Golf clubhead weights and shaft weights are important to consider if you’re serious about improving your golf game. The weight of the head of the club alone can determine how fast or slow your swing speed will be, and if that weight is off balance for your swing, it can have devastating effects on your overall shot accuracy. Here’s what you need to know about club weight, balance points, swing dynamics, what it all means for your game, and how you can find the right combination of weight and balance point that works best for you.
WHAT DOES SWING WEIGHT MEAN?
Swing weight is important in order to maintain consistency throughout the set. We use swing weight to ensure clubs of different lengths and weights feel the same during a swing. Consistent swing weights help to ensure a more similar feel from one club to the next. During PXG’s custom build process, a customer’s order is built together by Master Builders in a build pod (as opposed to other manufacturers who build clubs on an assembly line using multiple workers). We build each customer’s clubs, be it one or 14, under exacting conditions to ensure that our commitment to extremely tight performance tolerances is met.
HOW IS SWING WEIGHT MEASURED?
The swing weight of a golf club is assessed on a 14-inch fulcrum which measures where its balance point falls on the scale. The heavier the club, the more the club will tilt toward the clubhead side when balanced on that fulcrum.
Take a look this short video featuring our TOUR team adjusting swing weights for PGA TOUR players.
There are multiple swing weight ranges from A to G. Each range has 10 specific values within it, from 0 to 9. The lightest possible swing weight is A0 while the heaviest possible swing weight is G9. If you pick up a men’s golf club off-the-rack with stock options, the most common average weight would be about D1-D3, and the off-the-rack women’s clubs weight about C5-C7.
Now, you may have heard us say “PXG doesn’t make women’s clubs” – but wait, it’s not what you think! We custom fit and configure our technology-packed golf clubs to the player, not the gender. So, when you swing a PXG club during a fitting, you know that the swing weight is dialed in to enhance your performance.
DOES SWING WEIGHT IMPACT PERFORMANCE?
An important part of golf club head weight is its effect on swing dynamics. Swing dynamics, for those not familiar with that term, refer to factors such as swing speed, trajectory, etc. Since a golfer’s swing is going to vary from player to player and from swing to swing depending on what he or she hits in any given moment (from a driver to a sand wedge), golf club head weight matters in terms of how it will impact their swings on a shot-by-shot basis. Thus, while one golfer might find that they prefer an extremely light head-weighted golf club over other options due to their individual needs, another player might choose differently based on how they want their ball flight to look each time they step up onto the tee box.
Swing weight can be important for consistency of contact because it can affect a player’s swing tempo. Players with a quick transition may find that a heavier swing weight creates a smoother motion at the top of the back swing.
DOES A LIGHTER SWING WEIGHT INCREASE SWING SPEED?
The mass or weight of a golf club shaft affects both a player’s timing and power. Lightweight shafts are typically best for beginner golfers or those with slower swing speeds to help the player maintain speed through their swing. The total weight distribution (head, grip, and butt) of your clubs can affect how you hit each club through impact, as well as the ball speed, spin, and flight.
A well-balanced club should be light enough so that you can use proper form when swinging your golf club. For example, if the total weight of a club is too heavy for a person, they won’t be able to develop the necessary momentum and consistency in their swing.
Head weight changes can affect trajectory because head weight affects shaft performance (and therefore how the head is delivered at impact). A heavier head will cause the shaft to play weaker than a lighter head.
HOW DO YOU INCREASE THE HEAD WEIGHT OF AN IRON?
Swing weight is one factor that can be adjusted during a fitting along with other specs like head weight, shaft weight, and length. Our clubs are designed to allow for easy swing weight adjustment in a fitting environment so players can find what works best for them.
PXG’s flagship 0311 Irons have an adjustable weight in the back of the clubhead. Our Precision Weighting Technology, inspired by the outstanding adjustability of our metal woods and putters presented in GEN4 and all-new GEN5 Irons, features a large weight located near the CG on the back of the clubhead. The weight can be adjusted in 2-gram increments during a fitting to allow golfers to experience various head weight configurations and achieve optimal personalized performance. Weighting is not intended to be adjusted after purchase.
0311 T GEN5 IRONS
ABSOLUTE CREATIVITY
0311 P GEN5 IRONS
BRILLIANTLY BALANCED
0311 XP GEN5 IRONS
FORMIDABLE FORGIVENESS
DOES SHAFT LENGTH IMPACT SWING WEIGHT?
Yes, shaft length does impact swing weight. For every 0.5 inches of shaft length removed, you’ll find that about 3-5 swing weight points are also removed. With PXG clubs, your fitter can counterbalance that weight using our Precision Weighting Technology.
WHAT SWING WEIGHT IS RIGHT FOR ME?
For players wanting to fully dial in their equipment to optimize performance, even the smallest adjustments in swing weight can be influential. During a PXG fitting, your Fitting Specialist will review your swing dynamics and swing data to zero in on the ideal settings for your clubs. They’ll take into account shaft length and type, and grip as well as the adjustable weighting options on your driver, fairway woods, hybrids, and irons.
Ready to take your game to the next level with a PXG custom fitting?
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