Do I need stiffer shafts, now?

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By Frank C

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  • 5 Replies
  1. Frank C

    Frank C
    Santa Fe, TX

    I play the original AP2's 5 through PW. When I purchased them, they came with Project X 5.5...After a few weeks of playing them, I decided I did not like the "feel". I went to a different retailer and spent some time trying different shafts. My clubs were sent back to Titleist and were re-shafted (including my 52deg wedge) with the 105T in regular.

    Well, they feel great, but I'm starting to lose them left a bit...kind of hooky. I have a flat swing and tend to draw the ball any way, but lately, I have to manipulate something in my setup to prevent missing left. Any advice? I like the ball flight...just need straighter, I guess...

    I don't know what my swing speed is, but I hit my 7 iron about 160 - 165

    Thanks in advance for any help

  2. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Frank C said:

    I play the original AP2's 5 through PW. When I purchased them, they came with Project X 5.5...After a few weeks of playing them, I decided I did not like the "feel". I went to a different retailer and spent some time trying different shafts. My clubs were sent back to Titleist and were re-shafted (including my 52deg wedge) with the 105T in regular.

    Well, they feel great, but I'm starting to lose them left a bit...kind of hooky. I have a flat swing and tend to draw the ball any way, but lately, I have to manipulate something in my setup to prevent missing left. Any advice? I like the ball flight...just need straighter, I guess...

    I don't know what my swing speed is, but I hit my 7 iron about 160 - 165

    Thanks in advance for any help

    If the feel is good the shafts are OK.  You may want to try going to a more upright swing.   When you have a flat swing, the toe points up a bit.  I used to pull or hook fairways and hybrids but hit irons dead straight.  I went to a more upright stance and that fixed the woods but I tended to push shots with the irons so I had them bent more upright.

    Here's something to think about - a flat lie angle on your irons MAY be the cause of your pulling or hooking.  You take a flatter swing and flex the knees more to compensate for the flat lie angle.    If you take a normal stance, if your lie angle is too flat, you push the shot or slice.

  3. Frank C

    Frank C
    Santa Fe, TX

    I appreciate the response - I say my swing is flat...I was told by the club fitter I saw last that I had a "one plane" swing. I've never really thought much about it, although I'd read about it before, but I checked on my setup and my irons do appear to be a bit upright! I think you're right, that could be the issue...I'm going to go in and hit on a black board and see if I need to flatten them out. I have been told by store salespeople and by golfing friends that a heavier shaft would be better for control as well. Have you heard this? Would I benefit from something a little heavier? My control isn't bad and after what we've discussed, I'm willing to bet this will most likely fix the slight hook issue...just wondering. Would a bit more swing weight (weight added to the shaft near the hosel) help with that? Thanks again.

  4. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    The board is definitely a necessity and it gets you in the ballpark.   Hit outside to refine the setting. 

    I have an upright swing but play the clubs 1/2" short and 1/2* upright.  To compensate for the 3 swingweight point loss, I use a lighter grip (Winn Excel RF midsize) on the irons.  I play my 910F 19* and 910H 27* 1" short and 1.5* upright (use a Winn Lite Dri Tac midsize grip).  My driver is 44.5".   I was told awhile ago about shorter shafts having more control.  My swing would be classified "two plane" since I have a pretty vertical takeaway.  I played a rotational swing up until about 2008 and I tended to pull or hook, and I sometimes had back problems (I watched a few videos for DT Sr the "Swing Surgeon" (www.swingsurgeon.com , formerly Peak Performance Golf System).  Also my SQ hybrids (6-30 and 7-34) have a Winn Excel RF midsize mainly to up the swingweight 2 points (they are stock length). 

    Upping the swingweight gives you a better feel sometimes.  Also helps with control because you slow your tempo down a little. The way you can up your swingweight is lighter grip (5 grams per swingweight point), heavier shaft (9 grams per point) or more weight on the head (2 grams per swingweight point).  

    Another contributor to a hook or pull is when you come outside in and the clubface is square to the swing path. If the clubface is on the target line and you swing outside in you get a fade.  Also, if you swing inside out and your club is square to the target line it results in a draw (since the face is closed with respect to the swing path); square to the swing path in this case is a push.

  5. Frank C

    Frank C
    Santa Fe, TX

    Very good info there, Lou...thanks again. I use the Golf Pride Decade Multicompound grips which I understand are a bit lighter and maybe Titleist swing-weighted the clubs with those grips(of course not the ones on there now..lol). I want to try some lead tape and see if I get a bit more control with the heavier swing weight. That may be the "next thing" for me. I know that every now and again I will come slightly over the top, but it usually happens with my driver if I take a big swing to try to get a few extra yards, but nine times out of ten when I do that, it will actually turn back to the right and looks like a cut shot...other times it just goes left...so, unless there's no trouble left, I usually just swing my usual 85% (so it feels). I can hit a bit more upright when I'm trying to hit a high shot or a high cut, but it feels awkward. I'm going to go with the board then hit a few at the driving range after any adjustments and see what I get. I'll report back what I come up with. I may even try some newer AP2's with a different shaft and see what I'm doing with those. Thanks again.

  6. Frank C

    Frank C
    Santa Fe, TX

    Well, I went and had the irons adjusted...needed to go 2 degrees flat...WOW! Almost perfect! At the range afterward, I adjusted my driver to B1...Slight draw and longer! Almost straight! I adjusted my hybrid to C4...I tell you, that made such a huge difference....I could actually play some decent cut shots with my irons...something I had a very hard time doing before. Thanks Lou! I wanted to post last night but wore myself out on the range LOL...thanks again. I'm itching to play...but I have to wait for the weekend...

    On another note, I did try the newer AP2's with the Dynalite Gold XP Stiff shaft and they felt amazing!I hit them about the same distance I hit mine, but lower trajectory which wasn't bad...I also hit the CB's....those are NICE....whoo they feel good...those may be the next set... :)

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