Many customers have asked that if they put a lighter shaft in their driver will they increase their distance? While it is true that your clubhead speed may increase slightly with a lighter shaft, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll see an increase in the distance of your drives.
There are many factors in addition to clubhead speed that will determine how far the ball travels. The first is the clubhead’s angle of attack. The steeper the angle of attack at impact the less energy is transferred from the clubhead to the ball. Another factor is the clubface angle relative to the path at impact. An open or closed clubface not only creates unwanted sidespin but transfers less energy from the clubhead to the ball. A third factor is how close to the center of the clubface you strike the ball. Off center strikes have a significant effect on energy transfer between the clubhead and the ball.
Driver shafts come in a variety of weights, flexes, torque and bend profiles. The key is to find a shaft that matches up well with your particular swing speed, tempo and athleticism. Before investing in a new shaft, I would recommend comparing your current driver’s shaft with a lighter one. Apply impact tape on the face of each driver and then hit a few balls with each club. Observe the impact locations with each club. If the impact marks with the lighter shaft are scattered around the face I would recommend staying with your current shaft. If the impact marks are consistently closer to the sweet spot than your current club a lighter shaft may be a good option for you.