The golf swing and club fitting: What is shaft torque?

From time to time Aussie Golfer will be featuring a number of guest posts from Daniel Marsh at Callaway Golf explaining the technical details associated with the golf swing and correct club fitting.

What is it and why is it important….
As golfers, most of us know that the shaft bends during the swing due to the force we produce. Matching the correct flex to the right swing speed is very important. It helps the club face meet the ball squarely at impact, maximising launch and spin ballistics. And of course making the little white (sometimes yellow) ball fly straight.

But did you also know that on the down swing shaft also twists?

This twisting is called torque and it is measured in degrees. A lower torque shaft will have a higher resistance to twisting, feel stiffer and make the club head harder to square up at impact for a player who predominantly has an open club face.

Now that I have briefly explained what shaft torque is, how import is it?

Let’s liken it to a race horse. Just about everybody knows that Black Caviar the greatest race horse of our era often didn’t get wiped coming down the straight. We can liken this to a lower torque shaft as the horse (the player) is doing the work. When Luke Nolen needed a little bit more from Black Caviar he gave her a little tap and away she went.

On the other side of things players with a slower swing speed say around the 88mph who tend to slice the ball would benefit from high torque shaft. The shaft will twist a little more allowing the player to square the club face at the point of impact, producing a straighter shot.

Some example of lower torque shafts are:
• Matrix Black Tie
• Grafalloy Prolauch Red Speedcoat

Some example of higher torque shafts are:
• Aldila Trinity
• Project X Velocity

For more information please contact your local Callaway Authorised Retailer or call 1800 217 77 quoting aussiegolfer.net to book your club fit at one of Callaway’s Performance Centre’s and get that ball flying longer and straighter.

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