This is certainly not an ideal way to measure your swing speed but it does give you a rough idea. Nevertheless, you will not perform to the best of your abilities if youre using the wrong shaft flex. Moreover, make sure that other specifications are also a part of your senior-friendly driver, such as an extremely forgiving clubhead, adjustable loft, etc. The shaft flex is a very, very important matter when choosing golf clubs, whether youre a senior, beginner, average, or Tour-level player. Senior flex shafts are appropriate for golfers who swing between 75 and 90 mph and carry a driver about 180 to 200 yards. And unfortunately, this is stiff steel. Otherwise, if youre a new player likely to learn how to increase speed, then Regular flex is the better option for you. The modern graphite shafts have many benefits: Kick point is the part of the shaft that bends the most on the downswing. Getting the flex wrong can cause you all sorts of issues. A shaft that is too stiff will feel rigid to you on impact and will limit your distance. You certainly understand the importance of driving distance, dont you? As you can probably imagine, all of these problems above will cause you to lose accuracy. Regular shafts, when they cant hit the ball beyond 180 yards, need to be swapped with Senior shafts. Contrary to this is if the shaft is too soft, the club feels too whippy, and sprayed shots in all directions are the result. As for heavy, stiff shafts, these are better suited for golfers with an above-average or faster swing speed (over 95 mph). Senior or slow swing speed golfers will enjoy the benefit of hitting more fairways and greens by selecting the correct shaft. Only with a lighter graphite shaft can an older or starter golfer gain the launch angle, ball flight, as well as distance he/she desires. He is a certified strength-and-conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. You can also ask for advice on other shaft characteristics, such as weight, kick point and torque. The result is pushed shots because of the inability to square the face at impact. Senior flex shafts allow the golfer to launch the golf ball easily into the air. Needless to say, you can experiment with Regular or even Ladies flex (make sure it fits your height). They are lighter and the golfer will swing the clubhead faster through impact without trying to force the speed. These clubs will bring huge benefits to almost any golfer who tries them. Should steel shafts be selected for the irons, the lighter graphite shaft is an option for the driver and fairway woods. Once the swing speed is matched to the shaft the golfer will benefit from better control throughout his game. Above regular you have stiff, extra-stiff and tour extra-stiff which is the stiffest available. Almost everything about Ladies flex shaft and Senior flex shaft is the same lightweight graphite construction, softer flex, and higher-launching capacity. So how about then switching to too soft or too flexible shafts? The Best Golf Clubs for 80 MPH Swing Speed. Only through a comprehensive fitting session with an expert can you make this decision. In such times, you decide Regular or Senior based on your experience. On the downside, its not really very accurate. When a golfer plays with a steel shaft that is too stiff or heavy for his swing speed, the shot feels like an iron rod with no feel. You may also find that you start to miss more as you will struggle to deliver a square face at impact. The best way is to get on a launch monitor and properly measure it. It is not necessary to use the same flex shaft in the complete set. You can be a senior or older golfer getting back into the game after a long gap or someone wholly new to the game (old or young). Importantly, this means your normal on-course swing, not getting onto a launch monitor and swinging as hard as you can to get as high a number as you can. of a square club head through impact results in straighter shots. Some golfers, mostly beginners, women, and older players, cannot handle the too stiff and too heavy structure of certain shafts. 97-104 mph should be using stiff flex in their clubs. Because seniors generally have slower swing speeds than younger golfers, they require a more flexible shaft. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience then it comes to choosing the right golf gear, and finding the right set up for your game. Well, to be honest, even these do not exactly help because they might end up feeling excessively whippy and therell be no such thing as tight dispersion anywhere to be seen during your round of golf. Another way to express it is the stiffness or the softness of the shaft. But a shaft that is too flexible will feel "whippy" and can lead to either inaccurate shots or shots that balloon into the air. Shafts that are more flexible can produce more distance but also tend to twist more and can result in a loss of accuracy. kick point shaft which enables a high trajectory and ball flight. Callaway Epic Max LS Review: Forgiveness and Distance? This will cause the ball to hit the ground faster and kill distance. For distance gains (seniors and beginners), pick graphite shaft. Its just that golfers who are older or even those just learning the game benefit more from a Senior shaft since its specifications (most lightweight feel and softest flex) are more slow-swing-speed-friendly. We have discussed regular and senior a lot but there is also ladies flex which is the most flexing shaft. Home Instruction Golf Guides Senior Flex vs Regular Flex. If you swing your driver with a speed between 84-96 mph then you should be playing regular flex through your bag. This sort of lighter, softer flex in the shaft increases distance by an additional 15 to 20 yards easily. Whereas for more control over your shots (more skilled players), go with a steel shaft. The answer here is all about swing speed, Do you know how fast you swing you driver? Read more The Best Hybrid Clubs for Seniors. Regular flex or Senior flex? The manufacturing process varies from one manufacturer to another and thereforeflex differs slightly. You will also have issues with distance control and consistency. Another difference is that steel is a lot heavier so some prefer the lightness of the graphite. Let your driving distance be the judge of that. Now you can easily choose Senior flex since its suitable for beginners with a slower swing speed. However, the TaylorMade P790 Ti irons will have you rolling back the years and in disbelief at how far they go. 3 Wood vs 5 Wood Which Fairway Wood is Best for Beginners? *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. Is senior flex good for beginners? Now you get why shafts with Senior flex are so highly recommended for increasing distance. So does golf shaft flex really matter? Ask your fitting technician this question and see what they recommend for you specifically. Flex is how much the shaft bends when you swing the club. But if your golf clubs are mostly Senior flex, you might find this wedge flex a little problematic. Mostly, irons are equipped with steel, Regular flex shafts. You can unhesitatingly switch to Senior flex at this point to increase your distance potential. Isnt our sport already hard enough?! ), Cant Hit A Golf Ball All Of A Sudden (12 Reasons, Fixes) . As you can see from the table above, there are a number of different shaft flex options. Regular flex shafts are designed for golfers who swing 90 to 100 mph and carry a driver about 200 to 240 yards. The more the shaft vibrates, the stiffer it is. Instead, go for Senior flex since this kind of shaft actually lets you launch your shots more easily, meaning it gets the ball airborne (with a higher launch) more easily. Graham Ulmer began writing professionally in 2006 and has been published in the "Military Medicine" journal. The result is pushed shots because of the. Top 10 Best Amateur Golf Balls (Updated 2021 Buying Guide), Is Rock Bottom Golf Legit? Its all about what fits and suits YOUR game, no matter your age! While drivers and woods, because they need to be hit with faster speed, feature lighter graphite, Senior flex shafts. When your swing speed is higher, getting the golf ball to launch higher is no concern. Seniors dont really get the option of choosing steel shafts because, as already mentioned before, lightweight graphite is more suitable for slower swing speeds. The team at MyGolfSpy have done a real deep-dive into this subject. This lightness can be great for older golfers. The process involves using a launch monitor that offers specific, valuable data based on your ball speed, spin, launch angle, and distance. Steel is a great material that gives you feedback on your shots as you feel the vibrations in your hands, graphite doesnt give such a benefit. Copyright 2022 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. If yes, time to make that switch to Senior flex. Senior and regular flex shafts are two measures of flexibility and are recommended for golfers of different levels. These are more like senior-friendly hybrid golf clubs that feature technology that benefits slow-speed players. ), then only the right shaft flex can get you to hit more greens and fairways. If you are using a shaft that is too stiff for you then you will really struggle to lift the ball into the air. Not every senior player, after all, shows a decline in his/her swing speed, strength, etc. Tectectec Vpro500 Golf Rangefinder Review. Steel, on the contrary, is so much easier for golfers to control simply because its heavier than graphite. Golf shafts come in several levels of flexibility, and it's difficult to play your best without a shaft that matches your game. If you want to hit the ball consistently further and straighter, then use more flex. The Best Golf Bag With a Cooler for 2022 5 Top Reviews. The shaft also allows for the feel and control that golfers seek when striking the ball. As a result, swing speed drops even more and you end up almost never squaring the clubface during impact, thus leading to mis-hits. In that case, seniors, with their slower swing speeds, have nothing to worry about here when using Senior shaft flex to achieve a higher-launching ball flight. So with the help of Stiff flex, this problem gets solved because players then can very easily manipulate or control the ball flight. A shaft that flexes too much will cause to. A medium trajectory is attained by a shaft with the kick point close to the center of the shaft. Your friends will be in awe, they also look absolutely stunning, but are quite expensive. Maybe even try these at the driving range! While the head of your club contacts the ball, your club shaft generates the speed and flexibility of the shot. in the shaft when under the load of the swing. I mean you could look up plenty of ways to fix the problem of slicing the ball, but if your equipment (in this case, shaft flex) is not right, no remedy will work. Titleist have recently retaken all of their crowns in the golfing world and their current iron line-up is just incredible. While Senior flex is perfect for those with a swing speed between 75 mph and 85 mph (so these would be golf irons for seniors). A shaft that is being used correctly will feel almost like a whip as it goes through the ball and accelerate the club through impact. You might as well buy a brand new set entirely at the same price! So simply just choose a more flexible Senior shaft that literally elevates launch angle while also maximizing distance. They offer control, stability, and less vibration through impact. So you can be a senior golfer, male or female, and still choose Ladies flex. Heres all you need to know about launch angle the longer that golf ball stays in the air, the farther its bound to travel. And now this could be senior golfers, beginner golfers, or women golfers. In this case you may also be hitting the ball really high which will kill your distance. A shaft that is too whiny just feels like it could break at any moment during your swing. And thats mainly because most of these golfers hit drivers and woods with increased speed (between 85 mph and 95 mph), for which Regular flex is indeed suitable. Getting checked on a launch monitor with an expert can confirm if this is the case or not. Best Affordable Golf Clubs 2022 Best Deals For The Money Here. This ones lighter, softer, and higher-launching too, which quite effortlessly adds an extra 15 to 20 yards just like that! But then these fittings cost a certain bit of money. I like to take it a step further and try the clubs on the driving range. These kinds of players, more often than not, cannot consistently make their tee shots travel beyond 200 yards. One of your biggest enemies in golf is your ego. Lightweight feel and softest shaft flex these combine to promote a faster swing speed for greater distance, launch angle, and accuracy. Now, this could be a costly upgrade or just the stock shaft your golf club already came with. Meaning theyre available in drivers, irons, hybrids, and wedges. These are more geared toward someone whos a beginner and older or a golfer whose strength is a bit lacking. But it never worked. But then if youre used to swinging Regular flex, you may want to choose based on your golfing skills and personal preferences. Test how each shaft flex performs on the golf course. But then Senior flex is much easier to swing than Regular flex. Read more The Best Golf Clubs for Seniors. The kick point determines the trajectory of the shot. These clubs are miracle workers. A more flexible or softer shaft, by default, gives you more distance. As time goes by and we lose distance, golf can get harder. Your distance is a result of your swing speed and how well you strike the ball. o much spin and a ball flight that stalls. You cant possibly expect to perform better on the turf with a too stiff or heavy shaft at this point. A change in shaft weight is something that even many novices will be able to feel. There are other important factors in shaft selection but speed is a fundamental. And keep in mind that only a higher, longer flight results in carrying the ball farther. Senior flex in golf shafts is not limited to just any one particular golf club. Certain shaft flexes are designed to match a particular swing speed. It is a golfing fact that most golfers are reluctant to move to senior or softer shafts and play with shafts that are too stiff for their swing speed and tempo. (Everything To Know), Can You Clean Golf Clubs With WD-40? It would be a horrible idea to equip someone who has never ever played golf (for example, a college kid into marathons and baseball) with Senior golf clubs. And thats enough to make you want to pick the Senior shaft flex. A driver swing speed between 84-96 mph requires regular, 72-83 mph requires senior flex. This flex will give you more control to help tame that extra speed you have. You are also more likely to miss to the draw side (right for left handers and left for righties). Senior shaft flex is specifically made for all golfers with a slow swing speed. Golf clubs for beginners are a better choice instead for brand new golfers since these are designed explicitly with more forgiveness and all that a beginner demands. As I say, this is not an exact science but it may help give you a rough idea. Distance loss is unavoidable if you combine a too stiff shaft with a slow swing speed. This tends to be a stiffer shaft and even golfers who use regular shafts use this flex in their wedges. Because with irons, you have to establish better rhythm and tempo since theyre more difficult to launch, and it doesnt matter if this is accompanied by a slight loss in clubhead speed. Before deciding on the type of shaft you must have this test, as it will not only show your swing speed but also your ball flight and other important factors. So it actually depends on your goals. Stiff golf club shafts can be made of graphite or steel. I cant just say that Senior flex shafts are made for senior players. This extra flexibility in the shaft can increase the launch angle of your shots to boost overall distance. Therefore, mis-hits leading to slices become common. Senior golfers should select a low kick point shaft which enables a high trajectory and ball flight. So for slow, senior swingers, that would be Senior flex. Another very effective way to decide if you should get Regular flex or Senior flex is custom fitting. Hitting your shots straighter and farther more consistently depends a great deal on the shaft flex. Like ladies tees, senior flex is one of those phrases in golf that I hate. On the other hand, if youre still hitting your shots longer than 200 yards with an average (90 mph) or even higher swing speed, you really should be opting for Regular shaft flex. You may also find it useful to add a bit more stiffness to your long irons. How to Decide If You Should Get Regular or Senior Flex? This decision is best left to a professional club fitter so book yourself some time with an expert technician and be amazed by the difference it will bring to your golf game. However, if your swing speed is very low and distance very poor as a senior golfer, make sure ALL your clubs have Senior shafts. The actual flex of the shaft is measured by its vibration frequency. The shaft is the engine room of your golf club and you want it firing for you to maximize your potential. Senior shafts also offer the golfer stability through impact. The difference between graphite and steel shafts is huge and you must get the flex right. Even though 80-percent of the golfing population seems to fit into either the Regular flex or Stiff flex category, you dont really have to conform because of indispensable options like the Senior flex golf shaft. There is no security in the feel as it cannot keep up with your golf swing. Blades vs. Cavity Back Irons More Control or Forgiveness. What swing speed needs a Senior flex shaft? Heavy Vs Light Golf Iron Shafts How To Choose Irons To Suit Your Game, MyGolfSpy have done a real deep-dive into this subject, Best Mens Golf Club Sets For The Money Get The Best Deal Here, Best Womens Golf Club Sets For The Money Get The Best Deal Here, Hybrid Vs Driving Iron Vs 5 Wood Which Is Better, Which Goes Further. Golf Ball Compression What Does It Really Mean and Do? Shaft flex is one of many characteristics that can influence the trajectory, accuracy and distance of your golf shots. At the same time, you finally are able to control and feel the impact of striking the golf ball like a pro. Take important factors such as distance, feel, flight path, trajectory, spin, control, and stability into account. Because only with the correct flex would it become possible as well as so much easier to square the clubface through impact. Shafts that are too stiff also make it more difficult to launch the ball. This article gives you a rough idea of what distance a certain swing speed can produce. And then this computer system or software tells you exactly which shaft you should be choosing to get the most out of your swing speed and mechanics. PING G410 Driver Review Increase Your Swing Speed? With so much equipment on the market these days, trying to choose what is best for you can be a minefield. So dont expect a low-launching drive to cover more ground, even if that leads to the ball rolling for quite a few yards after landing. Its only natural to think youre going to lose distance when you decide to swap shafts, any shafts. We are talking here about real fine-tuning of your equipment and you cannot do this through guesswork. have this test, as it will not only show your swing speed but also your ball flight and other important factors. shafts be selected for the irons, the lighter graphite shaft is an option for the driver, Graduating to Senior Golf- The Experience of a Senior Golfer, Best Used Golf Drivers Upgrade While Saving Your Cash, Leupold Golf Rangefinder Review All You Need To Know, The Benefits Of Standing Closer To The Golf Ball, Flightscope Mevo vs Trackman A Launch Monitor Comparison. I have been there and done the opposite, multiple times that too! If you arent interested in equipment then this can be even harder, you just want the best clubs for your game and thats it. When Regular flex is producing a lower ball flight and youre obviously not liking that because the longer the ball stays airborne, the farther it goes, then its time to bring on the Senior flex. Theres a lot more to understand here in terms of factors that provide well-justified answers to the following question, should I get Senior flex shafts? Having the wrong shafts can make your golf much harder than it needs to be, is it time for you to make a change? Each has its pros and cons indeed. I know that it only makes sense to swap your Regular flex shaft with a Senior flex. Cavity Back Vs Muscle Back Irons Vs Blades Whats Best And For Who? If your swing speed is at its lowest (under 80-85 mph), then you seem to be the perfect candidate for Senior flex. But then you dont have to worry about this if Regular flex is not the most fitting choice for you. The 7 Best Golf Ball Display Cases for 2022. This is an interesting question, it is now quite common to find wedges with wedge flex shafts in them. Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world. Sign up for email updates and get a free guide to 10 Golf Drills! That is NOT going to increase the overall distance. Select a shaft that matches your swing speed. that is readily available in most golf retail outlets or driving ranges. The shaft also helps with the angle that maximizes the distance of your shot. From trying to hit a club less just so you can tell your friends or playing a stiffer shaft than you should, we golfers are bad for this. Are you hitting your shots about 180 yards with a Regular shaft flex? The club shaft is the engine of the golf club. Instead, a higher loft in the driver helps, but then added loft tends to reduce overall distance. There are many different manufacturers of golf shafts worldwide and this includes steel and graphite as a choice to the golfer. Now, these could be beginners and/or seniors or even women golfers. It is thought that more weight can often add control thanks to this tendency to slow your swing down. I do not want to be guilty of over-generalizing or even generalizing as a matter of fact. Too heavy or too stiff shafts are not for slow-speed golfers. Regular flex, as the name would suggest is the flex that suits most golfers, senior flex is a little less stiff and better suits slower swing speeds. Understanding Putter Length How to Measure Putter Length? Your email address will not be published. This will result in a low ball flight which will hit the ground sooner and can vastly reduce your distance. Now if you normally play Regular flex, then this standard wedge flex is not a problem for you. Thankfully, it should be easy enough to pull old shafts out of your irons and replace them with new shafts. Golfers are surprised to learn that the softer shaft will consistently improve the distance by increasing the carry of the ball in the air. The launch angle will be greater and the high ball flight overcomes the tendency to try and. What Are The Main Factors For Moving To Senior Shafts? Today we are looking at iron shafts and we want you to consider if you are using the right ones. So what if your swing speed is below the average mark or is declining even? The repetition of a square club head through impact results in straighter shots. Well, that only happens if your swing speed is very fast. Not just seniors and beginners but professional players too have to make it a point to get their shafts properly fitted based on their swing speed. Senior flex shafts allow the golfer to launch the golf ball easily into the air. You need to test the various shafts that are available on a flight scope to find out how each shaft performs in terms of trajectory, flight path, distance, feel, stability, and most importantly control. If you dont have this option then you can also get a very rough idea of your swing speed by measuring how far you hit a ball. Youre most likely to almost always fail to square that clubface at the time of impact. That would be a swing speed between 75 mph and 85 mph (the lowest indeed). (Everything To Know). The only difference is that ladies golf clubs are shorter, and Petite womens golf clubs are even shorter. So if youre an older golfer whose clubhead speed has started to decline or youre simply getting back into golf after a looong break or are just beginning to play golf for the first time in your life, then its time to know all about how this particular shaft flex performs and how it differs from all the others. Just imagine covering enough distance on that first hole itself. 2022 Amazon Associates Program. Golfers are surprised to learn that the softer shaft will consistently. In simple terms, the definition of flex is the amount of bend in the shaft when under the load of the swing. Its what counts the most when it comes to achieving a low score. If youre a senior golfer experiencing a dip in your swing speed, choose Senior flex. However, theyre super helpful if you ask me, especially if you really cant make up your mind about choosing between Regular and Senior flex shafts. But then many older players carry a mix of both Regular and Senior shaft flex golf clubs. Do I Use The Same Flex In My Driver As In My Irons? So it doesnt really matter how much that drive rolls on the ground after landing!