What happens if golf shaft is too soft?
Noah Mitchell
Published Jan 06, 2026
Incorrect flex
How do I know if my golf shaft is too soft?
If the shaft is too flexible, you will have a 'whippy' feeling in your hands, and you won't be able to feel the clubhead on the downswing. When the golf ball is struck it will generally have too much spin if the shaft is too flexible, this will cause a 'ballooning' effect on the shot and it will tend to go quite high.
Can a weak shaft cause a slice?
When the clubhead gets to the ball, the shaft won't unload properly and the face will remain slightly open, causing a slice. Other swing problems also can cause a slice, of course, but shafts that are too stiff can make the problem worse.
What happens if your iron shafts are too soft?
It also will be hard to square the clubhead at impact, meaning you will have a tendency to hit your shots to the right. "Play the most flexible shaft you can control," said Scott Hennessey, president of True Temper shafts. "If it's too soft, you'll spray the ball all over the place."
What happens if your golf club shaft is too weak?
A golf shaft that is too weak will flex excessively throughout the golf swing, creating an inconsistent release point. Swinging with a weak shaft flex can hurt you in both windy and wet conditions.
21 related questions foundWhat happens if a golf shaft is too flexible?
When a golf shaft is too flexible, you will not be able to hit the ball straight. You will also end up losing a bit of distance. When a golf shaft is too flexible, it isn't easy to control the clubface and get it to square up at impact.
How do I know if my driver shaft is too weak?
Generally speaking, a driver shaft that's too stiff will cause shots to launch too low, with too little spin and low peak heights. A shaft that's too weak, on the other hand, may cause shots to spin too much, fly too high, and widen dispersion patterns.
Will a softer shaft help my slice?
Play a shaft with a softer tip
To reduce a slice, you'll want to do the opposite. Unlike the pros, you should look for shafts with weaker tip sections that allow for more release of the club head as it comes into impact.
What happens if shaft is too stiff?
If your driver's shaft is too stiff, the clubhead may not square with the ball at the point of impact, causing slices and fades. If you can't feel the weight of the clubhead loading through the shaft, it's probably too stiff, and can cause errors and issues associated with accuracy such as these.
What shaft weight should I use?
In general, golfers with slower swing speed and tempo can and should play a lighter shaft. Golfers with very fast speeds and tempo should play heavier shafts. Driver shafts typically weigh 55-60 grams for men and 45-50 grams for ladies.
When should I switch from stiff to regular?
If you're between 97 and 104 mph with the driver, you need a stiff flex. Regular – Now we are getting into the range where a majority of recreational golfers fall, and also where many LPGA pros fall. If you're between 84 and 96 mph, regular is going to be best for you.
Will I lose distance with a stiff shaft?
If the shaft flex is too stiff, your average distance will remain low.
What does a soft tip shaft do?
Well a shaft that has a soft tip has a low bend point and this helps lift the ball in the air by adding dynamic loft. Players who hit the ball too high should look for a tip stiff shaft which does not add so much loft, which produces a lower and more penetrating trajectory.
What does a firm tip on a golf shaft do?
In most cases, tip trimming a shaft makes it meaningfully stiffer. It also increases torsional stiffness, known as “torque,” which is a shaft's resistance to twisting. On the other end of the shaft is the handle, which is also generally trimmed some amount when building a golf club.
Will a stiffer shaft lower spin?
So the stiffer the shaft and/or more tip stiff the shaft in relation to your clubhead speed and point of release, the less the shaft bends forward at impact and the more that shaft becomes a lower launch and lower spin shaft.
What does tip flex mean?
Tip Flex: Tip Flex, or Retro Flex, represents the average stiffness toward the head side of the shaft. Sometimes this is measured in a very similar fashion as the static-flex measurement. The difference being that the tip end is clamped and the load is applied to the butt end of the shaft.
What flex shaft does Tiger Woods use?
He currently uses a 60-gram Diamana D+ driver shaft in his TaylorMade M5 driver.
Will a regular shaft increase distance?
If you use a 6- or 7-iron to hit that 150 yard shot then a regular shaft will be the best for your game. By using a shaft-flex that is right for you, the club will work better and you will gain distance with much less effort.
Is Stiff flex good for beginners?
Beginners may acquire clubs from friends or family and not consider the flex of their shafts. Shaft options include senior, ladies, regular, firm, stiff, x-stiff. Length – shafts can be cut different lengths – for most beginners, standard length is fine, unless you are an abnormal height.
Do all pros use stiff shafts?
Most PGA Tour pros will use stiff or extra stiff in their shafts. It is rare to find someone swinging a regular shaft with the amount of swing speed those guys have.
What is better stiff or regular flex?
The regular flex golf shaft is more flexible and easier for slower swing speed golfers to swing than the stiff flex golf shaft. A stiff flex golf shaft creates more resistance in the swing of a golfer. Therefore when they attempt to hit the ball with a bit more speed, they can get the incredible distance.
Does stiff vs regular shaft matter?
What's the difference between regular and stiff shafts? A stiff shaft is firmer and harder to bend than a regular shaft, and so more often than not, they're also heavier in weight. As a rough rule of thumb, the more speed you generate, the stiffer your shafts should be.
Does 10 grams make a difference in golf shaft?
While most focus more on shaft flex, shaft weight is equally important. 10 grams may not sound like a big deal, but during the golf swing, it can make a big difference. This weight can make a big difference to feel, clubhead speed and dispersion (the accuracy of your drives).
How many grams should my shaft be?
The shafts in most drivers typically weigh between 40 grams and 85 grams. Shaft manufacturers will offer stiff and regular flex in nearly all weight classes while most light and ladies flex clubs will weigh no more than 55 or 60 grams, but could be as light as 40 grams.
Is a 70 gram driver shaft too heavy?
A 70-gram driver shaft is considered to be pretty heavy but not the heaviest. It falls into the middle but is still on the heavier side when you consider you could go with 50 or 60 grams instead.