Soft vs. Stiff Tip

[grayrhino]

How is the stiffness of a driver shaft tip measured? How can you tell if a shaft is tip stiff or softer. What do the numbers associated with this measurement mean?

[Pingeye2_fan]

Not sure how they measure it but when you read the specs on the manufacturers websites they indicate what trajectory each shaft produces.

Low trajectory=high bend or kick
high trajectory=low bend or kick

A good fitter would know as well.

You can reduce spin by going with a lower loft with a softer tip.
Loft adds spin.

When I was fit I never dreamed that a 9 or a 9.5 would work for me.
I spent/wasted a lot of money on 10.5 degree drivers before I got fit.

[LowPost42]

In the world of shaft profiling, it's pretty straight forward as all numbers are represented in CPM (cycles per minute). The higher the number, the stiffer the shaft.

You can check out some profiles at www.shaftprofiles.com


Manufacturer info pages are sketchy at best - hell, Fuji has numbers that just make no damn sense. Don't even get me started on torque ratings.

[TourIQ]

Originally Posted by Pingeye2_fan

When I was fit I never dreamed that a 9 or a 9.5 would work for me. I spent/wasted a lot of money on 10.5 degree drivers before I got fit.

Pingeye2_fan - unless you have had the drivers measured for loft you really don't know what loft you are actually playing due to manufacturing tolerances. For example, a driver marked 9* could actually be 10* loft, while another head marked 9* might actually be 10* loft Then there is the design to consider. I've seen a head marked 7* hit higher on trajectory than another head marked 9*, and they had the same shaft and build spec's. I guess it is why when you find one you like then keep it.

[Pingeye2_fan]

Originally Posted by TourIQ

Pingeye2_fan - unless you have had the drivers measured for loft you really don't know what loft you are actually playing due to manufacturing tolerances. For example, a driver marked 9* could actually be 10* loft, while another head marked 9* might actually be 10* loft Then there is the design to consider. I've seen a head marked 7* hit higher on trajectory than another head marked 9*, and they had the same shaft and build spec's. I guess it is why when you find one you like then keep it.

I finally have one I like so that's what I'm going to do.

Last year I demoed a driver at a course and smoked it right off the first shot, very consistent on every shot.

So being a dummy I order the same setup and it didn't feel nearly as good.

Should have bought the exact demo I hit well.

[dekker]

that's the big difference in todays graphite shafts from years ago when they couldn't shape a shaft to create a particular profile. Early graphite were a lot like steel in that the entire shaft had one feature. Tip stiff, butt soft, high launch, low spin were out of the question. The entire profile was either stiff or softer depending on the weight.
Now it's a completely new game.
Steel shafts are being modeled to be zone responsive, in the butt-end or tip.
I think that is the gist behind Kim Braly's(?) KBS iron shafts.

[rgk5]

Originally Posted by Pingeye2_fan

I finally have one I like so that's what I'm going to do.

Last year I demoed a driver at a course and smoked it right off the first shot, very consistent on every shot.

So being a dummy I order the same setup and it didn't feel nearly as good.

Should have bought the exact demo I hit well.

I do that regularly at the store as the customer will ask for one "still in the plastic". I will advise him to take the one he actually hit well as tolerances can vary greatly within the same model.

[Pingeye2_fan]

Originally Posted by rgk5

I do that regularly at the store as the customer will ask for one "still in the plastic". I will advise him to take the one he actually hit well as tolerances can vary greatly within the same model.

How many take you up on that, does it take much convincing?

[gbrgolf]

Originally Posted by grayrhino

How is the stiffness of a driver shaft tip measured? How can you tell if a shaft is tip stiff or softer. What do the numbers associated with this measurement mean?

Hey grayrhino,
You are going to have to rely on the manufactures description of their shafts or speak to a club fitter.
All major shaft companies measure zone profiles using frequency, ie curves, torque, and static bend measurements to create graphs that enable them to compare designs and create new shafts. The problem is that every company has there own proprietary measuring methods as there is no standard.
Every shaft company develops a lot of their own measuring devices.
The problem is that is leaves the consumer with no way of accurately comparing one companies shaft to another.
Club fitters have access to a number of independent software packages that certainly do an adequate job of comparing shafts from different manufacturers which certainly helps.
To answer your question, there is no one method to conclude that one shaft has a stiffer tip than another as every company uses different (proprietary)numbers to compare one shaft to another within their line.
good luck,
gbr

[phanker]

Trying to figure this out also. Question here.

If the exact same launch angle is achieved, which will offer less spin:

A. Lower loft head w/ low kickpoint.
B. Higher loft head w/ higher kickpoint.

[Big Johnny69]

I would say the lower lofted head only because loft will affect spin more than the "kickpoint" in a shaft. When you are talking about kickpoint, you are only referring to a section of approx. 2" on the shaft. I'd say head loft and tip stiffness plays a bigger role than kickpoint.