Does Shaft Flex Matter In Wedges – Stiff vs Regular vs Senior

Updated June 25, 2024

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Most amateur golfers are focused on hitting the ball further off the tee, but it is the short game that will help them reduce their scores the quickest. In today's post we will answer the question; Does shaft flex matter in wedges?

The short answer is yes, shaft flex matters in wedges, in fact it matters in all of your clubs if you want to play your best.

Let's take a look at why that is and help you to find the right shaft for your wedges.

Why Does Shaft Flex Matter In Wedges?

It is a proven fact that you will play better with clubs that are fit for your swing and the same is true of the best wedges.

A shaft that is too soft will give you a ballooning ball flight with too much spin and it will be difficult to hit your wedge the same distance all the time.

A shaft that is too stiff will give you a low ball flight with too little spin.

Fitting a driver is much easier than wedges because you are simply looking for the shaft that delivers the right numbers for distance and accuracy.

Fitting wedges is much different because you are going to play many different shots with them. From full shots to little half shots and chips and pitches around the green.

The right wedge shaft will mean tighter dispersion, more spin and more consistency. This adds up to lower scores and can really improve your game.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to the best shaft flex in your wedges. Let's take a look at each of them.

Two Schools Of Thought On The Best Shaft Flex For Your Wedges

Choosing the best shaft flex for your wedges doesn't have to be difficult.

The best way to find the the right shaft is to go to a qualified club fitter and look at the numbers produced by hitting different shafts.

Data doesn't lie.

A club fitting may not be necessary if you follow our first recommendation below.

1. Use The Same Iron Shafts In Your Wedges

This method works most of the time and it makes sense. If you hit your irons well, then you can be relatively confident that you will hit your wedges well with the same shafts.

We have 2 playing professionals on staff here at Golf Gear Advisor and one of them, John VanDerLaan, who currently plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, uses the same shaft in his wedges as he does in his irons.

He uses the KBS C Taper in S+ flex and he has one of the best wedge games that I have ever seen.

2. Use A Shaft That Is A Slightly Softer Flex Than You Have In Your Irons

This is the second school of thought when choosing the best shaft for your wedges.

Many Tour Pros use this method as well, most notably Tiger Woods, who plays True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 in his irons while playing True Temper Dynamic Gold s400 in his wedges.

The idea is that a softer wedge shaft will have more feel, more spin and be easier to control because you are not hitting your wedges at 100% swing speed.

It is more about control and hitting them an exact distance.

Our other playing professional here at Golf Gear Advisor is Michael VanDerLaan and he uses this method, playing KBS Tour X flex in his irons and True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 in his wedges.

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Does Swing Speed Determine Shaft Flex?

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Yes swing speed determines shaft flex, but there are other factors that come in to play as well. Most notably is tempo.

Tempo is a combination of how quickly you take the club away from your setup position and how quickly you transition from the backswing to the downswing.

The faster your tempo, the stiffer shaft that you are going to need and the smoother your tempo, the softer the shaft that you are going to need.

You can get a basic idea of the right shaft flex for you based on your swing speed.

Below you will find a swing speed vs shaft flex chart.

Swing Speed vs Shaft Flex Chart

In the chart below, you can find your driver swing speed and get an idea of the right shaft flex for you.

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Shaft Flex	Driver Swing Speed
Extra Stiff Flex(X Flex)	110 mph +
Stiff Flex (S Flex)	100 - 109 mph
Regular Flex(R Flex)	85 - 99 mph
Senior Flex	76 - 84 mph
Ladies Flex	Less than 75 mph

The data in the swing speed vs shaft flex chart above is a good starting point and you can probably find a shaft that will fit you relatively well, but if you really want to dial it in, you will need to get fit by a professional club fitter.

It will be money well spent.

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What Is Wedge Flex In A Golf Shaft

Wedge flex is a term given to a wedge shaft that is specifically made for wedges. It is a little softer flex so that it creates more spin on full shots and short shots around the green.

The first wedge shaft that I saw with this name was a True Temper Dynamic Gold shaft. I believe that True Temper teamed up with Vokey Wedges and you can now get a wedge flex shaft in your Vokey wedges. These are the stock wedge shafts that you can buy off the shelf at your local golf shop.

Wedge flex is similar to the spinner wedge shafts, they are both designed to create more spin on the golf ball and when it comes to wedge shafts, it is all about the spin.

Final Thoughts

It doesn't matter if you are trying to break 70 or break 90, shaft flex does matter in wedges and you will only be able to play your best golf if you have the right wedge shaft for your swing.

The swing speed vs shaft flex chart above is a good starting point for finding the right wedge shaft for you.

The best way to find the right shaft flex for your wedges is to go see a professional wedge fitter.

They will have you hit golf balls with wedges with different shaft flexes and record the data on a trackman or similar launch monitor.

This will tell you exactly what the right shaft is for your wedges and ultimately will improve your golf game.

Hit em straight!

FAQs

What happens if wedge shaft is too stiff?

If a wedge shaft is too stiff it will result in a loss of distance and a lower trajectory. It will also have less spin and more roll, which exactly the opposite of what you want whether you are hitting sand wedge, gap wedge or lob wedge.

Should I use heavier shafts in my wedges?

You should use the same weight shafts as you do in your irons so that you will have consistency though all of your golf clubs.

Should you use graphite or steel shafts in wedges?

Most golfers use steel shafts in their wedges. Graphite shafts are lighter and easier on the hands, so they are preferred by senior golfers, but there are currently no professional golfers using graphite shafts in their wedges.

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Are wedges supposed to be heavy?

Yes, wedges are supposed to be heavy. The heavier heads help get the ball up in the air on shorter swings.

Wedges are great for warming up before a round because they are heavier. Take two wedges out of your golf bag and swing them together to loosen up your golf muscles before heading to the first tee.