Should I cut?

[k-troop]

Someone is about to tell me "hey, the forum has a search feature."

I'm debating whether to cut my driver and 3-wood, and maybe my hybrid as well, 1/2" to 1".

For starters, I recently (within the last 5 months) switched to "modern" woods.  I had been playing Titleist 983E 9.5-deg and 980F 15-deg, both with TTDG steel stiff shafts.  Heavy to say the least, but straight and workable.  Not long, but long enough.  The driver was 43.5" and the 3-wood was probably 41.5" or 42".

I switched to Titleist 910 D3 (9.5, adjusted to 8.75) and 910F 13.5.  Both have the Mitsubishi ahina (whiteboard) 73 gram in X-flex.  Stock lengths with the driver at 45" and the 3-wood at 42.5".

They feel too long.  I am always choking down on both driver and 3-wood, sometimes as much as 2 or 3 inches.

I get good distance with both, averaging about 290 with the D and 255-260 with the 3.  I'm comfortable with the weight.  I'm not hitting the ball in the center of the face as often as I'd like, but when I do the distance numbers really jump.

I'm wondering if I cut down (max of 1") off of both clubs if I'd see an improvement in consistency and center contact.  As I said, the clubs just feel long, and I'm usually choking down at least 1".  I don't want to cut the shaft if it's going to significantly change the way the shaft feels, though--I generally like my launch angle and spin (when I swing on plane, anyway).  Logic tells me that a shorter shaft will be easier to get on plane and release at the right moment more consistently.

I'm aware that Titleist sells a weight kit that can fix swingweight if that could become an issue by cutting.

I'm also just generally concerned with the length gaps in shafts.  My 3-iron is 39", hybrid is 41", 3-wood is 42.5", and D is 45".  I'm thinking about cutting all of them to create a more natural progression through the bag, with 3-iron at 39", hybrid at 40.5", 3-wood at 42", and driver at 44".

Thoughts?

[rustyredcab]

I have same clubs with PX shafts and asked here about cutting them down an inch or so. Everyone scared me off cutting because of change to swing-weight (hotly debated if it matters with a butt cut vs. choking up) and because of the potential of messing up the bend profile of the shaft -- also debated a bit. So, I am just a choke up an inch or so guy. I decided the risk of messing up my expensive shafts was too great.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/41703/cutting-shaft-at-grip-end-question

[kcgolfa1]

Personally, I wouldn't. It changes the dynamics of the shaft and the club. That shaft was designed for the club and vice versa. I cut down my Taylor Made Burner 09 and it was never the same. :-(

[TourSpoon]

I cut my Cally down 1/2" with no problem. I lost 2 swingweights but picked 1 back up with a grip change.  I still choke down 1/2" to 1" and have no loss in distance.

[inthehole]

I cut my drivers down - I don't approach the driver for ultimate length, but controllability.      With an inch and a quarter off, I am exponentially more consistent & don't bottom out.     Worked wonders for me & I have actually gained yardage, due to consistently hitting the sweet spot.     To me, whatever distance lost (if any), is insignificant.

[awmgolfer]

I also choke down as I really like my swing weight right now but will be picking up a new driver next year and will probably have it cut. I choke down about an inch on my current driver and the loss of distance is minimal but the gain in accuracy makes it all worth it. The main thing with choking down is sometimes I forget to do it so having it already cut to the length I woudl like will take that issue away.

[gunslinger2803]

I had my R11 re-shafted and cut down by a professional club maker, I am now much more consistent and have gained considerable distance. My advise would be to see a professional club maker and tell them what the problem is and what you are looking for and let them work their magic.

[LBlack14]

I'm still tryin' to figure out why folks dwell on swing weight. It's a number that means nothing really.

[k-troop]

I did it.  Cut 3/4" off the driver (down to 44.25), 1/2" off of the 3-wood (down to 42"), and 1/2" off the hybrid (down to 40").  Can really see the difference on the driver and hybrid, as I'm holding the grip in a more natural spot (with 1/4" to 1" of the grip sticking out), with the length of the club looking and feeling more comfortable/natural at address.  The 3-wood still feels a little long when I address a ball on the turf, but that's probably just a personal issue I have.

No noticeable difference in the feel or weight of any club.  Hit a few balls on the monitor in the shop, and everything felt fine.  Haven't tested on the course yet, so we'll see--but so far it doesn't seem that I have completely ruined the finely-tuned machine that is the golf shaft.

[dbwood]

Originally Posted by k-troop

I did it.  Cut 3/4" off the driver (down to 44.25), 1/2" off of the 3-wood (down to 42"), and 1/2" off the hybrid (down to 40").  Can really see the difference on the driver and hybrid, as I'm holding the grip in a more natural spot (with 1/4" to 1" of the grip sticking out), with the length of the club looking and feeling more comfortable/natural at address.  The 3-wood still feels a little long when I address a ball on the turf, but that's probably just a personal issue I have.

No noticeable difference in the feel or weight of any club.  Hit a few balls on the monitor in the shop, and everything felt fine.  Haven't tested on the course yet, so we'll see--but so far it doesn't seem that I have completely ruined the finely-tuned machine that is the golf shaft.

Glad your experiment seems to be working.

Just a couple of thoughts for others considering the same. Lets say your choking down on the club and you measure that the distance from the tip of your right thumb to the top of the hosel is 36 inches and there's 2 inches of club butt sticking out from the back of your left hand. Lets say you really like the feel of that length and what it does for your ball flight

You cut 1 inch off of the butt of the club and re-install the grip. Now if you address the ball with the tip of your right thumb positioned still 36 inches above the hosel you will see only 1 inch of butt sticking out behind your left hand. Your hands have not changed in relation to the club head. The club will have exactly the same “effective swing weight”, (what you feel) as before even though on a swing weight scale the club will measure 6 points lighter. You will have lost ~1.5 grams of overall weight, but no normal human could feel that. The flex will be exactly the same, (it will be flexing from where your hands are, not from a clamp on the “new” end of your club on a freq analyzer).

All that you'll feel will be the slightly larger section of grip that your now holding onto, it will be a larger contact area with your fingers so that could make it feel slightly different. You won't have changed any physical qualities of the club for the worse or better, you simply will have gotten rid of 1 inch of un-used club.

If you cut 1 inch off and then move your hands 1 inch closer to the club head then you have changed things for the lighter.

I am NOT a professional club builder, or club fitter. I'm a hobbyist club maker and skilled tradesman with a keen interest in all things mechanical and technical.

[David Lake]

Butt-trimming the club by 1" will have extremely little to no affect on shaft flex. As for the swing-weight, your driver, #3 wood, and hybrid are not swing weighted in respect to any other club in your bag so this is not a consideration. What you will experience, however, is much more consistency in your ball striking and center face contact.

David Lake, President

1 Iron Golf, Inc.