Flex in Golfing: What This Is and How You Could Use It

Veterans in the game of golf will immediately tell any green horn that golfing is more than just whacking a ball till it flies to a hole. The Tristate Golfer Magazine understands that there are quite a lot of factors that will play a part in your performance in golf; one of them being shaft flex. To make most out of this phenomenon, it is imperative that you understand how it takes effect and what it brings to your game.

What is Flex?

Flex is the phenomenon in which the shaft seemingly bends itself as it bears down on a ball and then re-corrects itself once the swing is delivered. Depending on the way you swing a driver, the shaft may show no signs of bending or flex too much that it seems that something is bending it forcefully.

How does the flex exactly play in a game? It truly depends on the flexibility of a shaft. Shafts with little to no flex tend to make the ball fly lower than average. Depending on the player’s dominant hand, the ball might also fly right or fade sideward even if the trajectory begins straight. The shot might even feel like a miss even if you are certain that you have made contact with the ball.

For shafts with considerable flex, the ball might fly higher than intended and would always veer of left. High levels of flex will also make the shot feel solid or strong even though they are not. Golfers looking for accuracy and ball control might find flex to be problematic in their game.

Taking Advantage

Even if you cannot control the way a shaft flexes, there is way to make the full use of this phenomenon. If the target is 250 yards and more, it is best to look for a shaft that has little to no flex to ensure a straight trajectory. For shorter distances, you should for a flexible shaft. This will give you enough room to correct your shot if they tend to miss the target.

The next thing to consider is your swinging motion. A soft flex shaft is ideal for a swing that is smooth and flowing while a stiff shaft is best for erratic swings. Any Tristate golfer magazine also recommends using a flexible shaft for trajectories that go left and stiff shafts for trajectories that go right.