club fitter/builder guys... driver shaft question

[niblick]

I've read alot about the benefits of shorter driver shafts, and I'd like to experiment. Is is as simple as hacking an inch off the end and regripping, or is this something I'd have to have done by a pro?

[SiberianDVM]

It depends.

If you can hack an inch or so off the butt end without splintering the graphite, then go ahead. Then just regrip.

You may have to re-swingweight, depending on how much you hack off, and how sensitive you are to swingweight. Lead tape is readily available, and I put about a 4" strip on the rear bottom of my 905R after cutting it down to 44". Some clubmakers will put weight inside the head or shaft, but the lead tape is a lot easier.

[JohnnyHabs]

Shorter Drivers are very beneficial. Most players on the PGA Tour use drivers that are 44.5" and sometimes even shorter. Sergio Garcia used a 43.5" driver for the longest time, not sure if he still does though. Lots of players will actually hit a driver further with a shorter shafted driver due to the fact that they can hit the center of the club face more consistant which in returns results in more ball speed. If you do decide to shorten the club, there are couple of things you can do to balance the swingweight. One is lead tape as mentioned above. The other is going with a lighter weight grip. For example most grips are around 50 grams, if you use like a Golf Pride Dual Duramator these are only 39-40 grams. 2 grams equals 1 swingweight, so you can balance this out easily. Also if the club is a :smilie_tmdriver you can use there movable weight technology to counter the headweight by adding heavier weights.

[RickinMA]

the club may feel to light if you just butt trim - to fix that, you'd have to add weight to the head

if you add a lot of weight to the head, it will soften the flex of the shaft. so, if the shaft is a little on the stiff side for you, go for it, if it's already a little soft for you - see a clubmaker and have him pull the shaft, trim the tip, then reassemble with added weight

or, just pull the shaft, and experiment with a cheap shaft that you can cut and throw away if you decide you don't like it

[niblick]

thanks for the suggestions guys.

[LyleG]

Johnny,

Great post. The only part I disagree with is going to a lighter grip. When changing the weight at the butt end, especially under the hands the effect on head feel is very minmal if at all. You simply fool the scale doing this. It is infact the whole premise of counter balancing (back weighting). You move the balance point but have no effect on head feel. Increasing swing weight through added head weight is the only way to achieve more actual head feel. JMHO.