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You are here: Home / Golf Tips / Does A Heavier Shaft Increase Distance? (Everything To Know)

Does A Heavier Shaft Increase Distance? (Everything To Know)

July 4, 2020 by Brittany Olizarowicz Leave a Comment

Player hitting a golf ball down the fairway

If you have been around the game for quite some time, you may notice that better players use heavier golf clubs.

It also seems like these better players always hit the ball far.

So that will naturally bring up the questions, does a heavier shaft increase distance.

In this guide, we will help to answer that question and a few others about golf shaft weight.

 

Does A Heavier Shaft Increase Distance?

A golf ball rests on the tee grass with irons. Selective focus with plenty of copy space.

A heavier shaft will only increase distance for the golfers that have high swing speeds.

For golfers with slow swing speeds, a heavier shaft will decrease the distance.

Hitting a golf ball far is all about ball speed.

The more clubhead speed you have, the more ball speed you can create.

When your ball speed is high, your distance will be far.

When you have a slower swing speed, it becomes complicated to get the ball speed that you need.

A heavier shaft is only going to make this problem worse.

 

How Do I Know Which Golf Shaft To Play?

person holding with hand golf club in a golf shop

Without using a launch monitor, it can be hard to tell precisely what shaft you should be using.

For the most part, golfers find that using the weight that their golf club comes with is perfectly fine.

The only golfers that need to play around with shaft weights are those that are very strong and those that have lost some strength.

You can try experimenting with some different shaft weights and see which ones help you get the most distance.

It’s essential to take into account accuracy as well as distance.

If an individual shaft helps you hit the ball very far, but your dispersion is not good, then it may not be worth getting those extra yards.

 

What Are The Benefits and Disadvantages To Using A Heavier Golf Shaft?

Photo of business hands holding blackboard and writing Advantages and Disadvantages

If you think that it may be time to change the weight of your golf shaft, then it is essential to understand all the factors involved.

Changing the weight on your golf clubs is not just going to affect distance.

There will be changes in accuracy and launch as well.

Here are some benefits and disadvantages to consider when changing weights in your golf shaft.

 

Benefits To A Heavier Golf Shaft

advantages check list illustration design over a white background

A heavier golf shaft is easier to control.

Since it naturally decreases your speed, you will be able to control the clubface just a bit more.

As you come into impact, you can feel the weight of the golf club in your hands, and that will help you gain much more control.

Heavier golf shafts also have lower torque.

Torque will feel a bit like that whippy feeling you can get in a golf club.

With a lower torque, you will have an easier time perfecting your timing.

Heavier golf shafts will produce lower launch angles.

Lower launch angles are great for players with lots of clubhead speed.

Sometimes with lots of clubhead speed, the ball can get too high up in the air.

Although high ball flight is a good thing, it can get too high that you have no control over your golf shots.

Adding a bit of weight to the shaft will lower the flight to a workable and more penetrating flight.

Lastly, a heavier golf shaft can cause a bit less spin.

Lower spin can help you control the ball, but it can also sometimes help with distance.

If you happen to hit a driver with lots of spins, your ball will stop exactly where it lands.

This is not ideal for a driver; you will want as much roll as you can get.

 

Disadvantages To Using A Heavier Golf Shaft

Vector pros and cons compare model - advantages and disadvantages

If you have the swing speed necessary to hit with a heavy golf shaft, then you very likely won’t have too many disadvantages.

However, the following things can happen if you are not ready for a heavier shaft.

Your swing speed could decrease.

The only time you should even consider decreasing your swing speed is if you are struggling with timing, tempo, or balance.

Outside of that, swing speed is a good thing.

Another disadvantage is that it can be harder to release the golf club.

Since the golf shaft is heavy, it is more work to get the clubface square at impact.

This is why you will sometimes hear players say they are not quick enough for a heavy shaft.

The last disadvantage is that the lower spin could cause your golf ball to roll through the greens.

You want to find the correct shaft weight that allows the golf ball to fly high enough that it will land on the green and stop.

 

Recap: Does a Heavier Shaft Equal More Distance

For the fight golfers, a heavier shaft can give you a few extra yards.

However, for the most part, the heavier golf shaft is more about control than it is about distance.

An increase in control is something that most golfers, regardless of handicap lever, will be willing to accept.

Before you switch all of your golf clubs to heavier shafts, make sure you play a round of two with a friend’s heavier clubs.

Reaching the eighteenth green with a set of very heavy golf shafts may have a little different feel.  

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Filed Under: Golf Tips

About Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt Olizarowicz started playing golf at the age of 7. She played Division 1 College golf at St.Johns University, where she won two tournaments at the collegiate level. After college Britt went on to become a Class A PGA Professional. Her love for the game spans almost her entire life. Today Britt loves sharing her knowledge of golf through her writing. After all, to teach the game of golf, you must first have a love for it.

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