Shaft Orientation / Strong Siding

• Uniformity of shaft orientation throughout your entire set which leads to consistency.

• Increases MOI which reduces twisting at impact on off center shots to maintain accuracy and distance.

• Ensures each bend characteristics for consistent clubhead speed, launch angles, shot dispersion, and spin rates. 

kyle-ss-neutral     kyle-ss-open

Fig A. (shaft inverted facing target no load)                            Fig B. (shaft load away from the target toe opened)

kyle-ss-closed     kyle-ss-square

Fig C. (shaft load away from the target toe closed)              Fig D. (shaft load away from the target toe square)

Appendix II, 2b “The USGA recognizes that it is difficult for manufacturers to consistently produce a perfectly symmetrical shaft, the USGA may incorporate a reasonable tolerance when evaluating shafts for conformance. Additionally, manufacturers of clubs may orient or align shafts which have spines for uniformity in assembling sets, or in an effort to make the shafts perform as if they were perfectly symmetrical However, a shaft which has been oriented for the purpose of influencing the performance of a club, e.g., to correct wayward shots, would be contrary to the intent of this Rule.”

Because shafts are not made perfectly symmetrical every shaft has a STRONG or dominant side. When the shaft bends (fig. B) during the golf swing if the clubhead is not aligned properly the shaft will twist the clubface open or closed to the STRONG SIDE of the shaft. If the ball is struck slightly to the toe with the club in (fig. B) has the clubface twisting open which imparts additional sidespin on the golf ball. One of the benefits of STRONG SIDING is to ensure that every club in your bag work back to square and consistently reduce twisting at impact which will lead to better grouping on your off center shots. (fig. C)

All club manufacturers install shafts with no regards to the strong side of the shaft which means, every club built has the strong side in a different location in relation to the club head. Strong Siding is a process where we identify the strong side of the shaft using a stress test and install the club head so during the golf swing the clubface will work to square at impact (fig C).  Because shafts are not perfectly round every shaft has a strong or dominant side. When the shaft bends (fig. B) during the golf swing the shaft will rotate the clubface open or closed to the strong side of the shaft. If the ball is struck slightly to the toe with the club in (fig. B) the clubface while working open will impart additional sidespin to the golf ball.  

"The benefits of strong siding include dramatic improvement in solid impact with the ball and enhancing accuracy, feel and trajectory control." There has been a lot of talk recently about club shafts and their spines. The discussion is deserved because of a change in the interpretation of a USGA rule. Rule 4-1b states: “The shaft shall be generally straight, with the same bending and twisting properties in any direction…” Appendix II 4-1b states, “BENDING AND TWISTING PROPERTIES. The shaft must be so designed and manufactured that at any point along its length: (i) it bends in such a way that the deflection is the same regardless of how the shaft is rotated about its longitudinal axis, and (ii) it twists the same amount in both directions.” The intent of the Rule is to prevent the manufacturer of shafts, which would enhance the shot due to their asymmetrical shape. For instance, a shaft which would be made oblong to take advantage of its non-symmetrical properties. There is a catch 22 here. It is impossible to construct a shaft, which is perfectly symmetrical. No matter how well a shaft is made, no matter how tight the construction tolerances are in making the shaft, it is impossible for a shaft to be made which holds the exact same wall thickness all the way around its circumference. Every shaft made has a spine or heavy area running its length. As stated above, this spine or heavy area is created as a part of the shaft making process. The shaft is then stiffer where this spine is located. This is evident when you place the shaft in a frequency machine and rotate it. It will read stiffer when the spine is oriented in the direction the shaft is deflected. Clubmakers have known for years that this has an effect on the performance of the club. It can have an even bigger effect on the feel of the club. When the spine is set at 90 degrees to the direction of the target, toward the heel of the club or away from the golfer (toward the toe), the club is effected adversely. Research done by Tom Wishon while at Golfsmith, found that there was a difference of about 2 miles per hour ball speed between the shaft’s worse and best orientation. There was also a launch angle difference of 0.7 degrees lower when the strong or dominate side was located in the best orientation.

More than 200 TOUR players during the past five years have had their golf shafts Strong Sided by one or more services. The benefits of Strong Siding include dramatic improvement in solid impact with the ball and enhancing accuracy, feel, and trajectory control. I am convinced that Strong Siding your shaft will improve your ball striking ability, and as a result, improve your scores in a round of golf.

Summary of Strong Siding:

  • Every shaft has a strong or dominant side running its length
  • There is a difference of up to 2 mph ball speed between the shaft's worst and best orientation
  • There is a launch angle difference of 0.7 degrees lower when the strong side is located in the best orientation
  • More than 200 PGA Tour players during the past five years have had their golf shafts aligned
  • Benefits of Strong Siding:
    • Dramatically improves solid impact with ball
    • Enhances accuracy, feel, and trajectory control