Graphite Vs. Steel

OK,
I have a reg. flex graphite in my left hand and a reg. flex steel shaft in my right hand. And I am looking to replace my shaft for my diver. But heres the kicker, my local golf pro really couldn't tell me why one was better then the other. So I can here to ask the Golf Gods. What are some of the plus and minus of a graphite Vs. steel shaft in a driver (or any other club in that matter)?

If by some act of God that the shafts were actually the exact same flex, you would notice:

with a graphite shaft: the shaft is lighter - this creates a higher swing speed, which creates more distance.

with a steel shaft: the shaft is heavier and will create a much more controlled shot. Steel also provides a more consistant result time after time.

Steel shafts have 0 torque, so you don't have to worry about the shaft twisting during a shot, which will open the club face on graphite shafts.

With all the benefits of steel, people still tend to get graphite for the extra distance. As graphite shafts evolve, they are bocoming more like steel in the fact that they have very little torque now. They are becoming more and more consistant, but still not as consistant as steel.

__________________
Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

So, I don't really care how far the ball goes (golf is about control to me), but I do want the ball to stay in the fairway. From your view, steel shaft tends to be a better shaft for control. Well, then my 2nd question would be what would be the best flex and brand to get of steel if I use a graphite reg. flex?

You can still get control out of graphite, so don't discount graphite just yet.

As for steel, the True Temper Dynamic Gold shafts and Royal Precision Rifle Shafts are really good.

For graphite, there are many good sfafts out there as well. Try the Aldila NV 75, Accuflex Evolution or Harrison Striper.

I just put a Striper in my 3W and it has really helped my accuracy. Plus, my distance is now about 270 with my 3W!

I would suggest a True Temper TX-90 which is one of the new breed of superlight steel shafts they are close to graphite in terms of overall weight, albeit the very heaviest graphite shafts. They combine most of the accuracy of steel but grant a little of the clubhead speed advantage of graphite. If you are playing a regular graphite you should be using a regular steel.

D.

Mizumoman,


I agree the TX-90 is an outstanding shaft but there is one thing that should probably be looked at prior to selecting a shaft and that is the flight trajectory that the player wants. The TX-90 has a low kick-point which as you know results in a high trajectory. As for myself, I love the light weight of the TX-90 but with a 5-iron swing speed of 85-90mph, a high trajectory kills me. I have found that my shots tend to perform better with a mid (or boring) trajectory.

So to the person asking about shafts, if you have a slower swing speed and either need some assistance in getting the ball up or just prefer a high trajectory, definately go with the TrueTemper TX-90....it's a fantastic shaft. If you're like me and prefer more of a mid trajectory or even a low trajectory, you'll want to pick a different shaft.

In short, do your research on the various shafts that you're looking at and choose the one that matches your desired result. If you want an easy way to see the trajectory of the various shafts that are out there, you can go to http://www.golfsmith.com/cm/browse.php?N=392203 and select the shaft you're looking at and see the various characteristics of that shaft.

Wow!! 270 on the 3W is great!!

I'm going to be upgrading my driver in the next few weeks and was looking at the r7 quad HT but noticed that the Torque on the stock shaft was 4.1
Should I look at replacing the stock shaft with one with a lower torue, like the Aldila NV 75?

4.1 is a pretty standard rating.

Unless your ss is > 125 mph, it should do you just fine.

Definitely go with the upgraded shaft option. The shaft is the engine of the club - without a good engine, the club will never perform at it's highest capabilities.

With all the new oversized drivers on the market (over 360cc heads) you definitely want something with under 4* of torque. Beware, the less torque, the stiffer the shaft (usually, but not in every case). A stiff flex with 3.9* torque would be comparable to a reg flex with 2.5* torque. Ensure that the shaft has been frequency tested or put on a flex board to determine if the flex matches your swing.

__________________
Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall

My clubhead speed is around 100mph, so that shouldn't be a problem.

You don't recommend the 7-55 M.A.S.2 that comes with the r7's?

I don't generally recommend the stock shafts in woods, no. That said, if you find a club you hit really well, then it works for you, and you shouldn't tinker!