Articles

The FOUR Functions of the Golf Shaft

When you ask a professional clubmaker what is the most difficult task in clubfitting, most will say finding the best shaft for the golfer.

One of the primary reasons precise shaft fitting is so difficult is the relationship between a shaft's specifications and a golfers performance needs are very diverse, much more so than with clubheads, grips, or the assembled specifications of club length and balance.

So what are the four functions of a golf shaft?

1. The shaft contributes to the shot’s launch and angle……….depending on the kick-point of the shaft and the strength of the golfer's swing.
   
   
2. The shaft contributes to the face position at impact……….The shafts resistance to torque, (MOI), has an effect on the position of the clubface relative to the swing path at impact. The higher the MOI, the higher the golfers swing speed, the later the release is in the downswing, the higher the torque rating of the shaft, the more the shaft twist before impact.
   
   
   
3. The shaft contributes to the clubs total weight and to the swing speed……….weight affects the amount of swing speed a golfer can generate.
   
   
4. The shaft contributes to the shot’s feel..........If the shaft feels too whippy or stiff it causes the impact to feel dead or uncontrollable.

What is MOI? The moment of inertia or a measurement of the shafts resistance to twisting.

What is Torque? The amount of rotational twist that occurs in a shaft during the swing.