Are you a man of steel?

January 02, 2015 08:04 pm | Updated 08:04 pm IST

GOLFCLUBS1

GOLFCLUBS1

Hickory or steel shaft? That was an argument that raged for decades in the early part of the 20th century, when it became obvious that the advent of the steel shaft considerably changed the way the game was played.

For those in the know, the fitting of a golf club, done by a “golf smith”, involves a certain degree of finesse and is considered an art form. Going back to the 1600s, research showed that it was not hickory that made up the shaft but hardwood with exotic names like ironheart, danga wood, bulletwood, washaba and purpleheart. Later on, varieties like lemonwood, ash and lancewood were preferred.

Hickory made its appearance sometime in the mid-1800s. It is said that axes those days had handles made of hickory, and they somehow found their way to golf smiths in England. Testing revealed that the weight, feel, durability, consistency and flex made for some extraordinary golf shafts; hickory was there to stay.

With the advent of industrialisation in England, the metallic option was also introduced; hollow steel shafts versus solid metal tubes were tested. Happily enough for modern-day golfers, the tensile hollow tube with its low resistance to torque won.

Other options

Between the 60s and 90s, manufacturers experimented with aluminium, titanium and fibreglass shafts. While they lasted briefly, the advent of the carbon-fibre composite, otherwise known as graphite, changed the way seniors and women golfers were able to play the game.

It is macho to want to be seen with steel shafts, as graphite is generally associated with women and seniors. Undoubtedly, while the extra weight of the steel shaft allows for more control, a higher swing rate is required to ensure adequate compression of the golf ball. Steel shafts provide for less whip that can reduce swing flaws. So why graphite?Since it is lighter than steel, the club can be swung much faster, producing more club head speed, and thus, greater distances. Hitting it longer is every golfer’s dream, and more often than not, I have seen most amateurs being fitted with inappropriate clubs.

A person with a slower swing tempo is best suited for the graphite shaft. Thanks to the whip in the graphite, the balls tend to fly longer; but being so light it is also common for the club head to move out of position, leading to poorly hit shots.

What’s good for you

Many graphite models are highly priced against the best steel shaft models. Every individual has a different swing, and thus, a different need. A 75-gm steel shaft may work better on you than a 75-gm graphite shaft. The best way to find out is to visit the pro shop and get fitted. A standard club-fitting service includes lie angle, length, grip size, and shaft flex. Further, an in-depth analysis using a launch monitor will determine launch conditions such as spin rate, launch angle and ball speed. Finally, the professional will precisely match equipment, to maximise distance and control.

Worldwide, graphite shafts have become clear favourites in all wood clubs, while steel dominates iron clubs.

The brassie

The brassie, mashie, cleek, jigger and rake are bygone expressions referring to the type of clubs our “antients” played with.

Wood clubs of the early days with wooden soles were easily damaged. To protect them, a brass plate was affixed to the sole, giving birth to “the brassie”. Golfers of my generation would recognise this club, then called the “2-wood”. Sadly, these clubs are no longer in fashion, having been replaced with hybrids and utility clubs.

All this would have been lost on Winston Churchill, who infamously said, “Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose.”

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