I’ve gone down the rabbit hole about swing weight during the last two weeks. Your videos have been an essential part of that. Keep up the excellent work.
I would just like to say on this subject, that I have reduced the weight in all my clubs over the last 6 months and I would never go back to heavier shafts. I feel better, I'm playing better and the dispersion problems you mentioned, I haven't witnessed it personally. If you have the strength to play heavy shafts great, I'm not in that camp.
Age 74, I have just combined this video with 2 of "Today's Golfer"- Best Iron Shaft 2024" Best irons for 2024 and just happen to spot a slightly used set of Ping 430 with TT Dynamic Gold X100 (that is the last thing I was looking for before I saw this video), I was chasing lighter weight shafts down, down. Well just returned from my second day with these irons. Two things- 3 shots were only 2-4 feet offline from directly at flag AND distance was longer than with any other irons (2) that I own, one 85 gram graphite and one 90 gram steel and have used 65 gram graphite. On one par 3, I was slightly too long with an 8 iron, so thought let me try a slightly harder swing with the 9 iron, Boom right on the green about 16 feet from the hole. I had never reached this hole with a 9 iron before. I have been doing some weight lifting with 5 and 8 lb dumb bells while I watch tv, I think that has helped with the distance some. So believe this video. I am hitting 120 grams farther than 85 and 90. Don't know the long term results yet, may find it is too much for the arthritis in my fingers, I just started wearing two gloves and slathering on lots of Voltaren on my fingers before playing.
Best video on this subject I have ever seen. So happy to see and hear someone clearing up widely broadcast myths. I have always found that a heavier iron shaft provided me with much better results than lighter shafts. The heavier shaft helps me maintain a smooth tempo, and it is not so easily manipulated. Thanks for posting this!
I took lessons and did a fitting at GOLFTEC. I’m 69 years old and my 7-iron swing speed was about 74 mph. My instructor advised changing my shafts from 95 gram steel to 65 gram graphite. I gained about 3-4 mph without any noticeable increase in dispersion. What was very noticeable is how my body felt after a round - there is much less fatigue with lighter weight graphite. So my results are contrary to what you report here.
It's like in the gym, moving lighter weight around is sometimes more difficult as it is harder to control perfectly. In contrast, using heavier weight in many cases is easier as it forces your body to move a certain way which is many cases is more accurate. In conclusion, the heavier weight takes out all the inconsistency as the weight is your friend. Thank you for this golden nugget, I don't know why I went to buy 55g graphite shafts, and also don't know why the shop couldn't at least make me aware of the differences in the weight of the shafts. Now I find myself down this rabbit hole, however, your video has come to my rescue!
Great video thoroughly debunking a myth. I was certainly in that group that thought lighter was faster. So much so I was using my kitchen scale weighing clubs and shafts trying to match a driver shaft to a particular head thinking it was going to be faster. I was perplexed as to why it didn't perform as my hypothesis suggested. Now I have a better understanding
So I instead went with the Brava shaft on my Stealth plus driver and added weight to the head. It worked out well. The swing weight didn’t hurt my club speed and it helped straighten out my tee shots. Finding more fairways and the ball gets out there further than I was hitting it without the extra weight. I watched your videos on those two topics except instead of using the lead tape I just added an additional sliding weight which I put into the draw position and left the original weight in the center position. I think those clubs had a tendency to fade originally and the newer models just added more weight to the club to help them stay straighter. So I came up with this solution and your videos helped me come to that conclusion. I am no club fitter and I may be all wrong but I know it’s working for me 😅 thanks for your help.👍
I'm getting so much information from your channel. So, thanks for that. In the past 2 months I have replaced all my iron shafts. I took a chance and went from 90 gram steel, to 60-65 gram graphite. I cut the graphite .750 inches longer than standard for a more upright swing and to help with the swing weight. I went from approximately D2 to about C9 swing weight. I must have done something right. I went from a hook miss to a straighter shot or draw. I'm also getting more height and distance. At 71 years old, I love my old AP1 irons again!
Thanks for all your great free information. I’m 65 and getting back into golf after taking 2 decades off due to a back injury that basically made me afraid to play. As I’m getting back into the game it has changed significantly in terms of club heads, shafts, grips, etc., And I’m trying to figure all this out. I’ve learned a ton from your videos which I’m grateful for. The one thing I’m still really confused about is shaft torque. If you have already done a Video on this I apologize as I couldn’t locate it. If not, I would be grateful if you could explain how it affects the club face and swing. Oh, the other thing I had to lose in getting back into golf was my ego. I can no longer hit my 8 iron 150 which really sucks. That’s more like my 5 iron now. lol.
It's simple, don't worry about torque. The torque will match up based on the flex and weight of a shaft. If you have those right you can assume that the torque is in a good range for you.
Love your videos. So informative and helpful. I’ve been looking to replace my iron shafts. But never knew how to determine what shaft to go with. And don’t have the money to pay someone to do it. Your videos are helping me choose and replace the shafts myself. Thank you!
Hey AJ. Nice expose. I especially like your second point. I've not heard anyone else mention that particular effect before, but it makes a lot of sense. I recently fitted myself for my new shafts and did the light vs heavy swing speed comparison. As a senior golfer, I've lost speed and was looking for a way to recover some of it. But I got the same result as you - virtually no chs difference. I tried a 95g and 106g (R and S) and 120g from the same family/model and compared them to my current 130g shafts and a 120g one from the same family/model. With the 95g shaft I just couldn't find the centre of the club face, so it was eliminated quickly. Both 120g shafts didn't feel any different to 130g ones so I eventually settled on the 106g shafts. That 22g made a big difference. With the new shafts, I got rid of my tendency to get my hands stuck behind me, and lost my right-side bias. My timing and strike improved, although dispersion is roughly the same, just more left. I also saw a big change in how tired I was feeling by the closing holes. With the lighter shaft, I now feel I am swinging the same on the 18th as I was on the 3rd. With the old shafts, the last few holes started to feel like an effort and the swing suffered. Once I settled on the 106g I tried stiff (106.5g) and regular flex (103g). I liked the feel of the R but preferred the weight of the S so settled on soft-stepping a set of the S flex. What I gained is a lower effort swing with improved direction and consistency, and 2 strokes off my handicap. I didn't gain any speed or distance but hey, we can't have everything. Can we? Thanks for putting out such great content. I've learned a lot from you over the past years. Cheers.
@@ph469 I managed to keep the cost down a bit by buying 2 of the same model ex-demo clubs for US$35 each that happened to be fitted with 2 of the shafts I wanted to test. I already had the 130g and 95g shafts so only needed to purchase the 2 Modus 105 shafts and they cost me $35 each also. It would have cost me more in fuel to drive to my nearest fitter 😕. The rest is just a bit of epoxy, and time.
Interesting video. I'd be interested in adding the nuances of graphite vs. steel iron shafts in this analysis. As we "boomers" age and like me, are afflicted by arthritic hands and elbows, graphite is a necessary or tempting transition to make. Since many OEMs are primarily offering light (60-70 grams, max) weighted graphite shafts, many of us need to customize through a fitting. And as another poster mentioned, swing tempo is a crucial ingredient in this as well.
Having played DG S300/S400 growing up (way too heavy) discovered custom fitting in 2008 and have alway fallen into the 105g region and D3 swing weight for irons. Got fitted for Modus 120 soft stepped for some T20 wedges a few years ago and it was a stroke of genius from the fitter!
I recently as an experiment went with a 15 gram lighter shaft in my new irons. I have come to the two following observations. 1. I have to consciously swing smoother and try not to race my downswing because I can definitely tell the shaft is lighter. 2. As pointed out in the video, my slight swing faults become more apparent which has literally FORCED be to concentrate more and possibly improved my actual golf game.
Coincidentally, I was fit for new irons and the fitter put me into a lighter shaft than my previous irons. I have had trouble hitting the new, lighter irons. After some experimentation at the range comparing the two sets of irons, I have come to the same conclusion as you (and the video). With the new set, I have to concentrate much more and my swing thought is keeping my hands in front of my chest as I rotate through my swing. I think that the lighter shafts also reveal my "slight swing faults" and my shot dispersion is not nearly as tight as when I use the heavier shafts. With the heavier shafts I am a 6 index. I fear that if I use the lighter shafted irons, my index may jump to 12.
Thing is lighter shafts will give you better distance and maybe a bit more compression for a while but they are too easy to manipulate so slowly but surely your swing will unravel . The good news is that going back to your old irons or shafts will put you back on track . So dont sell them on for a while ….
Similar BUT my lighter & less Stiff shaft became a double miss & lost 10-15 yards. Just upped to 120 & Stiff. Will try tomorrow but, my old irons,today & similar, we’re on target.
Tempo and transition will have a huge influence on what weight works best. The faster the transition the heavier weight usually suits the golfer, As always there are exceptions and no absolutes. Fitting is always key. Good video.
Great video again! I’m curious to see stepping in shafts and the differences. Stepped down v standard v stepped up I’d like to understand the peak height difference, dec angle and distance between each of them.
It even more pronounced with driver shafts. Lighter shafts in drivers are disaster - heavier shafts are "smoothing" the swing and prevent rapid and uncontrollable transition from the backswing into the downswing. I have noticed that with lighter shafts it is much easier to cut across the line ending in a typical slice. A great vlog!
I have 5 rolls of lead tape on my putter! under grip, hosel, perimeter, center line front to back........but I have heard heavy shafts better for distance but lighter for more accuracy. I lost strength, but i was hitting my irons great, but lost distance. I really didn't gain going lighter, but still straight.....just not as tired after a round. Using 60-65 g shafts with my driver, but shafts 105 g with old irons, 85 with new irons. I just went back to heavy ones, but I want new clubs....thinking PXG and Takomo
For me personally, I went to lighter shafts to help when I have back problems (130 to 120 in irons and 68 to 58 in driver. The lighter shafts help me to be able to move the club decently when my back isn’t super healthy and also energy up when later in the round.
I went from 120 to a 105 but also dropped weight in the club head much better feel for me. If a club doesn’t feel good when you pick it up mentally it will affect your game in my opinion.
I've been playing the same muscle back clubs for 25 years. However, as I age I have been re-shafting to lighter and lighter shafts. I have found that it's the "overall" weight of the club that has the biggest bearing. I used to play DGS300s, then X100s, then Project X 5.0s, then Nippon 950GB, and now well past my 60's, I have re-shafted with Zelos steel shafts that are actually lighter than most graphite shafts. The key to making this work? Consistent swing weight. Every set of shafts were brought to D1 with proper weight adjustments. That method has been working for me very well, I don't get tired as the round goes on, and they feel great. I hope this helps someone.
Thanks for posting this. I just picked up a set of clubs that have Oban Ct 125 shafts( I don’t know the flex) but I have found the heavier shaft for me helps with feeling where the club is for me.
I tried that also. I went down to 100 grams. It just did not work for me. I can hit 120 s300 but I have been playing 130gram s300. I use that shaft when I play professionally. I am 64 now but I can still move the shaft. So for now I am staying with 130 gram
I went for my first fitting , went from 98g nippon gh950 Neo to a dynamic gold 115 mid… everything you mentioned is exactly how I feel about it. Generally, a better feel & more consistent dispersion , most the numbers on a good strike are still similar
Excellent video. Question - my friend (77 y/o) is convinced that switching from his regular flex PXG driver to a lighter senior flex will help his chronic slicing and add more distance. He has a good swing and used to be a single digit handicap. I'm telling him that if he solves his slice, his distance will increase.
So true. I struggled with side to side dispersion for over 10 years+ due to playing with lighter shafted irons believing that as I got older I needed to lighten up. I always suspected that my iron shafts were too light since all of my wedge shafts have always been DG X100 130g and I had little to no dispersion issues with these clubs. At 62, I recently switched to heavier shafts in my irons and my accuracy and smash factor (consistent ball striking) have improved tremendously. My accuracy is back on par to what I experienced in my younger days. Of course, the youthful distance is not there, but since switching, I've gained some distance along with the better accuracy. My playing partner has also done the same and has experienced a noticeable improvement as well.
Have a friend that went to 'Big Custom Fitters' that recently popped up everywhere. Got talked into light senior flex shafts in his way too expensive 'custom fitted' iron set. He hits the ball all over. Left left left... Right..back to left again. He's always always always asking me how I swing and what I use and this and that... Yet never uses that advice. Always gets talked into crap he doesn't need. I just shake my head. I use a set of USED Hogan PTx Pros with 120 gram extra stiff shafts. Why, because that's is what was in them when I bought them. They feel and hit great! I pick up his feather weight clubs and try to hit a ball and it goes all over the place. I can't control them one bit. Moral... Don't get talked into crap you don't need at these fancy places that hire used car salesmen. Listen to A.J. here. P.S. I'm 65 years old...
Club fitting is the new shark infested waters of the golfing world. Some undoubted good ones, but charlatans and used car dealers everywhere. I would suggest paying for one or two fittings, taking the data away and then building a set from eBay with necessary tweaks from a friendly club maker. You'll save fortune and have quite an interesting little journey.
@@MrDaglish77 Agreed. No doubt, the TXG (now Club Champion) channel creates misguided expectations in many viewers. If you go to a Club Champion, it’s overwhelmingly likely that you WON’T get a fitter with the incredible knowledge and intelligence of Ian Fraser. Instead, you’re most likely going to get one who is a salesman above all else.
Great stuff, as usual. However, I would respectfully disagree with your default to a heavier shaft when fitting…a fitting is done hitting a few shots (10, 20, maybe 30)….however, over the course of a round of golf, the weight of the shaft does have an effect on you…for someone a little older, or who has some physical limitations or ailments (most of us), a lighter shaft would be better off. I used 120g shafts for the longest time. In testing, I hit that shaft very similar to my current shaft over a 20 ball test. But, now 55 with both hips replaced, back issues, and shoulder surgery from a lifetime of ice hockey, I now find hitting a 105g shaft to suit me better over the course of 18 holes. I wound up testing this by buying the different shafts and using each for a range session of 75 balls (though I usually shoot in the low 80s so wouldn’t hit 75 shots with irons/woods when putts are considered…closer to 50 shots). Again, this is all premised on your initial position that if the two shafts give you similar results…with a younger golfer with no issues, I would then agree with you that heavier might be the better way to go….
It's not just lighter shafts or heavy shaft. it's where the weight is located. My old shafts were 120 gram nippon. I experimented. Purchased 105 nippon, but i put 10 grams in the butt and 5 in the tip. I discovered it allowed me to feel where the club was during my swing, and it quieted my hands. No more flipping. Since the weight was in my hands, the head felt lighter. And it allowed me to feel the release better. My dispersion is a lot smaller. On an unexpected benefit. I discovered a 3-yard draw. Oh on the launch monitor, very little number change. But the feel allowed me to swing better.
First time someone has addressed this important issue! I actually have higher clubhead speeds using a Project X 5.5 115g rifle shaft vs. a KBS Tour Lite at 105g.
Great video, very informative as always. Although IMO "Play the lightest shaft you can control" is a valid concept for everyone. When you suggest to go to a heavier shaft then is simply because the lighter shaft was not the lightest one you can control
I have adjusted to 110 gram shafts on my TAKOMO Irons and finally clicking but would not go lighter and I’m 67 but ex Ball Player and can still move it.
After watching this video and many others I wish some one would do a senior swing around 8 85 swing speed. All the videos the instructor is 100 swing speed and doesn’t relate to anything. Just changed from a regular shaft on my cobra driver to a 49 gem and works great. Just swing easy and don’t try and kill it. Become a better chipper and putting will improve.
50yo old 15hc here. I was fitted last year and was surprised to find that I hit heavier shafts and swing weights better. Distance, dispersion, consistency, feel we're all better. I ended up with Cobra King Tour pw-4i and RTX wedges with stiff D.G. S400 TI at swing weight D-7. Have played about 15-20 rounds so far, and I really like these new clubs.
Thanks for this info. I've been wondering about shaft weight in my set. Based on what you've posted here I really shouldn't be worrying much about it. I get good ball flight. I had wondered if a lighter shaft would yield more club head speed. Doesn't seem that is likely to be the case. I have tried lighter shafts in a second hand golf shop and definitely had more two-way misses. At some point the shaft gets light enough that I turn the club over too easily. My take away is to play more golf and do less worrying about gear.
Very timely. Thank you. Heading off in the next few weeks to work out what I want in some new clubs/shafts. Moving away from game improvement And very light shafts to more of a players distance combo set.
Great content as ever, AJ. Thanks. I recently finished reading Tom Wishon's The Search for the Perfect Golf Club (well worth a read for everyone out there) and he mentioned that a drop of 25g in shaft weight would only yield about at most a 1mph increase in swing speed. Your test backs that up.
Can you do a video on driver shaft weight? And for purposes of having more videos, a separate one for woods shaft weights, wedges, other videos on misconceptions between the flexes of shafts relationship to weight and swing speed (i.e. everyone with 90mph swing speed must use stiff flex and certain shaft weight), and how these factors can affect the ball flight. Maybe even a live club fitting - video for each (driver/woods, irons, wedges, putter)
Man what cool info I've been following you for a long time and man you've helped me with my own club craft, always some new trick to learn from you thanks!😅
Great vid and I could not agree with you more and I've always questioned the light = clubhead speed = goodness mantra. Thank you. I love the tape and choke methods, but I did have some feedback about applying tape. With the introduction of tape, the shaft is no longer symmetric, it's drag coefficient has increased and ultimately it will slow down the shaft. Also, depending on the exact position of the tape relative to swing path, an introduction of the Bernoulli effect could introduce lift to the shaft and make it nearly impossible to make a downswing that actually makes contact with the ball. At least that's what the guy that wanted to sell me a new set of light shafts told me. :) Always appreciate your content.
I have hit Reg shafts my entire life. Was given a set of stiff shafts last week. Holy cow! My ball flight is now lower and my 8i hits, hops, stops. Previously it would come in much steeper, fly higher, hop and roll a few feet. Am changing balls for even more spin.
Recently I had the fun time of diagnosing what to do with a set of iron heads that were about 10grams under weight after refinishing. This lead me to begin with adding 10g of tip weight (hated it) with the original 130 gram shafts to 115 gram shafts and tip wieght (this was ok but not great) to now the (closer to 100 gram) Nippon NS 950 Neo shafts and adding weight directly behind the sweet spot on the back side of the iron heads. Now the clubs feel right again.😊
On my irons have gone from regular steel 110g nippon mizuno mp20's hmb to graphite Mitsubishi MMT 70g Pxg's and i have never been happier with the weight and ease to get the ball in the air, specially from 150-210 yards out which are my 8,7,6,5 and 4 irons... Misses are still misses with both but my enjoyment of the game has changed for the better
One big thing. I had too heavy shafts eralier. Had a hard time controlling the low point in the arc. Also had the tendancy to hook it more, but due to lie angle
I also think the strength of the person helps determine the weight of the shaft. I am becoming weaker as I age and have found I need lighter shafts. Right now I am playing 70g R flex in my irons and 40g L flex in my driver and fairway wood. This seems to work best for me at 77 years old.
I believe that also, I am 63 but at 6'5" and 270, light weight is a bad choice, the stronger you are the easier it is to manipulate a light shaft in a bad way, pendulum effect.
Pitching and chipping is more accurate and “feel” is better with the heavy. Also light shafts need heavier head to maintain C or D range swingweight range.
I think it really depends on the golfer prefer feel and body limitations. I prefer a lightweight shaft, I came to that conclusion when I went to my local 2nd swing store, grab a bunch of different used set with various shaft configuration and headed to the trackman bay. The set up with the heavier shaft didn't correspond well for me and I only swung a 7 iron in the low 70mph. On the other hand, the best feeling used set I was able to hit without putting stress on my body was a set of Mizuno Hot metal 923 HL with Senior ESX recoil 460 in the high 70's club head speed. These shafts are roughly 60g according to the manufacturer website, but didn't want to spend $7-900 on this set, so I got myself a set of Maltby TS3 (6-P) built with fujikura vista pro 50i shaft. for less than $500 new. With this set, I can swing my 7 iron around 76-78 mph according to my lunch monitor.
Good video. When adding lead tape to the shaft, I would find the balance point and then put the tape half above and half below. That would have the smallest impact on swing weight.
@@KyleW0806 Lead tape is legal. Just balance the club on one finger so it doesn’t fall. Where your finger is - that’s the balance point. If a heavier club works better , you would want to replace your shaft for long term use
Swinging your mid iron around 90mph will be better with more mass on the club so 120+ grams will help. For short hitters definitely recommend light shafts + go try them out. Each manufacturer has different kick points and one might just be light bulb moment
I started p[aying golf in 1975, but 1978 weekly. amazing how the shaft of the driver now is the lightest and the head is most forgiving and least spinning, which is opposite of what I learned with playing 90 and 100 compression wound, balata Titleist balls. What happens when people play 55-65 gram shafts in their driver, but their irons are 85-120 grams?
Excellent video. I had a golf lesson and it was suggested that I got lighter shafts. I went for a fitting and the shafts weight recommended was 105g. I ended up selling my clubs and buying a new set of irons, which I really enjoy. Having said that, I’ve got a set of Mizuno MP-59’s with Dynamic Gold S300 shafts, which I bought years ago and hardly used. I have started using these as my practice clubs and really get on well with them but agree I do feel I get tired quicker. Aside from the tiredness, is it wrong to practise with heavy shafted clubs and play with a lighter shaft?
I've played the X100 but not going to Nippon Pro 950GH which is 115g and saves 15 grams of swing weight from my body/back. The Nippong Pro 950GH is a very stable shaft and it fits me and l am just playing the S, not the X.
Amazing video.. learnt a lot. Thank you.. Please guide, am 60 yrs, 14hcp using mizuno mp 60 irons(mb, forged) dyna gold true temper steel shaft( dont know the shaft weight). Should i shift to graphite shaft or go for lighter steel shafts? TIA
Those shafts I am assuming are the 130g DG that was used in the MP 60. Not sure how light you are planning on, but I would figure that out first. Also do you have pain you are wanting to mitigate with graphite shafts? These will be what determines where to go.
I went from 105g shaft to 70g shaft, it helps me with my stamina through out the round. I was so tired with the 105g afterwards and no so much with the 70g now.
You need to make sure the frequency is the same for each shaft with the different weights to do a True Comparison. If you choke up on a club to decrease the weight you are making the Frequency Stiffer. Everyone has a perfect frequency. Frequency is what helps to make your shot patterns tighter. As we age a lighter shaft might help with our energy levels in playing a round of golf. It has been proven that if you play with the frequency for your physiological makeup your shot patterns will be tighter. No promises of distance but direction is the key to better shots. Happy Golfing 😎
I did a blind test with my normal weight shaft (115grams) and a 105 gram shaft and then a 95 gram shaft. I hit the 95 gram shaft 10 yards farther carry with the 95 gram shaft. No problems with dispersion nor launch angle. With the 115 shaft my 7 iron swing speed was 78 mph and the 95 gram shaft was 82 mph. My swing style is not very handsy at all and maybe this is a factor.
Great content. Is there any reason why I would find more forgiving to hit with lighter shafts ? I was fitted to 95s I used to play with 65s. My swing speed definitely suggests heavier shafts but I just feel that I hit it a lot more solid and overall easier with the old lighter shafts I used to have. I know miss my dispersion is definitely higher , but I hit it so solid when I use the lighter shafts.
This is a general rule and by no means a one size fits all. Some people will hit more solidly with lighter shafts. The important thing is to try different weights and see what yields the best results.
Less than +/- 1 oz distributed over the length of a shaft just doesn't matter that much--as evidenced by swing speed. I agree go heavier when in doubt. It's other characteristics of the shaft that cause issues...they just happen to correlate with weight in a lot of shafts. Swing each shaft with no clubhead and you can feel how trivial the difference is-- from a weight perspective.
Nice channel, I play the Apex 2019 irons with the aerotech fc 90. My 7 iron club head speed is 70-75 these seam to be working, also trying to improve my golf any suggestions I might try. Cheers...
In theory. Force = Mass x Accel Velocity or club head speed is meaningless. 9yr old Korean girls hit 230 drives because the club is going faster after impact than before. Most hack golfers' club heads reach max velocity before striking the ball and then as the ball goes forward the club head goes backwards or decels.
I did have the highest efficiency with the 130, ie faster ball speed. Actually second place in this test was the 80g but that could easily just be the sample size.
It can assuming the lighter shaft allows the golfer to increase the dynamic loft. But it doesn't always work that way so I wouldn't promise that result.
I have watched many of your videos and in terms of club building, I tend to agree with most of the information you offered. However, the say that there’s no difference in how a shaft will respond or how it affects the delivery is too simplistic if not outright wrong. Even for a stronger golfer with faster club head speed like >90 mph for #7i, the effect on CHS may be marginal but the timing and release of the club would be dramatically different even for a better player. The situation will be starkly different for a slower CHS golfer swinging at 75 mph as the mere 30g difference in weight can mean how his cadence can be affected, particularly for someone with a slower transition. The heavier overall weight could mean the golfer struggling to even reach a full back swing. An average +18 golfer with a slow swing and smooth transition can only benefit and likely swing more “in-plane” if he uses a lighter shaft (which is correspondingly softer for his tempo) and instead of erring on the heavier side, he still use the lightest shaft he can handle and not otherwise.
Not sure you watched the video because I never say there's no difference. I do say no difference in club head speed, but there will often be very obvious differences in ball speed, dispersion and consistency based on that weight change.
I am trying to find out if 10 grams more of weight in my driver shaft would feel good, before changing to a heavier shaft. Would I apply the same procedure as in the trial for 20 grams, with the lead tipe going vertically starting with 1 inch below grip? Thanks for the help! Cheers
Adding lead tape weight to the shaft to make it heavier will only affect the feel and not stiffness and flight characteristics of a heavier shaft. A heavier shaft will be a stiffer shaft and be harder to square the club face if the player doesn’t have enough swing speed. All in all I think a lighter more flexible shaft is better for amateurs. I once tried to swing a friends forged blade 4 iron with a dynamic gold s300 130 gram shaft. It was like swinging a telephone pole. Lost 30 yards of distance and everything went right. Then I swung a 80 gram stiff graphite shaft. I had effortless power and much better distance and dispersion
Haha!! I’m the exact opposite. I had 130 X stuff in my irons and hooked the ball off the map. I switched to 55g senior flex graphite shafts and now I hit a baby fade and love them. I have a 115mph swing speed with driver for reference. Crazy
Trust me, everybody I play with laughs, but it works. Something to do with my delivery. I need that lag at the end to keep the club face from closing too soon. That’s my best guess anyways.
I used to play 105g and went to 90g. It really felt that I can put more speed In To my swing and Ball was easier to launch. But misses were much bigger also and distance control wanst really there. Now I use 115g shafts and those are accurate but expence of some speed. 110g could be ideal to my swing since that 115g feels slightly too heavy. I tried 130g and that felt like a workout.
This is a good vid and you make a lot of points I never thought of before. But I have one minor issue. You said you can tell that a shaft is too heavy if after several shots you get tired. I think if you get tired you lose club head speed over the round. If thats true and for me it is then how can you say that shaft weight has no effect on club-head speed? If your right about this then you might want to ask PING about the High Launch G430s who promise more speed for slower club-head speed swingers. The only difference between the HL model and the regular ones is the club is lighter.
I think the misconception is from shaft weight vs club weight, they probably mean(or should say) you should play the lightest club weight you can control.
Shaft weight while swinging vs a golf ball of changing mass while putting are two different concepts in physics. What's missing in Adam's examples are often confused. The force required to swing each club (think about getting the club moving) at the various weights is much different. That extra force is what or why most golfers migrate to lighter shafts - it's generally age-related - so it allows the weaker player to maintain their clubhead speed. It's F = M x A, where objects with more mass (heavier shafts) require a larger force to accelerate or start moving. And that can be substantial when viewed over an entire round of golf. The putting example is about an object already in motion, similar to what happens in a car crash - heavy vehicle vs lighter vehicle - and heavy always wins. It's an example of Kinetic Energy (energy due to motion), or 1/2 x Mass x Velocity squared. The higher the mass, the higher the (KE) energy. This is also why a faster swing speed (club is already in motion) gives you a larger distance increase than a heavier club ... the velocity component is squared. Good examples, but the conclusions are a bit skewed.
I'm 68 and just started back after not playing for the last 5 years. I thought going to a lighter shaft would be best as I'm 60 lbs lighter and noticeably weaker so I thought 85 gram R flex shafts would work well. I couldn't have been more wrong. I am not using 110. Gram R flex shafts and actually getting back to my old distances which is 148 yd 8 iron and 160 yd 7 iron. I was having trouble hitting 145 yd 7 irons with the lighter shafts. I play TM R9 Tour issue carbon steel C heads which are a nice solid heavier head that I have had for about 12 years but looking at maybe getting some Takomo 101T heads or even 101's to try . I also have a like new set of Bridgestone J38 Dual Pocket cavity forged irons that play great. Both my sets are older but I have never seen that big a difference in good older irons and good newer irons unlike driver where the newer ones do make a difference. Still hitting a Titleist 910 D3 12* adjusted to 10.5 perfectly well. Have a Taylormade Areo Burner 10.5 but the length on it is 45.75 compared to my Titleist at 44.5". I was worriedl shorting the TM would make it too light. All your video are help as I do my own club work and have for about 24 years. Keep them coming !
I changed out my shafts to steel, thus adding swing weight with a goal of more distance, maybe more clubhead speed as a result. I have the flex set between stiff and regular instead of on one or the other, with a goal of slightly lower flight patterns. Does any of this also relate to your opinions here?
If you're not swinging a lighter club faster, it's because you're not trying to swing it faster. My 7 iron with lightweight graphite shaft allows me to swing 102, where as the 130 gram steel shafted version restricts me to 96-97 mph. This is not an anomaly, it's consistent over days, weeks, and months
I'm trying a 20 gram lighter shaft in a Maltby 7 iron. My old shaft is 117 grams and the new one I'm trying is around 97 grams. Both sterl shafts. I am 70 years old. Slower tempo.
So as a tall golfer 6'4" with a wrist to floor of 36-36.5" and a driver Club speed about 105 on a good day 118 top. What would your gut feeling go with? I am a new golfer just using a cheap set of +1" regular flex and a used taylormade burner stiff regular length.
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I’ve gone down the rabbit hole about swing weight during the last two weeks. Your videos have been an essential part of that. Keep up the excellent work.
I would just like to say on this subject, that I have reduced the weight in all my clubs over the last 6 months and I would never go back to heavier shafts. I feel better, I'm playing better and the dispersion problems you mentioned, I haven't witnessed it personally. If you have the strength to play heavy shafts great, I'm not in that camp.
Age 74, I have just combined this video with 2 of "Today's Golfer"- Best Iron Shaft 2024" Best irons for 2024 and just happen to spot a slightly used set of Ping 430 with TT Dynamic Gold X100 (that is the last thing I was looking for before I saw this video), I was chasing lighter weight shafts down, down. Well just returned from my second day with these irons. Two things- 3 shots were only 2-4 feet offline from directly at flag AND distance was longer than with any other irons (2) that I own, one 85 gram graphite and one 90 gram steel and have used 65 gram graphite. On one par 3, I was slightly too long with an 8 iron, so thought let me try a slightly harder swing with the 9 iron, Boom right on the green about 16 feet from the hole. I had never reached this hole with a 9 iron before. I have been doing some weight lifting with 5 and 8 lb dumb bells while I watch tv, I think that has helped with the distance some. So believe this video. I am hitting 120 grams farther than 85 and 90. Don't know the long term results yet, may find it is too much for the arthritis in my fingers, I just started wearing two gloves and slathering on lots of Voltaren on my fingers before playing.
Best video on this subject I have ever seen. So happy to see and hear someone clearing up widely broadcast myths. I have always found that a heavier iron shaft provided me with much better results than lighter shafts. The heavier shaft helps me maintain a smooth tempo, and it is not so easily manipulated. Thanks for posting this!
I took lessons and did a fitting at GOLFTEC. I’m 69 years old and my 7-iron swing speed was about 74 mph. My instructor advised changing my shafts from 95 gram steel to 65 gram graphite. I gained about 3-4 mph without any noticeable increase in dispersion. What was very noticeable is how my body felt after a round - there is much less fatigue with lighter weight graphite. So my results are contrary to what you report here.
You have always been a contrarian Dougie!
It's like in the gym, moving lighter weight around is sometimes more difficult as it is harder to control perfectly. In contrast, using heavier weight in many cases is easier as it forces your body to move a certain way which is many cases is more accurate. In conclusion, the heavier weight takes out all the inconsistency as the weight is your friend. Thank you for this golden nugget, I don't know why I went to buy 55g graphite shafts, and also don't know why the shop couldn't at least make me aware of the differences in the weight of the shafts. Now I find myself down this rabbit hole, however, your video has come to my rescue!
I like heavier shafts because they slow down my tempo and help my swing stay in sync because I can get quick.
Exactly the same!!!!
Great video thoroughly debunking a myth. I was certainly in that group that thought lighter was faster. So much so I was using my kitchen scale weighing clubs and shafts trying to match a driver shaft to a particular head thinking it was going to be faster. I was perplexed as to why it didn't perform as my hypothesis suggested. Now I have a better understanding
So I instead went with the Brava shaft on my Stealth plus driver and added weight to the head. It worked out well. The swing weight didn’t hurt my club speed and it helped straighten out my tee shots. Finding more fairways and the ball gets out there further than I was hitting it without the extra weight.
I watched your videos on those two topics except instead of using the lead tape I just added an additional sliding weight which I put into the draw position and left the original weight in the center position. I think those clubs had a tendency to fade originally and the newer models just added more weight to the club to help them stay straighter. So I came up with this solution and your videos helped me come to that conclusion. I am no club fitter and I may be all wrong but I know it’s working for me 😅 thanks for your help.👍
I'm getting so much information from your channel. So, thanks for that. In the past 2 months I have replaced all my iron shafts. I took a chance and went from 90 gram steel, to 60-65 gram graphite. I cut the graphite .750 inches longer than standard for a more upright swing and to help with the swing weight. I went from approximately D2 to about C9 swing weight. I must have done something right. I went from a hook miss to a straighter shot or draw. I'm also getting more height and distance. At 71 years old, I love my old AP1 irons again!
Thanks for all your great free information. I’m 65 and getting back into golf after taking 2 decades off due to a back injury that basically made me afraid to play. As I’m getting back into the game it has changed significantly in terms of club heads, shafts, grips, etc., And I’m trying to figure all this out. I’ve learned a ton from your videos which I’m grateful for. The one thing I’m still really confused about is shaft torque. If you have already done a Video on this I apologize as I couldn’t locate it. If not, I would be grateful if you could explain how it affects the club face and swing. Oh, the other thing I had to lose in getting back into golf was my ego. I can no longer hit my 8 iron 150 which really sucks. That’s more like my 5 iron now. lol.
It's simple, don't worry about torque. The torque will match up based on the flex and weight of a shaft. If you have those right you can assume that the torque is in a good range for you.
Your videos always show how important it is to have a club fitting when getting new clubs. Brilliant watchable and knowledgeable.
Love your videos. So informative and helpful. I’ve been looking to replace my iron shafts. But never knew how to determine what shaft to go with. And don’t have the money to pay someone to do it. Your videos are helping me choose and replace the shafts myself. Thank you!
Hey AJ. Nice expose. I especially like your second point. I've not heard anyone else mention that particular effect before, but it makes a lot of sense.
I recently fitted myself for my new shafts and did the light vs heavy swing speed comparison. As a senior golfer, I've lost speed and was looking for a way to recover some of it. But I got the same result as you - virtually no chs difference. I tried a 95g and 106g (R and S) and 120g from the same family/model and compared them to my current 130g shafts and a 120g one from the same family/model. With the 95g shaft I just couldn't find the centre of the club face, so it was eliminated quickly. Both 120g shafts didn't feel any different to 130g ones so I eventually settled on the 106g shafts. That 22g made a big difference. With the new shafts, I got rid of my tendency to get my hands stuck behind me, and lost my right-side bias. My timing and strike improved, although dispersion is roughly the same, just more left. I also saw a big change in how tired I was feeling by the closing holes. With the lighter shaft, I now feel I am swinging the same on the 18th as I was on the 3rd. With the old shafts, the last few holes started to feel like an effort and the swing suffered. Once I settled on the 106g I tried stiff (106.5g) and regular flex (103g). I liked the feel of the R but preferred the weight of the S so settled on soft-stepping a set of the S flex. What I gained is a lower effort swing with improved direction and consistency, and 2 strokes off my handicap. I didn't gain any speed or distance but hey, we can't have everything. Can we?
Thanks for putting out such great content. I've learned a lot from you over the past years. Cheers.
Wow, takes a lot of resources and reshafting efforts to get to that perfect point.... which most of us don't have.
@@ph469 I managed to keep the cost down a bit by buying 2 of the same model ex-demo clubs for US$35 each that happened to be fitted with 2 of the shafts I wanted to test. I already had the 130g and 95g shafts so only needed to purchase the 2 Modus 105 shafts and they cost me $35 each also. It would have cost me more in fuel to drive to my nearest fitter 😕. The rest is just a bit of epoxy, and time.
Interesting video. I'd be interested in adding the nuances of graphite vs. steel iron shafts in this analysis. As we "boomers" age and like me, are afflicted by arthritic hands and elbows, graphite is a necessary or tempting transition to make. Since many OEMs are primarily offering light (60-70 grams, max) weighted graphite shafts, many of us need to customize through a fitting. And as another poster mentioned, swing tempo is a crucial ingredient in this as well.
Having played DG S300/S400 growing up (way too heavy) discovered custom fitting in 2008 and have alway fallen into the 105g region and D3 swing weight for irons. Got fitted for Modus 120 soft stepped for some T20 wedges a few years ago and it was a stroke of genius from the fitter!
Best description I have heard for the shaft in all is guises is Ian @TXG “the shaft is a timing device”!
I recently as an experiment went with a 15 gram lighter shaft in my new irons. I have come to the two following observations. 1. I have to consciously swing smoother and try not to race my downswing because I can definitely tell the shaft is lighter. 2. As pointed out in the video, my slight swing faults become more apparent which has literally FORCED be to concentrate more and possibly improved my actual golf game.
Coincidentally, I was fit for new irons and the fitter put me into a lighter shaft than my previous irons. I have had trouble hitting the new, lighter irons. After some experimentation at the range comparing the two sets of irons, I have come to the same conclusion as you (and the video). With the new set, I have to concentrate much more and my swing thought is keeping my hands in front of my chest as I rotate through my swing. I think that the lighter shafts also reveal my "slight swing faults" and my shot dispersion is not nearly as tight as when I use the heavier shafts. With the heavier shafts I am a 6 index. I fear that if I use the lighter shafted irons, my index may jump to 12.
Thing is lighter shafts will give you better distance and maybe a bit more compression for a while but they are too easy to manipulate so slowly but surely your swing will unravel . The good news is that going back to your old irons or shafts will put you back on track .
So dont sell them on for a while ….
Yeah I’m not sure which is better but sounds like lighter shafts can work as training aids but on course I want stable performance
Similar BUT my lighter & less Stiff shaft became a double miss & lost 10-15 yards. Just upped to 120 & Stiff. Will try tomorrow but, my old irons,today & similar, we’re on target.
@@CarnivoreDMD For mortals like us, it really is trial and error until we get it figured out.
Tempo and transition will have a huge influence on what weight works best. The faster the transition the heavier weight usually suits the golfer, As always there are exceptions and no absolutes. Fitting is always key. Good video.
Great video again! I’m curious to see stepping in shafts and the differences. Stepped down v standard v stepped up
I’d like to understand the peak height difference, dec angle and distance between each of them.
It even more pronounced with driver shafts. Lighter shafts in drivers are disaster - heavier shafts are "smoothing" the swing and prevent rapid and uncontrollable transition from the backswing into the downswing. I have noticed that with lighter shafts it is much easier to cut across the line ending in a typical slice. A great vlog!
I have 5 rolls of lead tape on my putter! under grip, hosel, perimeter, center line front to back........but I have heard heavy shafts better for distance but lighter for more accuracy. I lost strength, but i was hitting my irons great, but lost distance. I really didn't gain going lighter, but still straight.....just not as tired after a round. Using 60-65 g shafts with my driver, but shafts 105 g with old irons, 85 with new irons. I just went back to heavy ones, but I want new clubs....thinking PXG and Takomo
For me personally, I went to lighter shafts to help when I have back problems (130 to 120 in irons and 68 to 58 in driver. The lighter shafts help me to be able to move the club decently when my back isn’t super healthy and also energy up when later in the round.
120-130g is heavy
@@AngusBeef0to me 120g is light enough. Any lighter I start losing the club path and feels too light.
I went from 120 to a 105 but also dropped weight in the club head much better feel for me. If a club doesn’t feel good when you pick it up mentally it will affect your game in my opinion.
I've been playing the same muscle back clubs for 25 years. However, as I age I have been re-shafting to lighter and lighter shafts. I have found that it's the "overall" weight of the club that has the biggest bearing. I used to play DGS300s, then X100s, then Project X 5.0s, then Nippon 950GB, and now well past my 60's, I have re-shafted with Zelos steel shafts that are actually lighter than most graphite shafts. The key to making this work? Consistent swing weight. Every set of shafts were brought to D1 with proper weight adjustments. That method has been working for me very well, I don't get tired as the round goes on, and they feel great. I hope this helps someone.
The heavier shaft also does wonders to compensate for imperfections in the shaft.
As always… super valuable Golf fitting content.
Thank You!
Thanks for posting this. I just picked up a set of clubs that have Oban Ct 125 shafts( I don’t know the flex) but I have found the heavier shaft for me helps with feeling where the club is for me.
Very interesting video. Absolutely agree. Light shafts are trap and a recipe for inconsistent shot making.
I'm 60 and swing 130 g shafts. Tried lighter and lost feel of the clubhead and control of ball flight. Will swing heavy until I can't
Yep, feel is a big part of it for a lot of us. Regardless of what's actually happening it's what we feel is working best that often does work best.
I tried that also. I went down to 100 grams. It just did not work for me. I can hit 120 s300 but I have been playing 130gram s300. I use that shaft when I play professionally. I am 64 now but I can still move the shaft. So for now I am staying with 130 gram
Informative and helpful video. The lead tape trick is something I may try. Thanks.
I went for my first fitting , went from 98g nippon gh950 Neo to a dynamic gold 115 mid… everything you mentioned is exactly how I feel about it. Generally, a better feel & more consistent dispersion , most the numbers on a good strike are still similar
Excellent video. Question - my friend (77 y/o) is convinced that switching from his regular flex PXG driver to a lighter senior flex will help his chronic slicing and add more distance. He has a good swing and used to be a single digit handicap. I'm telling him that if he solves his slice, his distance will increase.
Less flex will definitely not help correct a slice.
So true. I struggled with side to side dispersion for over 10 years+ due to playing with lighter shafted irons believing that as I got older I needed to lighten up. I always suspected that my iron shafts were too light since all of my wedge shafts have always been DG X100 130g and I had little to no dispersion issues with these clubs. At 62, I recently switched to heavier shafts in my irons and my accuracy and smash factor (consistent ball striking) have improved tremendously. My accuracy is back on par to what I experienced in my younger days. Of course, the youthful distance is not there, but since switching, I've gained some distance along with the better accuracy. My playing partner has also done the same and has experienced a noticeable improvement as well.
Have a friend that went to 'Big Custom Fitters' that recently popped up everywhere. Got talked into light senior flex shafts in his way too expensive 'custom fitted' iron set.
He hits the ball all over. Left left left... Right..back to left again.
He's always always always asking me how I swing and what I use and this and that... Yet never uses that advice. Always gets talked into crap he doesn't need.
I just shake my head.
I use a set of USED Hogan PTx Pros with 120 gram extra stiff shafts. Why, because that's is what was in them when I bought them. They feel and hit great!
I pick up his feather weight clubs and try to hit a ball and it goes all over the place. I can't control them one bit.
Moral... Don't get talked into crap you don't need at these fancy places that hire used car salesmen. Listen to A.J. here.
P.S. I'm 65 years old...
Name the scoundrels. Club Champion?
@@JeremiahAlphonsus oh, that is highly probable...
Club fitting is the new shark infested waters of the golfing world. Some undoubted good ones, but charlatans and used car dealers everywhere. I would suggest paying for one or two fittings, taking the data away and then building a set from eBay with necessary tweaks from a friendly club maker. You'll save fortune and have quite an interesting little journey.
@@MrDaglish77 Agreed. No doubt, the TXG (now Club Champion) channel creates misguided expectations in many viewers. If you go to a Club Champion, it’s overwhelmingly likely that you WON’T get a fitter with the incredible knowledge and intelligence of Ian Fraser. Instead, you’re most likely going to get one who is a salesman above all else.
Did a fitting and they really put the pressure on me to pay almost 4K for 9 clubs. Nope.
Great stuff, as usual. However, I would respectfully disagree with your default to a heavier shaft when fitting…a fitting is done hitting a few shots (10, 20, maybe 30)….however, over the course of a round of golf, the weight of the shaft does have an effect on you…for someone a little older, or who has some physical limitations or ailments (most of us), a lighter shaft would be better off. I used 120g shafts for the longest time. In testing, I hit that shaft very similar to my current shaft over a 20 ball test. But, now 55 with both hips replaced, back issues, and shoulder surgery from a lifetime of ice hockey, I now find hitting a 105g shaft to suit me better over the course of 18 holes. I wound up testing this by buying the different shafts and using each for a range session of 75 balls (though I usually shoot in the low 80s so wouldn’t hit 75 shots with irons/woods when putts are considered…closer to 50 shots). Again, this is all premised on your initial position that if the two shafts give you similar results…with a younger golfer with no issues, I would then agree with you that heavier might be the better way to go….
It's not just lighter shafts or heavy shaft. it's where the weight is located. My old shafts were 120 gram nippon. I experimented. Purchased 105 nippon, but i put 10 grams in the butt and 5 in the tip. I discovered it allowed me to feel where the club was during my swing, and it quieted my hands. No more flipping. Since the weight was in my hands, the head felt lighter. And it allowed me to feel the release better. My dispersion is a lot smaller. On an unexpected benefit. I discovered a 3-yard draw. Oh on the launch monitor, very little number change. But the feel allowed me to swing better.
First time someone has addressed this important issue! I actually have higher clubhead speeds using a Project X 5.5 115g rifle shaft vs. a KBS Tour Lite at 105g.
Great video, very informative as always. Although IMO "Play the lightest shaft you can control" is a valid concept for everyone. When you suggest to go to a heavier shaft then is simply because the lighter shaft was not the lightest one you can control
✳️ I use NS850 reg ✳️ Rose Zhang a LPGA player is using the same shaft ✳️ very surprising..
As I’m a little older I thought a lighter shaft would help. Bad dispersion and decreased distance. Back to my 120 gram shafts.
I have adjusted to 110 gram shafts on my TAKOMO Irons and finally clicking but would not go lighter and I’m 67 but ex Ball Player and can still move it.
@@Thataintnothingkbs tour regular ?
After watching this video and many others I wish some one would do a senior swing around 8
85 swing speed. All the videos the instructor is 100 swing speed and doesn’t relate to anything. Just changed from a regular shaft on my cobra driver to a 49 gem and works great. Just swing easy and don’t try and kill it. Become a better chipper and putting will improve.
50yo old 15hc here. I was fitted last year and was surprised to find that I hit heavier shafts and swing weights better. Distance, dispersion, consistency, feel we're all better. I ended up with Cobra King Tour pw-4i and RTX wedges with stiff D.G. S400 TI at swing weight D-7. Have played about 15-20 rounds so far, and I really like these new clubs.
Thanks for this info. I've been wondering about shaft weight in my set. Based on what you've posted here I really shouldn't be worrying much about it. I get good ball flight. I had wondered if a lighter shaft would yield more club head speed. Doesn't seem that is likely to be the case. I have tried lighter shafts in a second hand golf shop and definitely had more two-way misses. At some point the shaft gets light enough that I turn the club over too easily. My take away is to play more golf and do less worrying about gear.
Best video I've seen on the subject
Very good channel with solid, scientific knowledge.
Very timely. Thank you. Heading off in the next few weeks to work out what I want in some new clubs/shafts. Moving away from game improvement And very light shafts to more of a players distance combo set.
Maltby from Golfworks are great
Great content as ever, AJ. Thanks. I recently finished reading Tom Wishon's The Search for the Perfect Golf Club (well worth a read for everyone out there) and he mentioned that a drop of 25g in shaft weight would only yield about at most a 1mph increase in swing speed. Your test backs that up.
Totally agree. Tried to play KBS tour x 105 didn’t know where the club head was. Love the KBS Tour x 130. Feel is beautiful imo
Can you do a video on driver shaft weight?
And for purposes of having more videos, a separate one for woods shaft weights, wedges, other videos on misconceptions between the flexes of shafts relationship to weight and swing speed (i.e. everyone with 90mph swing speed must use stiff flex and certain shaft weight), and how these factors can affect the ball flight. Maybe even a live club fitting - video for each (driver/woods, irons, wedges, putter)
Man what cool info I've been following you for a long time and man you've helped me with my own club craft, always some new trick to learn from you thanks!😅
Great vid and I could not agree with you more and I've always questioned the light = clubhead speed = goodness mantra. Thank you. I love the tape and choke methods, but I did have some feedback about applying tape. With the introduction of tape, the shaft is no longer symmetric, it's drag coefficient has increased and ultimately it will slow down the shaft. Also, depending on the exact position of the tape relative to swing path, an introduction of the Bernoulli effect could introduce lift to the shaft and make it nearly impossible to make a downswing that actually makes contact with the ball. At least that's what the guy that wanted to sell me a new set of light shafts told me. :) Always appreciate your content.
I have hit Reg shafts my entire life. Was given a set of stiff shafts last week. Holy cow! My ball flight is now lower and my 8i hits, hops, stops. Previously it would come in much steeper, fly higher, hop and roll a few feet. Am changing balls for even more spin.
Thank u for the tips. Well presented.
That is really cool trick to try heavier shafts
Recently I had the fun time of diagnosing what to do with a set of iron heads that were about 10grams under weight after refinishing. This lead me to begin with adding 10g of tip weight (hated it) with the original 130 gram shafts to 115 gram shafts and tip wieght (this was ok but not great) to now the (closer to 100 gram) Nippon NS 950 Neo shafts and adding weight directly behind the sweet spot on the back side of the iron heads. Now the clubs feel right again.😊
On my irons have gone from regular steel 110g nippon mizuno mp20's hmb to graphite Mitsubishi MMT 70g Pxg's and i have never been happier with the weight and ease to get the ball in the air, specially from 150-210 yards out which are my 8,7,6,5 and 4 irons... Misses are still misses with both but my enjoyment of the game has changed for the better
I completely agree with your assessment...Thank you.
My shafts are heavy. I like it that way. I’m a strong guy. I need to learn more about this.
After listening, I’m good.
thanks for this video. It is very helpful indeed!
One big thing. I had too heavy shafts eralier. Had a hard time controlling the low point in the arc.
Also had the tendancy to hook it more, but due to lie angle
I also think the strength of the person helps determine the weight of the shaft. I am becoming weaker as I age and have found I need lighter shafts. Right now I am playing 70g R flex in my irons and 40g L flex in my driver and fairway wood. This seems to work best for me at 77 years old.
I suspect that you are absolutely right. Anyway, keep swinging those clubs!
I totally agree. Strength will for sure be a big factor.
Still playing. My man. Good for you. Get yourself in the gym though. My mom is your age and I train her. She's still skipping around a tennis court
I believe that also, I am 63 but at 6'5" and 270, light weight is a bad choice, the stronger you are the easier it is to manipulate a light shaft in a bad way, pendulum effect.
Pitching and chipping is more accurate and “feel” is better with the heavy. Also light shafts need heavier head to maintain C or D range swingweight range.
Opposite
I think it really depends on the golfer prefer feel and body limitations. I prefer a lightweight shaft, I came to that conclusion when I went to my local 2nd swing store, grab a bunch of different used set with various shaft configuration and headed to the trackman bay. The set up with the heavier shaft didn't correspond well for me and I only swung a 7 iron in the low 70mph. On the other hand, the best feeling used set I was able to hit without putting stress on my body was a set of Mizuno Hot metal 923 HL with Senior ESX recoil 460 in the high 70's club head speed. These shafts are roughly 60g according to the manufacturer website, but didn't want to spend $7-900 on this set, so I got myself a set of Maltby TS3 (6-P) built with fujikura vista pro 50i shaft. for less than $500 new. With this set, I can swing my 7 iron around 76-78 mph according to my lunch monitor.
Good video. When adding lead tape to the shaft, I would find the balance point and then put the tape half above and half below. That would have the smallest impact on swing weight.
How do you find the balance point? Also, is having lead tape on shaft legal? Thanks
@@KyleW0806 Lead tape is legal. Just balance the club on one finger so it doesn’t fall. Where your finger is - that’s the balance point. If a heavier club works better , you would want to replace your shaft for long term use
Ah, I like that test and will give it a shot..... how do u know how much to add???
120 I always left the club face open. I was fitted for those and bought 105s off eBay and it changed everything
Swinging your mid iron around 90mph will be better with more mass on the club so 120+ grams will help.
For short hitters definitely recommend light shafts + go try them out. Each manufacturer has different kick points and one might just be light bulb moment
I started p[aying golf in 1975, but 1978 weekly. amazing how the shaft of the driver now is the lightest and the head is most forgiving and least spinning, which is opposite of what I learned with playing 90 and 100 compression wound, balata Titleist balls. What happens when people play 55-65 gram shafts in their driver, but their irons are 85-120 grams?
Great insights on shaft weight. This applies to graphite shaft too I assume?
Correct
Excellent video. I had a golf lesson and it was suggested that I got lighter shafts. I went for a fitting and the shafts weight recommended was 105g. I ended up selling my clubs and buying a new set of irons, which I really enjoy. Having said that, I’ve got a set of Mizuno MP-59’s with Dynamic Gold S300 shafts, which I bought years ago and hardly used. I have started using these as my practice clubs and really get on well with them but agree I do feel I get tired quicker. Aside from the tiredness, is it wrong to practise with heavy shafted clubs and play with a lighter shaft?
I say why not. I made a heavy practice club to do just that.
@@EFGMC Thank you.
I've played the X100 but not going to Nippon Pro 950GH which is 115g and saves 15 grams of swing weight from my body/back. The Nippong Pro 950GH is a very stable shaft and it fits me and l am just playing the S, not the X.
I've often thought of filling my shafts with sand just to feel the difference of heavier swings.
What about flex, I was fitted into a light shaft but stiff flex to stop it ballooning. Excellent video
Amazing video.. learnt a lot. Thank you..
Please guide, am 60 yrs, 14hcp using mizuno mp 60 irons(mb, forged) dyna gold true temper steel shaft( dont know the shaft weight).
Should i shift to graphite shaft or go for lighter steel shafts?
TIA
Those shafts I am assuming are the 130g DG that was used in the MP 60. Not sure how light you are planning on, but I would figure that out first. Also do you have pain you are wanting to mitigate with graphite shafts? These will be what determines where to go.
I went from 105g shaft to 70g shaft, it helps me with my stamina through out the round. I was so tired with the 105g afterwards and no so much with the 70g now.
How old are you?
@@bloatedsodium7301 I’m old bro. In the 60s
@@52t99 hopefully I’m still playing when I’m in my 60s. Hit’em good! 💪🏻 ⛳️
great video! thank you
That was worth watching. (again).
You need to make sure the frequency is the same for each shaft with the different weights to do a True Comparison.
If you choke up on a club to decrease the weight you are making the Frequency Stiffer.
Everyone has a perfect frequency. Frequency is what helps to make your shot patterns tighter.
As we age a lighter shaft might help with our energy levels in playing a round of golf.
It has been proven that if you play with the frequency for your physiological makeup your shot patterns will be tighter. No promises of distance but direction is the key to better shots.
Happy Golfing 😎
I did a blind test with my normal weight shaft (115grams) and a 105 gram shaft and then a 95 gram shaft. I hit the 95 gram shaft 10 yards farther carry with the 95 gram shaft. No problems with dispersion nor launch angle. With the 115 shaft my 7 iron swing speed was 78 mph and the 95 gram shaft was 82 mph. My swing style is not very handsy at all and maybe this is a factor.
Great content. Is there any reason why I would find more forgiving to hit with lighter shafts ? I was fitted to 95s I used to play with 65s. My swing speed definitely suggests heavier shafts but I just feel that I hit it a lot more solid and overall easier with the old lighter shafts I used to have. I know miss my dispersion is definitely higher , but I hit it so solid when I use the lighter shafts.
This is a general rule and by no means a one size fits all. Some people will hit more solidly with lighter shafts. The important thing is to try different weights and see what yields the best results.
Less than +/- 1 oz distributed over the length of a shaft just doesn't matter that much--as evidenced by swing speed. I agree go heavier when in doubt. It's other characteristics of the shaft that cause issues...they just happen to correlate with weight in a lot of shafts. Swing each shaft with no clubhead and you can feel how trivial the difference is-- from a weight perspective.
Nice channel, I play the Apex 2019 irons with the aerotech fc 90. My 7 iron club head speed is 70-75 these seam to be working, also trying to improve my golf any suggestions I might try. Cheers...
Very educational. Although the swing speeds are the same, how about the ball speed? Shouldn't heavier club generate higher ball speed?
In theory. Force = Mass x Accel
Velocity or club head speed is meaningless. 9yr old Korean girls hit 230 drives because the club is going faster after impact than before. Most hack golfers' club heads reach max velocity before striking the ball and then as the ball goes forward the club head goes backwards or decels.
I did have the highest efficiency with the 130, ie faster ball speed. Actually second place in this test was the 80g but that could easily just be the sample size.
Can you address ball flight? My understanding is a lighter shaft can help increase peak height and land angle
It can assuming the lighter shaft allows the golfer to increase the dynamic loft. But it doesn't always work that way so I wouldn't promise that result.
I have watched many of your videos and in terms of club building, I tend to agree with most of the information you offered. However, the say that there’s no difference in how a shaft will respond or how it affects the delivery is too simplistic if not outright wrong. Even for a stronger golfer with faster club head speed like >90 mph for #7i, the effect on CHS may be marginal but the timing and release of the club would be dramatically different even for a better player. The situation will be starkly different for a slower CHS golfer swinging at 75 mph as the mere 30g difference in weight can mean how his cadence can be affected, particularly for someone with a slower transition. The heavier overall weight could mean the golfer struggling to even reach a full back swing. An average +18 golfer with a slow swing and smooth transition can only benefit and likely swing more “in-plane” if he uses a lighter shaft (which is correspondingly softer for his tempo) and instead of erring on the heavier side, he still use the lightest shaft he can handle and not otherwise.
Not sure you watched the video because I never say there's no difference. I do say no difference in club head speed, but there will often be very obvious differences in ball speed, dispersion and consistency based on that weight change.
Great info. I have a driver shaft that is 8 grams heavier than the Venus shaft I have. Will the heavier shaft slow down my swing speed
I am trying to find out if 10 grams more of weight in my driver shaft would feel good, before changing to a heavier shaft. Would I apply the same procedure as in the trial for 20 grams, with the lead tipe going vertically starting with 1 inch below grip? Thanks for the help! Cheers
Correct, same method with 10g.
Adding lead tape weight to the shaft to make it heavier will only affect the feel and not stiffness and flight characteristics of a heavier shaft. A heavier shaft will be a stiffer shaft and be harder to square the club face if the player doesn’t have enough swing speed. All in all I think a lighter more flexible shaft is better for amateurs. I once tried to swing a friends forged blade 4 iron with a dynamic gold s300 130 gram shaft. It was like swinging a telephone pole. Lost 30 yards of distance and everything went right. Then I swung a 80 gram stiff graphite shaft. I had effortless power and much better distance and dispersion
Haha!! I’m the exact opposite. I had 130 X stuff in my irons and hooked the ball off the map. I switched to 55g senior flex graphite shafts and now I hit a baby fade and love them. I have a 115mph swing speed with driver for reference. Crazy
That’s because the 55 gram shaft is flexing more allowing the club face to have a more flat lie angle at impact
Highly unusual
Trust me, everybody I play with laughs, but it works. Something to do with my delivery. I need that lag at the end to keep the club face from closing too soon. That’s my best guess anyways.
I used to play 105g and went to 90g. It really felt that I can put more speed In To my swing and Ball was easier to launch. But misses were much bigger also and distance control wanst really there. Now I use 115g shafts and those are accurate but expence of some speed. 110g could be ideal to my swing since that 115g feels slightly too heavy. I tried 130g and that felt like a workout.
This is a good vid and you make a lot of points I never thought of before. But I have one minor issue. You said you can tell that a shaft is too heavy if after several shots you get tired. I think if you get tired you lose club head speed over the round. If thats true and for me it is then how can you say that shaft weight has no effect on club-head speed? If your right about this then you might want to ask PING about the High Launch G430s who promise more speed for slower club-head speed swingers. The only difference between the HL model and the regular ones is the club is lighter.
swing weight is more important than shaft weight in terms of rhythm and feel for the golfer
Maybe. Maybe not. To throw a blanket statement like that, over the issue is just simply incorrect in many cases. It really depends on the golfer.
I think the misconception is from shaft weight vs club weight, they probably mean(or should say) you should play the lightest club weight you can control.
Shaft weight while swinging vs a golf ball of changing mass while putting are two different concepts in physics. What's missing in Adam's examples are often confused. The force required to swing each club (think about getting the club moving) at the various weights is much different. That extra force is what or why most golfers migrate to lighter shafts - it's generally age-related - so it allows the weaker player to maintain their clubhead speed. It's F = M x A, where objects with more mass (heavier shafts) require a larger force to accelerate or start moving. And that can be substantial when viewed over an entire round of golf. The putting example is about an object already in motion, similar to what happens in a car crash - heavy vehicle vs lighter vehicle - and heavy always wins. It's an example of Kinetic Energy (energy due to motion), or 1/2 x Mass x Velocity squared. The higher the mass, the higher the (KE) energy. This is also why a faster swing speed (club is already in motion) gives you a larger distance increase than a heavier club ... the velocity component is squared. Good examples, but the conclusions are a bit skewed.
I definitely have fallen into that "I need lighter shafts" but went back to 125g and have become much more consisent.
I'm 68 and just started back after not playing for the last 5 years. I thought going to a lighter shaft would be best as I'm 60 lbs lighter and noticeably weaker so I thought 85 gram R flex shafts would work well. I couldn't have been more wrong. I am not using 110. Gram R flex shafts and actually getting back to my old distances which is 148 yd 8 iron and 160 yd 7 iron. I was having trouble hitting 145 yd 7 irons with the lighter shafts. I play TM R9 Tour issue carbon steel C heads which are a nice solid heavier head that I have had for about 12 years but looking at maybe getting some Takomo 101T heads or even 101's to try . I also have a like new set of Bridgestone J38 Dual Pocket cavity forged irons that play great. Both my sets are older but I have never seen that big a difference in good older irons and good newer irons unlike driver where the newer ones do make a difference. Still hitting a Titleist 910 D3 12* adjusted to 10.5 perfectly well. Have a Taylormade Areo Burner 10.5 but the length on it is 45.75 compared to my Titleist at 44.5". I was worriedl shorting the TM would make it too light. All your video are help as I do my own club work and have for about 24 years. Keep them coming !
I changed out my shafts to steel, thus adding swing weight with a goal of more distance, maybe more clubhead speed as a result. I have the flex set between stiff and regular instead of on one or the other, with a goal of slightly lower flight patterns. Does any of this also relate to your opinions here?
If you're not swinging a lighter club faster, it's because you're not trying to swing it faster. My 7 iron with lightweight graphite shaft allows me to swing 102, where as the 130 gram steel shafted version restricts me to 96-97 mph. This is not an anomaly, it's consistent over days, weeks, and months
Exception not the norm.
I'm trying a 20 gram lighter shaft in a Maltby 7 iron. My old shaft is 117 grams and the new one I'm trying is around 97 grams. Both sterl shafts. I am 70 years old. Slower tempo.
80g graphite shafts in my irons work’s perfect for my slow swing speed. Anything heavier feels like I’m swinging a sledgehammer.
Shaft weight only helps flatten the swing. People tend to pick up their hands and not use their big muscles. Bend profile is most important.
So as a tall golfer 6'4" with a wrist to floor of 36-36.5" and a driver Club speed about 105 on a good day 118 top. What would your gut feeling go with? I am a new golfer just using a cheap set of +1" regular flex and a used taylormade burner stiff regular length.
is the speed 105 or 118 because those are very very different.
@@EFGMC lets call it 100-105 averaged out. I am new to the sport so i am working on consistency