Graphite Shafts or Steel for Someone In Their 40's

coyna1

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Looking to hear from people in their 30's to 40's who play graphite shafts...if there are any...I've always thought that graphite was used by people in their 50's and older for example but lately I've been thinking about it and have some questions...does the lighter shaft still allow you to feel like you can control your tempo or would it make a player with a fast tempo become faster?...is their a rule of thumb on what swing speed would be too fast/high for graphite...not sure what mine is but I will hit my 8 iron 140-150 most of the time...is stiff/regular flex the same in steel and graphite...in other words if you hit regular flex in steel would you hit reg. flex in grahite?...I am now 41 years old and I have Rifle 5.0 shafts in my x-20's and sometimes (not all the time) they feel heavy to me and I also feel like i get real quick tempo-wise and lose the club...I wonder if the lighter shaft would allow me to keep a better tempo...sorry for the long post...thanks
 
I'm not in my 40's...nor even close (16)...

But graphite shafts have come a long way. I swung one in stiff flex graphite (I think whippy iron shafts would be a con), and it was really nice. Still had nice feel, while being much lighter and easier to hit...however, it was still heavy enough to keep tempo.
 
I think it depends on the person. I have played quite a few sets with graphite shafts and no longer think they are for "older" golfers. Graphite technology has come a long way in recent years and when I have spoken to both John Hoeflich and Tom Stites, two of the greatest club makers over the last 30 years, they both talk about how graphite shafts in irons will be taking over the amateur market eventually.

Get fitted and see what your numbers are with different graphite shafts and find out what works best for you.
 
Graphite has one advantage over steel.Less vibrations on misshits which helps someone who has joint issues.

also Graphite has a different type of trajectory,more penatrating.
 
I am 62 and have played graphite for the past 20+ years because we would play golf all winter long in NJ. Hitting steel shafts in the cold will get you to change to graphite real quick.

After hitting the '09 Burners (plus having an abode in FL), switched back to steel this year (since I do not play in the cold any longer).

Also the advancements in creating graphite shafts has advanced so much, that if you look, especially on the Senior Tour, you will see lots of graphite sets.
 
I am 62 and have played graphite for the past 20+ years because we would play golf all winter long in NJ. Hitting steel shafts in the cold will get you to change to graphite real quick.

After hitting the '09 Burners (plus having an abode in FL), switched back to steel this year (since I do not play in the cold any longer).

Also the advancements in creating graphite shafts has advanced so much, that if you look, especially on the Senior Tour, you will see lots of graphite sets.

so you only started playing graphite just because of the cold weather?
 
Yes, I would probably say that was the main reason and we continued to play during the winter until I bought a place down in FL a few years ago. Still bought graphite shafts but with the new burners and 85g shaft, had to try them and really like the lightweight shaft. Have even tried some of the heavier steel shafts and they aren't bad either.
 
Looking to hear from people in their 30's to 40's who play graphite shafts...if there are any...I've always thought that graphite was used by people in their 50's and older for example but lately I've been thinking about it and have some questions...does the lighter shaft still allow you to feel like you can control your tempo or would it make a player with a fast tempo become faster?...is their a rule of thumb on what swing speed would be too fast/high for graphite...not sure what mine is but I will hit my 8 iron 140-150 most of the time...is stiff/regular flex the same in steel and graphite...in other words if you hit regular flex in steel would you hit reg. flex in grahite?...I am now 41 years old and I have Rifle 5.0 shafts in my x-20's and sometimes (not all the time) they feel heavy to me and I also feel like i get real quick tempo-wise and lose the club...I wonder if the lighter shaft would allow me to keep a better tempo...sorry for the long post...thanks

I am a recent convert to graphite in my irons. I am still "adjusting" to swinging easier and still hitting the ball as far as I was before and the ballflight is quite a bit higher than the rifles I was playing before. I am 33 and was at one point a +3.2 and now a 3.2 but that number is dropping as I am working on my game and the graphite has done wonders for me so far. Today I shot 68 with only four missed greens and two of those were from hitting it in trouble off the tee.

Previously I have been having trouble hitting my irons with any consistency, however going to graphite(heavy graphite) has helped some of my timing issues and toning down my swing speed with my irons and I am back to playing very good golf.

FYI - I have a 122 or so Driver SS and I hit my 6 iron with a full swing 195 yards.
 
46 yrs old & play graphite, the only steel shaft I own is in my Vokey. Would not go back to steel either.
 
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