# Counterweights



## Wdcisu

I used a Ping G10 9.5 driver most of last year, having replaced my Taylormade '07 Burner. I noticed some control issues with the Ping, and have a love/hate relationship with the club now. In doing some research, I noted that the club has a 45.75' shaft. This is almost an inch longer than my TM and I am considering cutting down the club and using back weighting to make up the difference in swing weight. Since it is only 23 degrees here, it will be a few months before I make the cut. Anyone have any thoughts on this? My wrist-to-floor measurement is 34 1/2 inches.


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## FrogsHair

First thing I would do before cutting down any club is to grip down on the club instead. In your case, try gripping down on the club an extra 1" to simulate the 1" you want to cut it down. Then check your ball flight. It won't be the exact same as a cut down club, but you will get a pretty good idea as to what is going on swinging the club with a shorter shaft. You might have to add some temporary weight to the club head, just for feel purposes. You might want to even grip down another 1/2" just for the heck of it. 

Problem might be you are comparing two different shafts, that may or may not weigh the same. Example; one might weigh 75gms, and the other might weigh 55gms. Flexes, and kick points might be different for each shaft. 

Also if you cut off 1", have you considered what might happen to the shaft flex, or maybe even the kick point? 

Since my refrigerator/freezer is warmer than your ambient, you might want to spend some time, and google up the info on both of the shafts, and read up on changing swing weights and and such. Use your down time to study, and get a better idea of what you want to do. 

(here's a good place to start) 
Amigo 4 Golf - Custom Fitted Clubs


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## Wdcisu

*yes, but......*

I thank you for your insight. My real queston is in regards to the impact of removing an inch or so from the butt. Can I get back my lost swingweight with counterweighting?


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## FrogsHair

Yes you can add weight to make up for the loss of weight. Here is a link on shaft trimming. Pay particular attention to the shaft flex part in the response. This response deals with trimming 1/2" off the butt end. You are wanting to trim 1", so you would probably double the responders values. 

shaft trimming - TheSandTrap.com Community

I like part of the response that said to try the club out first, before adding any weights.

Now if you decide to add lead weight, (get the stuff with the sticky back) here's a tip to help it stay on the club head. Once you are satisfied on the amount of weight, and more importantly the location where you added it, take a soft (rubber) mallet hammer, and tap out all the air between the lead, and the club head surface. I have wedges I added weight to in this manner, and the lead tape was next to impossible to take off. When I was using these wedges, the lead tape stayed on for the entire two years I was using them. During that time I was playing 100+ rounds a year, and practicing in between those rounds with these clubs.

Have fun with your experiment.


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## Wdcisu

Thank you very much for the info. I have read that you should swing the club without the additional weight. I will try that out.


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## tweaky

the shaft flex and "kick point" won't be affected by trimming the butt, they are only affected by tip trimming. the shorter club length will need to be weighted in the head, not the butt, to achieve the same "swingweight" feel. there is no right or wrong "swingweight" since it's YOUR sense of "feel" that you are trying to achieve. gripping down on the club is the right approach and you can do it at home without hitting a ball. if it "feels good" then it'll work for you. any off direction hits are a matter of your own ability to swing any club.
keep in mind that the world record long drive in a PGA sanctioned tournament occurred in 1974 with a 43.5" persimmon headed 11* driver, 515 yards. 64 year old Mike Austin.
even the Remax guys aren't doing THAT.


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## Wdcisu

Thank you for your insight. I am one of those kind of guys who likes to tinker, not to build the perfect club, but mostly for the fun of tinkering. Your response did make me wonder what the lenght of my old persimmon head driver was. I am 50, so I remember those clubs, I still have that driver somewhere in the basement, and I never had trouble hitting that thing straight.


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## Wdcisu

Found my old persimmon-head driver. Overall lenght of 43"


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## tweaky

Wdcisu said:


> Found my old persimmon-head driver. Overall lenght of 43"


planning on using it? why not put it up against a titanium driver and see which works better?


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## Wdcisu

At long last the sun is out in Iowa, and I had a chance to play the 45" driver that I cut down to 44". I added no additional weight to the head. The season is still early, but I note no distance loss, and I can say that I hit all but 3 fairways over 27 holes. Perhaps my game woke up better than usual, or I am on to something here. My thanks to all that contributed to this thread.


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