Match the proper golf club shaft for your swing style

Golf club shaft technology and fitting techniques are extremely advanced, and modern shafts, both composite and steel, are far better than anyone would have guessed just a short time ago. While this is great news for golfers, the wide variety of shafts currently available can actually make finding the right model for your particular needs a fairly daunting task.

One thing to keep in mind is that, if you are indeed purchasing a new club or set of clubs, you can be assured that the standard shaft provided by the manufacturer has been engineered to work well with the specific club-head to which it's mated. While the quality of stock shafts has increased tenfold over the years, the quality and performance of aftermarket models have ' increased by an even greater degree.

Composite specialists like Fujikura, Aldila and UST, among others, now offer products that are engineered to maximize the performance of almost any golf club. At the same time, manufacturers like True Temper, Royal Precision and Nippon have developed new alloys that make ultra-light shafts a viable option for golfers who want the weight of graphite, but the feel and consistency of steel.

The bottom line stock shafts are better than ever, but if you really want to optimize the performance of your new clubs, it's worth the time and money to experiment with some premium aftermarket models.

The SC driver shaft series utilizes the latest, ultra-high-modulus, aerospace-quality carbon-fiber materials. These premium components are paired with the company's Accra Tolerance Technology to create a true, high-performance line of golf shafts. Features of the SC line include extremely low torque for less dispersion, greater overall accuracy and what the company calls a perfectly balanced flex point, which helps enhance feel while offering greater consistency and repeatability.

The NVS features the same Micro Laminate Technology and consistency found in the original, highly successful NV, but with a more responsive tip section for golfers who desire a higher ball flight. The result is a powerful combination of distance, control and a higher launch angle than the original. Players with a greater amount of speed and load in their swing tend to perform better with stiffer tip shaft designs, which do a better job of taking spin off the ball at higher swing speeds. More flexible tip designs, on the other hand, are more forgiving for average-speed swingers.