If you've ever found yourself standing in a golf shop, staring at a wall of drivers and wondering what on earth Regular+ shaft flex means, you're not alone. You see the standard labels - Regular, Stiff, Senior - and they make a certain amount of sense. But this mysterious 'plus' throws a wrench in things. This article will explain exactly what a Regular+ shaft is, who it’s for, and how to determine if it might be the missing piece in your golf equipment puzzle.
Before we can understand the 'plus,' we need to be crystal clear on what 'flex' means. In simple terms, shaft flex refers to how much the golf shaft bends during your swing. Think about it: when you swing a club, especially at speed, the force you generate puts a tremendous load on the shaft, causing it to bend back in the backswing and then whip forward into the golf ball at impact.
The amount of this bend is critically important. It influences:
The goal is to match the shaft's flex to the speed and mechanics of your swing. A highly flexible shaft paired with a fast, powerful swing will bend too much, making it difficult to control. Conversely, a very stiff shaft paired with a smooth, slower swing won't bend enough to generate optimal speed and launch.
Most golf shaft manufacturers use a fairly standard scale to categorize flex. While the specific measurements can vary from one brand to another (more on that later), the progression is generally consistent. It's primarily based on a golfer's swing speed, particularly with the driver.
Here’s a general guide to the common flex categories and their corresponding driver swing speeds:
Looking at that list, you might notice a potential problem. What happens if your swing speed is 96 mph? You're right on the cusp between Regular and Stiff. This is precisely where the Regular+ shaft comes into play.
Regular+ isn't an official, industry-wide standard but rather a solution created by manufacturers to bridge the tricky gap between the Regular and Stiff flex profiles.
You might see it labeled in a few different ways:
Whatever the name, the purpose is the same: to provide an option for the significant number of golfers who are just a little too powerful for a standard Regular flex but don't quite have the speed or the desire for a true Stiff flex. It’s the "just right" bowl of porridge in the Goldilocks fable of golf shafts.
It’s slightly stiffer and often a little heavier than a Regular shaft, offering more stability, but still more forgiving and easier to launch than a Stiff shaft. It's a stepping stone, a perfect intermediary flex that acknowledges that golf swings don’t fit into neat little boxes.
So, could this be you? You might be a prime candidate for a Regular+ shaft if any of these descriptions sound familiar.
From a data perspective, the Regular+ player usually has a driver swing speed between 95 and 103 mph. This is the classic "tweener" zone. You’re faster than the average amateur, but you haven’t quite reached the speed where a Stiff shaft feels comfortable or performs optimally.
Forget the numbers for a second. Let's talk about what's happening on the course.
The Regular+ shaft aims to solve both problems. It provides enough stability to prevent the "over-flexing" that leads to hooks, but it's forgiving enough to allow you to load the shaft and release it properly, eliminating the weak right miss of a shaft that's too stiff.
Two golfers can have the same 98 mph swing speed but have completely different shaft needs based on their tempo. A player with a smooth, rhythmic swing (think Ernie Els) might be perfectly fine in a Regular or S-R flex. However, a player with a fast, aggressive transition from the backswing to the downswing (think Jon Rahm) puts a much greater load on the shaft. This aggressive player might benefit from the added stability of a Regular+ shaft to keep everything in sync.
Are you taking lessons and working out? Has your swing speed started to creep up over the last season? If you used to be comfortably in the low 90s and are now touching the high 90s, your old Regular shafts might not be able to keep up. A switch to a Regular+ can be the perfect upgrade without making the full, sometimes-jarring leap to a Stiff flex.
If you suspect a Regular+ flex might be for you, don't just guess. Here’s a simple process to figure it out for sure.
This is the most straightforward starting point. Most golf stores and well-equipped driving ranges have launch monitors. Take your driver and hit 5-10 shots to get an accurate average of your clubhead speed. If you’re consistently landing in that 95-103 mph range, you’re in Regular+ territory.
Pay close attention during your next few rounds or range sessions. What is your consistent miss? If you play an R-flex, are you fighting a hook? If you play an S-flex, do you struggle to get the ball in the air or fight a slice? Your ball flight is telling a story about how you and your equipment are interacting. A Regular+ provides that middle-ground trajectory - not too high and spinny like a soft Regular, and not too low like a demanding Stiff.
This is the most important step. Find a golf shop with a simulator and ask to demo a driver or 7-iron with three different shafts from the same manufacturer: a Regular, a Regular+ (or Firm), and a Stiff. Hit several shots with each and pay attention to not only the numbers (launch, spin, dispersion) but also the feel. The right shaft should feel smooth and stable, as if it's an extension of your own swing, not something you have to flight.
A launch monitor gives you raw data, but a professional fitter interprets that data within the context of your unique swing. A good fitter will watch your tempo, your release pattern, and your shot shape. They can confirm if an R+ is indeed the best fit, or if there's another shaft characteristic (like torque or kick point) that might benefit you even more. It's the single best investment you can make in your game.
The "Regular+" flex is a fantastic innovation that serves the huge number of golfers caught in the no-man's-land between a standard Regular and a standard Stiff shaft. By providing a finely tuned "in-between" option, it helps players achieve better control, a tighter shot pattern, and the confidence that comes from swinging equipment that is perfectly matched to their swing.
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