The last word on shafts

4/27/01

Last week, I wrote about the rules governing golf club shafts. Aside from the provisions in Appendix II of the rulebook, there are a couple of umbrella, catch-all clauses. For instance, Rule 14-3, says in part that "the player shall not use any artificial device or unusual equipment." And Appendix II includes this line: "The club shall not be substantially different from the traditional and customary form and make."

So a shaft with an aerodynamic foil attached would not be permissible. Similarly, a few years ago a company came out with the Whisper shaft -- it had a coil wrapped around the outside of the shaft, similar in appearance to an antenna on a car aerial. The coil reduced drag, and the swishing sound of the club cutting through the air was greatly reduced. As a result, the shaft may have caused a very small increase in clubhead speed, but, alas, such a coil is certainly "unusual" and not "traditional and customary." It was banned.

What about composite shafts? There had been many shafts in the past with multiple materials throughout the entire length, but about 10 years ago a company introduced something new: a shaft where one section was steel and another section was graphite (like the new BiMatrix shafts from True Temper). Personally, I was against such shafts -- I’d say they don’t remain true to the umbrella clauses, above. But they were approved.

Of course, you cannot have a rulebook that covers every possible specification, which is why clubs are submitted to the USGA for approval. But there’s a lot of room for innovation and customization. If you want your shafts to be, say, bubble gum pink, there is absolutely nothing stopping you, except the ridicule of your peers.

But perhaps the most important aspect of any shaft is making sure it has the right flex -- for you. A broomstick is too stiff, a fishing rod is too whippy -- you want to shoot for something in the middle. The best way to find what works for you is trial and error. But keep in mind that most people aren’t as strong as they like to think they are, and thus most golfers have shafts that are too stiff for their swing speeds.

The bottom line is that the shaft is the only means of transmitting the energy to the clubhead from your body, so it better feel comfortable to you. Only trial and error will get it right. Start experimenting with the more flexible shafts, then move toward the stiffer ones, rather than the other way round. Don’t let the macho thing influence you in trying to make a stiff shaft work. It does not mean that you are suffering from a lack of testosterone if a more flexible shaft works best for you.

E-Mailbag

On TV, I saw a man putting side-saddle, and I tried it since putting was really the only thing holding my game back. When I tried to bend the shaft like the guy’s putter on TV, the shaft fractured but did not break completely in two. But the putting style worked well for me even with the broken shaft. When I am in matches with my high school's golf team, is it legal for me to use a club with a broken shaft? -- Ben Brubaker

No. Rules 4-3c states in part: "A player may use a club damaged prior to a round provided the club, in its damaged state, conforms with the Rules." Without seeing it, I’m guessing yours doesn’t. At the very least, it probably falls foul of the "straightness" clause in Appendix II of the rulebook that I mentioned above.

 

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This column appeared on golfdigest.com where Frank contributes on a weekly basis. Check it out every Saturday.