Login  | |
|
The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 7:16:50 AM
|
|
|
Cutter66
Posts: 4597
Joined: 01/11/05
From: Colorado via MI, CO, MI, SC, FL and MI
Status: offline
|
I have a set of irons (HP forged CB) that I really like, but at my height (6'6") and length of my irons (1" longer than standard), the SW is around E1 or E2 and I'd prefer it down a bit, maybe in the D5-D6 area. My question is this; is there a formula or a way to guestimate how much backweighting would create what I am looking for? In other words, is there x amount of weighting to change the SW a point? I don't want to have to buy one of each weight of these;
http://www.golfsmith.com/products/249796
in order to find what works, so I then can make a second order of what I need. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
_____________________________
A flute with no holes is not a flute...and a donut with no hole is a danish
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 7:58:42 AM
|
|
|
robertbartsch
Posts: 2647
Joined: 03/03/06
Status: online
|
At 5'5,'' I wish I had your problem!
Back weighting is controversial but many players claim it is benefical. Apparently, Jack N. used this trick during his entire career.
The current wave of back weighter interest has resulted, in part, from a recent article in GolfSmith's ClubMaker magazine.
Anyway, placing more weight at the butt end of a club will change the SW of the club but since the additional weight is at the fulcrum where the hands/wrists release, it's impact on the way the club feels to the player should be very minimal. In other words, some here would conclude that back weighting a club just "fools" the SW scale and not much else.
I have tried this a few times without success but many claim it is wonderful; I have my doubts, however.
IMO, if you want clubs that are SW a tad lighter, try replacing steel shafts with graphite or use light weight steel shafts in place of standard steel.
Some players are less sensative about changes in SW, typically those who have smooth tempos and non-violent transitions from the top. Others, like me, are sensative to SW changes - so beware - you may change something that does not work well for your game.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 8:27:53 AM
|
|
|
USBond
Posts: 2686
Joined: 11/01/06
From: 3rd rock from the sun
Status: offline
|
Cutter, I have the same problem since I also play irons at +1"
To accomplich the same objective, try using a heavy grip.
I am installing the oversize (+3/64) Grip One from Golfworks. At 81 gm, it is roughly 30 gm heavier than most grips currently in vogue. Since 5 gm in the butt end of the shaft reduced the Swing Weight by 1 point, this reduced my SW by 6 points.
_____________________________
The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything -- they just make the best of everything they have.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 8:56:52 AM
|
|
|
ttalley32
Posts: 55
Joined: 08/12/02
Status: offline
|
The rule of thumb is that approximately 4 grams (original post said ounces-oops) of weight added to the butt of a club will reduce the swingweight by 1 point.
< Message edited by ttalley32 -- 11/28/06 3:08:15 PM >
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 9:23:18 AM
|
|
|
Bad9
Posts: 362
Joined: 01/09/04
Status: online
|
I have used a 25g backweight in my driver for two full seasons and have not driven the ball better. I learned of it from a clubfitter in Ottawa, Ontario while I was in doing a driver fitting on his launch monitor. After we had gone through several clubs he gave me a backweighted driver and had me hit a number of balls with it. he did not tell me it was backweighted. After I was done hitting we discussed what I thought of it and he told me that although I did not gain any distance or clubhead speed my dispersion tightened significantly. My on course results the last 2 years have kept proving the same thing. I am not a big hitter(avg 220) but am pretty accurate. My results with a non backweighted driver for several weeks this past year(same head and shaft) weren't nearly as good.
After reading the GS article a few weeks ago I am going to set up all my woods and maybe my irons in the same way.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 9:35:03 AM
|
|
|
LyleG
Posts: 533
Joined: 10/23/06
Status: offline
|
I would really like to read that Golfsmith artical 
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 9:39:23 AM
|
|
|
Arniesclubs
Posts: 3900
Joined: 01/22/04
Status: offline
|
If you have a swingweight scale place the club on the scale and start stacking dimes on the butt of the club. When the swingweight reaches the desired number, weight the dimes on a gram scale and that's the amount of weight to add to that club. Do this proceedure for each club for a uniform result. 
quote:
ORIGINAL: Cutter66
I have a set of irons (HP forged CB) that I really like, but at my height (6'6") and length of my irons (1" longer than standard), the SW is around E1 or E2 and I'd prefer it down a bit, maybe in the D5-D6 area. My question is this; is there a formula or a way to guestimate how much backweighting would create what I am looking for? In other words, is there x amount of weighting to change the SW a point? I don't want to have to buy one of each weight of these;
http://www.golfsmith.com/products/249796
in order to find what works, so I then can make a second order of what I need. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 9:44:11 AM
|
|
|
billvinson
Posts: 200
Joined: 05/28/02
From: Muncie, Indiana
Status: offline
|
Cutter, I just reshafted my irons from graphite to steel. To compensate for the additional SW due to the shaft weight being more, I backweighted my irons to bring them back to what I felt with my graphite shafts. For me, I used a SW scale, I put the club on it and added weight to the butt end of the scale until I got the SW where I wanted it. I then put that amount of weight in the shaft before I gripped it. (yes, i had the grip on the scale too) Doing it that way, I was able to get the SW to where I was comfortable. I have liked the results as well when I've had the chance to play. Hope this helps.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 9:44:37 AM
|
|
|
rangerx
Posts: 7794
Joined: 08/20/02
From: southern Indiana near Louisville, KY
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: robertbartsch
Anyway, placing more weight at the butt end of a club will change the SW of the club but since the additional weight is at the fulcrum where the hands/wrists release, it's impact on the way the club feels to the player should be very minimal. In other words, some here would conclude that back weighting a club just "fools" the SW scale and not much else.
 
Imho, backweighting has little to nothing to do with swingweight. Instead, backweighting adds 'total weight' to a club without changing the playing flex of the shaft (ceteris paribus). The extra weight might contribute to better tempo, timing, and/or feel in a golfer's swing. How much weight that's optimal is a matter of trial and error; the better the player, the more important feel can be a factor. ymmv 
Nice price on the GS backweights  . I like the ease of use of the Balance-Certified system, but they're not cheap. Does the Golfsmith system install underneath the grip?
_____________________________
Bobby Grace Amazing Grace
Wishon PCF Micro 56° Rifle
Mizuno MX-25 GW Rifle, MX-23 5i-PW Rifle
Mizuno Fli-Hi II 23° Rifle Hybrid
MacTec NVG2 UT3 & UT2 YS Power 85 Fwy
Alpha V5 3W YS Power 75 Fwy
Ping G15 10.5° EV-6
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 9:51:52 AM
|
|
|
Bad9
Posts: 362
Joined: 01/09/04
Status: online
|
I agree with you about swingweight. When I backweighted my driver I built it to the length and swingweight I wanted(D2, 44.5) with a shaft that fits me(SK Fiber Pure Energy regular tipped .5") and then backweighted it. I don't even know what the swingweight is with the backweight nor do I care. I had to add a 9g tip weight to get the swingweight I wanted with the PE. After adding the backweight it turns out I followed the exact same process GS descibes, just 2 years before.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 10:08:00 AM
|
|
|
jc2bg
Posts: 3616
Joined: 07/29/04
From: Beautiful NW Ohio
Status: offline
|
Cutter,
Despite agreeing that backweighting is (A) primarily a means of adding weight to a club without it "swinging heavier," and (B) only fooling the SW scale, I also maintain that the clubhead feeling as though it's swinging lighter is not to be discounted. Ironically, given one poster's response, I have every club in my bag backweighted except one: the driver. I've found best results in all "fairway" clubs from 5 wood through lob wedge by building my clubs to a D2-D4 swingweight and then backweighting to achieve C8-D0 balance. The club is heavy enough to swing smoothly and stay on plane, but the clubhead feels light enough to give me more control, apparently, at the bottom. Without the backweights, I hit a lot of shots identically, but have a much higher instance of occasional throws from the top, resulting in low "heels" with the longer fairway clubs and high pulls with the wedges/short irons. I exclusively use quarter-inch carriage bolts (different lengths) with a variable number of nuts and the whole wrapped in masking tape to keep the nuts in place.
If you're strong enough to swing more weight, backweighting may help you. But it's cheap enough to try, even if you just tape some quarters to the back of your grip using duct tape!
_____________________________
Do not struggle; play from your heart. (Deepak Chopra)
|
|
|
|
|
RE: The art of backweighting - 11/28/06 10:13:38 AM
|
|
|
Bad9
Posts: 362
Joined: 01/09/04
Status: online
|
Your shot patterns are the same as mine. I weighted my 4w and 7 iron at the end of the year as a test. generally the shot pattern became a fairly consistant draw(same as my driver).
As I am using light weight shafts(Pure Energys in the woods and FST Pro White Lights in all the irons) I figure I am not really adding alot to the ttoal weight but redistributing it in a way that seems to help me make more consistant contact.
|
|
|
|
|
Support our Sponsors:
MyClubMaker.com - Shop everyone then shop us. We guarantee we will meet or beat any price.
My Ostrich Golf - When it comes to golf, we don't have our heads in the sand!
ActiveGolf.com - Book tee times online at top courses around the country.
Value Golf - Selling you components at rock bottom prices.
Solid Rock Golf - Building your game on a solid foundation.
Infiniti Golf - The best fit for your game.
|
Printable Version
Facebook 
Twitter