Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-08-02
FLEXIBLE SHAFTS
RATED REAL BOON
More Distance, Better Tim
ina and Less Physical
Fatigue Claimed.
BY FRACNIS ]. POWERS.

golf clubs is the flexible
shaft, used in both woods
and irons. After thorough
trvout. several of the country'S
leading professionals declare the
timber shafts will improve the
play of star and duffer alike, WIN
some exceptions. The Whlppy
shafts are declared to be partlc-
ularly helpful to light hitters,
aging players and women who
are not blessed with strong wrists.
Claims made for the timber shafts
include more distance, better timing and
less physical fatigue.
1t is claimed more distance will come
from the use of the timber shafts be-
cause the flex is just below the grip
rather than down at the shank OF the
club and produces a snap to the club
head that only the better players have
been able to obtain after long years OF
training.
Improved timing comes because the
PLAYER is able to feel the head of the
club, and it simplifleS the task OF con-
centrating on the club head coming
through. The f1ex of the shaft helps
adjust errors because it provides mar
gin of variance. The shafts do large
part of the work in a swing, and as
consequence the player suffers less from
fatigue AS the flex in club is cor
receive factor, which automatically ad-
justs error, players will have greater
control of their shots.
Not Old, Whippy Shaft.
"HE new shaft is not to be con-
fused with the old-time whippy
shaft The old-time Whippy shaft
had no definite placement of the f1ex
and was often uncomfortable because OF
the great amount of torsion. The new
shaft locates the flex at the exact spot
where it will help the wrists and is free
from torque.
Due to the flex, player is obliged to
follow through more mechanically than
with the old stiff shafts. This has
tendency to eliminate checking or
smothering shots, a habit SO frequently
found among the duffer class of players.
The f1eXibility of the timber shafts is
graduated for all of the irons. The
greatest amount of fiex is found in the
one, two and three irons, with more
stiffness in the others, according to their
requirements.
The timber shafts probably will not
be found serviceable for the fast
SWlngerS, since there always Will De the
tendency to bring the hands through
ahead of the club head. Speedy
s~jngers employing the new shafts will
END it necessary to slow down their
swings. otherwise they may find the
shafts producing many wild shots.
To Be Popular Next Year.
IL of the leading manufacturers Of
~ golf clubs now are experimenting
with the timber shafts and they
will be the popular style in 1884 golf
clubs With the toe-weighted irons al
ready proven successful in the hands of
such stars as Gene Sarazen, Ralph
Guldahl and many other professionals
modern mechanics seem to be coming
to the aid of the dub golfer
The past few years have seen ire
mendous improvement in the making
of golf clubs. First came the heavy,
Hanged niblic, which makes bunker play
more or less automatic; then several
new designs of irons, all of which have
proved Value. and finally the graduated
flexible shaft. But despite these i'm
provementS it still is necessary to hit
the ball properly and with the correct
swing Clubs may improve in con-
struction, but the fundamentals of the
game remain the same, and golf can be
as "humblin'," as George Lowe once re-
marked, as it was 100 years ago.