Re: ShopTalk: How to pick torque?

[Graham Little]

Hi Mike   I think the common wisdom is that torque has little effect on performance but does have an effect on feel. In other words, a shaft with high torsional stiffness (low torque) will feel stiffer but won't have any other affect. It is for this reason that I generally go for shafts that are between 3 and 4 degrees for reasonably strong swingers. This is assuming, as David says, that you can accept the rating as shown.   This was further reinforced for me by an article in the February issue of Golf Digest written by Frank Thomas who is the technical director for the USGA. His article finishes off by saying that  "..... there is no proof that a shaft with high torsional stiffness does anything more for you than a shaft with a moderate torsional stiffness"    I have also been influenced by the knowledge that graphite shaft manufacturers can make shafts very very torsionally stiff if they wanted to. I once saw a Taylor Made shaft with a torque of 1.6. Then why don't they if high torional stiffness is always better? The  answer I think is that it makes little difference to performance (providing it is moderately low torque) but would definetely feel harder and less responsive than we like in our shafts.   Hope this helps a little Cheers Graham ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 8:26 PM Subject: Re: ShopTalk: How to pick torque?   David, Thanks for the response. I can understand your comment it makes sense. The problem is once I get the info what do I do with it. Example, I was looking a a 50gr shaft with a torque of 4.0 the same company makes a  different 50gr shaft that has a torque of 2.5. Must be a reason, assuming that they measure out this way on the CS III or what ever. In the production of shafts it makes sense that it would be easier / cheaper to make a high torque, light weight shaft that a low torque one, are we just talking price here? Now I notice that the high torque shafts will have a softer feel but other than that my real question is, is there some marker that should tell me a customer should be fitted with a higher torque shaft when there is a choice. Lloyd, thank you also for the response but your reply seems a liitle too "broad brush" for me to accept easily. If in fact lower always = better well I guess I will accept it but if there is one thing I have learned while doing this it is that there always seems to be give and take when fitting clubs. MIke   When choosing shafts for a customer is their a rule of thumb to look at for shaft torque? There are many shafts that have similar swing speed ratings but very different torque. Rather than simply trial and error there must be something to work from. It seems easy to say that a low torque shaft is better but there must be something that falls under the "no free lunch" rule or a time when a higher torque shaft is the correct choice. Hi Mike, Unless you have a torque machine such as John Kaufmans Club Scout III and you make sure to compare torque measurements from shaft to shaft using the same beam length you have ZERO bases for comparing torque because what the shaft CO's tell you means nothing. David