In our forums, one user is wondering if they need to switch up their shafts despite having a repeatable and consistent driver swing.
@RXBoost wrote:
“I’m looking for some help getting additional ball speed.
“I play a 9 degree Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond driver with a HZRDUS Blue 60g x stiff shaft. I’ve got it set to N/S.
“Flightscope says my club speed hovers between 97-98 with a ball speed of about 145 – my smash is typically 1.48-1.50 with spin between 2400-2600.
“I hit the ball moderately high and straight. I obviously hit the center of the face pretty well, I just have low speed. I’m 41 and 5′-9” 170.
“Would a lesser flex shaft help my ball speed? Is there a shaft I should try?
“I know x stiff isn’t optimal for a club speed like mine, but I hit the ball straight and driving is the best part of my game.
“Every time I’ve gone to a fitter (3 times) they are surprised I game an x stiff but then watch me hit the ball and don’t want to change anything. I feel like I’m leaving speed on the table, but I don’t want to sacrifice accuracy for speed.
“Any suggestions?”
Users in the forum offered up their thoughts on if a less stiff shaft might help the original poster gain additional ball speed. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- @ShortGolfer: “I remember a fitter admitting that they didn’t really like this part of their job. Trying to help experienced golfers finding more ball speed. He’d rather work with beginners getting their first fitting as this was where he could really help someone.”
- @Yippy_Ki-Yay: “Do you gym at all? Could be that you benefit from getting stronger. We all could, especially as we age.If no, I would start with some simple bodyweight work. Air squats, push-ups and sit-ups. Work your way into deadlifting and squatting. Doesn’t need to be too heavy. Can work your way into goblet squats and Romanian deadlifts with a dumbbell or kettlebell. Eventually get on a barbell. I would focus on volume over raw weight to start. Don’t forget core work. Tons of exercises available but side taps and Russian twists are some good ones to throw in with crunches, v-ups or whatever variation you want to work in. For upper body, you can just work pushups/bench press. Dumbbells are a good variation that require a bit more stabilization. Throw in some pull-ups or lat pull downs.Don’t forget your fast twitch or explosive muscles. Can superset some of the weightlifting or do it on the side. Box jumps or broad jumps. Sprints to remind our bodies to move fast. Some medicine ball work can be used specifically for golf related movements.Finally, and maybe most important is to remember to stretch a lot. Use both deep static work and dynamic movements. Keep the posterior chain healthy. A few go-to movements for me are pigeon stretch, cat-cows and the worlds greatest stretch(Basically a deep lunge and side twist that’s great for thoracic mobility).”
- @Ty_Guy: “You are dialed in with your current setup. I wouldn’t pursue a different profile–this one works for you.If you do want to make try an equipment change in the sake of speed, try and lighter and heavier shaft. For obvious reasons, many players swing a lighter shaft faster. Try a 40x or 50s range (softer flexes too if your are a heavy lag/late releaser ala long drive). Also surprisingly, heavier shafts can make some golfers react to the weight in a way that their response is swinging the club through with added force greater than just the weight increase. 70g range is good for this test.1.49 smash is a very good spot to be. I don’t expect any shaft weight changes to keep that efficiency, but if a couple more MPH can offset dropping to a 1.45 smash, you may be able to net a ten more yards. It all depends on how your swing reacts to the weight change.You can also mess with a longer club, but I’ve very seldom seen playing an inch longer in driver make for a better club. Our swing efficiency seems to max out at that 45″ area. Going up to 46″ tends to just make things unwieldy, no longer seeing a steady 3mph increase per inch of club length.Another less costly option is trying different grip sizes. Some players see a speed boost with larger grips. Jumbomax has a lot of options that will match your current grip weight at a much larger diameter. Release will feel different. Will it be for the better? Who knows. But it is a fun test to try some Dechambeau-esque swings.”
- @BrokenSVT: “It’s been spelled out well already, especially by Stuart_G, but I’ll throw in my two cents. As they stated, the numbers tell a story but they won’t predict the best fit for you.Coming back to playing regularly this year, the swappable shafts through adapters was new to me. But it allowed me to try a number of shafts and see what worked for me. My biggest concern was shaft weight, and I found that ~60g was the best fit. From there, I tried Blue, White, Orange profiles from Mitsubishi and the Blue felt best…I like the firmer handle feel. Starting with S flex, things were good until I got comfortable and occasionally on a hard swing would send one more left than I wanted.Eventually, that took me to where I am now. I discovered that I don’t do well with heavily counter balanced shafts, and that a shorter length gets me to the middle of the club face consistently. I probably would never have tried TX previously, but it helps me delete the left side of the course completely while giving me the confidence to swing hard whenever I feel up to it. I’ve hit some of the longest drives of my life because of center face contact and just plain hitting it harder, mixed with some work toward hitting up on the ball.Like Stuart said, your numbers look great. If you feel the need to chase a certain ball flight or something, tinker away.”
Entire thread: “I don’t know if I’m gaming the correct shaft for my swing”
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