I give up.

Yep flogging a dead horse Alex. Some people just wont accept facts

Me too, No point.

Brian - you are right. No one else knows what they are talking about. after all, Jim plays off 7 I play off 6 and have been playing for over 20 years and we have several pro's and clubmakers on site. But you know best. Sorry for questioning your ego. (bows)

I can accept facts Lance, show me them please.
If tiger was handed a lady flex and he swung it not knowing it was not his normal shaft, it would go left??

> If tiger was handed a lady flex and he swung it not knowing it was not his normal shaft, it would go left??

I'd very much think so.

I'm 100% certain that it would!

Yes it would go left. Brian - I can (kind of) understand what you are trying to say but the shaft is not straight at impact.

Flex in the shaft aids in the "catching up" of the clubhead at impact. i.e. greater flex = clubhead is "with" the hands at impact. Ok - with me so far?

Faster clubhead speed = clubhead has "Over - caught up" with the hands and has overtaken them, hence the closing of the face and the tendancy to hit left with the same shaft.

Siffer shaft = less "catching up", therefore more suited to faster swing speeds, effectively "slows down" the clubhead through impact (although less so than the increased swing speed)

Still with me?

Factors to take into account:-
Correct hand action (release) through the ball. If you ask any golfer to "hold off" a shot it will go right. Any reasonable golfer who undestands swing mechanics should be able to hit any club any shape (within reason).

Bad swing technique. Any "normal" swing will result in the softer shafts going left and stiffer shafts going right. HOWEVER an incorrect swing may well result in different results. Without seeing you (or the other chaps) swing I cannot prove this or disprove it.

However, I do understand the golf swing and I do understand simple (very) physics.

Brian if you visit this webpage it will show you the facts

http://golf.about.com/cs/tipslessons/a/shaftflex.htm

Facts according to them.

Overpowering a shaft can leave the face open at impact causing it to go right.

To answer the original question the shaft in my driver comes out as firm.

Thanks for dropping the no point attitude DuncAl, discussion helps understanding.

You say "Flex in the shaft aids in the "catching up" of the clubhead at impact.

I am with you on that, some people depend on this kick to get the ball anywhere off the tee.
But those who play with a club with to much flex for the speed they swing, what happens? i say the kick arrives late or after impact, remember the flexed club is not kicked yet which in my head would mean the face of the club is open. you think it is closed?

Lance i have viewed the same page copied to many many pages all over the net.

If Your Flex Is Too Stiff
What effect does a too-stiff shaft have on your golf game?

2. The ball may tend to go to the right, or fade side, for right-handed golfers because with a too-stiff shaft the clubface is harder to square (the clubface is more likely to be open at impact, in other words).


If Your Flex Isn't Stiff Enough
And what will happen if your flex isn't stiff enough?


2. The ball may tend to go left, or to the draw side, for a right-handed golfer (because with a too-flexible shaft, the clubhead may tend to come into the ball closed).



That information is aimed at 95% of new golfers who dont have any idea what golf really is yet.
So when he says "the ball may" he is not stating a fact.

Have copied this from the link

If Your Flex Is Too Stiff
What effect does a too-stiff shaft have on your golf game?

1. The ball will probably fly lower and shorter for any given loft, compared to a properly fit shaft.

2. The ball may tend to go to the right, or fade side, for right-handed golfers because with a too-stiff shaft the clubface is harder to square (the clubface is more likely to be open at impact, in other words).

3. The shot may feel less solid, more like a mis-hit even if you make contact on the center of the clubface.

If Your Flex Isn't Stiff Enough
And what will happen if your flex isn't stiff enough?

1. The ball might fly higher for any given loft, compared to a properly fit shaft.

2. The ball may tend to go left, or to the draw side, for a right-handed golfer (because with a too-flexible shaft, the clubhead may tend to come into the ball closed).

3. Shots may tend to feel more solid, even when they aren't

Facts would be phrases such as "The ball will" not the ball might or may.

Lol, now your just clutching at straws because you know you're wrong brian.

Brian

I have played golf for 25 years,not 25 minutes.So I have some experience,decide yourself whether its bollocks.

The fact is the flex of the shaft is only one variable in a swing,and all things being equal,if its to stiff for your swing it means you can't load it with enough power to bring it in square,the head gets left behind.The fact that several single figure golfers of many years should add up to something,if not,you are just on a wind up.

Conversely,a player who generates a lot of clubhead speed needs the lag to stay behind the ball and come in on impact,to whippy and it comes in early and you hook it because the head has over taken the hands.

article from www.thegolfexpert.com

The most important aspect of a club shaft is it's stiffness. Basically the harder you swing the most stiff a shaft you will be able to use properly. Keep in mind the stiffness of the shaft will determine how much feel you have during impact of the ball and as well how much extra power your swing can produce due to the speed a shaft snaps back to straight. If a shaft is too stiff for a golfer he/she will feel like they are hitting a cement ball and they may feel pain in their hands, especially on the missed shots. Secondly, a stiff shaft will help produce a more open club face thus often the ball will slice or "cut" even when the feeling of square contact occurred. A shaft that is too flexible will result in a tendency to hook the ball as the cub face snaps the face shut due to the extra movement allowed by the flexibility of the shaft.

brian and roy you are wrong!

just admit it.
if you dont believe us go and read this months TG. are you saying that they are wrong?


i wish i did have and NV in my M42. i have a stiff YS7 shaft in it. its shite

Golfbhoy,

Sorry for the late reply - I live down in the midlands so am a fair few miles away, but might be over Stirling way in the summer - I will let you know.

Regarding the Evo have you ever used a 757 and if so how does the Evo stack up in comparison?

I also take your point that the Evo plays stiffer than the flex rating they issue - I know some people in the states that play a X-Stiff in a 757 (1.5" installed) who were able to load the club properly, but when the tried the Evo under the same conditions they couldnt load it.

All over the net people are being told if the shaft is to stiff , the ball may go right (this is a fact to some people) they need a more flexible shaft, so all you people who think you can play golf with a regular shaft but the ball slices low high whatever, if we follow the facts presented you need to buy a lady flex if you want stop slicing it. SO buy the lady flex shaft and slow down your swing, the kick you need to square the clubface at impact might appear.
That information is garbage imo, it is a very general guide which is accepted as fact by 90% of new golfers.

For the other 10% of golfers out there who can actually play a little bit, those who have learned the game a little bit more methodical instead of trying to buy a game, like a friend of mine who never had a driver in his bag until he could play off 12. When he bought his driver he started with the stiff flex, very fast controlled swing and everything was going right, the pro said he would need to slow his swing, so he slows his swing and whalla a nice draw 260yds. Now his problem was not related to his inability to swing the shaft fast enought to load it, the opposite he was loading it to much. He chose not to buy that club and settled for another model of stiff later on, this other stiff did not require him to slow down his natural fast tempo, he now hits a very long ball, significantly longer than the 260 he might have accepted by slowing his swing down.

Horses for course i guess.

I've got an old Launcher 400 with graf blue S flex. If I swing it slow I can hit it nicely. If I try and wallop it it usually goes very low and not very far (a wormburner). I don't think this is because I'm overpowering the shaft (I wish), rather that I'm screwing up my swing when I try to swing too fast.