#ASKMYGOLFSPY – Graphite vs. Steel Shafts

That actually was once the case. However like Bob Dylan stated, “The instances, they’re a-changin’”. Composite supplies are lighter than metal and subsequently represented the best choice to construct lighter, extra versatile shafts. So far, loads of golfers can profit from iron shafts that weigh lower than 60 grams and that’s nonetheless the first use case for graphite iron shafts.
 
Golfers with slower swing speeds can profit from lighter shafts than assist them swing quicker which creates larger launch, extra ball velocity, and finally extra distance. However, as a result of graphite shafts solely served the wants of a specific set of golfers, it acquired a popularity. And that historical past is an efficient little bit of why higher/quicker golfers usually carry a stigma towards graphite iron shafts.
 
However that historical past, is nicely, historical past. Fujikura, Mitsubishi, Aerotech Steelfiber and LA Golf are a number of manufactures that produce graphite iron shafts which might be performed all over the world by a few of the strongest, quickest gamers within the sport (See: Bryson DeChambeau)
 
So, no. Graphite isn’t just for slower swing velocity gamers. The choices aren’t as plentiful as metal, significantly in heavier weights (120gr+) however that’s slowly altering as nicely

2. Why do graphite shafts value a lot extra?

Brief reply, that’s not at all times the case. Longer reply – but it surely usually does.
If it have been a Venn Diagram with one circle representing the price of metal shafts and the opposite graphite shafts, there’d nonetheless be some quantity of overlap. Most metal shafts in the marketplace fall within the $30-$60/shaft vary (uninstalled). Comparatively, graphite iron shafts begin round $50 and go up from there. LA Golf’s graphite iron shafts all sit barely north of $100 per shaft.
 
Why does graphite value extra? The short reply is that graphite shafts value extra as a result of they’re costlier to provide and use larger value supplies. The opposite factor is provide and demand. With comparatively few selections available in the market, shortage helps assist larger costs. Ought to that equation change and we begin to see further choices, that would begin to deliver costs down a bit.

3. Will a tour participant ever use graphite iron shafts? Why haven’t we seen it a lot?

Yep, and we’ve already seen it.
 
Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar have each routinely used Aerotech SteelFiber shafts of their irons all through their careers. And take into accout, these aren’t two fringe gamers struggling to maintain a PGA Tour Card. Kuchar has 9 PGA Tour wins, 3 worldwide wins and over $54 million in on-course earnings. Likewise, Snedeker received the FedEx Cup in 2012 and likewise has 9 PGA Tour victories. Extra lately, gamers like Abe Ancer (Mitsubishi MMT) and Bryson DeChambeau (LA Golf) have switched to graphite iron shafts.
 
And if we’re prepared to look past the PGA Tour, you’ll see loads of LPGA Tour gamers with graphite iron shafts.
 
I believe the explanation we haven’t seen extra graphite iron shafts, particularly on the PGA Tour is for 2 causes. First, is a scarcity of clear profit. That may sound harsh, however there isn’t any wide-scale proof that reveals PGA Tour gamers are struggling to carry out with current metal shafts. Furthermore, if we glance again at momentous modifications in golf gear that resulted in comparatively quick and close to common adoption  (stable core golf balls, graphite wooden shafts), the efficiency implications have been apparent and simple. That isn’t the case proper now with graphite iron shafts.
 
The second cause isn’t as impactful, but it surely’s an element nonetheless. With graphite iron shafts, gamers have to contemplate and assess the impression to no less than 50% of the golf equipment in his/her bag. That takes loads of time and testing. The one actual alternative gamers have to do that is throughout the low season, which is when gamers are additionally trying to spend time with household, journey and relaxation. This will get us proper again to “if it ain’t broke….” and spherical and spherical we go.

4. How do I do know which is the higher choice for me?

The one method to know definitively whether or not shaft A is healthier than shaft B is to work with a professional fitter. However greater than that, it’s crucial to have a plan as to the way you’re going to evaluate efficiency.
 
And that is much less about graphite vs. metal, but in addition about iron becoming, typically. We all know that golfers too usually depend on a “homerun derby” method to becoming. That’s, they have an inclination to fixate on a single finest (usually, longest) shot versus taking a look at whole efficiency. Relating to irons, distance is a vital criterion. However, golfers ought to give equal weight to the entire trajectory of every shot – launch, spin, peak peak and descent angle. Past that, take note of “North-South” and “East-West” dispersion. Too usually golfers equate accuracy with how far left/proper of goal a shot finally ends up. However, the vary of every iron from shortest to longest is simply as vital.
 
A remaining consideration – For a lot of golfers, metal and graphite shafts will really feel completely different – significantly due to how they deal with vibration. Consequently, graphite usually feels “higher” or “softer/smoother” In case you are inclined to wrestle with joint points or soreness, graphite probably presents some benefits.

5. Which golf equipment in my bag ought to have completely different shafts?

At a minimal, it’s probably that you just want no less than 5 completely different shafts, not together with the putter. Driver, fairway wooden, hybrid, irons and wedges.
 
You may make the argument that for those who can carry 14 golf equipment, then every membership must be optimized to do a selected job – and if that job requires a barely completely different shaft than the membership to both aspect, so be it.
 
The opposite mind-set about that is that you just want the variety of shafts that permit every membership to carry out optimally for you.
 
That is one case the place it’s not a horrible concept to look within the luggage of tour gamers and aggressive novice golfers to get some baseline info. Sometimes, you’ll discover 4-5 completely different makes/fashions, usually separated by class – wedges, irons, fairway woods/hybrids and driver.
 
As at all times, a pair caveats to contemplate. Some golfers would possibly use a unique wedge shaft (DG Spinner, KBS Hello-Rev) to create extra spin and better launch in a selected membership – usually the very best lofted wedge. Moreover, iron shafts equivalent to Dynamic Gold AMT characteristic completely different weights in every shaft to assist alter launch situations all through the set.

6. Ah sure…however what about my putter?

Placing is a gradual science. So, that’s at all times the backdrop after we speak about efficiency on a swing that doesn’t exceed a number of miles-per-hour. Nevertheless, as a gradual science, small modifications in efficiency can produce drastically completely different outcomes. As long as a 6-inch putt counts the identical as a 300-yard drive, it’s truthful to slender our focus to tenths-of-a-degree and fractions of an inch.
 
Contemplate {that a} putter face that’s greater than 1° open or closed will miss the outlet from 8 toes. At 15 toes, it drops to 0.5°. The purpose is that it’s cheap to analyze something that may assist a golfer scale back the variation of face angle at impression. Little question, corporations that promote graphite and multi-material putter shafts usually cite comparable statistics whereas producing research that advocate for no matter product it’s that they’re attempting to promote.
 
So, do you want a graphite shaft in your putter? Our research appears to counsel that there’s a potential profit for some golfers. However whereas the expertise sneakers promise, it’s untimely to declare any form of common profit. 

7. Is one higher than the opposite?

There’s a finest reply for each golfer. However that reply isn’t the identical for each golfer. Furthermore, that reply will probably change as corporations proceed to judge new supplies and manufacturing processes. It’s additionally value noting that metal shaft producers proceed to experiment with composite supplies. Conversely, composite corporations aren’t investing in or exploring the capabilities of metal shafts. That ought to inform us one thing.

Taking a step again and contemplating each the place the trade is at present and the place’s it’s probably headed, carbon composite shafts have the benefit. Metal is isometric – that means, it may possibly principally do “one factor.” However composite supplies permit engineers extra levers to tug and dials to show. Successfully, the attainable implications of graphite shafts are higher than metal shafts. Put in a different way, we all know the vast majority of what metal shafts can and may’t do. With graphite shafts, we’re nonetheless asking the questions.

I’ll end with a fast historical past lesson. Within the mid 1800’s hickory shafts grew to become commonplace, changing regionally obtainable woods like ash, hazel and danglewood. And although early variations of metal shafts began to floor within the early 1900s, the R&A and USGA deemed them to be towards the principles. Actually, it wasn’t till the 1924 US Open that metal shafts have been allowed – and even then, the use was restricted to putters. By the Thirties metal shafts have been authorized and ubiquitous. And right here we’re, practically a century later and that’s nonetheless the case. For now.