Which golf shafts should I try?

Riprorin

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Apr 25, 2000
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I have a set of Ping-Zing knockoffs with regular TTL shafts.

I like the the irons but the ball flight is way too high.

My swing speed with a 5-iron is about 85 mph, so I assume I should be using stiff shafts.

Any suggestions on which shafts to try?

Interestingly, I bought these clubs used and the person I bought them from couldn't get the ball up.
 

Bekker

Golden Member
Sep 6, 2000
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I don't think your swing speed is high enough for stiff shaft. I used to build sets and knew that stuff pretty well, but have forgotten too much. If I recall, to use a stiff shaft you should have a ss of about 95 mph. What you need to consider is the flexpoint of the shaft. If low, it will make the ball go high (or so I recall). Mid flex will give it a lower trajectory. If you want to find many to choose from and info on fitting, go to Golfsmith. True temper makes a good shaft, but they have many varities ranging from inexpensive to somewhat expensive. There are many other good ones as well. Good luck. You have my golf fever up!
 

ucdnam

Golden Member
Jan 28, 2000
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You need to ask a real golf forum such as the ones at
Golf Equipment Aficionados or The Golf Forum

Bekker is right, though. You have to get a shaft with a higher kickpoint or stiffer tip. There are a lot of options, so I recommend you visit those forums and ask.

I just built myself a set and opted for a low kickpoint in a light shaft, because I'm playing golf with 2 broken fingers on my right hand and I can't even make a fist to hold the club right :)
 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
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Originally posted by: Bekker
I don't think your swing speed is high enough for stiff shaft. I used to build sets and knew that stuff pretty well, but have forgotten too much. If I recall, to use a stiff shaft you should have a ss of about 95 mph. What you need to consider is the flexpoint of the shaft. If low, it will make the ball go high (or so I recall). Mid flex will give it a lower trajectory. If you want to find many to choose from and info on fitting, go to Golfsmith. True temper makes a good shaft, but they have many varities ranging from inexpensive to somewhat expensive. There are many other good ones as well. Good luck. You have my golf fever up!

well, the 95MPH rule is for a driver, not a 5 iron. 85MPH is more than enough for a stiff steel shaft. Many options here, bro. You should look at the flighted rifles, and the TT dynamic gold. find some demos out there. the s300 or s400 would suit you in the True Temper, and probably a 6.0 or 6.5 in Rifle.

 

JRS4224

Senior member
Oct 2, 2003
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I have stiff sensicore shaft with my cleveland TA7s and with my high swing speed they seem to work very well.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
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Originally posted by: diamondgoat53
Originally posted by: Bekker
I don't think your swing speed is high enough for stiff shaft. I used to build sets and knew that stuff pretty well, but have forgotten too much. If I recall, to use a stiff shaft you should have a ss of about 95 mph. What you need to consider is the flexpoint of the shaft. If low, it will make the ball go high (or so I recall). Mid flex will give it a lower trajectory. If you want to find many to choose from and info on fitting, go to Golfsmith. True temper makes a good shaft, but they have many varities ranging from inexpensive to somewhat expensive. There are many other good ones as well. Good luck. You have my golf fever up!

well, the 95MPH rule is for a driver, not a 5 iron. 85MPH is more than enough for a stiff steel shaft. Many options here, bro. You should look at the flighted rifles, and the TT dynamic gold. find some demos out there. the s300 or s400 would suit you in the True Temper, and probably a 6.0 or 6.5 in Rifle.


Close. Rifle 6.5 would be too much shaft, that's more like an X-100. The ever popular Dynamic Gold S300 is the equivalent of about 5.75 in Rifles flex rating. The 6.0 is stiffer and the 6.5 is wayyyy stiffer. Looking for a lower ballflight the Rifles would not be the best choice anyway, they hit the ball fairly high at a given flex. The Dynamic Gold S300 would be about right in this case, the S400 isn't really much different. They're slightly heavier than the S300, but the frequency is about the same. They're also harder to find at a decent price. The TTL is a VERY tippy shaft, it plays soft and hits high. The simple switch to Dynamic Gold S300 should solve both the flex and the trajectory problems.
 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
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s300's should cycle out more than 257.5 cpm. and there is a great difference between s3's and s4's. I know you build clubs (as do I), but going by only swing speed is a waste of time for both of us! we don't know lie, length or swing characteristics. That's why I included 6.5's. definitely a possibility. my firm belief is that you should use the stiffest shaft you can control. that's also the direction most clubmakers have taken. i am not a fan of rifle's at all, but i know players who love them. (for reference purposes, right now i am a +2.3 player, and have spent time working on two different vans on tour)
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
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Originally posted by: diamondgoat53
s300's should cycle out more than 257.5 cpm. and there is a great difference between s3's and s4's. I know you build clubs (as do I), but going by only swing speed is a waste of time for both of us! we don't know lie, length or swing characteristics. That's why I included 6.5's. definitely a possibility. my firm belief is that you should use the stiffest shaft you can control. that's also the direction most clubmakers have taken. i am not a fan of rifle's at all, but i know players who love them. (for reference purposes, right now i am a +2.3 player, and have spent time working on two different vans on tour)

The STIFFEST shaft you can control? Are you on drugs? A player should use the softest shaft they can control. Once you find a control point added stiffness only takes away distance.

Riprorin, carry distance is an overrated value as there is no industry standard loft. One companies 5 iron loft is anothers 6 iron and anothers 4 iron. Lofts have gotten stronger over the years to cater to egos. A player will buy the clubs he hits longest, so companies deloft their clubs to make it appear the player is hitting farther. I've got a 10 year old set of Wilson Staffs with a 50* pitching wedge. On many modern sets pitching wedge is 44 or 45 degree.

85mph swing speed with a 5 sounds a little high given your carry distance. Unless it's a very weakly lofted 5 iron it sounds more like 82MPH or so. Either way, you do not want to go to a shaft stronger than Dynamic Gold S300 or Rifle 5.5 Anything more would be too stiff.

 

diamondgoat53

Senior member
Sep 23, 2001
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Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Originally posted by: diamondgoat53
s300's should cycle out more than 257.5 cpm. and there is a great difference between s3's and s4's. I know you build clubs (as do I), but going by only swing speed is a waste of time for both of us! we don't know lie, length or swing characteristics. That's why I included 6.5's. definitely a possibility. my firm belief is that you should use the stiffest shaft you can control. that's also the direction most clubmakers have taken. i am not a fan of rifle's at all, but i know players who love them. (for reference purposes, right now i am a +2.3 player, and have spent time working on two different vans on tour)

The STIFFEST shaft you can control? Are you on drugs? A player should use the softest shaft they can control. Once you find a control point added stiffness only takes away distance.

Riprorin, carry distance is an overrated value as there is no industry standard loft. One companies 5 iron loft is anothers 6 iron and anothers 4 iron. Lofts have gotten stronger over the years to cater to egos. A player will buy the clubs he hits longest, so companies deloft their clubs to make it appear the player is hitting farther. I've got a 10 year old set of Wilson Staffs with a 50* pitching wedge. On many modern sets pitching wedge is 44 or 45 degree.


85mph swing speed with a 5 sounds a little high given your carry distance. Unless it's a very weakly lofted 5 iron it sounds more like 82MPH or so. Either way, you do not want to go to a shaft stronger than Dynamic Gold S300 or Rifle 5.5 Anything more would be too stiff.

nope, not on drugs. The thinking has changed. go to stiffer, not softer. what you lose in distance you gain in accuracy. with all the screwed up lofts now, who needs more distance? who lays back under pressure? no one. that's why nearly everyone is going with stiffer (especially in the irons.) I'll go ahead and take the advice of Stites, Cleveland, Mendralla and Thomas on this and ignore you.

and saying it sounds like 82 and not 85? are you kidding? at 37.5 inches, the difference between 85 and 82 at optimal launch and RPM is less than 2 yards. there is no way you can tell by the yds. without seeing the swing, the path, the load, the ball-flight, and knowing what ball is being used.


 

Riprorin

Banned
Apr 25, 2000
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Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Originally posted by: diamondgoat53
s300's should cycle out more than 257.5 cpm. and there is a great difference between s3's and s4's. I know you build clubs (as do I), but going by only swing speed is a waste of time for both of us! we don't know lie, length or swing characteristics. That's why I included 6.5's. definitely a possibility. my firm belief is that you should use the stiffest shaft you can control. that's also the direction most clubmakers have taken. i am not a fan of rifle's at all, but i know players who love them. (for reference purposes, right now i am a +2.3 player, and have spent time working on two different vans on tour)

The STIFFEST shaft you can control? Are you on drugs? A player should use the softest shaft they can control. Once you find a control point added stiffness only takes away distance.

Riprorin, carry distance is an overrated value as there is no industry standard loft. One companies 5 iron loft is anothers 6 iron and anothers 4 iron. Lofts have gotten stronger over the years to cater to egos. A player will buy the clubs he hits longest, so companies deloft their clubs to make it appear the player is hitting farther. I've got a 10 year old set of Wilson Staffs with a 50* pitching wedge. On many modern sets pitching wedge is 44 or 45 degree.

85mph swing speed with a 5 sounds a little high given your carry distance. Unless it's a very weakly lofted 5 iron it sounds more like 82MPH or so. Either way, you do not want to go to a shaft stronger than Dynamic Gold S300 or Rifle 5.5 Anything more would be too stiff.

175 is an approximation, plus with my current clubs I hit the ball quite high so I'm probably losing distance. I know that I hit my 8 iron 150 yrds.

With my driver, my swing speed is about 102.

I only play about 1/week and I'm about a 12 handicap, if that helps.
 

przero

Platinum Member
Dec 30, 2000
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My guess is with a 12 and your 8 iron carry distance S300's are fine. Check the loft on your clubs maybe, but that shaft should work for you. I like a little softer shaft in my irons. I fell like I can work the ball (with the new generation balls that is almost a misnomer) a little better. Try a few different shafts on Demo clubs from Edwin Watts or GolfSmith and see what you think. I promise that S300's and an hour a week of short game practice will lower your handicap! Play well!
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,998
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Originally posted by: diamondgoat53


nope, not on drugs. The thinking has changed. go to stiffer, not softer. what you lose in distance you gain in accuracy. with all the screwed up lofts now, who needs more distance? who lays back under pressure? no one. that's why nearly everyone is going with stiffer (especially in the irons.) I'll go ahead and take the advice of Stites, Cleveland, Mendralla and Thomas on this and ignore you.


ROFLMAO!! Caught uttering complete BS and drop a few names in a baldfaced attempt to lie your way out of it? Okay Skippy, put up or shut up. Show me a single article written by any of the clubmakers/fitters you mentioned that suggest playing anything other than the softest shaft you can control. C'mon, just ONE SINGLE VERIFIED ARTICLE that recommends playing a stiffer shaft than is needed. Just one. You're an idiot.
 

Riprorin

Banned
Apr 25, 2000
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Thanks for the advice, fellas. I'll give the S-300s a try.

I have some Snake Eyes FC-01's that I got recently with Stiff TTL shafts. I cancelled the order, but Golfsmith sent them anyway. They were $130 shipped for 3-PW, SW so I'll just keep them. I hit the 5 iron a few times and didn't care for them much but I really haven't given them a fair shake. Any idea how they would be expected to perform relative to my Ping-Zings?