What a brilliantly simple concept. I could sit and talk to you all day.

Learn something new today, thanks AJ. Softer flex if you want to reduce fades or slices, and stiffer if you want to reduce draws or hooks. I’ll always remember that flex is the last part in a 3 part shaft selection: 1. Weight, 2. Profile, and then 3. Flex. Thanks for the education. Cheers.

By far the best explanation of shaft flex and its effect on your shot shape I’ve ever seen. I was even able to flips sides for a lefty! I now I know I have to (1) get a fit and (2) move from stiff to regular.

As a lefty, the last 3 weeks I have been fade slicing my driver to the left with a stiff shaft. Now it makes sense. Time to switch to a regular flex and see what happens. Great video.

Excellent! Great point on the weight of the shaft being the base of the pyramid. I’d encourage everyone to experiment. I love testing different clubs/shafts out on the course where I actually use them…test it out in the wild and see how it works for you! To me, it’s the best way, and I’ve found stuff I liked that was entirely unexpected.

I'm always excited to get a new Elite Fit video. I have gone to graphite but before that played the Dynamic Gold 105 S and struggled occasionally with balls going a little right especially early in the round. Tried 105r and really did change my direction to more online. Now use Dynamic gold 105 r in all my wedges and love em. Thanks again for the great content.

Awesome video. This matches several online fitting apps I’ve tried for me also. They all recommend for me: Irons- stiff & +1 up lie, Woods- regular. All normal length. I usually hit straight, but sometimes hit a hook/draw with irons & occasionally slice woods. Thanks for info! 👍🏻

great info...as a club fitter from the 90s / early 2000s, it's nice to see that things haven't changed that much since then, even with all of the amazing technology available these days...i was between stiff and regular and went regular to keep a left / draw bias...thanks!

Such a simple explanation, thank you. Would love to see another vid with sr flex and altering just the weight. Wish you were close to me, I come for a custom fitting.

Nice simple demonstration. I'd be interested in seeing a demo/ fitting show the difference between stock (no upcharge) shaft options. on a driver. As in how much vsriety is there and maybe how close they can get to upcharge shafts

Dead on. So simple. Best vid yet imo.

Awesome explanation! Straight to the point with data to back it up. Well done!

I’ve also seen similar results going to the X100’s after 15 years with the S300’s. It’s a minor difference but the face is slightly more open which helps launch the ball higher and decrease the hooks. The bigger difference for me is that I can really step on one with the x100’s where the S300’s would hook in that situation.

Most people who come into the store where I work think because the shaft is marked stiff all stiffs are stiffer than regulars and don't realize for example a regular Dynamic gold at 125 grams plays stiffer than say a stiff lighter shaft like a KBS 85-90 gram shaft , so definitely find the weight and shaft you like then the flex and players with speed have way more choices than a slower swinger because they can't load the shafts in the mid to longer irons if they even play them.

Keep pulling left with my Stealth, I switched from KBS 85 Stiff Flex to KBS Tour 120 Regular, and it looks like it's back to the way it was. In my opinion, static weight and swing weight are the most important. Good works, thanks AJ.

Another awesome video AJ! Most golfers would enjoy the game more and benefit greatly by checking their ego at the door when picking out their golf shafts. ⛳

Always good videos AJ! I found your channel about the time I got back into golf and started re-gripping clubs right away. Thanks.

Perfect timing! Needed this! Getting fit next weekend. Thank you!!!!

Loving your videos. Practical and easy to follow content! 👏

Great info here. I’ve been for multiple fittings at different facilities and never once been explained to about profile. They watch me hit try to find good numbers and hand me a club…I’d be interested in a fitting with you just so I can learn more about why I ended up with the clubs I have.

If you want to stop slicing the ball you're better spending money on "Lessons" rather than new shafts

Great explanation! My case was odd, I started with a regular flex iron set and all my shots would go right. Bought a great condition Nike VR combo set with X flex shafts and all my shots are now straight. Driver is a stiff flex and can hit them long and straight on a good day but usually go right

Excellent advice as always 🙌

Excellent content. This confirms my recent thoughts about the irons I use currently. I've X in all metals, but S300 irons and left misses or slightly too much draw is my consistent miss with them, so I've started compensating for it lately. At the very least, this gives me a little more to consider when selecting my next upgrade.

Interesting, I was not aware of this concept. Great insight, thank you.

So good, thanks for your insight. Love your channel. Keep up the good work.

Nice test. Would have been great to have included face angle in your results. Future test request: where to add lead tape on the rear most part of the driver to encourage fade vs draw. (More specifically, does lead tape on middle (left to right) rear most part of driver encourage face to close)

was exactly the case for me, played S300 for years and my bad miss was a hook, eventually went to an X100 and voila, no more left miss (well, rarely)....I've since matriculated into lighter weight shafts but keeping an X-stiff profile, same deal - although I will say I moved out of the Dynamic Gold, not a profile I get along with any more.....good vid

Great video and tip on shaft flex! Keeping it simple. Thanks again.

Great videos. Can you do a video where you test of the Bryson LA golf iron shaft? I think an argument could be made that heavy and xstiff shafts might not be just for super fast swingers. Thanks.

Cool vid, especially as planning to get fit shortly (Definitely going lighter than old fashioned 130g shaft!) My 6i speed hovers around 80 mph so with traditional fitting I would be border-line Regular vs Stiff. The shot that hurts in terms of miss is when pull the shot. And especially if feel shaft bend more than usual, it can really go wide.

Great vid AJ. I need stiff as I hook and I got reg flex thanks

I would like you to do another between Regular and Senior, same weight , same length . PLEASE WITH THE DRIVER!!!🙏🏿🙏🏿

Thanks for a nice, simple way to explain what shaft to choose. I tried a 40g L and 50g A flex in my driver. At the range, I hit 10 shots with the A flex, and saw three quarters of shots found my imagined fairway; the L flex results varied--one third went right, one-third went left, and one hit my target landing area. I have access to a simulator and plan to try this experiment indoors Until then, I plan to keep the A flex in the driver. I'm interested in learning about putter shafts (double bends, plumber, slant necks, etc.) and which shaft works best for different styles of putting. Thanks

Its an eye-opening video, very interesting. My good hits are draws and bad ones are hooks, I guess I should try some x-stiff shafts in future.

Excellent information! Thanks 😊

Today, there are many shafts to choose from. They all have individual characteristics. Swing speed, and swing plane, are really the most important factors that should be addressed in selecting a shaft. shafts are divided not only by weight, length, and the speed of your swing. The torsional rigidity ( stiffness) of the tip, center, and butt, sections are all being addressed by companies today. This kind of technology has driven the price of shafts through the roof. There are many elements to consider when purchasing a shaft, and it does make a difference! Choose wisely!!!!!

you are the best man. love your videos

Hey great video, Quick question... how would high or low torque fit into this equation? Thanks

When I aged out of extra stiff, I noticed the shafts didn’t seem to have a kick anymore. But the visual change was not left or right, but too low.

Great video! Can you explain what is actually happening in the swing? Or how the shaft is responding? That yields to these results? Thanks again.

Just found your video today. Great info and even better presentation. Restarted playing in 2020 after 15 year layoff. August im 62, and I had to practically relearn everything, with a lot older back and right side nerve damage. Wasted no time going from steel to graphite, 85g to just 65g. My miss is a slice or a pull-hook. Im in a R flex, so should I consider going to a 60g shaft? I dont think i need to use a seniors shaft with a swing speed of normally around 92 - 94.

Does this apply to driver shafts? Fairway shafts? I personally experience the opposite with driver 🤷‍♂️

Cool video ! Im right handed....maybe something wrong with me 😂 What would you guess I might do best with .. (I'll report back after testing). I'm not fast, around 85 to 90mph with 7i I own and have tested: 1)DG 95 R shafts I consistently miss right (can't not do it) 2) KBS tour xflex 130g which I miss left (sometimes) 3) KBS tour S 120g that I miss left a little too (now playing in pw to 7i) 4) DG 105 R in my 6i and 5i which feel ok but not sure if they're optimal (hence the tinkering) I also bought to test and tinker: - KBS Tour S Lite, and KBS FLT 120g What should I try and what would you guess might be right based on the above? P.s. a fitting session is great, but for me I feel like I need multiple sessions to really test and get a feel for a shafts sometimes (although I was able to easily rule out some others I tested immediately, e.g DG S200, NSPro S 95 ... KBS tour feel noticeably much better to me)

Nobody explanes it as clearly as you!

How does weight impact this. 105 vs 115 for example?

Great vid, very helpful, thanks!

Great video, I’d like to maybe see a comparison between a graphite shaft and steel shaft of similar weight and flex

Excellent video and Thanks.

Do a video on the pros and cons of counter balance weighting.

Good vid, except for one key thing: you don't discuss WHY softer flex goes left and stiffer flex goes right. Any insights? Also, you appear to conflate flex and bend profile in the beginning. Profile is about *where* it bends, flex is about *how much* it bends.

Interesting logic with this video. I know from the past, the Xstiff shafts didn’t offer lighter weight, weight being the base of the pyramid, typical X flex shafts tend to be in the 120g area while stiff and regular down stepping 100g. An Xstiff shaft would be great if it were in the 110g area but I haven’t seen anything like this on the market? Just to note, I think karsten had it right with the eye 2’s, offering them in a light weight shaft with stiffer flex throughout the set. A lighter shaft allows most golfers the ability to swing consistently throughout a round vs tiring out due to heavier swing weighted clubs, plus offering enough flex and stiffness to keep the ball on target and optimal flight. Thanks

Excellent video 👌

I am a scratch golfer and I hit a straight ball....just turned 60 and my driver swing is 98mph...I need to the ball to launch higher. My irons are Srixon Z785 and the shafts I have in them are Modus MS Pro tour120

Love your videos.. Do you think as a 16 handicap player I would benefit from a full fitting?

Hmmm. My stiff woods draw and my stiff irons fade. I know why with my irons though when i slow my swing and watch it i come across the ball slightly from outside in.

thanks for your knowledge of golf and club repair etc.i would like your opinion on the project x hzrdus 5.5 reg graphite shaft.tell me your thoughts on this shaft.thank u

Nice one Sir!

I play Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 105 in R flex in Srixon Z585 irons. These seem to play R+. Hit a slight fade these days.

I recently was given a set of stiff irons. I have noticed the ball comes out lower and has much more spin.

I think a lot of people (men) play shafts that are too stiff instead of using regular, senior or ladies flex because using one of them isn't manly. I'm now 73, went from regular to senior and now play ladies flex. Somehow it hasn't affected my manliness one iota. What's your take on flex point. I've always been told that the lower your swing speed the lower you want the flex point.

How does shaft length affect the decision? I play +1/2 in irons.

Would be interested in more info on your shaft “pyramid”; weight - profile - flex.

Given I play about 5 yards of overdraw this one spoke to me. However what is a tall guy to do? I’m 6’4” and play clubs +1”. I recently gained speed after hip surgery (94-96 mph 7 iron). Seems like not a lot of options X options in 95-105g shafts to keep swing weight down. Maybe I should get lies a degree flat first before going down shaft route?

I have the calaway strata starter set got my distance around 145 150 of good contact with my 9 iron off turf on grass I’m a sweeper as of now haven’t gotten the divot down but I’m working on it but I take off a few yards in fairway and about 10 in the rough the regular flex steel shafts work great I can hit straight and I can play a hook when I try to all the way to my 5 hybrid but my driver is graphite and it just doesn’t feel right I can get a rare 250 yard drive(total) on it when hit the sweet spot even though it’s cracked on the bottom kinda wondering if a steel regular shafted driver would work fine instead of stiff flex just not a fan of the graphite feel so far

What is the most effective way for a clubmaker to mitigate the risk of a player losing length in longer irons? Is it a transition to graphite shafts, lighter shafts, progressive minimization of club length, or reduced swing weight the best option.

Great video. I have a question is it odd or unusual have regular flex in irons and woods and to have stiff in driver?I find regular flex in my woods and irons are more comfortable. With driver I get better dispersion with stiff shaft.

Can you compare a mini driver to a cut down loft jacked driver

Stiff shaft feels better to play with 😊

Thanks AJ! Do you think the difference between tip sections is the focus here for these 2 DG shafts?

i have x stiff shaft at 3.1 torque and stiff shaft at 3.2 torque that really a hybrid shaft weight. then i have 3.6 torque stiff at 70 gram. i can hit all three easy distance and spin all different. not by much...

As an amateur my guess for you would be S300 hard stepped.

I've found it might start that way but you adjust over time as you learn how the club behaves

fascinating!

All this only works once someone has developed a very consistent swing dynamic. Those who haven't played for long go absolutely wrong when they think they need golf club customizing. I just laugh at how much useless money so many beginners spend. Most beginners have so much lost power, speed and efficiency of swing...and it's useless go make customized choices based on a swing dynamic that is far from solidified. I have some friends who have spent thousands of dollars of useless money on custom choices....and can't play golf any better than they used to....because they never learned to swing properly and consistently.

I’m assuming the fade/draw effect is coming from the shaft kick timing and magnitude. If that’s the case this will not really address a fade/slice caused by an outside in club head path right?

I have one set of clubs that the ball goes both ways. Fades and draws both. Dispersion from side to side is frustrating to zero into the middle. So what are the possibilities here?

My conundrum is I prefer X's in the shorter irons and stiff's in the longer irons. Every fitter I've went to talked me out of doing this. What do you think? The set I'm using now is a tipped stiff flex. Thanks!

What was the weight difference and does that have the same affect

I don't know if anyone else has posted this question, but does swing speed mean anything as far a deciding factor?

Does this same principle apply if your swing speed is definitely in a certain range? My SS is 113 but I struggle with a slice. I’m striking the center of the face with me Ventus Blue 6x. Just big slices.

Is it the same philosophy with the driver?

OK Adam, I am confused. My experience is the opposite. Driver fitting process included different profiles and weight. Settled on R flex 65 gram shaft. My distance improved, but slice remained a problem. Could not get comfortable with feeling the shaft was just not stable. Out of frustration, tried an S flex 65 gram shaft. Much more stable feel and almost eliminated a slice. Wonder if another fitting session is warranted more focused on bend profile and weight?

Does the miss pattern change for out-in swings versus in-out swings? I ask because I’ve got an out-in swing on my driver. I want to fade the ball. I usually swing a Diamana Blue TB 65 X-Stiff shaft. This past week, I played golf with some rented clubs, which came with a stiff shaft. If I swung my regular tempo, it would miss hard right - like the shaft couldn’t keep the club head square. When I backed it off significantly, it would give me my regular fade.

Based on the outcomes of the S300 and X100, it looks like a soft stepped X100 or a hard stepped S300 is the way to go.

When I was fitted last month the only thing that felt right was the same shaft I had on my old irons which was a 95g stiff flex. My fitter wanted me to go with an extra stiff at 115g or 130g based on my swing speed but it felt way too heavy. Am I right to say no to it or do I trust the numbers and see if I get used to the new weight?

What about height (apex)? I swing to a stiff flex with respectable length, but nothing seems to give me the long floating trajectory I am looking for. I am working now on shaft length and it seems to be helping by choking down a bit. I am with a mid spin shaft at 65grams. Going to pay for a fitting, I guess.

Is this applicable only to irons? Or woods and hybrids too?

You forgot balance point, balance would be number 2 behind weight and well before profile and flex

So I’m assuming this transfers to driver shafts ?

I have stiff in my irons shafts are light. I like a light shaft and a heavy head and hybrids and regular in my 3 wood and driver

Do you have any experience with ust mamiya recoil dart v 120 shafts? I have this shaft in an f4 flex, and I'm wondering if an f3 flex would be better for my swing speed? My average is 83 mph with max effort. I can hit 86 mph. Also, do Recoil shafts need to be pured?

Isnt learning how to swing more important than equipment?

Does this hold true with driver

I more concern about the weight!

no offense but i think the numbers you show at 7:14 are related to your swing much more than shaft stiffness. You have a little bit of a flip going on, having higher launch AND spin AND height with a stiffer shaft is opposite of what a stiffer shaft should do (with a healthier swing)k, this is pretty much a universal truth in the golf world. Your swing looks good and repeatible, not picking on it, but it is flippy (probably has to be with your very weak grip-right hand specifically). Teaching the stiff/reg flex vs direction may work, for flippy swing golfers, but if you're on plane and release the club past the ball with shaft lean, this information is completely backwards. Good video though, just strongly disagree with your shaft stiffness assessment.

I bet 99% of people are trying to figure out stiff -vs- regular ....