What Size Golf Shaft Do I Need?

Thinking about what size golf shaft you need might seem like a small detail, but it’s one of the most powerful changes you can make to your game. The shaft is truly the engine of the golf club, and matching it to your unique swing can unlock more distance, better accuracy, and a feel you never thought possible. This guide will walk you through the three most important factors in choosing a shaft - length, flex, and weight - so you can stop guessing and start playing with equipment that actually works for you.

Why Your Shaft Matters So Much

Many golfers spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on the latest driver head technology, hoping to find an extra 10 yards. But they often a pair that high-tech head with a stock shaft that is completely wrong for their swing. It’s like putting budget tires on a Ferrari - you’re never going to get the performance you paid for.

Here’s what the right shaft can do for you:

• Improve Center-Face Contact: A shaft with the correct length and weight promotes better posture and a more consistent swing plane, which means you’ll find the sweet spot more often.
• Maximize Distance: The right flex and weight help you transfer energy efficiently from your body to the clubhead, creating optimal launch conditions for your swing speed.
• Tighten Your Dispersion: When a shaft's flex matches your swing, the clubface is more likely to arrive at the ball in a square position, leading to straighter shots.

Conversely, the wrong shaft wreaks havoc on your game. A shaft that’s too long can cause heel strikes, while one that’s too short leads to toe strikes. If it’s too stiff, you’ll struggle to get the ball in the air and likely lose shots to the right. If it’s too flexible, you might hit uncontrollable hooks high and left. Getting the shaft right is fundamental to building a consistent golf swing.

The Three Pillars of Shaft Fitting: Length, Flex, and Weight

Choosing a golf shaft isn't a single decision, it’s about finding the right combination of several key variables. Let’s break down the big three: shaft length, flex, and weight.

1. Dialing in Your Shaft Length

Most golf clubs are sold at a “standard” length, but guess what? Golfers don’t come in a standard size. The correct shaft length is determined more by your posture and arm length than your overall height. Playing with a shaft that is too long or too short will force you to make unnatural compensations, wrecking your consistency.

How to Find Your Ideal Shaft Length

The most common method for getting a starting point for shaft length is the wrist-to-floor measurement. It’s simple to do at home and gives you an excellent baseline.

1. Stand on a hard, flat surface with your normal street shoes on. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart.
2. Let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Don’t slouch or hunch your shoulders.
3. Have a friend measure the distance from the crease of your wrist (the one closer to your hand) straight down to the floor.

Once you have this measurement, you can compare it to a standard chart. Here is a general guide for a 5-iron length based on a wrist-to-floor measurement (for right-handed golfers):

• 41" to 43": +1.5 inches
• 39" to 41": +1 inch
• 37" to 39": +0.5 inches
• 35" to 37": Standard Length
• 33" to 35": -0.5 inches
• 31" to 33": -1 inch

This static measurement is a great start. The second step is a dynamic check. After adjusting your club's length, head to the range and apply some impact tape or foot spray to your clubface. If you consistently hit the ball on the heel, your club might still be too long, forcing you to stand too far from the ball. If you consistently find the toe, your club might be too short, pulling you too close.

2. Decoding Shaft Flex

Shaft flex is how much the shaft bends during the swing. It’s perhaps the most-discussed variable and is primarily matched to your swing speed. The faster you swing, the more you will bend the shaft, and therefore the stiffer you will need your shaft to be to perform properly.

Here’s what happens at impact:

• Flex Too Stiff: A shaft that's too stiff for your swing speed won't bend enough. At impact, the clubface can be left open, and the dynamic loft will be lower. This typically results in low shots that leak to the right (for right-handers).
• Flex Too Flexible: A shaft that's too flexible will bend too much. It can cause the clubhead to “lag” too far behind and then snap forward at impact, often closing the face angle. This leads to high, hooking shots to the left.

Finding Your Swing Speed and Corresponding Flex

The best way to find your swing speed is to visit a golf retailer or a driving range with a launch monitor. Hitting just a few shots will give you a precise number. If you don't have access to one, you can get a good estimate based on your average driver carry distance (how far the ball flies in the air).

• Under 75 mph (Driver carry < 180 yards): Ladies (L) Flex
• 75-85 mph (Driver carry 180-210 yards): Senior (A) or Light Regular Flex
• 85-95 mph (Driver carry 210-240 yards): Regular (R) Flex
• 95-105 mph (Driver carry 240-260 yards): Stiff (S) Flex
• 105+ mph (Driver carry > 260 yards): Extra Stiff (X) or Tour Stiff (TX) Flex

A quick word of caution: leave your ego at the door. Playing a shaft that’s too stiff because it’s what the pros use is one of the most common mistakes in amateur golf. Matching your actual numbers will give you far better results than playing a club designed for a swing you don’t have.

3. Understanding Shaft Weight

Shaft weight is an often-overlooked factor, but it has a massive impact on your tempo, feel, and swing path. It's not just about what is "best," but also very much about what feels comfortable to you and allows you to sequence your swing properly.

In general:

• Lighter Shafts (under 100g for irons, under 60g for woods): Can help you generate more clubhead speed. They are often a good fit for golfers with a smooth, fluid tempo. Some players find it easier to achieve a higher launch angle with lighter shafts.
• Heavier Shafts (over 115g for irons, over 70g for woods): Tend to promote a more controlled, deliberate tempo. Golfers with a very quick or aggressive transition often feel more stable with a heavier shaft, as it can prevent them from getting "ahead" of the club. They can also help stronger players keep the ball flight from ballooning too high.

The right weight often comes down to personal preference. If you feel like your swing is too quick and you’re struggling with control, experimenting with a slightly heavier shaft could smooth out your rhythm. If you feel like you are struggling to generate speed, a lighter shaft might help you unlock a few extra miles per hour.

Advanced Concepts: Kick Point and Torque

While length, flex, and weight are the big three, two other terms you might hear are kick point and torque. It's good to have a basic understanding of what they mean.

• Kick Point (or Bend Profile): This describes the part of the shaft that bends the most during the swing. A low kick point means the shaft bends closer to the clubhead, helping to produce a higher ball flight. A high kick point means the bend is closer to the grip, which tends to produce a lower, more penetrating ball flight. A mid kick point is a balance between the two.
• Torque: This measures how much a shaft twists during the swing, measured in degrees. Low-torque shafts twist less and tend to feel very stable. They are generally better for players with fast swing speeds and aggressive transitions. High-torque shafts twist more, which can feel smoother and help some golfers square the clubface more easily.

These two variables are about fine-tuning your ball flight. A professional club fitter will use them to dial in the perfect launch and spin characteristics for your swing.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right golf shaft isn't about looking for a secret answer, it's about understanding your own swing. By figuring out the correct length, flex, and weight that you need, you’re giving yourself the best possible chance to be consistent, hit the ball farther, and enjoy the game more. Start with a self-assessment, test out a few options if you can, and use that knowledge to play with confidence.

And just like having the right shaft takes the guesswork out of your equipment, we built Caddie AI to take the guesswork out of what you do on the course. Once your clubs are dialed in, our app helps you with a smart strategy for every hole, gives instant advice for those tricky situations, and is always ready to answer any golf question you have, 24/7. It’s all about making golf simpler so you can focus on hitting great shots.