Clubmaking - What's the point?

[Range King]

Hi,

After changing my grips, I was wondering if I should try to get into clubmaking.
I am sure I would enjoy it a lot, but I am wondering if it can be only a hobby, or rather a business?

What are you building clubs for? Tweaking your own equipment? For friends? Or are you selling the clubs?
I am sure it takes a while to learn it, so what is the strategy to learn it? Buying cheap components, and mess around with them?
And how much is the basic set of tools, you need?

Dom

[denver_nuggs_15]

I just recently got into clubmaking (under a month ago.) It can be just a hobby. I don't plan on opening a business involving clubmaking, but others have. It is what you want it to be.

I actually was in the market for new wedges. I saw some snake eyes components and was like, "They look sweet." They got good reviews, so I decided to give building a try. (Seeing as most OEM wedges are $100+, 30 or 40 bucks for a wedge that I built seems like a good deal.)

As for the point, I thought it would be a pretty cool thing to do. I like playing golf, I like trying out golf equipment, so why not try making it?
I also wanted to make a set with all matching swingweights and to my specs (+1" and 2-3* up).

Components are made with the same quality and technologies as OEM companies (supposedly?). It's much cheaper to make a sweet set of forged irons with top of the line shafts and grips of your choice than it is to buy an OEM forged iron set. You save money, but would lose convenience (you have to do all the work).

You can go to golfsmith.com or golfworks.com to look at their components. They also offer various clubmaking kits that range in price from $100 to over $1000. It just depends how seriously you want to take it.

I bought a book on clubmaking from hireko and am planning to take a 4 hour class at Golfsmith. I guess the best way to learn is buy doing, so I bought a $5 head from GS, a DGS300, and a grip. I'm gonna mess around with it.

[Range King]

Thanks for your insights.

As for the point, I thought it would be a pretty cool thing to do. I like playing golf, I like trying out golf equipment, so why not try making it?

It is exactly what I was thinking. I would actually enjoy the work, I am sure.

If you can start with a reasonable investment, this might be a good way to serve the equipment fetish. Did you have success yet? Dom

[Monsieurgolf]

I am now in the fold of clubmakers that simply change my grips when they need to be done. Once you get the basic equipment, then the costs to change a grip are just the cost of the grip. You don't like the grip, change it, pretty simple.

I have also lengthened each of my irons by 1" by installing some shaft extensions. Thanks to a very helpfull clubmaker at Golfsmith, I did that myself and it was very easy and a lot less expensive. Plus, that has given me confidence to maybe go a step further and try shafts.

Finally, by doing it yourself, you aren't tied to the schedule of the clubmaker, you do it as quickly as you want.

Good luck.

[DaveLeeNC]

In my case I got into club building because I wanted to understand just exactly what was and was not important (to my swing) in various equipment options. I had just had a set of older Hogan blades reshafted with lighter shafts with a bit more flex. I liked those clubs better but had no idea why. Was it the weight or the flex or my imagination?

I'm not one of those guys that really gets a thrill out of craftsmanship as I am a bit of a klutz in that regard. But I do like actually understanding what is and isn't important to me regarding equipment.

dave

[Range King]

What are good manufacturers of club heads?

I am having a hard time finding e-shops selling club parts here in Germany.
Maybe I find some, if I can look for certain manufacturer names.

Dom

[indacup]

What are good manufacturers of club heads?

If you are just beginning or "dabbling", ya wanna go low cost....some really good product at a low cost point would be Infiniti, Integra...and check out Hierko as well.

[golferman]

I have allways wondered about replacing my grips myself, can someone give me a link or a guide on how to do it?

Sorry if this is too offtopic for this forum, some places this kind of slightly off topic question is frowned upon, others it is fine. I am new here.

[indacup]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...ace_those.html

[sandtrap]

It doesn't have to be expensive to get into this. You just buy new tools as new projects come up. Chances are you have most of the tools already.

A vice a torch or heat gun and a utility knife and you can get started on repairs.
As for components, I prefer to buy proline sets slightly used and change the shafts, spine them lengthen and grip.

It's pretty easy and most people are afraid of it so you could make some money or just do favors for your friends.

Good deals on ebay if you are looking for scales or loft lie bending tools.

[Range King]

I have a first project in mind.
I would like to put DG S300 shafts to my TM Tour Burner Irons.
(Got those too early, got them with graphite shafts, dont like it, and on top lost my 7 iron)

I was thinking of getting a used set of irons for say 100 - 150 EUR and rip it apart for shafts and heads to play with.

Is this feasible?
What tools would I need? Is there any good Clubmaking 101 on the web somewhere?

Thanks for your advice,
Dom

[sandtrap]

How old are the clubs? If they have the Buble shafts I don't think DG S300 will fit.

Pulling graphite shafts is tricky. If you twist them they get destroyed. You will need a shaft puller. They push the head off while you heat the head.

I'm a believer in spineing your shafts. Once you do it you will understand.

rubber shaft holder, vice, shafting epoxy, hack saw, torch or heat gun, grip tape and solvent.

ebay
shaft puller $75
spineing tool $35

[Fourputt]

I have allways wondered about replacing my grips myself, can someone give me a link or a guide on how to do it?

I just changed the grips on 2 of my wedges... took about 1/2 hour, including setting up my Workmate, getting the stuff together, stripping the old grips and tape off (that's the hardest part of the job), installing the new ones and putting everything away.

All you need is a way to hold the club (as mentioned, I use my Black and Decker Workmate, but Golfsmith has a soft jaw attachment for a bench vise that won't damage the shaft), a utility knife, grip solvent, double sided tape, and a little bit of time. I'm not much of a handyman, but I've never had a problem right from the first time I did it. Saves a bundle of money and you can do it at your leisure, not at the convenience of the shop you take it to.

[Range King]

How old are the clubs? If they have the Buble shafts I don't think DG S300 will fit.

Hi, thanks for the list. I will get some used clubs that already have DG S300 shafts. And then I will just try to swap the shafts. I have a vice, grip tape and solvent. I am using two old grips as rubber shaft holders. Will hunt now for a shaft puller and spine tool. Thanks, Dom

[indacup]

Hi,

If you have a bathtub, you have a low cost spine finder.....

[Range King]

Could you elaborate that a little bit?

Thanks,
Dom

[Blades4me]

Hi,

I initially did it b/c I like personalizing my equipment and its much much more affordable when you do the work yourself. Its not that difficult and the knowledge you start to accumulate is very helpful. Golfsmith has a section on club repair on their web site. They also have club building classes at their stores and a very good, I think 3 day class in Austin if you are really serious.

[Blades4me]

I have a first project in mind.

Graphite shafts are the only shafts I won't pull myself. I've screwed too many up with too much heat. I just take them to my favorite golf store and they pull them for 5 bux, plus when done correctly they are reuseable.

For clubmaking refer to above post, RE: golfsmith store(s).