Backweighting

[GreensDruid]

Recently I came across a product that allows you to put extra weight in the grip of your clubs - backweighting, according to the description.

Does anyone know how backweighting affects a club? How is it different from weighting the head or the shaft of a club? When should someone consider backweighting a club?

Many thanks.

[gas_can]

Recently I came across a product that allows you to put extra weight in the grip of your clubs - backweighting, according to the description.

GreensDruid,

Backweighting is officially called counterbalancing and it achieves two things: increasing static weight and reducing swing weight. If you increase the head weight of a golf club, or it's overall length, the swing weight will go up. Counterbalancing is an easy way to bring the swing weight back to normal. However, the effectiveness of counterbalancing in reducing swing weight is highly debated. Since the weight is in your hands many people feel it has no effect on swing weight much the same as a glove or a ring on your hand would not make a golf club feel different. I'll let you make up your own mind on the effectiveness of it though.

[GreensDruid]

Thanks for the response GasCan. As always, your posts are useful and informative.

I don't think I'll be counterbalancing my clubs - so far I've been increasing swing weight, if anything. But thanks to your post, I can see the theory behind weighting near the grip. I was just interested to know what it was and why it might be done.

Thanks again.

[Bushman]

If I were you......I would seriously consider "giving backweighting a try".  I played golf in college for a well known university and always liked my clubs with a heavier swingweight (D6).  However, as I have gotten older and wiser, I have found through experimenting with backweighting that I hit the ball much more consistently and AT LEAST 15% further with most clubs.  There is no need to go crazy and buy the tubes that fit into the shaft and then regrip your clubs.  If you want to try each and every club out with backweigting, simply go to Edwin Watts WEB SITE only and order the Momentus X counter balance.  It simply sticks in the hole in the butt of ANY grip and is easily interchangable to other clubs as you practice.  Be aware.....Edwin Watts DOES NOT offer this product in the retail stores........only on their website.  Believe me, it's worth the $19.95 just to have some fun and to see how much distance you gain with certain clubs.  I have found my 3 thru 7 iron are much better backweighted, but not my short irons.  I also LOVE IT in my hybrid and 3 wood.  It's insane how much difference there is on certain clubs.  Just thought I would throw you my advice from experience.  It really is so simple to use and you only need to buy 1 to test all clubs.  No need in buying more unless you have great success with several clubs.

Good luck and I hope I have helped in some way.

Bushman

[HighSide]

Originally Posted by Bushman

If I were you......I would seriously consider "giving backweighting a try".  I played golf in college for a well known university and always liked my clubs with a heavier swingweight (D6).  However, as I have gotten older and wiser, I have found through experimenting with backweighting that I hit the ball much more consistently and AT LEAST 15% further with most clubs.  There is no need to go crazy and buy the tubes that fit into the shaft and then regrip your clubs.  If you want to try each and every club out with backweigting, simply go to Edwin Watts WEB SITE only and order the Momentus X counter balance.  It simply sticks in the hole in the butt of ANY grip and is easily interchangable to other clubs as you practice.  Be aware.....Edwin Watts DOES NOT offer this product in the retail stores........only on their website.  Believe me, it's worth the $19.95 just to have some fun and to see how much distance you gain with certain clubs.  I have found my 3 thru 7 iron are much better backweighted, but not my short irons.  I also LOVE IT in my hybrid and 3 wood.  It's insane how much difference there is on certain clubs.  Just thought I would throw you my advice from experience.  It really is so simple to use and you only need to buy 1 to test all clubs.  No need in buying more unless you have great success with several clubs.

Good luck and I hope I have helped in some way.

Bushman

Good info. As an aside, I believe Nicklaus' driver with steel shaft weighed 375 grams but swingweighted at C9. Let's say you try the Momentus X in a couple of clubs. Do you leave the widened hole in the grip you no longer have it in the club?

[WUTiger]

Counterweighting was popular back in the 1970s among stronger golfers who wanted to make their swings less "handsy." People would put a small fishing weight in the butt end of the club when they were regripping. It was just a feel thing, I don't know of any "how to" weight charts from the era.

A few years ago I noticed new interest in counterweighting. Golfsmith did some tests on cw around 2004. Here's a summary of the results from another blog:

http://www.shottalk.com/threads/backweighting.24705/

(Sorry I can't find the original report; I came across it online in past, but can't find it now)

One suggested advantage: a golfer who likes heavier shafts but has lower clubhead speed can get the heavier feel but still use lighter overall shafts.

Some pros like it, others don't.

(Edit = reinsert article link)

[Clambake]

Originally Posted by Bushman

If I were you......I would seriously consider "giving backweighting a try".  .........Good luck and I hope I have helped in some way.

Bushman

This HAS to win the award for resurrecting the oldest thread.    Over 6 years since the prior posts - this may be a record!