More Shaft Questions – The Callaway Uniflex

Wow… what a long day! I think it’s time for bed… but I think I should answer some emails first. Lots of questions about shafts today… Had an email asking about a few different steel shafts. First… the Callaway uniflex shaft. I have talked a bit about the uniflex before so let’s recap… it’s basically …

Wow… what a long day! I think it’s time for bed… but I think I should answer some emails first. Lots of questions about shafts today…

Had an email asking about a few different steel shafts. First… the Callaway uniflex shaft. I have talked a bit about the uniflex before so let’s recap… it’s basically a stiffer version of a regular. Callaway tried to fit as many people as they could into one steel shaft. The shaft has gone through a few name changes over the years but has basically stayed the same. It hits a mid to high ball, feels ok and is a decent choice for the average player. If you swing harder or don’t like the idea of the uniflex shaft, Callaway will usually upgrade to a Dynamic Gold at no charge. Ask your Callaway dealer to check on it for you. I would say the Callaway uniflex shaft is a step down compared to a True Temper Dynamic Gold or a Rifle shaft. Speaking of Rifle shafts… the reader also wanted to know about the different flexes available. It kind of goes like this… 5.0= Regular, 5.5= Regular/Stiff, 6.0= Stiff, 6.5= Stiff/X Stiff, 7.0= X Stiff. If you have a club person that really knows what he/she is doing, they can even make flexes like 5.7 or 6.2 but that is getting a bit advanced. The flexes in a Rifle shaft are pretty close to the flexes found in other shafts… a good club maker can match them up for you. Thanks for the email!

A question from a reader that broke his shaft in his Cleveland Launcher 460. He is a 13 handicap with an average swing speed of 107-110 MPH. Should he stick with the stock shaft or get something new? I would take the stock shaft… for two reasons. First… the stock shaft in the Cleveland Launcher is a decent shaft and most of my customers really like it. Give it a second chance and if you really hate it then switch it. Second… I always tell my customers to take a no charge replacement. If they are going to replace it at no charge… take it.. it’s a free shaft. It is easier to sell a club down the road if you have the stock shaft in it… people know what they are getting. Take the replacement… try it… if you don’t like it, switch it then… keep the replacement shaft… put the old shaft back in it if you ever want to sell the club. Free stuff is good! A side note… I have recieved the Grafalloy ProLaunch and the Aldila NV at no charge for customers. Ask your local shop to check into it for you. The ProLaunch is a great shaft option in that driver.

A question about the Pinnacle Exception golf ball… is it good? Hmm…. put it this way… it’s good for a Pinnacle. I have had the odd person come in and tell me that it is the best ball out there but I don’t know. It’s still a rock… just a slightly softer rock. Golf balls are tricky… if you are looking for a distance ball with a bit of feel… try the Pinnacle Exception. If you play the Titleist NXT or a ball like it, stick with it… the Exception is a step down. I’d hit the Dunlop LoCo over the Pinnacle Exception any day of the week.

Let’s talk about lead tape! Yes it works… as long as you know where to put it. Want to put some on a driver? Think of the TaylorMade R7… put a bit on the heel if you have a slice (on the sole, towards the heel), put some on the back (again on the sole) if you want to hit the ball higher. Put some on the bottom of an iron cavity to hit the ball higher. Put some on the back of a wedge towards the top to lower ball flight (that’s on of my favorites). It’s a combination of common sense and physics… and it can be a real help and a real headache at the same time!

I’m surprised that it took this long… Nike Golf has made a commercial out of the Tiger Woods chip at the Masters. It’s ok I guess. If you haven’t seen it yet… don’t worry… it’s just the chip with some words mixed in!

A big hello to our friend Bogey McDuff from http://texasgolf.blogspot.com . I have stopped in and read this blog a few times… it is a great source of information! Swing by and have a look! P.S. to Bogey… I’ll add your site to the “Links” page in the next few days! Also a big thanks to our readers that have mentioned our site on other golf forums and sites… thanks for the plugs… keep up the good work! Feel free to plug the site anytime!