swingweight concerns

RE: swingweight concerns

ARenner — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 01:06:13 GMT

As I have shortened my Newport 2 putter by 3” as I am 5’6” tall do I need to ensure the swingweight remains at D2 by changing to heavier head weights. To get it to D2 I need the weights to be a total of 30gms each on toe and heel, does this sound correct?

Re: swingweight concerns

Don O — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 03:15:52 GMT

You have 2 excellent suggestions of swing weight and shaft weight. If you have a Titleist driver with a bezel weight, you can quickly adjust swing weight by changing it.

Re: swingweight concerns

Lou G — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:33:06 GMT

Most people can't feel a swingweight difference of 2-3 points.

Swingweight is a function of balance between the head and the shaft along with physical weight. The lighter grip makes it feel heavier even though it may be physically lighter.

I've been doing a bit of experimenting with golf clubs since 2006 and constructed a set of irons (Snake Eyes Q3I 5-SW), a wedge (600W lob), a couple hybrids (Q3A 38 and Q4A 39) and a couple fairway woods (Toski Target T-6 7 and 9 woods).

The main thing is I had been using steel-shafted persimmon woods and blade irons until then and found the modern graphite shafted woods and hybrids a bit longer than what I was used to (remember that 3 woods were 42" and drivers were 43.5").

I played with steel shafted fairway woods and hybrids between 2006-2010. I found that I had to shorten graphite shafted clubs 1/2" from stock and install a lighter grip (43g) to maintain swingweight and, once I got used to them, started hitting farther.

The drivers (except for Titleist) are horribly long. I've been using a driver length of 44.5" since 2007 (briefly tried 44 and 45; former had too high of a trajectory and latter was OK except that I would get a push fade if too energetic on the swing). Because the other vendors are 46" I had to use a Winn Lite Dri Tac to maintain swingweight.

Lead tape alters ball flight sometimes and can even make it harder to hit a club.

Re: swingweight concerns

John L — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:29:35 GMT

most of the time that answer is no. heavyer swing wait requires more muscel and less feness. but having two light of a club can be just as bad because you dont feel the club properly to alow your body to time the impact properly. I would recoment adjusting the weight to find what works for you. for me and drivers the 60gram drivers are too light and my arms get away from my body. the 80 gram shaft are to heavy and my forearms and turn the club over in time. im in the 76ish gram range. it took alittle time to find the write shaft for me but when you find it. It will help you with consistancy.

cheers, greens and fairways

Re: swingweight concerns

Lou G — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:07:30 GMT

[quote user="Dawoon C"]

I'm struggling with my club swingweight right now.

I thought lighter swing weight would give me more control of the club head through the swing.

But after I set my club swing weight lighter, I tend to cutting the ball a lot. (currently my driver and irons are around D2.5)

And I'm sure that I hit my driver at sweet spot almost all the time, but I don't think my hitting energy is transfered to the ball properly. And I think it might be the club is too light in my hands, so my driving rhythm maybe very poor right now.

It's just my thoughts, I don't really have much knowledge about club fitting.

Would heavier swing weight club give me more time to drop my hands inside path and hit more draw shots?

[/quote]

If you want to reduce the weight of the club and bring the swingweight up, change to a lighter grip. The Titleist, Lamkin Crossline, or Golf Pride Tour Velvet standard grip is 52 grams (and if you have the fortune of having large hands, a midsize grip is 67g and that lowers the swingweight 2 points). Switching to a Winn Excel RF (43g) increases swingweight by 2 points (reduction in grip weight by 5g increases sw points by 1). Switching to a Winn Lite or Winn Lite Dri Tac (25 and 23g) will increase swingweight by almost 6 points (this is what one does if shortening a driver).

A heavier swingweight will give better feel and feedback. It'll make it easier to feel the lag on the downswing. Lightening the physical weight of the golf club while increasing the swingweight helps with feel and increases clubhead speed slightly.

Not a lot of people think about changing the grip because they have no knowledge of the effect. Most people know that changing the headweight by 2 grams changes swingweight by 1 point or changing length by 1/2" = 3 points.