A golf shaft for a driver is just a piece of equipment. It is not a magic wand, nor is it a panacea that can cure all the ills of the golfer holding it.
Therefore, you need to match the golf shaft for a driver not just to the club head, but to the golfer, and no two golf shafts are the same.
Some produce very low launch and spin profiles, which in the right hands can produce straight, long, penetrating drives.
Others are much more whippy, active, and responsive, and tend to produce very high launches that float, along with extra spin that generates lift.
Just when the latter is an appropriate option is an important question to answer, as it can have serious implications for golfers at any stage and skill level.
When Higher Launch and More Spin Are Better
Some golfers have strong, fast swing speeds and aggressive swing tempos to match. These golfers often find stiff shafts with a lot of torque and flexible bend profiles to be frustrating.
This can be because the shaft feels too whippy, or the clubhead doesn’t square with the tee and ball at the right moment, at impact.
It could be that the shaft seems to lag behind the swing, throwing off the sensitivity and feedback of the whole outfit.
Or, it could be that the higher launch just goes too high when it doesn’t need to, or that the extra spin generates more rollout or excessive shot dispersion that makes it hard for a golfer to place his shots with precision.
It could also be a combination of any or all of these factors, but the case remains that there are many instances in which a more flexible shaft is just not desirable.
Now, take that same shaft but reduce its torque, spin and launch profiles so that it’s stiffer, produces less spin, and launches the ball very low.
A golfer with a fast swing speed who therefore inherently swings harder can still probably hit the ball farther. In fact, depending on launch angle and spin, he or she might even be able to hit the ball farther than would be possible with a more flexible, higher-launching shaft.
The lower the launch and lower the spin, the less chance there is for a floating drive to veer off target, as a higher launch will magnify small swing errors.
As for spin, the higher the spin, the more the golf ball will float as spin generates more lift. However, spin also causes rollout and shot dispersion once it hits the ground, which is not something that will benefit an experienced player with a strong, fast swing.
As a result, players with fast swing speeds tend to do better with stiffer, lower-launching shafts that produce less spin overall.
Explore Golf Shafts for Drivers or Work with a Fitter
While it is the case that for the most part, golfers with higher swing speeds will benefit from a stiffer shaft that produces less launch and a lower spin, these generalities are not true across the board.
Explore a wide catalog of golf shafts for drivers over at Dallas Golf Company to learn more about the unique profiles and attributes of the market leaders, and if you’ve never done so before, work with a golf club fitter.
Working with a fitter can help you determine which shaft profiles are actually best for you, along with spin and torque ratings. Plus, they can take your measurements and even make personalized recommendations. Then you can apply that insight to future purchases – making the investment well worth it.
