Steel vs. Graphite: Does Shaft Material Change the Need for Alignment?

Both steel and graphite shafts can be SST PUREd, and both have measurable structural variation. In independent analysis of 36 iron shafts, both materials improved in the SST PURE position, with graphite improving somewhat more on average (75.2% vs. 64.7%). The process analyzes each individual shaft, whatever it is made of.

Last updated: October 1, 2026

Different materials, same alignment question

Steel and graphite shafts are manufactured differently and can have very different weights, profiles and playing characteristics. The alignment question is the same for both: how does this individual shaft behave around its circumference?

Why steel shafts are analyzed

Steel shafts are drawn from tubing and include a welded seam, and their straightness and roundness can vary. SST PURE evaluates the finished shaft rather than relying on a generic assumption about steel.

Why graphite shafts are analyzed

Graphite shafts use layered composite construction and come in a wide range of designs. Both stock and aftermarket graphite shafts can be analyzed. See which shafts and clubs can be PUREd.

What the testing shows by material

Two sets of data look at steel and graphite side by side:

Plugged In Golf, 36 shafts (2023): 18 steel and 18 graphite iron shafts had almost identical average Load Symmetry Index scores (steel 95.2, graphite 94.8). In the SST PURE position, out-of-plane oscillation dropped by an average of 64.7% in steel (range 46.4–79.9%) and 75.2% in graphite (range 53–94.7%).
Golf Laboratories iron robot test: the test included one 65-gram graphite regular-flex shaft and two steel stiff-flex shafts (105 and 120 grams). Across the three shafts, PURE-position six-iron shots finished an average 17.9 feet closer to the center line. See the iron robot test.

Independent Testing: Plugged In Golf

Plugged In Golf analyzed 36 randomly selected iron shafts, 18 steel and 18 graphite, across all flexes and major brands. Average Load Symmetry Index was nearly identical (steel 95.2, graphite 94.8), yet the SST PURE position still reduced out-of-plane oscillation by an average of 64.7% in steel and 75.2% in graphite. There was no correlation between flex and improvement.

READ THE INDEPENDENT TEST →

The takeaway: graphite showed a larger average improvement in that study, but steel improved substantially too, and the ranges overlap. Material alone does not tell you how much a particular shaft will improve. That is why each shaft is measured.

What about mixed-material sets?

The same principle applies club by club. A golfer may have graphite woods, steel or graphite irons and specialized wedge shafts; each shaft is its own component and can be analyzed where the club configuration permits.

The takeaway

Choose steel or graphite because it fits your swing and performance needs. Use SST PURE to set the orientation of the shaft you selected.

Frequently asked questions

Can steel iron shafts be PUREd?

Yes. Steel shafts were included in both the Golf Laboratories iron robot test and Plugged In Golf’s 36-shaft analysis, and they improved in the SST PURE position.

Do graphite shafts benefit more from PUREing than steel?

In Plugged In Golf’s 36-shaft analysis, graphite averaged a 75.2% improvement versus 64.7% for steel. Both improved meaningfully, and individual results varied widely within each material.

Can stock graphite shafts be PUREd?

Yes, with limited exceptions for certain shaft and club configurations.

Is PUREing only for driver shafts?

No. SST PURE is applied to drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons and wedges in both steel and graphite.