One of the biggest mistakes that we see golfers make is choosing a golf shaft that is not the right fit for their game. So many golfers think that their faster swing speed will translate directly into needing an extra stiff golf shaft; however, this is not always the case. If you are currently trying to decide if the extra stiff golf shaft could be a solution to your game, let’s take a look at the qualifications and those who will benefit the most.
Who needs an extra stiff golf shaft?
Golfers with a driver swing speed of more than 105 miles per hour will need to consider an extra stiff golf shaft. With this higher swing speed, players will enjoy more consistency and potentially great distance by putting the extra stiff golf shaft into play. Many manufacturers will call the extra stiff shaft the X Stiff, but they are essentially the same. If you don’t have your driver swing speed, here are a few other numbers to use to determine if you are ready for the X stiff.
- 3 Wood swing speed of more than 101 mph
- 3 iron swing speed of more than 97 mph
- 6 iron swing speed of more than 92 mph
Should I Switch To An Extra Stiff Shaft?
Now that you have a better idea as to the swing speed it takes to have an X Stiff shaft make sense let’s take a look at whether or not it makes sense to switch to the X Stiff. Here are a few of the most important considerations to make.
Dispersion
Golfers that are playing a shaft that is not stiff enough will often have trouble with dispersion. Keeping the ball on track when trying to slow down for the shaft in your hands can be a recipe for disaster. The closer the shaft can match your needs, the better the chance you have for lower dispersion.
Ball Flight
Golfers often need to switch to an extra stiff will hit shots that fly too high. Sometimes the weight and the flex of the extra stiff can help to bring the ball flight down and get a more penetrating launch angle.
Distance
If you feel like you are not getting the distance that you need from your golf clubs, and you have fast swing speeds, the shaft could be a mismatch. With the extra stiff shaft, the quicker swing speed golfer can load the shaft up a bit more and get the distance they are looking for.
Swing Speed
Swing speed numbers should be consistently higher than the range that we provided. If you jump on a launch monitor and your first few swings are more than 105 mph, and then you settle in around 100, the extra stiff will likely not be the right shaft for you.
How To Know What Golf Shaft I Need?
Ultimately to understand the ins and outs of golf shafts and the best ones for your game, it is essential to go for a True Spec golf fitting. The True Spec Master Fitter can take your information and your abilities and use their strong product knowledge to get you the best results for your game.