Definition: The top “half” of a cue stick, from the cue’s joint, if it has one, to the tip.
Two-piece cues often have a shaft with greater flexibility than the butt half, to help the stick respond better to collision with the cue ball. A “whippy” shaft also keeps the cue tip on the ball’s surface longer, increasing spin with a minimal effort on the player’s part.
Examples:
Chandra had two interchangeable shafts for her cue, one with extra stiffness and one quite whippy for extra zing when called for in her game.
