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I know that frequency matching is used to determine the real flex of the shaft. It's measure in CPM using a Frequency analyzer. Correct me if I'm wrong....

So my question is based on Frequency analyzer numbers, is there a standard number for a regular flex, Stiff flex and X-Stiff flex ? EG: when you frequency matching a stiff flex shaft, the standard says it's only a regular flex. So no matter the shaft brand, you can find out the real flex.

Depends entirely on what kind of shaft (driver, iron, graphite, steel etc)...the thing is all shafts aren't created equal and one company's 271cpm feel and play stiffer than another's 272cpm due to differences in design, shaft weight, kickpoints, torque, swingweighting when the club head is hotmelted or otherwise made heavier...there is even a discussion on the validity and actual usefulness of cpm numbers as most clubmakers apparently don't share a standard in terms of testing procedure and shaft clamping, and the section of the club tested could react quite differently from manufacturer to manufacturer...


As far as a simple answer...yes and no...different shafts of the same label MIGHT show consistent cpm progressions from flex to flex, but even Matrix features different cpm stiffnesses for different shafts and weights with the tp 7 running stiffer than a comparitive xcon 6 if both were marked as stiff...matrix lists the cpm's on their shafts and that can be used as a measure IF you have experience with that company...company to company, nah...while you could say a driver "stiff" ballpark could be in the 255 to 262 range, there are exceptions to the rule and that really makes the "rule" worthless...


Clubfitting is a profession and, done well, an art...hobby tinkering is kool and the gang, but if you want to really be properly fitted, make an appointment with a clubmaker and let the professionals handle it...

I know that frequency matching is used to determine the real flex of the shaft. It's measure in CPM using a Frequency analyzer. Correct me if I'm wrong....

I"m afraid that this is totally "Wrong". Fact is a Freguency meter ONLY measures the stiffness of that part of the shaft "Inside the clamp". It does NOT measure the stiffness of the entire shaft. So if you have two S flex shafts, and one has a "stiffer butt section" it will give a higher CPM number, even when the flex of the "entire" shaft is the same as the other one. Measureing just the butt section of a shaft doesn't really tell you much other than the flex of the butt end of the shafts. IF you want to measure the stiffness of the "entire shaft" you have to do the frequency meter test on the "entire shaft" "section by section" This is what a "Shaft Profilor is used for.

Here's an example that should help everyone understand how a Freq meter test can be pretty useless. Say you have an L flex driver shaft. You clamp the butt end in a clamp and take a readding.. Now let's slide a solid piece of steel inside the butt end of the shaft that is inside the clamp. If you do the test again, you will get a reading that is "much" higher or stiffer , most likely an XXX Stiff reading. But the fact remains that the flex of the "entire shaft" hasn't really changed. only the butt has. In play, it will sttll be an L flex shaft, only with an extremly stiff butt section.

Hmm... still don't get the point from the above answers.

BTW, the reason I asked this... recently I just got club fitted for my driver.
And the fitter said that my shaft frequency is 256. He used a frequency analyzer to get the number.

According to this reading, frequency measurement device can determine the stiffness of the shaft:
Frequency Matching - Golf Shafts FAQ - What Is Frequency Matching?

So what does the number mean? What is the true flex of my shaft ?

Point is Ron that the frequency of the shaft doesn't mean that much and isn't a guaranteed measure of the stiffness of the shaft...256 would generally refer to shafts that are labeled stiff, but there are labeled x-flex shafts that cpm lower and labeled regular shafts that cpm higher...


Here's more detailed information on the subject from a leader in the business...

Hireko Golf 2009 Shaft Fitting Addendum
The 2009 version of the annual Hireko trademarked shaft testing project provides up-to-date measurements of thousands of shafts. Included are technical measurements of raw and cut weights, frequencies, torques, balance points and recommended swing speed ranges for each shaft. Included is an explanation of how to use the Dynamic Shaft Fitting Index (DSFI) in total club fitting applications. Written by Jeff Summitt.


* Chapter 1 Introduction and Cut Shaft Specifications (file size 130 kb)
* Chapter 2 Current Shaft Data (file size 191 kb)
* Chapter 3 Archived Shaft Data A - O (file size 348 kb)
* Chapter 4 Archived Shaft Data P - Z (file size 316 kb)
* Chapter 5 DSFI Listings (file size 225 kb)

Hireko Golf - The Modern Guide to Shaft Fitting

This is taken from the red highlighted link...according to the playability formula used, the weaker shafts are listed first, getting progressively stronger as you move down the list...the last value is the cpm value, which, as you can see, relates little to what results as the "true" stiffness of the shaft all told...the "R,S,X" values listed as the labeled flex first, then the actual shaft weight, then the cpm #...


DRIVER SHAFTS LISTED BY DSFI RATING
Aldila Gamer Fairway R 75.4 257
-
Aldila NV 75 R 75.6 241
Aldila NVS 65 S 64.5 251
Aldila VS Proto by You 70 R 63.7 246
Grafalloy ProCustom S 66.4 260
Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 65 R 61.6 248
Grafalloy ProLaunch Red R 61.1 249
Graphite Design Aura Gold X 65.9 263
Harrison Striper J R/F R 61.9 254
New Image Red Image Graphite S 60.9 255
Rapport SL Ultralite S 64.4 252
Accra Axiv XT60 M4 65.6 258
Aldila MOI Proto 65 S 61.5 258
Aldila Voodoo 65 S 62.3 258
Grafalloy ProLaunch Platinum S 61.5 262
Apollo Standard Stepped Steel S 120.2 259
Aldila DVS 70 S 66.9 263
Aldila NVS 75 S 73.5 250
Aldila VS Proto by You 80 R 77.7 247

In short...there's no easy answer and you were right to put it in the hands of a professional (your fitter)....

Hi Bump... (whats your real name?)

I just realized you are from Indonesia.... a long way from the states.... and you are the most active responder to my post.....

Are you a Club fitter in Indonesia? Seems you know much about club fitting....

Nothing is far on the 'net...

Not talkin about the net.... talking about Indonesia is far from the USA....

So are you a club fitter? or you just know much about Golf Club Fitting......

Ron; As has been mentioned. Freq meters only measure the stiffness of the butt end of the shaft when the shaft is clamped in the device at the butt. They tell you nothing about the flex of the entire shaft. If you want to know the flex of the shaft, you need to use a device that will measure how much the entire shaft will FLEX under load. One way to do this would be to clamp the butt end of the shaft in a clamp. and then hang a weight on the tip end, and measure how much the shaft bends, from butt end to tip. A second option would be to support the shaft at both ends and then hang a weight in the center of the shaft and measure how much it bends.
I believe the main reason most club fitters use a frequency meter to measure your clubs is that it's EASY to use and the meter doesn't cost that much to buy. And it sure LOOKS impressive to the customer. For what it's worth to you, I've have a set of clubs tested on a freq meter 3 times and all three times the nubmers reported to be were different, and each time they told me ALL my clubs had the wrong shaft in them. They told me my irons shafts varied from 4.0 to 7.9. One thing I found interesting at the time was that those irons were working just fine for me on the course and the driving range. And the shafts in my irons were top of the line True Temper Tri-Gold shafts. To this day, the old Tri-Gold shafts are one of my favorite shafts for a set of irons.

Ron,
Flex on a frequency machine is a comparison of the length of the club versus the CPMs of the at that length.

Each frequency machine maker has there own idea of what a Regular flex or stiff flex might be. To further cloud the sugject, each shaft maker has their own idea of what their regular flex might be and certainly are not the same.

a while back the PCS made the equalizer. Basically a chart that, for all intensive purposes, is calibrated to each freq machine using a cal club. That way when I build a club to a regular flex or 4.0 lets say and the club goes to Florida. In Florida the club breaks and you can take it to another clubmaker using equalizer where he can build you the same club reguardless of the numbers.

All that said, what has been posted is correct, one must know the shaft profile AND the freq to make sure the right shaft is placed in the club for the best performance possible.

The answer is NO

Your regular flex number and my regular flex number is going to be different for a variety of reasons.
different machines used
different method of mounting the machine
different clamp pressures used
different chart used

The only thing that made the shaft flex process remotely similar was the PCS chart which uses the rifle concept of 4.0, 5.0 6.0 flex labels, The chart allows the same flex to be built regardless of the machine used.

My problem with using a frequency meter to measure shaft stiffness, is that they only measure the stiffness of that part of the shaft inside the clamp. NOT the entire shaft. They work very well for building a set of matching irons. where all the shafts are the same make and model. but they don't really measure shaft stiffness at all. only butt stiffness.

Well thanks for your answers. They are really helpful. So this what I'm getting so far...

I thought because Regular flex is different from one shaft from the others, The industry invented the Frequency Meter to find the real flex of a shaft. But.... Frequency meter does not measure the stiffness of a shaft. Thus it does not tell what the real flex of the shaft.

So I'm thinking my Club Fitter used the Frequency meter to show me nothing. He said my shaft frequency is blablabla during the fitting session. It does not help at all knowing the frequency of the shaft. Is it regular flex? Is it stiff flex? it's just a number....