Consistency at the highest level: Bernhard Langer sticks to his trusted club setup. A closer look reveals the one new addition.
Tag: golf-equipment
Acting as the “engine” of the golf club, the shaft forms the crucial connection between the clubhead and the golfer. Its length, flexibility, kick-point, weight, and alignment profoundly influence the club’s performance, warranting a thorough examination. Our experts at HIO Fitting are here to provide detailed insights.
Types of Golf Shafts
Golf shafts come in many types and subtypes, each with distinct properties affecting the game. Modern shafts are typically made from steel, graphite, or composite materials.
The Difference in Shaft Material: Steel or Graphite
The notion of “precision with steel vs. speed with graphite” is debunked by HIO Fitting experts. Golfers comfortable with graphite shafts will achieve precise shots, and those handling steel’s weight won’t necessarily swing faster with lighter graphite shafts. The increased swing speed associated with lighter shafts is due to their reduced weight, not their material.
Technological advancements from 2000 to 2015 have nullified the old belief that steel shafts offer more precision. Graphite shafts now dominate woods, while steel shafts are still preferred in hybrids for power players. The advantage of graphite in long clubs lies in their lighter weight and customizable profiles.
Steel Shafts
Heavier and stiffer, steel shafts suit players with high swing speeds and are cost-effective to produce. Typically weighing between 90g and 130g, they offer flexes from Regular to Extra Stiff (R-X). Though technically feasible, making steel shafts lighter and softer is prohibitively expensive.
Graphite Shafts
Our HIO Fitting experts dispel common myths about graphite shafts:
- Graphite shafts are durable and don’t wear out or become fatigued.
- Modern graphite shafts offer stability and precision even for high swing speeds.
- They provide a consistent feel, ideal for perfect iron sets.
Graphite shafts are manufactured by wrapping graphite tape with epoxy resin around a steel spindle. After heating, the spindle is removed, and the shaft is ground, cut, and painted.
The primary advantage of graphite shafts is their low weight. Available from 29 grams in woods to 39 grams in irons, they can also weigh up to 125 grams, matching steel shafts in weight. Graphite shafts cater to all flex variants, from “Ultra-Light” to “X-Stiff,” accommodating every swing speed. They are also beneficial for golfers with joint issues due to their vibration dampening properties and can be customized to individual preferences.
Multi-Material Shafts
Multi-material shafts, which emerged in the mid-2010s, combine the best properties of steel and graphite, revolutionizing irons and wedges. New methods to incorporate steel fibers into graphite have made these shafts stiffer and lighter.
High-End Carbon Fibers
Innovations in the 2020s have introduced pure graphite shafts with advanced carbon fiber structures, like Mitsubishi Chemical’s “Braided Carbon Technology,” integrating new fibers like 1K Carbon Fiber or MR70. These shafts achieve high stiffness at low weights, with some as light as 30 grams or customizable in weight distribution.
Key Golf Shaft Terminology
What is Flex?
Flex refers to the shaft’s ability to bend, categorized into Ladies/Light (L), Amateur (A), Senior (S), Regular (R), Stiff (S), and Extra Stiff (XS). Flex levels vary by manufacturer, lacking a unified standard. Flex is measured by the shaft’s vibration frequency (CPM) before installation. During fitting, stiffness is adjusted by trimming the narrower end (tip trimming).
The Impact of Flex on Ball Flight and Feel
A shaft that’s too soft bends excessively, resulting in higher trajectories and leftward spins, while a stiff shaft does the opposite. However, HIO Fitting experts note that these effects vary among golfers. During fitting, flex is tailored to swing speed and golfer development, with a focus on feel and control.
Driver Distance and Corresponding Flex
- Ladies Flex: Driver distance less than 175 yards (160 meters).
- Senior or A Flex: Driver distance 175 – 210 yards (160 – 190 meters).
- Regular Flex: Driver distance 210 – 240 yards (190 – 220 meters).
- Stiff Flex: Driver distance 240 – 275 yards (220 – 250 meters).
- X-Stiff Flex: Driver distance over 275 yards (250 meters).
What is Torque?
Torque measures the shaft’s twisting under load, impacting the clubface on off-center hits. Lower torque means less twisting but a stiffer feel, potentially losing feedback and distance. Finding the right torque value is essential for individual swing speeds.
What is a Kick-Point?
The kick-point is where the shaft bends most during a swing, influencing feel and ball flight trajectory. High kick-points result in lower ball flights, while low kick-points lead to higher trajectories.
The Weight of the Shaft
Shaft weight, measured in grams, affects clubhead speed and distance. Lighter shafts increase speed, while heavier ones provide stability. Proper weight distribution can significantly improve coordination and reduce mishits.
The Length of the Golf Shaft
Correct shaft length, determined by measuring the wrist crease to the ground, is crucial. Longer shafts increase distance but require repeatable, solid shots for consistency. Accurate fitting prevents distance loss due to off-center impacts.
Better to Get Fitted Than to Guess
Fitting, once exclusive to tour players, is now widely accessible. An experienced fitter can demystify shaft selection through a comprehensive fitting process, including static and dynamic fitting, ball flight analysis, and personalized adjustments.
How Can the Right Shafts Improve Your Game?
Hitting Further
A lighter shaft or optimized ball flight parameters through dynamic fitting can increase distance.
Hitting Straighter
A stiffer or heavier shaft can reduce dispersion, but lab conditions are recommended for comparison. Properly bent angles in irons and wedges also help.
Hitting Higher
Light shafts with low kick-points or heads with deep, rearward centers of gravity produce higher flights through increased backspin.
Hitting Lower
Heavy shafts with high kick-points or heads with forward centers of gravity achieve lower flights with reduced backspin.
TaylorMade Golf introduces the Team TaylorMade Junior set, the results of extensive research and engineering by the same engineers that design equipment for Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Nelly Korda. The Team TaylorMade Junior Set is unisex and was designed to be offered in three different sets by age groups of 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12.
TaylorMade: Exclusive content from the World’s best Golfers
Team TaylorMade athletes and ambassadors created exclusive content for juniors available to those who purchase the Team TaylorMade Junior Set. Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwoodand Brooke Henderson, as well as brand ambassadors Gabby Golf Girl, Chris Trott and Grant Horvat help unlock the secrets of the game with tips, tricks and drills to help junior golfers jumpstart their golf journeys.
This makes the set a blend of introductory golf content for parents looking to get their kids into the game of golf, while also being a high performing product specifically designed for different age groups.
Junior Equipment designed with a purpose
Led by a 400cc 17° Titanium driver with a large flexible face and a low Centre of Gravity (CG) designed for maximum distance and forgiveness, each club in the set is built to allow for proper fundamentals to be developed from an early age. The set has the appropriate weight, length and loft to avoid poor technique arising from having to counteract for improper equipment.
Fairways and hybrids feature a low-profile face, ample loft and low CG to make the clubs as easy to hit as possible. Team TaylorMade Junior Set irons and wedges are both designed for high launch and playability. The irons are equipped with TaylorMade’s inverted conetechnology seen in Qi Irons featuring a flexible face and lightweight components.
Compared to P·Series irons at 270g, the TaylorMade Junior Set heavy 7-iron is 248g and the light 7-iron is 205g. The TaylorMade Junior Set putter measures 315g compared to the average TP Collection Blade at 350g.
The bag and headcover colours are blue and white with the Team TaylorMade Junior Set logo. The stand bag itself is water and stain resistant with a large ball pocket, water bottleholder and adjustable double strap to make it easy to carry.
This text is a Press Release by TaylorMade Golf.
Ludvig Aberg, one of the rising stars of the 2023 golf season, made an impressive debut as a Titleist staff player just before the year-end. Participating in the Grant Thornton Invitational, Aberg showcased his skills with the new T100 irons from Titleist’s 2023 series, simultaneously confirming his fresh sponsorship deal with the equipment provider.
Ludvig Aberg enthusiastic about the Titleist irons
Having previously used the 2018-19 T100 irons, Aberg expressed his excitement about the transition, stating, “I’ve used the 2018-19 T100 before, but I really like the way these (2023 T100) lie, and they can enhance my game.” During the tournament, he highlighted his preference for the 2023 version, not just because of the new design. “One of the reasons I switched is that they (the 2023 set) are very similar to the 2019 version,” he added, revealing his plan to tee off with the blades from 4-iron to 9-iron. Aberg emphasized his inclination to avoid frequent equipment changes, especially with clubs, stating, “I’m not a big fan of changing too much, especially not with the irons, and I like figuring it out for myself.”
Now taking the next step in his professional career, the young tour star has signed with the company that has been a part of his golf bag since his amateur days. Reflecting on the smooth transition, Aberg mentioned, “The switch was very easy, and I feel like this week was a good time to get used to it, having a few weeks off and being ready for the next year.”
Aberg’s bag already features the TSR2 Driver and a 718 T-MB 2-iron from Titleist. His trust in Titleist extends to the greens, where he has been using the Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 9 Wedges from 2022 for an extended period. Completing his setup is the Pro V1x Golfball, showcasing Aberg’s commitment to Titleist across his entire equipment arsenal.