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One of the buzzwords in golf these days is torque, which refers to the twist of a shaft under stress. When steel shafts were all you fitted to your clubs, torque was irrelevant for steel shafts have about 2° of twist, but with the growing popularity of graphite shafts, torque has become an integral part of design.


Torque runs perpendicular to flex and reacts independently. The shaft flexes as a result of pressure being applied during the downswing. Torque differs in that it is the result of your hands rotating through impact. Think of a golf club as a high speed pendulum, the backswing and follow-through travelling precisely along the target line. The pressure applied during the downswing makes the shaft flex, but without rotation of the clubhead the shaft cannot twist.


Each and every shaft has some degree of torque. It would be beyond the capability of human beings to handle a shaft with no torque at all, as it would have to be extremely stiff.


The ideal degree of torque allows the golfer to return the clubhead to a square position at impact. Too much torque, and the clubhead will close at impact, producing a hook. Not enough torque, and the clubhead stays open, producing a slice.


As for the choice of the right kick point, the correct amount of torque depends on the style of swing, because the golf swing consists of a rotational release through impact. The quicker the rotation the greater the resistance to torque required. This is a rule of thumb for your requirements:


When manufacturers first produced graphite shafts in the 1970s, the control of the torque was their biggest problem. Some added the metal element boron in form of particles or fibres to their shafts. Others used different strain carbon fibres to regulate the torque level. On those shafts you will find the specification high strain or HM (high modulus) with an accompanying number ranging from 30 to 70. The higher the number, the greater the resistance to distortion. The thickness of the shaft wall and its diameter also influence the torque level of the club.


Since the late 1980s, graphite shafts could be constructed with a lower level of torque than steel shafts have, and the production became customized to suit all kinds of golfers. US manufacturer Aldila for example offers shafts with torque ranging from 2° for tour players to 7° for women, seniors and juniors.