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As I understand comments on this website, re the flex situation, a stiffer shaft will probably give less distance but more control than say a regular or senior flex shaft, everything else being equal. The latter 2 flexes therefore might be expected to give more distance but less control.

So my question is when it comes to Long Distance contests do the contestants choose stiff or "soft" shafts. If the logic above is true then wouldnt they all go with the shafts that give more distance even if control was a problem? Just curious.

Thanks for any comments.

i may be able to shed some light here. the long distance competitors basically have the find the shaft that works best for them just as we do, but instead of stiff, regular, senior, etc. they are using shafts that are xx,xxx, xxxx due to their swing speeds which are very high and also the shafts need to be steathier since most of them are extra long, so they don't shatter. hope this helps.

also to add that your first paragraph has been presented to you wrong....

A shaft that fits your swing can produce the best #'s wether this is R-Flex or X-Flex but if you go stiffer then the "shaft that fits your swing" you will gain more control with possible loss of distance and if you go softer you will lose control.

If you are going to transfer energy from your swing into the shaft and your tempo is .9 with a SS of 115 then the R-Flex is going to play like an L-Flex in your hands. You would need a shaft that offers a stiffer profile to handle the aggressive swing.

Hope this helps.

well Christian, i'm not quite sure what you mean on your first paragragh, but on the second paragragh, i can't aree with you on that, if the shaft is too stiff for your swing, you have no control and you'll have loss of distance, now your forcing the shaft to work for you. a shaft thats too soft, with a normal swing , may have loss of contol, but you can to adjust your swing to the shaft, that's definitely not preferable, but can be done fairly easily.
you are absolutely right on your third paragragh.

i don't think he quite understands that the LDC is a whole different ball game (like the MBL to high school baseball) even though the same principles apply.

1)I'm speaking on the lines of point and shoot when explaining.... The stiffer the shaft the more the ball will go exactly where its aimed because is doesn't flex hardly any at all (thus the lack of kick/speed thru impact)... So as to where the golfer gains more control or not will be determined on how well his mechanics are. But in most cases if you lower the torque and stiffen the tip you will see less generated side spin by the shaft and thus more control over all "unless the golfer has adapted to a softer flex".

2)This can infact be done and help generate distance (with the possible loss of control) but if you have a shaft that fits your swing perfect and performs perfect #'s on the Launch Monitor then going to a softer shaft may increase LA and spin and thus causing balooning.

i see where you're driving at and i have no argument against what you're saying. just keeping you on your toes.

Exactly!

I work with a LDC type that finally admitted I gave him a club that is TOO stiff'...LOL ...I just gave him a COMP X Aldila more like a standard design.
After he complains about accuracy, I will play the in-between spaces that all shafts provide. and also change his stance and Launch angle which costs more distance than most golfers realize.

It remains a very athletic game, regardless of what anyone says to the contrary.

JMO!

Old Spoon....'Georgia on my mind!'

I have been trying different flex shafts the last couple of months. I have a bad shoulder, and a stiff back. I started with a steel shaft in my rac os irons. I bought a demo graphite regular shaft, and later bought a senior flex demo. "both rac os" I took 10 white balls, 10 yellow balls, and 10 pink balls,"wife's", & hit them into my pasture several different times.
I used one club for one color of ball "example, just hit white balls with my steel 6 iron"
I noticed about a 3-5 yard difference in yardage with the steel shaft being longest, but I was alot more accurate with the senior shaft.... From what I gather in what I have been reading is that I am not supposed to be more accurate with a more flexable shaft ??? I have a real slow swing speed "76 mph" Why do you think this is ???? and should I buy a regular flex set of clubs, or go for the seniors ???? "I am just 33 years old"

Since my heart transplant six years ago, I have been playing A flex, in both steel and graphite, and I have absolutely NO regrets.

Think about it this way. Most courses have a max of what? 500 feet? And those are normally curved. I don't see a need to drive 700 feet when that is more than you need. I would go for control, to put the ball exactly where you want it.

Paper Cut; what kind of golf coursed do you play? Where the max is 500 feet? Last I checked, 500 feet is an average par 3. 700 feet is only 233 yards, less than my average tee shot with my 7 wood.

I've been thinking about cutting down my driver. I went online and found a site--Pinemeadow Golf--that says it can give you the general advice for a club length and shaft as long as you punch in gender, height, wrist to floor, approximate swing speed, and the club you use to get to 150. I took the "test" and found out, according to them, I need a "Minus 1, Regular Shaft."

What's "Minus 1"?

And can a test like that really help?

Right now I play a 9.0 S-shaft TM 460 Draw off the tee an average of 200 carry + 25 roll, so I play some par 4s that require I a hit 3wood, second shot. I want to get down to irons for these situations since, for me, they're plenty more accurate. If I'm comfortable with driving accuracy, should I try a R Flex? Will it make all that much of a difference?

I've hit drives (on rare occasion) up to 280 total, so a part of me thinks it's just that I need to hone the swing, figure out how I got 280 and try to consistently repeat it...

Hawaii;
You might want to try an R flex shaft and a driver with at least 10.5* of loft. Your S flex 9.0 driver is not going to work for anyone with a carry distance of 200 yards with a driver.

And Minus 1" means you need all your clubs cut down one inch shorter than standard.
I hope this helps a bit, if not let me know.

Thanks, OnePutt. Tried a driver today with a Pershing 65R and a dramatically higher loft (a Burner HT), just to feel the difference. I'm looking forward to hitting a 10.5.

With regard to the Minus 1, what the difference between cutting one inch and choking up?

The main difference in choking up would be the consistancey of choking up the same amount each time, compared to cutting the shafts down an inch. IF, you can choke down the same inch every time, than go for it. If not, think of cutting the shafts down an inch and be done with it.