I've been using counter balance driver shafts in all four of my current drivers and am having great success with them. Which leads to ask, do they make counter balanced iron shafts? What wound some of the brands and models be?
Counter Balanced Iron Shafts
I am actually starting a conversation with a guy who is doing exactly that with an added weight that is matched to your body mass numbers and club weight.
Thinking about becoming a certified fitter for the system but want to test it out first.
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Thinking about becoming a certified fitter for the system but want to test it out first.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Several years ago I started with the original Balance Certified weights just in the driver and putter, installed by the fitter. I eventually got the drill bit to cut the hole in the butt of the grip myself, and the tightening tool, as well as a variety of weights to counterbalance all the clubs in my bag. The concept worked well for me. I still have 15 of them in varying weights. I used the #2 in my woods, the #9 in my putter and the #3 in all my irons. I also experimented with the #5 in both my driver and putter. I stopped the back-weighting when I started using Game Golf 5-6 years ago as the weights are incompatible with shot tracking systems where you screw the sensor into the end of the grip.
I did the same about 15 yrs ago and still have a bunch of CB Weights/Balance Certified. I am not using any of them at the moment. I think you need a patient fitter and a monitor to determine if they are helping. Most peeps use them in the putter. Many putter grips, like my current SeeMore, have a CB in the putter grip.
blueonblack
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I'm focusing more on balance points and I think a lot of shaft manufacturers have been too. I'm not up on all of the offerings, but I know there are many CB shafted products out there. Ping is a big advocate in OEM product. Not sure you have to put weights in the ends any longer for CB effect if you want it.
I'm wondering about my i95's now and their balance point. Larger butt end on them, which leads me to believe some backweighted effect.
I've heard some say the i110 is counter balanced and never knew that if that's indeed the case. They never felt that way to me?
My driver shaft right now is CB and feels good. Easier to swing from the inside with more weight toward the butt end with less effort.
Probably a good move for all of us older/injured guys to takes some strain off, and maybe lead to swinging more from the inside.
I'm wondering about my i95's now and their balance point. Larger butt end on them, which leads me to believe some backweighted effect.
I've heard some say the i110 is counter balanced and never knew that if that's indeed the case. They never felt that way to me?
My driver shaft right now is CB and feels good. Easier to swing from the inside with more weight toward the butt end with less effort.
Probably a good move for all of us older/injured guys to takes some strain off, and maybe lead to swinging more from the inside.
Jack Nicklaus always used counter balancing in his irons and woods....Not specific weightings and adjustments like done today. But usually a dime stuck on the end of the shaft. He liked to swing at D-0 while most of the rest of the golf world was more in the D-2 arena.
Can be done with some products like tour locks or with lead tape under the grip.
In terms of purposefully built designs that are counterbalanced, there are some but not as extreme as what we see in wood shafts. KBS shafts generally swingweight a little lighter than DG and PX. Nippon Modus 130 is also slightly counterbalanced.
In terms of purposefully built designs that are counterbalanced, there are some but not as extreme as what we see in wood shafts. KBS shafts generally swingweight a little lighter than DG and PX. Nippon Modus 130 is also slightly counterbalanced.
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You need to look at it shaft by shaft as not all shafts in any brand are the same regarding balance point. In fact not all shafts within a model are the same. Sometimes a R will balance out differently than an X.
You should go check out Russ Ryden's golfshaftreviews.info. You have to pay for the basic reviews ($10/year) but you get a lot of info including weight, balance, bend profile, radial consistency, etc. I use it all the time and because he does all the measurements himself on the same equipment, it's far more apples to apples versus trying to go from one manufacturers website to another and hoping they measure the same way.
You should go check out Russ Ryden's golfshaftreviews.info. You have to pay for the basic reviews ($10/year) but you get a lot of info including weight, balance, bend profile, radial consistency, etc. I use it all the time and because he does all the measurements himself on the same equipment, it's far more apples to apples versus trying to go from one manufacturers website to another and hoping they measure the same way.
Most KBS shafts are neutral balanced due to a lack of tip reinforcement, where as our shafts (TT, PX) and Nippon both reinforce the tips so they are heavy tip, which in iron shafts terms is standard. Even with our lightweight offerings like Elevate or AMT long irons, they will all swing weight like a DG. Depending on the OEM you will sometimes see graphite sets 1/2" longer to account for the shafts lighter swingweight. As you get to 60 gram shafts it is harder to make the shaft swingweight like a 90 or 125 gram shaft because there isn't much mass to move around.
There isn't as much demand for counter balanced iron shafts because it is much harder to adjust head weights with irons than woods. By and large you have to jam a big ole weight into the hosel which leads to some undesirable effects.
We did make a set of counter balanced steel shafts (moved the tip reinforcement to the butt end) for a Japan OEM who was using heavier heads and longer stock builds. One problem is that you can't make a super light steel shaft and have it be counter balanced. For example we make a DG 85, which weights, tada, 85 grams. That tip wall is as thin as we can get it. If we want to counter balance that shaft, we can't move material around, we have to add material to the butt end and your total shaft weight goes up.
DB
@fairwaynut while they're not shafts, check out Switch Grips. They make counter balanced grips just as you'd see on putters but for the other 13 clubs.
03trdblack
Member
KBS iron shafts are more counter balanced feeling than say a TT Dynamic Gold. I've also found the Nippon Modus 130 plays a little more counterbalanced. Swingweights with these average lighter even though the shafts are heavy.
Release
Active member
Plus many other professionals. All use or used the weight plug in the grip end to find their preference of balancing the golf club.
Also be mindful of the total static weight. The static weight of the golf club and it's balancing point are more important than the swing weight value.
RoscoPColtrane
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I have been looking for this as i play my irons 1” long and swing weight is really heavy but i used 100 gram graphite so overall weight isn't bad.you get comfortable with whatever you play with over time.
