Building a shorter driver

[3oneday]

Thinking about doing this properly this time.

If I have a 200 gram driver head and a 71 gram 3 wood shaft, can you guys guide me please as to how much I would need to increase the driver head by to get a d2 swing weight?

By the by, if anyone has an X Hot Pro 3 wood shaft spare, I'd like to get my hands on it :)

[Daves]

Assuming the 3 wood shaft is going to play at 43", you will need to make up the equivalent of approximately 2" of length.

Rule of thumb charts say;

2" = 12 SWs

2 Grams headweight = 1 SW

So about 24 grams

Shaft weight only makes a small difference, maybe 1 or 2 SWs.

[YonexMan]

You can type in the information here in these swing weight calculators.

http://www.golf-components.com/swing-weight-calculator.html

or this one

http://www.leaderboard.com/swingwt.htm

Just change the data for head weight (first link) to work out how heavy the head needs to be.

I use these calculators all the time when I re-build my clubs. I just add the right amount of lead tape to the heads to get what I want.

[Lucasto23]

Thinking about doing this properly this time.If I have a 200 gram driver head and a 71 gram 3 wood shaft, can you guys guide me please as to how much I would need to increase the driver head by to get a d2 swing weight?By the by, if anyone has an X Hot Pro 3 wood shaft spare, I'd like to get my hands on it :)I actually might have one in the junk golf bag, will have a look for you tonight

[3oneday]

Thanks guys :)

[TheNuclearOne]

What length are you aiming at, what head are you using and what length shaft?

[3oneday]

I was thinking I would use the SL290 10.5 head I have spare, which I will weigh tonight.

I'm thinking shorter than 44", but ideally will have it the same length as my 3 wood, Cally website says that is 43.5.

[FuzzyJuzzy]

Are you building a driver for MrBluu??!?:).

[3oneday]

Are you building a driver for MrBluu??!?:).8 posts in is pretty good around here :)

[FuzzyJuzzy]

8 posts in is pretty good around here :)

Yeah - I was as surprised as you. Every other OzGolfer's computer/phone/iPad must've froze in the interim...

[backintheswing]

He's building it at 43 1/2", that's still 4" over length for bluu

[3oneday]

Just out of interest (sorry for dragging it back on topic for a sec :)), would it make much difference if I went with 9° instead of 10.5?

[dM.]

Have you played with a driver this short before? 43" is definitely on the short side, easy way to try is see if any of your mates / Oz Golfers can help you out with a head and fairway wood with matching tip (Callaway are good for this) to try one out. I recently gave a Cobra head with a Fairway shaft a go, definitely was uncomfortable and I usually play with a Driver @ 44.5" Might find you would be better off with 44.5"/44" rather then 43" - Just a thought before you start cutting shafts down.

[mrbluu]

Thinking about doing this properly this time.

If I have a 200 gram driver head and a 71 gram 3 wood shaft, can you guys guide me please as to how much I would need to increase the driver head by to get a d2 swing weight?

By the by, if anyone has an X Hot Pro 3 wood shaft spare, I'd like to get my hands on it :)
Are u struggling with the putter again??? :mrgreen:

[3oneday]

Have you played with a driver this short before? 43" is definitely on the short side, easy way to try is see if any of your mates / Oz Golfers can help you out with a head and fairway wood with matching tip (Callaway are good for this) to try one out. I recently gave a Cobra head with a Fairway shaft a go, definitely was uncomfortable and I usually play with a Driver @ 44.5" Might find you would be better off with 44.5"/44" rather then 43" - Just a thought before you start cutting shafts down.I have tried it previously and hit it all over the shop.

The difference though, which is probably what you may have experienced, is that clearly the head weight I used previously wasn't matched to the shorter shaft. It was exactly the same normal driver weight. If a 3 wood is 210 grams at 43.5, I'd imagine the driver should be similar to match the shorter shaft at least?

[Scifisicko]

Interesting. I have bagged a 9.5* 43 inch driver with 20g of lead on the toe from time to time (on a whim). I took it to my Pureform fitting. From the reports, CHS was -5 MPH & average distance -13M Vs the fitted driver. Of the 4 shots measured, three were straight and one was a pull hook. It was 7m longer (total distance) than the fitted 3W and about the same accuracy (with the pull hook removed). The 3W had +5M carry Vs the short driver. I now play the 3W because peak height averaged +9 m and spin + 1000 RPM. The extra carry and stop make it more versatile than the short driver. The short driver is only longer than the 3W when its warm and dry and it is no more accurate. The short driver hasn't been back in the bag or been thought of since. Do you get along with your 3W?

[3oneday]

Do you get along with your 3W?I do, I previously had looked at a 12 degree X2 Hot deep because I do seriously question whether my driver goes any further consistently.

I had wondered though if the shorter driver would be more accurate than both, given the larger head size.

[Scifisicko]

I think ive been where you are and found that its just a pretty limited 3 wood.
Also I didn't think to mention that the three woods i hit at Pureform were off the carpet. Numbers improve off the tee.

[Forecaddie]

He's building it at 43 1/2", that's still 4" over length for bluu
i play to Bluu's length.

[mrbluu]

i play to Bluu's length.
So do I... Hahahaha

[Jerrymoo]

Have been tinkering with this myself of late.

Something to consider for future tinkerers: The weight you add to the head to adjust the swingweight, it will have some effect on the flex of the shaft... all depends on how much you're adding, but you might need some tip trimming to maintain the flex.