Hi all. Ive been lurking around here for a small while but am still going to ask some fairly newbish questions!

I guess ill start with…... is it ok to mix shaft types? By this i mean i just bought some new irons in regular steel, im not sure what my Sand and Lob wedge are (either regular or stiff steel) and now in the market to update my woods.

I currently have a shark driver (Regular flex graphite) an old 3 wood from my first set of clubs (steel – at a guess regular flex) and a Stiff flex steel hybrid. I am in the process of replacing these, and was wondering if i should be looking to match all the shaft types, or to match just the driver and 3 (or probably 4 wood) and then have the hybrid match the irons, or is it ok to mix and match and just go for what i think is best on a whim?

Mate,
you are looking for serious trouble if you mix shafts ( I am going to duck now for the volley of protest that will probably follow ) find a shaft you like, not the wedges as they tend to be ‘wedge specific” shafts, and try and standardise.
I have had problems with shafts from the same manufacturer that are “regular” that turn out to be different.
Get fitted for a shaft, if you are going to change, and stick with it.
The shaft is “the business end” in my opinion if you are going to standardise anything, that should be it IMO.
Baz

Thanks baz. No protests so i guess you hit the nail on the head.

Oh boy!

My driver is extra stiff, my fairway wood is stiff, my irons are regular, and my wedges are “wedge flex.”

In my opinion… of course it’s OK to mix shaft flexes. I tend to load my driver shaft fairly aggressively and swing hard (driving a long way is in the family), so I need the extra stiff shaft to help control the accuracy while still giving decent distance – especially with the heavy non bore through head.

I don’t load my fairway wood anywhere near as much (perhaps because I’m not comfortable with the shaft), so a stiff (or even regular) shaft will do. I load my irons a bit, even though I swing them reasonably easy… I’d prefer stiffer shafts but don’t really have much to complain about now. Wedges… I never try to load or swing particularly hard – they’re accuracy clubs – so the flex they came with and I learnt to use them with is fine.

You’ll probably find a lot of conflicting opinions, though I reckon the shaft flex you prefer should be dependent on the type of shot you’re usually trying to make with a given club, the weight of the head, and the type of swing you have. Then you’ll probably change your mind if it feels wrong!

Then again, you’ll find people like my father – he insists upon using the same flex but different length through his irons, and the same flex but different length in his woods. He’s nearly 70 and plays off 9, so I guess his theory has merit too. He got rid of his extra stiff driver shaft a few months before he turned 69… I got mine a few months after I turned 23.

Load of rubbish not mixing shafts.
Irons should be kept the same to provide consistent gaps in distance but as for woods, hybdrids & wedges you should treat each club on it’s own merits.

Finchy put it nicely “I reckon the shaft flex you prefer should be dependent on the type of shot you’re usually trying to make with a given club, the weight of the head, and the type of swing you have. Then you’ll probably change your mind if it feels wrong!”

ok. What i was leaning towards was regular flex driver, and stiff graphite for my fairway (3 or 4) wood, and stiff flex graphite again for a 19 or 20 hybrid.

I will definitely get a proper fitting first though. Is $60 for a half hour professional fit about right?

Mixing shaft “flex” is one thing…mixing shaft manufacturers is a whole new ball game and not necessarily “rubbish”. Ping, Graphalloy ( Prolaunch Blue ), Aldila NV, and Callaway, regular, low kick point shafts, all react totally differently ( for me ) so I would not mix them but that’s a personal opinion. Different driver shaft, no problem.
Sorry,I didn’t think “flex” was the issue.
Baz

Have to agree with Finchy & tim, I think they’ve pretty much nailed it.

Mine:
Driver: Aldila By You (soon to be replaced with Diamana White)
Hybrid: TM Rescue TP Fuji, 2 & 3 Bridgestone AirMuscles Aldila NV85s.
Irons: DGS300
Wedges: DG Wedge

It has taken more than 3 years to get the right mix, but being a bit of a club-ho, more than likely than one or more will change again in the not too distant future! 8)

Brett