Do heavier golf clubs affect your game?
While the plentitude of options may certainly elevate many players’ golf games, it does make selecting golf clubs a more complicated and challenging process. Whereas heavier golf clubs may provide more power upon impact and result in greater distance, they can affect swing mechanics and make it more difficult to control the ball flight.
Do golf clubs deteriorate over time?
Seriously, though, unless you’re washing your iron heads nightly in an acid bath, golf clubs aren’t going to deteriorate, especially in the hands of an amateur.
How do I know if my golf clubs are too long?
Below you’ll find common signs that indicate the clubs you’re using are too long: You have to stand up almost completely straight. You’re unable to move your lower body using proper swinging mechanics The ball often flies off to the left and too high. You’re constantly hitting the ball with the toe of the golf club.
What happens if the shaft is too stiff on a club?
When the shaft is too stiff, you won’t be able to get enough spin on the ball, causing it to come out very low, and look like it’s falling out of the sky. If it’s too stiff, your shot shape will be from left to right (slice), the clubhead won’t be able to return to square because the shaft is too stiff.
Do I need heavier golf clubs?
Whereas heavier golf clubs may provide more power upon impact and result in greater distance, they can affect swing mechanics and make it more difficult to control the ball flight. On the flip side, lighter golf clubs are easier to manage and may result in fewer errant shots, but distance may be sacrificed.
Is it better to have heavier or lighter golf clubs?
Golf is an individual sport and nearly every golfer has a unique swing. Test results have shown that there is no definitive recommendation whether light or heavy shafts are better. More important than distance is the effect of the shaft on your ball flight and accuracy.
What happens if your golf clubs are too heavy?
Common problems which are found by golfers however when golf clubs are too heavy for them include: Reduction of club head speed and distance as a result. Lower ball flight. Poor timing.
How heavy should my clubs be?
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.
What is a good swing weight for irons?
The actual swing weight ranges roughly between C-0 and D-8. While C-0 is a swing weight that is recommended for senior women and ladies, D-8 is pretty much the maximum that is played on tour. This swing weight can usually only be achieved with heavy heads, heavy shafts and light grips.
How heavy should your driver be?
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 do I know if my clubs are too heavy?
Nippon suggested that a player should be able to tell largely by feel. A shaft that's too heavy will cause a “labored golf swing.” A shaft that's too light will hurt your ability to make solid contact. When you find the right shaft weight, you'll experience a “high energy swing” with uniform contact.
How do you tell if my irons are too heavy?
How to Tell if your Iron Shafts are Too HeavyYou get less wrist-snap when you swing.You have decreased swing speed.Your golf ball speed is decreased.You get less spin on your golf ball.You lose distance on the course.Shot dispersion to the left or right or both of your intended target.More items...
Are light or heavy irons better?
Usually, lighter clubs produce higher spin rates. And with spin rates that are too high, you might actually lose distance. Second, a lighter club is sometimes more difficult to control and can wreak havoc on your ability to make a smooth, rhythmic swing that accelerates through the ball.
Why is swing weight important?
Swing weight is important to get the most out of every swing. If a golf club feels too heavy, the golfer has to swing harder, can find it difficult to swing, and tires out through the round. Heavier clubs and a tired golfer means less speed and less speed means less distance.
What does adding weight to a golf club do?
When most golfers talk about adding weight to a golf club, what they are really talking about is the swing weight of the club: adding weight to the head of the club in order to increase the speed of the swing and thereby increase the distance that the ball is hit.
What is the best swing weight for a driver?
More than 80% of the time, he finds that golfers are creating the best results with a swing weight of D5 with Red Range shafts.
phizzy30
Heavier shafts could very well throw off your tempo. It took me a little while to get adjusted to my heavier swing weighted irons and driver but I feel I am greatly benefiting from the added weight in the accuracy department. The heavier shafts could go either 2 ways for you.
acquadiice
lol didnt know my comment would cause such a stir... i was kidding... Els plays his irons at D8 i think
stage1350
If you aren't exhausted after playing 18 from swinging and carrying them, they probably aren't too heavy. Heck, my driver swingweigts E1 and it goes plenty far. Don't fear swingweight. Get your clubs fitted to your tempo.
georgiaboy
what part of that came off as a huge ego? all i said is that i prefer "heavy" clubs because I'm tall and never knew that extended clubs made that much of a swing weight change.... so to the OP too heavy is a feel thing.
georgiaboy
you static weight or your swing weight? two different things. [quote name='acquadiice' timestamp='1316810987' post='3586069'] [quote name='stage1350' timestamp='1316810899' post='3586068'] If you aren't exhausted after playing 18 from swinging and carrying them, they probably aren't too heavy. Heck, my driver swingweigts E1 and it goes plenty far.
phizzy30
what part of that came off as a huge ego? all i said is that i prefer "heavy" clubs because I'm tall and never knew that extended clubs made that much of a swing weight change.... so to the OP too heavy is a feel thing. Thanks for over thinking that tho!
phizzy30
yeah you kind of did misinterpret it but it's fine, if you hadn't called that out chances are more people would do the same. my take on swing weight is this.
Why is it harder to swing a heavier golf club?
However, a heavier club will be more challenging to swing at higher speeds because there is more weight involved.
Why are heavier golf clubs better than lighter golf clubs?
Whereas heavier golf clubs may provide more power upon impact and result in greater distance, they can affect swing mechanics and make it more difficult to control the ball flight. On the flip side, lighter golf clubs are easier to manage and may result in fewer errant shots, but distance may be sacrificed.
What is the force of a golf club?
The force is the face of the golf club striking the stationary ball as the golfer swings the club. To put this concept another way, the particular manner in which the golf ball is launched into the air and how far it goes is determined by how much force the golf clubhead is carrying at the point of impact.
How does the golfer generate torque?
As the legs and torso unwind and rotate in the direction of the target, they generate a tremendous amount of torque, and the arms and golf club are just coming along for the ride. Throughout the downswing, the golfer generates club speed, which peaks as the swing bottoms out where the clubhead meets the ball.
Why is there no magic formula for determining the proper golf club weight?
Because golfers encompass all age groups, sizes, statures, and athletic abilities, there is no magic formula for determining the proper golf club weight that can apply to all individuals, just as body type does not dictate distance.
What are the benefits of lighter golf clubs?
Benefits of Lighter Golf Clubs. With tremendous advancements in golf equipment technology , there are lighter materials available to manufacture golf club shafts and heads. Graphite and other composites are much lighter than steel and are also more flexible and forgiving.
Why are graphite shafts longer than steel shafts?
Lighter golf clubs allow people to swing freely and naturally, which is helpful for older players for whom swinging heavy clubs may be challenging, Because they are lighter, graphite shafts are often longer (by an inch or so) than steel-shafted clubs and can, therefore, generate higher swing speeds.
Why do you need a shorter golf club?
It takes a shorter club for most people to create the desired spine and shaft angles, swing planes, and contact with the ball. As would be expected, the shorter club and improved planes create better accuracy with the golf shots.
Why are long shafts attached to melon sized clubheads?
Thank goodness the long shafts are attached to melon-sized clubheads with tons of forgiveness, because the swing planes that result from these long clubs make it nearly impossible for most golfers to hit the sweet spot.
Does a longer club increase distance?
A longer club technically should increase distance. A club that is properly fitted in terms of the length of the shaft will maximize accuracy and distance. What I am saying is that the clubs most golfers are playing with, and even fitted for, are too long to maximize either; even when we call them “standard” in length.
Is a golf club too long?
There is a good chance that your golf clubs are too long. Over the past twenty years, golf club manufacturers have been making clubs stronger (meaning they have less loft on the face), and longer so that they can sell hopeful golfers the newest “hot” weapon that will knock the ball unimaginable distances. But when golfers arrive at the driving ...
What are the forces that drive a long driver of a golf ball?
Long drivers of the ball have large amounts of all of these, especially what is considered vertical and rotational forces . What these opposite and equal actions and reactions create in the golf swing is lots of torque and twisting.
What are the forces that golfers should know about?
There are three forces that golfers should know and understand: Horizontal (pressure shift from side-to-side), Vertical (up and down pressure shift) and Rotational (movement around your body).
What happens when you push up with your feet?
2. It Takes A Toll. All of these forces working in opposite directions create a lot of compressing and twisting of your joints. Lower back injuries are common when trying to generate force this. 3.
Why do students have to add vertical force to their swing?
The biggest problem I see when students try to add a lot of vertical force into their swing is that they “early extend” or straighten their body as they move the club into impact. In their effort to hit the ball harder they compromise their hitting position leaving no room for the arms to swing into. Pushing up with your feet and then trying to stay over with the body don’t really go together.
Is it hard to hit an iron?
Hitting irons becomes particularly hard. Often golfers with lots of moving parts and straightening bodies are ok with driver but terrible with irons. Hitting a ball that is perched 3 inches off the ground is a totally different equation to clipping a ball of a tight lie with an iron.
When to use a larger grip on golf clubs?
According to the conventional wisdom, your grip size is correct when you close your hands around the club and the tips of your fingers just miss touching the base of your hands. If your fingers touch your hands, you need a larger grip.
What happens if your grip is too big?
If your grip is too big, you can expect errant shots. Wishon explains that an overly large grip adversely changes the angle of your wrist on the downswing. This can prevent you from rotating the clubface quickly enough to square it up to the ball at the point of impact. Fades and slices are a likely consequence.
What hole was Ben Hogan's 1 iron?
Ben Hogan’s famous 1-iron from that majestic 72nd hole approach shot in the 1953 U.S. Open at Merion, while practically unhittable for mere mortals, likely would respond just fine today if it was removed from its case at the USGA's Golf House. (The leather grip and shaft might not have held up so well, of course.)
Who are the editors of Golf Digest?
And they are sharing their golf equipment knowledge with you. Golf Digest's equipment editors, Mike Stachura and E. Michael Johnson, have covered the golf equipment business for decades, and there are few who know the equipment industry better. We've asked them to answer your questions in a weekly equipment round-up.
How to tell if a golf club is too long?
Below you’ll find common signs that indicate the clubs you’re using are too long: 1 You have to stand up almost completely straight. 2 You’re unable to move your lower body using proper swinging mechanics 3 The ball often flies off to the left and too high. 4 The club’s shaft feels very weak 5 You’re constantly hitting the ball with the toe of the golf club.
How many inches to a standard length golf club?
Six feet, five inches-add one and a half inches to the standard length of the club. Six feet, three inches to six feet, five inches-add one inch to the standard length of the club. Six feet to six feet, three inches-add half an inch to the standard length of the club.
What happens if you bend forward too much at address?
If a golfer bends forward too much at address then the club’s shaft will fall below their waistline. If they stand too straight at address then the shaft of the club will hit above their waistline. Ideally, the best way to go about sizing for length is to find a length that maximizes accuracy and distance.
How long is a standard iron club?
Standard Club Sizes. Iron: The one iron club is a little over forty inches in length. Each iron falls half an inch with each size until you reach the nine iron which measures in at a little over thirty-six inches. Differences in irons can also occur due to shaft material.
How long is a golf driver?
On average, most golfers use a driver that’s forty-four inches in length, however, a club shaft up to forty-eight inches in allowed for competitions.
How tall should a golf iron be?
Height Recommendations for Irons. Here you’ll find the standard recommended measurements for golf clubs based on height: Six feet, six inches and taller-add two inches to the standard length of the club. Six feet, five inches-add one and a half inches to the standard length of the club.
How long is a three wood putter?
Putter: The standard length of a putter is thirty-four inches, however, the length of a putter is measured much differently than irons. It often depends on the putter’s construction.
What happens if a golf club is too short?
If a club is too short, too long, too light, too heavy, the lie angle is completely wrong, the club itself is the wrong design, or any of a number of factors are off , you could be setting yourself up for failure. The game-improvement irons on the left will be much more forgiving and enjoyable for beginners than the blade irons on the right.
How to set yourself up to play golf?
In conclusion, here are the recommended steps to take in order to set yourself up to to play great golf and enjoy the game for years to come: 1. Get a basic club consultation from an expert. 2. Make the proper alterations to your current set, or purchase a budget-friendly starter set (anywhere from 1-14 clubs) 3.
Why is it important to get fit for beginners?
“It’s very important that beginners get fit because we develop our swings around the gear we use without even realizing it ,” Briand says.
Does Daniel Berger use cavity back irons?
Daniel Berger uses cavity-back irons from 2011! Many amateur golfers of varying skill levels stunt the improvement of their games by believing they’re “ not good enough ” to get a club fitting. They say that once their golf game starts to improve they’ll invest in a professional fitting, but it’s not worth it yet.
Will my swing patterns change?
It is likely that your swing patterns will change after a number of lessons. Your angle of attack may change, your method of releasing the club could shift, and you will (hopefully) gain some speed and strength, too.