Shaft Profile (Flex and Intended Design Characteristics)

Shaft Flex: Did you know the golf industry doesn't even have a universal standard when designating primary letter flex designations?  The true facts are one company's letter "R" primary flex designation may well be another company's S flex and yet another company's A flex designation!  For instance, an Aldila NV 65 "R" Flex wood shaft is not manufactured to have the same flex rating as a Grafalloy Pro Launch Blue "R" Flex.  Additionally, the shaft bend profiles, discussed in the Bend Profile section below, are all different values. 

Taking it even a step further, the specifications of an Aldila NV 65 "R" Flex shaft are very much different than any other model "R" shaft in the Aldila line up.  The same is true with all the other shaft manufacturers.  So how do you know which shaft is right for you?  The only sure way of knowing is to have your swing evaluated by a competent club fitting specialist in order to determine precisely what flex and shaft profile is best for your individual swing and playing characteristics.

Bend Profile:  There is also more to a shaft than simply the primary flex designation.   All golf shafts have a bend profile.   A very basic way to describe Bend Profile is the distribution of stiffness throughout the entire length of the shaft.  The shaft can be engineered to be stiffer in some sections and more flexible in other sections.  These general sections of the shaft are the Butt, Center, and Tip sections.  For example, hypothetically a shaft could be engineered to have a Bend Profile of Butt Flexible, Center Medium Stiff and Tip Flexible.  So, in this hypothetic example, there are three different possibilities for flex in a given section and  there are three sections of the shaft.  That equals 27 different Bend Profile possibilities in this basic example. 

The purpose of the Primary Flex and the Bend Profile is to attempt to enhance the launch angle and trajectory of a shot and to promote a desired "feel" factor of the club that a player likes.   When the primary flex and bend profile are properly matched to the player, the launch angle and trajectory can sometimes be adjusted up or down.  The loft of the clubhead has the most effect on launch angle and trajectory; however, the properly matched primary flex and bend profile can  be used to fine tune trajectory by a degree or two in some cases. 


Shaft Torque.  A Shaft will also twist around it's axis during a swing because there is measurable mass, a club head, attached to the tip section.  This twisting characteristic can be measured and is termed Torsional Stiffness or Torque.  Torque is measured in degrees.  For example: A shaft with a torque rating of 3 degrees is more resistant to twisting than a shaft rated at 7 degrees. 

Without even considering primary flex or shaft profile, it would be an extremely poor choice for a player with a slow swing speed to use a shaft with 3 degrees of torque.  Likewise, a player with a high swing speed would be hampered by using a shaft with 7 degrees of torque.  What's the torque rating of the shaft you are presently using?