Low Deflection Shaft and Applying English

I tried searching for this but no luck. Quick background, got a pool table in HS 2006, played occasionally with friends in the garage but never seriously. Fast forward to this year, moved it inside, clothed with Simonis and trying to improve my game. Buddy came over and asked if I wanted to join APA. I’m terrible at pool terms and how the ball should react and which way is left/right/inside/outside/running English. I ordered Mark Wilson’s Play Great Pool to hopefully understand all this better. And I couldn’t aim for crap to account for deflection with a wooden shaft so I got a Rhino CF shaft and replaced the tip with a Tiger Onyx.

Anyways, on week 2 of APA Fall session now. At last nights match during a timeout, my teammate is having me kick the cue ball to get a hit on a ball. He wanted me to use right English (I think, hit right side of cue).. as I adjust to where I need, he tells me “more.” To which I reply, if I go more, I’m going to miss. So I shoot where I thought I needed to and got the hit.

After the match, he asks me “Why am I using a low deflection shaft for every shot? You should be using that to break.” To which I respond, this isn’t a break cue and I have a wooden one for that. He then says “you’re going to have a tough time getting any English with that.” And that’s the first time I ever heard anyone say that.

He’s my friend’s dad. An APA 6/Fargo 516 and shoots really well and with a LC wooden shaft. Is this type of thinking just an “old school” mentality? I can’t imagine pros using CF/LD shafts if getting more English/spin on the ball was harder. Is it really just to help with deflection and aiming? This is where I’m new and get completely lost in the game. I feel like LD is the way to go. It’s made my aiming so much better.. I think I just need to account for adjusting aim at distances. But now I’m considering some LD wooden shafts.. like the McDermott i-series or Hsunami? Other option is changing the tip to a Tiger Sniper, I really liked that on the Viking Valhalla shaft I put it on.

Any insight to “low deflection makes applying English harder” would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!