As a follow up to a previous daily, Frank Stranick comes to you with some science and data about club length and the golf swing. As we have always said, longer clubs are not better. PPGS Certified Fitter Frank Stranick shows you some real data from a recent student on the length of the club. By shortening the club and adjusting the weight of the club with lead tape, Frank was able to provide the student with a club that they could hit straight down the fairway consistently. Proof that longer is not better. Contact one of our Certified Fitters or visit us with our mobile fittings with Doc.
Frank was able to record Don's swing some time ago and comments on the PPGS from a fitters perspective. If you enjoy the science of golf, you will appreciate Frank's discussion of Don's swing.
Comments
Flex of shorter shaft
Very informative video from Frank. Concise and very focused on the subject matter being discussed. I have long been a proponent of shorter driver shafts, but have always been forewarned when shortening a shaft, that if you lessen the length of the shaft, you will increase the stiffness of the club.
Nowhere in his discussion did Frank mention flex of the shaft, or any of the variables of kick, that are a factor of swing performance. He did mention swingweight and the use of lead tape to increase feel, but flex was never mentioned.
Does shortening the club increase stiffness, or is this an "old wives tale" that has been passed on down, and now thru scientific study, no longer deemed a significant factor?
Always enjoy your dailies concerning equipment. Mike Maser
Club length
Mike,
If you trim the shaft length from the Butt end you change the frequency of the shaft but not the flex. If you remove the shaft and trim from the tip end you will change the flex. If you shorten the club length you will probably have to add weight to the club head and then you have to decide which end you trim. When would you do either. First consideration is the impact feel of your shaft. Impact feel comes from the lower 15 to 20 inches of the shaft. Does the current shaft feel just right, too soft or too firm? If you add, e.g. 8 grams of weight into the head you will change the flex by approx. one flex and in this case one flex softer or say from "R" to "A". If you want to retain the original flex feel of the tip section, then you would pull the shaft and trim from the tip. The opposite is also true, e.g. Already too stiff, trim from the butt end and the added weight will lower the flex for you.
Lastly, don't spend much time worrying about flex points. Tom Wishon www.wishongolf.com has a wealth of information on his web site about shafts and is well worth the time required to view the video. Lastly, old wives tales still prevail in many cases. 90% of what a shaft does is transmit feel through your hands, the other 10% is all the bragging points made by the manufacturers.
Have a good day,
Frank Stranick
FS Gokf
The daily videos
First of all, thank you for these videos. Is it possible to turn down the volume of the music at the start of the videos. It just blasts out of my speakers and I have to quickly turn them down, but then when the video starts it is not loud enough and must be turned back up.