Your golf shaft has more of an impact on your shots than you think. You may not know that there are two types of shafts, flighted and non-flighted.
Flighted shafts are designed to give the ball a consistent apex point across all irons. That means that a 5-iron and a 9-iron will create a shot with similar ball heights and trajectories.
What Does it Mean if a Golf Shaft is Flighted?
When a golf shaft is flighted, it means that the longer irons will have an easier time popping the ball a little higher.
That is because the longer irons have a lower “kick point,” which helps get the ball a little higher.
Comparatively, the shorter irons have a higher kick point, keeping the ball slightly lower than usual.
The result is a consistent ball flight height across all flighted iron shafts.
It also means that the irons’ weight changes based on the distance they are capable of providing. Longer irons are heavier, whereas shorter irons are lighter.
Pro golfers and low handicappers can be biased towards flighted shafts because they can give players a little more control.
They also smooth out the differentiation and the dispersion of shots, providing consistency to a player’s game from tee to green.
Benefits of Flighted Golf Shafts
- Consistent ball height across all irons
- Increased control
- Lower spin
- Stiffer short irons, more flexible long irons
Disadvantages of Flighted Golf Shafts
- Varying shaft weights
- Changing swing dynamics based on distance
- Maybe less suitable for high handicappers
Difference Between Parallel and Flighted Shafts
There are some differences and similarities between parallel and flighted golf shafts.
Flighted shafts are generally tapered, which is a more popular shaft type across all golfers due to the ease of assembly and feel.
Parallel shafts give club fitters more room to customize shafts to a specific flex point. However, both parallel and flighted shafts are heavier as they get longer and lighter as they get shorter.
Parallel shafts are constructed mostly to offer a more customizable flex, whereas flighted shafts manipulate the kick point, resulting in more consistent ball flight height.
Flighted Golf Shaft Club Examples
Rifle FCM
The Rifle FCM shaft is designed to be moderate across the board. It is meant to give mild tempo and trajectory with mid to high spin.
They are also designed to provide consistent flex progression throughout the set.
Project X Flighted
There are two types of Project X irons. Flighted and non-flighted.
Like all other flighted irons, the Project X flighted shaft line is designed to give varying kick points across the irons to level out the ball flight patterns from low to high irons.
True Temper Tour Concept
The True Temper Tour Concept irons seem to provide a little more spin on the shorter irons and less on the longer ones.
However, the longer irons tend to get the ball a little higher than some comparable flighted shafts. Generally, golfers love the Tour Concept line for control and consistency.
Conclusion
Flighted shafts may be the answer to your low trajectory issues. However, you may notice some nuances to your swing dynamics that you couldn’t predict. If you have any other comments or questions, please leave them in the comments section below!
FAQ
how does golf shaft affect ball flight?
If a golf shaft is stiffer, the lower the ball is usually going to fly. If the golf shaft is a regular flex or senior and more bendable, the higher trajectory the ball is going to have.
Should high handicappers use flighted golf shafts?
No, high handicappers don’t need to use flighted golf shafts. Flighted golf shafts lower the trajectory in short irons and heighten the trajectory on long irons. If a shaft is non-flighted the ball flight will be standard. Beginners need to focus on learning a consistent swing path and making solid contact before tinkering with their clubs. Advanced golfers enjoy a flighted golf shaft because it allows them to have more spin on long irons and control short irons better.
What golf shaft is for lower ball flight?
A heavy and extra stiff golf shaft will promote lower ball flight. This reduces the amount of spin off the face but also helps with straight shots and prevent hooks and slices. It also helps the ball pierce through the air in windy conditions.
