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TXG: Does shaft weight and torque matter?

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We’re excited to announce a new video partnership with Tour Experience Golf, a Custom Golf Club Fitting Studio in Toronto, Canada. Check out the announcement video here for more information.

In the first video, TXG isolates shaft weight and torque as the only variables in a club test to see how those factors influence delivery and ball flight. Check out the video below, and let us know in the comments what topics you’d like covered next time!

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16 Comments

16 Comments

  1. Ted Noel

    Sep 14, 2018 at 9:09 am

    The discussion of shaft weight is solid, but misses the point. Each player, as shown in the discussion, has a “felt weight” that matches his swing. That “felt weight” can be measured as dynamic moment of inertia. If the player hits at his best MOI, he will have the most consistent swing and best probability of center face strikes. If that MOI is measured from a point between the hands (typ about 4″ from the butt), the entire set of clubs can be matched to that MOI and the player will be more consistent throughout the set.

    In the case of the player tested for the video, the middle weight shaft resulted in his best MOI match.

    On a related subject, we need to see fitting discussions related to the real (non-professional) world. I need to better fit my 220-230 yard driver swing, not drool over a 300 yard bomber.

  2. dat

    Sep 13, 2018 at 11:00 am

    It’s mostly snake oil. You need to be a tour caliber player to see any benefits.

  3. pr

    Sep 13, 2018 at 2:30 am

    My girl says it’s always about the girth and heft

  4. CrashTestDummy

    Sep 13, 2018 at 12:17 am

    It is great to test isolated variables to see the affects and how to fit properly. Weight definitely affects the golf swing in terms of tempo. However, I disagree that weight was the root cause the inconsistency with the test results. To me, it was the torque that caused most of the inconsistency in the dispersion of the groupings.

    The guy on the right thinks that torque is only a “feel” variable and doesn’t think torque affects the dispersion because impact is too short of time frame for the club to twist to cause an off line shot. I totally disagree because twisting of shaft does not just occur at impact. Twisting of the shaft occurs throughout the golf swing. So, throughout the golf swing the clubhead will be twisting depending on the player’s golf swing. Therefore, the clubhead could be off a few degrees off at impact because the clubhead was twisting on the downswing.

    Generally speaking, the higher the torque will cause a strong swinger to spray shots more than a tighter lower torque shaft. To me, there is generally a sweet spot for a torque for each player depending on how much player influences a shaft. Torque definitely affect dispersion.

    • stevet

      Sep 13, 2018 at 1:46 pm

      The clubhead not only twists the shaft, the shaft tip “droops” so the clubhead CG aligns with the shaft axis. This closes the driver club face for impact. During impact the clubhead kicks back for a few microseconds before it launches the ball. Shaft flex is complex.

      • CrashTestDummy

        Sep 13, 2018 at 9:57 pm

        Shaft flex is complex because there is so much variation in flex patterns. However, I would bet if you compared a same weight shaft to the one in the test (where he was spraying his shots) with another shaft that has around a point lower torque, the dispersion would be tighter. I have done that test several times over the years. I truly believe there is still a torque sweet spot for players that enables them to release the club more squarely through impact.

  5. Gary

    Sep 12, 2018 at 7:02 pm

    These guys are the best fitters period. Watch there videos. Hi Im 66 and 85-90 mph and for my quick tempo swing i play a 330 gram driver, 64 stiff diamana r series midsize grip callaway fudion head 10.5 with 14 gram weight at 45 and st club championi tried everything head snd shaft and nothing beat it. Lighter is not faster for quick swing. For je weight anf torque first.

    • stevet

      Sep 13, 2018 at 1:54 pm

      330 gram driver must be total weight because driver heads are in the 200 gram weights. You are correct that how you load your shaft is more important than shaft weight.

  6. Travis

    Sep 12, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    Not as much as a good or bad swing matters…

  7. 2putttom

    Sep 12, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    oh you betchya it matters

  8. EE

    Sep 12, 2018 at 1:06 pm

    Do shaft weight and torque matter?
    Yes they do

  9. Wade

    Sep 12, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    Have you ever done any testing with multiple versions of the same shaft to see differences in manufacturing?

  10. Judah Aderhold

    Sep 12, 2018 at 11:59 am

    Those cpm ratings are all just measured at one spot right? Cause couldn’t the shafts have different stiffnesses (cpm ratings) throughout the rest of the shaft even though they all are the same stiffness in that spot?

  11. joe virdone

    Sep 12, 2018 at 9:33 am

    Good stuff. How do you look at fitting a slower swinger…I’m 74, play the Epic Star and am always looking for more distance. My carry distance is ~ 220 yds, relatively high ball flight. Swing speed in ~85-90 mph. Always thought r flex, lighter shaft and relatively high torque. Does this match with your studies? Thanks…/JV

    • Steve McIvor

      Sep 12, 2018 at 6:58 pm

      Hi Joe, it sounds like if you’re swinging it at 85-90 and getting 220 carry, you’re doing pretty well. Realistically, it will be pretty difficult to get much more out of it. Especially by playing about with shafts. At the end of the day, club head is the most important thing. Don’t let anyone tell you different.

    • stevet

      Sep 13, 2018 at 1:50 pm

      What is your driver face loft? 10º? 12º? 14º? You may get more distance with higher lofts to match your lower swing speed.

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Equipment

Spotted: Tony Finau’s driver shaft change at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open

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Tony Finau has always been known as one of the longest players on the PGA Tour, but he has recently been working on adding a little more distance. Last year, Finau averaged 118.3 mph club head speed and 178.08 mph ball speed, all while playing a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX driver shaft. This year, he has increased his club head speed to 123.93 mph and his ball speed to 183.32 mph.

However, Finau’s overall distance has decreased by two yards in that time. From a fitting perspective, something was amiss. We asked Tony about the shaft change at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open.

“[I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin. My driver’s been a little high spin for me over the last month or so, and so I just figured it was time to probably check out the equipment,” Finau said. “And it definitely showed me that I was using a shaft that’s maybe a little too tip-stiff for me, the way I load the club now. [I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin.”

Finau switched from the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX into the Diamana GT 70 TX. The newer Diamana GT has a slightly different profile than the D+ Limited with the stiffest handle section in the Diamana lineup. The mid sections between the two are similar stiffness but the tip is just slightly stiffer in the Diamana GT. Both shafts are within one gram of each other in the 70 TX. The torque rating on the GT is 0.1 higher than the D+Limited’s 2.7 measurement.

Mitsubishi lists the Diamana GT as a shaft between the mid-launching Diamana TB and the new low-launch Diamana WB shafts. For most players, it would be considered a mid/low launch and low-spin shaft option. Mitsubishi’s Xlink Tech Resin System makes sure the maximum carbon fiber content is there for smooth feel without reducing the strength of the shaft. MR70 carbon fiber is used for reinforcing the shaft and boron is used in the tip for its high strength and compression properties.

Finau is still using his trusty Ping G430 LST driver in 9 degrees and has the adjustable hosel set to -1 degree of loft (standard lie angle). Finau’s long-time favorite Lamkin UTX Green grip is installed. He definitely has a few extra wraps of tape under that grip as you can see the bulge down where the grip meets the shaft.

One final note: Per Ping’s PGA Tour rep Kenton Oates, Finau’s driver is also adjusted to play one degree upright to help dial in his desired launch.

We’ll see how he fares with the new setup this week in Houston!

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Whats in the Bag

Zac Blair WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Red 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade M5 Rocket 3 (14 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Speeder 757 Evolution V1 X

Utility: Titleist U510 (3)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue 85 X

Irons: Ping i210 (4-6), Miura MB-001 (7-9)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 58-08M @57, 60 @61), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (52-M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 105 X

Putter: Scotty Cameron prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

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Whats in the Bag

Martin Trainer WITB 2024 (March)

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Driver: Wilson Staff Staff Model (6.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kai’li Blue 70 TX

3-wood: Wilson Staff WLabs Prototype (13 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 80 TX

Irons: Wilson Staff Staff Model (2, 4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Wilson Staff Staff Model (52, 56, 60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: Bobby Grace Greg Chalmers Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

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