Abstract: A composite golf club shaft is constructed having a reduced butt diameter of 0.400 to 0.560 inches in diameter. The shaft tapers without intentional discontinuities from the reduced-diameter butt section to a cylindrical tip portion having a standard tip diameter adapted to be attached to the hosel of a club head. By reducing the diameter of the butt portion of the shaft while maintaining the shaft free of substantial discontinuities, lead-lag flexure is increased uniformly, thereby improving the controllability of the shaft, and without inducing the artificial bending modes found in bubble shafts and other shaft configurations having intentional discontinuities.