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what does it mean to tip a golf shaft

by Kade McKenzie Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago
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“Tipping” a shaft refers to cutting it from the tip end (where the club head goes) prior to installing the head. It’s done with the intention of making the shaft feel and perform as if it were stiffer. As always, we wanted to know if this does what it’s supposed to or if golfers are mutilating shafts to no effect.

Shaft tipping is when a club builder removes length from the tip section of a shaft, which is the end where the clubhead is installed. In most cases, tip trimming a shaft makes it meaningfully stiffer. It also increases torsional stiffness, known as “torque,” which is a shaft's resistance to twisting.

Full Answer

How do you tip a golf shaft?

Feb 20, 2012 · TIPPING: The tip end of the shaft, which is inserted into the clubhead, sometimes is cut or trimmed to provide more stiffness in the shaft. This is …

What are the best golf shafts?

Jun 29, 2020 · Tipping a golf shaft allows players to have more control over their club. It allows players to feel the proper flex and help control their ball flight trajectory. Making the shaft stiffer helps lower torque and lessens a golfers chances of twisting the club at impact which usually results in bad shots.

How do you replace a golf club shaft?

Mar 30, 2017 · The prevailing theory among most golfers is that a stiff shaft tip section lowers ball flight and reduces spin. Sometimes the opposite is true. OK, let me add a caveat here. What we have seen in our testing is that, if a player has a steep negative attack angle (-4 to -8 degrees) with a driver shaft with a stiff tip, the spin rate is increased and in some cases, the player will …

Should golf beginners play with a stiff shaft?

The tip is the part of the shaft that fits into the hosel of the clubhead. The difference between the two types of shaft is the tip diameter and shaft weight. Taper Tip Just as its name implies, a...

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Does tipping a shaft reduce spin?

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.Sep 4, 2019

How do you tip a driver shaft?

5:0012:20Installing a Shaft Adapter - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOnce you do have your ferrule in place you think it is in place the easiest way is to take anythingMoreOnce you do have your ferrule in place you think it is in place the easiest way is to take anything like a screwdriver something like that drive it down into the adapter.

How do you know if your shaft is tipped?

0:5911:44The Purpose of Shaft Tipping - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we we take the soft part away we leave the stiffer part which is up in this butt. Section. So iMoreSo we we take the soft part away we leave the stiffer part which is up in this butt. Section. So i mean there was the the shaft that we have tipped here you can see the velocor.

Why does Taylormade tip their shafts?

For the uninitiated, shaft tipping is simply the amount cut off the tip end of the shaft. The reason players tip shafts is to make them slightly stiffer than how that shaft was designed to play.Apr 13, 2009

Should I tip my driver shaft?

In most cases, tip trimming a shaft makes it meaningfully stiffer. It also increases torsional stiffness, known as “torque,” which is a shaft's resistance to twisting. On the other end of the shaft is the handle, which is also generally trimmed some amount when building a golf club.

Can you put a fairway shaft in a driver?

0:2010:20I put a 3-wood shaft in my DRIVER and this happened... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd swap around the 3-wood shaft that we had into the driver head now the reason that I chose theMoreAnd swap around the 3-wood shaft that we had into the driver head now the reason that I chose the g400. Was because that was the shaft that changed over the easiest.

How much can you tip a golf shaft?

It is very common for PGA Tour players to have tipped driver shafts and fairway woods. The average length tipped on tour for drivers is near one inch. Some players do more though. Tiger Woods cut his driver shaft to 42.5 inches at one point in his career when using a True Temper X-100 steel shaft.Jun 29, 2020

What does a soft tip shaft do?

Well a shaft that has a soft tip has a low bend point and this helps lift the ball in the air by adding dynamic loft. Players who hit the ball too high should look for a tip stiff shaft which does not add so much loft, which produces a lower and more penetrating trajectory.Aug 13, 2007

What is tip adjustment?

Tip Adjust enables you to offer your US-based restaurants their traditional, receipt-based tipping workflow for both magstripe and EMV transactions. Contact your account manager to activate this feature.

What does tip flex mean?

Tip Flex: Tip Flex, or Retro Flex, represents the average stiffness toward the head side of the shaft. Sometimes this is measured in a very similar fashion as the static-flex measurement. The difference being that the tip end is clamped and the load is applied to the butt end of the shaft.Jun 22, 2016

What is parallel tip shaft?

Parallel-tip shafts are the same, within the model type, for each iron but are trimmed to fit the length for each club. As a result, parallel-tip shafts are heavier in the longer irons and weigh less in the shorter irons.

Does shortening a golf club make it stiffer?

Any amount of cutting will slightly stiffen the club. It will probably go unnoticed if you take 1 inch or less off the club. Taking 2 inches off will change the flex of the club. If you are shortening irons, every 1 inch you shorten the club will make the iron effectively play 2 degrees flatter.

What is shaft tipping?

Shaft tipping is when a club builder removes length from the tip section of a shaft, which is the end where the clubhead is installed. In most cases, tip trimming a shaft makes it meaningfully stiffer. It also increases torsional stiffness, known as “torque,” which is a shaft’s resistance to twisting. On the other end of the shaft is the handle, ...

How much should a golf tipping shaft be?

These recommendations can range from 0.25 inches to 1.5 inches and vary from product to product and manufacturer to manufacturer.

Why is tipping so complicated?

The reason tipping is so complicated is first and foremost the way most golf shafts are made. As we describe in this article, nearly all golf shafts on the market are made by hand with a decades-old process known as the Roll-Wrapping Method. Because these shafts are made by hand, it’s impossible for even two shafts that are supposed ...

Why do you tip a golf shaft?

Here’s another way to understand why tipping makes a shaft meaningfully stiffer. When you cut off a portion of the softest part of a golf shaft ( the tip), it increases the overall stiffness. The handle section of a shaft, on the other hand, is longer and more uniformly stiff, so removing material from the handle does not make such ...

Does trimming a shaft affect flex?

Handle trimming doesn’t affect shaft flex as much as tip trimming because most shafts become gradually stiffer as they move from tip to handle. For that reason, trimming the handle section of a shaft does not dramatically increase shaft stiffness. Here’s another way to understand why tipping makes a shaft meaningfully stiffer.

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.

What is a tip soft shaft?

A tip soft shaft is one that is designed to be more flexible in the tip portion of the shaft which we define as the last 16” to 21” of the shaft. Likewise there can be any number of variations in how stiff ...

When to unhinge wrist cock?

Most typically, golfers who unhinge the wrist-cock angle early to early/midway in the downswing are better fit with tip soft shafts, while golfers who hold the wrist-cock angle until very late in the downswing are better fit with a tip stiff or tip firm shaft. Those who unhinge the wrist cock somewhere in between early and late then are typically ...

How much does a true temper iron shaft weigh?

True Temper’s Dynamic Gold, the most popular steel iron shaft on the PGA Tour, weighs abourt 130 grams. At the other end of the spectrum, Mitsubishi Rayon has a Bassara graphite driver shaft that weighs about 35 grams. RAW: A raw shaft is an uncut shaft that has not been installed in a clubhead.

What is a raw shaft?

RAW: A raw shaft is an uncut shaft that has not been installed in a clubhead. BLANK: This is another word for a raw shaft. When clubmakers refer to a blank, they mean a raw shaft. SPINE ALIGNMENT: Golf shafts, because they are round and hollow, have a spine that is a result of the manufacturing process.

What does low torque mean on a golf swing?

Normal measurements are in the 2- to 6-degree range. A low torque number means less twisting of the shaft but also can mean a harsher feel . A high torque number is associated with a soft-feeling shaft, although there may be a sacrifice in accuracy. FLEX: The strength of a shaft as it bends during the swing.

What is torque in swing?

TORQUE: A measurement of the circular rotation of the shaft during the swing.

What is the kick point of a golf shaft?

KICK POINT: Modern shafts, particularly graphite shafts, can produce kick in different sections of the shaft — high kick, mid kick and low kick being three obvious points of reference. Fitters often spend considerable time matching a golfer’s swing with a particular kick.

What is balance point?

BALANCE POINT: Closely related to counter-balancing, balance point is sometimes cited as an important element of feel and performance. The more weight in the butt, the higher the balance point. Although it is not a widespread practice, some fitters use balance point as one of the variables in prescribing a shaft.

What is the tip of a golf club called?

TIPPING: The tip end of the shaft, which is inserted into the clubhead, sometimes is cut or trimmed to provide more stiffness in the shaft. This is called tipping. While the practice is common on professional tours, it is not widely used among amateur golfers.

Can a golfer with a high attack angle use a stiffer shaft?

In some cases, the opposite is true as well. A golfer with a naturally high positive attack angle could benefit from a shaft with a slightly stiffer tip section to control the consistency of the attack angle. Only by testing the golfer with different shaft options and driver lofts can we optimize distance with better launch and spin.

Does a stiff shaft tip affect ball flight?

Too stiff of tip section can actually rob you of distance especially on your driver. The prevailing theory among most golfers is that a stiff shaft tip section lowers ball flight and reduces spin. Sometimes the opposite is true. OK, let me add a caveat here. What we have seen in our testing is that, if a player has a steep negative attack angle (-4 to -8 degrees) with a driver shaft with a stiff tip, the spin rate is increased and in some cases, the player will hit the ball off the upper portion of the clubface causing the launch angle to be too high. That is not a good combination.

Does softer shaft tip affect impact?

A softer shaft tip section will actually cause more forward lean on the golf shaft at impact. This does two things. First, the forward lean will actually increase, or make more positive, the attack angle. This effectively reduces spin. Second, the forward lean of the shaft at impact will move the impact area down on the clubface.

How to adjust flex on golf club?

Adjusting Flex. To adjust shaft flex with parallel-tip shafts, you change the amount you trim. To stiffen the shaft, trim more off the tip end; to weaken the flex, trim less off the tip and make the club longer. To adjust the flex with taper-tip shafts, however, you have to use a different shaft.

What is the tip of a golf club?

The tip is the part of the shaft that fits into the hosel of the clubhead. The difference between the two types of shaft is the tip diameter and shaft weight.

What size shaft is needed for a golf club?

With a parallel-tip shaft, the entire tip section--the portion below the last step--is a constant diameter. The standard size is .370 inch for irons and would require a clubhead with a .370-diameter hosel hole. Parallel-tip shafts are the same, within the model type, for each iron but are trimmed to fit the length for each club. As a result, parallel-tip shafts are heavier in the longer irons and weigh less in the shorter irons.

Why do golfers prefer taper shafts?

Tour professionals and traditionalists prefer the taper-tip shaft because of the constant weight, but the average golfer will notice little difference. According to True Temper, taper- and parallel-tip shafts play the same, and blind testing with identical iron heads showed the testers noticed no difference in the clubs.

What is a parallel shaft?

Parallel-tip shafts are the same, within the model type, for each iron but are trimmed to fit the length for each club. As a result, parallel-tip shafts are heavier in the longer irons and weigh less in the shorter irons.

When did taper tip golf clubs come out?

The taper tip was the standard until the 1970s, when the parallel tip was introduced. The parallel-tip shaft allowed club makers to control inventory because they could stock just one shaft length for each model of woods and irons, instead of stocking a different length shaft for each club.

Who is Kim Kleinle?

Kim Kleinle is a PGA/LPGA professional and a member of a select group certified in instruction by the Professional Golfers' Association . She began writing in 1980 after earning her degree. Her work has appeared online, in "Northeast Golfer" and in newspapers, including the "Scranton Times.".

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What Is Tipping and Why Would You Do It?

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“Tipping” a shaft refers to cutting it from the tip end (where the club head goes) prior to installing the head. It’s done with the intention of making the shaft feel and perform as if it were stiffer. As always, we wanted to know if this does what it’s supposed to or if golfers are mutilating shafts to no effect.
See more on pluggedingolf.com

The Myths

  • Myth #1 – Tipping a shaft changes the feel Myth #2 – Tipping a shaft will reduce spin Myth #3 – Tipping a shaft will reduce launch angle Myth #4 – Tipping a shaft will improve accuracy
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How We Tested

  • For this test, we brought together five golfers with handicaps ranging from 10 to +3. Each player hit five drives with each of three shafts. One shaft was untipped, one was tipped 1/2″, and one was tipped 1″. The shaft used was the Nippon Regio Formula B. Each shaft was built to the same finished length and swing weight. All testing was done at and with the help of Club Champion
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The Results

  • Tipping a shaft unequivocally changes the feel. All five of our testers noticed a difference, though some were more sensitive to it than others. Despite not knowing which shaft they were testing, each one identified the feel as you would expect: the untipped version felt the softest, the 1″ tipping felt the stiffest. If you like the shaft you’re playing but want a stiffer feeling, tipping it sho…
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Conclusion

  • If you want a shaft to feel stiffer, tipping it will get results. However, tipping (just like playing a stiffer shaft) is no guarantee of lower spin, lower launch, or greater accuracy. If you’re interested in maximizing your distance off the tee and hitting more fairways, the best approach is to work with a high quality club fitter.
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