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Shafts: Regular vs Stiff for a Swing Type

Nippon Shafts
thedue

thedue

Another Day in Paradise
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I know many people pick their driver/fw wood shafts based on swing speed alone and I can admit to doing this myself to the most part. My swing speed is just not high enough to feel the action, or load, in most stiff shafts. But how about those of us with aggressive swings, quick aggressive transitions from the back swing down? Would this merit looking at some of the "lighter" stiff flex shafts out there?

If so, I would think Miazaki shafts with the ability to taylor the different sections would be worthwhile, though I'm not real sure where I would start.
 
Matrix makes in betweeners Duey. I think they call it Firm.
 
graphite design does on some of their shafts, but not all. They call it r+.

I am in the boat you are talking about. My SS is in the 95-100 range. Some stiff shafts don't match. But according to a guy working with me the other day he said my transition is too quick that in some companies reg flex shafts I would be all over the place.
 
ddec said:
graphite design does on some of their shafts, but not all. They call it r+.

I am in the boat you are talking about. My SS is in the 95-100 range. Some stiff shafts don't match. But according to a guy working with me the other day he said my transition is too quick that in some companies reg flex shafts I would be all over the place.
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Exactly, but I'm not sure if its the tip, mid, or butt that gives me the problem from the top.
 
thedue said:
Exactly, but I'm not sure if its the tip, mid, or butt that gives me the problem from the top.
Click to expand...

I guess it may depend on the shaft? I'm really not sure on that one. I know for me I'm better with a firmer tip section.
 
thedue said:
I know many people pick their driver/fw wood shafts based on swing speed alone and I can admit to doing this myself to the most part. My swing speed is just not high enough to feel the action, or load, in most stiff shafts. But how about those of us with aggressive swings, quick aggressive transitions from the back swing down? Would this merit looking at some of the "lighter" stiff flex shafts out there?

If so, I would think Miazaki shafts with the ability to taylor the different sections would be worthwhile, though I'm not real sure where I would start.
Click to expand...

I think Miyazaki has done a great job of making the shaft differences very visible between their Kusala line variations.. Thinking directly at that line, they go from 4631 in the higher launching white stiff all the way to the 3566 in the lower launching black stiff. The visualization is a stable butt section in the white with a very soft tip section (producing higher launch) vs the slightly softer butt section in the black while allowing for a 'nearly' X tip section to keep launch lower. I think a lot of what that does is allow a person not looking for the 'boardyness' of an X play a stiffer tip to keep the club in the swing, just as it allows someone looking to increase their launch to play a stiff flex with a R/S tip.

I wish the shafts were more accessible to hit. That might be the only downfall to that awesome variance.
 
Good info here. It is too bad there's not more availability for trying these, I like their product and approach to the shaft flex.
 
For someone who really wants to find the best shaft for them, I'd suggest seeing if a Tom Wishon certified fitter is close by to you. Many of his fitters use his database which has hundreds and hundreds of shaft profiles from all the companies which, combined with the knowledge of an experinced fitter, gives you the best bet of finding the best shaft for your swing in my opinion.
 
Perkins Rooster said:
For someone who really wants to find the best shaft for them, I'd suggest seeing if a Tom Wishon certified fitter is close by to you. Many of his fitters use his database which has hundreds and hundreds of shaft profiles from all the companies which, combined with the knowledge of an experinced fitter, gives you the best bet of finding the best shaft for your swing in my opinion.
Click to expand...

I don't know much about these guys, but worth checking out. Mostly just something I've wondered about.
 
thedue said:
I know many people pick their driver/fw wood shafts based on swing speed alone and I can admit to doing this myself to the most part. My swing speed is just not high enough to feel the action, or load, in most stiff shafts. But how about those of us with aggressive swings, quick aggressive transitions from the back swing down? Would this merit looking at some of the "lighter" stiff flex shafts out there?

If so, I would think Miazaki shafts with the ability to taylor the different sections would be worthwhile, though I'm not real sure where I would start.
Click to expand...

I think it's more about tempo and dispersion than actual swing speed. I have a medium-fast tempo with the driver and look for a tip-stiff shaft to begin with. I've played both X and S flex in shafts and depending on the shaft make-up, spin & launch characteristics and dispersion I choose the one that fits my game. Normally I err on the stiffer side because I have a tendency to lose shots left with the driver and I like to eliminate that with equipment without having to monkey with my swing.

Fairway metals I normally play just a S flex. Swing speed isn't as high of the deck and I think they launch a little higher as well. I don't like Miyazaki lightweight shafts like the 39 or 43 C Kua. I prefer around 70 grams in the driver and around 80 in the fairway metals. Just my preference...
 
Im in the same boat. Im in between flexes amd when I got fitted, it was recommended to me for my swing to go with a softer mid but firmer tip since I have trouble loading a stiff shaft. Something with a lower torque. The BiMatrix has always worked for me and is my go to shaft in R flex.

***Tappin in cuz I #SeeMore***
 
I'm in between flexes too, the other day at my fitting with the Cobra Rep, he had me hit a driver with a shaft he thought would fit well. And then he had me hit the regular and then the stiff. The stiff gave me increased accuracy and a better launch, the regular was much higher and when I really let it go, I would hook. The fitter ended up saying the regular was too whippy for me and he recommended the stiff, the launch conditions were just so much better for me. Plus, I gained a bit of distance once I was confident with it.

Overall I think having an experienced player or fitter will help you narrow it down.
 
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