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Now I know there are general guidelines for the proper flex based upon swing speed. However, swing speed isn't the only factor. I have a swing speed of 98 and therefore use a stiff shaft, because I'm a MAN lol... But I have a very smooth transition that doesn't produce much flex. In fact, it feels like I'm swinging a steel rod. Does switching back to regular flex, a real blow to the ego, lead to a higher swing speed due to the head whipping through the impact zone?

It would be a good idea to try. However, comparing stiff graphite shafts is like comparing apples and oranges among different manufacturers. It is quite possible that a tip with more torque in it would help you too. If the club feels like a piece of rebar it is either too stiff overall or at the tip or you are not loading the shaft up on your back swing and transition. A good golf instructor would be able to advise you either way.

Maybe a little but more importantly I'd bet that it leads to better tempo and timing which in turn will improve your contact...hard to "feel" a too stiff shaft...

You state that you are NOT flexing the shaft during your swing. That would suggest going to a softer shaft so you can LOAD it better and hopefully have it KICK back into the ball at impact. That's the GOAL with any club, to have the shaft kick at the proper time to help you hit the ball better. If the shaft kicks at the correct time in your swing, you gain distance and control, If not, you lose both.

Lighter shafts will load more and "spring" into the ball, producing slightly longer distances. This is difficult to repeat consistently, and leads to accuracy problems. Stiffer shafts spring less, but allow for more repeatable results. They are generally more accurate. Some say to swing the lightest shaft you can control. I'm in the opposite boat (for irons at least) because I believe the accuracy is more important than the distance.

In order to trust the clubface, you must be able to feel it. As odd as that may sound it's just a fact of our tactile senses. If it is not reacting to you, you do not know what it is doing.

A stiff shaft that doesn't respond makes you SENSELESS about the clubface. It's not even about kick or torque. It's about whether or not you know what's happening.

Let me tell you something I have flushed tons of money on Clubs because their is no consistancy in shaft flex requirements and the salesman making $8 bucks could care less or don't have the knowledge to advise people when they buy clubs off the racks at the big box Golf stores. I swing my Driver 86-93Mph and need a true regular one rated at 80-90 so I can get some distance and not have the shaft hit me back For me a stiffer shaft has me hit weak shots off to the right or stright ones with no distance. It took me too long to learn to keep with shaft manufacturer now before I buy way too long but it has caused me to really study equiptment. Before then I went thru a set of Irons, 2 drivers, 6 fairway Woods and 2 Hybridsbecause the Big name brand put shafts in their off the rack Clubs that were marked regular but were actually Mid Firms or Stiffs. I am embrassed that it took me so lonfg to figure it out. As far as I am concerned Golfsmith owes me about $2000 or more because they won't even talk to you when you back after some time struggling with clubs that are too stiff. I had $600 dollars worth of Fairway Woods that brought back after strugging with them for a few months. They offered me 90 dollars in trade. I was so upset that I didn't realize that I could have had them reshafted for less then new clubs bit of course like an Idiot I spent $600 dollars more that day for 3 clubs after taking the $90 dollars in trade. Like Phil Michaelson said "I am such an idiot " lol......
Manufacter's need to put the speed rating on shafts and not a randon A,R,Stiff and XStiff so the comsumer will not fall victim to this scam maybe that how they make resells.
I will never buy even a tee from Golfsmith again because they don't care whikle I am the one without my hard earned money.
I f I sound like I am miffed well I am.

BoB; while I truely understand your anger. you should be aware that swing speed is really useless for determining what flex shaft a golfer needs. LOAD is what really counts. How you load the shaft and when you load it is what matters, not swing speed. So your idea of putting a recommended swing speed on the shaft would be useless. Sorry, but that's the way it is with golf clubs ans swings.

What's the best way to tell how/when I load the shaft? What should I be looking for when I watch myself swing on video?

Mahalo nui!

Humm I think I understand. But I must load it ok because I do hit my Driver farther than what the standard distance chart would indicate. It says that you need an 80 mph swing speed to hit a ball 200 yards. With my modrate swing swing of 86-94 with no wind in my face I can hit it as long as 260. Into the wind 220-235. And I know I was ranting above I will try to control myself. Yesterday was my day to take steriods and it makes me yak like crazy.

It's much more difficult to tell yourself than it is for an experienced professional. However in general you will find that people load the shaft during transition. Then based on the acceleration (NOT SPEED... I SAID ACCELERATION) you keep the shaft loaded up to the release. Whippier shafts work for gradual acceleration and slower tempos. Stiffer shafts work with quick transition and faster tempos.

It could also be said "hitters" prefer stiffer... "Swingers" prefer flex.

This is of course a generalization and not applicable to all. But it is a good rule of thumb.

Best way I know of the see how you LOAD the shaft is to get testing on a ShaftLab system. It will measure exactly how you load the shaft, during the entire swing.

Bob. YOu say you are hitting the ball up to 260 yards with your 86to 94 MPH swing? Is that 260 CARRY yardage or TOTAL yardage? There can be a big difference depending on the course one plays. If you're getting 260 carry, then either your swing speed is not in that range, or the way you are measuring the distance needs some work.

RINGER: It's much more difficult to tell yourself than it is for an experienced professional. However in general you will find that people load the shaft during transition. Then based on the acceleration (NOT SPEED... I SAID ACCELERATION) you keep the shaft loaded up to the release. Whippier shafts work for gradual acceleration and slower tempos. Stiffer shafts work with quick transition and faster tempos.

It could also be said "hitters" prefer stiffer... "Swingers" prefer flex.

This is of course a generalization and not applicable to all. But it is a good rule of thumb.

Thanks nui, Ringer!

If you're getting 260 in either total or carry yardage, please let me know what shaft you're using. I'm not trying to get more distance, at my age it's hanging on to what I have.

Yes. And Ringer, too. I remember a post where you explain that your swing type (although fast) is one that has you using a reg-stiff shaft (or something like that). If possible, I'd like to know what kind of shaft you use.....

Mahalo