Golf Clubs - Shaft Flex
The factors to consider when selecting shaft flex are:
- Swing Speed
- Transition Movement
- Tempo & Rhythm
- Wrist-Cock Release
- Downswing Acceleration
- And... the golfer’s preferred feel for the bending of the shaft ... can be the deciding factor!
A golfer's swing speed is the primary factor in determining which golf shaft and especially, which shaft flex is the right one (flex is measured in CPM - Cycles-per-Minute). When a swing speed device is not available, a Pop-Up Window Carry Distance / Swing Speed Conversion Chart can be used to approximate swing speed based on carry distance.
Once a golfer's swing speed & swing mechanics are analysed, the Equalizer Swing Speed Chart by PCS (Professional Clubmakers Society) Pop-Up Window Equalizer Swing Speed Chart by PCS helps in selecting the proper shaft flex (Cycles-Per-Minute).
It is important to realize that there is no flex standard in the golf industry. If you think you can make a selection simply based on manufacturer's reading 'R' or 'S', think again. One manufacturer's 'R' may be another manufactuer's 'S'
Shaft companies use the same codes - L, A, R, S, X - to denote the flex of their golf shafts. But do all companies call the same flex by the same name? In other words, is one company's 'R' flex the same as another company's 'R' flex? Are there industry-wide standards for what constitutes each level of flex?
No, there is no standard that dictates how stiff any given golf shaft must be in order to be designated as an L, A, R, S or X shaft. Each golf shaft maker develops its own definition for how stiff any of its flex levels will be. As a result, the 'R' flex from one company may be the same or different in comparison to the stiffness of an 'R' flex shaft from another company. The same is true for each of the other four basic flex letter codes.
Flex needs to be made certain with the help of an Electronic Frequency Analyzer.
Frequency (Cycles-Per-Minute) is an absolute measure of the flex of a shaft. It is defined as how many times per minute a shaft oscillates. The units of frequency measurement are known as cycles per minute, or cpm. A shaft with a higher frequency is stiffer than one with a lower frequency. By using frequency as a method of comparing two different shafts, it is obvious which shaft is stiffer and by how much. Typically there will be 10 cycles between shaft flexes. Thus if one shaft registers 250 cpm and another is 270 cpm, there is a 2-flex difference between the shafts regardless of what flex the manufacturer claims them to be.
In addition to being a useful tool in the selection of the "right" golf shaft to fit your swing speed & swing mechanics, an Electronic Frequency Analyzer is an indispensable tool when frequently matching a complete set.
Method A: Straight Line Frequency Matching so that all clubs have the same frequency.
Method B: Frequency Matching so that there is a constant cpm difference means the golf clubs get stiffer as they become shorter.
Spine Alignment: it's a practice that goes by several names and actually can be performed in a number of ways. Shafts may look round. In actuality, they're oval shaped. Since they're actually oval shaped, one side is stronger than another (the ends of the oval). A spined shaft has the strong ends aligned. One alignment combats toe droop (spine at 12 o'clock). Another adds distance (spine away from target) and yet another adds control (spine towards target). A Frequency Analyzer can determine spine alignment using the CPM Method or the Laser Beam Technique. The spine side occillates flat - Video MPG. The "not spine" side occillates in a circle - Video MPG.
