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60 Vs 70 Gram Driver Shaft — (and Heavier Driver Shafts Pros And Cons)

If you’re in the market for a new driver shaft, one of the factors you’ll need to consider is the weight of the shaft .

Two of the more popular driver shaft weights on the market today are 60 and 70 grams.

Do you want to know which driver shaft is the right weight for your golf swing?

The Tell Me More Golf Team will tell you about the performance differences between 60g and 70g driver shafts and what you need to know to find the perfect driver shaft for your golf swing.

Who Should Use 60 Gram Shafts?

Golfers should use a 60-gram driver shaft with 90-105 mph swing speeds . This swing speed typically correlates to an average drive of 250-255 yards and a handicap index in the mid-teens to a high single-digit player.

60g driver shafts are heavy enough to give golfers a feeling of stability during their golf swing.

While still being light enough that they can generate proper swing speed.

It’s important to remember that the swing weight is just one part of the formula for picking the right shaft for your driver. Shaft flex and kick point are other vital factors that need to be considered when looking at a driver shaft.

A good golf club fitter can help match you with the proper driver shaft to maximize your driving efficiency.

Golfers with slower swing speeds under 90 mph may still be able to use a 60g shaft if they are happy with the distance and the dispersion of their drives.

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Who Should Use 70 Gram Shafts?

Golfers should use 70-gram driver shafts with swing speeds between 106-115 mph .

This swing speed typically correlates to an average drive of 285-290 yards and a high to mid-single digit handicap index.

As a golfer’s swing speeds increase, so does the torque placed on the shaft during the golf swing, so this is one of the reasons why a 70g shaft helps them reduce the dispersion on their drives.

Golfers with a high launch with their driver might also want to look at 70g driver shafts as heavier driver shafts tend to produce less spin and a lower launch angle than lighter shafts.

Again, it’s not just the swing weight of the shaft but the swing weight, the flex, and the kick-point of the shaft combined that need to be considered when looking at finding the right driver shaft for your game.

The best thing to do is find a professional club fitter who can try different combinations that match up with your swing to provide with the perfect shaft weight.

Our 60 Gram Driver Shaft Recommendations

The review team at Tell Me More Golf unanimously ranks the Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 60 Stiff Shaft as the top choice in the 60g driver shaft category.

A favorite on the PGA Tour, its excellence translates just as well to the retail market.

The shaft is characterized by its mid-low spin rates and a mid-launch trajectory, ensuring a straight, penetrating ball flight. Its design features a stiff tip, but the midsection and butt are soft enough to not require an overly forceful swing for effective ball flight off the driver’s face.

Additionally, the Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 60 is widely compatible, available with adapters for major driver brands like Callaway, Ping, Titleist, and TaylorMade.

Our 70 Gram Driver Shaft Recommendations

The Tell Me More Golf Equipment reviewers love the Project X HZRDUS Smoke 6.0 70G shaft.

This driver shaft features a low-spin, low-launch profile that lets aggressive swingers grip it, rip it, and hit low guided-missiles off the tee. At the same time, golfers will enjoy the feel and playability that live up to the HZRDUS driver shaft reputation.

You can find the Project X HZRDUS Smoke 6.0 shaft with adapters for most major driver brands, including Callaway, Ping, Titleist, and TaylorMade.

Heavier Driver Shafts Pros And Cons

If you have a faster swing speed, a heavier driver shaft might be an excellent fit for your golf swing. However, if you have an average swing speed, that extra weight might do your swing more harm than good. 

So let’s examine some of the pros and cons of heavier driving shafts.

Pros of a Heavier Driver Shaft

• Higher Swing Speed – For some golfers, a heavier shaft weight can help maximize muscle activation and result in higher swing speeds than swinging with a lighter shaft.
• Less Spin – When you combine a fast golf swing with a heavier shaft, the result is less spin off of the clubface and a lower ball flight which can help maximize distance off the tee .
• Better Stability – With a higher swing speed, there is also an increase in torque on the shaft. And a heavier, stiffer shaft keeps the stabler and square at impact compared to a lighter shaft.
• Lower Ball Flight – Higher swing speeds combined with heavier shafts produce a lower trajectory than more lightweight shafts, preventing the ball from ballooning off the tee.

Cons of Heavier Driver Shaft

• Lower Swing Speed – For some golfers, the heavier shaft doesn’t mesh well with their swing, and they can lose clubhead speed with a heavier shaft compared to a lighter shaft.
• Lower Launch – A heavier club shaft with a lower swing speed can result in a lower launch , losing distance off the tee.

As a rule, golfers with above-average swing speeds will probably get better results with a heavier driver shaft over a lighter one. Conversely, those with average to lower than average swing speeds will perform better with a lighter driver shaft.

Is 70g Too Heavy For a Driver Shaft?

For most golfers with average swing speeds and tempos, 70g is too heavy for a driver shaft.

According to the 2020 USGA Distance Insights Report, recreational golfers drive the ball on average between 185-240 yards.

The average male amateur golfer has a swing speed of 93, which is at the bottom of what’s recommended for using a 60g driver shaft.

However, if you have a swing speed of 105 mph or higher, you might need the added stability that a 70g driver shaft can provide.

How Many Grams Should My Driver Shaft Be?

Several factors go into deciding how many grams your driver shaft should be. Your swing speed is a great place to start.

Driver Total Distance by Swingspeed According to Swingman Golf:

• 60 MPH – 157 Yards
• 70 MPH – 183 Yards
• 80 MPH – 209 Yards
• 90 MPH – 235 Yards
• 100 MPH – 262 Yards
• 110 MPH – 288 Yards
• 120 MPH – 314 Yards

Using the numbers above, if you hit your driver, on average, 220 yards, your swing speed is between 80 and 90 mph. These factors would mean you should be looking, at most, at a 60g driver shaft.

If you’re averaging 280 yards or more off the tee, you’re starting to get into 70g territory, based on your swing speed alone.

Remember that the swing weight is just part of the equation of finding the right driver shaft and that the flex and the kick-point can also play huge factors in how the shaft works with your swing.

What’s excellent about graphite shafts is from the lightest to the heaviest driver shafts, these other factors can play a massive part in how that shaft performs for each golfer and their swing.

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Will a Heavier Shaft Help a Slice?

As with many aspects of golf, it depends on your golf swing . But, yes, a heavier shaft can help a golfer with their slice because they usually have less torque and therefore twist less than a lighter shaft. This stability can reduce a golfer slicing and hooking the ball.

However, heavy shafts can make it harder for a player to release the club during the swing, resulting in slices and blocked shots.

You’ll also need to consider the shaft flex and the kick point in determining what is causing you to slice the ball and if your swing is more vertical or flat.

Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com

If you’re looking for a new driver shaft, the most popular weights are 60g and 70g. 

60g driver shafts are great for golfers with a swing speed between 90 and 105mph and an average of 250-255 yards with their driver.

70g driver shafts are a good fit for golfers with a swing speed between 105 and 115 mph and an average of 285-290 yards with their driver.

Using your average drive distance, you can roughly calculate which shaft weight fits your game. 

However, golfers shouldn’t just rely on swing weight but also the flex and kick-point of the shafts when selecting a driver shaft. The combination of factors can impact how the shaft performs for each golfer. 

Lighter driver shafts will promote more spin and a higher ball flight and help players release the club and close the face during the swing.

Heavier driver shafts promote less spin and a lower ball flight and will keep the shaft more stable during the swing, which can reduce hooks and draws. 

Working with a club fitter who can match your swing up with the shaft that suits it best might be the best way to find the perfect driver shaft for your swing and game.

Patrick Corley

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What Driver is Most Used On the PGA Tour? Top 100 Player Analysis (2023 update)

Written by Graeme Hay | Last Updated: 21/05/2024

The driver is almost always the most talked about golf club in everyone’s bag.

And a good part of the reason for that is the average golfer often watches with wonder as the best players on the PGA Tour smash the ball seemingly endless distances down the middle of the fairway.

It seemed not that long ago that the 300 yard mark was the benchmark for the very long drivers on tour but now it appears you need to be hitting the ball 400 yards every now and then to be truly considered one of the game’s ‘big hitters’.

So what drivers are the pros using to achieve these huge distances?

We took a look at the top 100 players on the PGA Tour and analysed in detail the driver each of them carries to try and find what is the most common driver set up among the top pros.

Titleist’s TSR3 is the most used driver among the top 100 PGA Tour pros with 16 choosing it, including Justin Thomas and Max Homa. PING’s G430 LST is the next most popular model with 13 playing it while TaylorMade’s Stealth Plus and Callaway’s Paradym Triple Diamond drivers rank equal 3rd with 9 pros each using them.

The make and model of any driver only tells us so much though and when we looked at the drivers being used by this elite group it was fascinating to see the variance in lofts and also the multitude of different shafts being used.

It was also very interesting to note what has changed since we last carried out this detailed analysis two years ago!

Most Played Driver on PGA Tour? Titleist Are Getting More Popular!

The amount of equipment available to PGA tour players is clearly on a different scale to anything that mere mortal amateurs can aspire to.

If a Tour pro wants to test out a new driver, shaft or set up it’s immediately made available to them and they are able to swap out drivers as often as they want from tournament to tournament or even practice session to practice session.

It’s no surprise therefore that we discovered 24 different models of driver being used by the top 100 pros on the PGA Tour but the big brands of Titleist, PING, TaylorMade and Callaway very much dominate accounting for 90 out of the 100 drivers in play.

What was interesting to note though was that Titleist’s dominance among the big manufacturers has grown since the last time we did this in-depth study a couple of years ago.

Titleist drivers are the most played by the top 100 PGA Tour pros with 33 using them. PING models are the next most popular with 22 picking them. Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods’ driver brand of choice, TaylorMade is used by 19 pros. Callaway drivers are chosen by 16 of this group with Srixon drivers being used by 6 of them.

Compared to two years ago this means an extra 6 out of the top 100 PGA Tour pros (33 in 2023 vs. 27 in 2021) now consider Titleist to be the best drivers for them therefore further reducing the market share of the other big brands among this elite group.

What also becomes very apparent once again when you look in detail at the drivers used by the PGA Tour pros however is the huge number of different set ups and each driver is clearly custom fitted to a very exact extent for each player.

For example even though 13 out of the top 100 use a PING G430 LST driver you can bet your last dollar when you look closely that there will be a unique set up for each player whether that be achieved through an adjustment to the loft, set up or shaft.

It is noticeable also that not all the players are in a rush to move immediately to the latest model of their preferred brand of driver and do continue to play with older drivers.

So to give the full picture of how many and which pros are using which brand and model of driver here is the complete breakdown of the drivers used by the top 100 players on the PGA Tour in order of popularity.

What Degree of Driver Do the Pros Use? It Starts With a 9 Most of the Time

Once upon a time a driver used to come with one loft option and players were stuck with it.

Modern golf technology has obviously moved on hugely since then and the loft options available to golfers now, and especially at the elite PGA Tour level, are incredible.

The Titleist SureFit Hosel system for example features a sleeve and ring set up each with 4 settings and as a result enables 16 unique loft and lie angle combinations with a precision of up to 0.75 degrees between different options.

The players on the PGA Tour are the best in the business and when it comes to the degree of driver they use it seems clear that the exactness with which they approach it and their overall driver set up is part of the reason they are so successful.

9 degrees is the most used driver loft among the top 100 PGA Tour pros with 32 setting up with it, including Rory McIlroy. 14 of this group play a 9.5º loft. The next most played degree of driver is 10.5º chosen by 8 pros with 8º and 10º used by 7 each. 6.5º is the lowest driver loft in the top 100 and 12.1º is the highest.

It is common also for the top pros to change the loft of their driver occasionally depending on what the course they are playing demands but below is the current breakdown of driver lofts played by the top 100 PGA Tour players.

What Driver Shaft is Most Used on the PGA Tour? There’s Weight Too!

PGA Tour pros are incredibly precise when it comes to the setup of their drivers and nowhere is that more evident than when it comes to the shafts that they choose to use with the biggest club in their bag.

When we carried out our analysis of the driver shafts being used by the top 100 players on the PGA Tour two years ago we found 70 different models being used and that number has now increased to 73 in 2023.

Fujikura’s Ventus Black 6X is still the most used driver shaft among the top 100 PGA Tour pros with 7 choosing it. The Ventus TR Blue 6X is the next most popular chosen by 5 players. Graphite Design’s Tour AD DI 6X and Fujikura’s Ventus Black 7X shafts are the third most common with three pros each picking them.

That almost every one of the top 100 pros is using a shaft that is unique to them however shows how must care the best players in the world take when it comes to making their choice and that attention to detail is again clearly evident when it comes to the driver shaft weights they use.

The most popular driver shaft weight used by the top 100 PGA Tour pros is 65g with 14 players selecting it, including Jordan Speith. 10 each use heavier shafts of 68g or 76g with 69g shafts the next most common weight being used by 7 pros . 56g is the lightest driver shaft among the top 100 with 90g the heaviest.

Interestingly while our analysis of the shafts the best pros on Tour use across all their clubs (which you can see here ) shows that True Temper is the shaft choice amongst the irons used by the top 100 this is not the case with driver shafts.

Once again when it came to driver shafts we found Fujikura models are the most popular driver shaft brand increasing their share among the top 100 PGA Tour pros from 28 two years ago to 34 in 2023.

Mitsubishi driver shafts, including the Tensei and Diamana series, remain the second most used in this elite group with 25 golfers using them.

True Temper shafts meanwhile are only the 3rd most popular in the drivers of the top 100 PGA Tour pros with 15 choosing them and all opting for shafts within the Project X HZRDUS range

Graphite Design driver shafts by comparison are the choice of 13 of this group.

Before you go ….

Knowing what drivers the top pros are using to hit the ball as far as they do is one thing but how much does their equipment explain the huge distances they hit the ball both off the tee and with seemingly every club?

Read our next article to find out the key reasons why the pros hit the ball as far as they do, including how much of a role their clubs play, and how you can potentially add 20 to 30 yards to your own drives!

How Do Pros Hit the Ball So Far?

[Note – Just so you know, and we are upfront as an affiliate program participant, Golfing Focus, at no cost to you, earns from qualifying purchases made through links on this page.]

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• What Putters Do the Pros Use? Top 100 PGA Tour Player Guide
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Best Driver Shafts 2024

Our guide to the best driver shafts on the market to ensure you're maximizing potential off the tee

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How we test

• How to choose

Choices used to be few and far between when it came to driver shafts - there will be some who even remember a time before graphite - but nowadays, the options seem endless. That can make picking out a new driver shaft a tricky decision, but it’s worth investing some time into making sure you find the right one for your game as the shaft is an extremely important component in how the driver performs.

It’s no longer just a case of choosing the stiffness you’d like and going on your merry way either. For your unique swing, it might be that you require something lighter for the specific head weight, or even a shaft that has a certain ‘kick point’ that will optimize your launch conditions. Whatever it is, make sure and do your research and ideally test some different clubs out before committing to what is a big decision.

In this guide to the best driver shafts, after testing a variety of models, our aim is to give you exactly that, a guide, that will hopefully help you make the most informed decision you can. As far as picking one specific model for you, this is tricky and we would always recommend a custom fitting session so you can get a gauge on exact models. In terms of the overall best model, the Fujikura Ventus Black is hard to ignore given the performance, and the Project X Smoke HZRDUS models are very good too.

While you're here, you might also want to check out our guides to the best golf drivers and the most forgiving drivers on the market. Or, if you're new to the game - first of all, welcome - why not cast your eye over our list of the best golf drivers for beginners .

Best Driver Shafts

Why you can trust Golf Monthly Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Flex: S-TX Weight: 58g-85g Length: 46" Kick Point: N/A Torque: 3.4-2.8 degrees

This shaft has been designed to tighten shot dispersion and maximize ball speed, no matter the strike location. The Ventus also features Fujikura’s all-new VeloCore technology in an ultra-stiff tip option. Additionally, the shaft is a multi-material construction, making it extremely strong and stable through impact for the optimum in smash factor. But it retains the feel thanks to the straight taper design and 40 Ton bias layers.

As a result, we think it's a really versatile product and should suit a lot of swing types. It is built to help you improve your shot dispersion too, with the shaft operating to give players a lot more consistency which is in part helped by the VeloCore. That is a multi-material bias core construction that provides greater stability through impact, improving your smash factor too! You'll also find many of Fujikura shafts on some of the best TaylorMade drivers .

Flex: R-TX Weight: 61g-74g Length: 46" Kick Point: N/A Torque: 3.2-2.8 degrees

The Smoke Green is the stiffest HZRDUS shaft yet, having been designed to reduce spin for the fastest swingers. Using Hexcel’s HexTow HM63, Project X has engineered a shaft that delivers the optimum in stability. That means this driver shaft is built to reduce spin for players with very fast swing speeds, helping you keep the club face open and flat on impact. For those who want to make a statement, the Smoke Green also comes in two different colors – the traditional Smoke grey and a sleek Gamma PVD green. 

With its vivid green looks and stable profile, the HZRDUS Smoke Green has affectionately been nicknamed “The Hulk”. If you like how the Project X HZRDUS shafts feel, it might also be worth checking out our guide to the best Callaway drivers as they come as standard on many of their fantastic drivers.

Flex: Varies on clubhead speed Weight: 41g-57g Length: 45"-47" Kick point: N/A Torque: N/A

The Autoflex Pink Shaft caused quite the stir when it came out because of promises of extra distance, the pink look and 'Korea Hidden Technology'. The pink shaft was tested by some of the world's best players and it seems most users do indeed get an increase in ball speed and distance. How? 

Well the shafts are incredibly light and whippy but the shaft and clubhead still manage to keep up when approaching impact, even for those faster swingers. The shaft does not follow conventional regular-stiff shaft measurements either because the shafts are built upon how fast you swing the golf club. Finally if the pink is not for you, you can also get the shafts in a rainbow design, black, yellow and sometimes special edition finishes. 

Flex: R-TX Weight: 54g-95g Length: 46" Kick point: High Torque: 5-2.5 degrees

Mitsuibishi’s Tensei CK Pro Orange expands the CK Series. It features a multi-material design that incorporates more performance-oriented materials than the brand has ever used in a shaft.

Using a counterbalanced design, this first-of-its-kind bend profile for Mitsubishi has an extreme tip-stiff to provide added versatility for the stronger player. It also incorporates the same Carbon Fibre/DuPont Kevlar weave found in the butt-section of all Tensei CK shafts – providing enhanced stability and maximum feel. The tip section is reinforced with MR70, Mitsubishi Chemical’s strongest carbon fibre, delivering lower torque and excellent control. As an added benefit, the Tensei shaft is available as a stock option in some of the best Ping drivers right now.

Flex: R-TX Weight: 64g-88g Length: 46" Kick point: N/A Torque: 3.5-2.3 degrees

Another from Project X’s brilliant HZRDUS line, the Smoke Yellow is perfect for golfers with a smooth tempo who like to flight it lower. It’s a counterbalanced shaft meaning additional mass can be added to the head for greater ball speed.

But it will also suit those who like to swing more aggressively thanks to the firmer mid-section than featured in the original HZRDUS Yellow. This also means it offers plenty of stability, which aids consistency, and we could all do with more of that.

For those who want to combine the performance benefits of the Smoke Yellow shaft with one of the best Titleist drivers on the market, it comes as a stock option in the TSR4.

Flex: R-TX Weight: 46g-81g Length: 45-46" Kick point: Low-high Torque: 5.2-2.9 degrees

A new entry into this market, the KBS (Kim Braly Signature) TD is lighter than the renowned brand’s iron shafts and means KBS is now able to fit shafts to every club in a golfer’s bag. We found it to have the same classic KBS feel that we’ve become accustomed to, with the specific features making it ideal for those who want to really max out their distance. The combination of mid launch and low spin means players of all swing speeds will be able to fulfil their potential off the tee.

We think that makes it a great option for a variety of golfers looking to improve their game off the tee. In addition, it’s also very stable so will give amateurs the ability to tighten their dispersion and therefore increase their confidence. Stability is one of the key things to consider when buying a new driver and driver shaft. 

Flex: R-TX Weight: 54g-88g Length: 46" Kick point: Mid-high Torque: 4.7-2.9 degrees

In the Diamana DF series, Mitsubishi fused two of their most tried and tested tour-proven profiles - Blue Board and White Board - to create a shaft that is strong, stable and lower launching. 

While more costly, the pitch fibre used in construction is superior to the traditional carbon fibre and offers outstanding strength and energy transfer to its users. We noticed there was very little shaft deformation when watching back on video, which plays a big factor in being able to hit the ball straight. That means that these are a very strong set of shafts and that largely comes down to the MR70 carbon fiber material that is 20 percent stronger than conventional materials and will help to improve the durability and stability of the club. 

Flex: R-X Weight: N/A Length: 46" Kick point: N/A Torque: 3.8-2.8 degrees

One of the most popular driver shafts among the best players in the world, the Tour RPG is Accra’s most technologically advanced golf shaft ever. And it’s not just suitable for the elite, it’s a highly playable offering for a wide variety of golfers.

It’s available in two designs and several distinct weights, adding to the shaft’s versatility, with all featuring a similar profile to ensure maximum energy transfer. In total, nine composite materials have been used in production, making this the smoothest feeling and most stable shaft Accra has created. Put simply, the RPG Tour enables golfers to control their launch and spin while increasing clubhead speed through its optimal CG design.

Flex: R-TX Weight: 56g-86g Length: 46" Kick-point: Mid Torque: 5.2-2.7 degrees

Building off the success of the previous model, Aldila’s latest Rogue Black shaft offers excellent performance and consistency through the use of advanced carbon fibers. In particular, the 130 M.S.I carbon fibre is extremely strong and stable, something we felt when testing.

Another aspect that makes it one of the best driver shafts is that it’s a mid-high launch shaft that offers mid spin, making it extremely versatile. Most swing types will find this product helps them flight the ball efficiently. With its higher balance point, there is also the potential for lighter swing weight options, meaning golfers can really maximize the distance they can hit the ball. That makes it a great option for slower swinging players too. 

When it comes to  product testing , our reviews and buyers' guides are built upon a rigorous testing procedure as well as the knowledge and experience of the test team. Ultimately, we aim to be as insightful and honest as possible in our reviews so it is important to acknowledge that no manufacturer can buy a good review. This is because our team tells it how it is and no manufacturer can buy a review. 

In relation to shafts, we usually test them thoroughly in hitting sessions, especially when we also have a lot of drivers to test! We would also often put the same shaft in a variety of clubs to gauge performance not only in a controlled environment with a launch monitor, but also out on the golf course to see what the performance is like where it really matters.

How to choose a driver shaft

When purchasing a new driver or a new driver shaft, there are plenty of things to think about as shafts come in a variety of strengths, lengths and builds. Each can play a part in helping you perform better on the golf course, but finding the right shaft for your strength, swing type and ability can sometimes be a difficult task. But don't fret! We've dropped a few important points that you should keep in mind when picking out a new driver shaft!

Choose a shaft too flexible and you’ll overpower the club, causing it to whip round too soon. That can make it a lot easier to miss high and left and the club will generally become too hard to control. Choose a shaft too stiff and you will inevitably swing a touch slower and consequently struggle to square the face at impact, causing you to miss more shots low and right.

The general rule is the faster you swing, the stiffer your shafts should be. And given we swing our fastest with the driver, this makes the shaft a very important factor in performance that you're going to want to consider. For more detailed information on this, check out our video on ' should I use regular or stiff shafts in my golf clubs ?'

A shaft that's too heavy and too light will also have an impact on your driver performance so it is important to get the right weight for you. Again, a lot of that comes back to how fast you swing your driver. Golfers with a swing speed between 90 and 105mph will tend to prefer a shaft weight of around 60g. 70g shafts are a better fit for players who swing the club around 105 to 115. 

A lot has been said about Bryson DeChambeau using a 48-inch driver for more distance of late but in amateurs the length of driver shaft is important because it is more likely to impact strike pattern. A longer shaft hinders consistency and the strike is usually more towards the heel, whilst a shorter shaft often produces a strike more towards the toe. If you're looking to add more yards to your game but not employ a longer shaft, why not take a look at our best drivers for distance guide.

4. Kick point

Kick point is where the shaft flexes the most. A club with a high kick point should produce a lower trajectory and help players who lose distance from a high, spinning flight, while a low kick point will launch the ball higher. Because stiffer shafts need more power or a more efficient action to work at their best, they usually feature higher kick points to help players control their ball flights.

A word most associated with cars, torque is also something you should know about in driver shafts. In the golfing context torque is all about resistance to twisting, so a shaft with a low torque measurement will have greater resistance and the opposite is true for a high torque measurement.

As a result high-speed players, and ones who draw the ball may prefer low torque, whilst slower swingers and slicers of the golf ball may prefer higher torque models. That being said every player releases the club in a different way and at different speeds so testing may be required here. Take a look at our best drivers for high-handicappers for several models that have draw bias built into their clubhead designs.

6. Custom fitting

The easiest way for you to gain a lot of understanding around driver shafts and which will be best suited to you is through custom fitting. Fitting experts will be able to see how fast you swing and cater a driver shaft to your swing speed, along with the other factors we mentioned here.

For more information on some of the best drivers on the market right now, take a look at our guides to the best Callaway drivers , best TaylorMade Drivers and best Titleist drivers .

What driver shaft is most used out on Tour?

Whilst information on shafts is hard to come by, we believe the most used driver shafts come from Fujikura and two of the most popular models are the Ventus Blue, and the Ventus Black. 

What shaft is best for my driver?

The answer to this question will depend on a variety of factors but first we would always recommend going to see a professional fitter because they will be able to guide you to using shafts more suitable for your game. What we have found is when asking this question to fitters, they often say that people should use their current driver shaft as a baseline. If shots tend to be low and little spin, then they would recommend trying a softer flex, whereas if shots are ballooning, try a stiffer shaft. If you're caught between two flexes, you can “tip” a softer flex to make it stiffer in the tip section. As far as particular model goes, this would require the expertise of a professional fitter because every single golfer is so different. 

What does torque in a driver shaft mean?

Torque in a club shaft is something that you might not have come across before when talking about golf club shafts. It refers to how much the shaft twists laterally in the downswing. This can have a big impact on how open or closed the face is at impact and thus how much you draw or fade your shot. If you are prone to a bad slice, you might want to use a shaft that has a higher torque to try and add a draw bias onto your shots. Meanwhile, if you have a natural draw you might want to use a shaft that has a lower torque if you want to hit the ball straighter.  

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Joe has worked in the golf industry for nearly 20 years in a variety of roles. After a successful amateur career being involved in England squads at every age group, Joe completed his PGA degree qualification in 2014 as one of the top ten graduates in his training year and subsequently went on to become Head PGA Professional at Ryder Cup venue The Celtic Manor Resort. Equipment has always been a huge passion of Joe’s, and during his time at Celtic Manor, he headed up the National Fitting Centres for both Titleist and Taylormade.  He’s excited to bring his knowledge of hardware to Golf Monthly in the form of equipment reviews and buying advice. 

Joe lives in North Devon and still plays sporadically on the PGA West region circuit. His best round in recent years came earlier in 2023 where he managed a 9 under par 63 at Trevose GC in a Devon & Cornwall PGA Tournament.

Joe's current What's In The Bag?  

Driver: Switch between Ping G430 Max 10K & TaylorMade Qi10 - both with Fujikura Ventus Black 6-X

Fairway wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour - Fujikura Ventus Black 7-X

Irons: Callaway Apex CB 24'  3-11 - Project X LS 6.5 shafts

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM10 54D and 60M

Putter: Odyssey Toe Up #9

Ball: TaylorMade 2024 TP5x 

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 60R

Bag: Vessel Player IV Pro DXR Stand

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40g vs 50g vs 60g Driver Shafts – How Much Difference Does Driver Shaft Weight Make?

If you are looking to upgrade your driver this year you will have a lot of options to consider. Make, model, loft, grip thickness, and shaft flex.

However, have you considered the importance of the shaft weight of your driver? Modern technology has dialled in the marginal gains so much that throughout a golfing season the shaft weight, whether it is 40 grams, 50 grams, or 60 grams, could have a big influence on your driving performance.

In this article, we will answer every question you need to know about how much difference driver shaft weight makes.

Driver Shafts And Their Weights: An Introduction

Golf driver shaft weights do have an impact on how well golfers hit their drivers. Several factors need to be considered when changing your driver.

The weight of the shaft can affect how easily the club swings through the ball, how far it travels, and how accurately it hits the ball.

If you are looking to make minor adjustments to your golf swing, you may want to experiment with different driver weights without substantially changing your game.

However, if you are looking to make significant changes to your game or are struggling with consistency, changing the shaft weight of your golf driver shaft may be the answer.

40 Gram Driver Shafts: Who They Are For?

A 40-gram golf driver shaft is the weight recommended by PGA Professionals and many professional golfers use a 40-gram or slightly heavier golf driver shaft.

Players with a slower release action or who do not hit high drive shots with much power may desire a lighter golf driver shaft. 40 grams shafts are ideal for high trajectories.

This shaft weight is perfect for slow swing speed and the experts at  TPT agree  that a lighter shaft weight can produce a faster swing speed.

50 Gram Driver Shafts: Who They Are For?

A 50 grams golf driver shaft is a relatively standard golf driver shaft and is designed to provide more forgiveness.

This shaft weight is perfect for players who have difficulty hitting the ball long off the tee or who need better control of their shots. They are also perfect for players who want a more forgiving club with a mid-high trajectory

If you are a beginner or an intermediate player, we suggest you stick with a 50 grams golf driver shaft. 50 grams shaft weight will help you build muscle memory and improve your accuracy. This is ideal for moderate swing speed.

60 Gram Driver Shafts: Who They Are For?

A 60 grams golf driver shaft is good for many golfers. It offers moderate forgiveness, good control, and a decent launch.

A 60 grams shaft provides the feeling of stability during the swing while being light enough to help with speed. This weight is ideal for high swing speed and a stronger golfer.

For experienced players who want a low mid-high trajectory, a 60 grams shaft weight is perfect. However, this will also be good for most golfers out there with this shaft weight.

Are Lighter Shafts Any Good?

A real positive of using a lighter driver shaft is that it can help you hit the ball accurately and at a longer distance.

This is since lighter driver shafts generate more swing speed than heavier driver shafts. This will help you hit the ball straighter and with more power.

However, there are also some downsides to using light driver shafts. One of these is that they can be less forgiving. If you miss your target, they may not travel as far as a heavier driver shaft would have done.

Lighter shafts are great for better golfers who have more consistent ball striking. This was validated in a test  completed by Golf WRX .

Ultimately, it is up to each golfer to decide what weight driver shaft they want to use. The pros and cons of different weights will vary from player to player.

This excellent video from  James Robinson Golf  will give you a good idea of how he got on trying out a lighter shaft.

How Does Swing Speed Affect Your Driver Shaft Weight Choice?

A heavier driver shaft will force you to use more power to hit the ball, resulting in a higher swing speed. This increase in swing speed can help you achieve better shots by increasing your clubhead speed and torque.

However, if you are looking for an easier game and don’t care about hitting the ball as hard as possible, a lighter shaft should be your go-to choice.

Swing Speed Vs Shaft Weight Table

What reasons should i change my driver shaft weight.

Apart from swing speed, there are a few factors that play an essential role. Power exertion is important. The heavier the driver shaft weight, and if you have a fast-swing speed, you can hit the ball a long way.

The grip is also an essential factor. A lighter driver shaft will give you a better grip on the club as you’ll be using less energy to swing the club. It can be tough to hold on to a heavy club when you’re trying to hit bombs from the tee.

Shaft Flex Vs Weight In Drivers

There is some evidence that the shaft flex can have an impact on driver shaft weight. For some golfers, it might make a difference.

It is worth noting, however, that this impact is relatively small. In addition, it is possible that other factors, such as swing style, could also have an impact on driver weight. Unless you are a top golfer it is unlikely you will notice any difference.

Does Driver Head Weight Make A Difference? (Light vs Heavy)

There is some correlation between the driver clubhead weight and driver shaft weight, but there is no perfect correlation.

This is because a given driver shaft weight will provide a different feel and performance depending on the clubhead weight. The differences in the weight of driver heads are much smaller than the weight of the club shaft.

In this useful forum  discussion on Hackers Paradise , they discuss how golfers would be better to change the weight of the shaft before the clubhead.

How To Know What Shaft You Should Be Using?

For many golfers, the decision of what driver shaft weight to use can be a daunting task. The heavier the driver shaft, the more torque it will generate on the ball.

This greater torque will cause the clubface to snap into contact more often, which in turn gives you more stability while hitting your shots.

Conversely, a lighter driver shaft will result in less torque and less stability. This means that your shots may not travel as far off the clubface due to reduced power.

The best way to know the answer to this question is to visit a professional club fitter and look at the stats on a golf simulator.

The driver feels too heavy – What Should I Do?

Golfers often complain that their golf driver feels too heavy. There are a few things that you can do to make the golf driver feel lighter.

First, you can also try using a lighter driver shaft. You can try to adjust your grip. Swing also matters. If you are swinging the club incorrectly, then your driver shaft will feel heavy regardless of its weight.

How Can You Measure Swing Speed?

To measure swing speed in golf, you need to use a launch monitor. The launch monitor measures how fast the clubhead moves through the air and provides this information to the device. There are models which can even relay this data to your phone or watch.

You can also use an indoor golf simulator to measure your swing speed. These simulators  measure every element  of your shot and provide you with an accurate measurement of your swing speed.

What Other Shaft Weights Are There?

Most drivers have shafts that weigh between 35 grams and 85 grams. Players who have slower swing speeds should use light shaft weight.

Players who have higher swing speeds should go for heavier shafts. Modern technology allows golfers to easily interchange their driver shafts with the turn of a screw. This means that you can easily switch between the lighter shafts to the heavier shafts.

40g vs 45g Driver Shaft

• 40 Grams Shaft

It is ideal for golfers who want a reduced spin on the ball. Due to low spin, the carry is less. Players who are more experienced but have a slower swing speed should go for the 40-gram shaft.

• 45 Grams Shaft

This shaft generates a medium spin on the ball, making it a viable option for golfers who want a better carry of the ball. It also produces a mid-high trajectory.

55g vs 65g Driver Shaft

• 55 Grams Shaft

This is a light shaft weight. It produces a decent amount of spin on the ball and the trajectory is medium. Ideal for slow-moderate swing speed.

• 65 Grams Shaft

This is a moderate shaft weight which is found as the standard weight in most drivers bought off the rack in golf shops. It generates a good amount of spin on the ball and the trajectory is medium. This shaft weight is ideal for golfers with a moderate swing speed.

40g Driver Shafts: Our Top Choice

Kbs td shaft.

The KBS TD 40-gram shaft is a lighter and stiffer driver shaft. This shaft is ideal for slow swing speed golfers who are looking for mid-high trajectories. Furthermore, it has higher torque stiffness.

50g Driver Shafts: Our Top Choice

Aldila xtorsion copper shaft.

There are not many shafts that come in the bracket of lightweight. The XTORSION Copper shafts deliver straight, consistent shots with a solid, smooth feel. It generates a decent amount of spin on the ball. An ideal choice for slow-moderate swing speeds.

60g Driver Shafts: Our Top Choice

Fujikura ventus black shaft.

Using this shaft, shot dispersion is tightened and ball speed is maximized, regardless of where the ball is struck. Featuring Fujikura’s new VeloCore technology, the Ventus also features an ultra-stiff tip. Ideal for moderate swing speeds. It generates optimal spin on the ball.

The Best Driver Shaft For 70mph Swing Speed

The best driver shaft for golfers with a swing speed of 70 mph is the Grand Bassara 39. This is a lite flex driver shaft that has a mid-low trajectory and optimal spin.

The Best Driver Shaft For 75mph Swing Speed

The best driver shaft for golfers with a swing speed of 75mph is the KBS TD Shaft. This is a lighter and stiffer driver shaft. This shaft is ideal for golfers who have a swing speed of 75 mph.

The Best Driver Shaft For 80mph Swing Speed

CALLAWAY Hzrdus Smoke Green iM10 is a regular flex shaft that is a perfect choice for golfers who have 85 mph swing speed.

The Best Driver Shaft For 85mph Swing Speed

Aldila NXT GEN NVS 55 is a regular flex shaft designed with a softer tip section to promote a higher ball flight with a higher spin for increased carry distances. It is ideal for golfers who have a swing speed of 85mph and more.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this article; we have tried to highlight the importance of shaft weights and how a difference of 5 grams in shaft weight can alter your game.

We also wanted to emphasize that there is a big difference between golf driver shaft weights, which is why it’s important to select the right weight for your style of play. In a study completed by  My Golf Spy , they validated our summary that lighter shafts are perfect for slower swingers, and heavier shafts are ideal for faster swingers.

If you’re a high handicap player, you’ll likely need a lighter driver shaft because your swing will be slower. If you’re a low handicap player, you’ll likely need a heavier driver shaft because your swing will be faster.

It’s important to find the weight that is right for you so that you can improve your game without having to change clubs or shafts. Why not let us know in the comments below which shaft weight you use, or if you have changed why you made the switch?

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Golf’s ruling bodies take next step in limiting driver length

Regarding Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson and their lust for 48-inch drivers, golf’s ruling bodies have only one thing to say: Not so fast.

Technically, Tuesday’s announcement that the USGA and the R&A will reduce the maximum shaft length from 48 inches to 46 inches counts as a suggestion. It’s what’s called a Model Local Rule, which is generally designed to give tournament organizers or presumably any tour the right to implement a rule limiting driver length. But a spokespeople from the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour confirmed its tours would implement the local rule in 2022, with the PGA Tour confirming Jan. 1, 2022 as the first date of enforcement. The USGA’s Thomas Pagel, senior managing director of governance, said the new limit will apply to all 14 USGA championships, also beginning in 2022.

“I think it’s very fair to say that this is a proactive measure,” he said of the new limit, which has been discussed and researched by the USGA and R&A since 2014 with a few stops and starts in between. It was announced as a proposal back in February.

“You saw a trend of more players experimenting, and I would say the governing bodies have been accused in the past of being reactive, and this was an opportunity for us to be proactive and cap something that is going to have a really small impact as far as the number of individuals. Had we waited, I think the change would have been that much harder.”

To be fair, Pagel said no one player’s use or success with a longer driver accelerated any decision. In other words, Mickelson’s win at the PGA Championship in May with a driver that measured 47.5 inches did not impact any decision on the shaft length rollback. Pagel called the model Local Rule "the least disruptive" approach, making it clear that the rule does not affect recreational golfers or any manufacturer interested in selling drivers longer than the new 46-inch limit.

“If there are recreational golfers that happen to be playing with something longer than 46 inches they can continue to play with that if they’d like,” Pagel said. “We felt it was appropriate to handle as a Model Local Rule now. It doesn’t mean that at some point in the future that it becomes a rule of golf, perhaps even a shorter length club is even considered. That’s nothing we’re discussing now, but it’s difficult to say never.”

Here's the statement from the PGA Tour on Tuesday acknowledging it would implement the rule: "After understanding the feedback received from the golf manufacturing community, we also undertook a survey of usage of clubs in use across the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and the Korn Ferry Tour and found that a very small number of players either have used or are currently using clubs greater than 46 inches. The PGA Tour Player Advisory Council recently reviewed the subject and we have concluded that the PGA Tour will implement the Local Rule on Jan. 1, 2022." 

The LPGA Tour didn't provide a definitive timeframe with its response: “[We] plan to implement the new rule at some point after the 2021 season. We have already started communication with the small number of players who may be affected by the change, to ensure they can make any necessary adjustments in a timely manner.”

Pagel said golf’s other professional tours and major championships “have been involved and engaged” with the decision on the new rule, and he expected them to announce their decisions shortly. While contacted by Golf Digest, the European Tour and Augusta National did not respond with comment. A PGA of America spokesperson said the organization would review the rule change and make an announcement before any 2022 PGA event. Several major manufacturers contacted by Golf Digest declined to offer a comment at this time. 

For perspective, driver shaft lengths have increased over the last quarter century, both on the PGA Tour and in the marketplace. It was typical in the 1990s for drivers played on tour to be in the 43-inch range, and now the majority of tour players use a driver between 44.5 and 45.5 inches. In addition to Mickelson’s and DeChambeau’s interest in drivers at the current 48-inch limit, the LPGA’s Brooke Henderson also has played a 48-inch driver in the past. Almost all drivers being introduced by manufacturers now feature a shaft length of 45 to 45.75 inches.

Though some manufacturers have introduced drivers with shaft lengths longer than 46 inches, few have been successful. A decade ago, TaylorMade’s Burner Superfast 2.0 was 46.5 inches and was popular for a time before the company’s next model dropped back to a shorter shaft. Cobra introduced a lightweight 48-inch shaft in its Long Tom driver in 2011 that saw little traction.

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Of course, the evidence is not universal that a longer shaft will result in longer driving distance for every player. John Spitzer, the USGA’s managing director of equipment standards, said that multiple tests it has conducted show a three- to five-yard difference by going from 46 to 48 inches. “When we started looking at this, we only saw a couple of players on the tours using drivers that were over 46.5 inches,” Spitzer said. “And now we’re seeing an order of magnitude bigger than that.

“And they’re not going right from 46 to 48, but they are inching up, and as they inch up, eventually the manufacturers would start to offer clubs that were longer. So the timing was just right.”

John McPhee, professor of engineering at the University of Waterloo and a member of the Golf Digest Technical Panel, and his students have developed an optimized biomechanical/physics golf simulation that projects a six-yard gain in carry distance when an average human golfer goes from optimal launch conditions at 46 inches to optimal launch conditions at 48 inches, but his model showed a 10-yard gain in the optimals when going from 44 inches to 46 inches.

In a paper published on the subject submitted for the International Sports Engineering Association 2022 conference, McPhee and his student Spencer Ferguson conclude, “A rule to limit club length to 46 inches might help curb future distance gains at the elite level, but is unlikely to reduce current driving distances, as five of the most recent leaders in driving distance on the PGA Tour used drivers less than 46 inches in length.”

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For what it’s worth, according to PGA Tour statistics, Mickelson was about five yards shorter this year than he was in 2019 and his rank in strokes gained/off the tee still hasn’t moved into the top 150. Nevertheless, Mickelson recently went to social media to criticize the USGA for looking to roll back shaft length.

“What data was there to say that the driver length should be capped at 48 inches?” Mickelson said, shaking his head in a Twitter video posted last month. “What data is there that says it should go to 46 inches? We’re addressing the wrong problem, and we’re misreading the data yet again much like the grooves in 2010.”

Of course, Mickelson’s diatribe seems misplaced since he devotes much of it to arguing against the shaft length rule’s effect on average golfers, which the new rule would not impact in the least. 

Pagel said the shaft-length rule addresses elite players now to avoid any further issues later. He said they do not see any evidence that long drivers are commonplace on tour or in the marketplace or among young developing golfers. But Mickelson and DeChambeau have been vocal about exploring the use of longer shafts. Pagel said the time to act was now.

“At the highest level, we were seeing the numbers were slowly creeping up,” he said. “With the swing speeds at that level and the abilities at that level, that’s where it would start to take off and that would be the start of a trend. Once the elite level players start to do something it will trickle down. How long it takes, it could have been 10 years before we would see a bunch of kids trying long drivers, but the point is let’s be proactive now.”

Pagel was quick to note that driver shaft length is not the governing bodies’ ultimate solution to the driving-distance question. New USGA CEO Mike Whan even went so far as to say in a statement, “Admittedly, this is not the ‘answer’ to the overall distance debate/issue, but rather a simple option for competitive events.”

The USGA and R&A are seeking comment on the broader topic of distance with a Nov. 2 deadline—so there is more to come, Pagel said. Among the topics being reviewed are a tightening of the tolerance zone for the measurement of springlike effect and new distance standards for measuring a golf ball’s optimal flight conditions. But the ideas go beyond those two proposals, which also were announced in February with the shaft-length rule.

“We’re in this critical discussion about the role that distance plays in the game and that’s ongoing,” he said. “Once we have that feedback we anticipate spending a significant period of time reviewing that and allowing it to inform whatever the next steps might be. People will say we move slow, but in this case I think it’s intentionally slow. We don’t want to act with haste, and I think that’s important for the industry.

"This model local rule by no means is intended to be a solution that helps to stop the cycle of increased hitting distances. We’re committed to what we said before and there will be solutions but this is not that solution. What they are, we’re not sure yet, but this is not it."

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“We’re committed to our desire to stop the cycle of increased hitting distances. We have the long-term health of the game in mind. How is the game healthy 20, 50, 100 years from now. That’s something we remain committed to. We know elite players can achieve distance increases through using a longer club, and as an industry as we go through the critical conversation about the long-term health of the game and what role distance plays with that, we just thought it was best to cap this now while we have the rest of that discussion.”