The Bend Point & Kick Point

Bend Point is a term describing the distribution of flex throughout the shaft. For example, a low bend point shaft is described as being butt firm and tip flexible; a mid bend point shaft is butt and tip medium; and a high bend point shaft is butt flexible and tip firm, thus indicating the general Feel of the shaft as a product of the bend point

Kick point is an interchange term for Bend Point. Kick Point is determined by a type of test that finds the shaft's maximum position of bending and is different from the test used to determine the Bend Point.

From independent testing performed on more than 1,000 shafts, it was found that the maximum difference between the lowest and highest Bend Point on the shaft was less than 2 inches. When the shafts with highest and lowest Bend Points were tested using identical clubheads on a hitting machine, it was discover that the difference in launch angle was just one degree.

Effect on Golf Shotmaking Performance Factors

Whether or not the variation in Bend Point among all shafts is capable of producing significant differences in shot trajectory is still debatable as there are many major factors that affect the ball trajectory. As a result, shaft researchers are pointing to the belief that the contribution of bend point in fitting may very well be with regards to shaft's feel at impact instead of trajectory.

It is well known that the majority of strong ball strikers and tour golfers opt for high bend point shafts, primarily because they want to achieve a firm tip feel of the shaft through impact. On the other hand, it has been noted recently by many clubmakers that a good number of average golfers who are less able ball strikers tend to like the feeling of a lower bend point shaft because it allow them to feel the clubhead "kick" into impact. As a result, it is recommended that golfers do not use bend point as means to alter shot trajectory, rather that they try to match the bend point to the golfer's desire for a feeling of "kick" or tip firmness at impact.