Now swing weight is a concept that balances the weight of the grip end (and shaft) of the club to its headweight. It is expressed as an alphabetical and numerical number, such as C8 (a standard for lissome lady players) or D0 (for active men over 50) or D5 (which is about the top limit for powerfully-built under-35s). It is at least an attempt to produce a uniform ‘feel’ in a set of clubs, despite the difference in their length, which is a major factor in a matched set, the other being the flex of their shafts.
Steel shafts were initially graded by flex, which was defined only by weight. ‘L’ and ‘A’ flex shafts were the most flexible, or whippy and the lightest; then came ‘R’ for regular, ‘S’ for stiff and the ‘X’ flexed or stiffest shafts that were the heaviest. Light-weight alloy shafts, which appeared with the high-tech developments in the 1970s, brought other dimensions. Shafts could be stiff, yet light-weight and they had a range of ‘flexpoints’ (a low flexpoint apparently whips the head of the club through impact giving a higher ball flight). Graphite shafts, the lightest of all with vibration dampening properties, have added new variables. Torque for one. This is the twisting of the shaft as club meets ball. Too much, or too little, torque can make straightening that slice much more difficult. One wonders what Bobby Jones would have made of it all.
Today, shaft selection is a highly confusing, esoteric area. There are more than 100 companies worldwide manufacturing over 10,000 types of shaft. Most produce data where the speed of a golfer’s swing helps to choose the ‘ideal’ shaft for him or her. With a speed of between 65–70 mph, there are some 31 different makes to ponder over. The whole process is far too complicated for the average golfer, who hasn’t the time or inclination to get immersed in such technicalities. Fortunately, there are some guidelines to simplify matters.
You should have clubs that you can swing easily and fast, which still allow you to control the clubhead within your ideal swing tempo. Now the lighter the clubhead, the faster its speed and the stiffer the shaft, the greater the control. This is why top Tour pros have light-headed drivers with stiffish shafts. They like to feel the club is a solid unit and if a club golfer swings one of their clubs (try one at your next Pro-Am) it’s like swishing a cut-down billiard cue. The ‘click’ as it strikes the ball has much the same sensation as hitting a billiard ball as well. These clubs are designed for powerful professional athletes who can generate high clubhead speed without any help from the flex of the club. They are not for the club player.
MOST CASUAL GOLFER’S CLUB ARE FAR TOO HEAVY.
Nor is the other extreme of a whippy shaft and a heavy clubhead. With this option, the club will flex more during the swing and you will get more “feel” (which was probably why Matt liked Brian’s new four iron). But your timing has to be spot-on. Powerfully built golfers may hit the ball miles with them, but with hardly any control. Heavy clubs are also not suitable for the club golfer and many Tour and teaching pros believe that golfers generally use clubs that are far too heavy (probably because clubhead weight gives a sensation of power).
Shaft flex, however, is important. The more senior, slightly-built golfer (like Brian) who plays an average of once a week, has a limited ability to generate clubhead speed and often has a slow swing tempo with little hand action. A whippy ‘A’ flex shaft, coupled with a light swing weight of C9, could give a good balance between clubhead speed and control.
Middle-aged sedentary golfers who play regularly (like Doug) often lack real clubhead speed despite having a more powerful physique. In such a case the best balance for performance is generally an ‘R’ flex shaft with a D0 – D1 swing weight. Finally, for the active players under 50 (particularly for those who have played hockey or cricket in their youth, like Matt) and who tend to hit hard through the ball, an ‘S’ or stiff flex could be O.K. An ‘R’ flex might be better, but the swing weight should be kept to between D1 and D3.
Once you have decided on the right specs for your clubs, you should be able to get a perfectly matched set easily. You should though be aware that few Tour pros use clubs that are matched, despite the manufacturer’s logos worn on bag or visor. Their bags might contain a very stiff, light-headed driver, or a 2-wood which several use for safety, (Bobby Locke setting the precedent,) plus a fairway wood of a different make. There would be a variety of makers’ names on the one, three, four and five irons and an equal variation on the soles of the pitching clubs. Locke has found through many hours of practice (which the club golfer abhors) what suits him best.
But are they matched? Well, there is the apocryphal story of Bobby Jones who won 13 majors with a selection of hand-crafted clubs gleaned from all over Britain and the US. Such was his feel for weight and flex that when they were tested, it was said they were perfectly matched – except for one club. “Ah yes,” said Jones, “I was never really happy with that niblick” (the equivalent of an 8-iron).
Golf club technology has evolved considerably since the days of Bobby Jones and golfers should be aware of the clubhead options in the 1990s. The shape of clubheads in the 1960’s and 1970s (still used by many today) were flat at the back. Forged from mild steel alloys, they were hand beaten out of a mould and gave a “soft feel” on striking the ball. Today’s heads are most likely to be cavity backed and investment cast from slightly harder metals. (Sorry if this all sounds too technical, but it has to be explained).
Now investment casting is a process where molten metal is poured into ceramic shells, which are broken when everything cools, resulting in more accurate heads. Cavity backed models are perimeter weighted (the weight is all in the rim) which is said to diminish the effects of off-centre impacts. Their lower centre of gravity gives a higher ball flight and most have a four-way radius (they are bevelled from front to back and heel to toe) which means they should slide easier through the rough.
The lofts of today’s clubs (the angle of the club face to the vertical) are also quite a lot stronger than earlier models from the 1970s. Typically, a modern wood will be one degree stronger (a modern three has 16 degrees of loft, compared to 17 degrees for a traditional model). Equally a 1990s 3-iron will have 21 degrees of loft, compared to 24, while all the other modern irons from the four to the pitching wedge are four degrees stronger. This really means that a 1990s 5-iron, with 28 degrees of loft, is equivalent to a 1970s 4-iron. No wonder that modern perimeter weighted clubs with lower centres of gravity and stronger loft shit the ball straighter, higher and further – or at least are supposed to.
But take note – not all club manufacturers have the same loft standards so you must check before you buy. Your club pro should also check your lofts once a year or so, which is something Tour pros do constantly. You can see this whenever you visit a tournament. Parked, usually beside the practice ground, are two or three exotic converted ‘mobile homes’, provided by golf club construction companies, which follow the PGA Euro Tour. They are really mobile workshops and they have the club makers logos emblazoned on their sides, plus those of shaft makers and sponsors. There is a constant stream of Tour pros tracking in and out clutching various clubs, often when they’ve finished their round for the day.
Inside (if you could talk your way in) you would find a well stocked fridge (no alcohol), comfy seats and a TV with video. The rest of the space is a real golfer’s workshop, crammed with stacks of shafts, irons, drivers and putters. There is also a machine (often a digital one) that can measure loft to the tenth of a degree and it takes only a few minutes to check any club. Tour pros need to know if their clubs are performing as they should – and the club golfer should seek similar reassurance at least once a year.
After all, with regular play, you could develop a weak 4-iron, a perfect (modern lofted) five and a strong 6-iron which would mean you were carrying three 5-irons.