When building a set of golf clubs, there are many other things besides simply assembling the parts. To build a new desk from IKEA, you are basically just following strict step-by-step instructions. However, the construction of golf clubs requires a combination of art, science and experience, and many details will affect the appearance and performance of the golf club.
A small mistake in the club building department would completely destroy the golf club. Failure to properly connect the shaft to the driver may break the mid-swing motion and cause the club head to fly downward. Unable to understand the causality of some club adjustments, and if you unknowingly want to draw lots, you may unknowingly set the club to fade. Ignore certain precautions and you will have to rebuild the club from scratch.
The point is that there may be mistakes in the club building process. Most golfers, even most professional players-although there are some exceptions to the Tour de France-let the experts do it. Others want more hands-on.
For this article, I want to help people who are new to golf clubs or who have been using golf for a while but may have overlooked some key elements.
Since I am by no means an expert club builder, I sought the help of David McKee, the production manager of True Spec Golf, a sister company of GOLF.com. Unlike myself, he is an expert in club building and has built clubs for various types of golfers (including tour players and major winners). With his insight, I crafted the first 6 mistakes DIY club builders make when assembling/repairing/adjusting golf clubs.
It is easy to forget that changing one component of a golf club will affect the entire club structure. Therefore, when adjusting a particular element of a golf club, remember to consider how it affects other aspects.
For example, suppose your grip on the current club is too light and too thin, so you want to use some wraps and some lead tape underneath to strengthen it. This will affect the overall swing weight of the club and the performance of the shaft during the entire swing. In this case, you may have to add weight to the club head to offset the added weight to the grip end of the club. In addition, the precise location of the added weight on the head may affect the center of gravity.
Remember, when you want to change a variable of the club, understand exactly what you want, why you want it and how this will change the overall concept of the club in terms of construction and performance.
Like golf, club building has its own language. Understanding the basic terminology is crucial, otherwise things will become a mess. Imagine that when trying to fix the golf swing, the terms “slice” and “hook” are mixed together? It will quickly become very messy.
The same is true for club building. For example, as McKee explained, some club builders confuse “hard steps” with “soft steps”. Soft stepping refers to using 5 soldering iron shafts in 6 soldering irons, 6 soldering iron shafts in 7 soldering irons, and so on. Obviously, hard stepping is the opposite. The advantage of a soft pedal is to obtain greater flexibility and increase launch and rotation, while a hard pedal makes the axle stronger and reduces the flight and rotation of the ball.
As you can see, confused soft and hard steps can exacerbate the problem you are trying to solve. Therefore, by reading books, magazines or the Internet, understand the essential club building terms. If you have any confusion, another option is to consult a local expert.
“In terms of club building, it is undoubtedly a stupid question,” McGee said. “Please feel free to contact the club building experts. I know I would be happy to help anyone install the equipment correctly.”
Just a few days ago, McKee said that he had a customer who brought a drive. The size of the drive was 48.5 inches, and the customer thought it was 47 inches. How did this happen?
In this example, for example, measuring the length of a golf club is not as simple as laying it flat and stretching you to measure the floor with a tape measure. The USGA and the golf industry generally use certain golf club-specific measuring equipment.
Unfortunately, ignorance is not an acceptable excuse when it comes to equipment rules. When USGA believes that your club’s participation in the game is illegal and is punished, “I used the wrong measuring device” will not appear.
In addition to legality, the use of incorrect measuring equipment can severely affect the club’s perception and performance and your expectations. If you are baking pies and use a teaspoon to measure out a “tbsp” of flour, you will find that things go bad (not the best example, but you will understand).
It should also be mentioned that some companies may use slightly different measurement tools. Therefore, clubs can be measured differently depending on the methods and tools used.
Golf club manufacturers who construct golf club parts construct them in a certain way for some reason. Being too far away from the club design may cause problems with the integrity and performance of the club.
For example, a shaft manufactured by a shaft manufacturer had only a 2-inch parallel section before tapering. In the specifications of this shaft, the company may recommend a maximum tilt of 1.5 inches. Therefore, if you decide to tilt the shaft 2.5 inches, it will cause various problems when trying to connect the shaft to the club head.
Another example is the attic of iron rods or wedges that bend too much. Each iron and wedges are designed with a specific bounce. For each changed stakeout angle, you actually have to change the bounce angle by an angle. So, if you want to reduce the flight of the 7 iron and want to reduce the loft by 3 degrees (!), remember that you are significantly affecting the bounce of the club head. In this example, you will eliminate the 3 degree jump, which may cause the turf to be too large and affect the impact conditions.
The best solution to solve these problems is to consult the OEM regarding the original specifications of the club head before turning too far off course and damaging the club head or shaft.
During the entire practice process, matching the swing weight of the golf club may be an important and beneficial aspect of golf club construction. However, swing weight is not everything.
Suppose your driver measures C8, and you want it to be D2. If you only add the weight of the four swing weight points to the club head, you may risk the overall weight of the club head.
On the reverse side, you can focus on swing weight. Suppose you want to add a gradient deflection to the head of the driver to prevent the ball from flying to the left, so you add a bunch of lead tape to the toe. Depending on how much you use, all of these lead tapes can have a huge impact on swing weight and fundamentally change the feel.
McKee recommends investing in a rocking weight scale to pay close attention to how your adjustments affect the measurement. But don’t sacrifice sense and common sense in order to achieve a specific swing weight.
We will eventually study sealing gaskets in more depth, but for this article it is worth at least a brief overview.
A ferrule is a small plastic object located between the head and shaft. They make the transition from the head to the shaft look smoother. As McKee explained, today’s sealing gaskets are purely aesthetic, but they are an important part of the club’s appearance. Looping is also an easy task.
Since the outer diameter of the ferrule is usually wider than the hosel of the club, the size of the ferrule needs to be “tuned down”. There are many different ways to do this, and many home club builders have their own skills. However, McKee recommends using a felt strip on the abrasive belt to connect the ferrule to the socket and shaft. He warned that the use of sandpaper puts the club head at risk of scratches and damage to the finish.
Although the theme of this article is tortuous, building your own golf clubs is very interesting, beneficial and beneficial. At the very least, it’s great to understand how golf clubs are made and how golf clubs actually hit the ball on the court.
When you first start learning, no matter how many books you read or how many tutorials you watch, you will mess up some clubs. This is why it’s best to learn ropes on old equipment that you won’t actually use. Learn how to bend and lie down. Learn how to re-register for the club. Learn how to take the cue apart and put it back in place. Then, when you understand the process and have experience, you can start using gamers.
To listen to more gear insights from Jonathan Wall and True Spec’s Tim Briand, subscribe and listen to GOLF’s fully equipped podcast every week: iTunes | SoundCloud | Spotify | Stapler