Changing Weights in Driver

Orikoru

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I touched upon this in the 'bought today' thread, but wanted to get more views on it as my understanding of swingweight and so on is slim to none.

In my desperation to fix my driving this year, I'm experimenting with changing the screw-in weight in my driver. Using the SFT, the draw weight is 22g by default, I've replaced that with a 28g weight now. What effects should I expect to see? Obviously the intention is to add slightly more draw-bias, to help me square the face up by a degree or two. But I have read ideas about 'increasing swingweight' - what effect could that have? Less distance because the head is heavier? Maybe more because the weight distribution is moved to the end and you get more momentum?

I did try it on the driving range last night, but I honestly didn't really feel or notice much difference. On the course tomorrow might give me a better idea. But it still felt like I was swinging the same driver, the extra 6g didn't seem to make a radical difference.

I see swingweight is usually written as 'D2' 'D3' and so on. What do those letters and numbers even mean? I have no idea.
 

Springveldt

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I'm not an expert by any means but I'm sure one of the YouTube guys said adding 2g to the head moves the swing weight by a point so an extra 6g has probably moved the swing weight by 3 points. Swing weight is the balance point of the club and how heavy the head feels when you swing it. Some people are really sensitive to the swing weight while others aren't. I guess I've adjusted all my swing weights by putting on heavier mid size grips but I've never noticed any difference.

The 6g in the heel should in theory help you close the face more as the toe end of the club should be moving faster than the heel at impact.

Found the video I watched.

 

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I'm not an expert by any means but I'm sure one of the YouTube guys said adding 2g to the head moves the swing weight by a point so an extra 6g has probably moved the swing weight by 3 points. Swing weight is the balance point of the club and how heavy the head feels when you swing it. Some people are really sensitive to the swing weight while others aren't. I guess I've adjusted all my swing weights by putting on heavier mid size grips but I've never noticed any difference.

The 6g in the heel should in theory help you close the face more as the toe end of the club should be moving faster than the heel at impact.

Found the video I watched.

Again, no expert in swing weights but, from an engineering background, wouldn't more weight in the heel cause the heel to move quicker due to the greater potential energy?

PE = mass x gravity x height
 

Orikoru

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Again, no expert in swing weights but, from an engineering background, wouldn't more weight in the heel cause the heel to move quicker due to the greater potential energy?

PE = mass x gravity x height
No, that would be completely at odds with the entire concept of the Ping SFT drivers. The weight in the heel makes it drag so the toe gets there first.
 

Springveldt

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Again, no expert in swing weights but, from an engineering background, wouldn't more weight in the heel cause the heel to move quicker due to the greater potential energy?

PE = mass x gravity x height
No idea, not an engineer (well software engineer not an engineer engineer :) ) but everything I've watched say the heel is moving slower. Maybe they are talking about closure rate though as the face is also closing over as you swing?
 

sjw

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Isn't the weight more to do with gear effect? Make the heel more stable at impact, so the gear effect imparts more draw spin on the ball.

I find it hard to believe that the club is going to go slower through the air in one part vs another when it's all attached together!
 

Orikoru

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SFT, Draw+ and extra weight and you are still slicing it? Have you tried just having a stronger grip or even gripping the club with the face slightly closed?

Might be time for a lesson.
My grip is already strong. If I close the face at address it brings in the two-way miss with a straight pull to the left. And a lesson is what got me into this mess in the first place. 😄

I have a thread in the 'Ask The Experts' section with a recent swing video. I can see on there that I pick the club up in the takeaway, so it's pretty steep and I can only hit out to in. So I'm trying to get my takeaway more inside / 'deeper' if you like. But I've been trying that for a year now and still struggling. Just want something that keeps me in play on the course, and changing the weight in the driver was definitely worth a try.
 

Springveldt

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My grip is already strong. If I close the face at address it brings in the two-way miss with a straight pull to the left. And a lesson is what got me into this mess in the first place. 😄

I have a thread in the 'Ask The Experts' section with a recent swing video. I can see on there that I pick the club up in the takeaway, so it's pretty steep and I can only hit out to in. So I'm trying to get my takeaway more inside / 'deeper' if you like. But I've been trying that for a year now and still struggling. Just want something that keeps me in play on the course, and changing the weight in the driver was definitely worth a try.
Interestingly in that video I linked he said that the heavier the head weight the more he leaked it right. So maybe adding weight to the heel just cancels out what you are trying to do.

Probably worth giving it a bash anyway, it's winter and the time to experiment with things.
 

jim8flog

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From some reading up on other sites
It seems to suggest that extra weight will make it harder to close the club face, promotes a higher flight and makes the shaft play a little softer.

As with all these things trying different settings with different weights is the best way to find you best personal setting.
 

Orikoru

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Interestingly in that video I linked he said that the heavier the head weight the more he leaked it right. So maybe adding weight to the heel just cancels out what you are trying to do.

Probably worth giving it a bash anyway, it's winter and the time to experiment with things.
Would depend where you're putting the weight though? I haven't been able to watch the video yet as I'm in the office.

I think it will be most annoying if there's no perceivable difference, as then I won't know whether to stick with it or go back to the normal weight. :LOL:
 

Orikoru

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From some reading up on other sites
It seems to suggest that extra weight will make it harder to close the club face, promotes a higher flight and makes the shaft play a little softer.

As with all these things trying different settings with different weights is the best way to find you best personal setting.
I'm not sure how that can be possible. 😄 If weight in the heel closes the face - the entire concept of the SFT drivers - then more weight should close it more??

Surely you were just reading about more weight in the head generally? i.e. they might have just put it at the back or across the sole rather than heel-side?
 

sjw

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I'm not sure how that can be possible. 😄 If weight in the heel closes the face - the entire concept of the SFT drivers - then more weight should close it more??

Surely you were just reading about more weight in the head generally? i.e. they might have just put it at the back or across the sole rather than heel-side?

If you're really wanting to add weight to close the face during the swing, my intuition would be to put it in the toe. However, I point you to my previous post

Isn't the weight more to do with gear effect? Make the heel more stable at impact, so the gear effect imparts more draw spin on the ball.

I find it hard to believe that the club is going to go slower through the air in one part vs another when it's all attached together!

The weight in the heel is for gear effect - the face is supposed to turn open at impact, which in turn puts draw spin on the ball.
 

Dunesman

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Again, no expert in swing weights but, from an engineering background, wouldn't more weight in the heel cause the heel to move quicker due to the greater potential energy?

PE = mass x gravity x height
I dont think the weight affect the heel/toe movement in flight, but its only on the contact that weights, and weight position, has an influence by affecting the twisting motion of the head for strikes not in line with the centre of mass of the head.
 
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Dunesman

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Would depend where you're putting the weight though? I haven't been able to watch the video yet as I'm in the office.

I think it will be most annoying if there's no perceivable difference, as then I won't know whether to stick with it or go back to the normal weight. :LOL:
I think for most golfers thats the case - it makes no difference. For those with consistent face impact location though, where and how much weight will affect the twisting and gear affect correction, when they do miss the sweetspot.
I think its one of these cases where the fundamental science of it is truly correct, but the transfer of that effect to most golfers is too small to make any practical difference. But the manufacturers arent going to point out that their tech only has relevance to 1% of us (and Im not in the 1%☹️).
 

Lord Tyrion

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This has certainly helped for me, gripping the club with what feels like it’s aiming left of target, my power fade has turned into a baby fade…most of the time 👍
I do exactly the same. A pro told me to do this during a lesson. You expect to duck hook but it doesn't, presumably because whatever else we do counteracts and the end result is either straight or within a tight margin. A simple enough change, not a swing change or anything more difficult.
 
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