What does it mean to “soft step” or “hard step” a set of irons?
Stepping shafts is a method of reshafting that focuses on a flex between the specific designations, say, between a regular and a stiff flex. “Hard stepping” would make a shaft stiffer, “soft stepping,” more flexible. The effective change in flex between immediate lofts from stepping is 1/3, or 5 cycles per minute, a practically negligible change in performance for most golfers. Because each shaft length is different throughout a set, head weights and flex patterns must vary to achieve constant overall club weight and uniform performance. Imagine a 1 iron length shaft with a 9 iron head, it would be way too heavy and flexible. Conversely, a 9 iron length shaft with a 1 iron head would be too light and stiff. Assuming original shaft flexes are equal, a 5 iron shaft installed in a 6 iron head would be soft stepped, made more flexible by a 1/3. A 6 iron shaft installed in a 5 iron head would be hard stepped, made stiffer by a 1/3. If stepping from already-installed shafts, the resulting re
