Driver fitting and the importance of the correct shaft

Most keen golfers know the importance of getting a driver fitted for them however most people do not truly understand the importance of the shaft. The shaft is like the engine in your car and has a massive influence on how the clubhead is delivered to the ball at impact. When getting a driver fit it is important to understand some of these factors.

Just because you have been fitted in the past does not mean that the shaft you are currently using will work in a new or different head. Companies change the heads and play around with added ball speeds, the centre of gravity and weight distribution to make a driver go longer, have higher MOI (moment of inertia) more forgiving as well as being easier to launch. At the same time truing to control the spin rate of the driver. As driver’s heads change it is always important to get refitted when buying a new one.

The flex of the driver is very important. Your clubhead speed can have a considerable influence on the flex of the driver however not all shafts are created equal so just because you are stiff in one brand or type you might be a regular in another. At The Golf School, we can frequency analyse each shaft that comes in so we are able to know the TRUE flex of the shaft. The flex of the shaft is measured in CPM which stands for cycles per minute the more CPM the stiffer the driver is. Just because it has stiff written on it does not mean it cycles that way.

What we have found over the years that the better quality of shaft like House of forged and Auto Flex will be considerably more consistent than a cheaper one. The reason being is the better-quality shafts use not only better materials but use a lot more graphite to resin ratio. They also have far better tolerances as compared to the shafts that hit the market, meaning that they will cycle close to the same making it not only easier to replace if it is broken but there is a lot more consistency to the shaft you test and the shaft you receive. Along with head design the flex of the driver will have a considerable influence on the spin rate of the ball, therefore effecting flight, carry and total distance.

The kick point is an important part of the fitting process as this along with the loft on the driver is what helps get the ball in the air. There are a few factors to consider when looking at the kick point needed in the driver shaft. Some of these are, angle of attack, club head speed, spin rate of the driver, club face contact, both static and dynamic lofts of the driver face. All these things can be measured providing the fitter has the correct technology. We use Trackman, as we have found it the be the best unit on the market for our outdoor driving range, as well as being the most accurate unit in both club and ball data which allows us to give a more comprehensive fit.

These are just a few of the things that effect the driver, but I can not stress enough the importance on getting the correct fit. Gone are the days where we just walk into a shop and buy a driver off the shelf because getting the correct fit should not cost you much more than the price of the driver. With so many options out the it can be confusing as to which one might be best for you so always a clever idea to keep an open mind when going in to a club fit. If you have any further questions feel free let us know or if you would like to test your driver against some of the current ones feel free to book in today.