Do you know your drivers swingweight?

[firstcut]

I've got two drivers I'm playing around with.. A Sumo2 and an FT-i. The sumo was 45" @ d7 and the FT-i was 45" @ d4. I've got the FT-i cut down to 44.5" which brings the swing weight down to d1 and the Sumo2 cut to 43.75" with a swing weight of c9.

It's going to be fun to see how the reduced shaft and swing weight affects the shafts. I think I'll like the length of the Sumo2 but prefer the swing weight of the FT-i. And that's not taking into consideration what the reduction is going to do to the stiffness of the shafts... Tomorrow am should be interesting.

Anyone else running odd, non standard lengths and swing weights? What's your experience?

[Sherlockian]

I just got back from hitting my "new" GBBII 415 with the 43.5" TT Dynalite Stiff 120g shaft. The steel feels even better than the shortened graphite did. The clubbuilder said the swingweight is now D3. Originally with the cut down NV the swingweight was D2(D4 before cutting). I can tell a little difference but I think that is the steel and not the swingweight. I don't know all of the technical jargon associated with clubs, I think it gets in the way sometimes. Have you had the FT-i measured? 6 swingweight difference with a 1/2", alot of times generic formulas are used for estimating swingwieght that don't take into account the actual shaft. Was it cut from butt or tip? My NV only lost 2 for a 1.5".

Here is an excellent calculator for estimating swingweight. http://www.leaderboard.com/SWINGWEIGHT

[firstcut]

I just got back from hitting my "new" GBBII 415 with the 43.5" TT Dynalite Stiff 120g shaft. The steel feels even better than the shortened graphite did. The clubbuilder said the swingweight is now D3. Originally with the cut down NV the swingweight was D2(D4 before cutting). I can tell a little difference but I think that is the steel and not the swingweight. I don't know all of the technical jargon associated with clubs, I think it gets in the way sometimes. Have you had the FT-i measured? 6 swingweight difference with a 1/2", alot of times generic formulas are used for estimating swingwieght that don't take into account the actual shaft. Was it cut from butt or tip? My NV only lost 2 for a 1.5".

Great site, I'll check it out. Thanks!

Ia gree that there are some generic numbers floating around. I think the 6 may be off for graphite though. The fitters today said 3 swingweight per 1/2" on the butt end was about right. That seemed to play out correctly when we cut my 65g graphite shaft which is 1/2 the weight of your steel.. Now, if I was only good enough to make use of all this "worthless" knowledge.

[firstcut]

I just got back from hitting my "new" GBBII 415 with the 43.5" TT Dynalite Stiff 120g shaft. The steel feels even better than the shortened graphite did. The clubbuilder said the swingweight is now D3. Originally with the cut down NV the swingweight was D2(D4 before cutting). I can tell a little difference but I think that is the steel and not the swingweight. I don't know all of the technical jargon associated with clubs, I think it gets in the way sometimes. Have you had the FT-i measured? 6 swingweight difference with a 1/2", alot of times generic formulas are used for estimating swingwieght that don't take into account the actual shaft. Was it cut from butt or tip? My NV only lost 2 for a 1.5".

I just re-read this... Are you sure your shaft is 120g? That's REALLY heavy. I think it would be impossible for you to have a d2 swingweight with a 120g shaft. Is 120g the total of the shaft and head maybe? I'm a total newb at this, so I'm happy to be corrected and learn something tho...

[Stacey_E]

I've been running a chop shop driver for a year. Get this...

I swing in the low 90s and should be in a V2 regular flex. But when I got my used 12* Ping G5 (I hit low) it had a stiff V2. I played it with an inch of the butt taped off for a couple months, always gripping below the tape. Then I had it cut 1". When I got it back it had the same grip, I was like WTF? The guy had tip cut it an 1". I think that would make it super pro xxx flex....haha who knows?

So I swing it some on the range. I'm a little wild and I know I've lost some swingweight. How much I do not know. The thing supposedly swing weights @ D3 stock. And one thing is for sure, I am one of the people who are buck wild with a too light swingweight. So I start adding lead tape, which is very cleverly disguised with the painting on the sole. I add about 18" I think. I add it until the ball contact is consistent on the face.

Fast forward one season of golf. I jump to 72% on fairways hit. I add 10 yards to my average drives, not my longest but my average. And I have a driver I have complete confidence in. What's my swing weight? I have no idea. I'm afraid to have it checked. If it's not in a "correct range" I'm afraid it'll get in my head.

Moral of the story? IMHO...Driver shafts are too damn long, too damn light and too damn floppy. I like to get my launch from the loft of the head. But that's just me. And I'm a 13, so go figure.

Good Luck!

[Sherlockian]

I just re-read this... Are you sure your shaft is 120g? That's REALLY heavy. I think it would be impossible for you to have a d2 swingweight with a 120g shaft. Is 120g the total of the shaft and head maybe? I'm a total newb at this, so I'm happy to be corrected and learn something tho...

Reread again

, I was a little vague. The driver originally had an 44.5" Aldila NV85 stiff graphite shaft(D4) and when cutdown to 43.5" it was D2. The current shaft is the 43.5" Dynalite steel 120g(117 to be exact) with a D3 swingweight. All of these weights/measurements were done on the shops scale. I have no idea what the total weight of the club is though. From what I understand, swingweight is based upon the balance point and weight distribution, not total weight of the club. I am new to this also. After all of the "wow didn't you change the swingweight/kickpoint/launch angle/etc."questions. I have been reading and asking questions to be less ignorant of the "techy" side of golf. The one discovery I have made though was the same before I started: for someone of my ability and handicap, the majority of this has no bearing on my game. I was trying to find the best shaft for my swing. Steel has always been the shaft on my woods, from my persimmon days, to the Cally Steelheads, the Titleist 975D, and now the GBBII. I have a Big Bertha 460 that I got a great deal on, that still has plastic on the clubhead. I am seriously considering getting a short steel in it as well. I think alot of golfers are like the bass fishermen I know, they get caught up in the gear, techniques, expensive rods and reels, lures, and forget how to catch fish. They get frustrated when the oldtimer, in the flatbottom boat, armed with a Zebco33 and a bucket of shiners can catch more bass than them.

[Sherlockian]

Moral of the story? IMHO...Driver shafts are too damn long, too damn light and too damn floppy. I like to get my launch from the loft of the head. But that's just me. And I'm a 13, so go figure.

I couldn't agree more. Your driver story has some similarities to mine over the past week. I am hoping that my shorty driver will turn out with the results you got. The past couple of rounds and range sessions seem to offer alot of promise. If this keeps up and my confidence in this driver holds, I am of the opinion that my handicap will drop significantly.