From: davet@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (Dave Tutelman)
Subject: Re: Graphite Shaft Prices
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs - Lincroft, NJ
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 13:09:36 GMT

In article <727910703.AA09234@tdkt.kksys.com> David.Moore@tdkt.kksys.com (David Moore) writes:
>I've assembled several graphite shafted clubs and I usually stick to
>the  mid  to  low  price  range  of the graphite shafts. You can get
>$12.50 cheapies like Golfsmith's "Carbon Stick" for  irons  all  the
>way  up  $150  shafts  made  by various companies  for  professional
>golfers.  There  is  a inverse relationship between torque and price
>(your 2.0 degree torque graphite shafts for  woods  are  $$$$).  The
>cheapies tend toward the torque of around 5.0 degrees. There is also
>some price relationship to how light the shaft is.
>Usually,  higher torque can help with getting the ball airborne (for
>slower swinging players) whereas the pros need minimal torque  on  a
>fast swing to avoid an open or shut clubface at impact.

IMHO, the main (probably only) reason for going to a graphite or other
composite shaft is weight.  (Debate below, for those who dispute this.)
The weight costs you in either looser torque or $$$$.  I agree with
David Moore on most of his points above, but come at it from a slightly
different point of view.  Building on what Dave writes...

I don't want loose torque if I can avoid it.  I don't know if it does in
fact produce a higher trajectory (I thought that was low bend point, not
torsion), but I don't need to hit the ball any higher (quite the contrary).
However, I certainly want a torsionally stiff shaft when my clubhead hits
the ground; this is when the forces on it are most likely to knock the
face off line.  So, where does this push me?
 - Low torque OK on a driver, because I shouldn't be hitting the ground
   anyway.  (And I've found that a keel sole driver resists twisting when
   I do screw up and scuff the turf.)
 - I want stiff torque on my other clubs (possibly excepting the putter,
   where it probably doesn't matter).

Amazingly, Murphy's law seems to have missed this one, because:
 - Shaft weight has a much greater effect on long clubs (e.g.-drivers) than
   short ones (e.g.- irons).
 - So I can use inexpensive graphite shafts where it helps (e.g.- drivers)
   without being penalized by the 3.5-4.5 degrees of torque in my favorite
   shafts.
 - For irons, where the torque would hurt, reducing shaft weight doesn't
   buy much anyway.  Pick light heads and go with metal shafts.  (If you,
   like my son, are very tall, reducing shaft weight may help.  But also
   consider clubs with a more upright lie.)

I promised to debate whether composite shafts are good for anything but
weight reduction.  IMO, the only argument worth considering here is
the "feel" argument.  Graphite DOES damp a lot of high-freq vibration,
making contact "feel" smoother or more mellow.  Since a lot of golf is
feel, do it if you like it.  But it IS psychological more than physical.
By the time you do feel the contact, the ball is long gone.  Too late to
"work" anything at that point.

>>>>Given  all  this,  can  anyone  tell me if graphite shafts priced
>above $25 apiece ACTUALLY HELP a person's game (handicap  of  10  to
>25).    By  this,  I  mean  helping  by  actual  physics....not  the
>confidence that comes from hitting a club with a $150 shaft on it.

I think I made myself clear on this point.

>>>>What about durability of the shaft itself vs.  price?  I've never
>seen even a cheapy graphite shaft snap....

I have.  I've also seen a TT Dynamic shaft snap.  So far, call it a tie.
(BTW, if a graphite shaft DOES snap, DON'T -- repeat, DO NOT -- handle
it near the point where it broke.  The fibers are exposed, tiny, stiff,
and as splinters are damnably difficult to remove.  Don't ask me how
I know  :-()

Dave