SMT Durometer

Cheers for that. Got some of that stuff already. Can you recommend some grips for me. I'm gonna try to lengthen my current shafts and re grip. will i need to change lie or loft as a results of the shaft lengthening. Not got any equipment for this so i'd rather not.

Can i ask. what effect will chopping of an inch and adding and inch and a half do to my ball flight. I'm after a lower ball flight I hit it too high.

Ok Lowpost, I've decided on my plan of action.

I'm gonna get the clubs assembled by bighit, and when it comes to getting new irons I'll have a pro club-builder do it for me, and at the same time get him to adjust the wedges appropriately.

Is it fair to assume that any club-builder worth his salt would be capable for spining/FLOing, frequency matching, swingweight matching and MOI matching? Generally would they be prepared to use clubheads that I supplied?

I just did some static measuring, and I'm about 6'5" with a WTF of 39.5". So according to the charts that puts me at 1.5" longer, and 3* upright, is that about right? As I understand it, for each inch you add in length you get 2* more upright, so 1.5" represents 3* which is roughly what I'm after. Though I do understand that this would be a starting point, and ideally you would do a dynamic lie test.

Anyway, thanks for all your help!!

Chris

It will slightly soften the flex (but probably not noticably). It will increase the swingweight by 2 points. It will lower your ball flight some (stiffer tip).

Hi Chris,

Any clubmaker worth his salt should have the skills and tools required to do all that you mentioned, yes. MOI matching is a relatively 'new' technique, however swingweight matching or stepping is ages old.

A lot of clubmakers substitute build length for lie bending, but this limits them to manipulating shafts only. In other words, if someone wants their clubs 2° up, they have to extend the shaft 1" (rather than using a bending machine, per se).

As for your dynamic fit:

You say your recommendation is +1.5" AND 3° up. So, to use length rather than bend, you actually need to be +3" (your recommended 1.5, plus another 1.5 for the 3°).

__________________
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A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Those figure were obtained from a website I can no longer find, but it was basically two independant charts, one for length and one for lie. So I used my height and WTF in the length chart and got +1.5"; then used height and WTF in the lie chart and obtained 3* up. I had assumed that the charts were totally separate, and thus the increase in length would provide the necessary change in lie.

I think I'm gonna oder them anyway, with an extra 1.5", and sort out the lies at a later date when I get the rest of the clubs done. I reckon I can live with them being too flat for a while as I wont be playing too much golf over the winter.

Take it easy,

Cheers, Chris

I would certainly agree with ordering them longer. Even 2 or 3 inches longer. It's easier to cut 'em down than to extend 'em back. They'll play a little stiffer cut down, but since you're experimenting, you may want to leave yourself some room to play. Or, if you're ordering more than one club, get them built to different lengths, and see what you like best. Then adjust the other clubs to suit.

If you really want to start getting into putting your own clubs together, Golfworks has a great starter kit, to get your workshop going for under $500, won't have the freq matcher, or bending, but unless your going to build alot of clubs, it would be more cost effective to have it done, you could also buy as you go.

http://www.golfworks.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_GW1206

That IS a good kit. Where was that when I started? Oh, wait - I probably looked at it, but didn't get the green light to spend the $500. If only I knew then what I know now, it would have been money well spent (and money and time well saved).

In the end, I accidentally bought at set of Ping I3 blades off ebay for £200 incl p&p. I found a 2nd hand set in a local discount golf shop for £250, so I went home to check out the average ebay price and found a set of 2-SW in white dot (3 up) which is probably what I require. With 3 days left they were £185 so I thought I'd put in a bid of £190 just to see what happened, as it turned out no-one else bid in the 3 days and I was stuck with them!!

I'm not too bothered as I know they are excellent clubs and they are supposed to be in excellent condition, however, I'm no longer in the position financially to be buying the Durometers... So I'm going to have to wait a while before I do.

As for the starter club-builder kit, it does look very good, but as I say I'm more or less skint! If my planned career path doesn't pan out I think I'd be quite interested in getting into club-building professionally.


Anyway, thanks again for your help.