Advantage of butt-stiff shaft for strong swinger with strong transition?

[kellygreen]

Been moving away from DG X100 in my irons, and am noticing that I'm much happier with the feel and response through impact of shafts like the KBS C-taper and and PX 6.5.

 

I was watching Tom Wishon's YouTube video last night on shaft fitting. He mentions that a butt-stiff shaft generally performs better for the player who has a strong transition move to start the downswing.

 

I was wondering if someone could explain to me why that is. Since I would say that I fit that swing category.

 

 

Thanks.

[rybo]

Overpowering any section of a shaft from how your swing loads the shaft will cause inconsistent variations in launch, spin, kick, face angle, even swing path. It doesn't matter if it's the butt, mid or tip sections, if it's too weak you will get inconsistent results. If you have a strong transition then it's likely a shaft with a stiffer butt section may work for you as the stronger butt section can better accommodate the stresses you are placing on it therefore leading to less variations from good swing to good swing. A bad swing is still a bad swing and no shaft profile helps that!

If you are getting better results from the C-Taper/PX over the DG's then you likely fall into the group who will get better results from a slightly stiffer butt section shaft.

[TomWishon]

[quote name='kellygreen' timestamp='1350044615' post='5784545']
Been moving away from DG X100 in my irons, and am noticing that I'm much happier with the feel and response through impact of shafts like the KBS C-taper and and PX 6.5.

I was watching Tom Wishon's YouTube video last night on shaft fitting. He mentions that a butt-stiff shaft generally performs better for the player who has a strong transition move to start the downswing.

I was wondering if someone could explain to me why that is. Since I would say that I fit that swing category.

[/quote]

Rybo's right in what he says about stronger transitions putting more initial bending force on the butt half of the shaft. That's the core reason for WHY a strong transition golfer typically is better off with a shaft that is a little more butt stiff than what his swing speed might otherwise say he should have.

Knowing that is one thing. Finding which shafts are enough more butt stiff to match well to each particular strong transition golfer's swing is totally another thing. To help you pick this up more clearly, if you hunt on WRX in this Clubmaking Shop part of theri forum and look for the 2nd article I did on shaft fitting, in that article you will see a chart which shows how we use the stiffness measurements of the butt to center sections of a shaft to ordain a swing speed rating for shafts. In that chart you can also see how it then is possible to shift a golfer with a strong transition into a shaft that has a little higher swing speed rating than his actual swing speed so that the golfer ends up with a more butt stiff shaft.

Hope this helps,
TOM

[DaveMac]

IMO I don't think the difference in butt section stiffness is the reason you have a preference for the project x and c tapers in this case. Since you are comparing shafts in the stiffest of flex categories (I know there are slightly stiffer) the butt stiffness of all three shafts are reasonably similar. The major difference between the shafts is the change in stiffness from butt to tip. The Ctaper and Project X loose stiffness gradually from Butt to tip (\ for simplicity) were the dynamic gold has a softer mid section before re-gaining stiffness (U for simplicity) in the tip.

I think it is this different bend profile which is driving your preference in this case.

[kellygreen]

Tnanks everyone.

I'll look for that article.