Will changing shaft change swing weight?

[MadMex 529]

I am in sort of of a dilemma, I currently play PING G-700's with graphite shafts, they feel too light , yes I was fitted and don't know why I did not notice this.

So, if I change to steel shafts, will they "feel" heavier and will the swing weight change?

If I add lead tape to the head and leave the graphite shafts , will THAT change the flex? 

Gracias!

[RickyBobby_PR 10,183]

Changing shafts won’t necessarily change swing weight but it could. I went from s300 amt to recoil 110 in 716 cbs and they swing weighted the same except for the 6i. In miuras the recoils tend to swing weight out high 

Numbers maybe off as I’m not that much into club building but something like 12 cpm changes flex of a shaft. 2g of tape is about 1 cpm. So just adding tape won’t affect flex unless you add enough to get to the 12 cpm number 

[Clay5477 29]

I made clubs for many years. I still have my swingweight scale.

To answer your question, no, not really. Here's why:

If you went from, for example, a 70 gram shaft to a 90 gram shaft, the swingweight wouldn't change much. You would definitely feel that the club is heavier, but the swingweight wouldn't change a lot.

If you took your existing club and added 20g to the head, the swingweight would go up enormously. Conversely, if you took your existing club and added 20g to the butt end of the grip, the swingweight would drop enormously.

But, that isn't what happens when you change shafts. In that case, the extra 20g is spread pretty evenly along the entire length of the shaft, so whatever the balance was before is still pretty much the same.

You can balance a 16-pound sledgehammer to a standard swingweight of D-2 by adding enough weight to the end of the handle.

[csamsh 56]

It can.  Depends on the balance characteristics of the shaft and how long you make it.  Adding weight anywhere technically changes flex- putting a heavier head on the same shaft will put more force on the end of the shaft and make it bend more- this is one of the premises behind soft/hard stepping an iron set.  How much weight you need to add to make a perceptible change is another matter and Iargely dependent on the person swinging the club.  

[John S 11]

The Ping 700's are a club that focuses on distance and in doing so the engineering goal objective keeping the club light . The stock spec for 700's  is C9(4-8) which is light with the wedges set at D1-d2.  Most stock irons are at least D0 with D2 a very common stock weight.  You may be feeling this difference which is by design and may be noticeable depending on what you were using in the past.

If you have the swing weights checked you can confirm exactly where you are presently and then determine a plan to achieve a swing weight that is desired.  You could pull the existing shafts, add weight and re-insert the shaft as a possible solution.  Changing shafts is another option but more costly. A rule of thumb is every 9 grams in shaft weight results in a 1 point swing weight change. The shaft option would depend on what you have now and how much weight change would result from installing an alternative shaft option 

A cheap "quick fix" to verify if this swing weight change will solve the issue is to swing balance the 700 club to D2, for example, using lead tape as a temporary measure.  Keep in mind the tape may or will change the CG ( center of gravity)  so the weight of the club may feel great but if the distribution is low the club may launch higher.  This is a bit of a fishing expedition however I would recommend the following

1 Establish present weight ( probably C9) 4-8,  1/2 point heavier for 9 and a couple points added for wedges. 

2. Pick a target weight -  D2 possibly -  I would suggest moving up more than one swing weight for testing

3. Have a club tech add lead tape to get you the desired swing weight, and test the "feel"/ result.  I would adjust a single iron  (7 iron) and hit it with the existing 8 ( not modified) to see if there is a big change between the two clubs.

3. IF the increased swing weight moves you in the desired direction then discuss options to get your clubs modified to a revised swing weight permanently.

If you choose to do this you may want to pull the existing shafts and add weight to the tip of the shaft and reinstall.  NOTE-  the swing weights in the 700 set change as you progress to wedges.  For this reason you may end up having to adjust 4-9 only.

 

 

[pineneedlespro 11]

To put it simply to answer the question: increase the shaft weight by 9 grams will only increase the swingweight by 1 point if nothing else is changed.

[YamYam 13]

I've recently been experimenting with 3 woods.  To be exact the difference between Titleist 910F and Titleist 910Fd.

Both are 15 degree heads but the F is weighted supposedly to get the ball flight higher quicker.  The Fd has a slightly deeper face with the weight pushed forward toward the face for a lower flight.

The Fd had a stock Mitsubishi Diamana Kai'li 75, the F a Diamana 'ilima 71.

Just swinging them the Fd felt heavier.  I put them on my swing weight scale.

The Fd came in almost 1.5 swing weights heavier than the F.  Both heads weighed the same and both had the same weights screwed in.

The  Kai'li shaft is is 4 grams heaver than the  'ilima, which sort of equates to the extra swing weight as 3 grams = 1 swing weight.

I swapped the heads over on the shafts and remeasured the swing weights.  This time the F with the Kai'li shaft came in 1.5 swing weights heavier.

A steel shaft is almost certainly going to be heavier than a composite, so apart from producing a heavier club overall, just attaching a head to a shaft without balancing will produce discrepancies in swing weight.

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by YamYam
More information

[TheFonzzz 16]

Add 3 grams of lead to the head and 3 g of lead just under your grip and try! You will be amazed and the flex should not really matter if you swing smoothly!if it still to light ad another 3 grams to the head only!

Edited April 25, 2021 by TheFonzzz

[Steve Gawron 8]

Changing to a steel shaft with change the flex feel and possibly the swing weight.  You major issue will be a change in kick point.  Since steel shafts lack the flexibility of graphite, a change to steel might negate any gain in launch angle.  Find a golf repair with a swing weight scale and use the following gauge.  A quarter is about 3 grams of weight.  By placing a quarter on the head or grip, you can estimate changes to your swing weight.  A heavier swing weight will make the head feel heavier.  Most golfers have difficulty in telling 5 swing weight variation.

Good Luck on your adventure.

[MadMex 529]

Thanks for all the information!!!

 

Now I have a sweet dilemma, get fitted for a new set of G425's (wife wants suggestions for a retirement gift) or tinker with these,,,,,

might try the lead tape way for a little bit,,, 

[RickyBobby_PR 10,183]

57 minutes ago, MadMex said:

Thanks for all the information!!!

 

Now I have a sweet dilemma, get fitted for a new set of G425's (wife wants suggestions for a retirement gift) or tinker with these,,,,,

might try the lead tape way for a little bit,,, 

Get fit. It takes all the guess work out 

[MadMex 529]

9 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Get fit. It takes all the guess work out 

I did, but went to a different fitter than the one who fitted me with my G-25's. My spidy sense told me something was not right,,, am ready now,, lot's and lots of questions !!!

[Pkc 13]

On 4/25/2021 at 7:58 PM, MadMex said:

I did, but went to a different fitter than the one who fitted me with my G-25's. My spidy sense told me something was not right,,, am ready now,, lot's and lots of questions !!!

I personally check out reviews of local fitters, I’ve alway had a good experience with Club Champion.  Some local stores have “trained” employees that are “fitters” but being a previous D1 golfer then Nike/Buy.com tour player for a short bit I quickly realize how unknowledgeable many of these people are.  Many of them don’t even know proper spin numbers or peak heights or decent angles, let alone how to read a hit plate or watch to see if the person hits the ball fairly solid or if they need another sticker and hit again.  Anyone that can’t answer simple spec questions should not be fitting customers.   I’d definitely look at reviews of local fitters.

[TBT 3,889]

It could but it’s highly doubtful unless the shaft is highly butt or tip weighted