Senior Vs Ladies Flex Golf Clubs – Which One Should You Choose

How fast do you swing a driver? The reason for this question is because your driver’s swing speed provides a guideline to help you find the perfect flex for your shaft.

Golf.com’s Zephyr Melton explains that the fastest swingers in our game are best suited to a stiff or extra stiff shaft. However, slower players gain the most value from more flexible shafts like seniors or ladies.

In this post, we are looking at senior vs ladies flex golf clubs to help you decide which one you should choose.

Intro To Golf Club Flex

When I started playing golf, I gave no thought to shaft flex.

I purchased the stock standard options that were on the shelf. These clubs came with a regular flex shaft, which as it turns out, was too flexible for my swing.

As a result, my ball flight was too high, and I found that I was losing roll and total distance on my home course.

Eventually, when I became more sensible, I got fitted for clubs and discovered that my swing is better suited to an extra stiff shaft. I made the switch and have never looked back.

What Exactly Is Flex In Golf Clubs?

The team at Burnaby Golf Club in Canada describes flex as the golf club’s ability to bend as force is applied to it during your swing.

Therefore, flex can be categorized from ultra-flexible to stiff. The flex of your club plays a role in the trajectory and accuracy of your shot.

How Does It Perfect Performance?

The flex of your club plays a role in the trajectory and accuracy of your shot. If you are playing with a shaft that is too stiff for your swing you may achieve a low ball flight leading to a loss of carry and total distance.

Conversely, if your shaft is too flexible, it can cause faster-swinging players to balloon their shots and lose distance.

Golfweek’s Mike Southern explains that if your shaft is too stiff for your swing, it can cause your clubface to remain open at impact, leading to a slice. On the other hand, True Fit Clubs state that a consistent hook may be the result of a shaft that is too flexible.

Senior Flex Vs Ladies Flex – What Is The Difference?

Both senior flex and ladies flex are used by the slower swingers in our game.

However, ladies flex is designed for the slowest swinging players and offers the most flex.

Seniors flex is the second most flexible shaft suited to players who find that a regular shaft is too stiff, but a ladies shaft is too flexible.

What Swing Speed Should Use Each?

Melton provides a detailed chart for what swing speed is best suited to each shaft flex in this article.

He mentions that players with an average driver swing speed between 72 and 83 mph are better suited to a senior flex shaft.

Whereas, if you swing a driver under 72 mph will extract the most value from a ladies flex shaft.

What Other Flex Types Are There?

In this article, Golfweek’s J.D Chi sets out the five types of shaft flex.

Other than the ladies and seniors flex that we have touched on. There are the options of regular, stiff, and extra stiff flex.

Regular Flex Vs Senior And Ladies

We know that the senior and ladies’ flex shafts are best suited to slower swinging players and offer the highest level of flex of the five shaft options. However, regular flex is an option if you swing a driver at moderate speed.

According to Melton’s article, a regular flex shaft is ideal for those of you who swing a driver at speeds between 84 and 96 mph.

Uniflex Vs Senior And Ladies

In this article about Uniflex shafts, we describe the unique construction of this product designed to cater to a wider range of golfers.

A uniflex shaft combines a regular and stiff shaft to give moderate swinging players the ideal level of flex, while faster swingers enjoy sufficient stiffness.

As a result, a uniflex shaft is less flexible than a senior or ladies’ option, making it more suitable to moderate and fast swinging players.

Lite Vs Senior And Ladies

As we detail in this article, a lite, senior, and ladies shaft offer more flex than a regular or stiff shaft. It makes these three levels of flex best suited to those of you with slower swing speeds.

While these shafts are ideal for helping slower swinging golfers get the ball airborne. The excessive flex may lead to faster swingers ballooning their shots and losing distance.

Stiff Vs Senior And Ladies

Unlike the senior and ladies flex clubs, a stiff shaft is built to be used by faster swinging players.

If we refer back to Melton’s article, we notice that a stiff shaft flex serves those of you with driver swing speeds between 97 and 104 mph.

Stiff shafts deliver a mid to low ball flight, welcomed by faster swinging players. Slower swingers, on the other hand, may struggle to get shots with this shaft consistently airborne.

X Stiff Vs Senior Ladies

If stiff shafts were made for fast swinging players. Extra stiff shafts were built for super fast swingers. Extra-stiff construction offers the least flex out of all golf shafts.

The reduced flexibility helps faster swinging players achieve a mid to low ball flight for more control. However, slower swinging players will struggle to achieve a consistently high launch. And run the risk of slicing shots due to an open clubface at impact.

Swing Speed Vs Flex Table

The below table sets out the flex to driver swing speed.

Swing Speed	Clubhead Speed	Flex
Very Fast	>105mph	X-stiff
Fast	97 – 104mph	Stiff
Moderate	84 – 96mph	Regular
Slow	72 – 83mph	Seniors
Extra Slow	<72mph	Ladies

Should You Always Use The Same Shafts In Irons And Drivers?

To optimize your performance on the course, you may require different shaft flexes for your driver and irons.

Your driver clubhead speed might be categorized as moderate, but your iron swing speed is fast.

As a result, you would need a regular flex driver shaft and stiff iron shafts.

How To Know If You Need A Stiffer Shaft?

The most effective way to determine if you need a stiffer shaft is to get fitted by a professional.

Which Golf Monthly’s Sam Tremlett confirms in this article on what shaft flex you should use.

However, if you are not up for spending on a fitting, there is an alternative option.

All you need is a launch monitor app to determine your swing speeds. And the table set out by Melton in this article.

Furthermore, if you sky or hook your shots frequently, you may need to acquire a stiffer shaft, to counter this.

How Will Moving To A Stiffer Shaft Affect Your Game?

A stiffer shaft impacts your game in two areas.

For one, it promotes a lower ball flight, giving faster swingers more control of their shots. However, if your swing speed is slow, you may find a stiffer shaft more challenging to launch.

A stiffer shaft also opens you up to slicing or pushing your shots. The heavier, stiffer shaft makes it more difficult for players with a slower tempo to get the clubface square at impact.

How To Know If You Need A More Flexible Shaft?

If you are struggling to launch your ball consistently.

Your ball flight may be low, causing you to lose distance. In this case, a more flexible shaft may be the answer.

Furthermore, if you slice your shots regularly, your shaft may be too stiff for your swing. Therefore, you may need to employ a more flexible option.

Can A Man Use A Ladies Flex Shaft?

Yes, the term ladies in this case only represents the level of flex that the shaft has.

It doesn’t matter who you are. If you swing a driver under 72 mph and a 6-iron under 65mph, you need to use a ladies flex shaft.

Conclusion On Senior vs Ladies Flex Golf Clubs

The flex of your shaft impacts the trajectory and accuracy of your shot.

In our review on senior vs ladies flex golf clubs, we have found that players who struggle with slices and launching their shots need to look at a more flexible shaft.

Conversely, those of you who balloon or hook your shots might need to consider a stiffer shaft. Very fast swingers are better suited to extra stiff shafts. And, the slower swinging players among us may perform best with a more flexible shaft.

Seniors and ladies’ flex golf clubs are for slower swingers. But I suggest getting fitted to make a better-informed decision. If that is not an option, you can refer to our swing speed vs flex table above.