Some golfers have an idea in their mind that equipment is the savior for what is hurting their game. If one driver or wedge doesn't work, then buying another one will surely be the answer. That often becomes a vicious cycle and an expensive one, too, as it will percolate down throughout their entire golf bag.

Other golfers are what I refer to as “tinkers” and stop short of always buying new clubs but will invest in several renditions of shaft upgrades, different grip sizes, added weight, or changes to settings on clubs with adjustability capabilities.

There is indeed merit in the thought that equipment can enhance one's game. However, it is definitely not the end all, be all in fighting what might be wrong with someone's game. Instruction and coaching are always one of the first lines of defense for an aligning game, closely followed by practice. Then, and only then, is looking at new equipment or making club modifications something to consider.

Today, I want to share with you some thoughts on a common practice that serial club tinkers and those ill-informed amateurs might do in trying to get a leg up: lengthening the shafts in their clubs — and the drivers most often.

What is the Purpose of the Club's Shaft?

I thought we would start by examining the purpose of the golf club's shaft. The shaft is the part of the golf club in between the clubhead and the grip. In actuality, the grip goes over the butt end of the shaft, and the bottom end connects to the clubhead.

The basic function of the shaft is to act almost like a lever. If a golfer is making a functional swing with fairly good mechanics, the shaft is what will allow for the transfer of that built-up energy from the body to the hands holding the club down to the clubhead as it connects with the ball.

The distance between the golfer and the ball, by way of the shaft, is what allows for that transfer of energy to happen. With that scientific explanation given, one would think that if the shaft was longer, then the potential energy could be greater. In theory, that is true, however … Here is where reality comes into play: Most golfers can't return the clubface into the ball squarely with the standard club-length shaft, let alone a longer one. That, folks, is what I will cover more of in a bit.

Two more quick things before I move into the impacts of lengthening the club's shaft: shaft flex and materials.

Shaft Materials, Flex, Weight, and Kickpoint

Golf shafts come in two main materials: steel and graphite. Both have a massive number of variations and concoctions that go into making them. Most notably, golfers look at the weight of the shaft, the flex of the shaft, and — along the same lines of the flex — the kickpoint of the shaft.

The most common shaft flexes in golf and who they are intended for include the following:

• X-Stiff Flex: Intended for very fast swing speeds, usually over 105 mph, with a driver
• Stiff Flex: Best for fast swing speeds, clocking in at somewhere between 95 mph to 105 mph with the driver
• Regular Flex: Made for more average swing speeds for male golfers and very fast female golfers. These golfers average around 85 mph to 95 mph with the driver.
• Senior Flex: Senior golfers with slower swing speeds (or anyone averaging around 72-84 mph with the driver) would be best suited to use this shaft flex.
• Ladies Flex: The vast majority of female golfers swing slower, so this shaft flex is best for them or any golfer that has a driver swing speed under 72 mph.

The slower the swing speed, the more shaft flex is needed to help create energy as the clubhead comes into contact with the ball. No matter if you are swinging a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, long irons, pitching wedge, or sand wedge, you want to get the max that you can out of each club based on your clubhead speed.

Weight: The lighter the shaft, the faster you can swing it. That is a pretty simple concept — lightweight equates to more potential speed. However, the heavier the shaft, the more control you will get. So it becomes a balancing act, a give and take, on what would be best for you and your game.

Kickpoint: This attribute within the shaft is the point at which it has the most bend. A shaft that has a high kickpoint will usually result in lower shots, with the maximum bend happening higher in the shaft. A shaft with a low kickpoint will usually result in shots with a higher launch angle, with the maximum bend happening lower in the shaft.

The Main Event: The Impact of Lengthening a Golf Club Shaft

Now that we have a bunch of knowledge on the table regarding shafts let's jump into the main question of this article: What is the impact of lengthening a golf club shaft?

First and foremost, there is a place for lengthening a shaft when it comes to proper sizing of clubs for a golfer. Tall golfers need more shaft length. That makes sense.

Clubs that are too short will cause issues with a golfer's swing, namely when it comes to their posture at setup. Having to bend the knees more and bend forward too much from the waist will cause problems throughout the entire swing. In this case, lengthening the shaft of the clubs is a necessity.

To find the correct size shafts for you, you will need to know a few things about yourself:

• Overall height (static)
• Wrist-to-floor measurement (static)
• In-swing considerations (dynamic)

When you have that information, you can make an exact decision on what shaft lengths you need in comparison to what would be considered a standard length. The following chart is what is commonly used to determine the additional length needed or taken away from regarding the standard.

Now, the point that I have been waiting to make may surprise you, but it must be shared. Even though a longer shaft, scientifically speaking, will, in theory, create more distance, I HIGHLY ADVISE GOLFERS TO AVOID EXTENDING SHAFTS FOR DISTANCE-GAINING PURPOSES. The reason is quite simple: Longer shafts are harder to control. Any distance gains you might see would pale in comparison, for most golfers, in the accuracy you will lose. Hitting straighter shots should always be the first objective for any golfer, from beginners to professionals.

Recently, I took one of my students for a complete set fitting at the PGA Tour Superstore. In that three-hour session, not only did my student learn a great deal, I did as well. Through that session, we learned that his driver and longer clubs were a bit too long. Additionally, changing the lie angle on his irons and making them a little more upright helped him hit the sweet spot much more often. Those little adjustments made a massive difference.

One of the key takeaways from that session for me was this: The average length of a driver on the PGA Tour hovers around 44.75”, while the average length of a driver for most amateurs is about 46.5”. That there was such a difference between each was shocking to me. Obviously, a PGA Tour player swings faster and is more accurate, but with that being the case, you would think that they would want a longer shaft than an amateur, right?

The fact is this: PGA Tour professionals want to try to keep it in play more often and hit more fairways. That will allow them to hit more greens and make more birdies. That is their livelihood, so it makes sense that this has become the common approach on the tour.

When we look at amateur swing clubs — and, more specifically, drivers — with shafts that are as much as two inches (or more) longer than a professional’s, that is something that really makes you say, “Say what?” The vast majority of amateurs are swinging drivers that are far too long, and any distance they may gain off the tee is just putting them that much deeper into the woods.

Another takeaway that many amateurs may overlook is that for every 1/2" of length added to a club, the club will play 1 degree more upright. A club that is too upright will tend to see the toe hit the ground first at impact, and shots will often go left.

The bottom line is if you are not a taller golfer, the best golf clubs for you will be those that are standard or even a little shorter.

Wrapping Things Up: Keeping You in the Fairway More Often and Hitting More Greens

To conclude, I really have to insist that the biggest impact that most golfers will find in lengthening their golf club shaft is not more distance but rather a lack of control. That may not be the case for absolutely everyone, but it is indeed for the majority.

Even after you buy a new set of clubs, it is important to check their length, from the driver and down to the putter. Golf club sets do not always come from the factory to retail with a consistent shaft length. From the long game down to the short game, from tall men to shorter women, the length of your clubs matters.

If you would like further information or have any questions about lengthening your club shaft or anything else related to golf, don't hesitate to contact me or another Curated Golf Expert.