Senior Flex Shafts - Recommendations for the ole fella

[DNice26]

Hey all,

My father has lost a good bit of speed and he currently games a Ping G400 Max driver.

Any guys gaming a Senior flex shaft that has kinda blown you away?

What shaft and setup has helped you gain consistency and distance off the tee?

He is currently gaming the stock Ping Senior flex shaft but I'm wondering if there is something better for him.

If I had to guess, his CHS is prob something like 80 to 90 mph with the driver.

 

[Carolina Golfer]

I always felt my swing was really slow due to less distance I have compared to my peers. But, I never went on a monitor. When I hit 55 y.o., I started to go to Sr shafts. They were a tough adjustment and I even cut down a heavenwood as it was too whippy. Eventually it worked out and I have the stock Alta CB Sr shaft on my Ping 400 3 wood. The point is, you may not need one.

 

[DNice26]

I always felt my swing was really slow due to less distance I have compared to my peers. But, I never went on a monitor. When I hit 55 y.o., I started to go to Sr shafts. They were a tough adjustment and I even cut down a heavenwood as it was too whippy. Eventually it worked out and I have the stock Aldila Sr shaft on my Ping 400 3 wood. The point is, you may not need one.

Thank you for the response. Sorry, to clarify, the shaft would be for my father.

 

[Carolina Golfer]

Thank you for the response. Sorry, to clarify, the shaft would be for my father.

Np, yes, I saw that. Also, I see he already has one and you're thinking of an improved shaft. I only have the stock shafts too and they seem to be ok. Look forward to other THP'ers replies.

 

[Desmond]

80-90 mph still qualifies him as an R flex with the right shaft.

Before my current uber expensive shaft, I found Mitsubishi Bassara shafts to be light and accurate with feel. They make them in 40-50g. The E Series is lively - tip seemed soft and it would get the ball in the air fairly easily. The Grand Bassara is expensive but because Callaway started using them more in stock shafts, you may be able to find any of them on eBay or Callaway PreOwned.

Brand - VANQUISH

Lightweight Performance — Mitsubishi Golf has long been a leader in the premium, lightweight golf shaft category. With VANQUISH™ our engineers were determined to leave no stone unturned in the challenge to create the best-performing, highest-quality, premium performance lightweight shaft. A...

www.mca-golf.com

 

[Scott F]

Has anyone seen any remarkable increase in distance shifting to senior flex shafts? They are lighter, but if distance is the goal, the senior flex did not help me. My driver speed is only in the low 80’s but I was fitted and was put in regular flex but it wasn’t about speed it was more about control and direction.
I’ve seen tests performed comparing graphite shaft flexes in blind tests and there was almost no difference in distance between X stiff, stiff, regular and senior flex.

 

[Scorp]

Check out the reviews for the rapid taper shaft from Robin Arthur. It might be appealing. I think @Jman said he gained 5 mph in speed from testing it. And that's also what the documentation from Robin said... a gain of around 5 mph for everyone that tested the shaft.

 

[Scorp]

Has anyone seen any remarkable increase in distance shifting to senior flex shafts? They are lighter, but if distance is the goal, the senior flex did not help me. My driver speed is only in the low 80’s but I was fitted and was put in regular flex but it wasn’t about speed it was more about control and direction.
I’ve seen tests performed comparing graphite shaft flexes in blind tests and there was almost no difference in distance between X stiff, stiff, regular and senior flex.

I think some of the test results are from different manufacturers having different standards for their shafts... so one company's stiff is another company's senior flex... there is no standardization

 

[TransplantHacker]

I have a swing speed in the mid/hi 80's have Reg on DR/3-5W/3H, irons have Mayazaki 5A shafts and I have no problem hitting them. Granted they are on Cleveland HB Launchers but the switch has helped me out in consistency and I'm happy even if I give up some yardage. I'm not a scratch/low HCP'er so I'm ok with that.

 

[AverageJoe]

Also look at the Alta Distanza shafts. They are a stock option from Ping (I think). They are softer and lighter. A friend’s daughter hits one in her G410, she is 17 and on the high school golf team. I picked it up and swung it and it seemed rather whippy for a regular flex, also it was only 40g weight. Another good option to look at would be the UST Mamiya Helium shafts, they too are very light.

 

[pinseeker]

Lots of great shafts today. I am partial to UST Mamiya Recoils. I currently have the F2 flex. I started losing distance a few years ago to the point I am 40 yds short throughout the bag. I have come to accept it as a product of aging. I am 78.

I have seen some improvement lately. I recently bought the Hogan Icons. For whatever reason, and contrary to conventional wisdom (an oxymoron), I seem to hit the muscle backs better.

 

[Desmond]

Has anyone seen any remarkable increase in distance shifting to senior flex shafts? They are lighter, but if distance is the goal, the senior flex did not help me. My driver speed is only in the low 80’s but I was fitted and was put in regular flex but it wasn’t about speed it was more about control and direction.
I’ve seen tests performed comparing graphite shaft flexes in blind tests and there was almost no difference in distance between X stiff, stiff, regular and senior flex.

Those tests were probably with higher speed golfers.

Here is my real-life results after using Senior, Regular and Stiff Flex shafts over the last 20 yrs where my speed has varied from 85-100 with Driver

Stiffer, lower torque shafts (and as shafts go stiffer, you typically get lower torque) make one work harder to get feel out of the shaft, and get it up in the air/get sufficient spin. They take more effort. As soon as you are working harder to get the ball in the air, it introduces poor habits.

Having used my son's senior flex shafts, one can take an easier more controlled swing and get a nice flight. Not more distance, but if I had a bad back and wanted to swing with less power and enjoy, I'd get a mid to high launch, mid to high spin senior shaft.

 

[GolfMT36]

Flex is of little consequence other than for feel and how that might impact the golfers timing and sequencing. Weight is what you need to focus on, that is by far the most important shaft spec.

Remember a shaft is only a shaft, it does not have mystical powers despite what the shaft manufacturers and some forum posters will tell you. The golfer provides the speed and therefore the distance. Weight can help but the rest of the specs will be much smaller of an impact and really require the individual golfer to swing it numerous times to decide if it feels good and helps him.