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Counterbalanced effect on swingweight

Nippon Shafts
badolds

badolds

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Albatross 2024 Club
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I noticed that switching to a Tensei pro orange changed the swingweight of my driver by 3 points at the same length. I can add weight to the head to make it my normal D-4 but I am wondering if it supposed to be lighter by design?
 
Using "lighter" and "heavier" when it comes to swing weights are total misnomers. It's not about weight, it's balance. Your SW decreased since the balance point moved towards the butt end. The overall club weight could even be more depending on the shaft and the SW could still go down, and vice versa.
 
Lets assume both shafts are exactly 70 grams. The non counterbalanced shaft comes in at D-4. The counterbalanced shaft comes in at D-1. Should I play it at the lighter swing weight to take full advantage of the design or should I add weight to the head to make it feel like what I am used to?
 
badolds said:
Lets assume both shafts are exactly 70 grams. The non counterbalanced shaft comes in at D-4. The counterbalanced shaft comes in at D-1. Should I play it at the lighter swing weight to take full advantage of the design or should I add weight to the head to make it feel like what I am used to?
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Only one way to find out: hit some balls with it. Don't get stuck on SW though - you may like the driver as it is with the new shaft, especially if the overall weight is the same. Grab a pack of lead tape and see where it goes.
 
A quick test to see if the driver swing weight is correct for you. Hit 10 balls with a 7 iron (use whatever iron you hit well), then hit 10 balls with the driver and then hit 10 balls with the iron again. If the pattern changed from the first 10 iron shots to the last 10 iron shots, the driver SW is off a little.
 
It's my understanding that the counterbalanced shafts were designed to enable the end user to either add mass to the head at the same length to achieve the same swingweight and, theoretically, gain distance from the add'l mass behind the ball or add length to the shaft to play at a longer length at the same swingweight and, theoretically, gain distance from the add'l swing speed picked up from the add'l length.
 
Play or Hit it both ways - add some lead tape. See what happens.

I have so many counterweights at home - I can't decide whether they are helpful or not having spent hundreds of dollars over 20 yrs thinking it sounds good ... some people don't need to feel the clubhead as much, some like the heavier overall weight, some think the theory works. Maybe in a putter or really light club it may help quiet the hands. I'm done experimenting at this time.
 
It seems that some experimentation is in order. I have hit it twice now and it did not impress me. I did not realize how much lighter it was than my other shaft until I put it on the swingweight scale yesterday. I am going to add some weight to the head and try it again.

Thanks for the help gentlemen.
 
Jack Nicklaus used one of the heaviest static weights on tour for his driver, but had it counter balanced to a C9 SW.

I started experimenting with swing weight a couple years ago as a scratch. I'm currently down to a +1.4 and barely practice! The reason, my equipment finally fits me.

First off, specs are off. If you're irons are spec'd at D3, only half of them will be on.

Second off, trust YOUR FEEL and gut! If the club feels too light/heavy, it probably is.

Third, get some lead tape and a swing weight scale so you're not guessing. What works for someone else might or not work for you, but here's been my experience.

I prefer a progressively decreasing swing weight from heaviest to lightest in my bag. I have found my lob wedge at D6-7 around the greens feels phenomenally better than D2. (There's 9.5 inches of lead tape on my lob wedge) Sand wedge D4, Pw D3.5, 9-7i D3, 6i D 2.5, 3W-5i @ D2 and my driver at C9! I tipped an x stiff shaft 1 inch and added 6 grams of lead tape under the grips with 3 wraps of tape. Without the extra weight I've put in the head it would ring in around C4.5. I've tried so many times to go up to D4, D3, D1 etc. but the thing is just too heavy to control or swing faster. I truly think even though the driver is cut down to 44.5, I have more control, I create more speed, and the added mass to the head makes it feel like a missile coming off the face. Look at some of Rory's specs, Tiger's specs or Jack's specs and you'll find some understanding in why they hit the ball they way they did when they were on top.
 
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