Advice on Driver Shafts Wanted.

I have a Taylor Made R7 425 with a regular flex shaft which I find too "whippy".  I recently tried a friend's Geek driver which has a Stiff flex Aldila NV 65, and loved the feel of the club, especially the way the shaft flexed. 

I am seriously considering re-shafting the R7, but not sure what spec I need to look for (length, tip etc). 

Any guidance would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

In your experience Chris, how difficult/expensive is it to reshaft a driver?  As with James, I am finding the shaft on my driver is feeling a little whippy and am thinking of going to a stiffer shaft.  I asked in a Golfsmith in the US last time I was there and he said "If I've got one in second hand in the same condition, I'll just do you a straight swap".  If it matters, I use a Nike Sumo with a regular Diamana shaft. 

Chris,

 Many thanks, just the advice I was after.

Mr V - I appreciate what you're saying, and agree with most of it.  Please don't think this is a personal dig but as an engineer (and hopefully Chris will have a look at the link too) I find the Golfsmith Europe's justification on shaft pureing reads as pure bull. http://www.golfsmith-europe.co.uk/ In particular the two lovely graphs at the top.  What are the units?  What exactly are they measuring and in what planes?

I can see the point of aligning a steel shaft, the seam that results from the manufacturibng process will have an affect on the bending moment and flex of the shaft - but on a mandrel wound graphite?

Someone put me right here.

As requested Tim, I have had a look and agree that the graphs are arbitary and mean nothing without dimensions.  If the displacement is inches, then the hysteresis is a major issue.  However, if it's mm then it's really not a problem.  Also, if your swing plane and speed and therefore club head trajectory and speed is constant every time (yeah right!) then again it's not a problem as the flex will always be constant.  In the real world us mere mortals have a swing speed and plane that probably never repeats during an 18 hole round.  So IF pureing has an effect do we need it?  Given that experiments have shown that a single regluar shaft can flex anywhere from stiff to soft depending on the plane, I would say yes. 

With regards to variance in composites, there is variance in every process.  Our company makes lots of composite parts for aircraft, including propeller blades, wing structure and drop tanks for fighters (we also make the monocoque body for the Maclaren Mercedes SLK) and our processes are very tightly controlled to maintain consistency.  Minor deviations can have massive effects on the performance and a 1° change in the relative angle to the axis can change the bending moment signifcantly.  I can't see golf shaft manufacturers being able to hold a ±0.1° angle along the length of a 47" shaft so I would expect to see some variance in performance due to lay angles.  To add to that, it is typically a wet process.  This means that unless the shaft is constantly roatated during curing there will be some settlement causing the shaft to be slightly pear shaped.  This means you have a spine as you would with a steel shaft which will effect the flex depending on its alignment.

So to sum up.  From an engineer with (some) knowledge of composite and steel manufacture, is there variance in the flex of a shaft depending on the orientation and would pureing help?  My opinion is yes on both counts.  In fact, my driver needs reshafting as my swing speed has increased and I now need a stiff shaft.  I intend to visit Golfsmith next time I'm in the US and get it pured as part of the fitting.

PS  Sorry Luke!!!

Viper, 

Quote "I would hazard a guess that the truth lies along the lines that for most golfers spine alignment of graphite shafts is not a golfing life or death issue but for low handicap players demanding consistency and every last yard of distance then spine alignment becomes a 'must have,' But, only a guess."

It is for me i would never play again a club that hasn't been spine aligned. As for puring, all the pured shafts that have come through my workshop(that's the connection to P.G.  Viper)they all appear to be spine aligned, Pured is just a posher name IMO.

As you were saying about high end shafts totally agree,my preference is high end shafts manufactured in Japan Avix,Roddio etc. and these are marked up with the OFL.

Viper,

When I was fitted for my putter last year (and finding out I was using one that was 1.5 inches to short for my very upright putting stance) I couldn't believe the difference.  Having recently been fitted for irons the first time, again I am amazed at how a 1° adjustment in the lie of my clubs has stopped me pushing right.  I also had shafts fitted and feel much more in control now. 

When I bought my driver last year, I was "not quite needing anything stiffer than a regular".  My swing speed is now quicker and with hindsight I should have got a stiffer shaft to 'grow' into.  There are times when my driver now feels whippy and I have a tendancy to pull hook if I let loose and I will be reshafting it.  When I do, armed with what I have learned from reading, club pros and speaking to people like yourself and other low handicappers who aspire to be the best they can, I will be chosing the shaft that goes in it very carefully and ensuring it is pured. 

Keep the adivce coming for the geeks amongst us. 

Chris , you are right about the flex as stated on shafts i always work on the CPM range i personally have my best results from 247 - 253 cpm's , this could be reg or stiff in any given shaft.

As for spine aligining I get best feed back from our + and low hcp clients , as thier in tune with their swings. We have a good results with higher hcp players especially when we sort out their putters and putting ,more people play with the wrong length,style and weight off putter than are playing with poor fitted clubs , and theres alot of poor fitted clubs about.

Viper PG works with my parntner(Ron) on his clubs ,Paul was in last week ,and he is out testing a couple of counter balanced LDrivers ,the overall SW has been brought back to D5 so in theory bring up his swing speed.

Viper, what a great synonym about the Ferrari.  Yes it's true that anyone can go out and get Ferrari and get it tuned to race spec.  However, most of them can't drive one to it's design envelope any more than they could drive it to the moon, so what's the point? It makes them think they can drive better so psychologically it is a boost, but put them up against someone who can relly drive and they will be blown into the weeds.

I can, just, see the point of pureing and alignment. From a mechanical point of view it makes sense, however, when all of the variables are added, especially for high handicappers it can only give a psycological advantage.  For low handicappers, who have nicely grooved swings then it could make a difference, in much the same way that a slight change in brake balance will make to lap times to a good driver.     

Tim, dont dis the high h,capper I know they too have finely grooved swings , I have studied many. They just swing from a strange place and a strange path, but usually consistently.

And put your name down for the friendly..........................