Another stupid shaft question

[Eracer]

I'm beginning to think I'm going insane. There are days when I can hit my 4-wood, and it goes straight. Then there are days I feel I have to "feather it" to get it to go straight (it goes long no matter what.) It's the most inconsistent club I own. Smokin' hot one day, a beer-goggles prize the next.

I'm pretty sure a shaft upgrade will help. Should I go for a steel shaft - a TT Lite maybe? I had one of those in an old Ping 3-wood and loved it. Or should I start playing the shaft game, spending scads of money trying to find one that feels right?

Or maybe I should just start ho'ing 4-woods...

[LyleG]

Originally Posted by Eracer

I'm beginning to think I'm going insane. There are days when I can hit my 4-wood, and it goes straight. Then there are days I feel I have to "feather it" to get it to go straight (it goes long no matter what.) It's the most inconsistent club I own. Smokin' hot one day, a beer-goggles prize the next.

I'm pretty sure a shaft upgrade will help. Should I go for a steel shaft - a TT Lite maybe? I had one of those in an old Ping 3-wood and loved it. Or should I start playing the shaft game, spending scads of money trying to find one that feels right?

Or maybe I should just start ho'ing 4-woods...

You need to figure out a few things first.

How far do you hit your 4 wood?

Do you like the weight of the current shaft?

Do you like the ball flight of the club the way it is?

Do you find the spin you get is OK, no ballooning?

Are you after more distance with this club, or better accuracy?

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by LyleG

You need to figure out a few things first.

How far do you hit your 4 wood?

Do you like the weight of the current shaft?

Do you like the ball flight of the club the way it is?

Do you find the spin you get is OK, no ballooning?

Are you after more distance with this club, or better accuracy?

Off the tee I hit it about 220 yards. I want accuracy. All I really want out of my 4-wood is a "go to" club off the tee. I'd like to get continue to get 220 out of it, since I hit my 3-hybrid 190-200. I seldom, if ever, use the 4-wood to reach par 5's, since I don't go for many. Generally, if I need to hit the ball over 200 yards from the fairway, I'll use my 3-hybrid and take 195.

I think the current shaft is a bit light, but it's hard to tell. The swingweight is way out of line with the rest of my clubs. My driver is D2, my irons are all around D2, and the 4-wood is D8.

I like the trajectory, but it goes so far left sometimes that it endangers golfers on the back nine, never mind the next fairway over, lol.

I think the spin is good. Nice mid-high launch, with good runout.

Like I said, there are days when I hit the club well, but honestly, those are mostly days when I choke up an inch and play for a "stinger" shot, or when I try to "feather" a little fade. Full swings are VERY unpredicatable, except that the miss is almost always WAY left.

[LyleG]

D8, are you sure about that?

Going to a heavier shaft would only increase the swing weight even more (if you stay at the same length).

How long is this 4 wood (measured in playing position)?

Personally I would go with a 75 or 85g graphite shaft with a mid tip and mid bend profile. With a normally weighted 4 wood head a playing length of about 42 inches should swing weight at around D2. HArd to really tell what is going on with that club for SW to be that high. If it was bought used I would think someone put weight in the head, or a tip weight in the shaft.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by LyleG

D8, are you sure about that?

Going to a heavier shaft would only increase the swing weight even more (if you stay at the same length).

How long is this 4 wood (measured in playing position)?

Personally I would go with a 75 or 85g graphite shaft with a mid tip and mid bend profile. With a normally weighted 4 wood head a playing length of about 42 inches should swing weight at around D2. HArd to really tell what is going on with that club for SW to be that high. If it was bought used I would think someone put weight in the head, or a tip weight in the shaft.

I'll check it agin. But my SW gauge seems reasonably repeatable. I'll measure it tonight.

[RickinMA]

have you considered shortening it a little bit? not sure what the current length is, but if the if it feels too heavy and the swingweight is higher, maybe taking 1/2" off the butt would be just what you need to get the weight to feel right and shorten it up to a slightly more controlable length?

I just reread your post - if choking up and inch helps you hit it better, definitely try shortening it a tad before you just start reshafting

[LyleG]

Cutting off an inch would also drop the swing weight by exactly 6 points. Putting this at D2 or exactly where he seems to like his other sticks.

[Eracer]

The club gets a haircut tonight!

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by Eracer

The club gets a haircut tonight!

Give it a Brazilian and be sure to post a picture in Member's Only.

[Eracer]

I was going to reply, but a picture of my wood with a Brazilian was just too horrifying to contemplate...

I took care to level the SW gauge and measured it again. Measured it at D5. I cut 3/4" off it, and it's now at D1.

Range test soon...

[ezra76]

CompNT

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by ezra76

CompNT

Got an 85g R-flex laying around? All I've got is a 65g, and I don't know if that's heavy enough.

[ezra76]

No but keep an eye out on fleabay. There are a lot of R flex's on there that go dirt cheap.