Steel vs Graphite

Hihi,
May I knw wax is e diff bet steel shaft or iron shaft?
How do we knw which to use...
I haf been using steel shaft all e while n haf been hitting my 7 iron abt 130m..
When I use my frene graphic, I feel it is lighter n hit further.
But I understand steel shaft gives better stability..
So which should I choose?

Depends on your swing speed and smash factor amongst a host of other factors, shld see a clubfitter and get professional advice..imho...

Hi Speed devil,

I have the same issue as you. My 7 irons also give me around that distance and I tried my friend's iron with graphite shaft and it could give me another about 10m more. I'm currently using Titleist 755 with it's stock tri-spec R flex shaft which I understand weighs about 100g. I know true temper has a very light weight steel shaft 75g (currently the lightest around if I'm not wrong) and I wonder if it'll give me extra distance assuming my swing remains the same. Maybe DGman can give some advice?

Hi guys, a well known clubfitter here mentioned to me once when I asked him steel or graphite for irons and he replied "swing the heaviest you can handle."

Graphite is lighter and does help you hit further, but dispersion (grouping) may not be as tight as steel. Slower swing speeds benefit from graphite shafts.

Steel is heavier and more stable, giving better dispersion and a more solid feel at impact, but may not as long as graphite. Generally, steel shaft users already have relatively faster swing speeds and are more concerned with accuracy than distance.

But there is one other factor why graphite shafted irons hit longer which many are not aware of. Stronger lofts. That combined with graphite shafts will definitely give more distance.

Manufacturers make irons targeted at 3 groups of players in general. The better player up to say 12 handicap, the improving player (13 to 18), and the, shall we say, social golfer (19 to 24)).

Irons offering only the stock option of steel shafts are usually aimed at the better players and the improving player. You will find steel shafted irons with traditional lofts (PW 47/48 deg) for the purists and better players, and steel shafted irons with stronger lofts (PW 45/46 deg) for the improving player who still wants more distance.

Irons that give the option of graphite or steel options are usually targetted at the social golfer and improving golfer who want more help with the game, that is, help for a less than perfect swing and help for more distance. Irons advertised as longer in distance usually have the stronger lofts (PW 45 deg) and could even have a longer shaft (TaylorMade Burner series). The game improvement built into these clubs help you to launch these irons even though they are effectively the loft and length of one longer club.

How old your irons are is also a factor since lofts were more traditional in the past and have only become stronger in recent years.

Why stronger lofts from manufacturers? Because the average joe always wants to hit longer with a shorter club, ego, as it were. Also, game improvement tech has advanced so much they can make an iron with stronger lofts of one more club, yet be as easy to hit and launch as one less club.

So distance is not only about graphite versus steel these days.

Hi Birdman,

Thanks for the explanation. Now I know why I hit longer (but not straigher).

P.S. - how long does it take for you to type it?

Haha... too long bro!

Must type then edit to make sense ma, but never time myself.

But if I can help enlighten to the best of my limited ability, why not? That's why we are all here in Golf Republic right?

-So distance is not only about graphite versus steel these days.-

true true.. now they have graphite shafts that can weigh more than iron shafts.
but if you have graphite and steel shaft of the same weight and flex profile, is it just feel that is the only factor?

PS: by flex profile, i mean the ball trajectory and launch conditions are similar..

information overload.. arghh

haha.. if that is what you call limited ability, then i don't know what to call myself..

Thanks again.. at least I know why I am now using graphite shaft. lousy swing and wanting longer distance..

Now you confuse me also la mizzy.

It's what I call the 'crossover factor', just like cars. How do you classify these cars? BMW X6, Porsche Panamera and Cayenne? The lines are blurred these days.

Graphites that play like steel, and steel that play like graphites.

In the end, all these options is just to make you part with your wallet.

blee2007 wrote:

haha.. if that is what you call limited ability, then i don't know what to call myself..

Thanks again.. at least I know why I am now using graphite shaft. lousy swing and wanting longer distance..

I'm like Duval_S, only seasoned beginner la.

birdman over seasoned already.. more like "preserved"

You mean like 'seng buay' issit?

Or 'mummyfied'?

not 'preserved' la.. 'marinated'?

kiam kah nah..

Birdman wrote:

You mean like 'seng buay' issit?

Or 'mummyfied'?

seng buay you say one hor..

think 2 two guys needs to have a show down..

Wah lao, you two surround me like that, I surrender...

oh birdman like sandwich??

but does 3 sausage no buns make a sandwich?

No No.. I don't surround you.. just learning from you..

Think this bird better fly away.

Come back another day!

We 3 must have a game one day.

Okie, hijack the thread enough oredi.

Yup. we OT liao.. till the next season then.. hehe

Birdman wrote:

Haha... too long bro!

Must type then edit to make sense ma, but never time myself.

But if I can help enlighten to the best of my limited ability, why not? That's why we are all here in Golf Republic right?

Birdman's the man. I always make it a point to read his posts, those not involving sandwich and sausages ones.

@birdman, do include me for the game with blee hor.

if not wrong most irons sets that offer steel and graphite shafts, the graphite shafts are usually longer than the steel.

eg. 7 iron is 37" for steel and graphite will be 37.5"

"Graphite is lighter and does help you hit further, but dispersion (grouping) may not be as tight as steel. Slower swing speeds benefit from graphite shafts."

How slow is considered slow?
I rate my swing as slow and change to "R" Shaft.
Now my short sprayed like machine gun.
.......just feel like giving up

there are reasons why some players choose graphite and why some choose steel.

for most pros, they would rather be seen dead than to seen using a graphite. its an ego thing.

if you use a good 95g graphite shaft (like the aerotech steelbfiber) versus a steel shaft like NS pro, i can assure that you will get lower spin and better penetration with the graphite shaft.

all said and done, do not think of graphite shaft as being light, it can be as heavy as 110g and be as stiff as any steel shaft.

as to why players choose graphite over steel, it could be the feedback and responsiveness of the shaft.

Again, is graphite shaft any good? one should ask the current Fedex Cup leader Matt Kuchar. He started using graphite shaft a year ago and have never look back since. if he wins the Fedex Cup, i am sure more people will change their minds about graphite shafts.


DGman