How Seriously Do You Take Your Iron Shaft Selection?
- Staff
- #52
Did you have the swing weights checked on those? I ask because most times people go lighter and the SW’s get lighter and that’s what changed the feel, swing weights up, most can’t perceive the change to lighter shafts.
It’s a great and fun conversation.
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I used to just think I either needed a regular or stiff shaft in my irons.
Once I went through a fitting for my irons 2 years ago, I will forever take shaft selection seriously.
I could immediately see the difference in shafts with my swing, so I am now a convert.
Once I went through a fitting for my irons 2 years ago, I will forever take shaft selection seriously.
I could immediately see the difference in shafts with my swing, so I am now a convert.
jin_xianjun
Charles
I used to pay way more attention and loved to try different shafts. Of course, not all fit my swing, tempo, feel, etc. I'm currently playing a shaft that I feel most comfortable with and probably won't stray from it too quickly.
I've been fit my last 2 sets of irons and go with the shafts they've recommended.
I've aged to where I was fit to regular flex shafts last spring for the first time, but these KBS $-Taper lites are working well for me.
I don't overthink much... just try swing well and play more!
I've aged to where I was fit to regular flex shafts last spring for the first time, but these KBS $-Taper lites are working well for me.
I don't overthink much... just try swing well and play more!
I did, mostly as I was curious. I think the 7 iron checked in at D2 while my steel checked in at D3? It was within a point or two according to the shop. Maybe two points was enough to set me off?
That would be a fun test/experiment, putting different swing weights in amateurs golfers hands to see what resonates.
- Staff
- #57
Definitely could be fun.
I’d bet if we put a set of lighter shafts in your hand at a D4-D5 swing weight it’d shock you feel wise. Lighter total weight, but you don’t notice it for the swing weight being on the higher end and letting things feel familiar.
It really is one of the most fascinating aspects of fitting to me.
I’m picky to the extent the in store inventory allows me to be. I may get the clubs bent upright after the fact if my dispersion is good but off to the right. On top of that, the iron heads play into my selection. I prefer not to feel the shaft loading. Outside of that, whatever shaft is in stock that gets me closest to what I like to see wins out.
to be honest it really never enters my mind. the only shaft thought i ever had (insert joke) was whether stiff or regular shaft.
I honestly don't know enough about shafts and their different characteristics to mess around with them (I also don't have a shaft puller and am not a club builder myself). I went with the fitter's recommendations when I bought my current set and have stuck with them. Not that I'm not interested, just that it's an expensive proposition to blindly buy shafts without knowing what I'm doing and have somebody build them. Also, I don't have access to a launch monitor to mess around with numbers, so experimenting would be strictly by feel and eyeballing the results.
Not at all, but maybe I should. When I got these irons, I just picked the only graphite shaft that was no upcharge. I have hit some of my friends’ irons and think I would be better off with something heavier.
I just go with the stock offering from OEM's. I figure they're more knowledgeable than I am about it.
I have general thoughts having just gone through a whole bag fitting. I found it incredibly difficult to feel a dramatic different between +/- 10 grams. If anything it was mental and I actually didn't feel that difference physically. I think the shaft for irons matters in the context of something like a Steel - Stiff vs. a Graphite - Regular.
But at the point your comparing something like a Nippon Modus at 105 vs. a True Temper Gold TI at 105 you lose me. And never in my life will I be convinced I need that True Temper vs. Nippon if it means taking me into a full custom build that will not cost me 1k extra vs. just taking whatever shaft the OEM has to save a bundle of money.
But at the point your comparing something like a Nippon Modus at 105 vs. a True Temper Gold TI at 105 you lose me. And never in my life will I be convinced I need that True Temper vs. Nippon if it means taking me into a full custom build that will not cost me 1k extra vs. just taking whatever shaft the OEM has to save a bundle of money.
Right now I only use the Recoils because they are light graphite, no other reason. Now whether they are right for my swing, I don't know
I know the feeling. I have Recoil 460 ESX in my irons. I wanted to choose a graphite shaft and they seemed to be a sensible choice given what was available.
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Graphite shafts in the 85 - 95 gram neighborhood with a mid or higher launch profile are a must for me. If there is more than one option that meets those criteria (which there typically is not), I do my research to make the determination.
Pardon my somewhat rudimentary club builder knowledge, but is that where putting weight at the end of the shaft comes into play? This might be worth experimenting a bit with as I absolutely loved how I felt less fatigued after a full weekend of golf with the lighter shafts, just didn't love feeling unconfident with a nine iron in hand, not sure which way it might miss the green. (At least I think it was the lighter shaft, not that they were graphite)
How much credence do you put into the swingweight calculators out there or do you think I should partner with a local THPer to invest in a scale for this experiment? I might now go shopping to try to procure a single 7 iron head to test this out. I might be able to but a single Forged Tec 7 iron on the cheap if I'm patient enough to wait for a good deal.
- Staff
- #68
Yup. More weight in or towards the head, increased swing weight, less in the head or more to the butt of the club, decreased swing weight.
Some aren’t sensitive to it at all, others, the simple move to heavier (oversize or mid grips) can wreak havoc on the swing weight, and thus feel.
Very. Even with graphite shafts the SW on my irons is E3. The SW was E8 when I played steel shafts.
I had been a Dynamic Gold S300 since 2000 probably and then when i got fitted this year the fitter put me into Dynamic Gold 120 X100. Numbers improved on sim quite a bit so hoping translates outside. I've never been a big tinkerer on shafts but hopeful this change works!
I can fully appreciate the not knowing enough about shafts with regards to selection. And to be honest, my ignorance (I'll admit to it) has me somewhat hesitant in club purchase and shaft selection. I am ok with the stock shafts in my woods. But, when it comes to irons I'm lost and confused. I've never had a thorough fitting. Prior fittings were just for length and lie and hit a few balls and go off the eye test. So, no numbers for me either. I don't really have great fitting options locally. I'd like to get new irons this year but I have no idea other than stock offerings where to start with shafts. And I have no ideas if those stock shafts would be best for me (other than hitting a few and relying on the feel and eye test). Thankfully, I've learned some things (but not a lot) here on THP that will help me or at least will reassure me to remain patient and think things through.
I think I spend WAAAAAY to much time thinking about shafts.
Wait.....that came out wrong.....
I spends WAAAAAAY to much time considering different iron shafts.
Better.
I have a couple of spreadsheets of different fittings where I did nothing but try different shafts in the same head. I take the shaft choice pretty seriously after seeing how different a shaft choice can make a club perform, even with the same head. Anyone who says shafts don't matter is nuts.
Wait.....that came out wrong.....
I spends WAAAAAAY to much time considering different iron shafts.
Better.
I have a couple of spreadsheets of different fittings where I did nothing but try different shafts in the same head. I take the shaft choice pretty seriously after seeing how different a shaft choice can make a club perform, even with the same head. Anyone who says shafts don't matter is nuts.
Up until last year I didn't take iron shaft selection seriously at all. I was more focused on flex and completely important things like looks and "are these cool shafts?" Haha. I also had a fear of missing out angst with shafts.
Last year I went for a fitting at CC in Feb. I was fit into crazy expensive and nearly impossible to get LAGP graphite shafts. I couldn't stomach that, but the process of working through just about everything helped me realize there are shaft characteristics that can better fit me. I then went through some failed efforts. I ordered irons with shafts I thought might be similar to the LAGP shafts but had not tested (MMT 105) . The supply chain put a halt to that. I ended up next with Catalyst 100 shafts because they were available. Those were pretty good, but I moved on mostly because the set (Apex mixed combo) had some gapping issues for me. Then I went through formal fittings with visiting reps from PXG (for fun) and Srixon. Both of those fittings put me into steelfiber shafts. It was a very busy shaft fitting and learning year. Haha. Now I plan on staying with those shafts, period. I don't want different shafts. I don't want to test different shafts. I play them and know I have what works for me. I am nicely content with my iron shafts.
Last year I went for a fitting at CC in Feb. I was fit into crazy expensive and nearly impossible to get LAGP graphite shafts. I couldn't stomach that, but the process of working through just about everything helped me realize there are shaft characteristics that can better fit me. I then went through some failed efforts. I ordered irons with shafts I thought might be similar to the LAGP shafts but had not tested (MMT 105) . The supply chain put a halt to that. I ended up next with Catalyst 100 shafts because they were available. Those were pretty good, but I moved on mostly because the set (Apex mixed combo) had some gapping issues for me. Then I went through formal fittings with visiting reps from PXG (for fun) and Srixon. Both of those fittings put me into steelfiber shafts. It was a very busy shaft fitting and learning year. Haha. Now I plan on staying with those shafts, period. I don't want different shafts. I don't want to test different shafts. I play them and know I have what works for me. I am nicely content with my iron shafts.
- Thread starter
- Moderator
- #74
hahaha, what an emotional time for you.
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My analytical brain says that I spend just the right amount of time considering iron shafts. In fact, I’m still doing research and testing based on my own personal experiences.
Now that said, I’m a self-admitted shaftoid.
Now that said, I’m a self-admitted shaftoid.