Heavy Clubs

[denver_nuggs_15]

Anyone use clubs with higher swingweights (D6-E2). I'm just wondering because I measured my Pings and they were like E1 or E0. What the hell! It kind of angered me when I found this out. They were supposed to be like D4 in the irons and D6 in the wedges when taking the added length into consideration...BUT E0 and E1!!!

But is there any downside? Is there any upside to higher swingweights? Is there anything that I can do to lower the swing weight?


Thanks.

[Stacey_E]

Anyone use clubs with higher swingweights (D6-E2). I'm just wondering because I measured my Pings and they were like E1 or E0. What the hell! It kind of angered me when I found this out. They were supposed to be like D4 in the irons and D6 in the wedges when taking the added length into consideration...BUT E0 and E1!!!

That almost sounds like they were assembled with the same weight heads and same weight shafts as a stock length. The reason I say that is because they are right at 6 swingweights higher and that is about the change you would expect if you go up one inch.

I'd say the main downside is that you know about it now. Hopefully it won't get in your head. If you find yourself regripping at the top of your swing or fighting the club during the swing, then I'd say it's too high. As an upside, with a higher swingweight you can feel the club better and If you don't fight it, it should smooth out your tempo. You could lower the swingweight several ways. The ideas below are just generalizations since I don't remeber all the specs exactly. So please take the numbers with a grain of salt.... Decrease head weight...2 grams less in the head will decrease 1 SW Decrease the shaft weight...7-9 grams less will decrease 1 SW Increase the grip weight...5 grams INCREASE will decrease 1 SW (but increase overall weight) Shorten the clubs 1/4"...will decrease SW 1.25 points Good luck! You might want to research those numbers before taking them to heart.

[hamletsdead]

I seem to recall someone saying gripping down had the effect of lowering swingweight. Grip down like Kim and swing away!

Kind of lame if you had your clubs custom-made for them to just slap on stock heads, but what can you expect from major manufacturers aside from cookie cutter b.s.? Too hard for them to shave the irons or give you a shaft that would fit the swingweight you wanted.

[RC]

Many years ago Cockran and Stobbs measured swing speeds at different swing weights, and if I recall correctly the response curve is relatively flat from C9 to E0 (or something like that.) What that means is you swing about the same speed -- not exactly but close. However, higher swing weights do help you feel the club head to some degree. The overall weight and shaft length are much larger factors on club head speed.

In the distant past (I'm talking wooden headed driver days) in long drive contests, I used an E2 swing weight driver at 6 degrees but the swing weight was mostly due to a shaft that was 1 & 1/2 inches longer, but there was also some melted lead added to the club head (back when you had screw in sole plates.) How I got to E2 with that club was trial and error. As long as the swing speed and distance did not decrease, we kept adding to the weight and swing weight, balancing a bit with the weight of butt plugs in the handle. You can do that until suddenly swing speed starts dropping as does distance, or until you notice you have a regripping issue as you start the lower body downswing while the club is still going back. Spotting a regrip is hard because it may only be a very small gapping near the heel of the left hand -- very hard to see or feel. Guys with weaker hands or poor grips actually regrip a lot if the club is taken back too far. For example, at E4, I could not maintain good control of the grip.

So the advice here in a post above by Stacy_E is important... if you have any regripping then the swing weight is too high or you need some grip improvement. Another little note... if you do not grip the club in the fingers of the left hand and have the butt end of the club too far up in the hand (against the side of the heel pad for example), then the odds are you will have a bit of a regripping going on -- and you may not even know it.

[Stacey_E]

I seem to recall someone saying gripping down had the effect of lowering swingweight.

Yeah I've always heard that too. The theory being that you are basically shortening the shaft/fulcrum point and thus lowering the swingweight. Plus you are adding backweight behind the hands which lowers the swingweight as well. You still have the same overall weight. Just something I read as well.