Clubmaker Notes

The following set of notes represent a body of knowledge that has been compiled over several years of clubmaking, reading of clubmaking books and magazines, trial and error, and advice provided by fellow clubmakers. These notes in the form of tips and techniques are provided for information and guidance only and should not be taken as absolutes.

CLUB ASSEMBLY NOTES

Shaft Dimpling
A common technique to ensure a better bond between shaft and clubhead has been to dimple the end of the shaft. This produces a "mechanical lock" once the epoxy has dried. With modern epoxies it is not necessary to dimple the shafts and with some of the light alloys it is not recommended.

GRIP NOTES

Building Up of Grips
Three layers of masking tape equates to approximately 1/32". So in order to achieve a 1/16" oversize grip, you need six layers of masking tape, assuming a .600" diameter grip going on a .600 diameter shaft.

Golf Pride Grip Size Designation
Golf Pride places the the grip core size identification number inside the mouth of the grip. It is usually indicated in the form of a letter followed by a 2-digit number. The letter deisignation will be either "M" for men's, "L" for ladies' or "J" for juniors. The 2-digit number represent the grip core size such as "58" or "60" matching the corresponding shaft butt size such as .580 or .600. Examples are M58 and L56.

Grip/Shaft Size Relationship
A M60 grip size on a .600 diameter shaft yields a standard grip size. A M58 grip size on a .600 diameter shaft yields an approximately +1/64" oversize grip. A M56 grip on a .600 diameter shaft yields an approximately +1/32" oversize grip.

SWINGWEIGHT NOTES

General
One swingweight point is equal to approximately 2 grams in the clubhead.

Effect of Grips on Swingweight
- A standard grip (~51 grams) accounts for approximately 9-10 swingweight points at the butt end of the club.
- If you reduce the weight in the grip end of a club by 4 grams, the resulting swingweight will increase by 1 swingweight point.

Effect of Shaft Lengths on Swingweight
- If you shorten a club by 1/2" the swingweight will decrease by approximately 3 swingweight points. Conversely, if you lengthen a club by 1/2" the swingweight will increase by approximately 3 swingweight points.
- If you reduce the weight in the grip end of a club by 4 grams, the resulting swingweight will increase by 1 swingweight point.

LOFT AND LIE NOTES

Effect of Shaft Length and Lie
An increase in shaft length by 1/2" will make the effective lie angle 1/2-3/4 ° more upright. Likewise, a decrease in shaft length by 1/2" will make the effective lie angle 1/2-3/4 ° more flat.

SHOP TIPS

Epoxy Mixing
Save plastic margarine lids or cut 4x4 inch cardboard squares to mix epoxy on.

Gripping
Put mineral spirits in a squirt or spray bottle and use a inexpensive pie or cake pans to capture the excess mineral spirits. The pan's flexibility makes it easy to pour the excess back into the bottle and reuse.

Storage
Use clear plastic storage boxes to store ferrules and other small parts labeling each with type and size. Mount a piece of PVC pipe or broomstick above your workbench to store rolls of tape.

Vise Pads
Take two layers of cardboard and use duct tape to attach one to each side of a vise to make inexpensive, replacable vise pads.

Work Board
Mount a cork board above your workbench and post shaft trimming instructions and standard lofts and lengths for quick and easy reference.