If You Really Want To Improve Your Golf Game, You Must Consider What “Engine Model” You Want To Drive – “Engine Model” Being Your Golf Shaft.
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- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2024-07-23
Although they may appear straightforward, the shafts on your golf clubs play a critical role in shaping your game. Investing in custom-fitted shafts can significantly improve your game by providing the perfect blend of control, power, and consistency.
The Importance of Golf Club Shafts
Imagine the golf club shaft as the core of your club. What does this metaphor mean? Essentially, the shaft’s fundamental purpose is to convey the force from your swing to the golf ball. An appropriately coordinated shaft can perfect the discharge edge, twisting, and execution on the course. An improperly coordinated shaft can cause an inferior release edge, twist rates, and execution.
Understanding the Various Materials Used in the Construction of Golf Shafts
Historically, steel iron shafts were preferred by advanced players or those with higher swing speeds seeking a low shot trajectory, while graphite shafts were ideal for amateur golfers with moderate swings or those wanting maximum distance with lighter shafts. This distinction no longer holds with properly fitted clubs.
Graphite shafts have seen significant advancements, particularly in the past 20 years. Manufacturers now use various types of graphite and exotic materials to produce extra stiff (XS) shafts, surpassing previous performance limitations. Fun fact: some graphite shafts incorporate carbon fibres found on the nose cone of the Boeing 787.
When it comes to cost, graphite shafts are generally more expensive than steel shafts due to the advanced materials and manufacturing processes involved. Steel shafts typically range from $20 to $50 per shaft, while graphite shafts can cost between $50 and $850 per shaft, depending on the brand and specifications.
Shafts formed from a combination of steel and graphite strive to bring durability, versatility, consistency, and noise production reduction, usually showcased in prestigious golf gear.
In my travails as a golf equipment writer, I have been fortunate in receiving and testing many varieties of shafts. The following shafts performed and certainly impressed me as to distance obtained and feel experienced. My average increase in distance on my driver, fairway, and hybrids produced a minimum of 10 yards while the wedge shafts were like dart throwers – so accurate.
Graphite Design Tour AD VF 4 R2 Shaft
I have loved Graphite Design shafts since I began playing golf. Their consistency, performance, and aesthetics are second to none. Pros such as Hideki Matsuyama, Tiger Woods, Amy Yang, Brian Harman, Chesson Hadley, and Erik van Rooyen use Graphite Design shafts.
Their newest shaft, the Tour AD VF, is winning on Tour already, just having been released in 2024. I use the Tour AD VF 4 R2 (Lite/Senior Flex) in my PING driver. It is a fairway finder coupled with an additional 10+ yards and a much lower dispersion rate than my previous driver shafts. Not knocking the Ventus shaft, which I could just not get comfortable with, the Tour AD VF performed exceptionally well for my game. As for the aesthetics of the shaft, I love the jet black with red accents and finished with a gloss clear coat.
Graphite Design Tour AD VF – Victory Force
$379.00
www.prochoicegolfshafts.com
The Graphite Design Tour AD VF – Victory Force wood shafts were designed and manufactured at the Graphite Design Japan factory headquarters. The Tour AD VF, like the other high-performance Tour AD wood shafts, utilizes premium, aerospace quality carbon-fibre materials and is available in 40g R2, R1, and S flex, 50g R2, R1, S, and X flex, 60g SR, S, X, and TX flex, 70g S, X, and TX flex, and 80g X flex. For the past 20 years, Graphite Design has continued to be the most dominant, #1 shaft brand on the Japanese JGTO Professional Tour.
The Tour AD VF shaft profile is Firm in the butt section, Stiff+ in the center section, and has a Very Stiff tip to promote low/mid launch angles and low-ball spin rates. The Tour AD VF shafts utilize the modern TORAYCA® M40X carbon-fibre material in the butt section of the shaft to support a stiff yet smooth feeling kick point. The ultra-high modulus TORAYCA® T1100G carbon-fibre material in the middle through to the tip section of the shaft for unrivalled shaft stability and precise ball control without the loss of the exceptional feel that Graphite Design shafts are so well known for.
For slower swing speeds, I recommend either a VF 4-R2 or 5-R2 shaft.
Newton Shafts by Sacks Parente
$250.00
www.newtonshafts.com
Developed by Sacks Parente Golf, all Newton Motion shafts are available with adjustable driver and fairway wood adapters to fit heads offered by most major golf equipment companies including Callaway, Cobra, Mizuno, PING, PXG, TaylorMade, Titleist, and Tour Edge.
What I like about the Newton’s shaft offerings are their ready-to-play Newton Motions shafts which arrive with a premium Lamkin Crossline 360 Black grip pre-installed and are cut to modern industry-standard playing lengths.
Another feature I like is their “unique” dot system that designates flex/weight to the spineless and elongated bend profile. Their choice of finish, multi-colour fading iridescent paint is “different” and interesting to say the least. Pretty cool looking!
All you need to do is unscrew your driver or fairway wood head, swap out the shaft, and head to the course. It’s as simple as that! All Newton driver and fairway wood shafts are also available raw/uncut.
All Newton Motion shafts are hand-crafted one by one in Newton’s factory in St. Joseph, Missouri, to the highest possible quality standards. Newton’s proprietary Symmetry 360 design virtually eliminates any spine and ensures consistency from shot to shot. This is especially important with drivers and fairway woods that provide loft and lie adjustability.
Newton proprietary shaft engineering delivers individually tailored flex profiles, that satisfy all swing speeds and deliver less dispersion (straighter), and longer distance, from a smoother transfer of energy (less effort).
The Newton shafts use a “dot” for each of the six profiles they offer. Each dot is a specific profile with six dots being the strongest (stiff) flex. There are broad “speed designations” where, for example, 5 DOT equates to 105-115 MPH and 6 DOT equates to 115 MPH.
Newton Motion shafts flex identically no matter what clocking position the club is set.
As for performance, our testing group loved the shaft. One of our testers, a 6 handicap, was getting 20+ yards with the shaft in his Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max driver! I picked up 10 yards with my driver!
What I like about the Newton shafts is that they are available uncut and ready to play with the adapter of your choice. FYI, adapters alone range between $30-$40 if purchased separately. The adapters are available in the eight brands mentioned above.
The six different DOT profiles are impressive and unique in shaft flex identification currently in use. What makes it consumer-friendly is the shaft comes with a 30-day guarantee for either your money back or an exchange for a different DOT, plus free shipping to 48 states. Very clever salesmanship!
RedZNE™ Wedge Shafts
$199.99
www.breakthroughgolftech.com
These wedge shafts are the brainchild of Barney Adams (Adams Golf) and his Breakthrough Golf Technology company.
The newest iteration of their wedge shaft is the RedZNE™ shaft. According to BGT, it is the most advanced and precise wedge shaft ever created, enhanced with innovative upgrades for maximum spin performance and improved feel.
The RedZNE™ offers a host of performance benefits and is compatible with all wedge brands. Our testing group was enamoured with the soft feel, combined with superior distance, control, and precision on every swing.
Delving further into the “secret,” BGT explained that the unique selling propositions were the following:
- Stiffer carbon fibre upper section, 54% stiffer, for a consistent, smooth feel without reverb
- Maximum spin performance, enhancing accuracy by 50%
- High-performance carbon fibre tips for lower launch and better distance control
- Redesigned connectors for optimized weight distribution
- Enhanced swing weight for consistency and maximum smash factor
As for the specs of the shaft, three weights are available for optimal feel, control, and consistency: 90g, 115g, and 130g.
Our testing group was all very positive about the performance of the shaft in their wedges. The testing group and I loved the feel and dart-like accuracy it produced. The shaft’s colour scheme was a big hit as well.
BGT offers free installation in your putter (you send your putter to them) and a one-year product warranty.
KBS Max HL Wood Shaft and KBS MAX HL Hybrid Shaft
These shafts are crafted for players with slower swing speeds who want to achieve a higher launch and added spin, without sacrificing accuracy and forgiveness. The MAX HL follows the same E.I. curve as the KBS MAX Graphite Iron Shaft. This innovative Driver/Fairway wood shaft is tailored for those who base their choice on “swing speed” rather than the conventional “flex.”
The NEW KBS MAX HL is designed for a wide range of players seeking to MAXimize the performance of their driver/wood shafts with trajectory, spin, and distance in a consistent, lighter-weight package.
KBS Max HL Wood Shaft
$99.95
www.kbsgolfshafts.com
Wood Shaft Specs:
- Weight: 40g, 42g, 45g
- Flex Options: R2, R, S
- Launch/Spin: High/High
Available Colours: Red, White, and Black
KBS MAX HL Hybrid Shaft
$74.95
www.kbsgolfshafts.com
As with the wood shaft above, the NEW KBS MAX HL Hybrid is designed for a wide range of players seeking to MAXimize the performance of their hybrid shafts with trajectory, spin, and distance in a consistent, lighter-weight package, making it easier for you to produce performance on every shot.
Hybrid Shaft Specs:
- Weight: 40g, 50g, 60g, 70g, and 80g
- Flex Options: R2, R1, R, S, and X
- Launch/Spin: High/High
- Available Colors: Red, White, and Black
Benefits of Shaft Fitting:
- Improved Accuracy: Custom-fitted shafts provide better control, leading to more precise shots.
- Increased Distance: Optimized shaft flex and torque can result in longer drives and fairway shots.
- Consistent Performance: A properly fitted shaft ensures consistency, making your performance more reliable.
- Enhanced Feel: Players experience a smoother swing with the right shaft, improving overall comfort and confidence.
- Optimized Swing Speed: Tailored shafts match your swing speed, maximizing energy transfer and efficiency.
- Adaptability: Fitted shafts are compatible with adjustable club heads, allowing quick adjustments and flexibility on the course.
About the Writer
Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. Visit www.facebook.com/PGTAA to see all the latest mental strategies, travel, and equipment reviews. Currently, he also works with between 10 to 12 PGA TOUR players on the mental side of golf.
He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and serves both as a consultant and mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers” and his previous book, “How to Build Business Relationships Through Golf,” which is still on the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s bestseller list. His current book, “The Right Mind for Golf,” is now in its 13th reprint and is available on Amazon and at the Torrey Pines Golf Course. Just released on June 1st, his new book, “The Right Mind for Putting,” is now available at www.pgtaa.com.