Buying guide
What shaft flex do I need?
Regular or stiff? A simple way to work out the right flex for your driver and irons, no launch monitor needed.
Lowcard · Updated 24 October 2026
The short answer
Most club golfers are best with regular flex. If you hit your driver a long way (roughly 240 yards or more) with a fast, aggressive swing, try stiff. If you're unsure between the two, the softer one is usually the safer choice.
What is shaft flex?
Flex is how much a club's shaft bends during your swing. A faster swing bends the shaft more, so faster swingers need a firmer (stiffer) shaft and slower swingers need a softer one.
Get it right and the clubface is square when it meets the ball. Get it wrong and shots tend to fly the wrong height and miss in one direction more often. It won't ruin your game, but the right flex makes the club easier to hit.
The flexes, from softest to firmest
The letter is usually printed on the shaft, near the grip or just above the clubhead.
| Flex | Letter | Usually suits |
|---|---|---|
| Ladies | L | The slowest swings |
| Senior | A or M | Slower, smoother swings |
| Regular | R | Most club golfers |
| Stiff | S | Faster swings and stronger players |
| Extra stiff | X | Very fast swings: low handicaps and tour players |
One brand's regular can feel a little firmer or softer than another's, so treat the letters as a guide rather than an exact measurement.
A simple way to work out yours
The best measure is your driver swing speed. If you don't know it, how far your driver usually goes is a decent stand-in. Use your normal, decent drive, not your best ever.
| Driver swing speed | Typical driver distance | Flex to try |
|---|---|---|
| Under 70 mph | Under 180 yards | Ladies |
| 70 to 85 mph | 180 to 210 yards | Senior |
| 85 to 95 mph | 210 to 240 yards | Regular |
| 95 to 110 mph | 240 to 275 yards | Stiff |
| Over 110 mph | Over 275 yards | Extra stiff |
These are rough ranges, and they overlap in real life. Two more things push you one way or the other:
- Your tempo. A quick, punchy swing loads the shaft more, so lean firmer. A smooth, slow tempo suits a softer flex.
- Your ball flight. Shots that balloon up high and drift right (for a right-hander) can mean the shaft is too soft. Low shots that won't get airborne and fade away can mean it's too stiff.
Should my irons match my driver?
Usually, yes: if your driver is regular, your irons are normally regular too. The exception is steel or graphite, which matters for irons:
- Steel shafts are heavier and give a bit more control. Most men's iron sets come with steel.
- Graphite shafts are lighter, which helps slower swings get the ball up and travelling further. A good choice for seniors, many women golfers and anyone who finds steel irons tiring or hard on the joints.
On Lowcard, iron sets are only compared with sets that have the same flex and the same shaft type, so a graphite set is never measured against a steel one.
Buying used? Check the flex is real
Second-hand clubs sometimes have a shaft that's been swapped, so make sure the flex and shaft in the listing match what's printed on the shaft in the photos. If the listing doesn't say the flex, ask the seller before you buy. Our guide to buying used clubs safely has more checks like this.
Which flexes does Lowcard cover?
For now we show regular and stiff drivers and iron sets, right-handed, because that's what most UK golfers buy. Senior, ladies, extra stiff and left-handed clubs are coming later.
See driver deals or iron set deals, and filter by flex.