Understanding the Specifics of Golf Shafts for Seniors

For anyone who is very familiar with the particulars of golf shaft ratings, or anyone proficient in the sport, this will probably all be old news. If, however, you are shopping through a series of golf shafts and would like to learn more about what those ratings mean read on. In this article we’re going to take a closer look at golf shafts for seniors; how they are rated, what it means, and why it matters.

Even without taking into account any of the other features of a golf shaft that impact any given player’s performance, swing speed is one of the most important factors that will impact how far a player can hit the ball. All other things being equal, swing speed can influence not only the distance a ball can be driven but also the ball flight.

Players with higher swing speeds can make better use of heavier and stiffer, less forgiving golf shafts, but players with naturally slower swing speeds might find more forgiving, lighter, and more flexible gift shafts preferable. It is also important to note that there is nothing wrong with a slower swing speed; all different players have their own unique skill sets. The fact that there are many different qualities of golf shafts is akin to how there are many different types of baseball bats. Some players prefer a balanced bat and others prefer an end-loaded bat. On some level, golf is the same.

When it comes to senior golf shafts, or if you see a golf shaft with a senior rating, it means that the shaft has been manufactured to a lesser stiffness than a regular golf shaft in order to accommodate the generally slower swing speeds of older players. Different golf shaft manufacturers have their own specifications for stiffness ratings, so the precise shaft flex can vary between two senior golf shafts. What remains the same is the fact that they will both be engineered to offer a higher degree of flexibility.

The flexibility of a senior shaft does not only impact the swing speed and the speed of the club head. It will also impact the angle at which the club head contacts the golf ball. With a slower swing speed, a flexible shaft may be able to impart more clubhead speed which will then impact the ball’s speed. To make short of a long explanation, slow swing speeds benefit from more flexible shafts.

In general, a lot of senior flex shafts will be made from graphite instead of from steel. Although graphite shafts are more expensive to produce than steel shafts and are more fragile as well, they can be made much more flexible than their steel counterparts. Some steel shafts can be manufactured to very high stiffnesses which makes them attractive to some players with high swing speeds, but when a player needs a flexible golf club shaft, graphite is often the way to go.

There is more that affects a player's capabilities, distance, and launch angle than the shaft stiffness rating alone. Other factors like kick point and torsion rating can impact a player’s performance as well.

For example, the kick point is the point at which the shaft seems to flex, and can affect the angle at which the clubhead contacts the ball. Kick point will vary between shafts, and the only way to determine with certainty if a given shaft works for you is to practice with it. In addition, torsion can have similar effects, although torsion is the degree to which a shaft will “twist” as opposed to flexing.

Also, the sizing of a golf shaft matters just as much as the flex. In order to be effective in your use of a golf shaft, it needs to be sized properly to you, and without the right measurement, everything else will go out the window. If you already know your measurements, you can use a tool like our online shaft fitting tool to make recommendations.

Alternatively, you could visit us at our store to take advantage of our professional club fitting services. Our club fitting services are perfect for everyone from beginners all the way through proficient players and we offer everything from basic fitting through advanced fitting services.

Our professionals will interview you to learn about your preferences and needs, take your measurements, and even observe your swing before proceeding with custom-fitted recommendations. Naturally, if you have any more in-depth questions about club fitting and how each of the unique features of a club impacts its ability to serve a given player, you can ask our professionals and they would be glad to answer.

Alternatively, you could reach out to us at 800-955-9550 to speak with a member of our team and they would be glad to answer any questions you have as well. Otherwise, take a look through our collection of golf shafts for sale which contains many golf shafts for seniors, and bring home your next tool to improve your golf swing today.