3 Big Ways Senior Shaft Golf Clubs Can Benefit Aging Players

Senior shaft golf clubs are those that more or less have a slightly more flexible shaft profile than others. Without complicating it any further, or getting lost in the weeds, that’s the main difference between a senior shaft club and any other.

But why do senior players benefit generally from more flexible golf shafts? Well, the secret has something to do with the fact that, as we age, we naturally lose strength, along with some flexibility and range of motion. 

That’s not to suggest that senior players have low swing speeds across the board. Doubtless, there are some very strong, fast senior players out there. It’s just that, taking a baseline, any given player is going to lose strength and speed as he or she gets older. 

Now, having said that, how do senior shaft golf clubs benefit aging players? Well, here are three key ways.

More Forgiving Flex Profile: Higher Launch 

The more forgiving flex profile is the single biggest factor that drives the performance and thereby the value of senior shaft golf clubs..  

For the most part, senior shaft golf clubs load more effectively with energy because of their more “springlike” nature. They also tend to have lower kick points.  

You know what that means: higher launch profiles. If you can’t swing harder and transfer more energy to the ball, you have to aim up. That’s the way to increase carry distance.

It is also the main way that senior shaft golf clubs can help aging players with lagging swing speeds add range to their drives. The higher launch profile helps the ball float just a bit longer, carrying it to its intended target.  

But the flex profile also has something to do with how the shaft loads and unloads with energy. Like a rubber band, or, if you will, the limb of a bow, a golf shaft can store and release energy. 

The more flexible it is, the better it will store and the more explosively it will unload energy. While it is true that players with stronger, faster swing speeds can usually hit the ball further with a stiffer shaft, the opposite is true of aging players with slower swing speeds.

The elasticity of the shaft is the name of the game. It releases energy at the critical moment of impact, delivering more explosive speeds off the tee.

You can take the same club head and outfit it with a stiffer shaft and a senior flex shaft, then let one player with a swing speed below 80 MPH swing it - holding all other factors constant, chances are much higher that the senior flex shaft delivers greater range.

More Spin

In addition to higher launch profiles, senior shaft golf clubs also tend to produce more spin; this is not true across the board but it is a pretty steady and accurate generality.  

Now, you might know spin as the factor that engenders shot dispersion, and in a sense, this is true. But shot dispersion is a thing you might be willing to deal with if the alternative was just not getting the carry distance needed in the first place.  

To be specific: high-spin senior shaft golf clubs put more backspin on the ball. This spin generates lift. The lift helps the ball float for longer, therefore going farther

Spin is the other half of the puzzle that gives senior shaft golf clubs such an advantage over stiffer shafts. The higher launch angle, paired with greater spin that offers higher lift, helps carry the ball farther.  

This is the one-two combo that makes senior shaft golf clubs better for players with slower swing speeds, as they can help them reach ranges that would otherwise have proven unattainable.  

Now, it is also true that a higher spin shaft can magnify form and shot errors while also increasing shot dispersion, which can cause a ball to land in the wrong place - even if it went the distance.

With that said, form errors can be corrected to bring shots in line, and the advanced adjustability of many modern driver heads makes it possible to customize shot shape - helping to eliminate some of these concerns.

More Forgiving Torque Rating  

Lastly, there is one other feature of many senior shaft golf clubs that makes them more suitable for aging players, as well as for others who have slightly slower swing speeds.

Many senior shaft golf clubs are outfitted with shafts that have slightly higher torque ratings, which means they twist a bit more about their centerline axis.  

Most players wouldn’t appreciate this, but it confers a very pointed potential advantage here: it can help the club return to square at the critical moment of impact.

See, while spin can (and does) influence shot dispersion, a much bigger imparting factor is a clubhead that doesn’t square properly. If the clubhead contacts the ball at an angle, it almost always results in a fade or a slice.

But, with a more forgiving torque profile, a shaft is more likely to return a club to square, even if the swing is a little jerky or out of tempo - and that, like a more flexible profile that imparts a higher launch and more spin can be very, very beneficial to players with slower swing speeds.

More Flexible Golf Shafts: They’re Not Just for Seniors

While the more flexible and forgiving profiles of senior shaft golf clubs can definitely benefit aging players, they’re also potentially beneficial for others with slower swing speeds. 

Regardless of the reason for your swing speed, if you’ve been baffled by ultra-stiff shafts that launch too low and just can’t give you the carry distance you need, then you might want to look into re-outfitting your clubs with more flexible, more forgiving golf driver shafts.

Work with one of our fitters, let us know what you’d like to see, and we’ll make personalized recommendations for upgrading your favorite drivers - you’ll be able to hit farther and possibly even minimize shot dispersion.