What is the shaft tip?

[bunkerputt]

I recently had a Maltby PW built by Golf Galaxy. The tech trimmed the tip, but I'm not sure what he trimmed it to. The shaft was a True Temper Dynamic Gold S300. The thing that's curious to me is that, when I compare it to a set I ordered from the Mizuno factory, the Mizuno PW (also DGS300) is much longer at the bottom than the other. Since they both have the same trim code, shouldn't the club-head end True Temper logo be at pretty much the same spot up from the ground when the club is soled? It seems like either the Mizuno's weren't trimmed, the Maltby was trimmed too much, or I have no idea what the tip of a shaft means. Is the tip the end of the shaft up to the first graduated increase in shaft diameter? Or is it just a measurement from the end of the shaft up toward grip end?

[Masa]

Mizuno clubs use taper tipped shafts so there is no tip trimming for them. The shafts basically come "pre-tipped" as they make the shafts in half inch length increments from 37" to 41". Because of the taper of the tip, from about 0.370" to 0.355", if you tip them it can cause problems of fitting into the head. I believe the Dynamic Gold parallel tips are trimmed 4.25" for a PW (though I've heard that some people use 4" like the 9 iron). There is also the concern about shafting depth into the head, that could be what is causing the change in location of that first step. If the Maltby head has a similar shafting depth, but a lower hosel, it could make that first step appear lower because the end of the shaft actually sits lower in relation to the ground.

[bunkerputt]

Hmm, I didn't know that about Mizuno clubs. I see what you mean about hosel depth, though. But the difference between the steps is something like 3 inches. I don't know the exact number, but it's definitely not less than an inch like I would expect the difference to be between most iron heads. Isn't there a change in stiffness when the shaft goes to the larger diameter as it tapers upward? If so, it would seem that two similarly stiff-tipped shafts should have that increased diameter point occur at roughly the same spot above the end of the hosel, or at least within the difference between the two hosel depths, as you pointed out. Am I totally off my rocker here? I don't know the exact terminology, so it's hard to describe accurately. Is the tip the end of the club up to the first ridge upward?

[clemsontiger]

Trimming the tip also stiffens the shaft a little. I had a Rifle 6.5 trimmed on the tip to make it a little stiffer.

[bunkerputt]

Trimming the tip also stiffens the shaft a little. I had a Rifle 6.5 trimmed on the tip to make it a little stiffer.

That's true. I typically like the tip stiffer, so this isn't a big deal. I was just curious when I go to make clubs on my own.

[clemsontiger]

That's true. I typically like the tip stiffer, so this isn't a big deal. I was just curious when I go to make clubs on my own.

I am not gifted enough to make, so I would not know that one.