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There are a lot of golfing essentials that many of us take for granted. Case in point - the driver shaft. Literally the long, slender, tapered tube that connects your hands to the club head, your driver shaft is essentially an extension of yourself. And although the shaft on every golf club plays an essential role in its overall performance, it’s importance is most prominent with the big bad dog.
Drivers require lots of power and speed, which is why their shafts are often the focal point of scrutiny. Sure, they might come with their own, stock shaft when you buy them. But are they really suited to your performance and play style? Find out more about the best driver shafts. What makes a good choice, and which ones rise through the ranks to take the top 5 seats based on in-depth research.
Shafts are typically categorized depending on the type of material used to make them. There are three standard materials that are most common in the driver shaft market. And although all of them deliver their own benefits and advantages, the main reason for the variety is to give different golfers distinct performance that will match their skills and play style.
Steel driver shafts use either graphite steel or stainless steel, but the former is most common. They’re durable and affordable because they’re really not that hard to source and to make. When it comes to advantages, steel shafts are less prone to torque on full power swings. This means that the shaft doesn’t twist as it’s swept through the air, so you can hit your golf ball square on the face for better control and accuracy.
As they’re slightly heavier, steel shafts aren’t as fast as graphite. Nonetheless, golfers who are out in search of better control can benefit heavily from the use of a steel shaft. The minor trade off, of course, would be in the form of slightly reduced swing speed which shouldn’t be a problem if you clock a 100 mph swing speed or thereabouts.
There are two main types of steel driver shafts, including:
As its name suggests, a stepped steel shaft features ‘steps’ that gradually taper the diameter of the shaft as it reaches the hosel. It’s made by rolling a sheet of steel, and then mechanically drawing the material so that the walls of the shaft are thinner at the grip end and thicker at the clubhead end. The notches or steps serve the purpose of kickpoints, giving the material more flexibility.
Similar to stepped steel shafts, the rifle steel shafts are tapered from top to bottom. The main difference however is that they’re entirely smooth. One benefit of these rifle shafts is that they’re easier to customize to more specific stiffness ratings. On top of that, manufacturers can create ‘flighted’ version that generate varying launch angles and trajectories.
Albeit less durable than steel, graphite shafts are preferred for their flexible and lightweight performance. They can assist players maximize their swing speed thanks to their feather light construction. However that might also come at the price of a slight loss of control because of the flexible material that’s more prone to torque.
Considering their lightweight construction and speed-enhancing build. The graphite shafts have earned their rightful place as the shaft of choice for lady golfers, high handicappers, beginners, and senior golfers who need a little extra help to max out their speed off of the tee.
Particularly stiff, titanium shafts are fairly new to the market and offer similar lightweight performance likeable to graphite material. The difference is that unlike graphite, they’re far more durable so there won’t be too much of a need for rigorous maintenance practices. But what makes them different from graphite is that they’re especially stiff.
While they can produce impressive distance with substantial torque control. The downside of titanium is that they can be relatively unpleasant to hit. Being that they are so stiff, they crack with a loud sound upon impact. Which tends to deter more sensitive golfers who prefer the dampened sound of a graphite shaft.
Flex is an important aspect of any driver, and will heavily weigh on how it performs off the tee. That said, there are two flex specific factors you should look into when buying a driver shaft. The first is flex point, also called a kick point and the other is flex torque.
Defined as the area on the club shaft where it bends during the swing, a flex point has a direct relationship with the trajectory of your ball off of the tee. As your driver whips through the air, it bends backwards with the club head lagging behind the shaft. This is called the ‘loading’ phase, and is the time when your shaft preserves energy.
During impact, the club head catches up with the rest of the shaft, and it ‘unloads’ this pent up force, resulting to energy transfer. Depending on where your driver shaft bends during this process, you can expect a change in the trajectory of your ball. The higher the kick point, the lower your launch angle will be. Conversely, a lower kick point will force your ball higher up into the air.
Then, there’s the topic of flex torque. This is defined as the shaft’s tendency to twist while it’s driven through the air, causing the club face to close or open, depending on which way it twists. Flex torque is often the highest with softer, more flexible shafts like graphite.
On the upside, a flexible shaft doesn’t require as much speed to execute fast and far ball carry. But then again, the added flexion can make it more prone to twisting torque force that requires greater control from the end of the golfer. On the other hand, a stiffer shaft might be able to resist flex torque, but then might also call for extra power to generate long distance shots.
So, how do you choose what’s right for you? It’s all a matter of preference and play style. If you’re better at controlling your driver and you know you can hit the ball square on even with a flexible shaft, then a high flex torque might not be an issue. But then again, if you’re more interested in control rather than distance, playing it safe with a stiffer shaft should work in your favor.
The way that your shaft lines up relative to your club head is what manufacturers pertain to when talking of alignment. In general, there are two major variations for alignment - the first is regular, and the other, offset.
As you might have guessed, regular alignment is when your driver shaft lines up perfectly with the hosel and the head. Most drivers incorporate a regular alignment, and it delivers excellent energy transfer for the lack of any bends and breaks that could interfere with the loading and unloading of energy throughout the swing.
Then, there’s the offset alignment. If you were to look straight down at an offset driver, you would find that the leading edge of the clubface sits behind the shaft. So when you address the golf ball, you’d have to swing a few extra inches forward for the clubface to make contact with the ball.
The purpose of an offset driver shaft is that it offers an opportunity for players to make last-minute, split second adjustments right before the club makes contact with the golf ball. Since the club face will be slightly delayed compared to the shaft, you’d have a few fractions of a second to fine-tune your alignment before actually making contact. On the downside, some players have found that the added ‘bend’ in the design could marginally dampen club head speed.
There’s a lot to gain out of a driver shaft that’s just the professionals in the PGA Tour use drivers. Longer shafts are known for producing greater distance. This has been proven time and time again, with the likes of Joe Miller bagging the World Long Drive gold twice over with his legendary 50 inch driver shaft. Sure, the rules of competitive golf limit drivers to just 48 inches in length, but the science stands - longer shaft means farther carry.
Now the question - why don’t more people just max out 48 inches? The answer lies in control. The longer a driver’s shaft, the more prone it is to torque and mishits. Then of course there’s the issue of player height. You can’t expect a six-foot male player to wield the same driver length as a petite five-foot-five lady golfer.
On average, the standard length for a driver should be around 44.5 inches. This has been found to be the optimal length for most players, without regard for their specific build and size. But even then, most store bought drives will come with a stock shaft that’s a full inch longer, so it’s easy to see why a driver shaft replacement might be necessary even if a club is fresh from the store.
Then, there’s concerns over weight. Lighter drivers will always travel faster. And as physics has taught us, a faster force produces greater distance. Most professionals in the PGA Tour use drivers that fall within the mid-60 gram range. But there are some players who have brandished drivers as light as 50 grams. Again, it depends heavily on the kind of material used, and your specific build and size. If you want to make doubly sure you’re buying the right shaft, a driver shaft fitting should give you a custom measure to match your unique anatomy.
While driver shaft replacement can be a real game changer, it doesn’t necessarily have to be done on a routine basis. That said, there are instances when a replacement becomes an absolute necessity in order to improve your performance. Another reason is to prevent some of your most common errors and problems off of the tee.
There are loads of statistics out there that can help you map out where you should stand in terms of total driver carry. But if the numbers just aren’t lining up and you find that you’re almost always a couple dozen yards short of the expected distance, then it might be time to change your shaft. More often than not, insufficient distance is caused by a mismatched driver head and shaft.
Are your drives always somehow landing in bunkers or the rough? Before you consider re-taking basic golf driver lessons, you might want to first check your shaft. Poor shaft selection can cause loads of control issues despite your technique being relatively ironed out. A stiffer shaft that doesn’t permit too much flex torque might be able to prevent all of those annoying mishits.
Some days, you’re stellar off of the tee box. And then other days, you’re playing like you’re back to square one. Inconsistent performance on the tee is one of the most common markers of poor driver shaft selection, especially if you’ve got some experience under your belt. Consider inspecting your driver shaft to figure out how it might not be meeting your specific play style.
What was once the best driver for you has now turned to be the very reason why you just can’t seem to move forward in your quest for perfect numbers. You’ll discover as you evolve and learn on the course, you’ll have to retire your old high launch low spin driver shaft somewhere down the road for something a little more versatile. With your improvement, you’ll soon find the need for high speed shafts that deliver more feedback and dynamic performance off the tee.
The ProLaunch Red 64 Driver Shaft from Grafalloy was designed with attributes from the crowd-favorite ProLite 35. Delivering straight, easy, and simplified performance. This driver shaft marries stiffness, stability, and spin control that works to help you create penetrating speed. With its explosive energy that launches your ball low to avoid unwanted wind resistance at higher altitudes. Its distinct Micro-Mesha technology also works to improve the feel and sound of valuable feedback to give you a wealth of intuitive information with each hit.
The Project X HZRDUS Yellow Driver Shaft is a low spin design that’s engineered to neutralize side spin off of the tee. Its ingenious shaft taper and unique weighting technology help to strike the ball dead square and center. Eliminating open and closed club face positions that tend to produce slices and hooks. And because the shaft is backweighted, it gives players the opportunity to add mass to the club head to further improve ball speed and thus extend overall carry.
Perfect for high to mid handicappers looking for launch angle assistance, the Aldila NVS 65 Graphite Driver shaft produces higher launch off of the tee. This can be the perfect choice for players with launch angles measuring 11 degrees or less, creating more lift to keep your ball airborne longer as it travels the distance to the pin. Lightweight and satisfyingly resonant, the Aldila NVS 65 also touts incredible feel and simplified performance that makes it a treat for golfers who are just starting to learn the ropes.
Another hot pick from Aldila. The NXT GEN Graphite Wood Driver Shaft sets itself apart with its intense stability that effectively eliminates torque for consistently dead centered hits. Its ultra thin aerospace carbon fibers resonate with a pleasant clap upon impact. It delivers explosive power that launches your ball at mid launch height with almost absent side spin. Impressively playable and forgiving, the Aldila NXT GEN driver shaft earns its rightful place as a favorite replacement shaft for players with slower swing speeds and those who might have trouble with control.
A favorite among players with 105 mph swing speed or less. The Matrix LUX LTA 50 Driver Shaft is a customizable accessory that lets you choose your specific flex preferences to match your play style and skill level. Fitted with a Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip, the LUX LTA also draws in its buyers with its impressive non-slip grip material. It doesn’t only improve control, but also makes the entire driver experience all the more comfortable. Delivering high launch, low spin, and exceptional control. This driver shaft aims to improve speed, distance, and consistency through its ingenious design.
There’s a whole lot more to driver shafts that meets the eye. Contributing heavily to the overall physics of your swing, this humble golf gear essential is often overlooked but is nonetheless an optimal adjustment for those seeking to improve their game. While every player will benefit from a driver shaft that’s specifically adapted to their needs, we’ve found that the best of the best driver shafts would have to be the ProLaunch Red 64 Driver Shaft.
Simple, straightforward, and yet effective at improving every aspect of the drive. The ProLaunch Red 64 Driver Shaft works wonders to enhance performance and step-up your driver carry regardless of your skill level and play style.
