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How effective is lead tape?

Nippon Shafts
aimson

aimson

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When I started playing I was battling a very big slice, but I bought X Hot hybrids and they helped me alot to reduce that slice and I just loved hitting them. This year I managed to get rid of my slice, resulting in my X Hot hybrids now producing a hook instead so I sold them. However, I have no managed to find an alternative that I like as much as I liked those, so now I am considering buying a new pair (3+4) and was thinking that maybe I can put lead tape to make them less draw biased, but would this help? I have no experience using lead tape, so thought I´d ask here before I go and order the clubs!

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
The pros use it, nuff said.....
 
It's only as effective as the person applying it, much like anything else. When done correctly, it is pretty darn effective from what I've seen.
 
I have four strips on the heel of my driver. Not a lot of added weight, but it helps to get that big head square at impact. I like lead tape!
 
HoosierGolfer said:
I have four strips on the heel of my driver. Not a lot of added weight, but it helps to get that big head square at impact. I like lead tape!
Click to expand...

Does this help you reducing a slice/fade? I was thinking of doing this with my driver, which is the only club I fade with.

And I realize it does something, otherwise Mickelson etc wouldnt use it, the question was more, does it do enough to even out the weighting in a hybrid that is made to prevent a slice/fade?
 
Played with a guy the other day that hits a huge huge banana slice. He would need 5 lbs of that on his club to make a difference . Say you put on tape and still slice ? It will be a never ending cycle of how much to apply and where

best advice we gave to him is go out and learn a correct golf swing. Adhere to the proper swing fundamentals. Than and only than will he straighten out that banana.

Not the bow but the Indian that shoots it.. Work on your swing and stay away from the lead tape
 
Wow could not disagree more. Lead tape is used by some of the best in the world. It's not supposed to be a cure, but an additional way to fine tune....like any other fitting element.
 
How effective is lead tape?

Agree with JB 100% there. Lead tape is/was moveable/interchangeable weights before it was being directly into the club head.


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I use lead tape on the toe of my driver and 3w to give it that little extra head weight and produce a little more fade bias.
 
I put lead tape on almost every club to achieve certain swingweights but my understanding is it would take a lot of it to actually change ball flight characteristics.
 
I've used lead tape since I was a teenager and find it very effective. I think only a 2 of my 18 or so drivers don't have lead tape on them. Most of the putters I've gamed over the last decade have lead tape or a special wheel weight tape if I really need to add lots of weight.
 
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I used lead tape yesterday to turn my irons from horrible to practically dialed in with just two strips on each one within minutes. If you can effectively use it, lead tape will help tweak or dial in a club to exactly how the golfer wants it.


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aimson said:
Does this help you reducing a slice/fade? I was thinking of doing this with my driver, which is the only club I fade with.

And I realize it does something, otherwise Mickelson etc wouldnt use it, the question was more, does it do enough to even out the weighting in a hybrid that is made to prevent a slice/fade?
Click to expand...

It does. This is the reason the new Great Big Bertha has a sliding weight. You can place it back at the heel and this would more less be the draw setting for most people. 460cc is a big head. Making sure I get it back to square is all that matters to me, and the jury is out if the tape helps, but if my mind says it does, than it does. Works for me. I've always added weight there to my drivers and even some 3 woods.
 
I found it worked wonders for me by changing the swing weight of my clubs. I originally had it on the hosel of my clubs high enough that it didn't seem to alter the ball flight as much as it improved my tempo. But, I had the clubs rebuilt with the swing weight adjusted through tungsten down in the hosel and the same change in weight in what is essentially the heel of the club has made a huge draw bias in my clubs that I'm having to learn to adjust too. So I believe the weight from lead tape in the right places can work wonders.

Also, someone else here showed me these in the Callaway XR review thread, but they are a pretty cool alternative to lead tape:

http://www.golfworks.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_GW0054_A_Rubber+Tungsten+Swingweight+Tape_A_c2p_E_cs

gw0054.jpg
 
Started with lead tape on my putter little while ago, now the only clubs in my bag that don't have tape are my wedges and driver. My previous driver had a good amount on it.
 
-CRW- said:
I found it worked wonders for me by changing the swing weight of my clubs. I originally had it on the hosel of my clubs high enough that it didn't seem to alter the ball flight as much as it improved my tempo. But, I had the clubs rebuilt with the swing weight adjusted through tungsten down in the hosel and the same change in weight in what is essentially the heel of the club has made a huge draw bias in my clubs that I'm having to learn to adjust too. So I believe the weight from lead tape in the right places can work wonders.

Also, someone else here showed me these in the Callaway XR review thread, but they are a pretty cool alternative to lead tape:

http://www.golfworks.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_GW0054_A_Rubber+Tungsten+Swingweight+Tape_A_c2p_E_cs

gw0054.jpg
Click to expand...

I was really excited when I found these at the beginning of this year as they represent a way to add more weight with less material (1 inch square tungsten weight = 4 inches of high density lead tape). But I quickly learned that they do not stay on full swing clubs very well at all. A couple of swings on the 3 or 4 clubs I put them on and they were gone. I do use them on putters and find them quite effective for adding weight to the putter head.

Back to the original question. I have found that small amounts of lead tape are very effective in tweaking swing weights and the feel of a club. I believe it would take a substantial amount of lead tape to truly impact the ball flight considering the ratio of say adding 6 inches (6 grams) of high density lead tape in relation to how much the head weighs in the beginning and the weighting that already exists in the head. That same 6 inches will increase the swing weight by 3 points and give the club a different feel though.
 
I use lead tape all the time, especially when I'm trying something out. You can always remove them if things don't work out. I have them on my driver, 3W and 5W. I use them to get the swingweight I want.

Not that I do it, but to create a fade bias you add more weight to the head, and add more tape to the heel of the clubhead if you want a draw bias. The theory is that the heavier weight will turn slower than without.
 
Sox Fan said:
I was really excited when I found these at the beginning of this year as they represent a way to add more weight with less material (1 inch square tungsten weight = 4 inches of high density lead tape). But I quickly learned that they do not stay on full swing clubs very well at all. A couple of swings on the 3 or 4 clubs I put them on and they were gone. I do use them on putters and find them quite effective for adding weight to the putter head.

Back to the original question. I have found that small amounts of lead tape are very effective in tweaking swing weights and the feel of a club. I believe it would take a substantial amount of lead tape to truly impact the ball flight considering the ratio of say adding 6 inches (6 grams) of high density lead tape in relation to how much the head weighs in the beginning and the weighting that already exists in the head. That same 6 inches will increase the swing weight by 3 points and give the club a different feel though.
Click to expand...

Those Golfworks tungsten squares will stay on but you need to use a good quality 3M double sided tape that you can buy at an automotive store. Another alternative is adhesive backed wheel weights that you can get on Amazon such as these:http://www.amazon.com/Plombco-Adhes...sr=1-3&keywords=adhesive+backed+wheel+weights
 
Personally Ive found the tape to be very effective in my 3W, placing it low and forward with a fade bias has been perfect for my club. I could hit a predictable draw without it being a hook. The placement low and forward as opposed to high and towards the rear has some effect in the height of the trajectory.
 
tahoebum said:
Those Golfworks tungsten squares will stay on but you need to use a good quality 3M double sided tape that you can buy at an automotive store. Another alternative is adhesive backed wheel weights that you can get on Amazon such as these:http://www.amazon.com/Plombco-Adhesive-Backed-Balancing-Weights/dp/B015ESLSAS/ref=sr_1_3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1444745216&sr=1-3&keywords=adhesive+backed+wheel+weights
Click to expand...

Now that is smart. Too bad they are 5 gram and not in even weights. I did find 1/8 oz weights (~3.5 grams). Does the adhesive on the wheel weights hold up well enough on its own, or would they require a different adhesive?
 
I play a 7W instead of a hybrid.

Okay, so you've battled your slice and you now have a hook. You're at the in between stage. Lessons with a pro can help here. Seriously. Without looking at your swing, I would guess you're not getting your weight forward enough on the downswing. When I don't, I hook the ball. When I get the weight forward too quickly, I push the ball right (straight but it goes right). There's a lot of timing to work on. I'd work on this with a pro.

Lead tape can help with clubs like your driver and woods, but I don't think it's necessary on hybrids. Learn to hit them with a neutral face and weighting.
 
Everything in life and in golf is subjective.
 
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