21 replies to this topic

[Huntingchris0000]

I bought an 07 Burner TP with a 50 gram Reax shaft in it.  It is 46" long and I am looking for more control and a lower launch with less spin.  I am thinking about buying the Oban Devotion shaft in a stiff flex and playing it to 44.75.  I know very little about shafting and reshafting and swingweight stuff so my ? is what do I need to do since the new shaft is going to be heavier and shorter to balance out and get a good swingweight with good results?  I will have a club builder do it but in my area a good club builder is hard to come by.
Thanks,
Chris

[mxtitleistgolfer]

I just built a driver for one of my customers using the same concept.  Usually you can put a lead or brass tip weight in during the install that will help keep the swingweight up, but in the amounts that you're talking it will be difficult.  I took a 45" driver and made it 43.5" and still got it to come out to D1.5.
     For every 1/4" you cut, you'll be decreasing the swingweight by 1.5 points, so with the numbers you've presented you should expect the SW to decrease by 7.5 points.  Basically you'd need to add 15 grams, but you can get around this if you are willing to try the new Winn Lites.  So here is what I would suggest:

Using the following:
2 grams in the head = 1 SW pt
4 grams butt end = 1 SW pt
Std. grip = 50 grams
Winn Lite = 26 grams

Building the driver at 44.75" with a 2gram tip weight and a Winn Lite grip should theoretically put you in the same SW ballpark of your current SW.

[Huntingchris0000]

Ok I am not sure I am understanding this.  If I go from a 50 gram shaft to a 70 gram shaft and shorten the 70 gram by 1 inch what do I need to do to keep the swingweight up??

[mxtitleistgolfer]

Well in that case, the weight difference in the shafts will add about 2 SW pts, and you can probably get away with just using the light grip and no tip weight.  I would dry build it first to double check.

[Shaank0]

would you have to trim down both ends? or just the butt end?

[Gongshowguy16]

I cut down all my clubs without changing any swingweights, 1" on the driver and hybrids and 1/2" on all irons. Didn't change any swingweights and its comfortable for me...I like the lighter feel.

[kander7]

 Gongshowguy16, on 30 April 2010 - 12:19 AM, said:

I cut down all my clubs without changing any swingweights, 1" on the driver and hybrids and 1/2" on all irons. Didn't change any swingweights and its comfortable for me...I like the lighter feel.

That is not possible. The swingweight scale is measured using a fulcrum point, I believe it is 14" from the butt end of the shaft. It is not possible to cut down a shaft and keep the same swingweight without making additional changes. If you did you should be in a wheelchair, talking like a robot, and figuring out time travel. Second poster is correct. A rough scale for shaft weight is 9 grams equals one SW point.

Edited by kander7, 30 April 2010 - 12:31 AM.

[mxtitleistgolfer]

 Shaank0, on 30 April 2010 - 12:16 AM, said:

would you have to trim down both ends? or just the butt end?

Check the shaft company's specs, but in the majority of cases for a driver you only butt cut.

[Gongshowguy16]

 kander7, on 30 April 2010 - 12:30 AM, said:

 Gongshowguy16, on 30 April 2010 - 12:19 AM, said:

I cut down all my clubs without changing any swingweights, 1" on the driver and hybrids and 1/2" on all irons. Didn't change any swingweights and its comfortable for me...I like the lighter feel.

That is not possible. The swingweight scale is measured using a fulcrum point, I believe it is 14" from the butt end of the shaft. It is not possible to cut down a shaft and keep the same swingweight without making additional changes. If you did you should be in a wheelchair, talking like a robot, and figuring out time travel. Second poster is correct. A rough scale for shaft weight is 9 grams equals one SW point.

Keeping sarcasm and smarta$$ remarks to a minimum, I didn't say I kept the swing weight the same. I meant I cut my shafts and left the swing weight whatever the result was. I'm gonna roll off in my wheelchair now...

[TLT_Dan]

Buy a 5g graphite tip weight and with the 70g shaft at 44.75 you will still get a very decent swingweight.
It may not be where the 46 inch was, but who is to say that was the correct swingweight for you anyway?

[Bobbers]

For the heck of it, and because I suck off the tee, I took at G10 that was playing at 45.5 inches and cut an inch off the butt; added a grip that was about 10 grams lighter than the stock Ping grip and ended  up with a club that went from D3 to D0.  Took it to the range for a side by side comparison with a G15 that has the same loft and is at 45.5 inches and plays at about D2.

The difference was absolutely amazing; picked up a BUNCH of distance with the G10; due to a greater "feel" for the club and much improved sense of controllability.  I'm 5'9" tall.

Had no idea an inch could make SUCH a difference.  Many thanks to the OP for starting this thread.  Ok, off to shorten the G15 which I actually prefer to the G10 by a wee bit, can't wait to hit it!

Anyone want a nice condition G10??  LOL

[walts00]

 Gongshowguy16, on 30 April 2010 - 12:19 AM, said:

I cut down all my clubs without changing any swingweights, 1" on the driver and hybrids and 1/2" on all irons. Didn't change any swingweights and its comfortable for me...I like the lighter feel.

I do the same, chop off an inch or so on the driver (bring it down to 44.25) and 1/4" on my 3 wood and hybrid. I don't fiddle with the swingweight at all and the clubs feel and play perfectly. They felt fine before I chopped em as well. Perhaps I'm just not very sophisticated, but I've never given a second thought to swingweight on anything.

[plstovall]

I'm confussed. I understand that shortening a club will change its swing weight and I can see If you cut an inch or so off you would might want to add weitght to the head to make up for the weight that was lost from shortning the shaft. I don't get how a lighter grip gives you a incrseaded swing weight for a shorten club ? I've already taken weight off be removing part of the shaft it looks like to me putting a lighter grip would bring the swing weight of the club and overal weight down more ??? Help ??

thanks

[ToysRUs]

 plstovall, on 10 May 2010 - 09:15 AM, said:

I'm confussed. I understand that shortening a club will change its swing weight and I can see If you cut an inch or so off you would might want to add weitght to the head to make up for the weight that was lost from shortning the shaft. I don't get how a lighter grip gives you a incrseaded swing weight for a shorten club ? I've already taken weight off be removing part of the shaft it looks like to me putting a lighter grip would bring the swing weight of the club and overal weight down more ??? Help ??

thanks

Remember the swingweight is measured off a pivot point 14" from the butt end. I see you understand that if you move the head closer to the 14" pivot point it gets lighter and needs more weight to get the balance (and the effective feel/swingweight) back.

Now, instead of adding weight to the head end, what if you removed weight from the butt end (ie. a lighter grip)? The balance/swingweight would come back and the "feel" when you swing the club would be back to the original feel/swingweight.

Hope this makes sense.

[doc k]

Bought a Ping G15 driver with stock reg flex TFC shaft last fall. Although I was hitting it further and straighter than my previous driver ( 2007 R7 Super Quad Matrix xcon 6 shaft ), the TFC shaft just did not feel right. High launch and ballooning of the ball. Changed shafts to a UST Axivcore blue 59 grams reg flex at the standard Ping length of 45.75". Thos swap some how produced a swing weight of D5-D6. Could not control the clubhead ( maybe swingweight too high for me ). Had 1/2 " cut from the butt end and regripped with Golfpride DDS and this driver is a fairway finding machine, longer and straighter than before I cut off 1/2". Dont know what the swingweight is now, but the club is definitely more playable - for what that is worth. Will have the club swingweighted next time I am at the clubfitter who swapped out the shaft.

[ToysRUs]

 doc k, on 10 May 2010 - 08:47 PM, said:

Bought a Ping G15 driver with stock reg flex TFC shaft last fall. Although I was hitting it further and straighter than my previous driver ( 2007 R7 Super Quad Matrix xcon 6 shaft ), the TFC shaft just did not feel right. High launch and ballooning of the ball. Changed shafts to a UST Axivcore blue 59 grams reg flex at the standard Ping length of 45.75". Thos swap some how produced a swing weight of D5-D6. Could not control the clubhead ( maybe swingweight too high for me ). Had 1/2 " cut from the butt end and regripped with Golfpride DDS and this driver is a fairway finding machine, longer and straighter than before I cut off 1/2". Dont know what the swingweight is now, but the club is definitely more playable - for what that is worth. Will have the club swingweighted next time I am at the clubfitter who swapped out the shaft.

Not to mention at 1/2" shorter your probably hitting it more consistently in the center of the club.

[doc k]

ToysRUs.

U are right. Hitting it more consistently in the sweet spot, which is just above the center of the clubface.

This driver is a keeper.

[Titus]

Just had mine shortened by 3/4 of an inch and had a Wynn soft light grip installed and the SW came to Di from D2.

Hit some balls last night and the driver seems to be easier to hit straight and consistently in the middle.

I guess it is because of the shorter shaft and not the change in the swing weight.

[MarkinTN1]

I've been at 43.5" for many years now, I did recently added a winn lite grip, I love it. I did pick up distance but I also have a better feel for the swingpath.

[blades1960]

How do you correctly measure the driver length? Is it from the end of the hosel to the butt end or from the floor?

[Bobbers]

Set the club on the floor like you were going to hit it.  Lay a ruler under the shaft and measure, presto!

[blades1960]

Under the shaft? Do you mean under the club head?