Iron Shaft Weight

[jvbart]

Hi All,

I have some general questions about how important shaft weight is on a set of irons. For context, I recently found out my irons have lighter shafts (80g) and I'm wondering what affect that may have on play. I'm newer to the game shooting in the high 90's but am a bigger guy with a fast swing speed that's probably a little too aggressive at times. All my clubs are stiff flex. Currently playing used Callaway Xr's.

Is shaft weight more for feel or does it affect performance? If so how and how would you tell what the right shaft weight is? How much can it hurt your game if your shafts are too light?

I know a fitting is probably the best answer to a lot of these questions but I may not have the budget for that foe awhile so hoping for some general answers.

Thanks!!

 

[McLovin]

there are more knowledgeable people around here who can correct me, but i'll give you my understanding.

yes, shaft weight can affect performance. most people will swing a heavier shaft slower than a lightweight shaft, so it can reduce swing speed and potentially ball speed and distance. heavier shafts can often reduce spin as well, though I don't know why.

but I think so much of shaft differences are actually user differences. it's not so much that a particular shaft is itself performing so well, it's that the shaft in the hands of that golfer allows the golfer to make a better swing. with heavier shafts, you often see the golfer deliver the club more consistently because he can know where the head is during the swing. a heavier shaft could also allow the golfer to stay on plane better than a lighter shaft. for those two reasons, some golfers get more distance out of heavier shafts because their impact is improved, and there is no better way to pick up distance than be hitting the ball closer to the sweet spot.

 

[-CRW-]

The typical response is that shafts make little difference on paper or when a robot makes the swing.

However, they can influence how you present the club head to the ball at impact substantially, which in turn can influence the ball flight substantially.

At the very least, go test shafts at a big box store and see for yourself if a change produces better results for you.

 

[radiman]

Hi All,

I have some general questions about how important shaft weight is on a set of irons. For context, I recently found out my irons have lighter shafts (80g) and I'm wondering what affect that may have on play. I'm newer to the game shooting in the high 90's but am a bigger guy with a fast swing speed that's probably a little too aggressive at times. All my clubs are stiff flex. Currently playing used Callaway Xr's.

Is shaft weight more for feel or does it affect performance? If so how and how would you tell what the right shaft weight is? How much can it hurt your game if your shafts are too light?

I know a fitting is probably the best answer to a lot of these questions but I may not have the budget for that foe awhile so hoping for some general answers.

Thanks!!

Everyone is different. When I have a shaft that is too light, I cannot get a good feel of where the club head is during the transition and downswing. But, others don't have an issue with it. Do you feel like your shafts are too light for any specific reason?

 

[jvbart]

Everyone is different. When I have a shaft that is too light, I cannot get a good feel of where the club head is during the transition and downswing. But, others don't have an issue with it. Do you feel like your shafts are too light for any specific reason?

I'm honestly not sure since I haven't played with much else. I just figured that being physically pretty strong with a fast swing I should be using a heavier shaft.

 

[OldandStiff]

I only know what works for me, and I've seen general rules proved wrong by other golfers plenty. There's a thread on here about which most people think is more important - weight vs. flex in iron shafts. Last I checked the good majority said weight. I can't speak for their individual reasons, but I said flex. Because for me, I can generally hit my target better with anything stiff than I can with a soft flex shaft. My dispersion is better, and I guess that makes it feel/look like the outcomes are better to me. I know that if I want the ball flight and spin I'd like I usually have to have a heavier shaft though. I generally prefer something stiff, but I'll take heavy and soft next. Too light and too stiff (which is what your shafts would be for me if they were say, X-stiff) is kind of my personal hell. I'm a high trajectory high spin guy, and too light and too stiff somehow amplifies that and everything else I don't want. I don't know why.

I don't live somewhere with launch monitors and fitting facilities so I learned this by hitting as many clubs as I could get my hands on. Like crw said, maybe try to get your hands on others clubs. See how they work for you. You could try them at stores, borrow from friends, check for incompletes at garage sales cheap, pawn shops, try whatever your local golf courses have on hand and will let you, etc. You'll probably answer your own question.

 

[sigm22]

I only know what works for me, and I've seen general rules proved wrong by other golfers plenty.

Going to have to agree with OldandStiff....I have seen too many exceptions to the rules over my years of fitting others and playing this wonderful game with many more.
I know that my consistency and accuracy/dispersion is much better with heavier and stiffer than it is with lighter and softer flex. However, if I were to notice a decrease in distance or felt I was working too hard to achieve the desired outcome, I would begin to explore a reduction in shaft weight or a reduction in shaft flex or a combination of the two.
I would tell you this with a fairly high degree of certainty when it comes to iron shafts....I have not encountered a sub 100g iron shaft that controlled a more aggressive swinger's spin rate, dispersion or trajectory as well as the 120g+ range of shafts. If you are curious and want to learn more about how good a fit your irons are for you, I would recommend visiting a qualified fitter. With all the shaft options available today, they can help to filter it down relatively quickly. Will that fitter provide you with the absolute perfect shaft delivered straight from the heavens for your specific swing profile? Probably not, but they would be able to put multiple shafts in your hands for sampling and data collection so you would at least know whether or not you were headed in the right direction or getting any added improvement with regard to your output. I would be shocked if they weren't able to land on at least 2 shafts that would provide better output than what you are currently gaming. And if they are worth their salt and are unable to do this, then the shafts you are using might fit you pretty well.

 

[Tevenor]

Everyone is different. When I have a shaft that is too light, I cannot get a good feel of where the club head is during the transition and downswing. But, others don't have an issue with it. Do you feel like your shafts are too light for any specific reason?

I am the same way. My old Apex Pro set I think ultimately had to light a shaft for me ( KBS110's ) and really allowed me to handsy the impact point without even knowing it which drove a lot of dispersion on my shot types. After the last fittings, moved up to theh 125 gram range shafts ( Project X 6.5's / Oban CT125's ) and although still playing a stiff flex based on my swing speed, my feeling of the club face and ability to keep the swing on plane has improved dramatically.

 

[Desmond]

Generally

More speed, heavier shaft/stronger flex/higher kick to control the ball and keep spin down for distance. If you have speed, you want control.

It's all on a range from light/low kick to heavy/higher kick.

In general.

You're in there somewhere - find your location.