stiffness distribution of the shaft) can alter ball flight. In general, a shaft possessing a stiffer tip will propel the ball at a lower launch angle (assuming it doesn’t leave the face open at impact and have the opposite effect). Lower torque shaft will generally hit the ball with lower spin rate.

Composite shafts allow the designer to independently change the tip stiffness from the torque more so than steel manufacturers are able with the geometry of the shaft. The shaft parameter combination that will produce the lowest launch and lowest spin rate would one that is very tip stiff and low in torque. This combination is usually much more expensive to manufacture and geared more toward those who have higher clubhead speeds and subsequently a greater ability to launch the ball higher. In contrast, slower swinging golfers would normally benefit from soft tip and higher torque shaft to help maximize launch angle and increased spin rate for greater distance. The cost to manufacture these types of shafts are usually the least expensive to make.