CAN YOU FAKE THE $800 AUTOFLEX SHAFT
Vložit
- čas přidán 17. 08. 2024
- In this video we talk about the AutoFlex golf shaft. What is it supposed to do? How does it work? What does it really do? And can you fake it and get the same results out of a standard non-super exotic shaft.
Link to 48" Driver Build video
• HOW TO BUILD A 48 INCH... - Sport
I love how you speak clear and slow and your audio is really easy to hear good job as far as videos going to put you up there with TXG
I appreciate it. Just wish I had their studio setup and I could really get that polished look. Hopefully with growing and continued support I will be able to upgrade my shop in the near future.
I found the perfect alternative. I was searching for a Driver shaft based on distance & dispersion, without concern for price, and i found that the Fujikura Airspeeder regular flex gives a similar whippy flex with the same distance as Autoflex shafts (although some shots were slightly further & some were slightly less distance) but my dispersion was so much better with the Airspeeder. The Airspeeder is Fuji's version of the Autoflex in terms of weight and flex, but the dispersion is so much better. You could even try a A flex for more whip, but R was my perfect shaft
i love your videos, and i agree with a majority of your findings, but i just built an AF shaft for my buddy and the construction of the AF is slightly different (not sure if it is worth the extra $500 difference) - i am not a shafttoid, but the AF tip is different. when you wiggle it around it feels like any other light weight shaft, but when you hit it-it does provide the extra stability not found in lighter weight shafts. its an extremely niche shaft. i would imagine someone if you had a violent transistion in your downswing you would not benefit from an AF shaft. another point that i found interesting was how you explained the transistion from club to club within your bag and by having an extreme light shaft would be problematic. i would tend to disagree with your finding simply because the driver swing should be completely different than all your other swings. you are teeing it up, hitting slightly up so the shaft/swing really should have no bearing for the rest of your clubs/swing. when driver heads were tiny then yes you would need to match up your driver shaft/swing to your set, but the modern driver really is its own beast.
I see where you're coming from. I want to get my hands on one to test but not yet at $800.
I have to agree with Mitch Y here. I have the 505X. I’ve actually tried using a more standard (but very high quality) shaft thats lighter and more flexible than my norm. There’s a strange stability to the AutoFlex that I haven’t been able to replicate. I have a pretty smooth swing though. A couple friends with more aggressive transitions tried my AF with mixed results.
I’m also not sure I agree with the thought about how it transitions into the rest of the set. That’s the traditional thinking but perhaps needs to be re-examined when it comes specifically to driver. Traditional thinking isn’t always best. I mean we used to think the ball started on a line mostly determined by swing path. 🙂
My current swing speed is in the 105-110 range. Just went to a lighter Ventus Blue in A flex. Honestly, it’s been a great experiment and can’t see changing. People laugh when they see me hitting a senior flex shaft, but they understand pretty quick.
What’s your yardage gains?
Higher swing speed in a more flexible shaft causes the ball to balloon and lose carry distance.
Dave Zaino
Dave Zaino
1 second ago
HOLD ON.. I bought the Autoflex shaft from the boys at TXG, 3 weeks ago. Mike, who is an amazing club builder, fit me for this shaft based upon all of my swing criteria, driver head, speed, loading characteristic, etc.. I got less than 6 minutes into this video and I had to stop and post a real life example of what this shaft did for my game.. (and Matt's long drive bombs if you turn to TXG). You start out by saying just add a soft, longer, flexible, and yes..pink, shaft and tada!! Instant Autoflex. Well, if you go off the shelf and buy ANY shaft, it's not going to work that way. The key is getting fitted. Here's the facts of my shaft and the results. 45.5" SF505, SIM 10.5 head, neutral setting, weight in the center. Golf pride velvet standard plus 4, 4 wraps. Gained 5 mph clubhead speed.. Gained 9mph ball speed.. Gained yardage...Straight yardage at that. I was able to lower my loft by 1 degree, lowering my spin while keeping the same loft. Rick Shiels poo-pooed the shaft but he had the wrong head and loads it too much for the shaft he was using. This shaft is the real deal and my playing partners can attest to the performance, in only one round of play. You can try to copy it with some $50 off the shelf wobbly stick, but good luck with that. Getting fit is the key for ANY club in the bag. Oh.. and as far as continuity in the bag? Swing weight is D3.6. Bang on for the SIM with my older VA Slay 46" shaft, 65 gram. It's easy to talk crap about a product you've never built and tested yourself. Yes it cost me $900. I'd put one in my 3 and 5 wood also.
One man's opinion.
I'm happy that you're happy with your purchase.
Lol this guy's clearly all in on the hype. I know guys in the industry in Toronto, Mike's an "amazing club builder"? He hasn't even been at it very long. You'd be surprised what goes on over there 😂
Well, you’ll need to convince Rick Sheils of this. He tested his Hazardous X against the Autoflex, and he ended up with slightly less yardage and more dispersion with the Autoflex. But... I’m sure it’s worth the price 😉
m.czcams.com/video/Y7kkWAUaCd8/video.html
ADAM SCOTT DITCHES AUTOFLEX SHAFT EXPERIMENT
@@debrajohnson4689 Yep. Saw him 2 or 3 weeks ago with the Ventus Red back in the driver. Who knows how long that stays as he is clearly searching. Need to check if Louis is still using the Ping CB Slate (aka a Poor Mans Autoflex).
Love the video. I m a senior golfer. I used the light Miyazaki shaft . I pay a lot of attention to the international flex code. Last 2 digit must be 2 or 1.
Love my 45 gm prolaunch senior flex shaft in my SIM 2 Max… 93-97 mph swing speed. Put a 55 gm senior flex in my 3 wood and I think it’s great as well.
What to do with my hybrid ? Can I just use a senior flex wood shaft of about 60 gms? Or do I need a “hybrid” shaft ??
If it’s a .370 tip, I would not recommend using a wood shaft.
AJ, when you built the CB Riptide did you tip it to match the Fuji shaft? I picked up the CB for $60 not a small batch. Any input would be awesome. Thank you!
I have the AutoFlex SF505X playing at 45.5 in a Mavrik SZ head. I do think the lighter weight does help me but there is something to the shaft. Same Mavrik SZ (gamer) and on my Mevo I have a SS of 110-111 and my carry is around 265-270 with a Ventus Black w/Velocore 6X, playing at the same 45.5 length. I swap out to the AutoFlex (I do have to change to a lighter weight in the front setting to get to D1) and my SS is now 115-116 with a carry of 280-285. Tested multiple times on my Mevo on the range and also same results on the course. Same ball Pro V1X used with both shafts, same hole, etc. Now the ball flight and launch is higher with the AutoFlex but the spin did not increase and the AutoFlex is longer.
I am trying to get my hands on one to do some side by side testing with. What is the SW in your Ventus setup?
@@EFGMC D4 with the Ventus and D1 with the AutoFlex. I had a 16g heavier weight when using the Ventus and a slightly heavier weight in the back. Both swapped for lighter weight with the AutoFlex.
The comments made by the mobile club maker are not correct. I have tested this shaft and got another 4-5 m.p.h. speed and 20 yds. Worth it km periid.
I agree with alot of what you say.....i used to play off scratch and have very fast hands now on paper or a trackman i should be using extra stiff shafts for my club head speed....but I actually use Regular. Shafts are such an individual thing and there not a one size fits all..I can hit stiff and extra stiff aswell but need a certain head weight to allow me to achieve a certain feel. It really all depends on how the individual uses the shaft!! Im a lefty playing right handed and I use the shaft in quiet a unique way I tend to torque it alot and lag it towards the bottom of the swing but then I can hold my left hand firm being left hand dominant and allow the shaft to catch up and fire through the ball....right hand dominant players struggle to do this!! So by using regular shafts and being left hand dominant it allows me to torque the shaft and then hold it off for as long or little as I feel I need to to time the strike change trajectory etc its all a feel thing 👍to many golfers like to measure there manhood with the stiffness of the shafts excuse the pun.
I would like to see science behind your theory. Even a high speed camera with clubhead velocity at the impact. My opinion / hypothesis is that is that the more flexible shaft creates a lag where the club head catches up at impact (same as un cocking the wrist at the impact). But why not put this hypothesis to test with some technical observations?
I changed my driver shaft from a 55 G to a 68 G and I did not see any speed difference but for me the feeling of the extra weight I like the feel and stiffness and my bad swings do not seem to curve right as much as they did with thw prior shaft. ( flex is diff as well )
The 1 down fall I have seen the couple times on the course I've played with it. I have noticed that I hit a crazy low 150 to 200 yard stinger missile that I would have to purposely try to hit 10xs to get 1 time with the lighter shaft I had previously.
This is winter golf so the random stinger missile might roll a mile in summer conditions and if I can figure out how to hit it on purpose then in high winds it might be a great shot for me.
I really have not played enough to know to much other than I feel more steady with it.
All in all I'm very happy with 13 g heavier shaft and lighter , whippy shafts I am just not a fan of.
That is the key. Finding a weight class that works for you.
You make some great points. I just tested this shaft and the "range effect" is about 10 yards longer for me. BUT as you say on the course you hit driver, i7, chip, putt etc. On the range its easy do dial in but in your gamer you want the "right" feel all over your set up. My opinion is that this is a fun scramble shaft when playing with the boys but a real gamer in a tournament... no at least no for me
I've tried something similar to this, but I did have significant problems keeping driver spin down.
Something to consider for those of you keen to try it, if your driver has adjustable weights you may need to change them around or reduce the loft in order for this to work well.
Good points. I think many people see the loft go up and along with that the spin based on face contact.
@@EFGMC For me Autoflex launches high (I went down in loft on my driver), but at low spin. So, it gives high launch, low spin. Exactly what Trackman would recommend. Do you remember the promotion of Taylormade some years ago when the promoted "Loft up"??
@@rednaxelaresalg6712 Sounds like the Autoflex works with your swing.
I remember Loft up well. That was a sort of after the fact marketing reaction when they realized that the SLDR was falling out of the sky for basically everyone. Might have been the longest driver every made that almost no one could hit!
Hey bro, since you have a yt channel, and I'm just a humble civilian, can u plz make a video testing the Fujikura Airspeeder A flex compared to the data you have on the Autoflex?? I've always wondered how it'd compare and thought it would be a pretty cool video
I Think you Nailed this review The wow factor More speed is easily explained by weight and length and the accuracy is definetly in dispute , would love to see this tested on a machine against a senior flex with same length and weight
Wait for it. I have exactly that planned for a video next week. I don't have an Autoflex as they don't return requests for samples or demos (and I'm sure not going to buy one) but I do have data from plenty of golfers who put their results online in forums for Autoflex vs their current shaft.
I've build my poor mens autoflex drivershaft with a 10 years old but unused Graffaloy prolaunch blue 45 gram A flex shaft for my Ping G400 to test. I used to play a fubuki alpha 60 in regular 45.5". My swingspeed is with my driver about 93 mph. With my new shaft (which cost raw 20$) and a new adaptor (15$) the Swing speed increased to 96 mph without sacrificing accuracy.
Thank you for the video.
Love to see that. Glad it's working for you.
I will go further on this very expensive golf shaft, the only difference to a normal golf shaft is the money. Keep on educating us.
Russ Ryden did a review of it and said the Mitsu Grand Bassera from a few years ago has the identical profile. Those still run around $175 on the secondary market but still heck of a lot cheaper.
I recently bought a Titleist TSi 2 driver with 10 degree of loft. The standard Length on my Tensei 55 gram stiff shaft is 45 inches. I just couldn't feel the I could load the shaft correctly and it felt I had to really work hard. Just wasn't happy with the driver until I added 3/4 inches more to my shaft. The results were drastic. my Launch increased, ball speed increased and my swing speed increased. funny enough the spin was about the same as with standard length shaft.
The net result was better distance and a high draw shot which I prefer, and all this with the same amount of effort and at a minimal cost.
So I concur with what you saying, makes total sense, go light and go bit longer with your shaft, no need to buy an $800 shaft at all.
Perfect example!
I've really enjoyed your channel and learned quite a few tips, especially working with graphite shafts. I've repaired, refinished, regripped and made custom clubs for about 40 years and there is always something new to keep thing interesting! I have a Callaway Razr-Fit 11 degree driver head that had a 60 gram senior flex shaft and bought a 45 gram senior flex driver shaft and a Callaway shaft adaptor. With length cut to 46.24" it swingweights at E0, so I'm getting some lighter club head weights to bring it down to at least D5. But even at that high swingweight I'm seeing a 4-5 mph clubhead speed increase! I'm 69 years old and fighting rotator cuff issues so until I get that healed up I couldn't be happier with your autoflex alternative! Great work and excellent job on the videos - good sound makes all the difference! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Scott. Glad your Autoflex alternative is working for you!
Beginner on a budget with a high handicap.......Was GIVEN "whippy" clubs, senior flex........can they be stiffened by filling with spray foam or taped?
Not really. You can cut them from the tip to stiffen them but you will only have so much room before the shaft starts tapering out. Also this only works if the clubs are too long to start with. Most likely you will need to either reshaft, or find new clubs.
Thanks Aj ! Just love your channel - discovered this recently and 90% my last golf views is your channel ! You’ve encouraged me to make a hobby of this golfoholic sport.
Awesome. That's the goal of the channel!
Recently came upon this channel. Great videos. Some key points with autoflex that weren't mentioned. The swing weight and length of the club matters. The length should be longer 45.75, 46.5 etc just long. Swight weight NEEDS to be D2 or lower.
I believe that it's originally made for the slower swing speed player with smooth transition and the shaft load isn't going to be crazy. Most of the tour players that went into deep testing (Adam Scott) do not have hard, jerky transitions.
I do not agree with your build for a "fake autoflex" as someone who does play a longer driver shaft if you are going from a 45in driver to 46in. Assuming you are currently playing the right flex and weight shaft, I would recommend going lighter weight shaft and up or same flex (opinion). Definitely correct about the longer/softer shaft is going to create a higher dynamic loft, which I feel its great since I can lower the loft on my driver and keep the launch again in a good spot and get more ball speed from doing so.
Lighter weight club = more swing speed.
Lighter swing weight = more swing speed.
Lower lofted driver (ie. 10.5° to 9°) = more ball speed.
I have tried the autoflex, it's not for me. My transition is too aggressive, but the math works out.
Also, when creating clubhead speed there is a "pulling" or slowing of the hands to make the clubhead (not hands or body) go faster.
I do enjoy your videos. Since I'm new to you channel I'm just trying to watch everything. Thanks for the content.
I’m writing this 2 minutes in and a year later. It’s simply counter balanced aka its a Ping Alta CB SR that’s tipped a little differently. Does it work? Yes it does but only if you load and don’t cast like most golfers do.
How does the butt section move backwards when you are holding it in your hands?
As the tip section of the shaft speeds up into the ball, the butt section slows down (ie the hands slow down). So not moving backwards, just slow it down.
Have you tried the actual Autoflex shaft? Or are you going on what info is out there?
Have not. This is based on years of experience in the golf equipment business.
My club maker propose me one for 800 quids. Honestly the difference between Autoflex and my actual one is not worth 800 €. You're absolutely right
What would be the swing weight be?
Have you got to test an autoflex yet? I’d rather save money with your set up, but need some trackman data! Love your channel!
I haven't yet. Seems all the hype for this shaft has all but disappeared. Not sure I will do another video on it right now.
Thanks for the support.
You can have a heavy driver as long as you have the swing weight right, light shafts aren’t great for most golfers. This man is very good with his thinking.
I own an autoflex 505 and this is what I can tell you: club head speed goes up, ball speeds go up, distance goes up, dispersion tightens, it feels weird, you cannot shape the ball left or right as well. In short, it can either be used to bomb straight consistent drives or to to swing a bit easier and lighten the load on the body over the round and hit straight drives at your normal distance. There you go...
Glad it's working for you. Adam Scott didn't seem to have quite the same results with it.
I never said it was working for me; see the part about it being harder to shape the ball. Flighting up/down/left/right and controlling distance are all near impossible for me to consistently do with it. Now, showing off at the range... that works! Like I said above, it does two things. Adam Scott needs to work and control the ball and Adam Scott is an old man with an 85mph swing speed. He could have done better in choosing a head but this isn’t a tour shaft. Now for 10% of the LPGA... Hmmmmm Maybe
As for Adam Scott:
Adam Scott didn't play the club at the recommended swing weight, his clubs swing weight was heavier
@@ryanmichael1401 Adam Scott 120.18mph swing speed. Next four in SP...
Sergio
Tony
Brooks
Bubba
ADAM SCOTT DITCHES AUTOFLEX SHAFT EXPERIMENT
I always though that if you can feel the shaft flex, it would encourage someone to wait for the swing, while encouraging a better sequence.
That is totally true with my swing at least. Too stiff when I start the transition makes me force it, and everything goes down hill from there.
Just MOI match your entire set? Then you're good to go as far as consistent feel and tempo. The driver is the only club that you need to hit "as long as possible", so it can have a little different feel (just like you have a little different swing with your driver).
I honestly don't know why this "Hidden Korean Technology" works, but it does. It doesn't just give more clubhead speed, it gives more ball speed and more overall distance with a similar spin rate according to Trackman. It gives better numbers regardless of length, weight, or flex combos that it's tested against. It's an enigma for sure. The cost is ridiculous for sure! Great video.
Still hoping to hear back and get my hands on one so I can put my Poor Man's version against it and see where the chips fall.
ok to hv discontinuity in driver bc driver swing is diff fr irons
Great Video! I Bought a 1-year subscription to golf shaft reviews thanks to your videos. Tons of good info. I am building some budget long-drive setups by adding the adapter to an uncut 46-inch shaft, making it almost 48 inches. I am going down the lighter and whippy route since it is most common among long drivers, but I am pursuing it as an amateur, so it is tough to justify buying numerous padersons or other high-end shafts. Also, they are at risk of breaking :). Have you had any experience looking at the characteristics of long-drive shafts?
I will try out a graffaloy pro launch blue at senior flex and an Xcaliber 43g Superlite at Reg or senior flex.
Do you have any suggestions on budget shafts to consider when pursuing higher speeds?
I think the Grafalloy's are a good place to start.
@@EFGMC Will keep you posted !
i usal play Hazrds Smoke RDX X-flex, i have now punt Aldila Superlight 35Gram R3 Flex wippy shaft, and now play 350 yard shots :-) and like you say penny on the Dollar
If your natural drive trajectory is mid launch, this will help get a higher launch trajectory and for sure a +5% distance too. Just ensure torque of the shaft is 4* or less. Happy long drives!!
Doesn't even need to cost $100.
Pick up a senior or ladies flex shaft on ebay for $20. Heck, just get a used ladies driver or borrow it from someone and give it a try.
Most golfers are using too stiff of a shaft so it will be a revelation for them. Bet a $50 used ladies driver will perform as good if not better than their $500 driver with a fancy stiff shaft. Problem is their ego will not let them bring out a lavender ladies driver in front of their buddies. This is where $800 Autoflex shaft marketing scheme fits the bill. I may have paid $800 for a shaft like an idiot, but at least I'm not gaming a lavender ladies flex driver! Genius marketing scheme by a company selling ladies flex shafts. Price it very high and let consumers think it's magic.
I like the way you think. Can you do it with iron shafts? I love the LZ but can't rationalize spending fifty bucks per iron.
You can always find a match for one shaft as long as you know the weight, bend profile, and stiffness though stiffness can vary some by brand.
Might look at something like Nippon Modus3 120.
@@EFGMC Thanks! Going to check out the website you mentioned. 👍
Auto flex certainly has the publicity right now. Nice reference to Devo for those of us old enough to remember.
I just had my local fitter make me a 45 gram shaft ($100) with a grip I had already and tipped it with a Calloway adjustment collar off Amazon($20) uncut.
So now when it stops being 🥶, I can swap out the regular shaft for the long, lighter and one flex softer and see what I can make work.
Interestingly, when I screwed in a 20gram black finishing bolt in the end of the grip, my 48” shaft is very close in swingweight to the original.
That sounds like what I was suggesting. Let me know how it works once the ground thaws!
@@EFGMC
Well.........that was interesting ......
Played two balls...yellow 48”........white 45”(choked down)
48” felt long and powerful, no difference in dispersion
45” felt light and quick
Distance differential...........0
🤪
@@seanpeacock5595 Hmmm. Back to square one. Might also need a larger sample size to see any difference.
@@EFGMC 🤔 yep. Could be as simple as I swing the added length the same club head speed as the shorter but lighter swing weight version. My gut says the best struck one at 48” would be longer but I don’t think it’ll be huge.
At the range, I Really Noticed a different when I played around with the 3, 14 and 18 gram weights I had.
When the mask requirement is done around here I’ll get in with the Trackman for testing.
I just can’t seem to swing very well with the mask blocking my lower vision.
Stay safe
Not saying your wrong, but I got autoflex shaft and immediately gained 20 yards on my drives and yes a lot better dispersion. I really was skeptical but after getting it I was surprised. I'm 67 and play with most guys in there 40 and 50s. I tried many other very flex shafts even ladies flex but never got the change in distance and especially dispersion.
I have had the shaft for a few months now. Cannot say it has added much distance around 10 yards but fairways % has gone from 45% to 60%. And I don’t have big misses. Often the 40% misses are in second cut or semi rough. Would hit into trees once every 3 rounds if that I’m a 8HC
Sounds like you have it dialed in.
This man speaks a lot of truth, I’m afraid if you spend a fortune on a hyped up shaft you have got to say you love it.
It seems like people who spend that much for golf equipment are always to first to strongly defend it. Sometimes I think this stuff must come with stock shares in the company since they seem to have a vested interest.
@@EFGMC This comment by the mobile clubmaker is disingenuous, and poorly researched. Unsubscribed
I need some help figure out my Driver shaft. Now I went to a fitting over summer and they said a stiff flex i think ue said 56 grams. Problem is I am on a budget tryi g to figure out exactly what I needed without oaying for another fitting. My club speed went up again . I was 97mph when I went for fitting bit I'm pretty sure im closer to a 100 today. Any pointers. Thank you great video
Three specs to worry about with shafts. Weight, flex, and launch profile. Weight is alway the most important one for me. Flex really comes down to feel more than anything else. I put launch profile as number 3 on the list as it really comes down again to feel more than actual launch. If you really want to change launch you change the loft, impact position on the face, or technique. Weight you can get used to with many different classes of it, but I like to progress off my irons etc. If I play 120-130g iron shafts, then 70g driver makes sense. If 105-120g irons, then 60g driver. Under 105, then 50s gram driver.
@MOBILE CLUBMAKER GOLF got you . Sorry just read this after replying to last post. When it comes to my Irons . They are standard over counter second hand clubs lol. I wouldn't even k ow what thw weight on them are. Actually my son, who got me into golf, gave them to me. I love them
Adams Golf Idea V4 Hybrids set.
this is so interesting. I'm already doing this for past few years, I've noticed I get the best results with a R-Flex Driver, and Stiff Flex in all irons and woods.
Definitely. From personal experience and studies I've read, it seems that for a good portion of golfers, a "too soft" shaft can actually improve their swing mechanics and consistency. The trick is then still having the whole bag match up for feel. Sounds like you've got it dialed in for you!
@@EFGMC Just reading through these comments and good lord, this one got me.
Even if you can adjust for the different timing of a softer shaft, the shaft itself will still deflect too much at impact, causing a higher toe side strike.
A shaft that is too soft will wreak havoc on consistency, especially impact location on the face.
It is always better to err on the side of stiffer than to potentially be in a shaft that is too soft.
@@ryanokeefe12 Really dude? You're saying that someone who actually has practical experience and results from working with a softer shaft, is wrong based on your theoretical beliefs. You want to complain about me, fine. Don't go trying to screw up other people who find what works for them.
@@EFGMC I'm stating factual and documented information.
@@EFGMC What is feel? Swingweight, MOI, total club weight? PGA tour guys very often play D3-D6 drivers as opposed to LPGA ladies play between D0-D2.. Different people, different feel, different swingspeed. What shafts do you put into the "average Joe" clubs? Not all play the 130g X100 DG
Interesting thought process on the autoshaft. No I haven't hit or bought one. So the only thing I can logically think your assessment may lack... Is torque. So I did a brief search. To no avail I can not seem to find the spec on torque. So, in theory, "whippy", softer feel shaft, has a greater amount of torque. So if a autoshaft is able to keep the torque low....? Is my thought process wrong in this assessment? Did they achieve something no other shaft maker has produced? I'm just interested in what your thought would be. And if this is a "plausible" scenario?
I have seen the shaft spec'd out with bend profile etc. and the overall torque was 4 degrees. I guess you would call that low based on how flexible it is, or you could consider it high based on the recommended swing speeds for the shaft.
Instead of claiming you can use any ultra light weight shaft instead and not admit in your video that you don't even have an autoflex shaft to test your theory is unforgivable ! You really don't have a clue what you are talking about ! You might what to review the videos that are on youtube (TXG for example) that have actually tested the autoflex, especially since they are professionals at what they do !
Sounds like you are a big fan of the Autoflex. Happy it works for you.
a sucker born every minute lol you know TXG gets paid to sell golf shafts right???
at 84 yrs just about reaching the latter stages of playing (I did play of single figures for many years in my forties and fifties) and intend to continue until the lightning starts.
would you know or recommend a club fitter with your knowledge on the east coast of Australia ? Thank you for all your videos .
Allen Lane (NSW)
Unfortunately don’t know anyone there. I’ve had an idea about compiling a database of fitters and builders on a website but have not started on it. The best advise I can give you is remember the physics of golf and don’t let any fitter try and oversell any of the modern tech especially with shafts. A good $75 shaft will do just as well as a $400 shaft for 99% of us.
Just purchased a original sim max driver and when I removed the shaft from the head it is 42.5 inches long. So my question is to make a autoflex variation does the shaft need to be 45.5 or 46
I think they recommend playing length of 45.5 but that is only for their particular shaft. If you want to do more apples to apples I would keep it at 45.5. You can also start longer and see how it works, as you can always cut it down later on. Much harder to go the other direction.
Interesting video. I think I may have unknowingly faked my own Autoflex, well at least until I saw this video. After chatting with a friend who has quite a bit of equipment experience he recommended that I step down from stiff flex shafts to regular flex, particularly in the driver. Following his advice I ended up getting fitted into a used Epic Flash Star which has a 30 gram shaft (I only figured that out after watching this video). Ok so I did not go super flexy but that weight is even lower that the Autoflex, so I think that may put my driver shaft into the AuotFlex category. If I am wrong let me know. I just thought it interesting after watching this video and then looking at the specs on my new driver. Either way, my slice is gone. Distance is about the same though.
For sure it's the same idea. Lighter, and or more flex combined with a lighter head weight like in that Star model.
I play x-stiff shafts in order to keep my driver spin down (I've tried softer shafts and have excessive spin issues). Would a lighter, more flexible shaft result in high spinning drives again?
Yes, in all likelihood more flex and light weight would increase spin, at least for most golfers. Would probably need to tweak AoA, loft, and impact position to try and cancel that out.
Change your golf ball. Minimal effects can be changes with the shaft. Shafts are the engine of the swing which dictate impact position on the head. There's no such thing as a low,medium, high spin/launch shaft. Check out TXG if you don't trust me
@@dzaino1986 Thx Dave. When testing many shafts in the past, I’ve was able to reduce driver spin 500-800 rpms with a tip stiff shaft. I agree, choosing the right ball can help too, but I was able to achieve the spin numbers I was looking for with the right shaft.
@@dzaino1986 Do you work for TXG? Seeing numerous references and suggestions about checking out their channel.
You might not agree with me but a heavy swing weighted shaft over 100 gram say, with a heavy back weighted head at around D5 is super straight, and hits the ball just as far, light shafts in my opinion are useless unless you are not very strong. I like your style so keep on with the good video work. People are being misled with all this shaft nonsense.
I agree with your idea for some golfers but not all. I also need to say that to myself, since not all golfers will see a speed benefit from a lighter shaft. Really is player dependent.
Thanks for supporting the channel!
Where do you get this information regarding the hands being slowed by the kick of the shaft?.. You aren't holding a stiff beam with force being applied to the club head.. the hole shaft is bent like a bow and the shaft is storing the energy and then releasing it. The kick of the shaft doesn't slow your hands down it effectively tries to speed them up.
Here's an experiment you can do yourself to help you understand. Grab a shaft and bend it over your knee while holding the tip and the butt.. You're obviously going to have to push toward your knee on both ends. The shaft will then be trying to counter your force in the opposite direction on both ends of the club.
In the golf swing, the energy is stored because of the shaft and club heads resistance to acceleration.
The speed isn't coming from the weight of the shaft in the autoflex.. The swing weight and overall weight of the club is adjusted to match your ideal fit. It's very likely that the overall weight and swing weight ends up being the same as the shaft you're already fit for.. The speed comes from the shaft stiffening based on your swing to the exact amount needed for maximum club head speed at the kick point.
A more flexible shaft will allow a golfer to hit the ball higher if their swing speed is too slow for their existing shaft. But it will make the ball fly lower for a faster player because the club head will droop and twist and likely not be fully released at impact.
Check out Dave Tutelman for more insight.
@@EFGMC Mpre insight into physics and facts? You can link me to a video because I searched the guy and he has one video that shows exactly what I'm saying.
You can't just jump on youtube and start throwing out information based on your opinion or assumption. By the looks of the comments here, people are hearing what you're saying and taking it in.
The fact that you think the shaft acts the same as it would with a rigid beam with a fixed central axis that is having force applied in one direction is not even close to correct. What you're saying here defies physics.
Both the tip and the butt are trying to return to alignment with the shaft. There isn't some magical outside force that is pushing on the club head with another magical fixed pivot point at the balance point of the shaft.
The shaft wants to be straight. When the entire shaft is flexed during the swing you're bending the entire shaft. All of the shaft is enacting a force in the direction that will return the shaft to straight.
@@ryanokeefe12 He's not on CZcams. Has a website.
@@EFGMC mate, I've tried to find the physics defying info that you've spoken about on the 1990's website but can't.
I've given you the information and the physics. I've also given you a simple experiment you can do yourself.
I'm not quite sure why you think physics don't apply to the golf shaft in a swing but if that's the way you want to think, that's fine. Just don't jump on youtube and start preaching false information.
It's one thing to make assumptions about a golf shaft that you haven't even tested or even held. It's another to provide completely incorrect info.
@@ryanokeefe12 Nice chatting with you. Enjoy your Autoflex.
Fantastic video. Some much knowledge.
But I have my first driver ever bought. I was just starting golf last year bought of rack a TM M2 with Regular Flex. But when I went to fitting they said it was to whippy for.my swing speed. Now again when I first started my swing speed was 75 80 moh now I am almost at 100mph. Do you think stsying at a Regular flex or even Senior is good for me. I am 6 feet tall 220 lbs as well driving 280 yards lol. I am wondering what do you think.
Ok. More info now. This makes me think stiff is where you need to be at your height, weight, speed.
Also will just mention in case no one else has brought it up. Are you using standard grips or are they larger. Many people use standard when a midsize grip might help with consistency and accuracy.
@MOBILE CLUBMAKER GOLF I actually just changed my grips to Midsize. I am looking to grab a Stiff Shaft for my driver. The only thing that is holding me back is what gram. When I went for driver fitting, about 3 months ago, they said 56 gram. But I do believe my swing speed went up since. At that time I was about 97 swing speed. Today closer to 100. I been practicing on my swing speed .Also length howndoes it aply to me for Driver? Thank you for helping me out . Love you channel. I am learning a lot from it. Keep.up the great work
@@tonebassin2571 I would look at something between 55-65g. The exact gram number won't matter as long as it falls inline with the rest of your set. 5g one way or the other won't change anything. Just requires putting in the time on the range to get used to whatever you go with.
Length I would start out at the longest length you think would work for you. Can always choke down or grip down after to find that perfect length that allows you to make consistent contact. Much harder to go the other direction and make it longer.
is the fuji shaft the 55 regular flex or lite flex?
Light flex or R2 when I switched over to the Motore X in later videos.
A lot of fringe products are marketed in the same manner. Take an off the shelf product or an old idea, add some cryptic feature names and taglines, and paint it s friendly color. Sky high price raises expectations of product performance. Much like a $200k car is suppose to perform, a shaft that is more expensive than most implies high end performance. Sprinkle in some 'bot comments in product reviews and we have guerilla marketing at its finest.
Autoflex claim the secret is in the tech that stiffens & stabilises on impact. Anyone can make a light, whippy shaft but no one (except autoflex) can “claim” to make a light, whippy shaft that stiffens and stabilises on impact. The extreme cost is, I’m guessing, to cover that tech (& the R&D behind it) and as they haven’t even put in a patent on that tech (so no one can steal it), no one knows what that tech is or how much it costs to build that tech into a shaft. Do a head to head with a shaft you have just told your viewers to build and a real autoflex and see if the autoflex claims for their tech, that it stiffens and stabilises on impact, is real or marketing fluff. I’d like to see that test.
Thanks for watching. I am working on getting a sample to test out. Again my main concern other than price is how this super light flexy shaft will fit in with the rest of your bag. That would be my main concern even if the tech in this shaft is real.
Isn’t that what patents are for? They would be wise to do it before somebody deconstructs it.
@@reidthompson6272 Or they can't because there is nothing patentable in it??
In this Asian Country where I lived, 50gram driver shaft considered as heavy already. Mitsubishi Grand Bassara 29grams come into the market in last 2 years, UST Mamia introduced 30grams Auga shaft last 4-5 years ago. Ussualy the flex they mention as ~ infinity.. In the last few days, 4 Autoflex shaft came to my fitting shop, both 50 and 40 grams version. Frequency is arround 185, means very simmilar to ladies flex..
@@alamm.n.1723 I just saw a bend profile and review for the Autoflex and the reviewer said it's the same profile as the Mitsu Grand Bassera from a few years back in the same weight class. Basically then said save the extra $600 and just get one of those. I agree!
Are all clubs cut from the same graphite blanks? Drivers, irons, wedges, etc.
In general yes. But the sheets of carbon fiber can be laid out in different orientations to increase strength and radial consistency. The drivers and fairway woods will also have more high end material utilized to keep strength up even at lighter weights. Irons and wedges are usually heavier to start with and shorter in length and don't need the same high end materials.
did you have to lower the loft on the driver to optimize spin?
Changed nothing except the shaft for the tests I've done. Each golfer will be different so you might need to change the loft based on impact position and dynamic loft.
Totally irrelevant point on the shaft consistency with the rest of the clubs. Driver swings are vastly different than iron swings and wedges also have a different swing weight and flex than the rest of the irons.
Maybe talk to a PGA professional about swing dynamics because you really just undermined your credibility
Every club in the bag gets progressively and consistently stiffer and heavier in most pros bags. Not making this stuff up!
It would have been great if you demonstrate you thought experiment. In a reply to another person you said that you will not be buying the AF shaft and you will use other people's data, and that would be interesting, but not conclusive.
Thanks for the insightful vid. I'm very interested in this shaft, I've played around with lw sub 50g shafts but always lose them right or snap hook because of timing. My CHS is 112 with my AoA very high. I'm now in my early 40s and while my handi is still sub 2, the back tees are starting to not be interesting to me. In the past 3 years I've dropped from 118 to 112 CHS, I just don't know if taking a $900 gamble on a shaft is worth it. They need to make this shaft more available for testing. While many people don't notice swing weight and kickpoints they are huge to me, I prefer D2 and a high kickpoint as I have no issues with height. I will also agree with you on set makeup, no point in having a 40 yd gap in my 3wood to driver.
All I can say is look who is using it on tour. Really only Adam Scott has one in play and his accuracy has been less than stellar with it. Louis Oosthuizen had Ping make what I describe in the vid, that being a light weight, stiff flex Ping Alta CB shaft. Not sure if he has put it in play though.
Still trying to get my hands on one, but from everything I have seen and understand about shafts, there really isn't anything worth $900 there.
Get a light weight (say 15g drop), two flexes drop, and lighten the head weight (D1 or D0) to stablize the shaft flex and again increase speed, and there you go.
Again I could be way off since I can't get my hands on one thus far to try, but don't think so.
@@EFGMC As this is a very theoretical discussion without any "counter" proposals, the proof is still out there. If weight progression is an issue, how would one argue the Callaway puts in 55gram Catalyst graphite shafts into their Mavrik Max iron set? You mention yourself that most people play too heavy and too stiff but at the same time you believe Autoflex is too whippy. Somehow I do not get all the arguments to really match. Just ignore the price for a moment and test the true qualitative aspects of the shaft. To argue with Tour use on men PGA, you argue for a very small number of golfers and those guys don't care if the spend 100 or 1000 USD for a shaft (even if they had to pay for it).
@@rednaxelaresalg6712 I agree with all that. Again I never said it wouldn't work. I just said that depending on your current setup, it could feel like an outlier. And of course the price is high and yes I think most people could get the same results from a different shaft at 1/4 cost. And I am by no means alone in that opinion.
Great video AJ, WOULD THIS WORK FOR IRONS AS WELL?
The theory would work. Not sure you would want the extra forward defection with irons since you hit them off turf vs a tee though.
@@EFGMC very good thanks for the reply
what if I went to a ligter shaft and used a counter weight balanced grip like Boccieri
Could work, would need to try it. That sounds very similar to what Louis Oosthuizen did with the Ping Slate shaft after trying Adam Scott's Autoflex.
Good video, but i wouldn't advise doing what you recommend. I'd stay within flex but just lower weight. If you go 2 weight categories down then consider tipping maybe 1/2".
I actually built a demo shaft using a 55g A flex Fuji shaft that I then tipped an inch to move the profile a little. Was planning on making a video from it but could never get good enough results to go forward with it. My swing is too quick tempo to work a long shafted light weight shaft.
I did get a few club head speed numbers way above anything I have produced in the last 10 years but control was out the window.
Hello, I got a question (big fan of your youtube by the way) i got a cobra speedzone xtreme driver with a ust mamiya helium shaft. total club length was 45.5 but i cut it down to 44 flat. swing weight dropped to c5. with the speedzone xtreme, there’s a removable weight in the back, and i’m just wondering how would it effect the swing if i replace that weight with a heavier weight to get the swing weight heavier. since i’ll be adding a bulk of weight on the rear end of the driver head only, would that ruin the over all performance of the club? not really a fan of lead tape, but if i have to, ill use em. thank you in advance
Even though you don't like lead tape, you may want to consider using it at least to answer your own question. Lead tape allows you to keep adding weight until you get what feels right, then you can remove and weigh the tape and find a replacement weight that is close to it.
The shaft will continue to "soften" as you add weight so that will be something to keep an eye on.
I would put some masking tape over the face, or a dry erase marker for the balls so you can track how consistent your face contact is as you add the weight.
@@EFGMC Just to clarify something here - I agree the shaft will soften as you add weight but you're only rectifying the fact that it stiffened when you cut it down in the first place. So you don't need to worry you're going to make the shaft 'too' soft, you're just getting it back to where it was before cutting, assuming your swing weight ends up the same as what it was when you started. The other thing is, to go from C5 back to D2, you'll need 14 grams extra weight. You might also struggle to find a weight heavy enough to do that. It would have to be a 20 gram weight as you're replacing the stock 6 gram weight. You may end up needing a combination of a heavier weight and some lead tape.
No offense, I do like your vids, but I`ve got the Auto-Flex 505 with Sim (yes 15 grms lighter than my Ventus) and it`s a game changer. I`m getting 25 more yards on avg and hitting way more Fairways. Try it and then tell us what you think. Very expensive but so worth it!
No offense taken. I'm happy it works for you. I never said that it wouldn't work for some people, I just said that you could get similar results with another lighter and softer shaft, and save some coin.
I am working on a video where I put a shaft together and compare it to the LM data out there that people have been posting from Autoflex results. If you want to give me your before and after club and ball speed data, that would help me along with it.
Patterson shaft will do the same thing for 200 dollars
why do you think every long driver uses a Patterson shaft come on bro?
In other words don't get shafted with this turkey! ( unless you are in the 1% then go ahead)
The only result I can guarantee with this shaft is the ability to say you paid over $700 for a golf shaft.
Clearly a polarizing video. People get very touchy when it comes to golf and money. Kinda like the heat pxg gets for their clubs. Those haters have seemed to disappear now that pxg clubs are less expensive than most brands. Great video. Keep up the good work.
Quote a few caveats with the autoflex in terms or swing weight and swing speed. It really just does seem like a light weight flexible shaft that you would naturally swing faster except it satisfies your ego by putting you in an S or X flex lol.
I went to demo some drivers and without looking closely I picked out a Ping G425 driver with what I thought was an S flex shaft. I hit it very well only to look after and see that it was an SR flex. The old ego took a blow there but it was a valuable lesson lol.
That’s where autoflex corrects that like some clothing designers do by making larger sizes labeled as smaller so you feel better about wearing a Medium instead of a Large lol.
So true. Much like old Callaway that used shafts far more flexible than anyone else and sold probably double what all other brands did together during that time.
@@EFGMC Yup. In early years of Bertha drivers, they came with graphite shaft only in "Firm" stiffness from factory. It was really a "regular" stiffness. But of course Callaway knew naming convention and perception are important and didn't want to call it "regular." Firm sounds more manly for the the ego. lol
@@SupeDefy Also heard later on that all the lofts were higher than what was stamped.
Ust alt 470 ladies or senior shaft the but is to flexible so I add a wooden dowel rod or a metal sleeve 11 1/2 inches long in the butt and I play at 47 inches. I am 56 years old my swing speed with 45 inch Standard senior shaft is about 82 miles an hour my swing speed with the US T470 senior flex 94 miles an hour with the butt stiffer and allows me much more clubhead speed and good control with the butt stiffer. The problem I break at least to the chefs a year in the butt right where the dial rod or metal ends at 11 1/2 inches the stress point looking for a better solution you have any ideas for me on a 6700 yard course I am a 5 Handicap and probably three times a year I shoot under par I have a frequency machine and I am Laser Spine on my chefs I dry fit the heads with fishing line put a laser on the shaft and twang it against a white wall until I achieve a straight up and down pattern this has given me my best results
Have you tried the same shaft in R flex instead so you don't need the dowel? It will be fractionally stiffer but will overall be lighter without the dowel. You could even add a little tip weight back to the head to get a touch more flex in the shaft.
Other thought would be to taper the dowel at the tip and surround with foam or even a cotton ball to reduce stress at the tip??
I love your character on super store
There used to be a shaft called the "White Lightning" that was a light, whippy fiberglass shaft. It does help really old people get it airborne, but for 99 percent of the people, it didn't help at all!!!!
Nitroflex by Graffaloy.Softer in flex but very low torque.mid 90s i think
As a club pro you couldn’t be any further from the truth about what you said going throughout the bag… and it’s not even remotely close to the same as a lighter more flexible shaft..
you should actually test It before you give an opinion. I wouldn’t pay the price tag. But it’s 100% different than what you said in this video.
First thing I would recommend would be to TEST a few shafts of different weights to see IF YOU get more speed with a lighter shaft. The reason I say this is that 17 years ago I won a contest and got a custom driver with a FULL fitting as the prize. When I had the fitting the recommended shaft weight for my swing was a 75 grams shaft. At the time I had two drivers, one with a 65 grams shaft and one with a 55 grams shaft. So we did a simple test on the launch monitor to see what my swing speed was with ALL THREE shaft weights. For me, I was swinging at that time 105 MPH with ALL of the shaft weights. ZERO difference between the 55 to the 75 grams shafts. And I have been doing the same test ever since when new lighter shaft models come out. I test them and I get the SAME results. ZERO gain in speed with the lighter shafts. Bottom line is that I play a 75 grams shaft in my driver ever since I went to that weight class. And for me it works. I have also tested other golfers with good swing speed, and for most of them they got the same results, In fact one golfer I tested got HIGHER swing speeds as he went from the 50 grams shaft in his current driver up to a 65 grams shaft and then to my driver with a 78 grams shaft. All drivers were the same length so the only difference was shaft weight. He went from 112 to 117 to a high of 125 with my 78 grams shaft driver. Needless to say he was surprised and ended up getting a new heavier shaft installed in his driver the very next week. And every time I see him at the range he thanks me again for my advice.
Good point. All these changes are golfer dependent and are never a guarantee for anyone.
@@EFGMC Have YOU personally tried hitting different weight shafts in a driver to see IF YOU get more speed with a lighter shaft? I've hit drivers with shafts that range from mid 40"s to 78 grams and I get NO increase in head speed at all. I see the same thing when I have other good golfers try this test. Just wondering if YOU see any gains with lighter shaft?
@@donfisher6659 I have experimented with different shaft weights all through the set for years. For a long time 75g was what suited me best for driver weight. Distance was good but more importantly it helped with my impact consistency. However, recently I moved down a weight class into 62g range because I have been feeling like I try to swing too hard with the 75g and would get a little erratic towards the end of the round. Of course right at this moment I have a 56g over length shaft in my driver from my 48 inch driver build experiment but that obviously is a bit different. I do also like the lighter 62 because I can lengthen it out a bit with less impact on balance, everything else being equal.
I do fully believe that lighter shafts are easier to swing and offer better/more consistent results over the course of the round, not for everyone, but yes for me and for many others I know.
@@EFGMC I was NOT asking you if you like a lighter shaft in your driver. What I asked was did you get more SPEED with the lighter shaft? Like you, I know other golfer like a lighter shaft, but that is not the same thing as getting more cluhhead speed or distance. Strickly going on club speed, have you noticed and gains using a lighter shaft? In my testing over the last 15 years, I have NOT seen any gains with a light shaft. not once.
If the shaft does not release until your hand pass the ball. Then you will get more benefit
Love the Devo reference!
... and the Thomas Dolby-one too! Greetings from Stockholm!
Figured maybe half my audience would get it.
Finally somebody not caught up in the hype, drinking the koolaid. Golfers are so desperate for a magic piece of equipment that's going to compensate for lack of skill.
Just a note: I don't think you've ever had one. dropping a flex isn't going to do it, I've had a sf505x 45.5" on a frequency meter and it came out 187cpm.
Have you used Autoflex, or is this video completely hypothetical?
I usually find your videos interesting; yet advocating someone to go out and spend perhaps $100-$400 on a new shaft configuration so it's "cheap", when in all likelihood it would be a terrible idea, seems kind of irresponsible from someone who, from their other videos, seems to genuinely want people to better their understanding of equipment and improve their game. I'd expect a "can you fake the $800 Autoflex shaft?" video to involve some sort of test so there's an actual answer at the end, rather than a click-bait video summed up with "it's kind of whippy - go use trial and error and find out for yourself".
If you have done a test with two comparible shafts - can we please see that instead? I'll quite happily eat my own words if you've made something comparible / superior to Autoflex for a fraction of the cost and have shot data which demonstrates similarities in performance. Maybe this could feature in a future video?
Autoflex is far from perfect; there are weighting issues and some consistent high swing-speed players may benefit from a fitted more conventional setup to aid dispersion for the sake of a few additional yards gained. I imagine the vast majority of golfers on a budget (who typically buy off-the-shelf or pre-owned clubs) would benefit from getting their clubs checked / fitted rather than spending $800 on a driver shaft (or $200 on a lightweight super-whippy DIY shaft for that matter).
Have not used one yet. Trying to get my hands on one to actually test it out. Just to clarify, the things I mentioned not liking would remain the same even after testing it against other options. It will still be too expensive and the weight and bend of the shaft will make it "feel" significantly different from what the rest of your bag likely feels like. As I always stress continuity of weight and feel is one of the most important aspects of equipment and this shaft would make that difficult to achieve, That is why I first recommend dropping 10g and one flex in order to stay more consistent through the bag.
I do appreciate the feedback and I will try and get a sample shaft but I do not consider what I posted "clickbait". What I really want to do would be to play 9 holes with it vs. a traditional shaft and see how my game changes through the bag. That in my opinion would be far more valuable than just hitting it on the range or into a sim.
Thanks for the response and the clarification. I didn't mean any offence with the "clickbait" mention; although given you haven't tested the Autoflex yet and your video didn't have a conclusive answer to the "can you fake the $800 Autoflex shaft?" title... it may be something to be mindful of in the future.
I agree and appreciate your comments regarding swingweight in the video and how this should be relatively consistent throughout the bag, yet unless someone has an ill-fitted club to begin with(e.g. 65g stiff shaft when they only swing 80mph) are there really any benefits to dropping a weight category AND flex in one go (given a lighter weight will inevitably be a softer flex due to a lack of material)? I can understand marginal gains in clubhead speed, especially if it's a longer shaft, although I'd assume consistency and dispersion would suffer. As I said before; I find your videos interesting and perhaps a worthwhile test in light of this is comparing a light-weight overly soft shaft to your current driver shaft and see how the two differ? That'd be quite entertaining and expand upon some of the theory in this video (without having to fork out for an $800 shaft!).
For the record; no shaft is worth $800 unless it comes with a magic enchantment that can make me play golf like a tour pro overnight! I also appreciate that those who play often / professionally will inevtiably see value in it, even at that price, if it provides some sort of benefit / competative advantage - it's merely my opinion. Cheers
@@mattcoulson1560 Totally hear what your saying. I am going to try and get my hands on one of these and if I can, also use some other golfers to test it instead of myself as I am biased and that can throw off any testing.
As far as weight and flex go, they need to be treated independently with carbon fiber b/c you can make it heavy and flexible or light and super rigid, unlike steel where the two go more hand in hand.
I do think swing weight should be held relatively consistent through the set but my real concern in the video is with the static weights of the clubs. That is more often overlooked and shouldn't be as it's more important than SW for many golfers. This isn't just my opinion, as many of the most knowledgable club makers I know feel similarly.
I think honestly golf shafts today have been given way too much value in the make up of the golf club and what they can really do for a golfer and this is unfortunate. Shaft makers are releasing new "better" shafts faster than even the club OEMs release new equipment. All the high end fitters don't help the cause either. I have been in and around the golf business long enough to know when golfers are actually getting something for their money vs. just being sold and I feel like we are really in the later when it comes to shafts.
Sorry for the soapbox rant. This post got away from me a bit.
@@EFGMC Haha, no need to apologise for the "soapbox rant" - everyone's entitled to an opinion :) I agree that the most expensive shaft will not always benefit everyone; there's such a huge range used on tour (including older models), and while there are undoubted benefits to getting fit for a golf club it doesn't have to cost the earth.
For golfers who rely on feel, or who load the club heavy at the top, I can't see them getting on with something like Autoflex at all - it certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea. My opinion regarding shafts over the last 5-6 years would be they've become more consistent with regards to manufacturing and perhaps offer more niche variations to super-fine-tune those who need it / will benefit... similarly equipment in general tends to be a refinement year on year rather than game-changing breakthorughs every 12 months (albeit mainly due to constraints of rules at this point). Ultimately it depends on the individual; if someone can justify the expense of marginal gains - it's good to be able to tailor to them, whereas other golfers on a budget may benefit more from spending on other equipment / areas / lessons.
I look forward to the future videos and analysis! On a seperate note; have you had any more practise with the 48 inch Callaway driver you built, and if so what were your thoughts? Thanks
@@mattcoulson1560 Thanks. I need to get out with the 48 incher some more. I'm a bit worried they are going to scale back the length rule thereby making it a moot point.
You should show some examples on track man to support the statements you made!
Hard to knock it without using the autoflex shaft and comparing a lighter flex shaft and showing the results.
I'm working on getting one to put together a comparison with. However my 2 big issues with it don't require me having it in hand to voice concern over. That being price and how a shaft so different from everything else in the bag will affect your overall performance on the course.
I am going to try a 50 gram shaft and a reg flex shaft compared to my 65 gram speeder stiff shaft and see if I get extra speed.I am 62 still have 101 swing speed but we all need extra length!! Thanks for the info!!@@EFGMC
@@carmenbowington9451 Let me know how it works out. May want to add a little length also.
I did exactly that few months ago. I m senior with slow swing speed. i used to use 50g regular flex. Have changed to Alta Distanza 40g shaft. I am having a good result in both distance and consistency. At least 10-15yard. However, i am interested to see if auto flex will further improve it. Maybe you can do a comparison between these 2? Thanks.
@@linghannkim2439 Glad to hear it's working for you. I am working on getting my hands on an Autoflex, see how that goes.
Fan of your channel, good video and agree with you about this shaft but the foward deflection velocity slowing down your hands is nonsense. The foward deflection is created by a slowing of the hands to begin with, so because its weaker shaft, it will deflect more/faster. Its a one way relationship, not a two way.
I got this from Dave Tutelman, who I have always highly respected, as the most reasonable explanation as to why that kick velocity does not add to the overall club head speed. The lack of speed increase is pretty well documented in numerous sources and demonstrations.
I am always open to other theories however if you've got another idea as to why this is the case.
I respect tutelman, i will read up on what he has to say.
So you are correct, in that generally whippier doesnt increase speed. The reasoning is rather a mystery though, even tutelmans explanation is a theory really. However i found something interesting that may apply to autoflex. One reason whippier shafts dont produce more chs, is that at impact its much more deflected than a non whippy shaft. In actuality, the kick velocity is at its greatest when the deflection is 0, thats the highest point of kinetic energy. Once deflection has happened, the kick velocity has already maxed and is slowing down. So autoflex claims to be whippy, but “stiffen” at impact. Which while is pretty outrageous, this in theory could in fact produce a bit more chs. What are your thoughts on “non-newtonian” materials?
@@landonvanhorn592 I wonder if the ShaftLab data that Tutelman used could show how much speed you see at 0 deflection vs. past 0?
I would love to see some high speed footage of the Autoflex to see what kind of deflection is occurring at impact.
Are you thinking of some sort of non-newtonian fluid type material suspended within the shaft? Maybe in-between shaft segments like an animal's spine?
I'd like to see one of your clones in action.
Sounds like a lot of hateraid ma boi, just cause you wand a Kirkland shaft don’t mean we all do, you obviously do not understand the auto flex shaft. The tip is super stable, dropping 2 flexes and half the weight in your Kirkland special is not going to mimic the auto flex it’s going to be the lag shot, there’s a big difference! As a club maker you should know better then misleading people because of a personal opinion
You need to check out my other related videos to get a fuller picture of the topic discussed here.
I know $800 is a lot of money for a shaft, I recently got fitted with Club Champion with a Diamana for $550, and I wished the AF shaft was available then. I just came back from a tournament in Orlando, and many of my old friends gained a lot of yardages with AF, and I tried one too. I think you should at least have an AutoFlex shaft in your hand, do an extensive testing before giving your thought. Otherwise, your "Fake the real shaft" sayings does NOT have any credibility.
I normally dig your info, but this is utterly ridiculous for you to have a take on it without having one, putting one under any real scrutiny, or even being able to swing one. How do you know anything about the technology of the shaft? Don’t mislead or tell someone that it will be “similar” for “pennies on the dollar” when you don’t know.
Understand your concern and I am working on getting my hands on one but I stand behind my concerns regarding this shaft both in price and losing set continuity with it.
It is unfortunate, but there is far too much misinformation out there especially when it comes to shafts, what they can and can't do.
Again I am trying to get my hands on one to do my own testing and if I turn out to be wrong I will happily say so. Thanks for your support of the channel.
My Autoflex is D3.6 with a SIM head. Perfect. The author doesn't understand how swing weight works or how to adjust it?
At 14 minutes you say the butt end of the club moves backwards as the tip 'kicks'. That's ONLY true if the shaft is perfectly rigid. With a flexible shaft the tip can move independently of the butt. I mean, that's practically the definition of flex, right? Anyhow, interesting video so far, I just had to make this comment while it was fresh in my mind.
Letz do, Fake and retest on the radar
Trying to get my hands on one to do just that.
@@EFGMC I play a ck orange s ... what do suggest av blue 55 reg senior flex ... what Else... and then turn down Loft on g410 LST to 8 degr. And hit 5-7 up with 95 mph 😂 sounds like fun
Auto flex stole xxio’s formula for its shaft. Xxio is the best selling brand in Japan. If you want a quality way to recreate a auto flex try an xxio shaft
And what color is it? Lol
Results don’t lie.
I’ve never heard that it’s whippy before. Have you ever tried an auto flex or are you talking out your ass?
Just curious
Really?? That is quite literally the first thing anyone says when they pick it up.
Incredibly inaccurate video. I've done what he is suggesting on a my launch monitor and he is sooo far from reality we laugh about it.
Why do long drive competitors like kyle now use regular shafts and ladies flex in competition now?
Assuming he must see better results from the whippier shaft. Maybe a slight increase in speed based on weight, or feel influencing his delivery and providing better launch numbers.
Adam Scott swing speed (PGA stats) measured is 120 mph. At Riviera his ball speeds were 184 mph. That data equates to a Smash Factor over 1.53 ! That SF has NEVER been approached before by ANY PGAT player. Obviously the shaft is responsible.
Plus raw length of AutoFlex is 45" from the factory.
Last point , the shaft wall is about half the thickness of traditional shafts , and yet doesn't fail/ break. Looking down the inside of shaft it doesn't show the concentric circles of a traditional shaft . The finish inside is rough not smooth. Obviously a different mfg process. Not just a longer/lighter shaft. Is it worth $800 ? Dunno , but PXG charges $2500 for a set of irons and can't fill orders. People will pay if it works for them like it works for Scott.
15 yards for $800 ???..... Some will jump at that deal. Not me...but some will.
Ok. Few issues here. First, you don't get SF over 1.50. Does not happen, math does not allow for it. I know PGA Tour stats show all these players with over 1.5 SF but that is a result of either over measured ball speed or under measured club head speed. Most likely club speed in my opinion. Would need to have non-conforming heads, lighter than conforming balls, or extremely heavy club heads (ie over 220g) to get that SF over 1.50.
You are correct that the raw length of the Autoflex is 45in, but that still allows you to build a 47 inch driver no problem. Most if not all driver carbon fiber shafts are raw length 46in these days.
Lastly if you look at Adam Scotts distance and accuracy with the Autoflex in play, it is underwhelming to say the least. Distance showed no real difference at least based on the sample size and accuracy was less than ideal.
@@EFGMC Adam Scott..PGA stats ball speed in 2020 , avg. was 177. Ball speed avg in 2021 is 180. That's 3 mph or 9 yds which is also reflected in his comparison of distance 2020 vs 2021 . That's solid evidence that the shaft change is working for him. McIroy also testing it. #shaft-tech
@@TK-zo7uz Nothing here is different from what I said in the video. He went from an 80g shaft up through Sony into a 55g shaft. Ball speed may have increase but distance and accuracy both fell. Not a great trade off.
End of the day, if this shaft was really the revolution some people think, why is there as far as I know only 1 guy and a small handful of ladies actually using it on tour?
Also check out Louis Oosthuizen who was interested in the Autoflex, and Ping got him the same results with the stock 55g Alta shaft in the G425. Of course no one would want to talk about that because it hurts the aftermarket shaft and fitting business.
The most likely is measurement error. Many people assume that the output of digital instruments is always 100% accurate. It isn't. (See my article on precision and accuracy if you're interested in the detail.) Every experienced clubfitter and golf researcher knows that launch monitors give bad readings from time to time (probably in the vicinity of 5% of the time), and you have to recognize and discard those readings. The announcers don't know this, and rhapsodize about how pure the ball strike was that it even confounded the physics behind the game.
Let's look at a possible special case of measurement error. I have seen assertions that the clubhead speed reading for TrackMan does not necessarily represent (a) the center of mass of the clubhead nor (b) the part of the clubhead striking the ball. Those assertions are undoubtedly true to some extent. To a large enough extent to report a smash factor over 1.5? Perhaps. I don't know, but I would certainly consider the possibility.
Less likely, but still a distinct possibility, is non-conforming clubs or balls. Remember, the Tour pros are walking advertisements for the equipment they play, and they are well paid to be advertisements. So it is likely that they are using selected "outliers" in terms of spring face (for the driver) and rebound (for the balls). There are two ways this can happen. Both depend on the statistical distribution of every parameter of every product that has ever come off an assembly line. If you build golf clubs to a design value of 0.83 for COR, some of the drivers will be 0.82 and some 0.84; how many statistical outliers you find depends on the quality control in manufacturing and testing. Given this variation, two scenarios will put the best clubs and balls in the hands of the Touring pros:
The manufacturer wants his sponsored players to do well in public. So the company is motivated to select the best clubs and balls that come through quality control testing, and save them for the sponsored players.
The sponsored player does not pay anything for the clubs or balls. So he or she can, and typically does, try a bunch of samples and pick the ones that perform best to put in the bag.
Either way, it is entirely possible that the clubs and balls in a Tour pro's bag are right at -- or even beyond -- the legal limit.
It’s total garbage!!
You would be more credible if you had an autoflex in front of you. Doesnt appear you have ever held one or fitted someone for it to actually be discussing anything. There is more to the (whipping) sensation. Disappointed in the fluff and no substance in this video
It is ridiculous only if you can't afford the shaft, a rolex and Bentley is ridiculous to those you can't afford it . it is all perception to individuals
You are wrong. I have spent 2 weeks testing multiple heads and multiple AF lengths. You fall in the “it costs $800” group and therefore are biased. If you can’t afford it so be it. My regular shaft is the EVO V Stiff. It’s just not as consistent as AF. If you spend the time dialing in the AF shaft, it’s the real deal. Don’t fall for this cheap minded review crap.
Unless the laws of physics or the rules of golf have somehow changed within the last month, I think I will stick with my beliefs on this shaft.
Happy you like it.
@@EFGMC Your beliefs are wrong, since you haven't even swung a driver with Autoflex you are completely clueless.
@@steves259 Which part of my beliefs are wrong? The part where I said it's expensive, or the part where I said you can get similar results with other options? Pretty sure those are both true.
@@EFGMC Since you haven't even tested the Autoflex, how can you claim one can get similar results with other options ? You are making assumptions and we all know what assuming does !
@@steves259 If you can get an Autoflex for me to try and see if I can prove my assumption I would welcome it.
What a great video. I was very much looking at a Auto Flex, but I just couldnt pool full the trigger. I came across this video and I am so glad I did. I will definitely be experimenting with some of these cheaper options. If you had to pick a couple shafts that are like the 505xx what would you recommend? My sing speeds are between 116-120, and my tempo is pretty smooth. Thanks for your help.
I did a few recent videos on this topic. One is on my other channel, Elite Fit Golf
czcams.com/video/wNMvRYIoP6Y/video.html
The other was a collab I did with Mr. Shortgame
czcams.com/video/jY4GE_oj6bM/video.html
The $50 Fuji shaft is no longer available but the current version is what I used in the Elite Fit Golf video.
I would look at that Motore X 5 in R flex at your speed.
@@EFGMC excellent, thanks. Didnt knownyou had another channel. I will check out the video and make sure and subscribe. Keep up the great content.