The Golf Shaft is a long, tapered tube which connects the golfer's hands to the club head. While hundreds of different designs exist, the primary purpose of the golf shaft remains the same - to provide the player with a way to generate centrifugal force in order to effectively strike the golf ball. Golf shafts are generally made of steel or carbon fiber composite (referred to as graphite).
There are literally thousands of golf shafts available of all different shapes, sizes, flex and weight. Golfers are often confused by this overwhelming choice of shafts and are asking ‘what is the best golf shaft?' There is no ‘best golf shaft' wholesale golf equipmenton the market; the question should be ‘what is the best golf shaft for me?' When choosing your golf clubs it is essential that you get the right golf shafts for your game. Below we are going to do is explain to you what you should be looking for when it comes to selecting the right golf shafts for your clubs.
History of Golf Shafts
In the past, golf shafts were made of wood, normally either hazel or ash which is a very rigid wood and today used in walking sticks. The shafts were then attached to the head of the golf clubs with a splint and bound tightly with leather in order to keep the club face nice and straight through the swing. Prior to 1935, hickory was the dominant material for shaft manufacturing, but it proved difficult to master for most golfers, as well as being quite frail. Prior to steel, a player would need a slightly different swing for each shaft given the inherent inconsistencies in the hickory shafts.
By 1931 True Tempe steel shafts were the most popular among amateurs and professionals. Steel shafts could be made with varying degrees of stiffness, allowing players to develop a more aggressive style of golf swing. Steel shafts in many varieties remain a fixture in today's game. Although heavier than hickory, it is much stronger and morePing Anser Forged Irons consistent in its performance.
graphite shafts were first introduced in 1973 but did not gain widespread use until the mid 1990's and are now used on almost all woods and some iron sets, as the carbon-fiber composite of graphite shafts boasts increased flex for greater club head speed at the cost of slightly reduced accuracy due to greater torque. Steel, which generally has lower torque but less flex than graphite, is still widely preferred by many for irons, wedges and putters as these clubs stress accuracy over distance.