Installing Graphite in Irons

[ballzo]

I'm still toying with the idea of trying something lighter in my irons and I'm pretty sure I like and could do a set of dynamic gold 105's pretty easily but I am also considering going even lower and love the idea of graphite around 85-95g probably.

 

My question is about build lengths for a graphite iron. Typically eom graphite builds will be at least an half inch longer off the rack. So if I do them myself. I'm a fairly competent builder, should I or would I also need to add length to get swing weights correct? Or are they just building them longer because they can get away with it and also add distance? I'm leaning toward building them to standard so I won't mess up my wedge gaps too much. What are the pluses or minuses about adding more length?

[Jagpilotohio]

Yes, OEMs used to build longer for swingweight purposes. These days lengths tend to be the same but the SW is often 1 to 2 points lighter than steel. Going to 85 gram graphite from steel shafts will swingweight lighter. You can use thin tungsten tip weights that are usually used in woods to get the swingweight back to about “standard” if you really don’t want them overlength..

You can also use a few strips of lead tape on the back but I know many people have a bizarre hatred of lead tape on this forum.

 

1/2 an inch longer is not giving you more distance in any measurable sense. It may however suit some people from a fitting standpoint. A taller person or one with unusually short arms might benefit from + 1/2 inch,

[Stuart_G]

At one time they were, but very few OEM's are still building the graphite irons longer. It was a horrible idea back then (part lazy, partly trying to use distance to sell) and still is a bad reason to lengthen the build just because of the shaft choice. What length will be a good fit for you has nothing to do with the shaft material or even shaft weight. Or what that really means is fit length first, and weight second.

 

And on top of that it's rarely necessary. The shaft designers are not oblivious to swing weight issues when they design the lighter shafts. I've been playing graphite in that range for almost 20 years. All the graphite shafts I've worked with in the 85-100 gm range swing weight quite well without the need for much tip weight at all. UST and Aldila's rarely need any tip weights and the Steelfibers 90's and 95's may only need 2-4 gm (assuming the heads are already fairly standard weights).

[platgof]

Build the 7 iron first and adjust length as needed. Go by where the impact is, if on the toe more length is needed, and if on the heel , less. That way you can dial them in to fit yourself. When you get close, an 1/8" at a time is best. Remember, go long at first because it is tough to add length. Ideally it would be best to add the 7 iron to a back up set, and play it along with the others on the course. That way you get a "real course" experience, but a driving range will definitely work. I am planning on a winter project and will be building an iron set just like this, then when the weather cooperates, do some testing, first the range, then the course.

[Stuart_G]

Fitting playing length with a mid iron is largely a waste of time (unless one is being fitted for a single length set). No matter what length you come up with for the 7 iron, the player will still have shorter and longer irons in the set they have to manage.

 

The 2 key factors one needs to look at to dynamically fit length in an iron set are:

 

1) Are the shortest irons too short for the player - or at what point do they become too short. This is generally a question of posture.

2) Are the longest irons too long for the player - this is largely an issue of the players ability to handle longer lengths and still maintain good impact and launch.

[sirparalot]

I switched to graphite in my irons for the first time and went with the Fujikura pros. They were touted as being able to maintain SW when switching from steel. I went with the 85g option in stiff and lost only a single sw point across the set. I lost that point because I went .5 shorter vs the steel shafts I had previously. If I would have kept them the same length my club maker said they would have been the same. Check them out. I personally don't ever see myself going back to a steel shaft again.

[Ri_Redneck]

The Rubber Tungsten tip weights at GWs are the best I've encountered. Easy to modify (cut with a knife) to whatever weight you need. You may feel they are expensive, but it's the cost of getting things right easily IMHO.

 

When I do a build, I already know what weight & lengthI want them at, so I start by measuring everything and butt trimming the shafts to the desired finished length. I then install all the grips on the trimmed shafts. I install with air and do this by plugging the tip of the shaft with a tee, pressing it against the wall while clamping it in my shaft clamp. I then SW each club with no tip weight at all and make note of what needs to be added allowing for 1-2 gms for epoxy. I then trim each tip weight to the needed weight (I weigh them on a simple gram scale). Then each shaft getting a tip weight is tip trimmed the proper amount to allow for the thickness of the weight at the bottom of the bore. Works like a charm.

 

BT

[ballzo]

The Rubber Tungsten tip weights at GWs are the best I've encountered. Easy to modify (cut with a knife) to whatever weight you need. You may feel they are expensive, but it's the cost of getting things right easily IMHO.

 

When I do a build, I already know what weight & lengthI want them at, so I start by measuring everything and butt trimming the shafts to the desired finished length. I then install all the grips on the trimmed shafts. I install with air and do this by plugging the tip of the shaft with a tee, pressing it against the wall while clamping it in my shaft clamp. I then SW each club with no tip weight at all and make note of what needs to be added allowing for 1-2 gms for epoxy. I then trim each tip weight to the needed weight (I weigh them on a simple gram scale). Then each shaft getting a tip weight is tip trimmed the proper amount to allow for the thickness of the weight at the bottom of the bore. Works like a charm.

 

BT

 

I haven's seen those tip weights. I still have a boat load of weights that I bought years ago. So you end up doing two butt trims some times then?