Wilson Golf Club Blog

how do you decide which shafts ( i use graphite) are right for you? stiff, flex, etc? thanks!

Most average golfers will do OK with graphite shafts for woods / hybrids and steel shafts for irons.

Steel shafts are basically chosen by type of flex. There are some additional upgrade features for steel shafts that you can buy to improve feel. Ping has a nice cushion shaft that improves feel. Rifle shafts have a nice feel as well.

Graphite shafts come with many variables including flex, kick point and weight.

Pick the right shaft for your swing type and speed. For example a medium swing speed (80-90mph) will fit better with a regular flex shaft and a faster swing speed will do better with a stiff flex. Golfers that have trouble getting the ball high in the air may want a shaft with a low kick point that helps raise your launch angle.

Therefore, considering that the various shaft types will affect your shot (for good or bad depending on your swing), it’s a good idea to visit a pro shop and have them do a swing analysis and give you a recommendation before buying clubs. Golf is tough enough as it is without further handicapping ourselves with a ill-fit set of clubs.

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There are a couple different techniques which I use to take grips off in order to reuse them. One is to insert a needle into the grip with solvent in the syringe, then work the solvent around the circumference of the grip until it breaks the adhesive bond. Second way which I use more frequently is to use a blade style grip remover ( it is about 18 inch flat piece of metal with a wooden handle ) starting under the lip of the grip and dripping small amount of solvent on the metal and working it in a circular motion around the shaft adding solvent as needed.

Is it just to make it easier and quicker to swing? What’s the point in having a lighter club in general (even graphite)? Any drawbacks? Is it hard to adjust to a "normal weight" irons after using a light weight metal?

I use light iron shafts to break out of "slumps" that come up every so often. You can still get good ball flight off of lighter shafts, even when you are not swinging well. The extra zip in these shafts can be a confidence builder. The reason I go back to the 125 gram shafts is that when you get your swing back, the lighter shafts hook real bad. That is a good thing to me. It allows me to feel as though I am releasing the club again. The heavier shafts will feel great again, not harsh, and you will gain the accuracy again. Hope that will help.

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I just received my new custom fit Ping g10 irons yesterday. I am not very knowledgeable about golf clubs but my previous set had the shaft lenghts in a consistant decending order, the longest being the 2 iron and the shortest the 9. My new clubs are all over the place. Example, the 6 iron is a good 3 inches shorter than the 5 and at least 1.5 inches shorter than the 7.
Is this ok??
By "custom fit" I mean that I had the clubs sized for my height, arm length, hand size and swing speed.

There has been an eror in the fulfillment center at Ping. You stated you were "custom fit" by a PGA Pro and at the very least knowledgeable sales person. You received a copy of the original fitting form and should there have been any radical length adjustments it would have been noted as such. Return the clubs immediately to the purchase site and have them do a re-fit and keep a copy. Irons are usually set with a 1/2 inch difference from club to club until you reach the wedges which for some golfers the gap, sand wedge and lob wedge are all the same length. A player preference of course. I also suggest the fitter sold you a two iron. That was not in your best interests. You should have purchased a "hybrid" or "utility" club to cover the 2 and possibly 3 iron. Hybrida have become a solid innovation for players of all levels. Touring professionals have embraced the technology because it works and even with their tremendous playing abilities hybrids are easier to hit, control ball flight better and can be used from a variety of lies. Your club order was a mistake and many fitters begin with a five iron. The point of sale demo unit has dozens of options for you to try. The lie angle is a foundation of Ping’s committment to custom fitting. Length is the easiest to effect. One pass with a cut iff saw and it’s done. If the other clubs are the correct length you can butt trim the excessive length off and regrip the club to the standard 1/2 increments. One note of caution. A simple butt trim is easy but the flex mat change depending on what was trimmed from the tip. For example the .370 tip diameter may not have been trimmed at all the consequence being a flex designation not custom fit to your needs. A reputable shop or store will have a an electronic measuring device for flex in terms of CPM, (cycles per minute), after butt trimming have them measure the CPMs without the grip. Note: measurement with the grip installed dampens the vibrations thus a possibilty of a faulty reading. My advise is to return the entire set and reconfigure. The seller can call his/her Ping rep and rush your reorder through the Ping facility in Arizona. If the seller balks on your request you have the wrong place to shop. Your purchase was for one of the most expensive sets available to the public. Get it right, you deserve that much. Be mindful that an extention for steel or graphite composit shafts of 2 1/2 inches in your six iron will result not only in the play-ability of the club but the cosmetic look of the set. Ping clubs have a very good resale and trade in value and you will never see them in a Sam’s Club or other dumping ground. Cosmetics do decrease the value if radical changes in the look are present. If the reseller does not have a bona fide account with Ping, contact customer service directly and they will let you know if the seller is an authorized dealer or not and they will get it right for you by directing you to an authorized dealer near you. I have seen unauthorized dealers actually paint fill the "dot" to sell a set. It’s buyer beware. Good luck.

I recently purchased some used golf clubs on Ebay. Some of them seem to have sand or rocks in the shafts; i can hear it running through the shaft when I turn it over. Can anyone please tell me how to get it out if possible? If not, could anyone please tell me how much I would have to pay a repair shop to fix this problem? Thank you.

Go to your local Fitter and have the grip removed and replaced…Should only be a few $$

I was looking to buy a set of irons but they only came with regular shafts. If I were to get them fitted could I put stiff shafts on my clubs.

definately let a pro do it. There are a lot of factors such as the flex point that are just as important as the flex itself. Torque can also be a big factor.
I have reshafted clubs myself but only clubs like putters and wedges where the shft is short and I don’t to worry about the flex point and torque as much. Its just a matter of mixing up 2 part epoxy and glueing the new shafts to the clubhead so that part is easy. Getting the old clubhead off is just matter of heating the clubhead at the hosel to break down the old epoxy. Let the pros do it
I recently ran across a place where you can get a chance at Nike Irons and driver, You can probably request the shaft flex you want if you win:

I was wondering if anybody knows the butt diameter of x18 callaway irons with graphite shafts. What grips size would be best to keep it standard size? 580 or 600.

580 diameter . please have pro install if first attempt. very high risk to shaft.

I bought 2 Taylor Made rescue clubs (both 19° 3) off of ebay and the regular shaft club is shorter than the stiff shaft one. Also the stiff shaft club is new, and the other used. Is a regular flex shaft supposed to be shorter then a stiff shaft?

No ,But a difference in steel and graphite is normal

That first answer doesn't help you. Here are some facts for you:
Knowing you swing speed is important in deciding what shaft to use. As far as swing speed, if you are under 110 mph but over 100 mph, then you need a stiff flex. Less than 100 you need regular flex, and more than 110 you need extra stiff flex.
As far as the differences, the stiff flex is designed to snap through the ball in ideal timing with a swing between 100 and 110 mph, regular 90-100, x-stiff 110-120. Again, knowing your swing speed with a driver is important.
The stiff isn't designed to not damage as easily, they are all pretty equal as far as that goes. They will all break if mis-hit, or consistently swung at high speeds. For example, I am a competing long driver, I use an XXXX-Stiff shaft, my swing speed is around 140-145 mph, and the shafts I use only last about 2-4 weeks of consistent use before they break.
I worked at a golf course as a pro for some time, and built many clubs, my suggestion to you would be to go and get fitted for a driver, the difference is amazing, and you will know your swing better for future reference. Hope that helps.