Why are composite shafts so complicated?

What's the deal with composite golf shafts? We discuss in the latest Fully Equipped mailbag.

GOLF

Welcome to another edition of the Fully Equipped Mailbag, sponsored by Cleveland/Srixon Golf, an interactive GOLF.com series in which we field your hard-hitting gear questions.

I’ve played golf for 25 years and have whittled my handicap down to single digits. But even after all this time, I still have no idea how a composite shaft works and can't make sense of the marketing. Is it me, or is it a normal thing to not understand it all? – Mike P., California

Perfectly normal, Mike.

Shaft science is arguably the most complex aspect of golf equipment technology. Shafts are often referred to as the "engine" of a golf club, and there is a lot happening in the shaft from the moment you start swinging until you make contact with the ball.

At first glance, some things appear straightforward. For example, the weight of a shaft seems like a simple concept – lighter shafts are typically easier to swing faster. However, did you know that a lighter shaft can make your clubhead feel heavier and increase swing weight? Additionally, adding weight to the grip end of the shaft can make a club feel lighter as you swing it and reduce its swingweight. Crazy, we know.

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Flex is another aspect of shafts that can be confusing for golfers. It was previously assumed that the faster you swung the club, the stiffer the shaft should be. That's still partly true, but what really matters is how you load the shaft during the onset of your downswing leading up to impact with the ball. For example, golfers with fast overall swing speeds may have slower transitions from the backswing to the downswing, so they may not always want a stiffer shaft. On the other hand, golfers with average swing speeds at impact may have quick or jerky transitions, thus requiring a stiffer shaft for better results.

Where a shaft flexes is also critical. A shaft can have a kick point in different places, such as high kick points that limit spin and produce lower ball flights, low kick points for higher launches with added spin, or sometimes a midpoint kick for a mid-launch/mid-spin launch.

Shaft technology becomes even more complicated when you factor in how a shaft twists as you swing. Low-torque shafts resist twisting more, helping faster swingers hit straighter shots with more control. They also have a firmer, more rigid feel. Conversely, higher torque shafts benefit slower swings by making it easier to square the face at impact and feel softer and smoother. They can sometimes help slower swingers gain a few extra yards, too.

Other factors, such as tip-to-butt ratio, shaft droop, deflection, and hard/soft stepping, make shaft science even more intricate. All this complexity is precisely why we think shaft manufacturers are often a bit vague in their marketing. No one shaft performs exactly the same for every person, and while you can look up static measurements such as weight, kick point, torque ratings, and even the types of carbon used and how it's positioned in the shaft, it is difficult to predict how a shaft will feel or react to someone's swing without trying it out first.

Rather than attempting to understand all the complexities of shaft science, it's best to leave shaft fitting to those who do it for a living and get custom-fitted for a new one on a launch monitor. This approach ensures a proper fit and allows you to test different clubhead and shaft combinations. If you’re not ready to spend money on a fitting just yet, look up and see if your favorite equipment brand has a demo day near you.

Demo days are excellent opportunities to try new gear, test different combinations, and ask questions about anything related to shafts and club building. And once you get the right shaft dialed in and fit for your swing, it's time to stop obsessing about it and get back to playing golf. The less you worry about what you know or don't know about your gear, the better you’ll likely play.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2023? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF's affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below!