# Cost Of Soft Stepping



## Region3 (Jan 9, 2011)

I went to a club maker today, for 2 reasons.

Firstly to have my lofts and lies checked (and bend my GW to 51), but also to get another opinion on whether my shafts were right for me.

He tested the flex in my clubs which are supposed to be 6.0.
They were actually equivalent to midway between 6.0 & 6.5!

Then I hit some balls with my own 6 iron, and some with a club with a PX 5.5 in.
The 5.5 added 3-4mph to my swing speed with the same swing, and felt better too. It also added quite a bit of spin and a small increase in distance.

So the question is, what is a reasonable price to pay for soft stepping, which he said would make the shafts approximately equivalent to about 5.7, if I wanted to go ahead with it.

Would you change?


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## Andy (Jan 9, 2011)

Who done this for you Region?

Can I ask much he charged?

Andy


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## Region3 (Jan 9, 2011)

It was a guy in Leicester. Sounds silly but I don't know his name. He has an ebay account called onestopgolf10
He sounds very knowledgeable (to a numpty like me) and does most of his work for players on the ladies tour.

It was Â£20 for his time on the launch monitor and checking lofts and lies (with any adjustments necessary) on my irons.

I'll say later on what he's going to charge for the soft stepping if I go ahead with it, as I want to get unbiased opinions first before I say.


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## Andy (Jan 9, 2011)

It was a guy in Leicester. Sounds silly but I don't know his name. He has an ebay account called onestopgolf10
He sounds very knowledgeable (to a numpty like me) and does most of his work for players on the ladies tour.

It was Â£20 for his time on the launch monitor and checking lofts and lies (with any adjustments necessary) on my irons.

I'll say later on what he's going to charge for the soft stepping if I go ahead with it, as I want to get unbiased opinions first before I say.
		
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Cheers 

Andy


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## JustOne (Jan 9, 2011)

I'd change,... how was the dispersion?


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## Region3 (Jan 9, 2011)

I'd change,... how was the dispersion?
		
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About the same.

The main advantage for me I think will be not thinking that I have to try to hit it hard to get the best from the club.

Maybe that's all in my head, but the club speed increase tells me the shaft is working better, even if 3-4mph doesn't seem like a lot.

Been thinking about it and the increased spin is probably due to using a brand new club with the 5.5 vs my 18mth old club.


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## Redwood (Jan 10, 2011)

Gary,

Not sure on cost but i guess you'll need one new 3 shaft for your 3 iron, and then his labour to pull the shafts, butt trim them, and reinstall on the next iron up.

I paid Â£10 to get a shaft pulled and installed on a 3 wood.  I guess based on that id be looking to spend Â£80 upwards for the work to pull/trim/re-fit. Not sure on the cost of the shaft -Â£20/Â£30 quid?


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## Oddsocks (Jan 10, 2011)

got to be a rouhg Â£125-150 quid bill


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## JustOne (Jan 10, 2011)

I'd change,... how was the dispersion?
		
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About the same.
		
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Yep, I'd change,... because if you don't you'll always be wondering.

Alternatively just buy another set


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## Imurg (Jan 10, 2011)

If your 6.0's are really 6.3's and you felt better using the 5.5 then I'd say its got to be worth the change.
You need one heck of a swing speed to get the best from 6.0's let alone 6.3's.
Better to be able to swing smoothly than be thinking you've got to get after every shot to make the club work.


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## Ethan (Jan 10, 2011)

I wouldn't spend Â£120 soft stepping shafts in a used set. That will take them down about 0.3 or so, not from midway between 6.0 and 6.5 to 5.7. Although some people say that PX are weight matched, not frequency matched, so the flex is not necessarily comparable with he standard Rifle scale or even consistent from set to set. 

In any case, I think you would be better selling and buying a new set. Get properly fitted and order exactly the shafts you want. I am sure Titleist can soft step at source as a custom order. Mizuno certainly can. 

If you want aftermarket corrections, make sure the fitter knows what they are doing. Many don't, and PX can be tricky to work with.


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## Region3 (Jan 10, 2011)

Alternatively just buy another set  

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Noooooooo, I'm keeping them for years yet. Like Trigger's brush


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## Region3 (Jan 10, 2011)

I wouldn't spend Â£120 soft stepping shafts in a used set. That will take them down about 0.3 or so, not from midway between 6.0 and 6.5 to 5.7. Although some people say that PX are weight matched, not frequency matched, so the flex is not necessarily comparable with he standard Rifle scale or even consistent from set to set. 

In any case, I think you would be better selling and buying a new set. Get properly fitted and order exactly the shafts you want. I am sure Titleist can soft step at source as a custom order. Mizuno certainly can. 

If you want aftermarket corrections, make sure the fitter knows what they are doing. Many don't, and PX can be tricky to work with.
		
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Oops. I told him to go ahead with it earlier 

Oh well. I did think about changing clubs, but decided it would be too expensive based on what I thought I could get for mine.

It's costing Â£100 for the soft stepping, but that doesn't include putting new grips on because I decided I wanted to have a go myself.

He said the soft stepping would take them down about 0.5.
If he'd have said 0.3 I'm not sure I'd have gone with it.

I'm worried now. It could be a waste of time


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## Ethan (Jan 10, 2011)

I wouldn't spend Â£120 soft stepping shafts in a used set. That will take them down about 0.3 or so, not from midway between 6.0 and 6.5 to 5.7. Although some people say that PX are weight matched, not frequency matched, so the flex is not necessarily comparable with he standard Rifle scale or even consistent from set to set. 

In any case, I think you would be better selling and buying a new set. Get properly fitted and order exactly the shafts you want. I am sure Titleist can soft step at source as a custom order. Mizuno certainly can. 

If you want aftermarket corrections, make sure the fitter knows what they are doing. Many don't, and PX can be tricky to work with.
		
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Oops. I told him to go ahead with it earlier 

Oh well. I did think about changing clubs, but decided it would be too expensive based on what I thought I could get for mine.

It's costing Â£100 for the soft stepping, but that doesn't include putting new grips on because I decided I wanted to have a go myself.

He said the soft stepping would take them down about 0.5.
If he'd have said 0.3 I'm not sure I'd have gone with it.

I'm worried now. It could be a waste of time 

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Just my opinion based on what I have read from expert clubfitters. I think that it is generally accepted that softstepping x 1 will bring the flex down about 1/3 - 1/4 of a flex. You could softstep x 2, though, I suppose, but then you need 2 extra shafts, so the cost rises a bit more.

The other bit is the statement that his PX 6.0 actually flex out at between 6.0 and 6.5. I am not sure what this means. If it means that they flex at 6.whatever on the Rifle scale, that is actually as should be. PX play firmer than Rifles, so although it sounds stupid, a Rifle 5.5 flexes out at 5.5, but a PX 5.5 flexes out closer to 6.0 on the Rifle scale. PX and Rifle flexes are not the same.


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## Region3 (Jan 10, 2011)

Just my opinion based on what I have read from expert clubfitters. I think that it is generally accepted that softstepping x 1 will bring the flex down about 1/3 - 1/4 of a flex. You could softstep x 2, though, I suppose, but then you need 2 extra shafts, so the cost rises a bit more.

The other bit is the statement that his PX 6.0 actually flex out at between 6.0 and 6.5. I am not sure what this means. If it means that they flex at 6.whatever on the Rifle scale, that is actually as should be. PX play firmer than Rifles, so although it sounds stupid, a Rifle 5.5 flexes out at 5.5, but a PX 5.5 flexes out closer to 6.0 on the Rifle scale. PX and Rifle flexes are not the same.
		
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I know nothing about clubmaking but I'm assuming that softstepping x2 is not an option because he said I could collect them tomorrow. I guess that's pulling and refitting today, then the glue drying overnight?

My assumption when he said they were about 6.2 was that he meant PX6.2 rather than 6.2 on the Rifle scale. I could be wrong.
I thought he meant mine were slighlty stiffer than PX6.0 should be.

If tolerances on making shafts are such that the flexes aren't guaranteed to be spot on, and some shafts came off the production line that flexed equivalent to PX6.2 would they be labelled as 6.0 or 6.5?
Or are they that accurate in making them that it wouldn't happen?

I think it's going to be a case of suck it and see, I might not even be able to tell the difference


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## Ethan (Jan 10, 2011)

Just my opinion based on what I have read from expert clubfitters. I think that it is generally accepted that softstepping x 1 will bring the flex down about 1/3 - 1/4 of a flex. You could softstep x 2, though, I suppose, but then you need 2 extra shafts, so the cost rises a bit more.

The other bit is the statement that his PX 6.0 actually flex out at between 6.0 and 6.5. I am not sure what this means. If it means that they flex at 6.whatever on the Rifle scale, that is actually as should be. PX play firmer than Rifles, so although it sounds stupid, a Rifle 5.5 flexes out at 5.5, but a PX 5.5 flexes out closer to 6.0 on the Rifle scale. PX and Rifle flexes are not the same.
		
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I know nothing about clubmaking but I'm assuming that softstepping x2 is not an option because he said I could collect them tomorrow. I guess that's pulling and refitting today, then the glue drying overnight?

My assumption when he said they were about 6.2 was that he meant PX6.2 rather than 6.2 on the Rifle scale. I could be wrong.
I thought he meant mine were slighlty stiffer than PX6.0 should be.

If tolerances on making shafts are such that the flexes aren't guaranteed to be spot on, and some shafts came off the production line that flexed equivalent to PX6.2 would they be labelled as 6.0 or 6.5?
Or are they that accurate in making them that it wouldn't happen?

I think it's going to be a case of suck it and see, I might not even be able to tell the difference
		
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Softstepping x 2 doesn't mean doing it twice. Softstepping involves putting the 3 iron shaft in the 4 iron, trimmed to length, 4 iron shaft in the 5 and so on. This means you need a new 3 iron shaft (although one intended for a 2 iron).

Softstepping x 2 means putting the 3 iron shaft in the 5 and butt trimming twice as much, the 4 iron shaft in the 6 etc, so you now need new shafts for the 3 and 4. That simply gives double the flex reduction as single softstepping but takes no longer nor costs any more, extra shaft aside.


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## viscount17 (Jan 10, 2011)

If tolerances on making shafts are such that the flexes aren't guaranteed to be spot on, and some shafts came off the production line that flexed equivalent to PX6.2 would they be labelled as 6.0 or 6.5?
Or are they that accurate in making them that it wouldn't happen?
		
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Isn't that what the Frequency matching is about and why they cost more?


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## Ethan (Jan 10, 2011)

If tolerances on making shafts are such that the flexes aren't guaranteed to be spot on, and some shafts came off the production line that flexed equivalent to PX6.2 would they be labelled as 6.0 or 6.5?
Or are they that accurate in making them that it wouldn't happen?
		
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Isn't that what the Frequency matching is about and why they cost more?
		
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Indeed, but PX are not frequency matched. Rifles are.

PX are weight sorted instead. As are TT DG, but to wider tolerances.


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## Region3 (Jan 10, 2011)

Softstepping x 2 doesn't mean doing it twice. Softstepping involves putting the 3 iron shaft in the 4 iron, trimmed to length, 4 iron shaft in the 5 and so on. This means you need a new 3 iron shaft (although one intended for a 2 iron).

Softstepping x 2 means putting the 3 iron shaft in the 5 and butt trimming twice as much, the 4 iron shaft in the 6 etc, so you now need new shafts for the 3 and 4. That simply gives double the flex reduction as single softstepping but takes no longer nor costs any more, extra shaft aside.
		
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What I meant was that my 3 iron shaft is already in my 4 iron by now, so going x2 would mean the whole procedure again.


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## Ethan (Jan 10, 2011)

Softstepping x 2 doesn't mean doing it twice. Softstepping involves putting the 3 iron shaft in the 4 iron, trimmed to length, 4 iron shaft in the 5 and so on. This means you need a new 3 iron shaft (although one intended for a 2 iron).

Softstepping x 2 means putting the 3 iron shaft in the 5 and butt trimming twice as much, the 4 iron shaft in the 6 etc, so you now need new shafts for the 3 and 4. That simply gives double the flex reduction as single softstepping but takes no longer nor costs any more, extra shaft aside.
		
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What I meant was that my 3 iron shaft is already in my 4 iron by now, so going x2 would mean the whole procedure again.
		
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OK. Give them a bash and see what they feel like.

How did your pro diagnose they were closer to midway between 6.0 and 6.5?


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## Region3 (Jan 10, 2011)

How did your pro diagnose they were closer to midway between 6.0 and 6.5?
		
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He twanged the 6 iron in a mchine that measured the frequency of the vibrations then looked the result up on a chart.


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## Ethan (Jan 10, 2011)

How did your pro diagnose they were closer to midway between 6.0 and 6.5?
		
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He twanged the 6 iron in a mchine that measured the frequency of the vibrations then looked the result up on a chart.
		
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But PX are not frequency matched, so there will be a range of frequency and they may be within spec for 6.0.


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## Region3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Well. Got them back last night. Just waiting on my grips from Gamola now and hopefully have them in play for the weekend.

I don't know if I was told a little porky, or if maybe he rotated the shaft in his frequency machine until he got the right frequency, but he said they're all playing at a hair over 5.6 now.
He also found a 5.5 shaft that read 5.6 in the machine to put in the 3 iron.

I can only assume that the reading from my 6 iron when I took them in was a false one due to having the grip still on 

Who knows. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating


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## Alex1975 (Jan 25, 2011)

So what was the outcome of this?


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## Region3 (Jan 25, 2011)

Errrrrrrr, not sure to be honest. I hit a few shots on Saturday that had a horrible clunky feeling like I was hitting a rock, but it could have been the frozen ground because I hit down on the ball quite a lot.

I'm worried that even though the guy obviously knows what he's doing, that something's not quite right with my clubs. I'll have to wait until I play in sensible conditions to put my mind at rest.


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## Alex1975 (Jan 25, 2011)

Oh gosh! I dont think I could wait.


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## Ethan (Jan 25, 2011)

Although I am not convinced that it is possible to say they were out of spec based on frequency testing, it should certainly be possible to show that the effect of the soft stepping, a reduction in frequency, was achieved, and also that they were matched and could be plotted on a graph as a straight line against length. If so, then you should be getting what you want from them, and I would give it a bit of time for you to get used to them.


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## steve (Jan 25, 2011)

hi region,i took my mate for a driver fitting with the same guy,after deciding on a callaway my mate asked could he have one with a shorter shaft he said no problem and took us to his workshop(small room in his flat)where he put the shaft under a chop saw and chopped an inch off,he then re gripped it and sent us on our way.This pretty much knackered the driver making it far to stiff.I am sure this is not how its done on tour.If i were you i would get a pro to have a hit with your irons and get his opinion,as after my experience with this tour fitter i wouldn't let him anywhere near my clubs.


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## Region3 (Jan 25, 2011)

Although I am not convinced that it is possible to say they were out of spec based on frequency testing, it should certainly be possible to show that the effect of the soft stepping, a reduction in frequency, was achieved, and also that they were matched and could be plotted on a graph as a straight line against length. If so, then you should be getting what you want from them, and I would give it a bit of time for you to get used to them.
		
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I'm quite sure that they're softer and am very happy in that respect. I hit a few irons on the range, and some shots on the course (can't remember which clubs though) that just felt awful off the face. Not miss-hit awful, just something wrong with the contact.

With the ground as it is though I could have caught the ground first without hitting it fat, that's why I said I'll have to wait for softer ground to be sure.

The only things I can think of that might not be my fault were if the shafts weren't fitted into the heads right (unlikely I would've thought for a clubmaker) or if he made them 2deg upright instead of flat and I'm hitting everything toe first.

Having said all that, it's more than likely just me.


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## Region3 (Jan 25, 2011)

hi region,i took my mate for a driver fitting with the same guy,after deciding on a callaway my mate asked could he have one with a shorter shaft he said no problem and took us to his workshop(small room in his flat)where he put the shaft under a chop saw and chopped an inch off,he then re gripped it and sent us on our way.This pretty much knackered the driver making it far to stiff.I am sure this is not how its done on tour.If i were you i would get a pro to have a hit with your irons and get his opinion,as after my experience with this tour fitter i wouldn't let him anywhere near my clubs.
		
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You sure it's the same guy Steve? I visited him in a warehouse bigger than American Golf.


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## steve (Jan 25, 2011)

I know hes got a bigger place now,sure its the same bloke first name starts with g?


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## Region3 (Jan 25, 2011)

I don't know his name lol.


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## steve (Jan 25, 2011)

onestopgolf is his ebay name if thats any help


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## Region3 (Jan 25, 2011)

Yep.


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