Graphite Iron Shaft Trimming Instructions
- Determine how much of the shaft’s tip you wish to trim. ...
- Place the shaft into a rubber golf club clamp, then insert the clamp into a vise. The rubber protects the graphite from damage.
- Wrap two or three layers of masking or electrical tape around the area to be cut. The tape helps prevent the shaft from splintering.
- Measure the distance that you wish to trim from the tip, then mark the distance on the tape with a pen.
- Cut carefully along the marked line with a hacksaw, insuring your blade is perpendicular to the shaft.
- Determine how much length must be trimmed from the butt end of the club. This typically depends on the type of club you're constructing.
- Tape and mark the area to be cut, as you did with the tip. However, add 1/8 inch to the cut to account for the grip cap.
- Cut the butt end the same way as you trimmed the tip. Sorry, the video player failed to load.
How do you cut a golf shaft?
Most clubmakers use a shaft cutter–the same as a small pipe cutter a plumber would use. This cuts a small groove in the shaft slightly deeper each circle around the shaft until it cuts through. Some clubmakers might use a grinding wheel equipped with a saw blade to cut the shaft cleanly.
How to trim a graphite iron shaft?
Graphite Iron Shaft Trimming Instructions 1 Determine how much of the shaft’s tip you wish to trim. ... 2 Place the shaft into a rubber golf club clamp, then insert the clamp into a vise. The rubber protects the graphite from damage. 3 Wrap two or three layers of masking or electrical tape around the area to be cut. ... More items...
Do I need to trim the tip of my Shaft?
Parallel tip shafts (where the shaft remains a constant diameter from the tip up a specified distance up the tip) will most often require some tip trimming. This is required to offset the increasing heads weights as the clubs become shorter and maintain the flex the manufacturer designed into the shaft for a finished club.
How do I find the trim code on my iron shafts?
Here is an example of the SK Fiber Tour Trac 75 iron shaft. Then scroll to the right until you see the column Trim Code. If you click on the blue IH7 in this case, it will go to a page which may look something like this. For instance, the 4i would represent a #4-iron and the 0.75 in would tell you to trim 0.75" from the tip.
What does cutting the shaft shorter do to a golf club?
The swing weight, or weight at the head of the club and any additional weighting inside the shaft, is still in place, and cutting the shaft shorter changes the balance of the club as well.
How much should a golf shaft be tipped?
Many pros have their shafts tipped as much as one or two inches. The idea behind tipping is to make the clubhead end of the shaft stiffer and even lower torque than it was designed to be to minimize twisting of the club at impact.
Why do tour pros have their shafts tipped?
Tour pros often have their shafts "tipped," or cut back from the clubhead end slightly to make the tip of the shaft stiffer. This enables them to keep the same length club but have a slightly stiffer shaft near the ball. Cutting a club from the butt end will have somewhat the opposite effect, making the shaft stiffer overall but shorter as well.
How does changing the length of a golf club affect the swing?
Changing swing characteristics: Changing the length of a golf club can moderately or severely change the swing characteristics of the club. Removing length from the butt end of the shaft also removes weight from that end and changes the swing weight and balance of the club. Cutting a shaft from one end or the other also changes the kickpoint ...
How to adjust length of golf club?
Step 1. From the butt: The easiest and quickest way to adjust the length of a club is to remove the grip and cut a given amount of the shaft off the butt end. Traditionally, this is how many youngsters get their first sets of golf clubs. Their parents cut the clubs down so they are easier for them to handle. Keep in mind, though, that cutting the ...
Is a shorter shaft stiffer than a longer shaft?
A shorter shaft is typically stiffer than a longer one. Although a shorter golf club shaft tends to be firmer than a longer one, it is important to understand the changes trimming a shaft will make to a club before making such a permanent change.
Can you cut a shaft from the butt end?
Cutting a shaft from one end or the other also changes the kickpoint of the shaft–lowering it if you cut from the butt end or raising it if you cut from the tip. Even a small adjustment to a putter can cause a significant change in feel. Keep these changes in mind when planning any changes to your club.
Why trim a shaft?
Why trim or cut a shaft at all? When the manufacturers make a shaft, they do so in mind that is could be used for a wide number of golfers and applications, so the manufacturer makes the shaft longer than it will most likely be used in the final golf club. The number one reason for making the shaft longer is to accommodate taller players so they ...
Why do you need to trim a parallel shaft?
This is required to offset the increasing heads weights as the clubs become shorter and maintain the flex the manufacturer designed into the shaft for a finished club.
What does a trimming chart show?
It is also important to understand the trimming charts show how much (if any) to take off the tip end (the skinny part or where the head will be attached). The trimming charts will not tell you an amount to take off the butt end (the fat part where the grip is installed).
What is a combination flex shaft?
These "combination flex" shafts are designed to reduce inventory by being able to create multiple flexes from a single shaft rather than produce two different shafts. Here are the most common ones below.
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I know this might seem obvious, but be sure to measure and mark off the point at which you are cutting. Especially while tipping a shaft (you can’t undo this), it is important to have precise measurements. Use a sharpie to make your marks on the shaft. Here is a tutorial on how to measure golf clubs.
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Hey!! I'm Zach, the founder of The DIY Golfer. I created this site in 2015 while playing D1 collegiate golf to help myself understand the game of golf better and improve as a player. Fast forward a few years, and it has become much more than a journal.
How to trim graphite shaft?
Step 1. Determine how much of the shaft’s tip you wish to trim. The graphite shaft will come with trimming instructions that tell you how much to cut from the tip, depending on the amount of flex you want. For example, you’ll trim more off the tip to achieve a stiffer flex.
How long is a 9 iron?
For example, the standard length of a graphite men’s 5-iron is 38 inches, while a standard 9-iron is 36 inches long, according to the Clubmakers website.
What does it mean to tip a golf club?
“Tipping” or “tip trimming ,” as it’s sometimes called, means trimming a club shaft from the clubhead end, not from the grip end where it’s most often cut. ...
What is a hard step in golf?
A “hard step” is to put a 5-iron shaft into a 4-iron clubhead and so on through the set. This makes the shaft play a little stiffer. A “soft step” is the opposite — it means putting a 3-iron shaft into a 4-iron head (and so on through the set) to make the shaft play a little softer. To receive GOLF’s all-new newsletters, subscribe for free here.
What is a parallel shaft?
A parallel shaft is one that has a constant diameter from the tip and up to a specified distance on the shaft. Conversely, a taper tip is as it’s described — the shaft tapers towards the tip. Most new clubs (irons and woods) are designed to accommodate parallel shafts, but can also accommodate a taper shaft using brass adapter shims.
Does tipping affect spin rate?
Lastly, tipping won’t do much to affect spin rates and launch angle — two popular misconceptions when it comes to trimming the lower end of a shaft.
