‘Shaft Flex’ Articles at Golf Product Review by Experienced Golf Balls

Some Points You should Consider before Buying Golf Clubs

Some Points You should Consider before Buying Golf Clubs

A common myth is that the higher the price of a club, the better your game will be: “This club cost me 9.00, I must be playing great now!”. Just think about it, are drivers really worth 0 to 00 and iron sets 00 to ,000? The big manufacturers spend millions of $ $ to promote their stuff and still make huge profits. Who you think pays for that? Paying high prices does not lower ones handicap, but a properly chosen club will, even a cheap one.

1. The shaft is the axle of the club, the better the shaft, the better the club.

2. Shaft flex has a major effect on the feel of a golf club and a medium effect on distance, thus an important determination in choosing clubs. If you do not know your speed swing (mph or km/h), some local golf shops can measure it for you. Otherwise the following chart may be helpful.

SWING SPEED CONVERSION CHAR

LADIES FLEX

Driver speed swing less than 60 mph (100 km/h). Driver carry distance less than 180 yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 3 iron or wood.

SENIOR or A FLEX

Driver speed swing 60-75 mph (100-120 km/h). Driver carry distance 180-210 yds. Club used from 150yds. a 4 iron.

REGULAR FLEX

Driver speed swing 75-84 mph (120-135 km/h). Driver carry distance 210-240 yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 5 or 6 iron.

STIFF FLEX

Driver speed swing 84-93 mph (130-150 km/h). Driver carry distance 240-260 yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 6 or 7 iron.

X-STIFF FLEX

Driver speed swing over 93 mph (150 km/h). Driver carry distance 260+ yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 8 or 9 iron.

3. Shallow face metalwoods are well established game improvement clubs on the market. Generally, shallow face metalwoods are easy to hit and extremely accurate due to their low center of gravity – something every golfer will appreciate.

4. Beginners and novice players choosing a set make-up, should consider eliminating the 2, 3 and 4 irons from their set, replacing those hard to hit irons with #3 and #5 hybrid clubs.

5. All golfers should use standard length clubs unless he or she is short or tall. Standard length clubs allow players to hit the ball on center a higher percentage of the time, thus increasing distance and accuracy. In recent years, light weight Titanium driver heads and Ultralight graphite shafts have extended driver playing lengths from a standard 43-431/2″ to 44-46″. This is good news and bad news. The good news is, when you increase length, you will increase distance. The longer the club, the more club head speed generated , thus more distance. The bad news is, the longer the club the more difficult it is to control, thus less accuracy. To put this into perspective, the following information will be helpful. A driver hit on center at 43″ = 250 yds. 43 1/2″= 262 yds. 44″ = 270 yds. 44 1/2″ = 275 yds. 45″ = 275-280 yds. As you can see a significant increase in distance is achieved up to 44″. After 44″, distance increases only a minimal amount . CONCLUSION – It is not worth sacrificing accuracy for the minimal amount of distance gained past 44″. Keep driver playing lengths to 44″ or less.

Men’s Standard Shaft Lengths (deduct 1″ for Women’s Standard Shaft Length)

Club

Length with Steel Shafts

Length with Graphite Shafts

Driver

43.5″

44″

3 wood

42.5″

43″

5 wood

41.5″

42″

7 wood

40.5″

41″

9 wood

40.5″

41″

1 iron

39.5″

40″

2 iron

39″

39.5″

3 iron

38.5″

39″

4 iron

38″

38.5″

5 iron

37.5″

38″

6 iron

37″

37.5″

7 iron

36.5″

37″

8 iron

36″

36.5″

9 iron

35.5″

36″

35.5″

36″

35.25″

35.75″

35.25″

35.75″

35.25″

35.75″

6. In case you are not ‘standard’, determining the proper length for your clubs is very easy and free of guess-work by taking a wrist to floor measurement. You need a helper. In street shoes, stand at ‘attention’ with your feet about a foot apart. Stand straight, shoulders up, but your arms relaxed by your side. Have your helper measure (RH players) from your left wrist at the crease where it meets your hand, to the floor. LH players measure from right wrist. Shorter players will measure in the low 30″s, the average height players in the mid 30″s, and tall players 35″ & up.

The values in the table then show you (in inches) how much longer or shorter than the standard length your clubs should be. For a more accurate set of measurements you can visit http://www.golfshoppingshop.com

Your Height

4′ 10″ – 5′ 0″

5′ 0″ – 5′ 2″

5′ 2″ – 5′ 4″

5′ 4″ – 5′ 7″

5′ 7″ – 6′ 0″

6′ 0″ – 6′ 2″

6′ 2″ – 6′ 4″

6′ 4″ – 6′ 7″

6′ 7″ – 6′ 9″

W
R
I
S
T

T
O

F
L
O
O
R

M
E
A
S
U
R
E
M
E
N
T

40″

+2.25″

+2″

+1.75″

+1.5″

39.5″

+2″

+1.75″

+1.5″

39″

+2″

+1.75″

+1.5″

38.5″

+1.5″

+1″

38″

+1.5″

+1″

37.5″

+1″

+0.5″

37″

+1″

+0.5″

36.5″

+0.5″

+0.25″

36″

+0.5″

+0.25″

35.5″

+0.25″

35″

+0.25″

34.5″

-0.25″

34″

-0.25″

33.5″

-0.25″

-0.5″

33″

-0.25″

-0.5″

32.5″

-0.5″

-0.75″

32″

-0.5″

-0.75″

31.5″

-0.75″

-1″

31″

-0.75″

-1″

30.5″

-1″

-1.25″

30″

-1″

-1.25″

29.5″

-1.25″

-1.5″

29″

-1.25″

-1.5″

7. STEEL SHAFTS vs. GRAPHITE SHAFTS – These are general recommendations:

A. Men (Age 13-55)

Steel shafted irons, graphite shafted woods.

B. Men (Age 55+)

Graphite shafted irons and woods. Note the switch to graphite irons. As we get older the speed swing slows, lighter weight graphite shafts may recover some of the lost speed, thus regaining some lost distance. A switch to a softer flex shaft (senior, A-flex) is also recommended.

C. Ladies (All Ages)

Graphite shafted irons and woods. The lighter weight graphite shafts are much easier for ladies to swing than heavier steel shafts. A little more costly, worth the investment.

8. Loft angle has a major effect on distance off the tee, so its important to choose the correct loft for your driving club. The slower speed swingers (ladies, seniors and some regular flex players) need higher lofted driving clubs. Increased loft will allow a better launch angle, higher trajectory, greater carry, thus more distance! This may be a surprise to a lot of long time players who have always thought less loft, more distance. Case in point. Many regular and senior flex players have fallen prey to the ProLine model hype and purchased 0.00+ drivers at 10 or less degrees, only to find they were hard to get airborn and produced low line drives. Live and learn. Faster speed swingers do require less loft to obtain maximum distance. The following information should be helpful in choosing the correct loft for you driving club.

RECOMMENDED LOFTS FOR DRIVING CLUBS:

LADIES and SENIOR

shaft flex players with less than 60 mph (100 km/h) speed swing, 13-15 degrees.

SENIOR

shaft flex players with 60-75 mph (100-120 km/h) speed swing, 13 degrees.

REGULAR

shaft flex players with 75-84 mph (120-135 km/h) speed swing, 12 degrees.

STIFF

shaft flex players with 84-93 mph (130-150 km/h) speed swing, 10-11 degrees.

STIFF or X-STIFF

shaft players with more than 93 mph (150 km/h) speed swing, 10 or less degrees.NOTE: Because of certain swing movements high ball hitters may want to decrease 2 degrees from current driver loft.

9. Slicing the ball off the tee may be the single most problem confronting golfers. The face angle of the club has a major effect on accuracy off the tee. Face angles of drivers are open, square or closed. Closed face drivers come 1-6 degrees closed. Slicers need closed face drivers for correction。Expect a 5-7 yard correction in slice for every degree the face is closed if your current driver has a square face angle.

EXAMPLE: You aim for the middle of a 30 yard wide fairway using a square face driver, but your ball ends up 5 yards in the rough. Same shot, using a driver with a face angle 2 degrees closed, your slice would be corrected approximately 12 yards, which puts you 7 yards in the fairway!

10. DISTANCE – What makes a golf ball go far? There are 4 basic reasons to how far a player can hit a golf ball.
a. The composition of the golf ball. Some balls go farther than others. Any name brand 100 compression ball will go farther than a 70 compression driving range ball.
b. Loft of club. Less loft for faster speed swingers = more distance. More loft for slower speed swingers = more distance.
c. Length of club. The longer the club (up to a certain point, see above) the more distance.
d. Last and most important is swing speed. The more clubhead speed a golfer can generate at impact, the more distance. Why do you think Tiger Woods hits it as far as he does? He generates 200 km/h of clubhead speed with his driver. Most Pros are not close to that. Because #d has the biggest effect on distance, golfers should understand clubmakers and manufacturers are somewhat limited in trying to aid golfers to achieve more distance. We cannot change the physics of the game.

A final note on distance. Many players are led to believe metals (Titanium, Maraging Steel, Cyro Plasma, Cermet, etc.) have a major effect on distance. Once again, more hype. If metals have an effect on distance, its very minor at best.

Best Online Golf Shop — Discounted top brand golf driver, Golf Iron Sets. Online golf shop selling golf clubs. Brands include Callaway Iron set, Titleist Iron set, Cleveland and Mizuno Iron set etc.

Knowledge Expert Before Buying Golf Clubs

Knowledge Expert Before Buying Golf Clubs

Are you preparing to replace your old golf clubs with new ones? Here are a few things to keep in mind before you buy a new set of golf clubs.

Identify Your Needs
You’re about to spend hundreds – maybe thousands, depending on your bankroll and your level of commitment – of dollars. The most important thing when replacing an old set of golf clubs with a new set is to be honest about the state of your game, and your dedication to the game. How much money and what level of equipment do you feel is justified by your game and your dedication to it?

Consider Changes in Your Game
Ask yourself this question: Do I need a different type club because of changes in my game? For example, if your handicap index has shot up because you don’t play as frequently, you might want to replace those muscleback blades with cavitybacks. Conversely, if you’ve shown great improvement, perhaps you’re willing to consider moving up in class to clubs geared for better players. Realistically matching your level of expertise and dedication with the playability of new clubs can only help.

Should You Change Shafts?
The older we get, the more likely it is we need a softer flex on our golf shafts. Most teaching pros will tell you that most men are playing shafts too stiff for their games to begin with. Be honest about your swing. Should you be playing a softer flex? Likewise, players with slower or weaker swings generally benefit from graphite shafts. If you’re playing steel but your swing has slowed, give graphite some consideration. Choosing the Right Shaft Flex
How to Choose a New Shaft
How About a Clubfitting?
The safest way to answer the question about shafts is to get a clubfitting. A rudimentary clubfitting – taking a few measurements, answering a few questions about distances – can be done in any pro shop and even online. But an in-depth clubfitting lasting 30-45 minutes with a teaching pro or professional clubfitter is the best way to ensure that the equipment you’re about to purchase matches your swing and your body. Clubfitting Helps Your Clubs Help You
Before You Buy a Clubfitting
Set a Budget
Once you’ve identified the current state of your game and your future goals, it’s time to consider how much you’re willing to spend. Some golfers have unlimited budgets, and there’s nothing wrong with overspending if you’re in that category. But most golfers have at least some budget constraints. The good news is that the “value” or “budget” category of golf equipment continues to offer more and better choices every year. Decide how much you’re willing to spend, and stick to it. Research Prices in the Pro Shop
Read Golf Club Reviews
Reviews can sometimes be as confusing as they can be helpful, given that different “experts” sometimes offer different conclusions about the same product. But reading reviews can help you get a sense of what’s out there in your price range and what matches your game. Reviews might not provide you with the perfect answer, but they can help you narrow the field. Golf Equipment Reviews and News
Seek Out Opinions
Something else that can help narrow the field are the opinions of friends, of the local golf pro and even of salespeople in pro shops. If you’re shopping low-budget, in a department store for example, you likely won’t find much help from the store’s staff. But there are a couple pro shops in just about every town that have developed reputations for honesty and helpfulness. Find one of those and you might just find the best clubs for you. Seek Opinions in the Golf Forum
Shop Around
Of course, it all comes down to what you like, what you want and how much you can afford. In the end, the only person who needs to be pleased is you. Spend some time looking around and comparing prices. Inventory and prices can vary from store to store. Stick within your budget and find a set of clubs that you’re confident matches your abilities and goals.

golf clubs for sale

Picking the Right Golf Driver For You!

Picking the Right Golf Driver For You!

Article by Rick Hart

Are you getting the most out of your driver. I don’t mean just distance but a good balance of distance and accuracy. There are many factors that effect how well your driver performs for you. Lets take a look at those factors and how to get the best driver for your game.

Sure the new drivers have created a lot of excitement. Massive 460cc head sizes and new high tech shafts mean you can get more distance and accuracy than ever for your tee ball. But, unless you get the correct loft and shaft flex you may not be getting the most out of these new high-tech, high-priced wonders. To do that you need to know your clubhead swing speed. Why do you need to know your clubhead speed? Here’s the scoop.

First, something has changed in the game in the last 10 years. The development and wide acceptance of the new two-piece balls with their lower spin rates has meant that your driver loft may need to change. During the 80s and 90s people assumed that the lower the driver loft the farther the ball would go. It was not uncommon to see drivers for good amateur players in the 7-9 degree range.

What the golf scientists have found is that in order to maximize distance with the new low-spin balls, the clubhead needs to launch the ball at higher angles than in the past. This means that many of us are probably playing drivers with too little loft. Driver loft should match your swing speed. The slower your swing speed the more loft you should have. If your average swing speed is between 80 and 90 m.p.h. (the average for most male golfers) you should be using a driver with about 12 degrees of loft. Combined with the new balls this means your launch angle and spin rate will be optimized. So the good news is this means you have a real chance of adding some distance to your drives.

How much distance can you gain?Tom Wishon in his great book The Search for the Perfect Golf Club points out that…

For a 90 m.p.h. swing speed a driver with a 9 degree loft will launch the ball at a 10.5 degree launch angle and the ball will carry 206 yards.An 11 degree driver will launch the ball at 12.1 degree angle and the ball will carry 211 yards.A 13 degree driver will launch the ball at 13.7 degrees and the ball will carry 213 yards. The difference between 9 and 13 degrees is 7 yards.

For slower swing speeds, Wishon points out the added distance can be as much as 16 yards just by choosing the correct loft. At a typical woman’s swing speed of 60 m.p.h. the optimum driver loft would be 19 degrees and could mean a distance increase of 16 yards.

The correct shaft flex is just as important. A shaft that is too stiff for your swing speed will generally cause the ball to be low, short and to the right. Sound familiar. The fact is many of us play with shafts that are too stiff. If your swing speed is less than 100 m.p.h. and you are playing with a stiff shaft you’re probably losing distance and accuracy.

Another big factor is shaft length. Sure the longer the shaft the higher the clubhead speed. However there is a point of diminishing returns. If we can’t control the ball then we may find the extra yardage won’t help our games. Ten more yards into the woods is not the answer. There’s no worse feeling than not knowing where your drives are going.

As Frank Thomas, former technical guru for the USGA, points out, “…you can have more confidence in your swing by using a shorter shafted driver… you will swing better, have improved timing and gain all the distance you would achieve by using a longer shaft, which may not be so accurate.” What he’s saying is you’ll hit the ball with the sweet spot more often and that always means more distance and better accuracy than the alternative.

So don’t plunk down those big bucks on new driver until you know a little more about your game. With a little bit of swing analysis you’ll maximize your investment and maximize your drives too.

About the Author

Rick Hart is a long time golfer and owner of Golf Club Revue.com where he puts the spotlight on golf clubs.

http://www.golf-club-revue.com/golf-club-drivers.html

Why you should never buy used clubs

You’re ready for some new clubs but when you went to the store the prices blew you away. You didn’t realize they’d gotten so expensive. Your wife won’t let you spend the kids inheritance, so now what do you do?

Well your first thought might be to try and find some used clubs. After all how much could club designs have changed in a year of two. You can probably get used clubs for half the price. Why not?

Here’s why not.
The top 10 reasons not to buy used clubs

10. They were made for someone else.
Why get something made for someone else when you can get something made that’s fitted exactly for you.

9. They’re not the right length or shaft flex
Unless you are about the same height as the other guy, used clubs may not be the right length. If the guy before you was a fast swinger or a slow swinger the shaft flex may not be right for you.

8. They’re old technology
Things have changed a lot in the last 5 years. Club heads and materials have made golf clubs more forgiving and there are more choices. Continue reading “Why you should never buy used clubs”