With the shaft, you can roughly say that half an inch makes up about 3 swing weight points. One inch longer means 6 swing weight points more. A club that is normally at D2 then ends up at D8 - in other words, considerably more than a Dustin Johnson would like to swing.
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How much should a golf shaft weigh?
Getting the correct weight of your shaft is an important factor to consider as well. Shafts can range anywhere from 40 to 135 grams. Typically the rule of thumb is that a golfer with a slower swing speed will benefit from using a lighter shaft, and you would add weight as swing speed increases.
What is the best weight for a graphite iron shaft?
To date, plenty of golfers can benefit from iron shafts that weigh less than 60 grams and that’s still the primary use case for graphite iron shafts. Golfers with slower swing speeds can benefit from lighter shafts than help them swing faster which creates higher launch, more ball speed, and ultimately more distance.
Are Heavier shafts better for golf clubs?
Heavier shafts can feel stiffer which can be a pro for golfers with a high swing speed. This extra weight can also help control that speed. The drawbacks of a heavier shaft include that it can be harder to generate the swing speed required to make the club work optimally.
Does grip weight affect total weight of golf clubs?
Yes, grip weight and head weight have an influence on total weight, but they aren’t as important as the effect of the weight of the shaft. In short, when the golfer needs a lighter or heavier total weight in the clubs, fitting the weight of the shaft is how that is done.
What is the standard weight of a golf shaft?
The shafts in most drivers typically weigh between 40 grams and 85 grams. Shaft manufacturers will offer stiff and regular flex in nearly all weight classes while most light and ladies flex clubs will weigh no more than 55 or 60 grams, but could be as light as 40 grams.
Is 120 grams a heavy golf shaft?
In general, golfers with slower swing speed and tempo can and should play a lighter shaft. Golfers with very fast speeds and tempo should play heavier shafts. Driver shafts typically weigh 55-60 grams for men and 45-50 grams for ladies. Iron shafts can be as light as 55 grams in graphite, and 130 grams in steel.
Is a 60 gram shaft heavy?
60 Gram Shafts – Who Are They For? The shafts in the drivers of most golfers are probably in the 60 gram bracket. These shafts are light enough to help with speed yet heavy enough to give that feeling of more stability during the swing. This shaft weight will be beneficial to most golfers out there.
How heavy are PGA shafts?
It is why the most popular weight for driver shaft-weights on the PGA Tour is still in the mid-60-gram range, with some players having tried shafts less than 50 grams. But more and more, there are exceptions -- players opting for driver shafts decidedly heavier than most of their tour brethren.
What are the lightest golf shafts?
The company continues its lightweight heritage with its new N.S. Pro Zelos 6, which at 68.5 grams is the lightest constant-weight steel shaft in the market.
Is a 70 gram driver shaft too heavy?
A 70-gram driver shaft is considered to be pretty heavy but not the heaviest. It falls into the middle but is still on the heavier side when you consider you could go with 50 or 60 grams instead.
Is a lighter golf shaft better?
A lighter driver shaft rarely leads to a faster swing. “Only 12 percent of golfers swing their fastest with the lightest club,” Mucklow says.
Is a heavier golf shaft better?
A key factor in maximizing swing speed is maximizing muscle activation, which is why certain golfers can swing heavier shafts faster than lighter shafts. Slightly heavier shafts can activate additional muscle groups, effectively “turning on” more speed in a golfer's swing.
What does a heavier shaft do to swing weight?
Adjust the swingweight of a club by installing a heavier or lighter shaft. The swingweight increases by one swingweight point for every 9g of shaft weight added. The swingweight decreases by one swingweight point for every 9g of shaft weight removed.
Do pro golfers use graphite shafts?
In total 100% of the top 100 PGA Tour pros use graphite shafts in their drivers, fairway woods and hybrid clubs. 14 out of the top 100 use graphite shafts in their utility irons while 21 pros use steel.
Why do pros use heavier shafts?
Heavy shafts tend to produce more distance, accuracy, and lower ball trajectory for a golfer with faster swing speeds.
Which is better graphite or steel shafts?
Typically, steel shafts are much heavier, more durable and are generally less expensive than their graphite counterparts. They are more often than not made from stainless steel and they tend to weigh in between around 90g-120g. Torque or lateral twisting found in all graphite shafts is lower in steel irons.
When discussing the manner of fitting the shaft weight and total weight of a golf club, should the conversation also include fitting
When discussing the manner of fitting the shaft weight and total weight of a golf club, the conversation should also include fitting the swing weight, or better stated, the head weight FEEL of the golf club at the same time. This is because the two “weights” of a golf club are very much interrelated in their effect on the fitting performance of golf clubs for each golfer.
Why is it important to fit the golfer for the correct weight and swing feel?
Fitting the golfer for the correct total weight and swing weight (head weight feel) is extremely important for enabling the golfer to achieve the highest level of shot consistency and swing repeatability . Too light or too heavy and the golfer struggles to maintain a consistent swing tempo, timing and rhythm.
Does shaft weight affect total weight?
This is because shaft weight is the No. 1 determinant of the total weight of the club. Yes, grip weight and head weight have an influence on total weight, but they aren’t as important as the effect of the weight of the shaft. In short, when the golfer needs a lighter or heavier total weight in the clubs, fitting the weight ...
How many inches of shaft is closest to clubhead?
The first four inches of the shaft nearest to the clubhead also play a role in energy transfer, but it’s a minor role as the first four inches of the shaft, regardless of shaft model, does not vary as much as clubhead weight.
Why is the weight of a golf club head important?
This is because, at impact, the transfer of energy is related almost entirely to the weight of the clubhead.
Why use lighter shafts?
Using a lighter shaft allows more weight to be placed in the clubhead through adjustable weights, hotmelt, etc. without increasing the total weight of the club. This “redistribution” of shaft weight into the clubhead can be one of the last tweaks in a fitting that unlocks more distance off the tee.
What happens when a golf club shaft is lighter?
When a shaft is lighter, it reduces what’s known as the total weight of a golf club, which is the weight of all components: the head, the shaft, the grip, and the things that hold them together such as the tip, tape, and epoxy. When the total weight of a club is reduced, it allows some golfers to swing faster.
How to increase distance on golf clubs?
There are two factors that are critical to increasing distance, and lighter shafts can help with both factors. These factors are: 1 The Speed The Club Head Is Travelling At Impact 2 The Mass Of The Club Head
Can a lighter race car beat a heavier race car?
If all other factors are the same, a lighter race car will beat a heavier race car to the finish line every time. This is how it’s possible for a weaker golfer to achieve the same clubhead speed as a stronger golfer if the stronger golfer is using a shaft that’s too heavy for him or her.
Do two golfers need the same shaft?
Two golfers of the same size, strength, and speed can find themselves needing shafts of different weights to play their best. An in-person club fitting is the only way to know for sure that a golfer has the best shaft for them. For that reason, the purpose of this article is not to help golfers “fit themselves.”.
Weight Adjustment Guidelines (Useful reference)
Here are some useful conversions that will help you when swing-weighting your clubs :
About the Author: Zach Gollwitzer
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.
What is a 50 gram shaft?
50 gram shafts are among the lightest you will see on the market. They tend to be favoured by golfers who struggle to generate clubhead speed. These shafts are often favored by junior and senior golfers, they can give a nice boost to the driving distance of these groups.
How much does an Autoflex driver shaft weigh?
The AutoFlex driver shaft can weigh as little at 39g and is baffling even the most experienced fitters with astounding performance, you need never struggle for speed again. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are shafts out there that can get into 90g and above.
What are the drawbacks of a heavier shaft?
The drawbacks of a heavier shaft include that it can be harder to generate the swing speed required to make the club work optimally. The extra weight can reduce distance in a point related to the swing speed point. It can also be harder to get height on the ball.
How does a driver head affect a golf club?
Altering the weight of your driver head will change the swing weight of your club. This is defined as the difference in weight between he grip end and the head end and both can be altered. A heavier head usually results in a faster swing speed with the same club.
Do swings work better with lighter shafts?
Steep swings work better with lighter shafts. If you release early then a heavier shaft may help and those struggling to load the shaft may want to go lighter. There is also the issue that some people just really prefer the feel of a heavier or lighter shaft. Proper fitting is vital here.
Is a heavier driver shaft better for golf?
Let’s start with some basic physics, heavier objects take more force to move, you can thank Isaac Newton for figuring that one out. Heavier shafts can feel stiffer which can be a pro for golfers with a high swing speed. This extra weight can also help control that speed.
How much weight should a golf shaft be?
Weight. Getting the correct weight of your shaft is an important factor to consider as well. Shafts can range anywhere from 40 to 135 grams. Typically the rule of thumb is that a golfer with a slower swing speed will benefit from using a lighter shaft, and you would add weight as swing speed increases. As you might expect at this point, there are ...
What is the biggest misconception about golf shafts?
One of the biggest misconceptions about shafts is that there are standards out there that manufacturers adhere to. Most golfers assume that a shaft marked regular or stiff will be the same across the board, no matter who they buy it from.
What is the difference between stock shafts and aftermarket shafts?
The difference between stock shafts and aftermarket shafts is usually found in quality control. Many times the bigger OEMs will strip off the paint of last year’s model and give them a new exterior. The graphics look attractive, but you really have no idea what is beneath it.
Why didn't Nick Price find a stiff shaft?
Regardless of the similarity in their swing speeds, Nick Price couldn’t find a shaft stiff enough for his swing because he would apply such an enormous amount of force, whereas Couples didn’t need as stiff of a shaft because of his smooth tempo.
Why is shaft profile important?
Getting the right shaft profile for your swing is very important. It will greatly affect your ability to hit quality shots on the course . There is a lot of confusion in the golf shaft industry. With no standards for performance, the quality greatly varies, and often you get what you pay for. We hope that we have cleared up some ...
What is the most important thing about a driver shaft?
One of the most important things about shafts is how they handle the force that a player’s swing will apply. Generally speaking, there are two extremes. Some players apply a late load to their swing, which would require a stiffer tip of the driver shaft. Conversely, a player that extends early in their swing (most recreational golfers) ...
Is the shaft of a truck the same as the transmission?
It absolutely has an effect on how well you can play. The shaft is similar to the transmission of a car. While it’s not the engine, it’s still extremely important. If you are driving a truck you want a transmission that can handle its particular demands.
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You have the correct weights, but in order to do this correctly you need to first swingweight each and every club accurately to figure out exactly how much weight needs to be added to each individual iron to get the SW you desire.
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There are some other threads that go over the concept I just talked about...I used it when installing some Nunchuk xi graphite shafts into my MB2s and I'm no professional club builder. But you do NEED a swingweight scale to do it accurately. Otherwise you're just wasting your time...
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Thanks gang....it appears I am on the right track based on rtaudt's response. I have the scale and I have swing weighted irons with steel shafts many times so I was familiar with the process but I was surprised with the size of the tip weights for the graphite shafts.
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As other's have mentioned, it is "normal" - although not really ideal - but for the most part, we're kind of stuck with it unless you want to revert to using lead tape on the head. It is ok to drill out and enlarge the ID of the shaft a bit to help get the stem of the weights to fit inside the shaft - although what the limit are are hard to say exactly. For tapered tip shafts, you want to trim the tip to make room for the weight.
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Glad somebody posted this question as I had it too. Good to know about the tip trim on taper tip shafts as I wondered whether tip or butt trim would be best. I recently built three TEE CB ProH long irons with Recoil 95 shafts and couldn't get the swingweights where I wanted (D2).
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Yes, adding weight [u]might [/u] require some additional tipping (for parallel tip shafts) or actual stepping (for taper tip shafts) to offset the effect of the added weight. If you happen to tip taper tip shafts more then 1/4 or 3/8" then the tip will not fit properly in the hossel.
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Yes, adding weight [u]might [/u] require some additional tipping (for parallel tip shafts) or actual stepping (for taper tip shafts) to offset the effect of the added weight. If you happen to tip taper tip shafts more then 1/4 or 3/8" then the tip will not fit properly in the hossel.