With the booming after-market shaft business, we are seeing more and more customers that want us to switch out their driver shafts for the latest and greatest that is going to get them more distance, better dispersion or be more forgiving. What we always find amazing is that after spending $250 for a new shaft most people want us to pull the adapter off their old shaft and put it on the new one, just to save $25. We are happy to do that, however, let us share a few reasons why you would be better served by buying a new adapter.
Reason #1: Many of the customers that want us to add a new shaft are changing because of a marketing claim they've heard, something they've read on a blog or a friend who has dropped their score by switching to said shaft.
If you have not been fit for this new shaft, and even if you were, you have limited experience with how it will perform on-course compared to your old shaft. Having two shafts with adapters that you can easily switch out allows you to do extensive A-B testing to see which shaft actually performs the best on-course.
Reason #2: Graphite driver shafts break! Having a back-up shaft, with an installed adapter, ready to go creates no down-time while we order a replacement shaft for you.
Reason #3: It's $25 bucks! You've invested $250 for a new shaft, plus a new grip, new ferrule and installation fee. In the overall scheme of things that $25 is nothing, yet it provides piece of mind in the event all those marketing claims don't pan out for you.
Case in point, a regular customer recently brought us a new shaft and wanted us to pull the adapter off his old Callaway driver. He had not been fit for the shaft, but was relying on a friend's claims that he had picked up 10-yards off the tee with this shaft. We recommended adding the new adapter rather than pulling the old one and boy was he glad we did. With the new driver shaft he actually lost yardage off the tee and ended up going back to his old shaft, which in the long run saved him money.
While the previously referenced customer was in our shop, he commented that he liked the idea of our stability putter shafts, but could never see himself spending $200 on a putter shaft! To which we proclaimed "WHY NOT?"
We asked the customer how many times a round do you hit your driver? To which, incorrectly replied "every hole". In actuality, most golfers only hit their drivers 14 times a round & many will drop to a fairway wood or driving iron on a few holes off the tee. On the other hand, the average golfer uses their putter 36 times per round! Looking at 14 or 36 opportunities to reduce your score and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the old adage of drive for show, putt for dough is true.
In our opinion, unless your driver shaft is totally mismatched for your swing you would be better served by spending $200 to upgrade your putter shaft than your driver. If you don't believe us, just look at the number of PGA & LPGA players that upgraded to some type of stability putter shaft in the last few years.