I'll see how the sensicore goes first.

[RookieBlue7]

Thanks RB....I might try that on a spare club.....I'd have to remove the head to get those plugs out if I don't like them! I'm going to start with sensicore inserts and see how it goes. There is not that much left of our Wisconsin golf season anyway

 

I do have a set of Aerotech i80's laying around I could try out too....but I'll see how the sensicore goes first.

 

 

I thought the same thing when I heard about it (it come from a guy that's worked on several tour vans and now works out of a brick and mortar location). I tried it, and ever since none of my builds have been without them. The good news is, they're easy to get out. You can either drill them out after removing the head, or you can simply take a torch to the inside of the shaft and light them on fire. Both make for a cool show.

[BK in TEXAS]

Sounds good. I just checked my stash and I have a spare 735cm 6 iron.....I'll plug it in the morning

 

Thanks again!

[ZenGolfer]

How about if your fitter recommended it? That's what happened to me yesterday - I was on my way to all graphite except the putter - unitl I saw the difference between the way I hit steel and the way I hit graphite on the launch monitor.

 

Oh well I really don't practice full shots that much anymore anyway. I'm good for a while with the steel.

Depends why the fitter recommends it. Ive had a few fitters try to tell me that graphite shafts are too whippy and for old people but, IMO those fitters are working off of outdated information.

If you go with a quality graphite shaft its no more whippy than a comparable steel shaft and because its lighter will give you more clubhead speed.

You dont hit steel shafts in your driver, FW or hybrids; so why in your irons?